History Anime / ShimaShimaToraNoShimajiro

* MerchandiseDriven: The Japanese and Chinese [=YouTube=] channels occasionally release anime shorts that ties in to whatever new toy Benesse is currently releasing into the market. For example a "magical" machine that teaches the Kana writing system, or a toy slate that you write on with an ultraviolet ink marker that doesn't show anything until the light is switched on. A tasteful story would be written around the toy and made into an anime to tug on the heartstrings of the parent watching with the kid. UsefulNotes/SegregatedCommercial is not a thing in Japan and Taiwan.

* ArtShift: The earliest episodes were traditionally animated, but the show had shifted to [[CelShading cel-shaded]] {{CGI}} and digital animation (via UsefulNotes/ToonBoom or UsefulNotes/AdobeFlash) when the ''Shimajiro no Wao!'' Retool started. And of course there are the live action costume segments. Some later content on the Kodomo Challenge DVDS are full CGI and some are puppetry. The franchise is very mixed media.

* CinderellaPlot: Professor Gaogao uses a device to put the kids into a book of the story so they could act it out. HilarityEnsues as the device [[GenderBender decided to put Shimajiro and Torippi in the roles of two of the stepsisters]], bringing back their [[DisguisedInDrag girl disguises]] in the process. It also decided to make Nyakkii the ''[[GenderBender prince]]''.

* CinderellaPlot: Professor Gaogao uses a device to put the kids into a book of the story so they could act it out. HilarityEnsues as the device [[GenderBender decided to put Shimajiro and Torippi in the roles of two of the stepsisters, bringing back their girl disguises in the process. It also decided to make Nyakkii the]] ''[[GenderBender prince]]''.

* CinderellaPlot: Professor Gaogao uses a device to put the kids into a book of the story so they could act it out. HilarityEnsues as the device [[GenderBender decided to put Shimajiro and Torippi in the roles of two of the stepsisters, bringing back their girl disguises in the process. It also decided to make Nyakkii the]] [[GenderBender ''prince'']].

* {{Wingdinglish}}: While the language spoken is Japanese, the written language on smaller prints (like those found on books or packaged goods) appears to only consist of UsefulNotes/{{Playstation}} button symbols. The show appears inconsistent with bigger characters- sometimes it's hiragana, sometimes it's the Alphabet, and sometimes it's those Playstation symbols but in differing colors.

[[caption-width-right:350:Shimajiro and his friends.[[labelnote:note]]Not pictured: [[TheSixthRanger Nyakkii Momoyama]].[[/labelnote]]]]

!!Tropes:

* WorldOfFunnyAnimals: the world in the series is populated by anthropomorphic animals.

** Another song, ''Kotoba-Rhythm'', was composed and performed by ''Sukima Switch'' (although they were given Funny Animal avatars to fit the style of the music video).

** The current song in focus is ''Kangaroo ha doko ni ittanoka'' by a group called ''Uchikubi Gokumon Doukoukai'' - the same guys who wrote and performed the theme song for the Netflix adaptation of ''Manga/TheWayOfTheHousehusband'', although they're better known for the song ''I Don't Want To Get Out Of My Futon'' that has been making rounds on the VideoGame/{{Osu}} LetsPlay circuits.

* AnimateInanimateObject: Some inanimate objects are turned anthropomorphic, in order to demonstrate lessons. However, this is sometimes taken to the next level. For example, in an episode about diseases and the immune system, the germs are portrayed as apes and rats, while the antibodies are portrayed as miniature versions of the body them live in. After all, this is just Japanese weirdness. And perhaps this is the one thing that makes the potty training episodes unusual to the west- the show anthropomorphizes toilets and toiletries, something that never happens with potty training videos in the west.

* Bowdlerization: In the English dub Shimajiro episode ''Dad is Embarrassing'', there was originally a clip in the Asia regions including Japanese and Indonesian versions which depicted Shimajiro who was angry and upset with his dad. Shimajiro's mother then threatens to slap Shimajiro's face only for Shimajiro's dad who intervened and stopped her. This clip was cut out in the English dub version.

* LostAesop: In the episode where Torippi in disguise tricks Shimajiro into thinking he's Torippi's robot alien friend, Shimajiro starts wanting to play with him more and less with Torippi himself. Torippi starts feeling that he has taken the prank too far and talks to Mimirin and Nyakkii about it and they suggest he should just go apologize to Shimajiro and tell him the truth. Instead of heeding Mimirin and Nyakkii's advice, he goes to Shimajiro in costume one more time and tells Shimajiro that he must return to his home planet, and pretends to fly off into space. If this episode is a two parter, the second part was never shown on the ''Qiao Hu'' channel.

