CUTIE STREET’s debut single “Kawaii dake ja dame desu ka?” translates to “Can’t We Just Be Cute?”. It expresses a sentiment asking why mere cuteness isn’t sufficient, highlighting the importance of charm and innocence in Kawaii culture. The song highlights the charm and vulnerability often associated with this aesthetic, sometimes even challenging traditional, mature, or competent standards.

Song Credits

  • Artist: CUTIE STREET
  • Album: Kawaii Dake ja Dame Desu ka?
  • Released: October 16, 2024
  • Length: 4:15
  • Label: KAWAII LAB
  • Lyricist: Hirotaka Hayakawa
  • Composition: Hirotaka Hayakawa, Toshihiko Watanabe

CUTIE STREET “Can’t we just be cute?” Official MV

CUTIE STREET “Kawaii Dake ja Dame Desu ka?” Lyrics

Japanese

大ピンチです！
あと10分で家を出なくちゃ
遅刻しちゃいそうです！
逃げるにしかず 本気出したら
時間なくてもめっちゃ可愛くなれるもん！

にゃにゃにゃ にゃにゃにゃにゃ
にゃにゃにゃ にゃにゃにゃにゃ
にゃにゃにゃ にゃにゃにゃにゃ
にゃにゃ にゃにゃにゃにゃ

とはいえちょっと間に合わなそう！
だけどすっぴんは見せられなーい！（だめー！）
今日だけ散財 Go してタクシー！
メイクの道具も応援中

私のでっかい夢に比べたら
こんな失敗はちっちゃいかー！
この可愛さに免じて ゆるして！
おねがい！（おねがい！）

取柄ないけど 顔がかわいいのも
才能だと思って優しくしてほしいのです
あの手この手で 今をときめけ
長所を磨け 磨け 磨け 可愛さで世界征服！

「かわいいだけじゃダメですか？」

右・左・正面 キュン4させちゃう！
かわいいものはみんなぎゅぎゅっとして
時は戦国 小野小町も 多分本気出してた

愛を取り合う戦いなのです！
臆病な心は ポポポイっとして
シェアでハピハピ 楽しくなれる
ここが ここが ここが世界一の場所

にゃにゃにゃ にゃにゃにゃにゃ
にゃにゃにゃ にゃにゃにゃにゃ
にゃにゃにゃ にゃにゃにゃにゃ
にゃにゃ にゃにゃにゃにゃ

本当はかわいいだけじゃないのです！
とおもったけれど ダメダメだー（やんっ）
このかわいさに免じて
守って おねがい！（おねがい！）

やるせないけど 私の可愛さを
見つけてくれる人がいることを願って
しっぽふりふり フルスイングでカキーン！
短所も使え 使え 使え
ドジなとこも おバカなとこも

「かわいいだけじゃだめですか？」

縦・横・斜め キュン4させちゃう！
スキのキモチは
ギュギュギュギュギュッとして
時は紀元前
クレオパトラも ガチで本気出してた

愛を手にする 戦いなのです！
君の愛があれば ムムム ムゲンダイ
マル バツ シカク Sun角度は Good
写メは 写メは 写メは
自撮りが盛れるのー！

宇宙とかに比べたらさ ちっぽけだ私たち
成層圏コスモス飛び越えて
どこまーでも行っちゃってー！
Kawaii は無限で絶対です！
Cutie はなんか色々救っちゃいます！

ここは原宿
かわいいものが集まるっていうことは
「日本の中心！」
かわいいおかしたくさん食べたいな
「でもだめよ！」
かわいいメーターがさがっちゃーう！

「かわいいだけじゃだめですか？」

ファンもアンチも キュン4させちゃう
かわいさのヒミツはおしえてあげない！
時はちょっと前
マリリン・モンローも 多分本気出してた

全銀河中 キュン4させちゃう
地球の形変わっちゃうくらい
ラブでラブして！ 愛で愛して！
もっと もっと キュンな世界を作ろう！

にゃにゃにゃ にゃにゃにゃにゃ
にゃにゃにゃ にゃにゃにゃにゃ
にゃにゃにゃ にゃにゃにゃにゃ
にゃにゃ にゃにゃにゃにゃ
にゃにゃにゃにゃにゃにゃにゃん にゃん

Romanized

Ato juppun de ie o denakucha
Chikoku shichaisou desu!
Nigeru ni shikazu honki dashitara
Jikan nakutemo meccha kawaiku nareru mon!
Nya nya nya nya nya nya nya nya (x4)

To wa ie chotto maniawanasou!
Dakedo suppin wa miserarena—i! (Dame—!)
Kyou dake sanzai Go shite takushii!
Meiku no dougu mo ouenchuu
Watashi no dekkai yume ni kurabetara
Konna shippai wa chicchai ka—!
Kono kawaisa ni menjite yurushite!
Onegai! (Onegai!)

Tori-e nai kedo kao ga kawaii no mo
Sainou da to omotte yasashiku shite hoshii no desu
Ano te kono te de ima o tokimeke
Chousho o migake migake migake kawaisa de sekai seifuku!

“Kawaii dake ja dame desu ka?”
Migi, hidari, shoumen Kyun-kyun sasechau!
Kawaii mono wa minna gyu-gyutto shite
Toki wa sengoku Ono no Komachi mo tabun honki dashiteta
Ai o toriau tatakai nano desu!
Okubyou na kokoro wa po-po-poi to shite
Shea de hapi-hapi tanoshiku nareru
Koko ga koko ga koko ga sekai ichi no basho

(Nya nya chorus)

Hontou wa kawaii dake janai no desu!
To omotta keredo dame-dame da— (Yan)
Kono kawaisa ni menjite mamotte
Onegai! (Onegai!)

