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Shimoneta: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn't Exist
First light novel volume cover, featuring Ayame Kajou
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)
Genre
Light novel
Written byHirotaka Akagi
Illustrated byEito Shimotsuki
Published byShogakukan
ImprintGagaga Bunko
Original runJuly 18, 2012 – July 20, 2016
Volumes11 + 1 Extra
Manga
Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai Shinai Taikutsu na Sekai: Man**-hen
Written byHirotaka Akagi
Illustrated byYuzuki N'
Published byMag Garden
MagazineMonthly Comic Blade
Original runMarch 28, 2014 – February 5, 2016
Volumes4
Anime television series
Directed byYouhei Suzuki
Written byMasahiro Yokotani
Music byAkiyuki Tateyama
StudioJ.C.Staff
Licensed by
Original networkAT-X, Tokyo MX, KBS, CTC, tvk, Sun TV, TV Aichi, BS11
Original run July 4, 2015 – September 19, 2015
Episodes12
icon Anime and manga portal

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 light novel series written by Hirotaka Akagi and illustrated by Eito Shimotsuki. Shogakukan published eleven volumes under their Gagaga Bunko imprint. A manga adaptation titled Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai Shinai Taikutsu na Sekai: Man**-hen[b] (下ネタという概念が存在しない退屈な世界 マン●篇) with art by Yuzuki N' was serialized in Mag Garden's shōnen manga magazine Monthly Comic Blade from March 2014 to February 2016. An anime television series adaptation by J.C.Staff aired from July to September 2015. Shimoneta (下ネタ) is a Japanese word for "vulgar slang", "dirty joke," "blue joke," or "erotic topic".

Plot

[edit]

In the dystopian future of 2030, the Japanese government is cracking down on any perceived immoral activity from using risqué language to distributing lewd materials in the country, to the point where all citizens are forced to wear high-tech devices called Peace Makers (PM) at all times that analyze every spoken word and hand motions for any action that could break the law. A new high school student named Tanukichi Okuma enters the country's leading elite "public morals school" to reunite with his crush and student council president, Anna Nishikinomiya. However, Tanukichi quickly finds himself entwined with the perverted terrorist "Blue Snow" ("Tundra's Blue" in some translations) when she kidnaps and forces him to join her organization, "SOX", in creating and spreading pornographic material across the city as a form of protest against the regulations.

Characters

[edit]
Tanukichi Okuma (奥間 狸吉, Okuma Tanukichi)
Voiced by: Yūsuke Kobayashi, Haruka Yamazaki (young)[5] (Japanese); Jessie James Grelle[6] (English)
Tanukichi is the son of an infamous dirty joke terrorist named Zenjuro, who was arrested by the Japanese moral authorities years ago after trying to spread condoms around the Diet building in defiance of the moral laws. He graduated from a public intermediate school with the "lowest morals score" according to his classmates. He finds himself constantly torn between keeping the secret of Ayame's alter-ego as a lewd terrorist and turning her in to the authorities to win Anna's favor.
Ayame Kajou (華城 綾女, Kajō Ayame) / Blue Snow (雪原の青, Setsugen no Ao; lit. "Blue of the Snowfield")
Voiced by: Shizuka Ishigami[5] (Japanese); Jamie Marchi[6] (English)
The vice-president of the student council and daughter of a disgraced former Diet member who unsuccessfully fought against the public morality laws. Ayame secretly acts outside of school as the perverted terrorist "Blue Snow", wearing panties over her face, spreading semi-pornographic leaflets, and shouting dirty jokes in defiance of the Japanese moral authorities. After kidnapping Tanukichi, she decides to form the group SOX with him and expand her activities to include the school and beyond. Her father taught her a code she can use on her mobile phone that disables the collars and PMs she wears for three minutes per day allowing her to freely say or do any lewd things during the time.
Anna Nishikinomiya (アンナ・錦ノ宮)
Voiced by: Miyu Matsuki[5] (Japanese); Monica Rial[6] (English)
Student council president and Tanukichi's childhood crush who has tasked him with hunting down Blue Snow before she can endanger the morals of the school. After being accidentally kissed by Tanukichi, she develops an obsessive yandere-like love for him. However, due to lack of knowledge on "immoral" subjects, she ends up expressing her love in extreme ways. She exhibits excessive amounts of superhuman strength, speed and dexterity, especially when angered or motivated.
Otome Saotome (早乙女 乙女, Saotome Otome)
Voiced by: Satomi Arai[5] (Japanese); Brittney Karbowski[6] (English)
An artistic prodigy whose paintings have won awards and are even displayed throughout the school, though she seems bored by the attention. After inadvertently discovering Tanukichi changing out of a Blue Snow costume, she blackmails him into being her "pet" for a while, and later joins SOX in order to learn how to draw explicit artwork after being educated on the subject by Ayame. Because her PM is able to detect any lewd movement her hands make, she instead taught herself to draw by holding tools with her mouth to avoid its sensor.
Hyouka Fuwa (不破 氷菓, Fuwa Hyōka)
Voiced by: Saori Gotō[5] (Japanese); Mikaela Krantz[6] (English)
A budding scientist and classmate of Tanukichi who is obsessed with solving the mystery behind how babies are truly conceived, as the Japanese moral authorities have censored everything pertaining to sex education beyond vague generalities. She even went so far as to constantly visit gynecology clinics and hospitals in order to learn more until she was banned from visiting them. Often collects insects to study their reproductive habits. She has a very sharp sense of observation. Though not officially a member of SOX, she helps them out from time to time because she is aware (to some degree) of the identities of its members.
Raiki Gouriki (轟力 雷樹, Gōriki Raiki)
Voiced by: Kenta Miyake[7] (Japanese); David Wald[6] (English)
Treasurer of the student council with a posture and demeanor similar to that of a gorilla, though he hates bananas. He initially distrusted Tanukichi upon learning that he is Zenjuro's son, but later comes to respect him and care for his well-being after Tanukichi saved Anna from stalkers that attacked which left him hospitalized.
Kosuri Onigashira (鬼頭 鼓修理, Onigashira Kosuri)
Voiced by: Yui Horie[7] (Japanese); Lara Woodhull[6] (English)
The daughter of Keisuke and a fangirl of SOX who carries multiple weapons (such as air guns and electric stuns) with her and uses tactics she learned from romantic and shōjo manga to manipulate people, even her allies. Ayame lets her join in partly because her hairstyle looks similar to the tip of a penis.
Matsukage Nishikinomiya (錦ノ宮 祠影, Nishikinomiya Matsukage)
Voiced by: Hajime Iijima[8] (Japanese); Ben Bryant[8] (English)
Anna's father and a National Diet member who was the driving force behind the original public morals laws that turned Japan into a "highly moral society." He uses the excuse of protecting morality to exert his control over the whole country.
Sophia Nishikinomiya (ソフィア・錦ノ宮, Sofia Nishikinomiya)
Voiced by: Sayaka Ohara[8] (Japanese); Lydia Mackay[8] (English)
Anna's mother who is behind a push for even stricter public morality laws than the currently enacted ones in order to create an ideal world that poses virtually no threat to Anna's chastity.
Oboro Tsukimigusa (月見草 朧, Tsukimigusa Oboro)
Voiced by: Sumire Uesaka[7] (Japanese); Megan Vander Pluym[8] (English)
A school prefect trained by Matsukage to adhere to a strict moral code that mostly revolves around protecting Anna from all potentially immoral influences, including mundane items like basketball hoops and toilet paper rolls. Oboro even has this codified under "Five Provisions," which includes the caveat that Oboro cannot interfere if Anna herself exhibits lewd behavior or desires. Oboro is surprisingly quick to change position on what is considered "illegal" material when a student protests strongly enough.
Keisuke Onigashira (鬼頭 慶介, Onigashira Keisuke)
The estranged father of Kosuri; a terrorist who made deals with the moral authorities, angering the other terrorist groups around Japan, as well as his own daughter.
Takuma Ichinose (一ノ瀬 琢磨, Ichinose Takuma) / White Peak (頂の白, Itadaki no Shiro; lit. "White of the Top")
Voiced by: Ken Narita[8] (Japanese); Anthony Bowling[6] (English)
Terrorist who wraps himself in panties and is obsessed with underwear, having his own concepts of what is considered the best type of underwear. A "high-class pervert" who leads the group "Gathered Fabric" to steal all kinds of undergarments across Japan, he ends up clashing against SOX because Ayame believes him to be ruining the group's reputation by performing terrorist acts such as hijacking public transportation under the claim that Gathered Fabric is an ally of SOX.
Base Black (手の黒, Tehen no Kuro; lit. "Black Hand")
Voiced by: Show Hayami[8] (Japanese); Christopher Sabat[6] (English)
A terrorist who appears in the anime's last episode. He personally knew and worked alongside Zenjuro and planned to unlock a secret vault filled with erotic treasures using an artefact that was passed down to Tanukichi. He gathered the main cast to a resort via false invitations and challenged them to a duel for the artifact through Yakyuken.
Binkan (びんかんちゃん, Binkan-chan)
Voiced by: Yui Ogura[7]
An anime original character. Binkan is just an innocent bystander who is often nearby whenever SOX performs another act of ero-terrorism, staring at their latest handiwork. She is hardly acknowledged by the main characters until the final episode where it is shown that she is a prefect in training under the leadership of Oboro. Binkan's real name is never mentioned; her nickname roughly translates to "little sensitive girl."
Nadeshiko Kajou (華城 撫子, Kajō Nadeshiko)
Ayame's stepmother who secretly opposes the new moral laws, especially the ones against mixed bathing. Runs an old-style Japanese inn with a hot spring bath, and taught Ayame how to be a proper Japanese lady growing up.
Ranko Okuma (奥間 爛子, Okuma Ranko)
Tanukichi's mother, nicknamed the "Fullmetal Ogress" for her tall stature and gruff demeanour. Ranko is a staunch supporter of the new moral authorities and a friend of Sophia. She taught Tanukichi how to fight and defend himself.
Annie Brown (アニー・ブラウン, Anī Buraun)
An American technical expert hired by the Japanese government to promote the PM technology overseas, but has a tenuous grasp of the Japanese language, leading to her often using dirty innuendo when she tries to speak it. She later becomes attracted to Tanukichi.
Yutori Nuregoromo (濡衣 ゆとり, Nuregoromo Yutori)
An old childhood friend of Tanukichi and member of a rural farmer family.
Love Machine (羅武マシーン, Rabu Mashīn)
The founder and leader of the terrorist group Bacon Lettuce Moms.

