▁in ▁Japan ' s ▁ind ie ▁rock ▁scene , ▁the ▁band ▁quickly ▁attract ed ▁major ▁label ▁attention , ▁and ▁signed ▁with ▁T os hib a ▁E MI . ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁their ▁major ▁debut ▁single , ▁ ▁was ▁released ▁with ▁their ▁major ▁debut , ▁School ▁Girl ▁Dist ort ional ▁Add ict , ▁released ▁the ▁following ▁July . ▁Number ▁Girl ▁quickly ▁gained ▁popular ity ▁throughout ▁Japan , ▁playing ▁shows ▁with ▁other ▁high - profile ▁ind ie ▁acts ▁such ▁as ▁Blood th irst y ▁But ch ers ▁and ▁Eastern ▁Youth . ▁In ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁Number ▁Girl ▁released ▁the ▁single ▁" Dest ruction ▁Baby ", ▁produced ▁by ▁Fl aming ▁Li ps ▁producer ▁Dave ▁Frid mann , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁live ▁album , ▁Sh ib u ya ▁Rock str ans formed ▁J ō ta i . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁the ▁band ▁again ▁entered ▁the ▁studio ▁with ▁producer ▁Dave ▁Frid mann ▁and ▁released ▁their ▁third ▁full - length ▁studio ▁album , ▁S app u ke i . ▁Frid mann ' s ▁production ▁helped ▁the ▁band ▁to ▁reach ▁their ▁full ▁potential , ▁and ▁S app u ke i ▁served ▁to ▁combine ▁Number ▁Girl ' s ▁ag gress ive ▁rock ▁with ▁traditional ▁Japanese ▁sounds . ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁they ▁emb ark ed ▁on ▁a ▁brief ▁US ▁tour ▁with ▁Pol ys ics , ▁playing ▁in ▁small ▁clubs ▁through ▁several ▁cities . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁year ▁of ▁tour ing , ▁the ▁band ▁again ▁en list