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It's finally spring time, although the weather still has been acting strange in various places all over the globe. However, one thing is certain for many of us: we are able to see the beautiful blossoming of flowers. So in honor of the season, we at GTG would like to present to you with this round's mixtape: Blossoming Fields.

Now, before we embark on our journey of music, I would like to ask to you this question: "What comes to mind when you visualize flowers blossoming?"

We all have different images. Some may say that they imagine a nice field of flowers to sleep in under the warm afternoon sun. Some may say that they visualize the first time they picked a flower from a bush to hand to the girl they secretly admire. Others may say the blossoming represents the times when we reminisce of either the happiest or saddest moments in our lives. In regards to those of us who live in Japan, the land of the sakura, the cherry blossom represents a brief moment of strength and beauty before a hasty fall to death. This outlook represents us as humans, who in our brief moment on this planet have our moment to shine before we disappear forever.

So what does the image of the blossoming fields mean to us at GTG? Well, let's hear from the staffers themselves.

Hai's featured pick

Resident vocaloid expert, Hai, shares with us three jams that she feels fit the image. She leads her contributions with a jam from band supercell, who she loves enough to share with us more than once. Hai's chooses the sakura as the main representation of what the blossoming of flowers mean to her. Let's hear how Hai feels how her contributions fit with this round's theme...

In "Sayonara Memories", blooming cherry blossoms represent the radiance of the narrator's high school days: where she experienced a bittersweet love. Holding the strong regret of never being able to convey her feelings, the narrator reminisces about her experiences and that although they were both happy and painful, she will never forget them. The blooming cherry blossoms in her mind take her back to those days and lead her to finally admit her feelings to herself, allowing her to accept the present and embrace the future.

dear8lue's featured pick

Next up, we have resident dreamer dear8lue with a jam from a film done one by one of his favorite directors, Shinkai Makoto's 5 Centimeters per Second. The film's title comes from the film's theme of how fast a sakura petal falls from the tree. Let's hear what dear8lue has to say…

"Flowers evoke for me a nostalgia for that perfectly encapsulated beauty, held in a single instance in time. Elusive and altogether too fleeting. I suppose we are all searching for one more time, one more chance, to get things right. For the moments we wished we could simply say what we truly meant, only to find that it just wasn't right. And yet perhaps, we must all eventually admit to ourselves, that the idealized memory of what never was, may always sweeter than anything that could have been... And so it is that Yamazaki Masayoshi's acoustic piece set to a montage of scenes from Shinkai Makoto's 5 centimeters per second: a chain of short memories about their distance, seems more than apt..."

Noko's featured pick

One of our newest staffers, Noko, leads her picks for this round with a jam from the hit TV drama, Tokyo Tower. Kobukuro is no stranger to fame, as the duo's unique sound has even caught the attention of legendary rocker, Marty Friedman, who pointed out that "Tsubomi" had a unique sound that was far from any influences of Western music. Let's hear the voice of our new staffer, Noko…

"Kobukuro's song "Tsubomi" talks about a flower bud that has not yet bloomed, just like the unobtainable dreams of the future that can only be achieved together with another important person. It starts off with the bittersweet memories of a person in the past, one who is no longer there, a feeling of solemnity accompanied with tears that later transforms into a bright, optimistic look at the future and what it may bring. Although the flower is only a bud, Kobukuro was able to bring out hope for a new beginning and a new dream, a chance for that bud to bloom into a beautiful flower. This song makes me feel refreshed and encouraged, giving me a positive outlook which is what I usually associate flowers in the spring with."

Dallas' featured pick

Newly crowned anime department lead, Dallas, comes at us with three jams from three different anime. Leading us with a theme song from the hit show, XXXholic, Dallas expresses his joy when spring comes to greet us. To him, blossoming represents rebirth; a chance to start over and stretch your arms out like a flower. Here's what Dallas had to say…

"With this song one of the main themes is rebirth and it even mentions "spring" a few times. It comes off as a very happy song to me with its bouncing beat and upbeat lyrics really exude the feeling of spring well."

Deshi's featured pick

Deshi brings us a jam from an anime adaptation of loved manga, Otome Yokai Zakuro. The story of the manga itself delves into Japanese culture, centering on things such as the existence in spirits. Deshi explains how the song is reminiscent of the short lived beauty of another symbol of Japanese culture: the cherry blossom. Let's hear it straight from Deshi…

"When I thought of blooming flowers, I was reminded of a beautiful anime based on a manga by one of my favourite mangaka, Otome Youkai Zakuro. Not only is the anime filled with symbolic flowers of all kind, but the song itself juxtaposes the beauty of a flower with death that it brings. Perhaps it references the famous quote from "Under the Cherry Trees" by Motojiro Kajii: " Dead bodies are buried under the cherry trees! You have to believe it. Otherwise, you couldn't possibly explain the beauty of the cherry blossoms. I was restless, lately, because I couldn't believe in this beauty. But I have now finally understood: dead bodies are buried under the cherry trees! You have to believe it."

Jangta's featured pick

The head honcho of GTG himself, Jangta, is the lone Korean pick in this week's Mixtape. He goes with the popular ballad singer, IU, and her hit song "Someday" from the Korean drama series Dream High. To him, IU's soothing vocals and the meaning of the song reminds him of cherry blossoms. See how IU's song touches him…

"I've always felt that cherry blossoms were more than just the changing of the seasons. Like many other GTGers, when I think of cherry blossoms, I think of change, of hope, and of living your dreams. I think of starting over and washing away any past deeds, mistakes, and shortcomings. IU's song 'Someday' talks about fighting against all odds and to achieve your dreams. No matter how tired or how hopeless a dream may be, striving for your goal is better than not trying at all. Both her song and the drama it appears in, Dream High, has helped me change for the better, much like a cherry blossom would with each passing season."

Raymaru's featured pick

Our music man in Japan, Raymaru, brings to us three of his favorite R&B voices from The Land of the Rising Sun. He leads this round of contributions with a jam from Shimizu Shota, a young man who has collaborated with many artists in his short career, including American R&B sensation Joe, and Japanese hottie Kato Miliyah. What does the voice of Shota show about Raymaru's idea on the blossoming of flowers?

"The Japanese view the sakura, or cherry blossom, as a symbol of one's own life. After surviving through the harsh winter, the springtime enables the sakura to blossom with the utmost beauty. However, the beauty is short-lived, because as the sakura displays its beauty, the petals as quickly die and fall to the earth. We are reminded by the sakura of the brief time we have on this planet, as well as treasuring each and every memory we experience."