As someone else is saying this comment section, if a Japanese person hear the title, "Mayoeba Totoshi", he is reminded of the famous graduation song, "Aogeba Totoshi". I'm sixty three, and when I was in school, this song was sung at every graduation ceremony. BTW, this is very off topic, but when I searched for this song this time, I found out that "Aogeba Totoshi" was originally an American song, "Song for the Close of School." (I heard the song on UA-cam and the melody was exactly the same!). This fact was discovered in 2011. I was very surprised, bcs I had firmly believed that this song was composed by a Japanese composer.
Interesting! Thank you. Speaking for myself, one of the problems of addressing such things as a foreigner is that you don't know what you don't know :) I appreciate Japanese folk filling in my knowledge gaps!
loved your video, thank you. i will never forget the time when Atarashii Gakko performed this specific song at a pride event in Japan. performing this song to a queer audience was one of the most powerful things they could've done!
@@AndrewHartley here's a clip. I saw the video early on in my discovery of AG and It impressed me that they would appear at a Pride event. ua-cam.com/video/qx85jMHfymo/v-deo.html&ab_channel=MIZYUCATTO
I'm pretty new to Atarashii Gakko and I've only discovered your channel very recently but I wanted to say a sincere thank you for breaking down these songs and talking more about them. I really appreciate your thoughts on it and AG songs have become such a huge source of inspiration and motivation for me now. I felt really moved at the same point that you did in your video too, I was gonna cry hahaha. I already love their songs because of the energy and the earnestness that the members are always expressing in their performances. These messages are so universal even if they are written primarily to speak to youth. Thank you Professor! I'm happy to have more of your videos to discover and watch now :)
I appreciate your videos. It's great to have someone in my generation who appreciates this group. UA-cam suggested them about a year ago, and I was blown away. They are so delightfully talented! I appreciate how they work together. They can be candid and off-the-wall, and even in that, they have so much respect for one another, their audience, and their creative process overall. They seem very genuine. I'm sure they are ready for the greater number of performances and attention. I'm certainly hoping for the best! Again, thanks for your channel.
Hi Professor, thanks for dropping another entertaining and enlightening explanation video. I know this song and was surprised to see it pop up here, I mean, it's not a new track. However, I have never understood the song in the way you explained it here. I don't speak Japanese, so I rely on some of the video translations and some independent interrogation of the lyrics (usually, both lead me down the wrong path). This is why I find your videos so valuable; I always get a much better understanding for a minimal 30-minute time investment. Incredible value. I am so jealous of you for being able to see AG on their US tour. I hope someday they might find an audience in Australia. It's likely a vain hope, we seem to have enough trouble coming to terms with our own cultures, yet alone embracing other non-English speaking cultures. I will have to aim for some shows in Japan. Thank you again for an interesting discussion of this song.
My pleasure! Thanks, Len. I hope they make it over to Australia some day soon, and believe that they will. I have no idea how they determine whether they will have an audience in places they have never toured before, but their US tour sold out very quickly, and they later added more VIP packages etc. since tickets went so fast. Hopefully this means more tours to come. So long as they are having fun. I remember seeing a video a couple of years ago in which Suzuka was asked how long she would do AG (it was one of those utterly candid and unscripted interviews which are so rare in the Japanese music industry) and she said she was doing it now because its was still exciting and interesting...
Thank you for all these music analyses that you do (for both AG! and Babymetal) - I've been following your channel for quite some time, and was extremely happy that you covered this song in particular. I've been a huge fan of AG! ever since they signed with 88rising a couple years ago, and Mayoeba Toutoshi is one of my all-time favorite songs from the group. I was hoping to hear it during their Seishun Tour across the US this month (I attended the Chicago show earlier this week!), but understand that there is a sentimentality to this song that resonates more with their Japanese fans when they use it as their encore. Still, I think despite the focus on youth/"seishun," the song speaks to all of us, regardless of age/ethnicity/etc., in that sometimes it's okay to feel directionless in life, but to always have the resolve to keep pushing forward. And that's what I really love about AG!'s approach, in that "seishun" becomes less of a phase but more of a mindset of "living life to its absolute fullest" in their music and performances, that appeals to both their Japanese and international audiences. Looking forward to many more of these analyses! Thank you AJ!
My pleasure. I feel the same way, both about the core meaning of the song and about how much I like it. I too had hoped to hear it at their recent show, but I had such a good time that I can't complain. Maybe another time.