Media

[edit]

Light novels

[edit]

The first light novel volume was published on July 18, 2012 by Shogakukan under their Gagaga Bunko imprint.[9] Eleven volumes and one extra were published.[10]

Volumes

[edit]
No. Release date ISBN
1 July 18, 2012[9]978-4-09-451352-3
2 November 20, 2012[11]978-4-09-451376-9
3 April 18, 2013[12]978-4-09-451407-0
4 August 20, 2013[13]978-4-09-451432-2
5 January 17, 2014[14]978-4-09-451463-6
6 May 20, 2014[15]978-4-09-451485-8
7 September 18, 2014[16]978-4-09-451511-4
8 February 18, 2015[17]978-4-09-451536-7
9 June 18, 2015[18]978-4-09-451555-8
10 September 18, 2015[19]978-4-09-451572-5
11 February 18, 2016[20]978-4-09-451594-7
EX July 20, 2016[21]978-4-09-451620-3

Manga

[edit]

A manga adaptation by Yuzuki N', 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), was serialized in Mag Garden's Monthly Comic Blade from March 28, 2014, to February 5, 2016.[22][23]

Volumes

[edit]
No. Release date ISBN
1 February 18, 2015[24]978-4-80-000413-0
  • Chapters 1–6
2 June 18, 2015[25]978-4-80-000471-0
  • Chapters 7–12
3 August 10, 2015[26]978-4-80-000486-4
  • Chapters 13–17
4 April 9, 2016[27]978-4-80-000564-9
  • Chapters 18–23

Anime

[edit]

An anime television series adaptation was announced by Gagaga Bunko in October 2014.[28] The series was produced by J.C.Staff and directed by Youhei Suzuki, with Masahiro Yokotani handling the scripts, Masahiro Fujii designing the characters, and Akiyuki Tateyama composing the music.[5][7] It aired on AT-X, Tokyo MX, KBS, CTC and other channels from July 4 to September 19, 2015.[29] SOX performed the opening theme "B Chiku Sentai SOX", while Sumire Uesaka performed the ending theme "Inner Urge".[29][30]

Funimation licensed the series for simulcast in North America.[31] In Australia and New Zealand, the series is licensed by Madman Entertainment, who simulcasted the series on AnimeLab.[32]

