In 2023, Ado’s cover of Ringo Sheena’s “Crime and Punishment” has been gaining momentum, approaching 20 million views on YouTube.
This phenomenon is not only nostalgic for those who remember the 1990s but also appeals to Generation Z and international listeners who are drawn to the song precisely because of its enigmatic lyrics.
Particularly, symbolic phrases like “The dim fluorescent light at the ticket gate” and “Touch my body” prompt us to question their meaning in today’s digital society.
In this article, we explore how this song, originally released in 2000, has found new interpretations in the 2020s through social and cultural perspectives.
{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}The Criminalization of Validation—The Paradox of Self-Affirmation
In Ringo Sheena’s “Koko de Kiss Shite.”, the plea “Look at me!” is a direct and innocent expression of the desire for validation.
This reflects a universal human emotion—the need to be acknowledged by others.
However, in “Crime and Punishment,” this desire for validation shifts to a more commanding tone: “This is all I need—recognize me.” This transition signifies a transformation from a simple wish into an imperative demand.
This shift highlights the moment when self-affirmation evolves from a mere desire into a form of coercion, suggesting that the act of seeking validation can itself generate new pressure and guilt.
This concept becomes even clearer when compared to Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment.
While Dostoevsky explores the moral dilemma of justifying murder, Ringo Sheena’s work presents a different kind of crime—the forced assertion of self-worth.
In modern society, the pressure to constantly affirm oneself has intensified, often leading to psychological burdens and even self-denial.
In other words, “Crime and Punishment” is not merely a song about self-affirmation; it portrays the paradox that “the very act of seeking validation can itself become a new form of sin.”
Lyrics That Predicted the "Approval Economy" Before SNS
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, as the internet began to reach ordinary households, digital validation was still a relatively new concept for many people.
However, Ringo Sheena’s “Crime and Punishment” already contained a warning about the dangers of “quantified approval.”
At the time, SNS platforms did not exist yet, and young people interacted mainly through profile sites and message boards.
On these platforms, metrics such as visitor counts and comment numbers became the standard indicators of validation.
In contrast, Ringo Sheena’s lyrics, “This is all I need—recognize me,” challenge this numerical validation and question the essence of genuine recognition.
In this section, we will explore how this song anticipated modern SNS culture and highlighted the issues within today’s approval-based economy.
The Hidden Modern Illness Behind "This is All I Need"
The lyric “This is all I need—recognize me” might seem like a simple request for approval.
However, it can be interpreted as an early reflection of today’s SNS-driven approval economy, where likes and follower counts hold immense value.
Back in 2000, the rise of “profile sites” led young people to see visitor counts and message board responses as a form of “quantified validation.”
In response to this, Ringo Sheena emphasizes “physical recognition” over digital validation.
For instance, the phrase “Call my name properly” can be understood as a plea to be acknowledged as a real person rather than just an online username.
Comparison: 2000 vs. 2020s
Let’s examine how the concept of validation has evolved from 2000 to the 2020s.
2000
Pagers displaying “11 (ii - meaning ‘good’),” ASCII art on message boards, and feature phone profile sites were popular means of gaining reactions from others, with visitor counts and comments shaping one’s self-evaluation.
Additionally, physical media such as purikura (sticker photos) albums and autograph books provided tangible ways to visualize friendships and gain validation.
2020s
With SNS becoming dominant, validation metrics have become even more quantifiable and are now essential tools for measuring social influence.
- Instagram: Likes and story view counts serve as indicators of social popularity.
- TikTok: Follower growth graphs provide a visual representation of user influence.
- YouTube: Algorithms assess content based on view counts and comment engagement.
Commonalities and Differences
A common theme is how “quantified validation” distorts self-worth.
In modern psychiatry, this phenomenon is referred to as “digital self-objectification” and is recognized as a growing social issue.
The main difference is that in 2000, real-life interactions and handwritten messages still played a role in validation. By the 2020s, however, the standard for self-approval has become entirely dependent on external digital metrics.
The Modern Prison of "Invisible Punishment"
The phrase “The dim fluorescent light at the ticket gate” serves as a powerful symbol of modern society.
