Shimeji Simulation

Jan 2, 2024

nikua999

Recommended

Well-written

Shimeji Simulation is not a manga.

It's not a piece of media to be looked at through the lens of what we deem "good" or "bad," "simple" or "complex." It's not another thing to read and review as an eight out of ten for being "pretty good." Shimeji Simulation is an experience. Not in the way a modern Disney amusement park ride is an "experience," but in a way where the true beauty of the series lies not in the fun ideas and surface dialogue presented, but rather in the raw feelings one experiences while reading it.

Because yes, there are layers and layers of subtext, metaphors, ... and more phenomenally used rhetoric by Tsukumizu. It bends the medium of manga to tell a story that would be difficult in any other style of storytelling. I could spend hours droning on about the immense philosophical core behind every single line of dialogue, every panel, and every weird twist. But I won't. Because Shimeji Simulation captures more than the mind and heart- it captures the soul.

When I say the series is "not a manga," I don't mean that in a sense of what it does for the medium- although it does quite a bit- I mean that it shouldn't be digested in a "this is a series i will get through and think about a bit, then move on." It's not some consumeristic slop that gets the job done. But it also shouldn't be viewed as some high and mighty pretentious work of art. It's just Shimeji Simulation. It's just a story about two girls getting to know each other. ...Right?

Well, no, it's so much more than that. It's a journey, one filled with the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. The predictable unpredictability of the world of Shimeji Simulation can't be found anywhere else. The calm, yet unsettling tone of the series dives further and further into insanity until it reaches a breaking point and everything changes. Yet, at the core of this aberrational mindfuck of a story are two seemingly normal people who can't seem to find themselves, whether it be their position in their relationship or their own humanities and identities.

Who would I recommend this series to? Anyone who feels unsure of their place in this world, anyone who feels either underwhelmed or overwhelmed by their life, whether it be a monotonous, boring slog, or a frightening, fast-moving mess. I think anyone can get something out of this series, with that differing depending on the reader's headspace and place in life at the moment. And by "getting something out of it," I don't necessarily mean plain enjoyment. Let the series fill you with emotion, let its palpability linger in your soul as you attempt to make sense of it all. Dig that hole a bit deeper, really ask yourself what you feel when reading, and allow Shimeji Simulation to make its voice heard. It has a lot to say, but you have to be willing to listen.

"Emotional." This is an adjective thrown around, rightfully so, to many series that draw tears. But there are so many more emotions than sadness. There's confusion, curiosity, enlightenment, playfulness, and so much more. Shimeji Simulation plays with ALL of these emotions, rather than just pulling on the heartstrings. It's "emotional" in every sense of the word. It evokes so many powerful feelings and says so much about them in the brief moments that this manga has.

When I read other reviews and look at discussion for this series, I see almost no any commonality between anyone's takeaways from it. Does that mean the series was incapable of portraying a concrete theme? No. Because unlike a series that has vague, interpretive themes, where its subject matter can often be vague and go over audience members' heads, Shimeji Simulation has been able to convey its themes to people in a way that has left everyone with genuine, concrete thoughts about it. I've yet to see someone who finishes the series and goes "What just happened? I'm so lost!" It's not indistinct or shallow, it's unique for each person who reads it. Its voice may be different for everyone, but it still always has something to say. The different, complex emotions it evokes in every reader is precisely what it was going for. It's not about Majime and Shijima. It's about you. It's about everyone. What did you get from the series, if anything? Why is that your takeaway? These are the questioned posed by this work, among others.

This review is not about what I got from the series. This isn't a conclusion I arrived at when reading, or when thinking about its themes. My takeaway from Shimeji Simulation is very personal, about establishing a unique identity for yourself and becoming capable of individual fulfilment, but not without the support of others. There's more, but those are the real, raw emotional themes I got from it. So then why wasn't my review about those feelings? Simply put, those feelings are my own unique identity. It's my Shimeji Simulation. With this review, I wanted to ask: What's yours?

Open

Gift

Apr 29, 2020

Zurheide

Recommended

Preliminary (36/49 chp)

I want to write a review for this that doesn't mention Girls' Last Tour, but I really can't figure out how, so bear with me.

Shimeji Simulation is the second major manga from Tsukumizu, the first being the aforementioned Girls' Last Tour. If you've read GLT or follow Tsukumizu on Twitter, you're probably familiar with their signature "touch of darkness;" everything they do seems to have a hint of sadness tucked away inside.

This was really easy to see in GLT. While much of the manga was comedic or relaxing, it was undeniably a post-apocalyptic manga filled with moments of sadness and melancholy. Because of that, what ... could have been a very surface-level adventure story with cute girl characters became something much deeper and undoubtedly more emotionally satisfying.

