Shimoneta

Shimoneta: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn't Exist (下ネタという概念が存在しない退屈な世界, Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai Shinai Taikutsu na Sekai), officially abbreviated as Shimoseka (下セカ) in Japan, is a Japanese ecchi light novel series written by Hirotaka Akagi and illustrated by Eito Shimotsuki. The light novel series was eventually adapted into a manga series and an anime series, which was directed by Youhei Suzuki.

Synopsis

It's 16 years after the "Law for Public Order and Morals in Healthy Child-Raising" banned coarse language in the country. Tanukichi Okuma enrolls in the country's leading elite public morals school and is soon invited into the Anti-Societal Organization (SOX) by its founder, Ayame Kajou. As a member blackmailed into joining by Ayame, Tanukichi ends up taking part in obscene acts of terrorism against the talented student council president and his crush Anna.

Satire

The series' biggest topic is censorship, which is a big issue amongst sexual media in Japan. Shimoneta satirizes Japan's laws by showing how society would look if censorship went too far. Everyone in the series is forced to wear a Peace Maker, which can track if people are up to any dirty activities. The satire is pushed even further in the English sub. Any dirty word said by a character is replaced with a sound effect and any dirty visual content is censored with stickers of various characters.

Perhaps the most clever piece of satire comes with Sophia Nishikinomiya. Sophia pushed for stricter censorship laws to keep everyone, especially her daughter, Anna, morally pure. However, it had the exact opposite outcome, as Anna's lack of knowledge about love caused her to become a sex-crazed psychopath who will stop at nothing to have some of Tanukichi's "love nectar". Ayame is the biggest opposer to these laws, and shows it with her alter-ego, Blue Snow. In Episode 11, Ayame gives a speech explaining why dirty jokes are needed in their oppressive society:

"The very existence of dirty jokes is scorned by society as 'wrong' and 'evil'. But dirty jokes have a right to exist and be desired. I have a right to aspire to be one! Yes...we erotic terrorists have no choice but to be 'wrong'. If we act rashly, thinking we're in the right...And idealists who think a boring world where the concept of dirty jokes doesn't exist is right...We're no different from them! I mean, what's the point of dirty jokes anyway if they aren't 'wrong'? They're appealing because they're wrong. They excite us because we have to be secretive. Because they're devilish, they shine. Because they're twisted, they entice us. That is why I vowed to become the 'devil' to crush this boring world where the concept of dirty jokes does not exist!"

Light Novel

The light novel series had 11 volumes, which were published by Shogakukan from July 18, 2012 to February 18, 2016. One extra volume was also published on July 20, 2016. Unfortunately, none of the light volumes have officially been translated into English, although several Reddit users have made an effort to translate the volumes.

Manga

From March 28, 2014 to February 5, 2016, the Monthly Comic Blade serialized Shimoneta and published a manga for the series, titled Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai Shinai Taikutsu na Sekai: Man**-hen (下ネタという概念が存在しない退屈な世界 マン●篇), which had 4 volumes with 23 chapters. It ran from February 18, 2015 to April 9, 2016. The manga adapts the first four volumes of the light novel series. While the manga has never been officially translated into English, a group of fans have translated all 23 chapters.

Anime

The anime adaptation of Shimoneta was first announced on October 16, 2014, by Shogakukan's Gagaga Bunko. In February of 2015, Shimoneta's official website was launched, and with it, some of the main cast was revealed. It was also announced that J.C.Staff would produce the anime under leadership from Youhei Suzuki.

The Shimoneta anime series premiered on July 4, 2015, airing weekly every Saturday on AT-X, among other channels. When episodes of the anime aired on AT-X, they aired uncensored, unlike other TV stations. Twelve episodes aired from July 4 to September 19, 2015. The anime adapts the first two volumes of both the light novel and manga series.

In North America, Funimation licensed the series and produced the English dub (under leadship from Jerry Jewell), which released on Blu-ray and DVD on November 29, 2016. In Australia, the series was licensed by Madman Entertainment. Finally, in Europe, Kazé produced the German sub and dub and the French sub of the anime series.

Award nominations

• In 2016, IMDb nominated Shimoneta for the Comedy Anime of The Year award. However, it lost to One Punch Man.
• In 2017, Jamie Marchi, the English voice actor for Ayame, was nominated for an OVA Voice Acting Award for the Best Female Lead Vocal Performance in an Anime Television Series. However, she lost to Erica Lindbeck for her role in Your Lie in April.
• Also in 2017, Jessie James Grelle, Jamie Marchi, Monica Rial, David Wald, Mikaela Krantz, Brittney Karbowski, Lara Woodhull, Megan Vander Pluym, Lydia Mackay, and Anthony Bowling (the English voice actors for Tanukichi, Ayame, Anna, Gouriki, Hyouka, Otome, Kosuri, Oboro, Sophia, and Takuma, respectively) were all nominated for an OVA Voice Acting Award for the Best Vocal Ensemble in an Anime Television Series. However, they all lost to the main voice actors for My Hero Academia.

Trivia

• "Shimoneta" (下ネタ) is a Japanese word that translates to "dirty joke".
• The English logo for the anime is based off of the Parental Advisory label that can be seen on albums with sexual references and/or profanity.
• Two of the Japanese voice actors for the anime have since passed away:
  • Miyu Matsuki, the voice actor for Anna Nishikinomiya. (9/14/1977-10/27/2015)
  • Motomu Kiyokawa, the voice actor for Master. (4/9/1935-8/17/2022)
• The light novel series, Saikyо̄ Onna Shishо̄tachi ga Ikusei Hо̄shin wo Megutte Shuraba, is based off of Shimoneta.
• On July 4, 2020, ABEMA broadcasted all 12 episodes of the Shimoneta anime series to celebrate the 5 year anniversary of the series' premiere.
• On the official Shimoneta website, there is a section on the main page with a logo that reads "SOXVIDEOS". The X is red, while the "VIDEOS" is black. This is a reference to XVideos, a pornography website.

The "SOXVIDEOS" text on the Shimoneta website.

The XVideos logo used from 2007 to 2017.

External links

• Shimoseka - Official Website
• 下ネタという概念が存在しない退屈な世界 (@shimoseka) - Twitter
• Gagaga Bunko's Shimoneta page