とても素敵な六月でした (feat. 宵崎奏&朝比奈まふゆ&東雲絵名&暁山瑞希&初音ミク)

Overview
"Totemo Suteki na Rokugatsu deshita" (It Was a Very Wonderful June) is a song deeply rooted in themes of depression, existential dread, and the crushing weight of reality. The title itself is heavily ironic; the lyrics describe a June that is anything but "wonderful," filled with rain, decay, and psychological torment. June in Japan corresponds to Tsuyu (the rainy season), often associated with gloom, lethargy, and "June sickness" (seasonal depression).

The "You" and the "Me"
The relationship between the narrator and the "you" in the lyrics is complex. It can be interpreted as a conflict with a deceptive partner, a critique of society's hollow morality, or an internal dialogue where the narrator despises a part of themselves that tries to cling to hope or social norms (the "foolish liar"). The "howling" on the other side of morality suggests a disconnect between the narrator's raw, painful reality and the sanitized, hypocritical world of others.

Cycle of Decay
The recurring imagery of "rotten" worlds, "worn-out" merry-go-rounds, and "withering" flowers points to a nihilistic worldview where life is a repetitive, meaningless cycle. The desire to "burn" the image into memory before the world ends suggests a desperate need to find something real, even if it is painful, amidst the "deception" and "pretty excuses" that constitute daily life.

Suicide and Liberation
The song heavily implies themes of suicide or a desire for the end. References to the "wailing railway crossing" (a common motif in Japanese media for suicide spots), the "Grim Reaper crying," and the "signal of goodbye" create an atmosphere of impending death. The final lines—questioning who can judge this "mud-covered reality" if there is no afterlife—suggest a rejection of religious or societal judgment in favor of a self-determined exit. The closing "Let us meet again" is ambiguous; it could be a sarcastic farewell to the living world or a genuine hope for a void where the pain no longer exists.

The narrative unfolds within the suffocating atmosphere of a relentless June, serving as a bleak backdrop for a protagonist grappling with a sense of utter brokenness. The story begins with a visceral description of the narrator's own body feeling crushed and fragile, reduced to a mere solid object in a silent, indifferent city. They cast curses upon the 'filthy' and unfortunate circumstances of their existence, feeling alienated from the moral world around them.

A central conflict emerges between the narrator and an unnamed 'you'—a figure who stands on the other side of morality, howling self-righteous or empty words. The narrator sees through this facade, perceiving the transparency and deceit behind the other's indifferent language. The midday sun, usually a symbol of clarity, is twisted into an unsettling, colorless omen, reinforcing the narrator's view of the other person as a 'foolish liar.'

As the song progresses, the imagery shifts to the sensory details of summer: the scent of the wind and the sight of jet streams (contrails) in the sky. However, these are not joyful signs; even the Grim Reaper is depicted as weeping in the haze. The 'signal of the beginning' roars, likely the sound of thunder or a plane, marking a cycle of despair. The narrator feels trapped by obstructions and nonsensical mutterings, watching a 'rotten world' spin endlessly. Amidst this, there is a desperate desire to burn a specific image into their memory—perhaps a truth or a moment of pain—before the world ends, even if that memory must invade their dreams.

Metaphors of artificiality and decay abound: a worn-out merry-go-round and the 'products of deception' that the narrator wishes to avoid. On a hill set for a staged tragedy, a blooming lotus (or flower) is destined to wither, symbolizing the inevitability of death and the futility of beauty in such a grim reality. The narrator feels pierced by an 'ugly transparency,' while their grey heart screams silently.

The climax arrives with a sense of finality. The 'white breath of immorality' is covered by silver (likely rain or cold), and the sensation of being gouged out is scattered across the damp street corners. The narrator speaks of burying a 'howling lost dog'—possibly a metaphor for their own pathetic, crying self—and questioning the smoke-filled sky. Ultimately, they reject the 'thousand pretty excuses' that keep the rotten world turning, expressing a nihilistic wish to simply spit out that a sudden, anticlimactic end would be fine.

In the end, a wailing railway crossing interrupts everything, signaling a definitive stop. As the 'signal of goodbye' roars and the contrails dissolve, the narrator observes the 'foolish you' crying at the boundary of the physical world. With a final, biting irony, the narrator dismisses the sadness, reasoning that if neither heaven nor hell exists, then no one can judge this mud-covered reality. The story concludes with a chilling, perhaps sarcastic or resigned, whisper: 'Let us meet again.'

Original Composition
The song was originally written and composed by Eight (also known as Eight-P), with illustrations by No.734 and video production by zenvari. It was released on Niconico on June 13, 2014. Eight is known for his unique tuning of Hatsune Miku and rock-heavy, shoegaze-influenced arrangements that often tackle dark, emotional themes. The song quickly became one of his most popular works, entering the Niconico Hall of Legend.