Shimeji Simulation almost feels like the exact opposite to GLT in terms of where that ever-present melancholy feeling comes from. Taking place in a much more normal school setting, and starring "normal" schoolgirls, that feeling ends up coming much more from the characters themselves than the world around them. Shimeji herself is a very reserved person, having a lot of thoughts about every situation but rarely offering them up in full. The recollection of her life up until the start of the manga, along with her general outlook on the world around her, provides a lot of the thoughtful and melancholic feeling in this manga. That goes double when we see her slowly start to change as she becomes closer with her new friend Majime. Despite the fact that seeing her open up more and have good experiences is an inherently uplifting thing, the way they're presented makes perfect use of that built up feeling. I want to say it makes the reader continue to view the world and Shimeji herself through the same feeling they had before. I've never gotten this feeling from anything but Tsukumizu's works before, and whether or not it's intentional, I can't get enough.

That's not even mentioning any of the oddities in this manga. Many of the characters have seemingly random things attached to their bodies (shimeji mushrooms, a sunny-side-up egg, an octopus, an eggplant, a teddy bear, etc.) that pass for being "normal enough" that they encourage conversation but don't cause major alarm. That feeling of general acceptance of the odd goes a long way in making you wonder what's actually happening in this world, especially when Shimeji's older sister starts doing weird science things that make even less sense. The entire world of this manga seems like a complete mystery, but Tsukumizu writes it in a way that lulls you into a sense of acceptance just like the rest of the characters.

There have only been 15 chapters of this manga so far, and I wanted to wait until there were more to write a review, but I'm already very attached to it. I don't know if this will be better than GLT, but it certainly carries the same feeling I loved from it, while feeling entirely new in every other aspect.

Open

Gift

Nov 1, 2021

RedRockRun

Recommended

Preliminary (30/49 chp)

Shimeji Simulation has been mangaka, Tsukumizu's latest project since the completion of Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryoukou. Like SSR, it focuses on two ordinary (enough) girls in extraordinary circumstances, and like its predecessor, it is a Slice of Life+ story i.e. SoL framed by larger-than-life occurrences in the world.

Where SSR places our protagonists in a post-apocalyptic megacity, not unlike Blame! that has already seen its fair share of apocalypses, Shimeji Simulation introduces us to the normal, unremarkable town of West Yomogi. Of course things couldn't be farther from normal: the town's geography may change overnight, the laws of physics break every now and then, and of course ... it's not odd to see characters wearing random objects upon their heads as if being parts of the characters' bodies. Indeed, the main character, Tsukishima Shijima has Shimeji mushrooms sprouting from one side of her head, and her best friend Yamashita Majime is always seen sporting a fried egg.

The important distinction to be made about surrealism in this manga, however, is that characters, while not in complete ignorance of the surreal events surrounding them, react as they would to a heavy snowfall or a particularly rainy weekend. For example, when an odd occurrence befalls Shijima and Majime's school, we don't see mobs of reporters, police, and scientists crowding the area but school staff busily moving the students along to get class in session as best they can - all of course, to the chagrin of students who were sure they would get the day off. For a number of chapters, these things tend to happen like oddities of the month, and in less-skilled hands, this structure would quickly grow stale, but surrealism is only one aspect of the manga.

I have recently taken to calling Tsukumizu a "Master in melancholy". His writing is sad but rarely outright tragic and lacking any single object of sadness that one can easily point a finger at and quantify. Shijima acts as the narrator, and through her commentary, we see each strange development through an existential lens: ruminations about the human experience, the meaning of humanity and life, and at times, dancing around the idea that there may be no inherent meaning at all.

With no prior knowledge of the manga and mangaka, readers may be rightfully surprised by the dissonance between the very moe art and very moody tone. In terms of style, Tsukumizu has taken aspects of moe nearly to the level of self-parody. Characters resemble potatoes that possess the properties of flan. Normally when I see this big a difference between visuals and tone and/or theme, such juxtaposition was intentional in order to serve the narrative, but this is simply Tsukumizu's style. Any existential dread, elegiac resignation, or whatever ennui he chooses to communicate is again, just his style. In this fashion, Shimeji Simulation is a work of great sincerity.

It's as nice to look at as it is to ponder in the late hours of the day. It's also a manga I highly recommend to everyone.

Open

Gift

Nov 29, 2023

patatitta

Recommended

Preliminary (49/49 chp)

Shimeji simulation is my favourite work of fiction of all time. It's the first manga i've ever really followed live, reading the new chapters the day it came out, and just recently, it ended.

I don't believe objective criticism of any film or anime is possible, and shimeji is the maximum example of this in my humble opinion, as it goes contrary to most of the typical structure and rules other works seem to follow, so I will only be talking about how shimeji made me feel.

