At 3 A.M. Under the Covers

Lyrics

Intro - soft, almost spoken

I was little, and I was scared of the dark,
So I hid inside a world of warriors and hope.
My hero had dreams bigger than my bedroom,
And I had school, while he was saving the world every December.

Verse 1

He cried when his friends were gone too soon,
I cried in front of my screen like a fool.
He got back up after every fight,
I got up for math class, you know, every morning light.

He believed in himself when nobody else did,
I believed that someday I could be just like him.
His strength came from a power deep inside,
I carried my schoolbag and grades I couldn't hide.

His master was old, wise, and tired,
My grandfather was gone, and I wish I'd loved him more.
But through that screen, I learned what he was saying:
"A hero isn't the one who always wins,
but the one who still says, 'Let's go,' anyway."

Chorus

So thank you for the tears, thank you for the cries,
For the sleepless nights when I forgot my life.
Thank you for existing there inside my home,
For making my heart beat like a shōnen.
You taught me that losing isn't the end,
As long as you get back up and stand again.
You gave me brothers I never even knew,
And the courage to grow up, maybe because of you.

Verse 2

Now I'm thirty, with bills I have to pay,
But Sunday nights, I still sit down and watch the same.
The same screams, the same fights,
And I find that little kid I was, somewhere inside.

My heroes have grown older, some have grown a few lines,
I've gained responsibilities, worries, and time.
But there's still that light inside their eyes,
That promise that somehow, we can save the world tonight.

And if I ever have children of my own,
I'll show them that the real fights aren't in manga alone.
But that friendship, courage, and perseverance
Can come from a cartoon, and I truly believe it.

Bridge - calmer, almost a cappella

So goodbye, Tsubasa, goodbye, Naruto,
You've grown up, and so have I, it's about time too.
But your voices still stay inside my head at night,
When the world turns gray and I don't want to see the light.

You told me:

"Keep running, even when you're tired,
Love your friends, even when they're falling apart.
Never give up, especially when it hurts,
Because somewhere down the road, there's a final festival."

[Final Chorus - crescendo, emotional, almost shouted]

Thank you for the tears, thank you for the cries,
For the sleepless nights when I forgot my life.
Thank you for existing there inside my home,
For making my heart beat like a shōnen.
You taught me that losing isn't the end,
As long as you get back up and stand again.
You gave me brothers I never even knew,
And the courage to grow up...

(softer)

...To grow up and still cry a little,
But still believe in heroes, just a little bit.

Outro - whispered

Dattebayo... even at forty.