﻿PLAIN-TEXT RESEARCH REFERENCES
Z Mainframe Reviews special feature:
Lost in Translation: How “Deathly Loneliness Attacks” Became a Zelda Song That Was Never a Zelda Song

Research date: August 25, 2026

IMPORTANT EDITORIAL NOTE

The feature deliberately does NOT claim that “most Americans” or “most U.S. Zelda fans” believe the song is official Zelda music. I found strong evidence that the English BOTW presentation makes that misunderstanding easy, and examples of English-language fan discussion treating it as Zelda-associated, but I did not find reliable survey data that would justify a national prevalence claim.

The strongest factual conclusion is:
“猛独が襲う” was created independently by Hifumi as a Vocaloid song. The Breath of the Wild connection was created later through MeLay’s fan animation using InvaderT’s cover. SirHamnet subsequently created the English adaptation associated with that animation.


PRIMARY / FIRST-PARTY SOURCES

1. Hifumi — official Piapro lyric posting
Title: 猛独が襲う
Creator: 一二三 (Hifumi)
Date posted: June 23, 2017
URL:
https://piapro.jp/t/Fh1h

Why it matters:
This is Hifumi’s own posting of the Japanese lyrics. It is the best source used for determining the song’s original lyrical subject. The lyrics concern dependence on others, disposable or temporary relationships, severed bonds, regret, loneliness, and realizing the weakness of being alone.

Copyright note:
The Z Mainframe Reviews feature paraphrases the lyrics. It does not reproduce the complete lyrics.


2. Hifumi — official Piapro instrumental
Title: 猛独が襲う_inst
Creator: 一二三 (Hifumi)
Date posted: June 13, 2017
Length: 4:12
URL:
https://piapro.jp/t/O5gy

Why it matters:
Provides first-party dating close to the original publication and confirms Hifumi as the creator. The page identifies the file as the off-vocal/karaoke version of “猛独が襲う.”


3. Original Hifumi / Hatsune Miku video
Title: 猛独が襲う／一二三 feat.初音ミク
Creator: 一二三 / Hifumi
YouTube video ID: 3Mgfv-kYc10
URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mgfv-kYc10

Credits consistently associated with the original:
Music and lyrics: 一二三 (Hifumi)
Vocal: 初音ミク (Hatsune Miku)
Illustration: 休符 (Kyuufu)
Support guitar: じゅみ (Juumi)

Why it matters:
This is the original song/video lineage referenced by later cover artists.


4. InvaderT — Japanese human cover
Title: 猛独が襲う Cover / InvaderT(インベーダーT)
Creator: InvaderT
Published: August 3, 2017 on YouTube
URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tTWpnpfMx4

Why it matters:
This is the human Japanese cover later associated with MeLay’s Breath of the Wild animation. InvaderT’s description explicitly credits and links back to Hifumi’s original (“本家様”).


5. MeLay / 米雷 — creator’s site for the BOTW fan project
Page title: 猛独が襲う
Creator/site: MeLay / 米雷, Scissors
URL:
https://melaykh.weebly.com/2946729420123643518612358.html

Fan animation referenced by MeLay:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j78ua9fpJ70

Why it matters:
This is unusually valuable first-party evidence. MeLay describes the project as a Zelda fan-made MAD video and describes the associated art/settings book as NOT an official setting book. The page also states that Hifumi gave permission for the song title to be used as the book title.

This directly supports the distinction between:
- Hifumi’s original song
and
- MeLay’s later Zelda fan interpretation.


6. MeLay / 米雷 — Breath of the Wild fan animation
Title: 【ゼルダ手書き】猛独が襲う【BotW】
Creator: 米雷 / MeLay
Published: November 14, 2018 according to indexed YouTube metadata
URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j78ua9fpJ70

Why it matters:
This is the work that creates the major Zelda association. Indexed metadata identifies it as a 2018 fan animation and credits InvaderT as the featured vocal performance.


7. SirHamnet / ham — English cover, SoundCloud
Title: Deathly Loneliness Attacks 猛独が襲う english cover by ham
Creator: ham, now SirHamnet
Published: March 25, 2019
URL:
https://soundcloud.com/hamxham/deathly-loneliness-strikes-english-cover-by-ham

Why it matters:
This is first-party evidence from the English cover artist. The description explicitly says “Song by Hifumi” and links to Hifumi’s original. It also links to SirHamnet’s YouTube upload.