Shimeji is a philosophical slice of life by the creator of Girls last Tour. In many ways, it's very similar ...

Open

Gift

May 2, 2020

lilly-quinn

Recommended

Preliminary (15/49 chp)

Melancholic moe comedy with surreal decaying brutalist feel.

In its core it's a standard laid-back 4-pannel gag series and a nice one at that. Most jokes aren't great, some are very miss, others fairly too absurd for some people's liking, but it's all about the atmosphere and that it has in spades.

It acts like any other cute girls in high school manga, but adds contemplative tone and fittingly under-explained semi-surreal setting. The world is eerily empty and seemingly vast and complex. Strange anomalies get hand-waved and nobody seems to know or care about what's going on, the manga included. All the while it adds more comically ...

Open

Gift

Feb 9, 2024

internetfemcel

Mixed Feelings

humans have this strange idea that all movement in one's life can be spurred by a single epiphany. that one singular experience can change someone's entire outlook on life. it misconstrues, stretches, and distorts the value of true growth. growing as a person is earned through a variety of experiences, both good and bad. it's easy to twiddle your thumbs and wait for someone to come save you. it's hard to change your shape.

shimeji simulation pushes the very boundary of what's possible with a 4-koma structure. it's confusing, adorable, heartwrenching, and miserable and will leave you stunned by the end.. all while asking a simple ...

Open

Gift

Nov 29, 2023

indigo_dreamer

Recommended

Preliminary (49/49 chp)

I'm sure everyone reading this has already seen several reviews for Shimeji Simulation before, so I'm going to try and briefly approach it from the perspective of someone who feels like they're not the target demographic.

At its core, I believe this manga is about learning to be a normal person and integrating into society whilst also coming to terms with the parts of it that you don't understand nor respect. Right from the start it is clear that protagonist Shijima prefers the path of least resistance, she is like water. Underneath that exterior is someone who /wants/ to be invested in life the ...

Open

Gift

Sep 5, 2020

Akihiro_yamada

Recommended

Preliminary (18/49 chp)

A manga that I've been looking for ever since I finished reading Shoujo Shuumatsu. Simple, moe, kinda deep, and pretty funny for me.
When I saw the manga at first I thought it might be a backstory for Shoujo Shuumatsu but no, it seems like a sidestory or a new series. IDK
Seeing weird things on their heads made it funny for me and it's a unique art design, I really like it.

It's my first time reviewing an anime or manga, but this manga series by Tsukumizu is simple and comforting. I've been reading Shoujo Shuumatsu multiple times and I saw this new series last ...

Open

Gift

Nov 27, 2023

Necrotoxic01

Recommended

Preliminary (49/49 chp)

*Spoiler-free section.*

Are you real? Am I real? Does what we perceive as real actually exist? Does our observation of an object and/or event change its result? I think the answers to all the above are, probably. I don’t know I don’t have a degree in philosophy. Shimeji Simulation seems to have one, however, and the answers it gave me to all of the above were, probably. Great. Thanks.

Okay in all seriousness, Shimeji Simulation does ask these questions while not directly about me or you, but about its cast of characters. Mostly the two main characters Shimiji and Majime. These two come up with their ... own answers, and I think that they are satisfactory. I like the characters, although, some of them could have been more fleshed out. I love the art style and the panelwork, and honestly had a really nice time with Shimeji Simulation. I look forward to Tsukumizu’s next work. 8/10.

*NOTE* I read this as it released over the course of a few years, so, I might have forgotten parts of the story, not connected some themes, or missed some entirely. Given that, I skimmed through the series to refresh my memory, and so I could, in good conscience, write a review. Maybe my score(s) will change with a subsequent reading or just more thinking on it. However, I am comfortable with an 8/10.

*Spoilers beyond this point.*

At first, Shimeji Simulation is your normal Slice of Life story. A girl going to a new school, meeting new friends, and joining a club. However, things are a bit off. The items on most people's heads, Big Sis fishing in the grass, and blocks standing in the middle of nowhere. However, the “Incident” that really changes everything is when Big Sis makes a perpetual motion machine, and the Hole Digging Club falls in. After that, The Simulation really begins. People can think of anything and it will appear. Food, items, houses, and so on all apparate in the world with something as simple as a thought. This is when the theme becomes apparent. That, of course, is the classic existential crisis of everyone and everything around you exists only in your mind. As Shimeji goes about her days in this new “reality” she, naturally, becomes better and better friends with Majime. This, of course, leads to less and less time for other people, and so, they start to disappear from her mind, her reality. Until it is her and Majime alone.

