New World (Final Fantasy XIII-2)

"New World" is the main theme for the Japanese Xbox 360 and western releases of Final Fantasy XIII-2. It was sung by Jake Zyrus and is the second track of Jake's Infinity album. It was composed by Koichi Tabo of Superfly and arranged by Akimitsu Homma, with the lyrics written by Hiroshi Yamada (jam).
==Yakusoku no Basho==
"Yakusoku no Basho" is the Japanese counterpart of "New World" with a slightly different arrangement for the Japanese PlayStation 3 release. It was sung by Mai Fukui, composed by Koichi Tabo, and arranged by Yohey Tsukasaki. The lyrics were also written by Hiroshi Yamada under the alias jam.
The Yakusoku no Basho single was released on November 23rd, 2011 in Japan. A standard and limited editions are available, the limited edition containing a DLC code for Final Fantasy XIII-2. The code can be used to download "Gift from the Songstress", a set that includes Diva Mic and Diva Headphone accessories.
The track was also included on Mai Fukui's six-track mini-album, titled Beautiful Days, as was the single's other A-side Tatta Hitori no Mikata (meaning "Only One Ally")—although neither was included as an instrumental version. The mini-album was released December 14th, 2011 in Japan.
==Lyrics==
==="Yakusoku no Basho" (Japanese version)===
The official lyrics were released on the Infinity album.
;Japanese
:たとえばあなたが　今
:此処にいたとしたら　何を伝えるでしょう？
:言葉もないまま　きっと
:その胸に頬寄せ　涙零すだけね
:もう一度　抱きあえたら
:二度と離れぬよう
:強く　結び合うの
:それが　希望の光
:きっと
:愛よ　どうか連れていって
:約束の場所へ
:繋ぎあえた　想いは永遠だから
:愛を呼んで　この腕に
:抱きしめあえるなら
:どんな未来も　恐れないで迎えにゆける
:瞳を見つめ答えよう
:あなたのそばにいる
:静かに　心が言った
:私はここにいて　あなたを愛してる
:離れていたって　ずっと
:変わらぬこの想い　あなたに届けよう
:もうなにも　怖くないよ
:どんな暗闇でも
:照らす　この光は
:いつか　あなたの許へ
:きっと
:愛よ　どうか連れていって
:約束の場所へ
:そこへゆくよ　誓いは永遠だから
:愛を呼んで　この腕に
:抱きしめあえるなら
:どんな痛みも　越えてみせる微笑みながら
:光は二度と失くさない
:かならずそこへゆく
:時が　すべてを癒す
:それをただ待つより
:今は　歩き出そう
:風が　指差す場所で
:明日が待ってる　きっと
:愛よ　どうか連れていって
:約束の場所へ
:ただ、うなずき
:抱きしめあえるその日へ
:愛よ　どうか連れていって
:約束の場所へ
:繋ぎあえた　想いは永遠だから
:愛を呼んで　この腕に
:抱きしめあえるなら
:どんな未来も　恐れないで迎えにゆける
:瞳を見つめ答えよう
:あなたのそばにいる
;Rōmaji
:Tatoeba anata ga ima
:Koko ni ita toshitara nani o tsutaerudeshō?
:Kotoba mo nai mama kitto
:Sono mune ni hoho yose namida kobosu dake ne
:Mōichido dakiaetara
:Nidoto hanarenu yō
:Tsuyoku musubiau no
:Sore ga kibō no hikari
:Kitto
:Ai yo dōka tsureteitte
:Yakusoku no basho e
:Tsunagiaeta omoi wa eien dakara
:Ai o yonde kono ude ni
:Dakishimeaeru nara
:Don'na mirai mo osorenaide mukae ni yukeru
:Hitomi o mitsumekotaeyō
:Anata no soba ni iru
:Shizuka ni kokoro ga itta
:Watashi wa koko ni ite anata o aishiteru
:Hanareteitatte zutto
:Kawaranu kono omoi anata ni todokeyō
:Mō nani mo kowakunai yo
:Don'na kurayami demo
:Terasu kono hikari wa
:Itsuka anata no moto e
:Kitto
:Ai yo dōka tsurete itte
:Yakusoku no basho e
:Soko e yuku yo chikai wa eien dakara
:Ai o yonde kono ude ni
:Dakishimeaeru nara
:Don'na itami mo koetemiseru hohoeminagara
:Hikari wa nido to nakusanai
:Kanarazu soko e yuku
:Toki ga subete o iyasu
:Sore o tada matsu yori
:Ima wa arukidasō
:Kaze ga yubisasu basho de
:Ashita ga matteru kitto
:Ai yo dōka tsureteitte
:Yakusoku no basho e
:Tada, unazuki
:Dakishimeaeru sono hi e
:Ai yo dōka tsureteitte
:Yakusoku no basho e
:Tsunagiaeta omoi wa eien dakara
:Ai o yonde kono ude ni
:Dakishimeaeru nara
:Don'na mirai mo osorenaide mukae ni yukeru
:Hitomi o mitsumekotaeyō
:Anata no soba ni iru
;Unofficial English translation
:For example, what would I
:Express to you if you had been here now?
