:Dopa-mint!
{{Infobox song
| name = Dopa-mint!
| cover = TJ-TengokuDompamint.jpg
| alt = A paper crane drawn in white, featuring a brain design instead of wings. It is baced with a turquoise and pink background.
| caption = "Tengoku e Yōkoso/Dopa-Mint!" digital EP cover.
| type = single
| artist = Tokyo Jihen
| album = Dai Hakken
| released = {{start date|2010|7|23}}
| recorded = 2010
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Pop-rock, alternative rock
| length = {{duration|m=2|s=43}}
| label = EMI Music Japan
| writer = {{Plainlist|
}}
| producer =
| prev_title = Tengoku e Yōkoso
| prev_year = 2010
| next_title = Sora ga Natteiru
| next_year = 2011
}}
{{nihongo|"Dopa-mint!"|ドーパミント!|Dōpāminto!}}{{cite web | url=http://www.kronekodow.com/english/disco/disco_detail_116.html | title=Dopa-mint! / INCIDENTS TOKYO |publisher=Kronekodow | accessdate=June 17, 2014}} is a single by Japanese rock band Tokyo Jihen, led by musician Ringo Sheena. It was released on October 23, 2010, and was used in commercials for Ezaki Glico's Watering Kissmint gum.
Background and development
In 2009, Tokyo Jihen released the single "Nōdōteki Sanpunkan", which was their first song to feature in commercials for Ezaki Glico's
Watering Kissmint brand of gum.{{cite web | url=http://www.tokyojihen.com/news/index_03.php | title=東京事変の新曲『ドーパミント！』、CMタイアップ＆配信限定リリース決定！ |publisher=Universal | language=Japanese |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140621121909/http://www.tokyojihen.com/news/index_03.php |date=July 27, 1010 |archivedate=June 21, 2014 | accessdate=June 18, 2014}} The single was commercially successful, peaking at number one on Oricon's singles chart, and being certified gold twice for digital downloads.{{cite web | script-title=ja:能動的三分間 | url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/345261/products/music/847321/1/ | publisher=Oricon |language=Japanese | accessdate=June 21, 2013}}{{cite web | script-title=ja:レコード協会調べ 1月度有料音楽配信認定 |trans-title=Record Association Investigation: January Digital Music Download Certifications | url=http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w080220_3.html | publisher=Recording Industry Association of Japan |language=Japanese | date=February 20, 2008 | accessdate=December 23, 2013}}{{cite web | script-title=ja:レコード協会調べ 3月度有料音楽配信認定 |trans-title=Record Association Investigation: March Digital Music Download Certifications | url=http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w080420_3.html | publisher=Recording Industry Association of Japan |language=Japanese | date=April 20, 2008 | accessdate=December 13, 2013}} Tokyo Jihen's song "Kachi Ikusa" from the album Sports served at the second commercial song for the campaign in January 2010.{{cite web | url=http://natalie.mu/music/news/26366 | title=椎名林檎「キスミント」新CMでバケツ大回転に挑戦 |publisher=Natalie | language=Japanese |date=January 15, 2010 | accessdate=June 21, 2014}}
A week before the single's digital release, Tokyo Jihen had released "Tengoku e Yōkoso", the theme song for the Japanese drama Atami no Sōsakan. Both songs were compiled together on a digital EP.
Writing and production
Two editions of the song exist, the original and the version that appears on Dai Hakken, labelled "Dopa-mint! BPM103", as opposed to the original version's BPM of 199. The original version was eventually released to CD in 2013, on Tokyo Jihen's Hard Disk box set.
The song was recorded in June 2010, after the band had finished their Ultra C tour.{{cite web | url=http://www.tokyojihen.com/sp/notes/interview/toct27070/ | script-title=ja:「大発見」オフィシャル・インタビュー |trans-title=Discovery Official Interview |publisher=Toshiba EMI | language=Japanese |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140617031959/http://www.tokyojihen.com/sp/notes/interview/toct27070/ |archivedate=June 17, 2014 | accessdate=June 21, 2014}} Unlike "Tengoku e Yōkoso" which was tailored specifically for the drama Atami no Sōsakan, the band members brought many demos to the recording sessions for everyone to decide which the best one was. Eventually, a song Izawa had written especially was chosen, and the band worked on it through the night right up until the deadline that Ezaki Glico had set.{{cite web | url=http://www.tokyojihen.com/sp/notes/interview/toct40320/ | script-title=ja:「空が鳴っている／女の子は誰でも」オフィシャル・インタビュー |publisher=Kronekodow | language=Japanese |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140622083013/http://www.tokyojihen.com/sp/notes/interview/toct40320/ |archivedate=June 22, 2014 | accessdate=June 22, 2014}} The song was rearranged for Dai Hakken, as it was an album where the band considered the album's arrangement more carefully.
Promotion and release
The song served as the third song used in Ezaki Glico's Watering Kissmint advertisement campaign featuring Ringo Sheena as a spokesperson. The commercials began airing on July 27, 2010. Tokyo Jihen were featured in issues of Rockin' On Japan and Switch to promote the release, as well as the NHK program The Star airing an interview with Sheena.{{cite web | url=http://www.tokyojihen.com/news/index_03.php | script-title=ja:東京事変2010メディア露出情報 |publisher=Universal | language=Japanese |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140621121909/http://www.tokyojihen.com/news/index_03.php |date=July 29, 1010 |archivedate=June 21, 2014 | accessdate=June 18, 2014}} The song was first performed at the EMI Rocks festival on November 6, 2010. The band performed the song once during a Tokyo Jihen tour, the 2011 Discovery tour, in which they played the BPM103 version.{{cite book |script-title=ja:チャンネルガイド-東京事変オフィシャルブック- |trans-title=Channel Guide: Tokyo Jihen Official Book |language=Japanese |location=Tokyo |publisher=Kronekodow |publication-date=February 29, 2012 |pages=186–187 |isbn=978-4884182984|date=February 2012 }}
Critical reception
In reviewing the BPM103 version, CDJournal reviewers felt the song's development was "unrestrainted", feeling that each member of Tokyo Jihen's abilities could be seen in parts of the song.{{cite web | url=http://artist.cdjournal.com/d/-/4111050247 | script-title=ja:東京事変 / 大発見 |publisher=CDJournal | language=Japanese | accessdate=June 17, 2014}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| total_length = 5:43
| title1 = Tengoku e Yōkoso
| lyrics1 = Ringo Sheena
| music1 = R. Sheena
| length1 = 3:00
| title2 = Dopa-Mint!
| lyrics2 = R. Sheena
| music2 = Ichiyo Izawa
| length2 = 2:43
}}
Chart rankings
Release history
| class="wikitable"
! Region ! Date ! Format ! Distributing Label |
| rowspan=2|Japan
|{{Start date|2010|07|23}}{{cite web |script-title=ja:天国へようこそ／ドーパミント！東京事変 |url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0047ZM0WA/ | work=Amazon.co.jp |language=Japanese | accessdate=June 21, 2014}} | Digital download | rowspan=2|EMI Music Japan |
| {{Start date|2010|07|28}}
| Ringtone |
References
{{reflist|2}}
{{Tokyo Jihen}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dopa-mint}}
Category:Songs used as jingles
Category:Songs written by Ringo Sheena