Shōjo Robot
Encyclopedia
is a song by Rie Tomosaka
, written by rock musician Ringo Shiina. It was released as her final single before her hiatus, on .
The song was used as an ending theme song for the Nippon Television
variety show Fun.
/Bloodthirsty Butchers
featured as the band's guitarist.
The songs on the single were created in the vein of Shiina's Shōso Strip album (released three months prior). Shōjo Robot and Ikenai Ko were written with Tomosaka's image in mind, while Nippon ni Umarete was an unused demo from the Shōso Strip sessions.
singles chart, and stayed in the top 20 for two weeks.
The single was released nine months after the release of her greatest hits collection Rie Tomosaka Best, hence was not compiled in it. Shōjo Robot features as track #16 of the Taiwan
only greatest hits album Daisuki!, which was released simultaneously as this single in Taiwan.
All three songs were later compiled onto the 2009 re-release of Rie Tomosaka Best called Rie Tomosaka Best+3.
lit with different colour themes. her back-up band consists of a pianist, a guitarist and a drummer - all played by Ringo Shiina.
The music video has never been released to DVD, as Tomosaka's music video clip collection Rie Tomosaka Clips was released in October 1999 and she has not released a DVD since.
As of January 4, 2010 the music video for Shōjo Robot has been viewed over 182,000 times on popular video-sharing website YouTube
.
Shiina has covered this song occasionally in her solo live concerts, such as at her Zazen Extasy concert (July 2000).
Rie Tomosaka
is a Japanese actress and pop star from Mitaka-shi, Tokyo, born on October 12, 1979 in Nagano-shi, Nagano.She works for Itoh Company. From 1996 to 1997, she has also released music under the name .-Profile :She is 168 cm in height....
, written by rock musician Ringo Shiina. It was released as her final single before her hiatus, on .
The song was used as an ending theme song for the Nippon Television
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
variety show Fun.
Background
Ringo Shiina had previously worked with Tomosaka on her 1999 album, . She had written the lead single, , the B-side to the single and the album track .Conception
Shiina created a temporary 5 piece band to record the single, and named it . Along with Tomosaka on vocals and Shiina on piano/back-up vocals, Hisako Tabuchi of Number GirlNumber Girl
was a rock band formed in Fukuoka, Japan in August, 1995 by guitarist and vocalist Mukai Shutoku. They disbanded in 2002 following bassist Nakao Kentarou's departure from the band....
/Bloodthirsty Butchers
Bloodthirsty Butchers
Bloodthirsty Butchers are a long-running indie rock and punk rock band from Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. Although little-known in the West, they have contributed to two compilations on the Olympia, Washington based Yoyo label. The band has also released a split single with Rocket from the Crypt and a...
featured as the band's guitarist.
The songs on the single were created in the vein of Shiina's Shōso Strip album (released three months prior). Shōjo Robot and Ikenai Ko were written with Tomosaka's image in mind, while Nippon ni Umarete was an unused demo from the Shōso Strip sessions.
Release
The song was a hit for Tomosaka, it being her highest charting single since 1997's Naichaisō yo. It debuted at #12 on the OriconOricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
singles chart, and stayed in the top 20 for two weeks.
The single was released nine months after the release of her greatest hits collection Rie Tomosaka Best, hence was not compiled in it. Shōjo Robot features as track #16 of the Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
only greatest hits album Daisuki!, which was released simultaneously as this single in Taiwan.
All three songs were later compiled onto the 2009 re-release of Rie Tomosaka Best called Rie Tomosaka Best+3.
Music video
The music video was shot by director . It depicts Tomosaka performing the song in a room with wall partitionsCubicle
Тhe cubicle, cubicle desk, office cubicle or cubicle workstation is a partially enclosed workspace, separated from neighboring workspaces by partitions that are usually tall...
lit with different colour themes. her back-up band consists of a pianist, a guitarist and a drummer - all played by Ringo Shiina.
The music video has never been released to DVD, as Tomosaka's music video clip collection Rie Tomosaka Clips was released in October 1999 and she has not released a DVD since.
As of January 4, 2010 the music video for Shōjo Robot has been viewed over 182,000 times on popular video-sharing website YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
Track listing
All songs written and produced by Ringo Shiina.Oricon Album Chart Ranking (Japan)
| Release | Chart | Peak Position | First Week Sales | Sales Total | Chart Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oricon Daily Singles Chart | |||||
| Oricon Weekly Singles Chart | 12 | 28,740 | 61,710 | 5 weeks | |
| Oricon Yearly Singles Chart |
Tokyo Jihen version
Tokyo Jihen, Shiina's band, covered Shōjo Robot live at their "Domestic!" Just Can't Help It. tour (April 7, 2005 - May 30, 2005). The track was released as a digital download on , a week before the DVD's release. The song, as well as Blackout and Mirror-ball, received a promotional live music video, which was aired on music video channels in promotion of the DVD.Shiina has covered this song occasionally in her solo live concerts, such as at her Zazen Extasy concert (July 2000).