What's Up People?

The song 'What's Up People?' by the Japanese rock band Maximum the Hormone is a high-energy track that is known for being the second opening theme of the popular anime series 'Death Note.' The lyrics are a mix of Japanese and English and convey a sense of frustration and questioning towards humanity and societal norms.

The repeated phrase 'benribenri banzai ningen' roughly translates to 'convenient, convenient, hooray for humans,' which could be interpreted as a sarcastic remark on how people celebrate convenience and superficiality. The use of 'biribiri,' which means 'electric shock' in Japanese, alongside 'ikarasuka?' which translates to 'are you angry?' suggests a provocation, as if the song is challenging the listener to react to the electrifying truth of society's flaws. The song's chorus, with phrases like 'What's up fuanzai ippai' ('What's up, full of anxiety') and 'Hanzai kienai towani' ('Crime never disappears'), reflects a world filled with unease and perpetual wrongdoing.

The aggressive tone and language used in the song, such as 'ningen sucker' and 'ningen fucker,' indicate a deep-seated contempt for humanity's actions. The song questions the meaning of life ('Ikiru imi tsumaranka?') and criticizes the state of civilization ('Bunmei yande huantei,' meaning 'Civilization is sick and unstable'). The song's intensity and confrontational lyrics suggest a call to action or a wake-up call to society to recognize and address its inherent issues.