* ProductPlacement: The Miracle Donuts toys shown in the episode “Would you like a donut?” are real and can be still bought from Benesse if you live in Japan and have a child enrolled in the Kodomo Challenge program. Zig-zagged in that the episode made it to the US, but of course getting the toy is not possible (unless you try to get them from Japanese auction/marketplace sites).

* AnimateInanimateObject: Some inanimate objects are turned anthropomorphic, in order to demonstrate lessons. However, this is sometimes taken to the next level. For example, in an episode about diseases and the immune system, the germs are portrayed as apes and rats, while the antibodies are portrayed as miniature versions of the body them live in. After all, this is just Japanese weirdness.
** Perhaps this is the one thing that makes the potty training episodes unusual to the west- the show anthropomorphizes toilets and toiletries, something that never happens with potty training videos in the west.

* DubNameChange: Surprisingly, this is mostly averted. While a few of the characters had their names slightly changed in the English dub, (Professor Gaogao to Mr. Roarson, Kumagoro Sensei to Principal Bearkins, Torippi to Flappie, Nyakkii to Nikki, Mimirin to Mimi-Lynn and Marurin to Mary-Lynn), many other characters (Zota, Boota, Kirinta, Pontaro, to name a few examples) kept their original Japanese names in the English dub. The English names were apparently decided by Benesse themselves tho, as the Indonesian dub uses the same set of names despite Funimation and [=WildBrain=] having no part in that version's dub process.
** The Chinese dub. Even if you know the Japanese names by heart, watching the Chinese dub is an exercise in confusion management ''as half of the names are changed and those that aren't are pronounced so differently that it barely sounds like the original Japanese name''. Some can be brute forced[[note]]''Qiao Hu'' has to be Shimajiro, and
** The Korean dub. Shimajiro in Korea is renamed as Hobi in the Korean dub version including characters like Shimajiro, Mimirin, Torippii, Professor Gaogao which have their own Korean names.
''Miao Miao'' may be Nyakkii due to how that's an onomatopoeia of a cat's mew. Also, ''Tao lerr pii'' sounds vaguely like Torippi that one could hazard that guess[[/note]] but others[[note]]Which one of them is ''Chii Chii''?[[/note]] require repeated watching and maybe basic knowledge in Mandarin Chinese to make sense.

* FailedASpotCheck: In one episode, Torippi manages to trick Shimajiro into thinking he’s Torippi’s [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot robot alien friend from another planet]] (in the English dub, they made him claim that he knows everything instead). Despite the PaperThinDisguise[[note]]Well, a bunch of cardboard boxes and cardboard tubes, and a pair of cans glued to his shoes, with parts of his body, ie his unmistakeable green wing and bird feet, exposed[[/note]] and the fact that he did not really bother with disguising his voice, [[IdiotBall Shimajiro buys it]]. [[note]]In comparison, even Torippi's siblings know better and demanded to see "what's inside the box" when he pulls a similar prank in a different episode to get them to stay on their mission to deliver a karaoke mic to their grandma.[[/note]]

* ChildhoodFriends: Shimajiro, Mimirin, Torippii, and Ramurin.
* DubNameChange: Surprisingly, this is mostly averted. While a few of the characters had their names slightly changed in the English dub, (Professor Gaogao to Mr. Roarson, Kumagoro Sensei to Principal Bearkins, Torippi to Flappy, Nyakkii to Nikki, Mimirin to Mimi-Lynn and Marurin to Mary-Lynn), many other characters (Zota, Boota, Kirinta, Pontaro, to name a few examples) kept their original Japanese names in the English dub. The English names were apparently decided by Benesse themselves tho, as the Indonesian dub uses the same set of names despite Funimation and [=WildBrain=] having no part in that version's dub process.
** The Chinese dub. Even if you know the Japanese names by heart, watching the Chinese dub is an exercise in confusion management ''as half of the names are changed and those that aren't are pronounced so differently that it barely sounds like the original Japanese name''. Some can be brute forced[[note]]''Qiao Hu'' has to be Shimajiro, and ''Miao Miao'' may be Nyakkii due to how that's an onomatopoeia of a cat's mew. Also, ''Tao lerr pii'' sounds vaguely like Torippi that one could hazard that guess[[/note]] but others[[note]]Which one of them is ''Chii Chii''?[[/note]] require repeated watching and maybe basic knowledge in Mandarin Chinese to make sense.

* '''''Shimajirō Hesoka''''' - the second retool, started in 2011 but again ended just after two years, in 2012. Most notably, this incarnation ended with Ramurin leaving Challenge Island.