It suggests a reality where individuals function as mere cogs in the societal machine, constantly monitored and controlled.
Examples include:
- Automatic ticket gates at Shibuya Station (introduced in 2000): Machines that mechanically regulate human traffic and continuously record individual movements.
- Convenience store security cameras: The normalization of constant surveillance, leading to a diminished awareness of privacy.
- Smartphone GPS tracking: The collection of movement data, allowing urban lifestyles to be analyzed by algorithms.
These “invisible control systems” are closely tied to the “invisible evaluations” generated by SNS algorithms.
For instance:
- Feeling that a post not gaining traction equates to the negation of one’s value.
- The number of likes and retweets determining one’s social worth.
- Follower counts becoming a “proof of human relationships,” turning personal identity into mere numerical data.
These phenomena reflect the fear of being pushed into “transparent existence,” as symbolized by the lyric “Even your shadow does not fall.”
Moreover, with the fusion of urban spaces and SNS, self-surveillance has become a daily routine. Modern individuals optimize their behavior according to the “social gaze.”
In essence, the world depicted in “Crime and Punishment” mirrors our present reality.
The Modernization of Literary References
The lyric “Like savoring the scent of a Seven Stars cigarette, awakening the seasons” appears to evoke nostalgia.
However, it can also be interpreted as a metaphor for the unconscious repetition of past actions and sins.
In Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, the protagonist Raskolnikov justifies murder through his ideology, only to be tormented by his guilt.
The “crime” he committed is endlessly revisited in his mind, an inescapable burden.
Similarly, Ringo Sheena’s “Crime and Punishment” expresses a modernized version of this theme—the repetition of past actions and the unavoidable weight of guilt.
The Symbolic Presence of "Seven Stars"
This cigarette brand is known for its addictive nature—once one starts, it becomes difficult to quit.
Its very nature functions as a metaphor for "repeated sins."
Furthermore, cigarettes, as consumer products, are widely accepted as a common indulgence in modern society. Yet, everyone is aware of their harmful effects.
Despite this knowledge, people continue to consume them, symbolizing the normalization and commercialization of sin within capitalist society.
In other words, these lyrics are not merely nostalgic but also serve as a critique of the repetitive nature of sin in modern society and how it has become an accepted reality.
Once considered a religious or moral issue, "sin" has now been embedded in consumer culture, diminishing our awareness of its consequences.
Ringo Sheena may be issuing a warning against this hollow modern value system.
Innovation Through Comparison with 90s Artists
Released in 2000, "Crime and Punishment" employed a unique expressive style, marking a new direction within the J-POP scene.
This section highlights Ringo Sheena’s innovation by comparing her work to prominent 1990s artists.
During the 1990s, J-POP retained echoes of the economic bubble era, characterized by sweet melodies and sentimental lyrics.
However, in "Crime and Punishment," Sheena depicted urban detachment and the mechanical nature of human relationships, diverging from traditional romanticism.
While her contemporaries often centered on nature or universal love, Sheena’s work focused on deeply personal, concrete emotions that left a striking impact on listeners.
Through comparisons with artists such as Southern All Stars and Hikaru Utada, we explore how "Crime and Punishment" stood out in the music landscape.
Contrasting with Southern All Stars
Southern All Stars, a defining J-POP act of the 1990s, gained popularity through passionate, melodic songs that evoked nostalgic imagery of Japan’s landscapes.
For instance, "TSUNAMI" (1999) utilized natural elements like the sea and waves to symbolize universal love and fate.
In contrast, Ringo Sheena’s "Crime and Punishment" took a completely different approach.
By incorporating artificial motifs such as "German cars and police cars," she painted a picture of urban coldness and the suffocating nature of a surveillance-driven society, bringing forth more raw and personal emotions.
This contrast symbolizes the shift in values following the collapse of the economic bubble.
While 1990s music often focused on "nostalgia for what was lost" or "universal love," Sheena highlighted "the vivid struggle for self-acceptance and internal conflict within modern reality."
Comparison with Hikaru Utada
Between the late 1990s and early 2000s, the J-POP scene underwent a significant transformation.
