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Shimoseka is some sort of bizarre version of George Orwell's 1984 focused on comedy



For those who haven't read it, 1984 is a political drama that describes a world where human rights, like free access to information and freedom of speech, were forsaken, and the government constantly watches over the populace. If any signs of "subversive" ideas are shown by someone, this person is taken by the Thought Police to be "re-educated".

"... the Thought Police are the secret police of the superstate Oceania,
who discover and punish thoughtcrime, personal and political thoughts
... unapproved by the government. "

That is precisely the world of Shimoseka, with the difference that these "thoughtcrimes" are all sex-related. From pornography to sexual education,
dirty jokes to anatomy, everything that has any correlation with sex was banished, prohibited, considered a crime. All dirty manga and magazines were burned, all toys were destroyed, and every subversive person was arrested, and that is where the story begins.

Okuma Tanukichi, whose father was arrested for moral crimes, enters the most renowned moral school of Japan seeking to get closer to his "muse",
Nishikinomiya Anna, but in his first day he ends up hunted by the moral police, only to be saved by Blue Snow, an ero-terrorist who spreads lewd material as a form of protest. Blue Snow later kidnaps and forces Okuma to work with her in her ero-terrorist attacks.

Shimoseka is incredibly well-written, the voice acting is simply perfect, and the OST's quality is undeniable. When watching, you may get the feeling of
"what am I doing with my life" while laughing your lungs out. As with everything, Shimoseka is not something everyone will like, mainly because the show's use of lewd jokes and situations to make you laugh, but if this or the 1984-ish universe is your thing, give it a try.

Allow me to explain why this manga is fantastic.

Boku wa Mari no Naka is, just as Aku no Hana, a psychological manga permeated by existentialism that focus on the mind of the main characters. The deconstruction and reconstruction of the characters is the guideline of the story, and it is incredibly well written. The art, just as the story does not fall to the mediocrity that most mangas suffer from, and interesting themes are brought to discussion.

It is probably impossible to say anything else without writing a spoiler, so I will finish this review with one consideration: just as Aku no Hana, Inside Mari is ... not a title any and everyone will find pleasing to read. If you like psychological stories, read inside Mari, for it's an incredible story.

If you read the manga, I recommend you read the analysis of Boku wa Mari no Naka on the blog “Hana ga Saita yo”.