Project SEKAI Version
The version by 25-ji, Nightcord de. (Nightcord at 25:00) was added to the mobile rhythm game Project SEKAI COLORFUL STAGE! feat. Hatsune Miku on June 26, 2023. This unit, whose story revolves around underground music producers dealing with trauma and identity, was a perfect thematic fit for the song. The cover features the voices of Yoisaki Kanade, Asahina Mafuyu, Shinonome Ena, and Akiyama Mizuki, alongside Hatsune Miku. The full version was included in the album 25-ji, Nightcord de. SEKAI ALBUM vol.3. The rearrangement stays true to Eight's original intense rock sound while adding the dramatic interplay of the four characters' voices to heighten the emotional narrative.

Rhythm and Tempo
The song is fast-paced (approx. 210 BPM), creating a sense of urgency and anxiety. The rhythm is driving and constant, mimicking a heartbeat racing in panic or the relentless fall of rain. This contrasts with the heavy, depressive content of the lyrics, creating a "happy sounding sad song" effect common in Vocaloid music, though the minor key keeps it grounded in angst.

Rhyme Scheme
The lyrics do not follow a strict Western rhyme scheme but rely on Japanese phonetics and assonance. Phrases often end with similar vowel sounds (e.g., -te, -u, -no) to create flow. For instance, the repetition of the particle no at the end of lines creates a sense of resignation or explanation (e.g., norou no sa, yomaigoto de). The rapid-fire delivery of the verses contrasts with the sustained notes in the chorus, emphasizing the emotional release of the hook.

Musical Techniques
The song utilizes a driving, up-tempo alternative rock arrangement typical of the "VOCAROCK" genre. It features aggressive, distorted guitars that create a "wall of sound" (Shoegaze influence), mirroring the overwhelming nature of the narrator's emotions. The drum beat is relentless, driving the song forward despite the lyrical desire to stop. In the 25-ji version, the vocal direction shifts between soft, breathless whispers (Kanade/Mafuyu) and powerful, desperate belts (Ena/Mizuki), creating a dynamic range that the original Vocaloid version couldn't fully express.

Literary Techniques
The lyrics employ synesthesia, mixing senses (e.g., "colorless midday turning into a disturbing color," "white breath of immorality"). Irony is central to the title "Very Wonderful June." The text also uses juxtaposition, placing "moral" and "immoral," "heaven" and "hell," and "lies" and "truth" against each other to highlight the narrator's disillusionment with binary concepts.

Vocaloid Legacy
"Totemo Suteki na Rokugatsu deshita" is considered a classic in the Vocaloid scene, specifically within the "depression rock" niche. It helped establish Eight's reputation for emotive, guitar-driven rock. The song resonates deeply with listeners struggling with mental health, particularly during the gloom of the rainy season in Japan.

Project SEKAI Impact
Its inclusion in Project SEKAI introduced the song to a new generation. The cover by 25-ji, Nightcord de. is widely praised for its fidelity to the original's emotion while adding character-driven depth. The "3DMV" (3D Music Video) in the game is noted for its visual storytelling, using the unit's "Empty SEKAI" aesthetic to mirror the song's isolation. It stands as a defining track for the unit, encapsulating their core theme of finding salvation through music in the midst of despair.

June and Rain
June represents the relentless accumulation of despair. The "dampness" and "rain" wash away facades but also trap the narrator in a gloomy, claustrophobic environment (the "closed-off" feeling).

The Flower (Renge/Lotus)
The lyrics mention a "blooming lotus" (renge) destined to wither on a "hill of staged tragedy." The lotus often symbolizes purity rising from mud (Buddhism), but here, its inevitable withering signifies that even purity cannot survive the "mud-covered reality" of the narrator's world. It represents the fragility of hope.

Merry-Go-Round
The "worn-out merry-go-round" symbolizes the nauseating, repetitive nature of life and the "thousand mutterings" of society. It spins without going anywhere, representing a life stuck in a loop of suffering.

Railway Crossing (Fumikiri)
The "wailing railway crossing" is a stark auditory symbol of danger and a boundary between life and death. Its interruption serves as the final "signal" that ends the cycle.

Transparency/Invisibility
The narrator often feels "transparent" or "crushed," contrasting with the "disturbing color" they see in the world. This represents a feeling of erasure or dissociation, where their pain is invisible to the "moral" world.

"Mawaru" (Spinning/Turning)
References to the world "spinning" or the "merry-go-round" recur, emphasizing the dizziness and nausea of the narrator's existence.

"Uso" (Lies) and "Giman" (Deception)
Words related to lying and faking are woven throughout, reinforcing the theme of distrust toward the "you" and the world at large.

The "Signal" (Aizu)
The song mentions a "signal of the beginning" and a "signal of goodbye" (sayonara). This frames the song's narrative as a finite event with a clear start and a fatalistic end, structured almost like a race or a train schedule.