Shimeji: Screen Buddies

Animated companions for your Android screen

Shimeji: Screen Buddies adds small animated characters that move across the foreground of your phone while you use other apps. They can react to touches, wander around the display, and provide a playful personalization layer without replacing your wallpaper or launcher. It suits users who enjoy expressive screen decorations and want more than a static background.

Characters that stay active

The app gives its mascots more to do than simply appear on screen. Characters can gain experience through time and interaction, with progress connected to additional animations and poses. This gives regular use a light game-like structure while keeping the main purpose focused on customizing your device.

• Place animated mascots over your regular Android interface.
• Adjust their size, movement speed, and behavior through the app’s controls.
• Use a live preview to see changes before settling on a setup.
• Collect and unlock characters and animations through continued use.

Tools for personal setups

Shimeji includes a sprite editor for creating or modifying mascot artwork, making it possible to build a more personal selection rather than relying only on the included designs. A ghost-style option keeps characters visible while preventing them from interfering with taps, which is useful when typing, gaming, or navigating other apps. The app also supports earning its in-app currency through screen activity, so progression is tied to usage rather than only paid access.

Ratings and developer

Digital Cosmos publishes Shimeji: Screen Buddies in the Personalization category. It has a 4.47-star rating from more than 413,000 reviews and has recorded 10,000,000+ installs. Those figures reflect a large audience for animated screen companions, while the editing and interaction options give the app more flexibility than a simple overlay decoration.