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.