Episodes

[edit]
No.Title [33][c]Original release date
1"Whom Does Public Order and Morality Serve?"
"Kōjoryōzoku wa ta ga tame ni?" (公序良俗は誰が為に？)		July 4, 2015 (2015-07-04)[34]
Tanukichi Okuma heads to school by monorail where he looks forward to reuniting with his crush, Anna Nishikinomiya. After trying to defuse a tense situation, he finds himself about to be arrested by the Decency Squad when the infamous perverted terrorist Blue Snow appears, allowing Tanukichi escapes in the confusion. Later at school, Tanukichi's troubles continue as a classmate demands he answer how babies are made. The student council then brings him in to ask that he hunt down Blue Snow. Later that day, he heads to a quiet cafe with vice-president Ayame Kajou, who reveals she is actually Blue Snow. After being threatened into joining her crusade, Tanukichi helps her execute a plan at school during a student assembly, first spreading more perverted leaflets around the packed gym and then tricking the teachers into running outside while Ayame plays a video of two flies mating while she adds her own sound effects. Meanwhile, Tanukichi disguises himself as Blue Snow and starts drawing a giant asterisk sign on the track with a line painting machine. The entire school, including Tanukichi, finds themselves having trouble dealing with the weird new feelings brought on by this act.
2"The Mysteries of Pregnancy"
"Ninshin no nazo" (妊娠のなぞ)		July 11, 2015 (2015-07-11)[35]
While the school is recovering from Blue Snow's latest activity, Tanukichi recalls his own past and his connection to Anna, gaining the trust of the student council. Ayame then tasks him with copying and spreading increasingly-rare paper inserts with suggestive pornographic material across the school. Anna even hangs one such picture in the student council room, unaware of the double-meaning behind it until Tanukichi points it out. Tanukichi crushes on Anna again, but Ayame quietly warns him not to pursue her, as she can be frightening when angry, and that Anna's parents were responsible for the current and potential-future morals laws that have a stranglehold on Japan. Later, Ayame decides to hatch another plot at school during physical exams for the freshmen students. Ayame distracts Anna and Gouriki while Tanukichi disguises himself as Blue Snow and attempts to teach some students dirty words by sight. However, Anna catches the disguised Tanukichi, cornering him until Ayame appears as the real Blue Snow with the captured urine samples of the freshmen boys. As Anna and Gouriki race after her, Tanukichi takes off his Blue Snow disguise, unaware that an artistic student spotted him from a nearby roof.
3"How to Love Someone"
"Hito no aishi-kata" (人の愛し方)		July 18, 2015 (2015-07-18)[36]
During an award ceremony, Otome Saotome dramatically rips up her certificate on stage. Later, Otome drags Tanukichi out of class, claims she is in a slump, and threatens to reveal his connection to Blue Snow unless he helps her resolve a romantic issue. Meanwhile, Anna finds herself dealing with a mysterious stalker. After taking Otome out to dinner, Tanukichi finds out that she is also in love with Anna. However, when she threatens to turn him in, Tanukichi claims to be in love with Ayame instead. The next day, Ayame thinks that Otome could be the stalker. At the student council meeting, Ayame schemes to draw the stalker out of hiding by posing as Anna's boyfriend. As the plan is launched at a public park, Otome reveals how Anna is her sole reason for painting. Suddenly, multiple stalkers appear and attack the disguised Ayame. Tanukichi leaps out of cover and defends the girls, but one of the thugs manages to briefly knock him out as he inadvertently kisses Anna. Tanukichi tries to excuse himself but falls unconscious as Anna tries to deal with new, unresolved feelings from the kiss.
4"The Saying Goes... Love Is Justice"
"Sekai iwaku, ai wa seigi" (世界いわく、愛は正義)		July 25, 2015 (2015-07-25)[37]
After spending time in the hospital, Ayame tells Tanukichi that she has persuaded Otome to join SOX in hopes of making more risqué artwork. Tanukichi soon returns to school, but Ayame is strangely absent and Anna keeps avoiding him. Later, Ayame talks about her latest plan to reclaim a hidden stash of old pornographic material located on private property in Yotsuga Forest. She can't do it alone, so instead she plans to lure the students from school out to the forest during the weekend. However, her plans are sidelined when Tanukichi is targeted by a stalker and Anna's mother, Sophia, shows up to the school in person to get the students to support her new legislation. Running low on options, Ayame decides to have Tanukichi confront his stalker. However, the stalker turns out to be Anna, who restrains and attempts to rape Tanukichi. After Ayame accidentally interrupts them, Anna flees. Later that night, Hyouka confronts Anna in the lobby of her apartment, asking why her science lab was sterilized without asking. Anna responds that it was done out of love, as the more "impure" influences she eliminates, the more she will be rewarded with love.
5"For Whom the Dirty Terrorism Benefits?"
"Shimoneta tero wa ta ga tame ni?" (下ネタテロは誰が為に？)		August 1, 2015 (2015-08-01)[38]
Ayame tasks Tanukichi with distributing Otome's new pornographic artwork to the students along with a map to Yotsuga Forest. However, Tanukichi finds himself targeted by an increasingly-obsessive Anna, who tries to make him drink her "love nectar". While escaping from Anna, he accidentally drops his bag filled with illegal material in Hyouka's lab. On Sunday, the day of the "X Prohibition Law" signature drive, Sophia plans to greet the students of her daughter's academy in person and Ayame plans to quixotically storm the forest against a large force of the Decency Squad. Surprisingly, the students all show up at the forest, as Hyouka picked up Tanukichi's material and quietly spread copies around school herself. Just then, Anna shows up in person, chasing down a disguised Ayame. Ayame tosses Tanukichi down into the forest, where he finds the porn stash in a suggestively-shaped cave. However, when he hears Ayame being strangled by Anna, he decides to save her. Anna can't understand why the new terrorist gives her similar feelings to Tanukichi. Later that night, Sophia holds a press conference announcing the success of the petition drive, but discovers too late that someone replaced her signed petitions with pornographic artwork.
6"Handmade Warmth!"
"Tezukuri no nuku mori!" (手作りのぬくもり！)		August 8, 2015 (2015-08-08)[39]
As Otome's hentai drawings spread around the school, Ayame decides to take the next step and make masturbation aids. Tanukichi is assigned the task of getting Hyouka to develop small vibrators, but upon coming to collect one, a mostly-naked Hyouka attempts to learn about his "cucumber" as payment for her services. While they argue, Anna stops by and starts growing jealous, so Tanukichi quickly hands her a finished vibrating egg without telling her its true purpose to calm her down. The next day, Tanukichi accidentally activates the vibrator with the wireless remote Hyouka gave him, reawakening Anna's lust. Tanukichi tries desperately to escape or find a way to turn off the vibrator, but none of his friends want to help him, and Anna finally traps him inside the student council room after Gouriki finds and brings him to her. Tanukichi discovers that Anna turned the vibrator into a pendant, but is unable to reach it while being pinned down under her. Eventually, the vibrator shorts out as Anna climaxes and Tanukichi manages to escape. Later, Anna overhears Otome make a dirty remark about Tanukichi and starts strangling him while Ayame refuses to help.
