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Old 2009.04.25, 06:47 AM   #1
Scribble R
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Question PSYCHO Shiina Ringo, Polite Shiina Ringo -- her personality, etc.

I totally don't like to get into the whole 'obsessed with artist's life outside of music', but I can't help but be curious about this. What is Shiina Ringo like? What kind of stuff does she believe in? What's her sense of humour like? What kind of things does she say in her interviews?

Is she really a bit 'mad' and/or bitchy? Or is she just slightly eccentric?

From the GX video, and Dynamite Out, she just seems like a slightly eccentric/hyper (And remember, she was quite young), but otherwise 'normal' woman. In fact, she just seems like a cool, down-to-earth fun girl (Quite 'small' and 'frail' compared to her music. All the people she hangs out with on GX seem to overwhelm her. She didn't have this STAR persona)

Because I got into Shiina Ringo quite later on in her career, I've never seen her as weird. And because I'm not Japanese, I don't know about the kind of impact she made there.

I remember posting a thread on NeoGAF about Shiina Ringo, and I got several responses of people saying that she freaks them out, and someone mentioned that on a radio show, she read a list out of people that she would like to kill. I'm guessing that due to the SS era, people have it in their heads that she's some mad and powerful beast? clakaz's post in the Maboroshi thread about Maboroshi and TOKIO feeling small/intimidated under her seems to support this. Also that mad Tsumi to Batsu performance seems to be remembered over theere.

As I understand it, one theory that she could have possibly played up the psycho element in the Shouso Strip era, and that isn't really her. And in her more recent interviews, she seems very polite (I don't know what she's saying, but she has a humble demeanor about her). And the fact that when she was speaking to the audience in Dynamite Out, she bows a million times.
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Old 2009.04.25, 08:50 AM   #2
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No one can tell what she's like unless they know her personally. You only know how she presents herself. Every single person has different facets of their personality, nobody is two-dimensional. All of us have that psycho element somewhere, maybe hidden really deep but it's there. That might have been a phase she's been going through in her life, but it's clearly gone. She grows as a person as a lot of people do, which is why she doesn't wear a nurse uniform smashing glass panes anymore. But again, this is just how she presents herself, and through her writing of course.

The mention of Maboroshi and TOKIO respecting her... well she's an artist, she writes her own stuff, produces her albums, she's the real deal. As far as I know TOKIO is just a boy band, so I suppose they just sing what they're given (I don't listen to them so I don't know). Shiina's an original, she's not a product unlike a big part of Japanese music scene, so she's rightly respected.
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Old 2009.04.25, 11:41 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by Scribble R View Post
clakaz's post in the Maboroshi thread about Maboroshi and TOKIO feeling small/intimidated under her seems to support this.

This is clearly a reference to the artists' privates. Shiinas is clearly much bigger.

I am a far way from seeing all of her live videos and interviews. I really think theres nothing wrong with taking an interest in a musicians personality since something you connect with is created by the said personality, you know as long as your not obsessed and stalkerish. It's just dangerous to speculate. Judging from an old old interview I saw, I'd probably guess that she was a Japanese version of white-trash. Judging from her more recent performances with Saito Neko, I'd guess she was an extremely polite formal and serious person. I'm not going to pretend I know that either of these are true. That's what sucks about such famous artists; they're image becomes as important as their music to a lot of people so they are much more concious of the way they present themselves and you have no idea what they are actually like.

According to a post I wrote when I was drunk she was just a normal girl with a time machine and some evil plans to get famous
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Old 2009.04.25, 01:03 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by lazer85 View Post
That's what sucks about such famous artists; they're image becomes as important as their music to a lot of people so they are much more concious of the way they present themselves and you have no idea what they are actually like.
True. If she really made such a long-lasting "crazy/freaky" impression in the Shouso Strip era, then she must be aware how important it is to control her own image. Then again, it's not important - it always comes down to whether we get good music or don't. I never understood obsessed fans...
BTW I loved your drunk post
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Old 2009.04.25, 02:28 PM   #5
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this is how I always perceived her.

eccentric. when it comes to her vision and her music, she has a very strong aesthetic and vision, so it can tend to intimidate others as she is probably unyielding in that aspect.

but in real life I think she is at heart a normal japanese girl who enjoys buying lipstick (as kameda joked about onstage) and getting crushes on the bad boys and guitar players.

her interviews have always been very polite, she is always well spoken and extremely intelligent. I think earlier in her career she had more frustration with the system in Japan and with being singled out, she played that card a bit more. Also, at that time I think the concept of "Ringo" as a persona was new and stronger to her, she actually identified this "Ringo" as someone she was playing, whereas over the years I think "Ringo" has been absorbed into her to a point where persona or not, she is simply "Shiina Ringo" and all else has disappeared. I would take a wager and guess that her parents and brother probably all refer to her as "Ringo-chan" this is supported by her statements that she continued on into Jihen with the name because, well, after so many years, it now is her actual name.

