Shimeji: Screen Buddies

Digital Cosmos

Contains adsIn-app purchases

About this app

Heads up! We’ve temporarily reduced the mascot library to remove third-party IP and all user submitted characters. For now, only our original Super Shimeji are available. We’re working hard to repopulate the library ASAP with new original characters that are higher resolution and better than before. Thanks for sticking with us! 💙

Shimeji: Screen Buddies is a free animated mascots app that has already reached over 35M downloads worldwide! 🥳
Bring your screen to life with cute animated characters that walk, climb, and play on top of your apps. Customize their behavior, or even create your own!

✨ Why choose Shimeji: Screen Buddies?
• Original & growing mascot library (IP-safe)
• Create your own mascots with the built-in editor
• Optimized to be smooth and battery-friendly

💎 Only Super Shimeji
• Next-level detail: high-res 512×512 animations (16× more pixels)
• Glow-up effects and polish for your favorite mascots

🎮 Play & interact
• Pick up, drag, and toss mascots — watch them react
• Run up to 6 pets at once for a screen full of fun
• Select many of your favorite characters and have them change smoothly every few minutes
• Tap & double-tap actions: Hide, Freeze, Change mascot, and more
• Live preview when adjusting size and animation speed

👻 Ghost Mode
Need to focus during gaming or texting? Toggle Ghost Mode from the notification or settings to make mascots ignore touch — still visible, never in the way.

📦 Content your way
• Online library will keep growing with original, IP-safe characters
• Create your own mascots or duplicate existing and edit them

🚀 Quick start
1. Install and open Shimeji: Screen Buddies
2. Download from the available characters (or make your own)
3. Enjoy cute companions living on your screen

We recently removed most fan-made IP content to respect creators and copyright. While we rebuild with original Super Shimeji and community-safe art, you’ll see fewer presets than before. Your support helps us ship new, fully original characters faster. 💙

⚠️ Disclaimer
Shimeji: Screen Buddies is unrelated to Simeji keyboard input app.
Shimeji: Screen Buddies is an independent app and is not affiliated with any anime/game IP holders. All included mascots are original, made by in-house artists with the assistance of AI technologies. Our brand name and logo, watermarked images, UI graphics and text, app source code, and curated database are original works protected by copyright and trademark law. We don’t claim exclusive rights over general interaction ideas (e.g., animation logic, double-tap to change, random selection). Copying our code or assets to replicate these interactions is not permitted.

🆕 What’s new
• Big library cleanup to remove third-party IP ✅
• More original characters coming soon ✨
• Editor improvements and performance tweaks ⚡

🌐 Learn more: https://shimeji.app

Ratings and reviews

I wrote a negative review on the worst possible timing, the updated version now has editing and deletion capabilities for custom shimejis. This allows me to be much more versatile. I also appreciate that there is no longer a premium subscription requirement, as you can now buy certain features for a one-time purchase. One of the best decisions made so far, and those who want to continue supporting by other means, can choose to subscribe. I'm excited to create more, I recommend this to artists!

Overall really good experience, there isn't anything that is not great except a few flaws. First, Some pets have a gap in between the wall they climb and themselves, which I find very annoying. Second, its kinda hard to get many things done. Even with ghost mode(a mode where you cannot tap or interact with the pets, they end up transparent), they are still flinging across the screen. I would say this isn't much of a pay to use app, though the perks of premium does seem to make a difference.

The ads are completely understandable! I love having these little guys around! I love the ghost mode and the fact we can adjust their size and animation speed! Although I really wish there were more characters, I also wish we could interact more with them, like petting and feeding would be cute, too! I understand the need for premium privileges, but not everyone can afford it! :( I would wish that the petting be included for free! (The copyright law makes a lot of sense, thank you for trying!)

What’s new

• Faster setup and smoother performance
• Easier importing and navigation
• New original characters coming daily
• Improved feedback experience to help us grow