** The Chinese dub takes things UpToEleven. Even if you know the Japanese names by heart, watching the Chinese dub is an exercise in confusion management ''as half of the names are changed and those that aren't are pronounced so differently that it barely sounds like the original Japanese name''. Some can be brute forced[[note]]''Qiao Hu'' has to be Shimajiro, and ''Miao Miao'' may be Nyakkii due to how that's an onomatopoeia of a cat's mew. Also, ''Tao lerr pii'' sounds vaguely like Torippi that one could hazard that guess[[/note]] but others[[note]]Which one of them is ''Chii Chii''?[[/note]] require repeated watching and maybe basic knowledge in Mandarin Chinese to make sense.

** Another song about the sun was written (but not performed) by Anri. Yeah, ''[[Manga/CatsEye that]]'' Anri. She was given top billing in the credits at the end of the music video.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: Unsurprisingly for an almost three decade old series, there are tons of characters in the anime and satellite content like the learning [=DVDs=] (and VHS) and the movies.

* MassiveMultiplayerCrossover: in April 2020, Benesse engaged with Sanrio (whom they already had a partnership for a while) to create a exercise video featuring Shimajiro and Hello Kitty to encourage children in lockdown to perform a simple exercise. About two months later, Literature/{{Cheburashka}}, Mell-chan, Kumamon, Gachapin and Mook from ''Hirake! Ponkikki'' and even Eddie from WesternAnimation/{{Chuggington}} [[https://youtu.be/tBxbtpEtHac were roped into a major remake of the video]].
* MyBelovedSmother: in the CGI episode "Loved and Protected", Mrs. Shimano ends up becoming one while under the influence of a "[[LovePotion love perfume]]" Mr. Roarson was developing.

In April 2020, Benesse and Creator/{{WildBrain}} partnered up to create an online-exclusive English dub of ''Shimajiro no Wao!'' called ''Shimajiro: A World of Wow!'' (Or ''Shimajiro: A Wonderful Adventure'', [[MarketBasedTitle depending on which market Benesse thinks you're in]]). [=WildBrain=] would further engage Creator/{{Funimation}} as their dubbing partner. The dub is overseen by Iyuno Media Group and uses talents from Creator/BangZoomEntertainment with feedback from Benesse. Several segments from the ''Kodomo Challenge'' program were also dubbed. The dub is primarily uploaded to it's own Youtube channel, but notoriously, the channel on and off blocks access to the episodes from half of the world. The dub is also uploaded onto Wildbrain's numerous Youtube channels. This dub is also streamed in Japan on Netflix alongside the original Japanese show, and a selection of it was eventually made available to the rest of Asia (and even the Indian subcontinent and Oceania) on Netflix in 2021.

* OutOfContextEavesdropping: Seems to happen quite often in the series, as one of the series’ core values is to show what happens with poor communication. Case in point: the 2021 Mother's Day episode. Mimirin had made her mom an origami carnation for Mother’s Day. The next day, on the actual day itself, Mimirin’s parents were having a discussion about the sales of carnations, being the island florist, and Renge (Mimirin’s mom) makes a sarcastic remark of how carnations are just good enough - as in, people are just getting the gift for their mom but without the thought or sincerity of the heart. Mimirin overhears the sarcastic part of the conversation and thinks her mom does not want carnations on Mother’s Day. Cue the poor girl scrambling all over town for alternative gift ideas and having a breakdown near the end of the episode before being set straight by her parents.

* MyBelovedSmother: in the CGI episode "Loved and Protected", Mrs. Shimano ends up becoming one while under the influence of a "love perfume" Mr. Roarson was developing.

In April 2020, Benesse and Creator/{{WildBrain}} partnered up to create an online-exclusive English dub of ''Shimajiro no Wao!'' called ''Shimajiro: A World of Wow!'' (Or ''Shimajiro: A Wonderful Adventure'', [[MarketBasedTitle depending on which market Benesse thinks you're in]]). [=WildBrain=] would further engage Creator/{{Funimation}} as their dubbing partner. The dub is overseen by Iyuno Media Group and uses talents from Creator/BangZoomEntertainment with feedback from Benesse. Several segments from the ''Kodomo Challenge'' program were also dubbed. The dub is primarily uploaded to it's own Youtube channel, but notoriously, the channel on and off blocks access to the episodes from half of the world. This dub is also streamed in Japan on Netflix alongside the original Japanese show, and a selection of it was eventually made available to the rest of Asia (and even the Indian subcontinent and Oceania) on Netflix in 2021.