2D or Not 2D

Lyrics and music by Susumu Hirasawa and Hikaru Kotobuki. According to Kotobuki, he had written a completed arrangement and vocal melodies for the song, but Hirasawa sang his vocals for the recording entirely different from what was prepared. A short time later, Kotobuki would return from a day out of the studio to find Hirasawa had altered the arrangement drastically as well. Hirasawa directed a PV for the song, blending the greenscreened members of P-Model with Amiga CG.

Lyrics

Japanese	Romaji	English
エデンに先立つカンブリアへ いざ天井にムーンなお上にはマーズ 行けサンシャインの形は 壁画じゃどんなか? と 2D 2D OR NOT 2D ハレルヤ ハレルヤ 出航は縦横奥行きへ いざイブとアダムのいる所 胸はヒエラルキー 髪はフラクタル CG CG CG OR NOT CG オー スイート オー スイート 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D ラブリーとは座標のバグらしく またはマーキュリーはノイズ 哀愁のノイズ 木はこだまでノイズ 雨ユウウツでノイズ エデンに先立つカンブリアへ いざ天井にムーンなお上にはマーズ 行けサンシャインの形は 壁画じゃどんなか? と 2D 2D OR NOT 2D ハレルヤ ハレルヤ 出航は縦横奥行きへ いざイブとアダムのいる所 胸はヒエラルキー 髪はフラクタル CG CG CG OR NOT CG オー スイート オー スイート 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D	Eden ni sakidatsu kanburia e Iza tenjou ni muun nao ue ni wa maazu Yuke sanshain no katachi wa Hekiga ja donna ka? To 2D 2D OR NOT 2D Hareruya hareruya Shukkou wa tateyoko okuyuki e Iza ibu to adamu no iru tokoro Mune wa hierarukii Kami wa furakutaru CG CG CG OR NOT CG Oo suiito oo suiito 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D Raburii to wa zahyou no bagu rashiku Mata wa maakyurii wa noizu Aishuu no noizu Ki wa kodama de noizu ame yuuutsu de noizu Eden ni sakidatsu kanburia e Iza tenjou ni muun nao ue ni wa maazu Yuke sanshain no katachi wa Hekiga ja donna ka? To 2D 2D OR NOT 2D Hareruya hareruya Shukkou wa tateyoko okuyuki e Iza ibu to adamu no iru tokoro Mune wa hierarukii Kami wa furakutaru CG CG CG OR NOT CG Oo suiito oo suiito 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D 2D 2D 2D OR NOT 2D	Go back before Eden, to the Cambrian On the ceiling is the moon, still above that is Mars I wonder what the sunshine is like When depicted in a mural? Is it 2D, 2D or not 2D Hallelujah, Hallelujah We set sail for a place with length, width, and depth Where Eve and Adam exist The breasts are a hierarchy The hair is a fractal CG, CG, CG or not CG Oh! Sweet, Oh! Sweet 2D, 2D or not 2D 2D, 2D, 2D Or not 2D 2D, 2D, 2D Or not 2D 2D, 2D, 2D Or not 2D 2D, 2D or not 2D "Loveliness" appears to be a coordinate bug Or else, Mercury is noise Sorrowful noise Trees are echoing noise, raindrops depressing noise Go back before Eden, to the Cambrian On the ceiling is the moon, still above that is Mars I wonder what the sunshine is like When depicted in a mural? Is it 2D, 2D or not 2D Hallelujah, Hallelujah We set sail for a place with length, width, and depth Where Eve and Adam exist The breasts are a hierarchy The hair is a fractal CG, CG, CG or not CG Oh! Sweet, Oh! Sweet 2D, 2D or not 2D 2D, 2D, 2D Or not 2D 2D, 2D, 2D Or not 2D 2D, 2D, 2D Or not 2D 2D, 2D, 2D Or not 2D 2D, 2D, 2D Or not 2D 2D, 2D, 2D Or not 2D 2D, 2D, 2D Or not 2D

• 1 ^ The word for "echoing" used here can also be read as "tree spirit".

Versions

P-Model, 1992

Opens with baroque-inspired, uptempo fugue synth lines, which are soon complimented by a techno backing beat. The song transitions into its verse, which contains a fast-paced, direct vocal melody and cacophonous industrial-techno sounds powering the backing rhythm. The verses are punctuated with a stripped down melody and a solo vocal line by Hirasawa. The song's chorus has a fast, choir-like group vocal part backed by a beefier version of the post-verse synth beat.

Bitmap 1979-1992, 1992

Guitar, bass, and percussion parts are emphasized, and vocal parts are delivered more aggressively. The studio version PV is also included in this release.

Pause, 1993

Non-Locality Live Video, 1997

Trivia

• The song's title is an obvious pun on "to be, or not to be", the famous opening lines of a soliloquy delivered by the character Prince Hamlet in the William Shakespeare play, Hamlet.
• The pitched down "Ladies and gentlemen!" sample at the beginning of the PV is from "Seven Trumpets" (lyrics by Costas Ferris, narration by John Forst), song from the Aphrodite's Child album 666. This is the second time Hirasawa used that sample, following on its unmodified appearance on "Zebra Cassette"; he'd go on to use it on "Fuko Part Six".