Interesting thing about me: there is only so much sadness that I can handle. That’s true for everyone, but I have a harder time than others handling sad moments due to how my brain works. So, when faced with a story that veers into the realm of overwhelmingly depressing, my mind reacts in the only way it can: it waits. It waits for things to get better before it lets me go back to something. In the case of Zenshu, the ending to the last episode, coupled with the spoilers for this one, made me do just that. Otherwise, I would’ve plunged into despair like Natsuko does as the story goes from correcting itself to over-correcting.
Rock. Bottom
QJ is dead, to begin with, and the entire Last Town is nearing rock bottom. People have been forced to flee from their homes as refugees, and Luke is pushing himself to his breaking point once more. Except, unlike before, he does not have Natsuko to save him, because she’s handling QJ’s death even worse.
In a nutshell, this entire episode can be summed as Natsuko being pushed further and further into despair. She blames her hesitation for making QJ sacrifice himself. She blames her drawings for being used as fuel for the Voids. And to make matters worse, Elder Baobab drops a big bombshell about the prophecy of the Nine Soldiers: it’s a lie. It was something someone made up to give people hope that they could survive the end of the world. Whoever came up with that prophecy wanted to give people hope against impossible odds, but they didn’t believe it would come true.
This is Barbaric Overkill
There was probably some big, Game of Thrones-type lesson that Kametaro wanted to teach people when she created this story. However, it’s beyond me. Prophecies can wind up being hit or miss in fiction, so that doesn’t help things. What makes things worse, though, is how the world of the story begins to overstep its bounds trying to correct itself. Firstly, Destiny tells Natsuko that she’s going to marry the Chairman after all. Then, out of nowhere, the townsfolk start believing that Natsuko is a traitor because her drawings turn into Voids. The craziest part, though, is the fact that the Void Cult returns and starts saying Natsuko is their antichrist.
No matter how you slice it, whatever the world is doing to make things turn out like this is overkill! Natsuko herself recognizes this as an angry mob tries to kill her right as more Voids attack. However, I think the fact that things start turning out this way is the whole point. The story is trying so hard to get “back on track” that it’s made things far worse. The most sinister aspect of this railroading, though, is what it does for Natsuko. It effectively has her take Destiny’s place in the story as the one whose death will send Luke over the edge.
This is Why I Waited
This is why I had to wait until the next episode to review this. If I hadn’t done that, I would’ve spent the entire week driving myself crazy over what happens next! It’s chaos, plain and simple!
Firstly, I would like to apologize for how long this review took to get out. I got so busy that I wasn’t able to keep up with watching Zenshu until there were already multiple episodes out. Thus, I wrote the reviews for the next four episodes at the same time so I could be caught up in time for the finale. Which will likely already be on Crunchyroll by the time this goes out. I am sorry for that.
That being said, my belief that things would begin to pick up in the second half of Zenshu was valid. Natsuko has gotten to the point where she’s content with her life in World of Perishing. More importantly, though, she’s starting to understand the importance of teamwork and opening yourself up to others. Unfortunately, she still has no idea how to deal with things like love and romance, which is about to become a big problem for her. In addition, she also learns that the mystery bird that’s been stalking her doesn’t have good intentions for this world.
That Dumb Bird!
Over several episodes, Natsuko’s been harassed by this mysterious, talking bird that keeps saying her efforts are “no use.” At the end of my review of the last episode, I speculated that the bird was an in-universe avatar for the creator of A Tale of Perishing, Kametaro Tsuruyama. It turns out that I was close: the bird is the late director herself.
Public speakers were right: you should never meet your heroes or those you admire from the same industry you're in. They turn out to be the opposite of what you think they are.
Like Natsuko, Kametaro Tsuruyama died back in Japan (from eating bad clams, no less) only to find herself in the world of her creation. Whereas Natsuko gained the power to alter the original story, though, it’s unclear what powers Kametaro got, if she got any. Nor is it made clear what force allowed both women to reincarnate in the World of Perishing. However, once Natsuko manages to corner her (and finish gushing over meeting her hero), one thing is made clear: Kametaro isn’t happy about Natsuko’s meddling.
Unlike Natsuko, who actively changed the story, Kametaro wants to see events play out in the way that she wrote them. Instead of being flattered by Natsuko’s adoration for her, she derides her, saying her “fan edits” are pointless and ruining “her masterpiece.”