OMG! Thank-you so much for this deep dive into my favourite Atarashii Gakko! song! It truly is an anthem, and you have brought it to life in such a profound way with your Japanese knowledge and erudition. It touches me exactly as I see it touches you, very deeply and emotionally. What separates this band from others is their sense of Mission. They are not just a band that sings songs and is forging a career path, they are truly ambassadors of the youth of Japan (and not limited to that country) with their lyrics of hope and understanding. This song is so uplifting and triumphant! I was sad to see it not included in the NA tour. Looking forward to your deep dive of Tokyo Calling. Take care, professor. *Edit, oh I see the previous video is your analysis of Tokyo Calling. Looking forward to watching it!
Thanks! Yes, I would have loved to see this song live, but I understand why they think it resonates more for Japanese audiences. Maybe another time. Hope you like the other videos :)
I enjoy seeing your videos. When people translate the lyrics, it's usually a 1-to-1 word translation. And, just like English, the actual words said aren't always exactly what they mean, so just having the actual word-for-word translation might not always work. Not all lyrics sung by English-speaking people mean exactly how the word might be spoken, if I'm making sense. So hearing you break everything down and what they might actually mean is very good.
@topuco Thank you for that background. I didn't know that it was a twist on a traditional graduation song, or that the Leaders wrote the lyrics themselves, the year the younger three graduated. I love the song even more, now!
And now, thanks to the internet, I've also learned that 1980's Japanese punk band The Stalin did a raucous version of "Aogeba Tōtoshi." I wonder if that also provided AG with inspiration?
Thank you again. You’ve managed to shed some additional light on my probably favorite AG song. I have some roots in music, I don’t speak Japanese, so I have always approached this song from the musical and performance angle. Initially I found the blues verse too simple in structure for my taste but the chorus (which is actually a hymn that together with their performance has so much power and strength) always pulled me back in. To me it’s a wonderful back and forth between chore and reward. Eat your dry bread (verse) and you’ll get some delicious dessert (chorus). The photographer in me would describe it as delicious contrast, not only in light and dark but also in colors and textures. Your deep dive into lyrics, language and meaning adds yet another layer and it’s now even more of a favorite. Thank you!
Thanks for this interesting talk. From what I've heard about school life in Japan, it's pretty tough the closer they get to HS graduation and the prospects of getting a good job and the pressure from parents.
Yeah, it can be grueling, though some folk see it as the last gasp of relative freedom before the daily grind of the workplace. I know that when I taught there, some students viewed high school as a huge hurdle whose sole purpose was getting them into university And that which university they got into was more important than what they achieved when they got there. I remember asking students what they intended to do in college and being told "Sleep."
Going out on a limb here, but the first line: 「大人振ったら 承知しない」 “What is true freedom? If it’s acting like a grown-up, I don’t agree.” That bit about acting like a grown-up： “Otona buttara…” Could that be a foreshadowing of the as yet unwritten Otona Buru (Blue)? That sheds light on how Otona Blue is not a "sexy song", but a brilliant and fun parody of one. They'll have fun with it, but they're not buying into it. That’s something that makes AG great - the way they have themes, concepts and tropes that they weave throughout their work. Sometimes silly, sometimes serious, but always a delight to discover. Brilliant.
Yes, and I agree that Otona Buru is a playful and self mocking song about the adolescent desire to grow up rather than a straight sexy song. They are smarter than people give them credit
Great hypothesis. Themes, concepts, and tropes, for sure. All "brilliant", including yours. We all know the three Koi songs. Then there is the "unfinished" Toumei trilogy. And the three "Betrayal" songs (I found this on a different discussion on a different platform): Kimiwaina (two best friends vow to run a race together, but one pulls ahead), Koi no Shadanki (best friend steals the other's crush), and Toumei Boy (best friend transfer to another school without saying goodbye). And my favorite trilogy: Mayoeba Toutoshi (what AG stands for), Pilotis (symbolically, why AG support each other), and Que Sera Sera (how AG accept themselves and try to make the best of it).
Muchas gracias amigo Andrew, siempre quise entender más a fondo lo que quieren decir en esta canción... definitivamente es el himno de AG y la mía favorita también... creo que si alguna vez soy Presidente de algún pais haré que en los colegios canten esto todos los lunes xD... Es la canción más punk de su repertorio... creo... y aunque es caotica y violenta inclusive, esconde una belleza abrumadora.... a veces la escucho y me sobrecoge la progresión armonica del estribillo... y ahora entiendo que es la representación de esa belleza que esconde la juventud.... Lo unico que echo en falta (seria la guinda de la torta) es escucharlas con banda en vivo... el estadio caeria en pedazos jajaj xD saludos
Gracias, amigo mío. Votaré por ti :) Estoy de acuerdo en que sería muy interesante escucharles tocar con una banda en directo. Antes lo hacían, al menos de vez en cuando, pero creo que no lo han hecho últimamente. Si tengo oportunidad la semana que viene, les preguntaré si es una posibilidad en el futuro.
