Some news

Hello there everyone.

I don't have much free time in my hands, so let's just skip to the point.

Tokyo Jihen are back with band activities and they spared no efforts into compensating for making us wait so long. The first news we know, released by Kronekodow, are that the postponed single for "Sora ga Natteiru" is going to be released May 11. The second news is that the band is going on another national-wide tour this year. Not much is known besides that, but you bet it screams New Album too.

Other than that, I want you all to notice the new addition in the left-side column: "Songs and Lives". Just check it out, I think it's going to be useful. Thank Yahiko (besides me), for this community effort.

Shiina Ringo and Tokyo Jihen CMs

The recently "released" new songs are being used as tie-ins with two major ad campaigns, having started this month. "Sora ga Natteiru" works as the theme song for the new Glico Watering KissMint promotional campaign, while "Onna no Ko wa Daredemo" is coupled with Shiseido Maquillage.

However, despite being Tokyo Jihen songs, only Ringo appears in the actual CMs. What's more, even the songs are not the Tokyo Jihen versions, but different ones, due to the Hata Toshiki incident/scandal, something that certainly made both Glico and Shiseido demand a Ringo-only version of the songs.

Fortunately, Glico uploaded the normal versions before any incident happened, so I got those too. Here's the list of what's in this ZIP file.

Watering KissMint CMs:

- Shiina Ringo (Sora ga Natteiru -Shinkai-hen-) 15 and 30 seconds

- Tokyo Jihen (Sora ga Natteiru) 15 and 30 seconds

Shiseido Maquillage CMs:

- Shiina Ringo (Onna no Ko wa Daredemo -Sugao-hen-) 15 and 30 seconds + Making Of

Download (MP4 H264)

Shiina Ringo - 2009.05.02 - Kame no Ongaeshi

It seems Hata Toshiki's recent "incident" with the authorities gave us the need for something else to listen to, while waiting for the unknown-to-be-released next Tokyo Jihen single and TV performances.

So here's the whole Ringo performance at Kame no Ongaeshi, Kameda Seiji's own show, which was a 2 days event where a bunch of artists he produced made live performances. As far as I know, there was supposed to be a DVD release for this, but the project was probably scrapped. So who knows? Ken Hirai duets with Ringo in "put your camera down", by the way.

For now, there's only bootlegs, and this one seems to have the highest quality and was provided to me by Yahiko.

Festival: 亀の恩返し (Kame no Ongaeshi)

Venue: 日本武道館 (Nippon Budokan)

Date: 2009.05.02

01 - 茜さす 帰路照らされど… (Akane Sasu Kiro Terasaredo)

02 - more

03 - ギブス (Gips)

04 - put your camera down

05 - 閃光少女

06 - MC

07 - 丸の内サディスティック (Marunouchi Sadistic)

Download (MP3 Various Bitrates)

Tokyo Jihen - 2006.07.02 - Society of the Citizens Vol.1

What better way to wait for Jihen's soon-to-be-released new single, than to listen to one of the greatest performances the band has ever given? That's what I bring to you!

This is one of the most sought-after Tokyo Jihen bootlegs ever, and someone over at KMC was kind enough to (finally) share it with all us westerners. The audio quality of the original files is fine, but I had to tweak the channels a bit to actually put it in great condition, in my honest opinion. The original files had the band playing in the left channel and the audience clapping in the right channel, so I tried to center everything, without really losing the stereo.

Hata Toshiki was absent from this performance due to an arm injury back then, so Yasuo Sano (佐野康夫) played that part. Some members from ZAZEN BOYS also performed along with the band in "Mirror Ball" and "Service". Ringo sang two duets with them, during their own concert at this festival, but I don't have those.

Just enjoy this amazing concert. And here's hoping that I update this blog more often...