7"What SOX Created"
"SOX ga tsukuri shi mono" (SOXが作りし者)		August 15, 2015 (2015-08-15)[40]
SOX forms alliances with other erotic terrorist groups throughout Japan. Back at school, the student council discovers that someone has been stealing underwear throughout the city. Tanukichi and Ayame watch a girls' changing room to catch a thief, but when Ayame runs off, Anna appears to sexually assault Tanukichi again. Shortly after that, Tanukichi reunites with Ayame only to find her speaking with Hyouka, and confiscates her yaoi book with characters loosely based on himself and Gouriki. Soon, Gouriki manages to round up multiple underwear thieves around school, when a mysterious terrorist calling himself "White Peak" of the group "Gathered Fabric" broadcasts his message across school. Back at the cafe, Ayame declares that SOX must take down White Peak. Later that same night, Tanukichi helps a little girl escape the Decency Squad with the help of Hyouka. The girl then tries to attack Tanukichi until he reveals that he's a member of SOX. The girl reveals herself to be Kosuri Onigashira. Ayame is reluctant to trust her, as Kosuri is daughter of Keisuke, another ero-terrorist who made deals with the moral authorities. However, she decides to let Kosuri become a member of SOX.
8"The Devil Blows His Own Trumpet"
"Akuma ga ki tari te hora o fuku" (悪魔が来たりてホラを吹く)		August 22, 2015 (2015-08-22)[41]
Tanukichi wakes up to find Kosuri sleeping next to him and Anna, who had been standing there for hours. He quickly decides to pretend Kosuri is his little sister. Later at school, Anna's father has sent Oboro Tsukimigusa to become the school's prefect. However, unlike the moral authorities, Oboro starts by removing mundane items. She also tries to confiscate Hyouka's yaoi manga until Hyouka convinces her that it has useful value. Meanwhile, Ayame plans to have SOX distribute Otome's drawings at other schools. Kosuri decides to take charge of the operation herself. Later, Kosuri returns to report her mission was completely successful, and fueled by her new success, treats Tanukichi like a slave. While Tanukichi detests her methods, he cannot bring himself to sell Kosuri out to Ayame. The next day, Ayame privately tells Tanukichi that SOX's actions suffered blowback with the sudden appearance of Oboro and her comrades. On top of dealing with the threats of the moral authorities and the Gathered Fabric faction, SOX must also find a way to sabotage the prefect system before the government exports it to other schools.
9"Do Androids Dream of Electric Masseurs?"
"Andoroido wa denki anma no yume o miru ka" (アンドロイドは電気アンマの夢を見るか)		August 29, 2015 (2015-08-29)[42]
Ayame launches an operation at school to try and sabotage both the school's prefect program and Gathered Fabric at the same time. First, she uses her Blue Snow persona to spread more lewd drawing materials throughout school while Tanukichi will hang his used boxers to try to attract Gathered Fabric. However, Anna and Oboro come through the door instead. Anna again assaults Tanukichi. Meanwhile, Kosuri gets jealous that she is left out of the action. When Ayame launches the same plan again, Tanukichi manages to knock out several Gathered Fabric members. Later, Tanukichi subdues and steps on the crotch of someone who stumbled into the room. However, he discovers that person is Oboro, and that she actually has a penis. Oboro explains that he has been trained to serve Anna and her father faithfully. Suddenly, the fire alarm is pulled and the school evacuates. Back at SOX's hideout, Kosuri takes responsibility for the act, but Ayame scolds her for sabotaging the plan. As SOX tries to think of their next move, they receive a message written on a pair of panties to meet at a nearby park, where White Peak himself appears.
10"Masturbation Quest"
"Jī-kyū kuesuto" (ジイ級クエスト)		September 5, 2015 (2015-09-05)[43]
As SOX makes negotiations with White Peak, Ayame chastises him for using erotic terrorism as a front for the panty thefts. The next morning, Tanukichi rushes to school on a bus. While talking to Ayame, however, Tanukichi and Gouriki's bus is hijacked. Among the jacked buses, Hyouka, Anna, Oboro, and Otome are in separate buses. During his bus jacking, White Peak also hijacks the PM system and proclaims war and his organization's affiliation with SOX. As Hyouka is interrupted watching the news, she identifies the jacker's gun as a fake. Meanwhile, in Anna and Oboro's bus, Anna single-handedly beats the jacker down. On Tanukichi and Gouriki's bus, as Gouriki is about to give up his undergarments, he causes everybody to vomit in the bus. As Tanukichi escapes, Ayame finds a leak in White Peak's true identity. To apprehend White Peak, Ayame has Kosuri lure out his bus. Despite Tanukichi using musk panties, he is overpowered by White Peak. After Ayame intervenes, Tanukichi attempts to restrain him. Before SOX successfully captures him, however, Ayame gets kicked out of the bus by Kosuri, revealing she has joined Gathered Fabric.
11"Techno Break"
"Tekuno bureiku" (テクノブレイク)		September 12, 2015 (2015-09-12)[44]
As Kosuri points her stun gun at Tanukichi, he has no choice but to flee the bus. After Kosuri helps out White Peak, they proceed to take the hostages to Zoshigaoka Academy. Meanwhile, Tanukichi is approached by Hyouka. At the school, Gathered Fabric make ransom demands. As the students put on fresh pairs of panties, Otome becomes excited at the sight. Later, Ayame and Tanukichi assess the dire situation at hand. As Tanukichi is awkwardly approached again by Hyouka, she explains how people like Anna are brainwashed to believe that anything they do is "righteous". Tanukichi then devises a risky plan. While Kosuri devises tactics for Gathered Fabric, White Peak reveals that he has no intention of starting a revolution. Feeling betrayed, Kosuri attempts to immobilize him. Later, Otome calls Tanukichi. Afterwards, White Peak is confronted by Ayame, Tanukichi, Anna, Gouriki, and Oboro. Tanukichi reveals that his plan was to get Anna to join forces with SOX. As Otome helps the students escape, Ayame and Anna finish off White Peak for good. After Ayame's dirty joke speech to the public, Kosuri returns to SOX, now acknowledging Ayame as her master once more.
12"Dirty Jokes Forever!"
"Shimoneta yo eien ni" (下ネタよ永遠に)		September 19, 2015 (2015-09-19)[45]
SOX receives an invitation to meet up at a hot springs resort in Nukumi. Tanukichi remembers an artifact passed down to him by his father. When they arrive at the resort, they are met by Gouriki and Anna. Later, they find Sophia's unconscious body where they are confronted by an ero-terrorist called Base Black. He reveals himself to be the one who gathered everyone to the resort. He then challenges them to a duel for the artifact through Yakyuken. Gouriki's loss and subsequent undressing stuns Base Black long enough for Tanukichi to retrieve the artifact. As Tanukichi and Ayame are riding the tram, Anna appears while climbing the cables to catch up to Tanukichi and causes the floor of the tram to collapse. The duo reach an old mansion and explore it, finding a mechanism that the artifact fits through. Kosuri and Otome catch up to them and help open the vault which contains a treasure of erotic sculptures and statues. They pledge that one day the treasure will be able to see the world again when the anti-profanity enforcement comes to an end.

