Tsumi to Batsu

"Tsumi to Batsu" (罪と罰) is Japanese singer Ringo Sheena's 6th single and it was released on January 26, 2000, by Toshiba EMI / Virgin Music. It was certified double platinum by the RIAJ for 545,730 copies shipped to stores.

Background
"Tsumi to Batsu" is taken from Sheena's second album Shōso Strip. When she sang this song on her first national tour Senkō Ecstasy, she joked with her fans, "If you want to buy this song as a single, please send a letter to Toshiba-EMI". Then, the letters actually poured in to Toshiba EMI, and it was decided to release this song. Ken-ichi Asai, ex-Blankey Jet City, plays the guitar on "Tsumi to Batsu."

The song was covered by Takashi Obara on his piano cover album Try Try Try "Piano yo Utae" Special (2004) and by General Head Mountain on their third album Tsuki Kanashi Blue (2006). It was covered again by Blistar on Blistar Rockin' Covers: Rock & Sexy (2011).

Cover versions
In 2008, Japanese three-piece band General Head Mountain covered it on their album Tsukikanashi Blue. In 2018 Japanese-American singer Ai covered "Tsumi to Batsu". The song, titled as "Crime and Punishment", was included on the album Fruit Défendu, a tribute album featuring a variety of Sheena Ringo's songs covered by multiple artists.

In 2022, Japanese singer Ado released a cover of "Tsumi to Batsu" on YouTube. Her cover of the song, titled as "Crime and Punishment", was included on her 2023 cover album, Ado's Utattemita Album.

Credits and personnel
Tsumi to Batsu
 * Vocals: Shiina Ringo
 * Electric guitars and Tooth Flute: Ken-ichi Asai "Benzie" (from Blankey Jet City)
 * Bass guitars: Seiji Kameda
 * Drums: Masayuki Muraishi
 * Organ: Yuta Saito

Kimi no Hitomi ni Koishiteru
 * Gyakutai Glycogen (虐待グリコゲン)
 * Vocals: Shiina Ringo
 * Electric guitars: Susumu Nishikawa
 * Electric Bass, Handclap: Seiji Kameda
 * Drums: Masayuki Muraishi
 * Synthesizer: Makoto Minagawa

17
 * Vocals: Shiina Ringo
 * Electric guitars: Susumu Nishikawa
 * Bass guitars: Seiji Kameda
 * Drums and Tambourines: Noriyasu "Kāsuke" Kawamura
 * Piano: Yuta Saito
 * Synthesizer programming: Nobuhiko Nakayama
 * The Strings: Chieko Kinbara Group