The passion in the live performances and the pop/blues hook in the middle of this song make it one of my favourites. It's on my Desert Island play list... ...but, I feel there's a tension between AG's message of freedom and self confident independence and their enthusiastic embrace of advertising and product endorsement. They tell us to be free individuals while also asking us to conform to consumerism and walk around wearing crocs and stretchy suits. I'll forgive them because they are so good and as long as they keep doing things like snail videos.
Yeah I cut them some slack on that, partly because it's typical in Japan as a way to build your brand. I remember big celebrities like Sting or Sylvester Stallone doing TV commercials there that they would NEVER have done in their home countries. Also, it has become so hard for most musicians to make real money off their recordings these days that I think that promotional stuff is a way for them to earn something. It used to be that bands toured to promote the album, which was where they made their money. Now, no one makes much of anything off record sales...
@@AndrewHartley Yes, the commercial reality is that Asobisystem isn't doing this for fun or just for the art. It's the age old conflict and compromise and artists have always had sponsors and done commissions. AG's ads are at least fun, but maybe as their fame increases they will be able to scale them back.
Wow, I didn't know that "AG's message of freedom... and their enthusiastic embrace of advertising... while also asking us to conform to consumerism" was on the same continuum. Rather, I interpret it to mean that their message of freedom includes the freedom to wear something other than Crocs and stretchy suits. I mean, this isn't a cult, is it?
Thank you again for your insightful commentary. BTW, I'm Japanese, and I was surprised to hear you say that "keep going, no matter what" is a very Japanese idea. Is this idea so Japanese? (I'm assuming that, maybe, Western people are more "relaxed".)
Yes, I think the ”頑張れ" impulse is very Japanese in that it values the effort for its own sake, while western cultures tend to be more goal oriented. We expect our labor to have specific results. Most of us don't see work as a noble end in its own right any more. We used to, I think, especially in working class communities, particularly in more ancient times when (largely for religious reasons) we saw life as something hard which we had to get through (to reach our heavenly reward). Secularism and consumer capitalism has changed that, I think. A lot of Japanese music emphasis the value of the continued struggle, which I think is unusual to western ears. We will endure hardship, but only if we believe it will get us what we want... :)
Thank you for your explanation. As you say, the Japanese have had a tendency to work hard just for the sake of working hard, regardless of the goal of the work. But that doesn't work any more. The notorious low productivity of the Japanese workers proves that. Japan should be more result-oriented, and I hope it's changing in that direction, though it may take a little bit more time.
" someone on the other side of youth" That's a kind way to put it. As someone who's on the same side, I will remember it.
AG! 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I appreciate your thorough and emphatic analysis sir.
Please keep supporting these talented ladies because they deserve to be acknowledged. 💗
Thanks! And yes, they do.
いつもながらに非常に的確な解釈でした。毎回楽しく拝見しております。😊
この曲の歌詞は言葉選びも秀逸で、これを書けるAGの素晴らしさに驚きを隠せません。振り付けやMVも含めて１番好きな曲です。MVにはたくさんの「学校あるあるネタ」が含まれていて、クスッと笑えるポイントがいくつかあるとこも好きな理由の１つです。
最近のライブでは、アンコールでの曲に定着してますが、見るたびに毎回泣いてしまいます。😂
ライブに行かれる際には、汗を拭くためのタオルとともに涙を拭く物も用意して、思う存分楽しんできてください。😊
これは素晴らしい響きだ。自分で体験するのが楽しみです。応援とコメントをありがとう！
As someone else is saying this comment section, if a Japanese person hear the title, "Mayoeba Totoshi", he is reminded of the famous graduation song, "Aogeba Totoshi". I'm sixty three, and when I was in school, this song was sung at every graduation ceremony. BTW, this is very off topic, but when I searched for this song this time, I found out that "Aogeba Totoshi" was originally an American song, "Song for the Close of School." (I heard the song on UA-cam and the melody was exactly the same!). This fact was discovered in 2011. I was very surprised, bcs I had firmly believed that this song was composed by a Japanese composer.