See also

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Notes

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Shimoneta

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(Japanese: Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai Shinai Taikutsu na Sekai) is a Japanese light novel series written by Hirotaka Akagi and illustrated by Eito Shimotsuki, serialized under Shogakukan's Gagaga Bunko imprint from July 2012 to February 2016 across eleven volumes. The work, which won an excellence award in the sixth Shogakukan Light Novel Contest in 2011, depicts a dystopian Japan under strict obscenity laws enforced by the government, where protagonist Tanukichi Okuma, son of a former anti-censorship terrorist, enrolls in an elite public morals academy and becomes entangled with SOX, a subversive group disseminating lewd materials to challenge societal prudishness. Adapted into a four-volume manga illustrated by Muyu and serialized in Mag Garden's Monthly Comic Blade from 2014 to 2016, as well as a 12-episode anime television series produced by J.C. Staff that aired from July to September 2015, the franchise satirizes real-world censorship mechanisms through exaggerated comedic scenarios emphasizing vulgar humor and erotic terrorism. Notable for its unapologetic focus on obscenity as a form of rebellion against authoritarian purity controls, Shimoneta garnered praise for sharp wit and character dynamics among niche audiences while drawing mixed reactions for its overt sexual content and boundary-pushing dialogue.

Background and Production

Creation and Publication History

The series originated from a prototype submission by author Hirotaka Akagi that received one of three excellence awards in the 6th Shogakukan Light Novel Prize in 2011. , a major Japanese publisher known for its Gagaga Bunko imprint specializing in light novels, selected the work for full serialization following the award. The first volume, illustrated by Eito Shimotsuki, was released on July 18, 2012, marking the official start of publication under the Gagaga Bunko label. The main series comprised eleven volumes, with releases continuing at irregular intervals until the eleventh and final volume on February 18, 2016, as indicated by publisher listings at the time. An additional extra volume, featuring side stories set three years after the primary narrative, followed on July 20, 2016. managed the production and distribution, aligning with standard practices for the imprint where series continuation depends on factors such as reader reception, though specific sales thresholds for this title remain undocumented in . No sequels, expansions, or further volumes have been announced by or Akagi as of 2025, confirming the series' conclusion after the 2016 extra volume and establishing its finite scope within the medium.

Author and Inspirations

Hirotaka Akagi, born on May 8, 1991, is a Japanese author whose debut work, Shimoneta: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn't Exist, launched in July 2012 under 's Gagaga Bunko imprint. Prior to Shimoneta, Akagi had no published works, positioning the series as his breakout entry into the genre. The narrative's core premise extrapolates from Japan's Penal Code Article 175, a 1907 law criminalizing the sale or distribution of obscene materials, which has historically influenced and production through requirements like genital mosaicking and occasional prosecutions. Akagi's portrayal of a dystopian society under extreme reflects observations of real-world enforcement trends, such as the 2013 conviction of editors under Article 175 for distributing material deemed obscene despite lacking explicit definitions in the statute. This legal framework, unchanged since its enactment, has prompted in to avoid penalties, mirroring the story's depiction of suppressed vulgar humor and sexuality leading to cultural stagnation. The author's construction posits causal links between such purity mandates and broader societal effects, including diminished expressive freedom and vitality, without direct endorsements of sanitizing interpretations prevalent in some academic or media analyses. Empirical data on Japan's fertility rate, which declined to 1.20 children per woman in 2023, underscores potential real-world corollaries to enforced prudishness, as cultural suppression of natural human elements like bawdy expression correlates with demographic inertia in observational studies of the nation's trends. Akagi's work avoids romanticizing censorship's origins, instead highlighting through how unchecked moral regulation erodes humor's role in social lubrication and innovation, drawing from precedents like the 1957 ruling that established ongoing interpretive standards for .

Plot Overview

Main Narrative Arc

In a dystopian governed by the Tokohashira Purity Law, which enforces absolute suppression of through wearable Peacekeeper devices that censor lewd language and imagery, the story follows Tanukichi Okumura, son of a convicted anti-chastity activist. Tanukichi transfers into Sansha High School, an elite institution renowned for its exemplary public morals, with the aim of supporting the President, Anna Nishikinomiya, his longstanding crush and childhood acquaintance. Tanukichi's ordinary aspirations unravel upon encountering the masked ero-terrorist Blue Snow, who perpetrates public acts of defiance including panty thefts from female students and the distribution of graffiti-style propaganda decrying societal prudishness. Revealed as fellow transfer student Ayame Kajō, Blue Snow blackmails Tanukichi after he inadvertently witnesses her crimes, compelling him to collaborate in establishing —a clandestine group acronymic for "Society Observing X," dedicated to reintroducing as a vital human expression suppressed by law. This forced alliance marks the inciting pivot, drawing Tanukichi into SOX's guerrilla tactics amid the school's rigid moral oversight. The core progression unfolds through SOX's escalating campaigns, which exploit school-centric opportunities to subvert . Initial efforts focus on low-level disruptions, such as concealing lewd pamphlets in communal areas and staging panty heists to symbolize repressed desires, gradually building notoriety. These evolve into bolder infiltrations, including hijacking internal broadcasts to air uncensored content and manipulating cultural festivals for mass exposure of obscenity's absence as a catalyst for cultural and psychological stagnation. Tanukichi's role expands from reluctant accomplice to active participant, navigating alliances with opportunistic allies while contending with heightened and internal group tensions. Throughout, the arc emphasizes the cascading consequences of SOX's , as their provocations incite institutional crackdowns, personal betrayals, and ethical dilemmas for Tanukichi, who grapples with the moral ambiguity of endorsing lewdness against a backdrop of enforced purity. The narrative builds tension through iterative schemes that test the limits of , highlighting how each act amplifies risks to participants and the broader underground movement, without resolving the overarching conflict.

Key Events and Resolution

The narrative escalates through SOX's escalating acts of "erotic terrorism," including the sabotage of a mandatory physical examination where members distribute lewd diagrams and contraband materials disguised as educational aids, prompting a direct confrontation with the student council's purity enforcement squad. This incident, occurring early in the series, exposes Tanukichi Okuma to heightened risks as he navigates his coerced role, leading to chases and narrow escapes from authorities monitoring public morals compliance. Subsequent operations involve alliances with underground networks disseminating prohibited content nationwide, amplifying SOX's reach beyond the while evading advanced tied to the Law for Public Order and Morals in Healthy Child-Rearing, enacted 16 years prior. Mid-series developments reveal interconnections between personal histories and the origins of the bans, with Tanukichi learning of his father's past as an early against the law's implementation, which stemmed from post-war societal reforms prioritizing moral purity over individual expression. Confrontations intensify with purity enforcers, culminating in infiltrations of government facilities where uncovers documents linking the legislation to a singular motivated by unresolved personal grievances from childhood isolation. These revelations frame the bans not as abstract but as perpetuations of individual ideology embedded in institutional control. In the final volume's climax, SOX mounts a coordinated on the central regime's stronghold, exposing the law's enforcer—a figure scarred by early-life trauma leading to a pathological aversion to sexuality—through leaked records and public disruptions that force a reckoning without widespread societal upheaval. The is apprehended and imprisoned following the operation's success in discrediting key mechanisms, yet the core apparatus endures, reflecting the entrenched bureaucratic inertia resisting fundamental change. Romantic tensions resolve with Tanukichi and Ayame Kajō affirming mutual feelings amid the fallout, while Anna Nishikinomiya undergoes personal transformation toward normalcy after an unrequited confession. The light novels conclude without a complete overthrow of the system, emphasizing causal persistence of state-enforced norms; the adaptation, covering only up to volume 2, omits this resolution and ends on a involving interim alliances.