Yarusenai kedo watashi no kawaisa o
Mitsukete kureru hito ga iru koto o negatte
Shippo furi-furi furusuingu de kaki—n!
Tansho mo tsukae tsukae tsukae
Doji na toko mo obaka na toko mo

“Kawaii dake ja dame desu ka?”
Tate, yoko, naname Kyun-kyun sasechau!
Suki no kimochi wa gyu-gyu-gyu-gyu-gyutto shite
Toki wa kigenzen Kureopatora mo gachi de honki dashiteta
Ai o te ni suru tatakai nano desu!
Kimi no ai ga areba mu-mu-mu mugendai
Maru batsu shikaku Sun-kakudo wa Good
Shame wa shame wa shame wa jidori ga moreru no—!

Uchuu toka ni kurabetara sa chippoke da watashitachi
Seisouken kosumosu tobikoete dokoma—demo icchatte—!
Kawaii wa mugen de zettai desu!
Cutie wa nanka iroiro sukuucchaimasu!
Koko wa Harajuku kawaii mono ga atsumaru tte iu koto wa
“Nippon no chuushin!”
Kawaii okashi takusan tabetai na
“Demo dame yo!”
Kawaii meetaa ga sagaccha—u!

“Kawaii dake ja dame desu ka?”
Fan mo anchi mo Kyun-kyun sasechau
Kawaisa no himitsu wa oshiete agenai!
Toki wa chotto mae Maririn Monroo mo tabun honki dashiteta
Zengingachuu Kyun-kyun sasechau
Chikyuu no katachi kawacchau kurai
Rabu de rabu shite! Ai de ai shite!
Motto motto kyun na sekai o tsukurou!

Nya nya nya nya nya nya nya
Nya nya nya nya nya nya nya

Nya nya nya nya nya nya nya
Nya nya nya nya nya nya nya

Translation

This is a massive crisis!
I have to leave the house in 10 minutes
I’m totally going to be late!
They say “fleeing is the best option,” but if I get serious,
I can become super cute even if I have no time!
Nya nya nya…

Actually, it looks like I won’t make it in time!
But I can’t show my bare face! (No way—!)
Just for today, I’ll splurge and Go by taxi!
My makeup tools are cheering me on, too.
Compared to my giant dreams,
A failure like this is tiny!
For the sake of this cuteness, please forgive me!
Please! (Please!)

I don’t have any special skills, but I want you to think
That having a cute face is a talent and be kind to me.
Using every trick in the book, make this moment sparkle
Polish, polish, polish your best points—World Conquest through cuteness!

“Is it not enough to just be cute?”
Right, left, center—I’ll make your heart go kyun!
Squeeze everything cute tightly
Even back in the Warring States period, Ono no Komachi was probably giving it her all.
This is a battle over love!
Throw your cowardly heart away like po-po-poi
Share the “hapi-hapi” and let’s have fun
This, this, this is the best place in the world.

Actually, I’m not just cute!
…is what I thought, but it’s no use— (Yan!)
For the sake of this cuteness, please protect me!
Please! (Please!)

It’s helpless, but I hope there’s someone out there
Who will find the cuteness in me.
Wagging my tail, hitting a home run with a full swing!
Use, use, use even your flaws—
Your clumsy side and your silly side!

“Is it not enough to just be cute?”
Vertical, horizontal, diagonal—I’ll make your heart go kyun!
Squeeze the feeling of “Like” tighter and tighter
Even back in B.C., Cleopatra was seriously giving it her all.
This is a battle to win love!
If I have your love, it’s infinite!
Circles, Xs, squares—the “Sun-angle” (selfie angle) is Good
My photos, my photos, my photos—my selfies look the best!

Compared to the universe, we’re tiny
Leap past the stratosphere and the cosmos—go anywhere!
“Kawaii” is infinite and absolute!
“Cutie” somehow saves all sorts of things!
This is Harajuku—the fact that cute things gather here means
“It’s the center of Japan!”
I want to eat lots of cute sweets
“But you can’t!”
My “Cute Meter” will go down!

“Is it not enough to just be cute?”
I’ll make fans and even haters go kyun!
I won’t tell you the secret of my cuteness.
A little while back, Marilyn Monroe was probably giving it her all.
I’ll make the whole galaxy go kyun
So much that the shape of the Earth changes!
Love me with Love! Love me with Heart!
Let’s make a world that’s more and more kyun!

CUTIE STREET “Kawaii Dake ja Dame Desu ka?” Meaning

CUTIE STREET “Kawaii Dake ja Dame Desu ka?” is a viral debut track that goes beyond its cute, catchy surface to deliver a bittersweet message about identity and self-worth. While the song embraces “cuteness” as a charm, it also questions whether being cute alone is enough expressing a sincere desire for others to see the effort, personality, and true self behind the appearance.

The lyrics reflect a conflict between embracing and resisting the idea of cuteness. On one hand, it confidently uses cuteness as a strength; on the other, it subtly critiques a society that often values women only for their looks. This creates a paradoxical, almost satirical tone, blending humor with emotional vulnerability.

By referencing iconic beauties across history, the song also suggests that beauty has always been emphasized but it is built on effort and depth, not just surface-level appeal. As a result, “Kawaii Dake ja Dame Desu ka?” resonates strongly with modern listeners, especially young women, as a relatable anthem about wanting to be seen for more than just appearances.