Interesting! Thank you. Speaking for myself, one of the problems of addressing such things as a foreigner is that you don't know what you don't know :) I appreciate Japanese folk filling in my knowledge gaps!
loved your video, thank you. i will never forget the time when Atarashii Gakko performed this specific song at a pride event in Japan. performing this song to a queer audience was one of the most powerful things they could've done!
Wow. I'd love to hear more about that. I'm sure it gave the song extra depth.
@@AndrewHartley here's a clip. I saw the video early on in my discovery of AG and It impressed me that they would appear at a Pride event.
ua-cam.com/video/qx85jMHfymo/v-deo.html&ab_channel=MIZYUCATTO
@@AndrewHartley Just search on :Atarashii Gakko Tokyo Pride" and you'll' find a video. I was impressed that AG would play a Pride event.
I'm pretty new to Atarashii Gakko and I've only discovered your channel very recently but I wanted to say a sincere thank you for breaking down these songs and talking more about them. I really appreciate your thoughts on it and AG songs have become such a huge source of inspiration and motivation for me now. I felt really moved at the same point that you did in your video too, I was gonna cry hahaha. I already love their songs because of the energy and the earnestness that the members are always expressing in their performances. These messages are so universal even if they are written primarily to speak to youth. Thank you Professor! I'm happy to have more of your videos to discover and watch now :)
My pleasure. And welcome on board :)
I appreciate your videos. It's great to have someone in my generation who appreciates this group. UA-cam suggested them about a year ago, and I was blown away. They are so delightfully talented! I appreciate how they work together. They can be candid and off-the-wall, and even in that, they have so much respect for one another, their audience, and their creative process overall. They seem very genuine. I'm sure they are ready for the greater number of performances and attention. I'm certainly hoping for the best! Again, thanks for your channel.
Much appreciated, thanks!
Hi Professor, thanks for dropping another entertaining and enlightening explanation video. I know this song and was surprised to see it pop up here, I mean, it's not a new track.
However, I have never understood the song in the way you explained it here. I don't speak Japanese, so I rely on some of the video translations and some independent interrogation of the lyrics (usually, both lead me down the wrong path). This is why I find your videos so valuable; I always get a much better understanding for a minimal 30-minute time investment. Incredible value.
I am so jealous of you for being able to see AG on their US tour. I hope someday they might find an audience in Australia. It's likely a vain hope, we seem to have enough trouble coming to terms with our own cultures, yet alone embracing other non-English speaking cultures. I will have to aim for some shows in Japan.
Thank you again for an interesting discussion of this song.
My pleasure! Thanks, Len. I hope they make it over to Australia some day soon, and believe that they will. I have no idea how they determine whether they will have an audience in places they have never toured before, but their US tour sold out very quickly, and they later added more VIP packages etc. since tickets went so fast. Hopefully this means more tours to come. So long as they are having fun. I remember seeing a video a couple of years ago in which Suzuka was asked how long she would do AG (it was one of those utterly candid and unscripted interviews which are so rare in the Japanese music industry) and she said she was doing it now because its was still exciting and interesting...
Thank you for all these music analyses that you do (for both AG! and Babymetal) - I've been following your channel for quite some time, and was extremely happy that you covered this song in particular. I've been a huge fan of AG! ever since they signed with 88rising a couple years ago, and Mayoeba Toutoshi is one of my all-time favorite songs from the group. I was hoping to hear it during their Seishun Tour across the US this month (I attended the Chicago show earlier this week!), but understand that there is a sentimentality to this song that resonates more with their Japanese fans when they use it as their encore. Still, I think despite the focus on youth/"seishun," the song speaks to all of us, regardless of age/ethnicity/etc., in that sometimes it's okay to feel directionless in life, but to always have the resolve to keep pushing forward. And that's what I really love about AG!'s approach, in that "seishun" becomes less of a phase but more of a mindset of "living life to its absolute fullest" in their music and performances, that appeals to both their Japanese and international audiences.
Looking forward to many more of these analyses! Thank you AJ!
My pleasure. I feel the same way, both about the core meaning of the song and about how much I like it. I too had hoped to hear it at their recent show, but I had such a good time that I can't complain. Maybe another time.