Hikaru Utada and Ringo Sheena both reflected the era in distinct ways.
Utada incorporated digital technology into her refined sound, crafting songs that portrayed love and personal relationships in a positive, liberating light.
On the other hand, Sheena used raw band sounds and a critical lens on society to explore the tangible realities of human relationships and physicality.
This contrast reveals the dichotomy between "the convenience of digital relationships" and "the reality of physical existence," foreshadowing the evolving relationship between technology and humanity in the 21st century.
Unexpected Parallels with Contemporary Art
As digital technology advances and virtual spaces intersect with reality, the importance of physical experience is being re-evaluated.
Particularly, Ringo Sheena’s “Crime and Punishment” challenges the listener to consider the value of tangible experiences beyond just being a musical composition.
This perspective resonates with many contemporary artists who emphasize physicality in their artistic expressions.
In this section, we explore the commonalities between “Crime and Punishment” and contemporary art and how they foster new interpretations.
Yayoi Kusama’s “Infinity Mirror” and “Crime and Punishment”
Yayoi Kusama’s “Infinity Mirror” creates an illusion of endless space through countless reflections of light.
This work symbolizes the expansion of the self in the digital age and the void created by infinite information proliferation.
Similarly, the lyric “the scent of Seven Stars” in “Crime and Punishment” represents an attempt to reaffirm one’s existence through sensory memory.
In Kusama’s installations, the repeated reflection of one’s image blurs the boundaries of self, creating a visual labyrinth.
Meanwhile, Sheena’s song focuses on validation through physical presence, highlighted by the lyric “touch my body.”
Both works confront the “diminishing tangibility in a digital society” and share a theme of “re-evaluating bodily experience.”
Further Connections to Contemporary Art
In an era where digital and virtual spaces blend with reality, the significance of physical experience and material presence is being reconsidered.
Contemporary art increasingly incorporates elements beyond visual and auditory perception, using touch and full spatial immersion.
These trends align with the themes of physicality presented in “Crime and Punishment.”
For instance, Olafur Eliasson’s interactive installations engage the audience, making them active participants rather than passive observers.
By manipulating light and temperature, Eliasson’s works stimulate the body, creating an immersive experience unlike traditional visual art.
Similarly, James Turrell’s light installations extend sensory perception, blurring the line between reality and illusion.
Kara Walker’s silhouette installations address historical and social themes using spatial compositions, encouraging audience engagement beyond mere observation.
This approach fosters immersion through physical sensation rather than purely visual stimulation, reinforcing the importance of “real-world experiences” in a digital era.
These artistic trends resonate with the lyric “touch my body” from “Crime and Punishment.”
As digital communication dominates modern interactions, physical contact and bodily sensations are often overlooked.
In this context, “Crime and Punishment” emphasizes the significance of real physical interaction, advocating for the value of tangible experiences.
“Crime and Punishment” in Modern Society
Ringo Sheena’s “Crime and Punishment” modernizes the themes of Dostoevsky’s novel, shifting from 19th-century “punishment for ideological arrogance” to 21st-century “punishment for the inability to attain self-validation.”
The song critiques the “economization of validation” in modern society, where social value is dictated by metrics like likes and follower counts.
It subtly highlights how individuals unknowingly become entrenched in this system.
The lyric “Don’t love an unsettling scream” satirizes the public’s unconscious enjoyment of viral scandals and social media outrage.
Additionally, the phrase “A small room indulges loneliness” illustrates the psychological self-punishment experienced by those who fail to receive validation.
In today’s world, personal worth is increasingly dictated by external approval, turning validation itself into a new form of “crime.”
Furthermore, the song serves as a warning about the “loss of physical presence” in a digitalized society.
As AI and VR evolve, making our lives increasingly virtual, the lyric “touch my body” urges us to reconsider the value of real-world interactions.
In an age where physical existence is becoming invisible, reclaiming “our presence as living, breathing humans” may be more important than ever.
The reason Ado’s cover resonates with younger audiences is that its message of “reclaiming physicality” aligns with their subconscious desire in an increasingly digital world.
Far from being just an old song, “Crime and Punishment” continues to shine as a guiding light for the future.
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