REVIEW: ‘ZENSHU’ Episode 1 — “First Stroke”

ZENSHU from MAPPA is an original anime about making anime—at least, that’s what some of its promotional material would have you believe. However, the anime is surprisingly very different from what the description implies. ZENSHU Episode 1 does a fantastic job of introducing viewers to its peculiar protagonist and concept through its great production, but it also leaves a lot to be desired narratively.

The anime follows Natsuko Hirose (Anna Nagase), a young animation director who rose to fame and prominence with a successful career shortly after graduating high school. Her next project is a romantic comedy film, but Natsuko struggles with this concept because she is unfamiliar with romance and fails to finish the storyboards on time.

One day, while contemplating her next moves and analyzing her favorite childhood anime film, “A Tale of Perishing,” Natsuko passes out while consuming some expired lunch in a rather brutal-looking way. She wakes up, finds herself in the film’s world, and meets all its main characters.

This includes the gloomy main protagonist, Luke Braveheart (Kazuki Ura), and his tropey, overzealous teammate Unio (Rie Kugimiya). One thing leads to another, and Natsuko is forced to save one of the main characters in the film. In the process, she discovers she can draw basically anything into existence in this world and is forced to figure out these powers and how to navigate the world as a foreign visitor.

ZENSHU isn’t a typical Isekai, but it could be much more.

ZENSHU Episode 1 lures you into a false sense of security by making you believe this is an anime about anime production. In its first few minutes, viewers see Natsuko recall her past accomplishments in the industry, her performance of her duties as a director, and her interactions with her co-workers.

However, viewers learn this is not the case upon watching the rest of the episode. Subsequent minutes of the episode introduce the overdone concept of an overworked employee being transported to a fantastical world, gaining some powers in the process. Of course, there’s a twist this time.

Instead of your typical reincarnation or power fantasy isekai anime, the protagonist is just transferred into a fictional fantasy world. Her powers are themed around her talents as an animation director. To be fair, as isekai anime goes, the concept is unique, and Natsuko’s interactions with this fictional world and characters as a director, if done well, could be very interesting.

However, ZENSHU has a disappointing premise for an anime that could have been something different and more meaningful. It could have been an anime about the Japanese animation production cycle, its intricacies, and the amount of effort and talent it takes to make it in the industry. Instead, it’s a fantasy anime, somewhat derivative of many isekai anime, albeit one with its own angle.

It’s unclear whether Natsuko’s interactions with this fictional world contribute to an overarching narrative. Regardless, the first episode’s concept is far from impressive, especially given the expectations engendered by the first half. But this isn’t to say the anime isn’t interesting or entertaining. While the concept isn’t fresh, its execution is refreshing.

MAPPA’s Stellar production quality saves ZENSHU Episode 1.

ZENSHU Episode 1 leaves several interesting mysteries, like whether Natsuko is dead or in a coma, why and how she was teleported to this world, and the story behind her powers. These mysteries and the characters—some of whom, while somewhat tropey, have interesting personalities—keep viewers engaged and give them a reason to return for answers.

Unio speaks and acts like a standard mascot character who only cares about Luke and being a hero, and Luke is your typical righteous protagonist who so far doesn’t show any character depth. His heroism and righteousness are his only defining traits. However, these characters are set in the most basic fantasy world, so their tropey personalities aren’t a surprise, and their interactions with Natsuko are humorous and entertaining.

The best element of the anime so far is its stellar production quality, which is unsurprising given MAPPA’s track record. The episode features impeccable art direction and backgrounds that resemble paintings. It also sports excellent effects, precise motions, fantastic character designs from Yoshiteru Tsujino, and colorful visuals overall. The anime also features a melodious soundtrack, with great tracks heard in both the slow and high-octane moments of the episode.

On one hand, ZENSHU Episode 1 features amazing production quality that makes for an engaging viewing experience. On the other hand, it also has a tired concept and premise that have failed to impress so far. However, its interesting twist and characters make the episode worthwhile, and thanks to its mysteries and world, the anime seems to have a lot of potential.

Zenshu Episode 1 premieres on January 5 on Crunchyroll.