Characters

Protagonists

The protagonists center on the members of , an "erotic terrorist" organization formed to counteract the Public Morals Act's suppression of obscenity by distributing lewd , leaflets, and materials across public spaces and schools. This group employs guerrilla tactics, such as anonymous postings and infiltrations, to expose citizens to prohibited sexual humor and imagery, aiming to revive cultural expression stifled by state censorship. Tanukichi Okuma, the primary viewpoint character, is a high school student and son of imprisoned Zenjūrō Okuma, whose past failed uprising against laws influences Tanukichi's worldview. Reluctantly recruited via blackmail after encountering SOX leader Blue Snow, Tanukichi participates in operations like crafting and disseminating obscene pamphlets, evolving from aversion to active involvement in challenging the regime's purity standards. His actions include defusing confrontations while aiding the group's dissemination efforts, reflecting a pragmatic drive rooted in familial legacy rather than ideological fervor. Ayame Kajō, operating as the masked terrorist Blue Snow, leads with charismatic determination, frequently donning panties over her face to spray semi-pornographic graffiti and broadcast vulgar announcements. As by day, she coordinates to evade authorities, prioritizing the restoration of dirty jokes as a counter to societal stagnation enforced by bans. Her methods emphasize rapid, provocative strikes, such as flooding areas with lewd content to provoke reactions and undermine moral enforcement. Supporting members include Kosuri Onigashira, daughter of executed terrorist Keisuke Onigashira, who joins as a SOX enthusiast fabricating explosive obscene devices and materials to amplify distribution. Her contributions involve hands-on creation of vulgar props for public stunts, driven by admiration for the group's rebellious acts. Hyōka Fuwa, science club head with an acute , aids by analyzing and enhancing obscene substances for stealthy deployment, applying experimental approaches to body-related dissemination. These allies bolster SOX's operational capacity through specialized skills in evasion and production, focusing on tangible outputs like scent-masked lewd items.

Antagonists and Supporting Roles

Anna Nishikinomiya serves as the primary antagonist, functioning as the president at Tokioka Academy and a key enforcer of the society's obscenity prohibitions. As the daughter of high-ranking officials instrumental in enacting the nationwide "Law for Public Order and Morals in Healthy Child-Raising," she exemplifies the regime's ideals of purity and moral vigilance, actively pursuing the elimination of any materials or behaviors deemed lewd. Her efforts contribute to the perpetuation of societal ignorance regarding , as her campaigns suppress exposure to such concepts, reinforcing a culture of enforced naivety. The , operating within schools and broader society, represents institutionalized opposition to subversive elements, with Anna at its forefront in the academy setting. Committee members, including leaders and enforcers, conduct and interventions to uphold laws, such as confiscating prohibited items and monitoring student conduct for violations. This body causally sustains the dystopian status quo by normalizing compliance and stigmatizing deviance, thereby limiting public discourse on taboo topics and fostering widespread . Supporting roles include Anna's parents, Sophia and Matsukage Nishikinomiya, who hold positions of authority—Sophia as a supportive figure in moral policy and Matsukage as a member who spearheaded the original legislation transforming into a "highly " nation. Teachers and ordinary citizens further illustrate systemic adherence, routinely reporting infractions and adhering to purity protocols, which collectively entrenches ignorance by discouraging independent inquiry into censored subjects. These peripherals enable the antagonists' objectives without direct confrontation, embodying the diffuse enforcement that maintains societal stagnation.

Themes and Analysis

Critique of Censorship and Obscenity Laws

In Shimoneta: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn't Exist, the dystopian society's laws, enforced by the Peace Maintenance Agency, prohibit any expression deemed lewd, resulting in widespread linguistic and cultural sterilization. Citizens are compelled to wear "Peace Makers"—devices that monitor and censor —illustrating a of preemptive thought-policing that extends beyond overt content to internal . The terrorist group counters this by disseminating uncensored obscene materials, framing their acts as against legal mechanisms that suppress natural human discourse on sexuality and humor, ultimately portraying such laws as causal agents of societal and intellectual atrophy. This fictional escalation mirrors real-world Japanese obscenity regulations under Article 175 of the Penal Code, enacted in 1907, which criminalizes the distribution of "" without a precise definition, fostering in and industries to evade prosecution. For instance, publishers routinely obscure genitalia with mosaics or avoid explicit themes, as seen in convictions of editors for violating the statute, which has chilled creative output by prioritizing legal risk over artistic exploration. In the series, enforced ignorance of manifests in maladaptive behaviors, such as characters' inability to articulate basic anatomical knowledge, paralleling critiques that Japan's laws perpetuate inadequate and cultural prudishness, contributing to phenomena like low birth rates through suppressed open dialogue. From a first-principles standpoint, obscenity bans inherently erode free expression by imposing subjective moral thresholds, empirically correlating with diminished as artists circumvent restrictions through euphemisms or avoidance, evident in Shimoneta's of invented, sanitized vocabulary that hampers genuine on artistic indicate that such constraints limit thematic innovation and idea flow, reducing the diversity of cultural output as creators self-edit to conform. While proponents of these laws argue they safeguard minors from psychological harm—citing precedents where obscene materials were deemed to lack redeeming value—their application often overreaches into adult spheres, as Japan's broad enforcement stifles mature discourse without proportionate evidence of societal benefit, instead fostering conformity over robust intellectual exchange.