SirHamnet YouTube version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZyOMZaOFRc


8. SirHamnet — official/current artist link page
URL:
https://linktr.ee/sirhamnet

Why it matters:
Confirms the current SirHamnet identity and describes SirHamnet as a Vocaloid/anime/game lyricist and cover artist. It also links “Deathly Loneliness Attacks” among the artist’s work.


OFFICIAL COMMERCIAL RELEASE / CATALOG SOURCES

9. Apple Music Japan — Hifumi single
Title: 猛独が襲う (feat. 初音ミク) - Single
Artist: 一二三
Release date: August 28, 2017
URL:
https://music.apple.com/jp/album/moudoku-ga-osou-feat-hatsune-miku-single/1272532878

Why it matters:
Confirms the official 2017 commercial release, artist, Hatsune Miku feature, and release date.


10. MusicBrainz — Hifumi release record
Title: 猛独が襲う
URL:
https://musicbrainz.org/release/51a4c4cd-0699-49bc-bdf6-4488e50f92d1

Relevant metadata:
Worldwide release: August 28, 2017
Lead vocals: Hatsune Miku
Lyricist/composer: Hifumi
Length: 4:12
Official release / Japanese language

Why it matters:
Useful independent catalog corroboration for the commercial release and credits.


11. Apple Music — SirHamnet single
Title: Deathly Loneliness Attacks - Single
Artist: SirHamnet
Release date: May 6, 2023
URL:
https://music.apple.com/us/album/deathly-loneliness-attacks-single/1685251113

Why it matters:
Confirms the later commercial release of SirHamnet’s English version.


12. Spotify — SirHamnet single
Title: Deathly Loneliness Attacks
Artist: SirHamnet
Release date: May 6, 2023
URL:
https://open.spotify.com/album/2po7ocNxg7K3Xyb6B48vLf

Why it matters:
Independent streaming-catalog corroboration of SirHamnet’s 2023 release.


13. Shazam — SirHamnet track metadata
Title: 猛独が襲う / Deathly Loneliness Attacks
Artist: SirHamnet
URL:
https://www.shazam.com/song/1685251114/%E7%8C%9B%E7%8B%AC%E3%81%8C%E8%A5%B2%E3%81%86

Relevant metadata:
Performer: SirHamnet
Composer: Hihumi
Language: English
Release date: May 6, 2023

Why it matters:
Supports the continuing composer credit to Hifumi/Hihumi on the English recording.

Copyright note:
The page displays SirHamnet’s full English lyrics. Those lyrics are NOT reproduced in the Z Mainframe Reviews story. The feature summarizes themes instead.


CREATOR INTERVIEW / CAREER CONTEXT

14. Real Sound interview with Hifumi
Title:
一二三が語るボカロ文化の一貫した面白さ　アルバム『百鬼夜行』の世界観、“ボカロック×和風”の魅力に迫る
Publisher: Real Sound
Published: August 2025
URL:
https://realsound.jp/2025/08/post-2135893.html

Why it matters:
Hifumi personally looks back on 2017 as a turning point. The interview specifically names “花が落ちたので、” and “猛独が襲う” as important songs from that period. This is strong retrospective evidence for the song’s place in Hifumi’s career.


SPECIALIST / SECONDARY SOURCES USED FOR CROSS-CHECKING

15. Hatsune Miku Wiki / atwiki
Title: 猛独が襲う
URL:
https://w.atwiki.jp/hmiku/pages/36396.html

Why it matters:
Useful Japanese Vocaloid-community reference. It lists:
Lyrics: Hifumi
Composition: Hifumi
Arrangement: Hifumi
Support guitar: Juumi
Illustration: Kyuufu
Vocal: Hatsune Miku

It also preserves the creator-associated description that this is a song about connections between people and that those connections are not disposable.