The Bird=The Worst Kind of Creator
I’ve repeatedly said that part of the appeal behind Zenshu is how it feels like a commentary on the relationship between stories, storytellers, and fans of said stories. In this case, Kametaro serves as a rather brilliant foil to Natsuko. Both are talented storytellers who put everything into their creations, which is something every great storyteller should strive to achieve. What makes them different, though, is how they view their own creations. Despite loving A Tale of Perishing, Natsuko hasn’t been afraid to point out its flaws and plotholes. She’s open and willing to change things to suit the story better. In contrast, Kametaro sees A Tale of Perishing as her perfect masterpiece and refuses to accept any other opinion. She wants her story to be this angsty, depressing downer which ends with the entire world being destroyed, regardless of what will happen to her or the people in it.
Okay, real talk. Kametaro Tsuruyama is, in my opinion, the worst kind of creator that we can get. She refuses to let the world she created grow and develop on its own. She may or may not be actively trying to course correct it, despite knowing that the original ending will kill her too. And worst of all, she’s critical of Natsuko for changing the story. It’s OK to take pride in your own creation, but if the majority of people can’t even watch it because it’s so depressing, you might want to rethink things. In addition, despite the stance some authors and creators have against fan-created content, you’d be surprised at how good some of it can get. I.E. Allen Blaster’s Shield Hero series is so good, it’s been called better than the canon story!
Natsuko is Like, “DOES NOT COMPUTE”
However, everything that Kametaro says to Natsuko takes a backseat for most of the episode. The real focus is on something that most people saw coming, but could still enjoy: Luke is in love with Natsuko.
The show hasn’t been subtle about the fact that Luke has fallen for Natsuko. Nor, hilariously, is Luke subtle when he decides to confess his love to her.
“A very weird switch has definitely been flipped.” – which pretty much sums up Luke for this entire episode of #Zenshu.😆 But this clueless couple’s (Couple??) hot spring date (Date???) is rudely interrupted. Another gem by @MaddieMorrisVA, @RyanNegronVO, and the whole dub team! pic.twitter.com/ga55jEmZbF
Seeing Luke tell Natsuko that he loves her over and over is the right kind of cringe. The kind where you want to look away because it’s so awkward, but you can’t help but keep watching. However, it’s the reactions of Natsuko, who’s just as inept at romance, that makes the entire sequence enjoyable. The shock of the confession is so great that she has to go into denial over the fact that the world she’s in is as real as hers!
Thankfully, the show doesn’t linger on the cringeworthy moments for long. Thanks to good advice from ultimate wing-man Justice (thank you, Justice), Luke takes Natsuko on a genuinely romantic date to a hot spring! They do bathe out of site on opposite sides, but that’s besides the point.
Hot Spring Time
In many anime, hot springs are often used for one of two things: fanservice and letting characters discuss their thoughts and feelings. In this regard, the writers of Zenshu nailed both. The setting itself is incredibly detailed and well drawn, with good use of various cool colors to give it an otherworldly feel. The fanservice isn’t over-the-top, with Luke ending up showing more while Natsuko winds up averting any big money shots. And hearing the two bond over their mutual love of their comrades is very sweet. It’s these kinds of moments that the strongest forms of love are built on.
“A very weird switch has definitely been flipped.” – which pretty much sums up Luke for this entire episode of #Zenshu.😆 But this clueless couple’s (Couple??) hot spring date (Date???) is rudely interrupted. Another gem by @MaddieMorrisVA, @RyanNegronVO, and the whole dub team! pic.twitter.com/ga55jEmZbF
Too bad a wandering Void shows up. To make matters worse, this isn’t just a Void Natsuko’s never seen before: it has the powers of her drawings back during the first episode. AKA her expy of the God Warrior from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Thankfully, with Luke’s swordsmanship, and Natsuko drawing a freaking Gundam, the two manage to vanquish the monster! And at the very end, as Natsuko experiences the same thing the people who fell for her did around her.
the final scene with the ending playing >>>>>>>>>>>>
the way luke looked at natsuko and the way natsuko looked at him 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 the “ squee” too omg she’s so cutee she got her first love 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 “ ITS PEAK ITS PEAK “ we all screamed in unison #zenshupic.twitter.com/S0D3xbr63k
Just like I predicted, Natsuko and Luke have fallen for each other…and I wholeheartedly ship them! They make for a very sweet couple! However, any excitement one may feel over the fact that Natsuko is finally experiencing love is overshadowed by the stinger. Each episode only reveals an image over the title for the next episode, but the appearance of this next one is very bleak. Combined with Kametaro’s warnings about Natsuko’s efforts being pointless and how the story seems to be trying to course correct, it paints a very grim picture.