OMG! Thank-you so much for this deep dive into my favourite Atarashii Gakko! song! It truly is an anthem, and you have brought it to life in such a profound way with your Japanese knowledge and erudition. It touches me exactly as I see it touches you, very deeply and emotionally. What separates this band from others is their sense of Mission. They are not just a band that sings songs and is forging a career path, they are truly ambassadors of the youth of Japan (and not limited to that country) with their lyrics of hope and understanding. This song is so uplifting and triumphant! I was sad to see it not included in the NA tour. Looking forward to your deep dive of Tokyo Calling. Take care, professor. *Edit, oh I see the previous video is your analysis of Tokyo Calling. Looking forward to watching it!
Thanks! Yes, I would have loved to see this song live, but I understand why they think it resonates more for Japanese audiences. Maybe another time. Hope you like the other videos :)
Thank you
So, AJ, as of today it's been five days since November 11. We're waiting!
First thing tomorrow :)
I enjoy seeing your videos. When people translate the lyrics, it's usually a 1-to-1 word translation. And, just like English, the actual words said aren't always exactly what they mean, so just having the actual word-for-word translation might not always work. Not all lyrics sung by English-speaking people mean exactly how the word might be spoken, if I'm making sense.
So hearing you break everything down and what they might actually mean is very good.
Glad you like them! Thanks for the comment
この「迷えば尊し」という歌は、日本の唱歌である「仰げば尊し」をもじったタイトルだと思います。
「仰げば尊し」は卒業式で歌われる(歌わされる)歌で、在学中教えを受けた教師を讃え、感謝する内容です。
しかしこの歌、最近は歌われないのだと聞きます。
ある意味「学校の教育と生活指導は絶対正義であった。」と卒業生達が感謝するよう、この歌を皆で合唱するよう強要する形ですので、近年歌われなくなったのも無理からぬ事だと思います。
「迷えば尊し」は、リーダーズメンバーが全員で作詞したそうで、その意味で他の曲とは力の入り方が違いますね。
ちなみにこの歌が作られた2019年と言えばメンバーの内3人が高校在学中で、「不寛容」な締め付けをする学校から「はみ出したい」と強く思っていたことは間違いないでしょう。
ありがとう。卒業ソングに関係しているとは知りませんでした。また、このグループが作詞作曲したことも知りませんでした。どこかで正式に作詞者としてクレジットされているのでしょうか？
@@AndrewHartley 「迷えば尊し 歌詞」で検索するとトップヒットするページに「作詞：新しい学校のリーダーズ達 作曲：H ZETT M」の表記があります。
トップ以下のサイトも同様なようです。
@@topuco 素晴らしい。ありがとう！
@topuco Thank you for that background. I didn't know that it was a twist on a traditional graduation song, or that the Leaders wrote the lyrics themselves, the year the younger three graduated. I love the song even more, now!
And now, thanks to the internet, I've also learned that 1980's Japanese punk band The Stalin did a raucous version of "Aogeba Tōtoshi." I wonder if that also provided AG with inspiration?
Thank you again. You’ve managed to shed some additional light on my probably favorite AG song. I have some roots in music, I don’t speak Japanese, so I have always approached this song from the musical and performance angle. Initially I found the blues verse too simple in structure for my taste but the chorus (which is actually a hymn that together with their performance has so much power and strength) always pulled me back in. To me it’s a wonderful back and forth between chore and reward. Eat your dry bread (verse) and you’ll get some delicious dessert (chorus). The photographer in me would describe it as delicious contrast, not only in light and dark but also in colors and textures. Your deep dive into lyrics, language and meaning adds yet another layer and it’s now even more of a favorite. Thank you!
Nicely put. Thanks for the comment!
Thanks for this interesting talk. From what I've heard about school life in Japan, it's pretty tough the closer they get to HS graduation and the prospects of getting a good job and the pressure from parents.
Yeah, it can be grueling, though some folk see it as the last gasp of relative freedom before the daily grind of the workplace. I know that when I taught there, some students viewed high school as a huge hurdle whose sole purpose was getting them into university And that which university they got into was more important than what they achieved when they got there. I remember asking students what they intended to do in college and being told "Sleep."
Going out on a limb here, but the first line:
「大人振ったら 承知しない」
“What is true freedom? If it’s acting like a grown-up, I don’t agree.”
That bit about acting like a grown-up： “Otona buttara…”
Could that be a foreshadowing of the as yet unwritten Otona Buru (Blue)? That sheds light on how Otona Blue is not a "sexy song", but a brilliant and fun parody of one. They'll have fun with it, but they're not buying into it.
That’s something that makes AG great - the way they have themes, concepts and tropes that they weave throughout their work. Sometimes silly, sometimes serious, but always a delight to discover. Brilliant.