The ending is what most people remember, and it hits hard when Majime disappears from Shimeji’s reality. This makes her try everything in her power to find Majime again. Including going around during chaos cycles, sitting around for, what she perceived as, years, and putting her life in danger. At least, what she sees as dangerous. This all ends with Shimeji finding herself on Majime’s personal planet. On this planet, Shimeji finds countless depictions of Majime, but not the person herself. Until her pencil pouch, Yoshika, appears and escorts her to Majime who is sitting in their classroom. There they reconnect and become Gods of Majime’s planet together. This ending is very fitting, and I was worried that we would have to deal with a GLT ending.

A thing I really like about the story is that as the manga goes along, the world becomes more and more abstract. For example, at first, it was as simple as words and items appearing from somebody thinking about them, but eventually became periods of chaos, represented by shapes and lines. It feels really well built up and has a good sense of going down the spiral. People also show up less as the story goes on. This provides a nice sense of isolation along with the existential crisis plot. The last thing I like, or at least respect, is that Tsukumizu ends their manga. Girls’ Last Tour and Shimeji Simulation could have been dragged out for many more volumes, but Tsukumizu has the sense to end it.

There are two major things I didn’t like about the story. The first one was that there were some chapters about 2/3’s that felt like a “and then this happened, and then this happened, and then this happened.” Another thing I didn’t like was that there was an attempt to explain the more complicated things going on in the world. I understand if you like this, however, I think it explains things that don’t need an explanation because it’s just another example of the world going downward.

The story can’t be as good as it is without Shimiji and Majime. Shimiji especially has such a good character arc. She went from a girl who shut herself in her closet (an interesting phrase given chapter 43) to a girl who travels from personal planet to personal planet trying desperately to find Majime. She has experienced real personal growth, and this growth feels natural too. She starts off using mostly short sentences or reactions, but then by the end uses full sentences. I don’t think she ever carried a conversation, but she held her own, and for someone like her to get that far is great. Majime doesn’t have as big of a character arc, but seeing her relationship with Shimiji developing throughout the manga is really good. Unfortunately, only these two characters really matter. Sure, Big Sis, Mogawa Sensei, The Gardener, Sumida-senpai, and Yomikawa-senpai. They all do things, and sometimes very important things, however, they are still pretty flat. Especially when compared to Shimiji.

I really like Tsukumizu’s art style. It’s simple when it can be, but detailed when it needs to be. On top of the art being great, is the use of the panels themselves. Take chapter six page nine for example. Shimeji is large in the top right corner, and then the next panel is a shot of her imminent surroundings. The cacti are so big that they are growing out of their panels. I could go on about this one page, and many more, but there are other things to write about. One of the things, and my only substantive problem, with the art is I have a hard time understanding what is going on spatially during the more abstract parts. I have to stop and think about what is where, and that takes me out of the story.

This isn’t my favorite manga I’ve ever read, and honestly, it won’t ever crack the top ten. This is because, while it is flawed, this manga just didn’t jell with me like Girls’ Last Tour, or Bloom Into You did. If Shimeji Simulation did jell for you, I’m thrilled, and I’m happy that you found something that you love. However, I still really enjoyed my time with Shimeji Simulation. Yes there could have been more done with the side cast, and yes the story and art were a little confusing sometimes, but this manga is still worth a read. Just as Tsukumizu wrote in the first volume of Girls’ Last Tour “Even if it's [life] meaningless...sometimes nice things happen.” Sometimes, that nice thing is finding a friend that you would fight through hell and high water for, and sometimes it’s reading a nice manga from an excellent author. Art is a 9.5, Characters are an 8, Story is an 8.5, and enjoyment is an 8. For a score of 8/10.

*NOTE* I read this as it released over the course of a few years, so, I might have forgotten parts of the story, not connected some themes, or missed some entirely. Given that, I skimmed through the series to refresh my memory, and so I could, in good conscience, write a review. Maybe my score(s) will change with a subsequent reading or just more thinking on it. However, I am comfortable with an 8/10.

Open

Gift

Jan 21, 2021

its_hennn

Recommended

Preliminary (19/49 chp)

~Review~
For me, I love this series. It really has this feeling of surrealism that you won't see often in other forms of manga. It's a tad bit hard to describe. Sorrow, but optimism? Melancholy, but contentedness? Whatever the case, it's fairly similar to Tsukumizu's other famous work, Girl's Last Tour.

The art is nothing to scoff at. In fact, the artstyle's suprisingly detailed, when it comes to different machines and buildings. When combined with cute character designs, and a black-and-white template, it really adds in the feeling of grief, or whatever you may call it.

All characters are pretty weird, in a good way (more or less). ...

Open

Gift

Shimeji Simulation
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

Resources

Write a Review
Reviews

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

Shimeji Simulation Edit What would you like to edit? SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

Resources

Write a Review Reviews

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

Shimeji Simulation
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Write a Review
Reviews