Shimeji Directory | Official

You can edit files inside the directory to modify behavior:

Edit behavior.xml (or settings.json):

Swap images:

Back up before editing!
Copy the entire character folder somewhere safe first. shimeji directory

| Era | Distribution Method | Problems | |-----|---------------------|----------| | 2008–2012 | Individual blogs (e.g., Shimeji Behavior Factory) | Sites go offline, broken links | | 2013–2018 | DeviantArt “stash” + MediaFire | Link rot, no centralized search | | 2019–present | Shimeji Directory (and Discord backup) | Maintained by volunteers, still depends on Java (declining desktop support) |

What should you look for when searching for a Shimeji directory? The best directories share several features:

For the technically inclined, GitHub hosts the original source code. User Kilpikonna and git-bruh have created repositories that function as living directories. You can download 50+ pre-compiled Shimeji from their releases pages. Because GitHub scans for viruses, this is arguably the safest option. You can edit files inside the directory to

Before diving into the directory, let’s clarify the terminology. A Shimeji (often pluralized as "Shimeji") is a desktop buddy application originally written in Java. The name comes from a popular Japanese mushroom, though the connection is purely whimsical.

When you run a Shimeji, a small character appears on your desktop. This character has a full set of behaviors programmed into it:

The original Shimeji engine is open-source, which means thousands of developers and artists have created custom versions over the past decade. Swap images:

Each Shimeji character has its own subfolder inside the main directory. Inside that character folder, you will see this standard structure:

| Folder/File | Purpose | |-------------|---------| | img/ | Contains all the character’s sprites (walking, climbing, hanging, etc.) as PNG files. | | audio/ | Contains sound effects (if the Shimeji has them). Usually .wav files. | | conf/ | Behavior settings – how fast it moves, spawn rate, interactions. | | behavior.xml | The main rule file. Tells the Shimeji what poses to use, when to duplicate, how to throw, etc. | | shimeji.png | The icon for the Shimeji in the tray/menu. | | readme.txt | Notes from the creator. |

Note: Some modern versions combine conf/ and behavior.xml into a single settings.json file.