Yes, and I agree that Otona Buru is a playful and self mocking song about the adolescent desire to grow up rather than a straight sexy song. They are smarter than people give them credit
Great hypothesis.
Themes, concepts, and tropes, for sure. All "brilliant", including yours. We all know the three Koi songs. Then there is the "unfinished" Toumei trilogy. And the three "Betrayal" songs (I found this on a different discussion on a different platform): Kimiwaina (two best friends vow to run a race together, but one pulls ahead), Koi no Shadanki (best friend steals the other's crush), and Toumei Boy (best friend transfer to another school without saying goodbye).
And my favorite trilogy: Mayoeba Toutoshi (what AG stands for), Pilotis (symbolically, why AG support each other), and Que Sera Sera (how AG accept themselves and try to make the best of it).
Спасибо за обьяснение.
Muchas gracias amigo Andrew, siempre quise entender más a fondo lo que quieren decir en esta canción... definitivamente es el himno de AG y la mía favorita también... creo que si alguna vez soy Presidente de algún pais haré que en los colegios canten esto todos los lunes xD...
Es la canción más punk de su repertorio... creo... y aunque es caotica y violenta inclusive, esconde una belleza abrumadora.... a veces la escucho y me sobrecoge la progresión armonica del estribillo... y ahora entiendo que es la representación de esa belleza que esconde la juventud.... Lo unico que echo en falta (seria la guinda de la torta) es escucharlas con banda en vivo... el estadio caeria en pedazos jajaj xD
saludos
Gracias, amigo mío. Votaré por ti :)
Estoy de acuerdo en que sería muy interesante escucharles tocar con una banda en directo. Antes lo hacían, al menos de vez en cuando, pero creo que no lo han hecho últimamente. Si tengo oportunidad la semana que viene, les preguntaré si es una posibilidad en el futuro.
ua-cam.com/video/7n6or4MPDP0/v-deo.html&ab_channel=tofukid
acá esta la parte final con banda en vivo
The passion in the live performances and the pop/blues hook in the middle of this song make it one of my favourites. It's on my Desert Island play list...
...but, I feel there's a tension between AG's message of freedom and self confident independence and their enthusiastic embrace of advertising and product endorsement. They tell us to be free individuals while also asking us to conform to consumerism and walk around wearing crocs and stretchy suits. I'll forgive them because they are so good and as long as they keep doing things like snail videos.
Yeah I cut them some slack on that, partly because it's typical in Japan as a way to build your brand. I remember big celebrities like Sting or Sylvester Stallone doing TV commercials there that they would NEVER have done in their home countries. Also, it has become so hard for most musicians to make real money off their recordings these days that I think that promotional stuff is a way for them to earn something. It used to be that bands toured to promote the album, which was where they made their money. Now, no one makes much of anything off record sales...
@@AndrewHartley Yes, the commercial reality is that Asobisystem isn't doing this for fun or just for the art. It's the age old conflict and compromise and artists have always had sponsors and done commissions. AG's ads are at least fun, but maybe as their fame increases they will be able to scale them back.
Wow, I didn't know that "AG's message of freedom... and their enthusiastic embrace of advertising... while also asking us to conform to consumerism" was on the same continuum.
Rather, I interpret it to mean that their message of freedom includes the freedom to wear something other than Crocs and stretchy suits. I mean, this isn't a cult, is it?
Thank you again for your insightful commentary. BTW, I'm Japanese, and I was surprised to hear you say that "keep going, no matter what" is a very Japanese idea. Is this idea so Japanese? (I'm assuming that, maybe, Western people are more "relaxed".)
Yes, I think the ”頑張れ" impulse is very Japanese in that it values the effort for its own sake, while western cultures tend to be more goal oriented. We expect our labor to have specific results. Most of us don't see work as a noble end in its own right any more. We used to, I think, especially in working class communities, particularly in more ancient times when (largely for religious reasons) we saw life as something hard which we had to get through (to reach our heavenly reward). Secularism and consumer capitalism has changed that, I think. A lot of Japanese music emphasis the value of the continued struggle, which I think is unusual to western ears. We will endure hardship, but only if we believe it will get us what we want... :)
Thank you for your explanation.
As you say, the Japanese have had a tendency to work hard just for the sake of working hard, regardless of the goal of the work. But that doesn't work any more. The notorious low productivity of the Japanese workers proves that. Japan should be more result-oriented, and I hope it's changing in that direction, though it may take a little bit more time.