16. Vocaloid Wiki
Title: 猛独が襲う (Moudoku ga Osou)
URL:
https://vocaloid.fandom.com/wiki/%E7%8C%9B%E7%8B%AC%E3%81%8C%E8%A5%B2%E3%81%86_%28Moudoku_ga_Osou%29

Why it matters:
Secondary cross-check for publication date, credits, original Hatsune Miku version, and later versions. It explicitly lists 米雷’s PV as a fan-made The Legend of Zelda animation featuring InvaderT.


17. The ’Shroom / Super Mario Wiki — Mario’s Boombox
Issue 171, Palette Swap
URL:
https://www.mariowiki.com/The_%27Shroom%3AIssue_171/Palette_Swap

Why it matters:
A secondary English-language article that independently traces the cross-cultural history: original Hatsune Miku song, InvaderT cover, fan-made game-related video, and SirHamnet’s English version. It was useful as a discovery/corroboration source, not as the sole basis for the major claims.


18. Filmot index of MeLay’s YouTube animation
Title:
【ゼルダ手書き】猛独が襲う【BotW】
URL:
https://filmot.com/sidebyside/j78ua9fpJ70/en/ru/English/Russian/%E3%80%90%E3%82%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%83%80%E6%89%8B%E6%9B%B8%E3%81%8D%E3%80%91%E7%8C%9B%E7%8B%AC%E3%81%8C%E8%A5%B2%E3%81%86%E3%80%90BotW%E3%80%91/%E7%B1%B3%E9%9B%B7

Why it matters:
Preserves indexed metadata for the MeLay video, including the November 14, 2018 publication date and identification of InvaderT’s performance.


ADDITIONAL CORROBORATING EXAMPLE

19. MyGO!!!!! official cover
Title: 猛独が襲う / MyGO!!!!! cover ver.
Published: July 16, 2022
URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrOg6rQx9wI

Why it matters:
The official description identifies Hifumi’s Hatsune Miku version as the original and credits Hifumi for lyrics and composition. This helps demonstrate that the song continued to have a life independent of Zelda.


KEY FACTS CLEARED FOR THE STORY

- Original title: 猛独が襲う
- Common romanization: Moudoku ga Osou
- Common English rendering: Deathly Loneliness Attacks
- Creator: 一二三 / Hifumi
- Original featured voice: Hatsune Miku
- Original publication: June 2017
- Official commercial single: August 28, 2017
- Original lyric/music/arrangement credit: Hifumi
- Original illustration: Kyuufu / 休符
- Support guitar: Juumi / じゅみ
- InvaderT human cover: August 2017
- MeLay / 米雷 BOTW fan animation: November 2018
- SirHamnet / ham English cover: March 2019
- SirHamnet commercial single: May 6, 2023
- The song did NOT originate as official Nintendo or Zelda music.
- The BOTW association comes from MeLay’s fan animation.
- The original lyrics are primarily about human relationships, severed connections, dependence, regret, and loneliness, not specifically about death or Link.
- The feature avoids claiming a measured U.S. misconception rate because no reliable survey evidence was found.


RESEARCH LIMITATIONS

1. Some original Japanese social-media posts from 2017–2019 are difficult to retrieve reliably through current web indexing.
2. I found strong first-party evidence from MeLay’s own project page, but I did not independently retrieve a preserved private permission exchange between MeLay and Hifumi. The statement about permission is therefore attributed to MeLay’s own page.
3. I did not find reliable evidence supporting a claim that a majority, or any measured percentage, of U.S. listeners mistake the song for official Zelda music. The story therefore describes why the misconception is easy rather than claiming how widespread it is.
4. English titles vary. “Deathly Loneliness Attacks” is the established title used by SirHamnet and many English references; translations of Japanese titles are not always unique.
5. The feature paraphrases copyrighted lyrics rather than reproducing them.


EDITORIAL RECOMMENDATION FOR ON-AIR USE

The cleanest correction is:

“We previously treated ‘Deathly Loneliness Attacks’ as though it originated as a song from or written for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. That was incorrect. ‘猛独が襲う’ was written, composed and arranged by Hifumi and released in 2017 featuring Hatsune Miku. InvaderT later recorded a human cover; MeLay used that cover for a 2018 Breath of the Wild fan animation; and SirHamnet later created the English adaptation associated with that animation. The Zelda connection is fan-created, not Nintendo-originated.”

That wording is strongly supported by the source chain above.
