As someone who doesn’t speak Japanese, I have no idea what Pekominan are saying in their lyrics, but I just know that this is one of those times where that doesn’t matter, the song is just so damn infectious. The fast and dexterous sound of the words adds a non-communicative, voice-as-instrument element to the music, increasing its already contagious quality.
The song takes its inspiration from the anime series Rurouni Kenshin, a historical tale of conflict and sacrifice in the name of love and peace set in the chaos of the country’s Bakumatsu era. Such a clash of powerful forces requires equally powerful music to deliver the message, and “Battousai,” the central character’s sobriquet meaning “master of drawing the sword,” is just that.
“Battousai” is the sound of modern J-rock, the sound of the genre having moved beyond its early Western rock and roll influences and finding its own signature sound, not to mention cultural themes. It is still a powerful form, guitars grind and groove, drums pound, and the dexterous vocals glide over the top, but the song’s rock sound is then perfectly tempered by pop melodics, meaning that the song stands with one foot in each camp, the perfect marriage of rock energy and pop immediacy, not to mention the sound of eastern spice and western musical forms coming together in perfect sonic harmony.
