SHIMONETA: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn't Exist

Episode 10

After last week, it was probably inevitable: this week's episode is entirely focused on aromatic panties. (And no, I don't mean specially scented ones which can be bought in adult novelty stores.) That means that the episode starts out with a major strike against it in my book. It does not do enough else to overcome that, either.

The episode starts right where last episode left off, with SOX having its pow-wow with Gathered Fabric leader White Peak. He apparently is an exhibitionist in addition to a panty nut, but it is more on ideological conflict – namely, that White Peak doesn't seem to have any and is just doing it all to support his perversity – that he and Blue Snow wind up at an impasse. He threatens to take major action as he departs the scene, and the next day the SOX members and other key characters find out what: sabotage the monorails so people have to ride busses, and then hijack the busses en masse in what basically amounts to a rather elaborate panty raid. After a couple of bus attacks are thwarted by established characters, they discover that most of the Gathered Fabric member don't have real guns, but they are saying that they “support SOX,” so Ayame plots to lure White Peak into an ambush. It works, until a nasty surprise pops up: the bold action White Peak undertook with the busjackings is apparently exactly the kind of radical move that Kosuri was looking to make, so she betrays Blue Snow and Tanukichi, putting both in serious jeopardy, and offers to join Gathered Fabric instead.

Wow, I was hoping I was going to be wrong about that last development, but Kosuri's disappointment with SOX near the end of last episode kept the door wide open for it and the series did not hesitate to step through. That will definitely shake things up for the end run, though, and truthfully, something that drastic might have been necessary; the whole joy over the use of dirty language was starting to wear thin, as evidenced by Ayame's strained efforts to get a series of allusions to boners and “morning wood” to work. Seeing Anna direct her inhuman might towards a more deserving target than Tanukichi is a bit satisfying, too, as is Hyouka's disarming way of unwittingly disarming her busjacker. The sputter-worthy moment, though, is seeing what Raiki is actually wearing for underclothing. As disagreeable as the episode is, the whole thing may be worth sitting through just for that.

Ultimately, though, being able to appreciate this episode will largely come down to whether or not you can stomach the whole “smelly panties” fetish. Despite a pivotal plot development and one really good sight gag, the episode as a whole falls limp.

Rating: C-

SHIMONETA: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn’t Exist is currently streaming on Funimation.com.