You also have to look at her age. When she started she was very young, now she is older and more mature. When I go back and look at pre-MM stuff I kind of have this "mall goth" kind of "LOOK AT ME" attention-whoreish impression. With KZK I got a much more refined and provocative but intelligent vibe. Both manage to be arousing and fresh, but she defining has refined and matured her ways over the years.

we all like to joke around that in real life she is a huge bitch and control freak because we think she is such a diva, haha, but I really stand by my belief that she is a great mother, a kind friend, and a gentle human being. It is because she is sensitive that she can get on this stage and scream into a mic or go into a studio and immediately know what she wants. She has a vision and she goes for it, but that doesn't make her a bitch.

It is like society tells us to think strong women are crazy or bitchy, it is a bit of a joke. If Ringo was a man, I don't think any of us would have started the "is Ringo a dick" thread. So in a way I think she still suffers from sexism both in and outside of Japan and that is another factor as to her perception.
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Old 2009.04.25, 07:03 PM   #6
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Ringo's seen as a bitch? I really am out of the loop of Ringo-fandom.

I haven't read or watched that many interviews and the only cues I get to the way she acts is through behind the scenes bits and her performance on stage. But, I've always thought she was really reserved but polite. She's got a passion for Japanese culture so that part is definitely ingrained in her. But she also really likes rock and the different images one can and has play with. But she always seems to open up on camera only when she's performing. I think that's where the psycho aspect would come in. She's also very intelligent and great with words -- a great . But I think that also reflects that she's observant and well versed in her influences, be them musical, literary or what have you.
She's also a strong female figure, and that's odd in the music industry. She definitely plays with that by not conforming to the girlish persona and plays with gender in her own way. But then she doesn't shy away from looking particularly girly.

She's pretty much all I want in a music icon.

But I want to see the interview where lazer85 thought she was Japanese white trash. :D
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Old 2009.04.27, 10:10 AM   #7
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I personally don't think Shiina Ringo is all that crazy. I think a lot of the crazy stuff she does is sort of like "OMG wouldn't it be funny if I did xx?" And the people around her laugh and she does it. Similiarly (but not quit like) to when Katie Perry told reporters she was going to be celibate XD She only said it because people are gullable.

Originally Posted by Scribble R View Post
I remember posting a thread on NeoGAF about Shiina Ringo, and I got several responses of people saying that she freaks them out, and someone mentioned that on a radio show, she read a list out of people that she would like to kill. I'm guessing that due to the SS era, people have it in their heads that she's some mad and powerful beast?
Well, I think if she were to list off people she wanted to kill she'd lose promotional deals and possibly her record deal XD

Originally Posted by kuro_neko View Post
Also, at that time I think the concept of "Ringo" as a persona was new and stronger to her, she actually identified this "Ringo" as someone she was playing, whereas over the years I think "Ringo" has been absorbed into her to a point where persona or not, she is simply "Shiina Ringo" and all else has disappeared. I would take a wager and guess that her parents and brother probably all refer to her as "Ringo-chan" this is supported by her statements that she continued on into Jihen with the name because, well, after so many years, it now is her actual name.
I hear quit a few Japanese artists are like that. I think I remember hearing Ayumi hamasaki talk about "Ayu" being a different persona. In public she is Ayumi but in privet she is Kumiko(I think that's her real name). And I could so see after so many years Shiina melting into her "Ringo" name. It's like when you have a best friend and they rub off onto you.
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Old 2009.04.27, 01:59 PM   #8
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i've seen an old video of her in england doing weird drug addict-types of things like standing in the freeway singing or screaming? or bursting out in song walking down the sidewalk, calling an ugly toy robot "kawaii."


then theres all the backstage stuff she does before a show like staring at or hugging the walls.

You add all that up and you get a clearer picture of the person. She's fun.
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Old 2009.04.27, 02:12 PM   #9
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I think you mean the yuuhatsu orgasm video?

Ringo totally was acting like that because the camera was on. Do you remember the video of her and Hirama and Kameda touring Tokyo, going to Tokyo Tower, Asakusa, and that theme park? When they were that the Theme Park she was slipping into a similar character, screaming at things that weren't scary and overemphasing a lot of her words and in general acting very cute.

I think she definitely does it part because of the cameras (at least pre MM) but more recently, well, because it is fun. I think her kid has mellowed her out a bit and I think she was tired of people taking that and assuming she was a complete freak when in fact she was just having fun. So its toned down a bit now.
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Old 2009.04.27, 02:55 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by ShadyNook View Post
i've seen an old video of her in england doing weird drug addict-types of things like standing in the freeway singing or screaming? or bursting out in song walking down the sidewalk, calling an ugly toy robot "kawaii."
I totally do things like that. (well, only with people around. I'd be embarrassed doing it alone.) Do people think I'm a drug addict?

But ooh, I wanna see this video! Is it on youtube some someplace similar anywhere?
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