Dodoitsu 都々逸 - a type of poem
The dodoitsu is a type of non-rhyming Japanese poem that originated during the late Edo period, commonly recited with a shamisen accompaniment. Sometimes a few connected verses are sung in turn by a man and woman. The dodoitsu was popularised by a popular singer called Dodoitsu Senka.
Its general structure is four lines with a total of 26 syllables, the most common arrangement being 7-7-7-5. Furthermore, this is sometimes broken down per line as 3-4, 4-3, 3-4 and then 5. Of course it is not a very strict framework and there are many subtle variations.
There are a few sung in the series, which have been spaced out into 7-7-7-5 format, transliterated below and given a rough translation, along with its possible relevance (purely according to yours truly).
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Episode 3
Sung by Katsu Kaishuu
三千世界の 烏を殺し 主と朝寝を してみたい
sanze sekai no - karasu wo koroshi - nushi to asane wo - shitemitai
I would like to kill all the crows in every mortal world, and sleep in late with my master.
This is apparently written by Takasugi Shinsaku, a famous figure in the Bakumatsu era. Katsu laments his all-too-early death (at age 28) after singing this.
The sadly wishful tone of this dodoitsu might be reflective of Katsu's inner thoughts regarding the unstable situation. He was not one to get involved in battles or war in any way except for the stopping of them. The negotiations with Saigo over Edo (through the letter in ep 1) are probably weighing heavily in his mind, and I imagine he would like to see it reach a peaceful conclusion so that he, and the citizens of Edo, may sleep late without worry for another day...
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Episode 4
Sung by Kotoha and Katsu
Katsu: (We only hear him singing part of it. The sung parts are in bold.)
どうせ互い の身は錆び刀 切るに切られぬ 腐れ縁
douse otagai no - mi wa sabitou - kiru ni kirarenu - kusare en
Either way, both our bodies are but rusted swords: linked by a foul connection that we try to cut but cannot.
Kotoha:
表向きでは 切れたと言えど 蔭でつながる 蓮の糸
omotemuki de wa - kireta to iedo - kage de tsunagaru - ren no ito
On the surface, you may say we have separated; but we are tied in the shadows by a string of lotus.
Frankly speaking I still haven't figured out what the rusted sword is an euphemism of. But it's quite fascinating that they talk of these 'seen' and 'unseen' linkages that remain intact whatever the condition. Katsu is singing about an unwanted bond that cannot be broken, while Kotoha is singing the opposite - of a seemingly broken bond that is really and thankfully connected in places nobody sees.
A bond that cannot be broken - an obligatory bond like that of blood relations - can hence be either a boon or a bane. Perhaps Katsu is thinking of his obligation to the Tokugawa family as he is a direct retainer of the family, so he is obliged to save their face and get them out of sticky situations, although he himself knew they would fall long ago and didn't agree with them on many occasions.
-
Sung by Katsu
右を立てれば 左が立たず 左右立てれば 身が持たず
Migi wo tatereba - hidari ga tatazu - sayuu tatereba - mi ga motazu
Try to hold up the left, and the right will fall. Hold up both sides and you yourself will not hold.
I believe this is something that Katsu (or rather, the scriptwriter) made up himself. It's quite a neat little dodoitsu, because the very obvious theme of balance here is very applicable to his role as a negotiator. Sometimes, compromises cannot be made because either side is so different from each other - so when you establish good relationships with one, you lose contact with the other...
And I think of the second line in two different ways. 1. sometimes the man caught in the middle - Katsu himself here - after finally getting both sides to agree on something, will not be able to live too long due to all the stress (although Katsu lived till a healthy 70something...); or 2. Sometimes it seems like you can finally get both sides to come to an agreement - but then the overall situation gets affected, either by a stalemate or an overly uneasy balance.
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The dodoitsu is a type of non-rhyming Japanese poem that originated during the late Edo period, commonly recited with a shamisen accompaniment. Sometimes a few connected verses are sung in turn by a man and woman. The dodoitsu was popularised by a popular singer called Dodoitsu Senka.
Its general structure is four lines with a total of 26 syllables, the most common arrangement being 7-7-7-5. Furthermore, this is sometimes broken down per line as 3-4, 4-3, 3-4 and then 5. Of course it is not a very strict framework and there are many subtle variations.
There are a few sung in the series, which have been spaced out into 7-7-7-5 format, transliterated below and given a rough translation, along with its possible relevance (purely according to yours truly).
---
Episode 3
Sung by Katsu Kaishuu
三千世界の 烏を殺し 主と朝寝を してみたい
sanze sekai no - karasu wo koroshi - nushi to asane wo - shitemitai
I would like to kill all the crows in every mortal world, and sleep in late with my master.
This is apparently written by Takasugi Shinsaku, a famous figure in the Bakumatsu era. Katsu laments his all-too-early death (at age 28) after singing this.
The sadly wishful tone of this dodoitsu might be reflective of Katsu's inner thoughts regarding the unstable situation. He was not one to get involved in battles or war in any way except for the stopping of them. The negotiations with Saigo over Edo (through the letter in ep 1) are probably weighing heavily in his mind, and I imagine he would like to see it reach a peaceful conclusion so that he, and the citizens of Edo, may sleep late without worry for another day...
---
Episode 4
Sung by Kotoha and Katsu
Katsu: (We only hear him singing part of it. The sung parts are in bold.)
どうせ互い の身は錆び刀 切るに切られぬ 腐れ縁
douse otagai no - mi wa sabitou - kiru ni kirarenu - kusare en
Either way, both our bodies are but rusted swords: linked by a foul connection that we try to cut but cannot.
Kotoha:
表向きでは 切れたと言えど 蔭でつながる 蓮の糸
omotemuki de wa - kireta to iedo - kage de tsunagaru - ren no ito
On the surface, you may say we have separated; but we are tied in the shadows by a string of lotus.
Frankly speaking I still haven't figured out what the rusted sword is an euphemism of. But it's quite fascinating that they talk of these 'seen' and 'unseen' linkages that remain intact whatever the condition. Katsu is singing about an unwanted bond that cannot be broken, while Kotoha is singing the opposite - of a seemingly broken bond that is really and thankfully connected in places nobody sees.
A bond that cannot be broken - an obligatory bond like that of blood relations - can hence be either a boon or a bane. Perhaps Katsu is thinking of his obligation to the Tokugawa family as he is a direct retainer of the family, so he is obliged to save their face and get them out of sticky situations, although he himself knew they would fall long ago and didn't agree with them on many occasions.
-
Sung by Katsu
右を立てれば 左が立たず 左右立てれば 身が持たず
Migi wo tatereba - hidari ga tatazu - sayuu tatereba - mi ga motazu
Try to hold up the left, and the right will fall. Hold up both sides and you yourself will not hold.
I believe this is something that Katsu (or rather, the scriptwriter) made up himself. It's quite a neat little dodoitsu, because the very obvious theme of balance here is very applicable to his role as a negotiator. Sometimes, compromises cannot be made because either side is so different from each other - so when you establish good relationships with one, you lose contact with the other...
And I think of the second line in two different ways. 1. sometimes the man caught in the middle - Katsu himself here - after finally getting both sides to agree on something, will not be able to live too long due to all the stress (although Katsu lived till a healthy 70something...); or 2. Sometimes it seems like you can finally get both sides to come to an agreement - but then the overall situation gets affected, either by a stalemate or an overly uneasy balance.
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