And we were right to think like that. This episode basically marks the last time we can experience something lighthearted in Zenshu. The next episode, things start to hit the fan.
Zenshu has now hit its third episode (fourth by the time this is out), and that marks an important milestone. The anime’s reaching the point where viewers will decide whether it’s worth watching or they decide to move onto something else. Thankfully, after a few rough patches, the third episode manages to be its strongest thus far. In addition to further expanding on the world that Natsuko finds herself in by introducing Luke’s designated love interest, the episode hints that what she knows should happen and what will happen might not always add up.
Which is a fancy way of saying that the story might be mixing things up in an attempt to course-correct.
I Respect Natsuko’s Aversions to Fancy Clothes
Thanks to the efforts of Natsuko, two of the tragic events that originally occurred in A Tale of Perishing have been averted. As a result, rather than the joint funeral for Unio and the townsfolk that Natsuko notes would’ve happened, the Last Town’s harvest festival takes place as planned. To her dismay, being the guest of honor also means she has to wear a fancy dress, which she despises, much to Unio’s amusement.
The harvest festival, as a whole, serves as an excellent means of further developing Natsuko and the Nine Soldiers. Natsuko’s disdain for her fancy dress highlights how she wants to live life on her own terms and doesn’t care what others think. Unio proves to be a casanova wannabe who tries and fails to flirt with multiple women, to Natsuko’s amusement. Memmeln refrains from the town’s religious practices because she’s lived so long, she sees them as a fad. And despite his good looks, Luke is shown to be very shy around large groups of women. Which may explain his earlier sexist remarks towards Natsuko.
This is unfortunate, as this episode marks the introduction of his love interest from the film Destiny Heartwarming (yes, that is her real name.) She’s the sweet, sheltered daughter of the town’s mayor, engaged to a wealthy businessman to be the next of his many wives…and that’s it. As Natsuko notes, she’s only there for her and Luke to fall in love…so that when she shows up at the worst possible time and dies, it will break him even further.
There’s a name for characters like this: dead. weight. Natsuko thinks that in her inner monologues, which is likely Zenshu providing commentary on how fans can come to hate certain characters for various reasons. In Natsuko’s case, not only is it because she’s a jinx, but because she’s only marrying that businessman because she thinks it’s the best way to start an orphanage for the town’s children. For someone who values her own freedom like Natsuko, Destiny’s way of thinking offends her to her very core.
In any case, Natsuko tells everyone that they have a month before the Void return, so they can take it easy. However, she’s soon proven wrong when a Void comes in disguised as a priest, something that shouldn’t have happened until later in the story. How this is happening is unclear, but it’s possible the story is attempting to right itself after Natsuko’s interference changed events. And with Destiny in danger and Luke drunk in vodka, she has to come up with another deus ex machina.
WRESTLING!!!
Another amazing Zenshu episode. Definitely one of my favourite anime airing. MAPPA been cooking with this anime original. Zenshu Sunday’s is real. Hyped for the next episode!!!!#全修#ZENSHUpic.twitter.com/CGroZBzgrs
This time, it’s a cat luchador. Which leads to an enjoyable moment where Natsuko provides commentary as her creation delivers a smack down like it’s an actual wrestling match. Say what you want, but someone at MAPPA has a sense of humor.
In the end, another crisis is averted thanks to Natsuko, and in more ways than one. After waking up three days later (which seems to be standard), she finds out her words left a positive impact on Destiny. Not only did she dump business guy and open the orphanage on her own, she decided to follow Natsuko’s example and live life on her terms. And those terms include emulating the cat wrestler, which is hilarious.
Natsuko Hirose. Making bad characters better since 2025.
It was touch and go for a while, but after this episode, Zenshu looks like it can handle itself with the big boys. This is one anime to watch for the winter season of 2025, as there’s no telling how things will turn out. We still don’t know how Natsuko got to this world or why she was brought there, but there are sure to be some theories at work already.
