The Great Wanderer



The Great Wanderer is the third track on Takanashi Kiara's first album, Point of View. It was released on 29 August 2023.

Music Video

 * The Great Wanderer - Takanashi Kiara (Official Music Video)

Lyrics
Verse 1 Passing by familiar roads I couldn't fin, the reason why Who I am, you couldn't know Stuck in the ruins, my disillusion

In between a dual reality My own desire, keeps me to you Oh ~ Moving faster than the light can I'm in the absence Alone, looking back

Prechorus Did I lose my way I can't see the day When I can reach you again, then can I let go?

I can hear your voice Leading me through the void Fade away, to the grey

Chorus Eternally I'm walking by The lives that flash before my eyes Alone, the silence deafening Still I'm reaching out to you

Connection sacrificed, the lie I tell myself so I'll survive One day, eventually the light It'll lead me back Do you see me?

Dadadada ooh (Wa-wanderer!) Dadadada

I am the wanderer Dadadada ooh (Wa-wanderer!) Dadadada I am the wanderer

Verse 2 faith is gone, the well is dry No more believing, just deceiving Oh ~

Feel the daylight on the edge but I can't feel feel the heat, fall back I'm too deep

Repeat prechorus Did I lose my way I can't see the day When I can reach you again, then can I let go?

I can hear your voice Leading me through the void Fade away, to the grey

Repeat chorus Eternally I'm walking by The lives that flash before my eyes Alone, the silence deafening Still I'm reaching out to you

Connection sacrificed, the lie I tell myself so I'll survive One day, eventually the light It'll lead me back Do you see me?

Dadadada ooh (Wa-wanderer!) Dadadada

I am the wanderer Dadadada ooh (Wa-wanderer!) Dadadada I am the wanderer

Credits

 * Lyrics: monii
 * Composition: Martin Turabian, monii
 * Arranged: Martin Turabian, Johnny R, monii
 * Vocal: Takanashi Kiara
 * MV: Raina Illune

Production and release
The Great Wanderer was the third track on Takanashi Kiara's first album, Point of View. It was released digitally on 29 August 2023. Pre-orders for a physical CD release were available between 29 August 2023 and 2 October 2023, for delivery in November 2023. The album was announced at short notice during a HoloCure stream on 28 August 2023.

Kiara described it as a kind of EDM/synth song, and which was sung in a key for her. She noted the contrast between the calm verses and the more energetic chorus. Kiara gave the direction to produce a song which was "epic" in tone. Martin Turabian's initial draft was radically different to the final song, with more thematic similarity to something like Love Rush, which Kiara wanted to avoid. A second draft produced the current song, with some significant changes to the melody made by monii, who also provided the lyrics. A line "SEE ME" was cut after "Do you see me?" to give the line room to breathe.

The theme of the song is the loneliness experienced by a VTuber, both as an online performer who lacks the privilege to connect with her viewers in person, and conceptually as a character of purely virtual existence who can never cross into the real world, as in the 2007 Nico Nico Douga song Rainbow Girl. The song quickly became a fan favorite. Kiara, too, felt a deep connection to the song, as did lyricist monii.

The Great Wanderer was completed only two weeks before the album's digital release. Johnny was called in, and completed the mixing in one day in order to meet the short deadline.

On 16 October, a music video for the song was released.