:I would probably only rest my
:Cheek on your chest without a word and let my tears fall
:If we could embrace once again,
:We would cleave together tightly,
:Never to get separated again
:That must be a ray of
:Hope...
:Love, please take me
:To the Promised Place
:Our connected feelings are everlasting
:If we can invoke our love and
:Hold each other in our arms,
:I can meet you without fear of any future
:I will gaze into your eyes and answer
:I will be beside you
:My heart quietly said
:I am here, and I love you
:No matter how far apart we are,
:I'll deliver these enduring feelings to you forever
:I'm not afraid of anything anymore
:This light that illuminates
:Any darkness
:Will surely bring me to you
:Someday...
:Love, please take me
:To the Promised Place
:I will go there, for the oath is eternal
:If we can invoke our love and
:Hold each other in our arms,
:I will make it through any pain I face with a smile
:I will never lose the light again
:I will be sure to get there
:Time heals everything
:I’ll start walking out
:Now instead of just waiting for it
:No doubt tomorrow awaits in the
:Place the wind is pointing to
:Love, please take me
:To the Promised Place
:Just to that day when
:We can nod and hug each other
:Love, please take me
:To the Promised Place
:Our connected feelings are everlasting
:If we can invoke our love and
:Hold each other in our arms,
:I can meet you without fear of any future
:I will gaze into your eyes and answer
:I will be beside you
==="New World" (English version)===
The official lyrics were released on the Infinity album.
;English
:VERSE 1
:Staring the stars, feeling the winds every time
:I cannot stop thinking of you
:Since you've been gone away from here
:Shedding the tears, crying out loud for once
:Cos you were so precious part of me
:And there's no one to fill my broken heart
:PRE-CHORUS 1
:But now I have realized
:the reason why I live in this world
:Even you have left me here alone
:I've found the way
:where I can get hope for the future
:CHORUS 1
:Baby I'm gonna see the new world
:with nothing but the love you gave me
:Only thing I can do is to trust the time we shared
:Baby I'm gonna go to the new world
:with nothing but the strength you gave me
:There's nothing to be afraid of
:I know your love will lead me where I should be
:Even if it is dark and hard time for me
:I don't wanna give up my home
:VERSE 2
:Having a dream, basking in the sun everyday
:I'm starting to thank that I'm still here
:Though the pain of loss still hurts me
:Giving me smile, making me laugh many times
:Everything is very gentle to me
:Because you are making it so
:PRE-CHORUS 2
:Then now I have realized
:the reason why I live in this world
:It's not to lose what I truly need
:I will make sure to build
:the beautiful days together
:CHORUS 1
:BRIDGE
:Pray for all the things in this world
:and believe in the power of our love
:then sing a song of tomorrow
:now we are not alone
:and we come to life again
:A new day will come to you, for you and me
:CHORUS 2
:Baby I'm gonna see the new world
:with nothing but the love you gave me
:Only thing I can do is to trust the time we shared
:Baby I'm gonna go to the new world
:with nothing but the strength you gave me
:There's nothing to be afraid of
:I know your love will lead me where we should be
:Even if it is dark and hard time for us
:I don't wanna give up our hope
;Japanese translation
:VERSE 1
:星を見上げ風を感じながら
:あなたのことを考えてばかり
:私を置いていなくなってしまったあなたを
:涙を流し　声をあげて泣く私
:あなたは私のとても大切な一部だったから
:他の誰もこの壊れたハートを満たしてはくれないのよ
:PRE-CHORUS 1
:だけど気づいたの
:私が生きている理由
:あなたは去ってしまったけれど
:明日への希望なら
:もう見つけられるわ
:CHORUS 1
:ベイビー、あなたがくれた愛を胸に
:新しい世界に目を向けるわ
:二人で過ごした時間のことを信じるしかないじゃない
:ベイビー、あなたがくれた強さで
:新しい世界に飛び込むわ
:怖いものなんかない
:あなたの愛が導いてくれるとわかっているから
:どんなに暗く辛い時間が待っていようと
:希望を捨てることなんてしたくないのよ
:VERSE 2
:私には夢もあるし　毎日おひさまが照らしてくれてる
:あなたを失った痛みはまだ癒えないけれど
:ここにいられることに感謝できるようになってきたの
:私に微笑みを与え　笑わせてくれる
:全てが私を優しく包み込んでくれているわ
:それもあなたのおかげなのね