Since its inception almost fourteen years ago, Studio MAPPA has made quite a name for itself. It’s produced some of the biggest anime of the last few years, including Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, and even the final season of Attack on Titan. However, one genre of anime that they have yet to touch is that of the Isekai genre. Much less an Isekai that’s wholly original and not based on any light novel, webcomic, or manga. Yet they decided to kick off 2025 doing exactly that with their new, original series, Zenshu. AKA a self-insert fanfiction being made into an anime.
Anyone who has ever loved a story but hated the ending should have a vested interest in this anime.
Oh, you thought this was a work-place comedy? Think again!
Zenshu starts off with a bait-and-switch as it introduces us to our main character, Natsuko Hirose. She’s a young, talented animator who got hired right out of high school and already made a name for herself making a hit anime. Now, she’s working on her next project, a rom-com about first love. Except she’s got writer’s block because she knows nothing about romance whatsoever and is already running behind schedule.
At first, Zenshu looked like it would be a work-place dramedy about working in the anime industry, and that alone has its appeal. The animation industry in Japan has become infamous for how stressful it can be, and having an anime focus on that would be interesting to watch. However, here’s where the bait-and-switch comes in: Natsuko eats bad clams for lunch and apparently dies. When she wakes up , shes in the desert outside a medieval city while a group of warriors are fighting monsters.
The One Anime Where Everyone Dies
It takes a while for Natsuko to realize it, but she’s somehow gotten isekaied into A Tale of Perishing, the anime film that inspired her to become an animator in the first place. Unfortunately for her, the film was panned by critics and audiences for a good reason: all the heroes die. Few people would ever want to watch a story where the protagonists all die. And she happened to show up right when the main hero’s best friend is about to pull a Chiatzou and sacrifice himself to stop the monsters, called the Void.
Natsuko’s response: “Nah…I’m gonna fix that.” And somehow, her animating tool lets her manifest her desk and start drawing a deus ex machina to prevent this tragedy from occurring. And while the anime can be a little cringy up to this point (it doesn’t help that I couldn’t decide if I liked dubbed or subbed better) you can tell MAPPA wanted to cook with this one scene in particular.
It boils down to Natsuko recreating the climax of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, minus the main character briefly dying!
The second episode picks up with Natsuko coming out of a three day slumber to be confronted by Luke Braveheart, the main protagonist of the film. From there, it essentially deals with Natsuko trying to understand how she got into this situation as well as how she managed to do whatever she did. Unfortunately, all she can learn is that she can’t use that magic whenever she wants; only when they’re fighting. In addition, she can only drawing a new ending once, so she has to get creative with her approach. Which is a nice handicap MAPPA came up with to make the story more interesting. Zenshu wants Natsuko to work for what she wants!
Only episode 2, and I'll never get tired of Natsuko & Unio banter😂
What does she have against the My little Pony🦄 lookalike?🤣 Shes gonna kill that thing🦄🚫🤣
The other main focus of the second episode, though, is on the growing dynamic between Natsuko and Luke. At first, Luke is very weary of Natsuko, not even knowing if she’s human or not. Then, in this episode, when the mayor of the city offers to have her join the hero’s party, he makes a sexist remark by saying women can’t fight. Right in front of his female teammate, no less. That alone would get him canceled on social media.
Yet, for some reason, Zenshu drops subtle hints that it’s shipping Luke and Natsuko. So, there’s likely going to be some character development on both parts. Plus, it’s hinted that Luke acts like this because of something from his backstory, though it doesn’t say what.
I Hope this Show Develops the Characters More
It’s not just Luke that is a problem, though. It feels like the characters from A Tale of Perishing don’t have much depth to them. Since this is only the first two episodes, though, that will (hopefully) change. But it doesn’t help that Luke’s best friend, a talking unicorn named Unio, is a little irritating. Not even having him voiced by Luci Christian in the dub can help that!
Speaking of dub, it’s hard to tell which is going to be better, subbed or dubbed. On the one hand, the dub does have some good talent with Madeline Morris, the voice of Rudeus Greyrat, voicing Natsuko. On the other hand, the dub can feel a little cringy at times, though that might also be the story.
Despite some of the issues with Zenshu, I did put it as one of the anime to look forward to going into 2025. As such, it only feels right to try and stick it out until the end. At the very least, reviewing it every week might help others decide if it’s worth the watch or not.
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