Festival: SOCIETY OF THE CITIZENS VOL.1

Venue: 日比谷野外音楽堂 (Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall)

Date: 2006.07.02

01 - Beginning

02 - 御祭騒ぎ (Omatsuri Sawagi)

03 - 少女ロボット (Shoujo Robot)

04 - 歌舞伎 (Kabuki)

05 - MC1

06 - 茎 (Kuki)

07 - ゴング (Gong)

08 - ミラーボール (Mirror Ball)

09 - サービス (Service)

10 - 喧嘩上等 (Kenka Joutou)

11 - MC2

12 - 秘密 (Himitsu)

13 - MC3

14 - 映日紅の花 (Ichijiku no Hana)

Download (MP3 V1)

PS - Both "Gong" and "Mirror Ball" are covers of Petrolz songs, Ukigumo's band. Only "Mirror Ball" ended in a Tokyo Jihen album tho.

Yet Another New Tokyo Jihen Song

After "Tengoku he Youkoso", Tokyo Jihen are putting out another song called "Dopamint!". Like the dorama-coupled song, this one is going to be coupled with the new ads for Watering KissMint, like "Kachii Ikusa" and "Noudouteki Sanpunkan" before.

You can watch both 15sec and 30sec ads in Kronekodow's or Tokyo Jihen's official website.

I wonder if there's going to be a new album soon, or just some kind of EP.

Tengoku he Youkoso on YouTube

A friend gave me this link for "Tengoku he Yokukoso" on YouTube. One can only guess when it will get deleted.

Video was removed from YouTube.

Shiina Ringo and Tokyo Jihen Scans

Hi there. Let me tell you something: scanning is a big pain in the behind. But I haven't done any since Sanmon Gossip, so here's a bunch of new ones.

None of the scans are really big quality, but I put my head and my heart into doing them (lol). The main purpose is just for everyone to check out what the booklets look like, not to print them and sell bootlegs, seriously guys.

Gekokujyou Xstasy
Download (5 PNGs)

Hatsuiku Status
Download (5 PNGs)

Ringo EXPO 08
Download (5 PNGs)

Sports
Download (15 PNGs)

Zazen Xstasy
Download (11 PNGs)

New Tokyo Jihen song

You know this blog is not intended to be a news blog, but I just read from my friend Orenji's blog: Tokyo Jihen are coming out with a new song. Pretty exciting news, uh? The song is called "Tengoku he Youkoso" (天国へようこそ), which roughly translates to "Welcome to Heaven", and will be used as the Theme Song for the new dorama called Atami no Sousakan which starts July 30.

The song will first be available as ringtone in July 21 and then on iTunes in July 28. It is also known that the lyrics were written by Shiina Ringo, as usual.

1st Anniversary

One year ago from this day, I created this blog. Its purpose was to give access to the non-official and often rare files that most fans have a hard time finding. Its purpose was to compile everything, to organize what was usually scattered in a sea of obscurity and give it a place to be found. Its purpose was to take no credit, but to share.

More importantly, its fundamental purpose was to help the Shiina Ringo fan.

I think that purpose is being met with every post I make and it pleases me to know that excluding one small incident with one angry fan, my methods have made this year go by peacefully. My hope is that I can continue to help the Ringo community, especially the non-japanese fans like me.

Remember that no file is locked to this blog: share it wherever and with whoever you want :)

PS - I was hoping to have something nice to upload today, alas my time has been very short. School ends July 2nd and the weeks have been a very turbulent stream of assignment deadlines!

Shiina Ringo - 2008.07.14 - Top Runner

The Top Runner episode someone requested! The 3 performances in this TV show have very interesting new arrangements (Yume no Ato isn't very different tho) and so I think it's very worth the watch/listen. Ringo talks about her life and career, with some photos from her youth to ilustrate, which is also interesting of course.

I'm sorry I can't write a bigger entry with more information, but I'm really short of time these days and my main concern was to upload this and that's done, so... Until next time!

01 - 本能 (Honnou)

02 - 意識 (Ishiki)

03 - 夢のあと (Yume no Ato)

Download (MP3 V0)

Download (MP4 H264 1280 x 720 Chapters)