:PRE-CHORUS 2
:そして気づいたの
:私が生きている理由
:自分に必要な人は絶対に手放しちゃだめ
:一緒に
:素晴らしい日々を築いていかなきゃね
:CHORUS 1
:BRIDGE
:この世界の全てのために祈り
:私達の愛の力を信じるの
:そして明日の歌を唄うのよ
:孤独じゃない私達には
:生命がみなぎっているわ
:そして新しい日が私とあなたに訪れるの
:CHORUS 2
:ベイビー、あなたがくれた愛を胸に
:新しい世界に目を向けるわ
:二人で過ごした時間のことを信じるしかないじゃない
:ベイビー、あなたがくれた強さで
:新しい世界に飛び込むわ
:怖いものなんかない
:あなたの愛が導いてくれているとわかっているから
:どんなに暗く辛い時間が２人を待っていようと
:希望を捨てることなんてしたくないのよ
==Interpretation==
The song describes the story of Final Fantasy XIII-2 and the relationships between Serah Farron and her sister Lightning, as well as her fiancé, Snow Villiers. It may also allude to the relationship between Noel Kreiss and Paddra Nsu-Yeul. The song is about finding the strength to carry on even after being apart from loved-ones across time and space, a common theme in Final Fantasy XIII-2.
Two people have left Serah since the ending of Final Fantasy XIII. Lightning disappeared right after Cocoon fell, and Snow left two years later. Serah thinks of them both constantly. Noel, the game's other protagonist, is always thinking of Yeul, the person whose Guardian he wanted to become, but she died while still young leaving Noel alone. After Serah dies, she leaves people behind, most notably Lightning, who crystallizes herself to preserve Serah's memory and the "new world" she fought to create.
Noel leaves a message to his past self that can be found in New Bodhum 700 AF, where he alludes to Serah's death and tells himself to stay strong because there are "dark times" to come and he will have to face them without having Serah by his side. Also to be found there is a message where Serah describes herself as being in a dark place and unable to feel anything, but feeling no regrets as to the actions that brought her there.
The song talks about "seeing the New World" with "the love you gave me". Many people in Final Fantasy XIII-2 fight with the power of love. Serah's love for Snow and Lightning gives her the strength to start her quest. The situation is similar to Noel in regards to Yeul. At the end of the game Lightning's hope for the future is restored after she learns Serah was ready to die for her sake to give Lightning a future worth living in, even if she wouldn't be able to be there herself.
The "new world" may allude to the unexplored world of Gran Pulse where the people of Cocoon were forced to migrate to after the catastrophe, and it is largely a new realm for both protagonists Serah and Noel; for Serah because she is from Cocoon, and for Noel because he hails from another time. The "new world" also alludes to the new future that Serah and Noel want; they want to change the future and eradicate the Dying World from the timeline, effectively remaking the world into a "new world".
Another allusion is at the end of the game when Lightning crystallizes herself with Serah's wish in her heart. After learning of how Serah sacrificed herself, Lightning decides to live on and see the "new world" in the future, where she will one day wake up at the end of eternity.
The song plays during the ending and talks about keeping hope alive even after having lost people dear to us. Final Fantasy XIII-2 ends on a sad note with Serah dying and chaos taking over the world, and the song's message also reminds to keep hope alive even during the darkest of times, in its own way alluding how the end of Final Fantasy XIII-2 wasn't the end of the world and that even in a world overtaken by chaos hope of a better future still persists.
The song may also allude as a foreshadowing to the events of Lightning Returns. As in the very end, Lightning and friends travel to the "New World" to live in peace after all their struggles.
==See also==
*Yakusoku no Basho / Tatta Hitori no Mikata
*Final Fantasy XIII-2: Original Soundtrack
*Final Fantasy XIII-2: Original Soundtrack PLUS
==External links==
*Japanese iTunes download.
de:New World
fr:Yakusoku no Basho
Category:Event themes from Final Fantasy XIII-2