Sexuality, Humor, and Societal Stagnation

In Shimoneta, the state's comprehensive ban on eliminates dirty jokes and sexual references, engendering a monotonous society where citizens experience chronic boredom and repressed instincts, as evidenced by protagonists' initial giving way to fervor upon encountering lewd stimuli. This suppression stifles humor's role in forging social bonds and conveying signals, with vulgar historically functioning to gauge compatibility and sexual receptivity, thereby undermining interpersonal vitality essential for communal cohesion. The insurgent organization deploys obscene graffiti and pamphlets as subversive tools, propagating explicit content to dismantle this inertia and reinvigorate agency; recruits like Tanukichi Okumura transition from compliance to defiant expression after exposure, illustrating lewdness as a catalyst for reclaiming autonomy against enforced purity's numbing effects. Such interventions highlight humor's function as a to ideological decay, where reinstating sparks latent drives and disrupts the regime's homogenizing control. The narrative's dystopia mirrors aspects of contemporary , where Penal Code Article 175, criminalizing obscene depictions since , mandates genital in media and reinforces public , potentially amplifying cultural amid a fertility crisis. Japan's plummeted from 2.07 in 1974 to 1.20 in 2023, with births hitting a record low of 727,277 that year, correlating with phenomena like social withdrawal () and delayed partnerships that empirical studies link to inhibited expressions of desire in restrained environments. While detractors of unchecked lewdness contend it erodes without addressing root stagnation, from repressive contexts—such as elevated psychological distress and reduced relational formation in sexually constrained cohorts—underscore that curtailing correlates with eroded demographic momentum, favoring pragmatic acknowledgment of innate drives over absolutist prohibitions to sustain societal renewal.

Parallels to Real-World Policies

Japan's Article 175 of the Penal Code, enacted in 1907 and prohibiting the distribution, sale, or public display of obscene documents, drawings, or objects, forms a foundational parallel to the stringent regime depicted in Shimoneta, where even verbal lewdness is eradicated. This law has historically required or mosaicing of genitalia in and other media to avoid prosecution, enforcing a cultural norm of obscured explicitness that the series amplifies into societal-wide . Enforcement under Article 175 has included arrests of artists and distributors, such as the 2012 detention of a resident for selling obscene illustrations online, illustrating how legal mechanisms can suppress creative expression akin to the story's Public Morals Committee. Real-world applications extend to events like , where police have conducted raids on stalls selling explicit fan works deemed violative of standards, echoing the narrative's underground resistance against moral policing. In educational contexts, Japan's deployment of filters in schools to block obscene content—intended to protect minors but often overreaching—mirrors the series' portrayal of indoctrinated youth ignorant of sexuality, fostering environments where discussions of bodily functions are curtailed. These measures, while not achieving the total conceptual erasure in Shimoneta, contribute to documented on sexual topics in public discourse. The anime adaptation coincided with contemporaneous Japanese debates on expanding content regulations, including pushes against and broader media moralization, positioning the series as a satirical of ongoing tensions between free expression and enforcement. East Asian analogs, such as South Korea's near-total ban on pornography under the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles Against Sexual Abuse and China's comprehensive internet censorship via the Great Firewall, reflect similar priorities on moral purity, though these nations' aging populations and low fertility rates—Japan's at 1.26 in 2023—have prompted discussions on whether repressive policies indirectly exacerbate demographic stagnation by limiting open and expression, without establishing direct causation. In contrast to Western frameworks like the U.S. from 1973, which balances community standards with artistic value, East Asian approaches prioritize collective harmony, aligning with Shimoneta's critique of policy-driven conformity.

Media Releases

Light Novels

The Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai Shinai Taikutsu na Sekai light novel series, written by Hirotaka Akagi and illustrated by Eito Shimotsuki, serves as the original source material for the franchise. Published by under its Gagaga Bunko imprint, the first volume appeared on July 18, 2012. The illustrations by Shimotsuki emphasize exaggerated, provocative depictions of characters and scenarios, aligning with the narrative's focus on obscenity in a censored . The series comprises 11 main volumes plus one extra volume, released irregularly between 2012 and 2016. Subsequent volumes followed at intervals, such as volume 4 on August 20, 2013, and volume 5 on January 17, 2014. Publication concluded with the 11th volume in early 2016, representing a planned narrative endpoint rather than an abrupt halt.
VolumeRelease Date
1July 18, 2012
4August 20, 2013
5January 17, 2014
112016
This tabulation highlights select milestones; full chronological details underscore the series' steady progression to completion without evidence of external termination factors like declining sales.

Manga Adaptation

The manga adaptation, titled Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai Shinai Taikutsu na Sekai: Manmaru-hen and illustrated by N' Yuzuki, was serialized in Mag Garden's Monthly Comic Blade from March 28, 2014, to February 5, 2016. It spanned 23 chapters compiled into four volumes, adapting the light novels' premise of a dystopian society enforcing strict laws through SOX's subversive pranks. Compared to the source light novels, the prioritizes visual gags via dynamic panel layouts and exaggerated character reactions, enhancing the humor in scenes of illicit distribution and moral clashes. Certain arcs are condensed for pacing, streamlining Tanukichi Okuma's reluctant involvement in Ayame Kajō's schemes while retaining key satirical elements like the absurdity of enforced purity. This format shifts emphasis from descriptive prose to illustrated , amplifying the series' critique of without extending beyond the novels' core events.

Anime Adaptation

The Shimoneta anime adaptation is a 12-episode television series animated by . Directed by Yōhei Suzuki, with series composition handled by Masahiro Yokotani, the series follows the dystopian comedy narrative of the original light novels. It premiered on July 4, 2015, and aired weekly on Saturdays at 23:00 JST until September 19, 2015. The broadcast occurred primarily on AT-X, with additional airings on networks such as , KBS , Chiba TV, tvk, Sun TV, , and BS11. For international audiences, the series received an English-dubbed release licensed by Entertainment, alongside English . It was streamed with on platforms including and , with home video releases on Blu-ray and DVD in regions A and B.

Production Details

The anime adaptation of Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai Shinai Taikutsu na Sekai was produced by the studio J.C.Staff. It was directed by Yōhei Suzuki, with Masahiro Yokotani serving as series composer and scriptwriter for most episodes. The music was composed by Akiyuki Tateyama. The principal voice cast included as Ayame Kajō, Yūsuke Kobayashi as Tanukichi Okumura, as Anna Nishikinomiya, and Saori Gotō as Hyōka Fuwa, selected to align with the characters' exaggerated personalities from the light novels while emphasizing the series' comedic and satirical tone. Production adhered closely to the source material's fidelity in depicting a dystopian society enforcing moral purity, though adaptations condensed certain plot elements for the 12-episode format. Japanese television broadcasts of the series employed mosaic censorship over and explicit imagery to comply with standards, despite the narrative's explicit critique of such laws. In contrast, the Blu-ray releases offered uncensored versions of these scenes, underscoring an irony where the production itself navigated real-world content restrictions akin to those satirized in the story.

Episode List

The Shimoneta adaptation consists of 12 television s, each running approximately 24 minutes, broadcast weekly on AT-X and other networks from to September 19, 2015.
No.English titleOriginal air date
1Whom Does Public Order and Morality Serve?, 2015
2The Mysteries of July 11, 2015
3How to Love SomeoneJuly 18, 2015
4The Saying Goes… Love Is JusticeJuly 25, 2015
5Dirty Terrorism Benefits Whom?August 1, 2015
6Handmade Warmth!August 8, 2015
7What CreatedAugust 15, 2015
8The Devil Blows His Own TrumpetAugust 22, 2015
9Do Androids Dream Of Electric Masseurs?August 29, 2015
10 QuestSeptember 5, 2015
11 BreakSeptember 12, 2015
12Dirty Jokes ForeverSeptember 19, 2015
Two additional OVA shorts, collectively titled Manmaru-hen and focusing on comedic scenarios involving the character Blue Snow's panty mask persona, were released on February 3, 2016, bundled with volumes.

Reception and Impact

Commercial Performance

The Shimoneta series, published by under the Gagaga Bunko imprint starting July 18, 2012, concluded after 11 volumes, indicating a commercially viable run for a niche title without entering best-seller lists for the genre. Specific circulation figures for the volumes remain unreported in public charts, consistent with modest performance relative to mega-hits like , which dominate sales rankings. The adaptation's Blu-ray and DVD releases in , handled through standard broadcasters like AT-X, did not register notable positions on weekly or yearly rankings, reflecting typical low physical media sales for comedies that prioritize broadcast and streaming over home video. In , issued a complete series Blu-ray/DVD combo pack on November 29, 2016, followed by an essentials edition on September 25, 2018, targeting import and fan markets without reported blockbuster unit sales. Streaming availability on , where the full series was added by March 28, 2018, has sustained visibility, accumulating approximately 13,000 user ratings with an average of 4.6 out of 5, underscoring a dedicated but non-mainstream in the global market. Overall, the franchise's metrics align with cult-level success in the niche, lacking the high-volume sales thresholds (e.g., top entries exceeding 10,000 units weekly) seen in broader hits.

Critical and Fan Responses

Critical responses to Shimoneta: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn't Exist have generally acknowledged its satirical edge against excessive censorship, though some reviewers dismissed the execution as juvenile or underdeveloped. Anime UK News praised the series for portraying a dystopian society where lewd expression becomes a form of , highlighting protagonist Tanukichi Okuma's reluctant involvement in the SOX group's pranks as a clever vehicle for critiquing purity mandates. However, The Anime.org critiqued the heavy reliance on obscured lewd content as undermining the anti-purity thesis, arguing that the narrative's persistence in challenging enforced "virtue" reveals hypocrisies in real-world but fails to elevate beyond tropes. Fan reception, as aggregated on platforms like , averages around 7.0 out of 10 from over 200,000 user ratings, reflecting appreciation for the organization's antics and the humor derived from subverting a sanitized world. Users frequently lauded the series' intelligent handling of characters amid the lewd comedy, with one reviewer noting its respect for protagonists despite the outrageous premise, positioning it as more than typical fare. Defenses of the fanservice elements emphasize their necessity to the core argument against prudish overreach, countering complaints of excess by linking the explicit content to demonstrations of how stifles natural human expression and fosters societal boredom. While some fan critiques on decry the dialogue as immature or episodes as inconsistently paced, these are often outweighed by endorsements of the anti-censorship , with reviewers arguing that the show's warnings about governmental control via moral enforcement hold substantive value over surface-level concerns. Mainstream-leaning discussions, such as those on forums, have noted potential biases in broader s that prioritize discomfort with reverse-rape gags or lewdness over the thematic of purity culture's demographic and psychological tolls, suggesting such objections reflect normalized aversion to unfiltered rather than flaws in the work's causal logic. Overall, the series garners praise for its unapologetic humor in SOX's guerrilla tactics, with fans valuing the integration of as essential to illustrating censorship's stagnating effects.

Controversies and Debates

The series' depiction of explicit sexual humor and obscenity, central to its plot satirizing dystopian , elicited accusations of promoting indecency, particularly amid Japan's ongoing enforcement of Article 175 of the Penal Code, which prohibits distribution of "obscene" materials. This irony was noted in contemporary reviews, as the work critiques real-world policies like the 2014 amendments to child pornography laws that expanded scrutiny of fictional depictions in , potentially chilling creative expression without demonstrable reductions in societal harm. Defenders, including critics, argued that such exposes causal links between suppression and cultural ignorance, as evidenced by the narrative's portrayal of youth deprived of basic sexual knowledge, mirroring critiques of Japan's practices that genitals in media yet fail to correlate with lower rates of . Pro-censorship viewpoints, voiced in forums and reviews, contended that Shimoneta's barrage of lewd jokes could desensitize viewers or normalize perversion, echoing broader concerns over anime's role in youth education under strict moral guidelines. Empirical counters, however, highlight a lack of rigorous studies linking satirical humor or fictional to moral decay; instead, data from Japan's media landscape suggest overreach in laws fosters stagnation, as creators preemptively alter content—such as altering character designs or narratives—to evade penalties, reducing artistic output without proven preventive benefits against real-world deviance. For instance, post-2014 regulatory pressures led to voluntary industry adjustments in serialization, prioritizing compliance over innovation, which aligns with first-principles observations that expression bans disrupt information flow more than they safeguard norms. Debates around the 2015 anime release centered on anime's societal function, with some outlets praising Shimoneta for challenging the notion that total moral crackdowns mitigate sexual , while others questioned if its comedy undermined the critique by reveling in excess. These tensions remain unresolved, as Japan's standards—rooted in subjective cultural disgust rather than objective harm metrics—continue to spark disputes over whether prioritizing suppression yields net societal gains or merely enforces conformity at expression's expense.

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  56. https://myanimelist.net/anime/29786/Shimoneta_to_Iu_Gainen_ga_Sonzai_Shinai_Taikutsu_na_Sekai/episode/12
  57. https://www.novelupdatesforum.com/threads/japans-yearly-light-novel-sales-number-for-2017-first-half.42179/
  58. https://erzat.blog/oricons-yearly-anime-blu-ray-and-dvd-sales-ranking-2021/
  59. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/releases.php?id=35929
  60. https://x.com/Erzat110/status/1740312659776733376?lang=en
  61. https://animeuknews.net/2017/04/shimoneta-review/
  62. https://themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=1800
  63. https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/b0geai/shimoneta_a_good_ecchi_review/
  64. https://myanimelist.net/anime/29786/Shimoneta_to_Iu_Gainen_ga_Sonzai_Shinai_Taikutsu_na_Sekai/reviews
  65. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/bbs/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2988333
  66. https://akkoanime.wordpress.com/2015/10/25/shimoneta-a-boring-world-where-the-concept-of-dirty-jokes-doesnt-exist/
  67. https://kotaku.com/when-sexual-humor-is-banned-hilarity-ensues-1748033101
  68. https://www.ign.com/videos/debating-shimonetas-dirty-jokes-ign-anime-club
  69. https://blautoothdmand.wordpress.com/2015/10/10/censorship-sexuality-and-the-concept-of-indecency-thoughts-around-shimoneta/
  70. https://choraltempest.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/summer-2015-closing-thoughts-shimoneta/
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