Zenshu Season 1, Episode 7 Review

Zenshu’s seventh episode, aptly titled “First Love,” breaks A Tale of Perishing to focus on Natsuko’s impact in the real world. Through a series of stories told by outsiders, fans will learn more about Natsuko Hirose than ever before. They’ll also gain insight into Naomi Fukushima, the animation studio president whose spoiled clams kickstarted Zenshu’s isekai plot.

Up to this point, Zenshu followed a tight formula in three acts. Each episode introduces a new problem for Natsuko and her fellow soldiers. A second act introduces a B plot. And finally, all resolves itself in the climax of a Void battle. “First Love” takes a refreshing departure from this structure, delving into the psychological kinks that make Natsuko Hirose a compelling heroine.

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No One Can Resist Natsuko’s Allure

“First Love” dedicates most of its screen time to chronicling Natsuko’s rise and fall as an animation prodigy. However, this story is told by those whose lives she most affected. This storytelling method illuminates Natsuko’s influence and ability to bring out the best in others. Unfortunately, Natsuko is too self-absorbed to reciprocate others’ affection.

Midori Ichihashi Falls in Love with Natsuko’s Passion

The episode’s first segment occurs during Natsuko’s elementary school days and is recounted by a mild-mannered classmate named Midori Ichihashi. Her class goes on a school trip to a local movie theater to watch A Tale of Perishing. While most students cannot understand the eccentric and depressing film, Natsuko embraces its mystery.

Natsuko obsesses over A Tale of Perishing and its mystifying director, Kamataro Tsuruyama. This obsession makes the young artist even more confusing to her classmates. However, Midori gains inspiration from Natsuko’s commitment to anime and her love for the film’s characters. While baffled by some of Natsuko’s practices (including trying to draw in her sleep), Midori grows closer to her newfound friend.

When Midori moves away to a new school, her classroom holds a small party to wish her goodbye. Natsuko gives her the best parting gift of all: a sketch of Midori sharing a laugh with Luke Braveheart. This act of friendship drives Midori into a fit of happy tears. This fit makes Natsuko smile, visibly delighted to see her art positively impact her friend.

Shu Ninomiya Falls in Love with Natsuko’s Dedication

Shu Ninomiya’s love story takes place during Natsuko’s middle school years. The affable track runner notices Natsuko’s peculiar dedication to her art. While Natsuko is an enigma to her classmates, they admire her talent. Even her teachers, who may scold Natsuko for her unorthodox methods (like unleashing bugs in a classroom to study their movements), acknowledge and encourage her gifts.

One of Natsuko’s peculiarities is arriving at school early to practice drawing nature. However, while Natsuko is busy observing nature, Ninomiya is busy observing her. Other students detect this connection, implying to Ninomiya that she may reciprocate his schoolboy crush. Natsuko seemingly confirms this theory by taking interest in him as a subject.

Ninomiya and Natsuko share an interesting relationship from that point onward. For instance, Natsuko often meets Ninomiya at the school track, yelling from a megaphone for him to run faster and faster until his legs create an afterimage for her to replicate on paper. The young athlete’s desire to please Natsuko drives him to break a new record at a track meet. Unfortunately, Natsuko loses interest in Ninomiya after she gets what she wants. Despite Ninomiya’s broken heart, Natsuko’s pushing helped him reach his physical potential. (A net positive. Right?)

Saburo Aoi Falls in Love with Natsuko’s Confidence and Ambition

As expected, the next love story follows Natsuko into high school when she interns at a local university. The anime club, led by the egotistical Saburo Aoi, needs assistance creating a local band’s music video. Aoi underestimates Natsuko, mansplaining in-between frames and peg bars to her. But to his surprise, Natsuko’s talent outpaces her collegiate colleagues. Eventually, Natsuko usurps Aoi as the music video’s director, and the finished product astonishes everyone, especially Aoi.

Aoi falls under Natsuko’s spell, leading him down a rabbit hole of obsession. He claims Natsuko is his rival, dedicating himself to following every step in her career. It’s hard to say if Aoi’s one-sided rivalry is beneficial since this story ends with him as a four-year super senior. However, the anime world will benefit without his hubris.

Naomi Fukushima Falls in Love with Natsuko’s Potential

But Does the KonKon Studio President Push Her Too Far?

Naomi Fukushima’s segment stands out among the rest. Considering her presence in A Tale of Perishing and connection to its director, Naomi is too significant a character to ignore. Yet, her motivations and relationship with Natsuko are underexamined. Unlike the other admirers who declare Natsuko their “first love,” Naomi declares Natsuko her “108th, and perhaps even [her] last first love!”

The KonKon studio president’s ‘love at first sight’ moment appears more like ‘greed at first sight.’ As she observes Natsuko sketching a J-Pop idol, she imagines yen popping out of her like a malfunctioning ATM. Still, her approach is generous. She recognizes the prodigy’s talent and hopes to support it however she can. As her story unfolds, viewers see that Naomi enjoys mentoring new artists and is in it for more than monetary gain.

After jumpstarting Natsuko’s career, Naomi presents her with the pitch for a rom-com. At first, this move seems like business as usual. Why not give anime’s up-and-coming superstar her first movie directing credit? However, Naomi’s decision is more calculated than that. By challenging Natsuko to make a film outside of her lived experience, Naomi hopes to push her toward a breakthrough.

Then, the flashback reveals its most surprising twist: Hatsukoi: First Love’s production delays are by design. That’s why, as Natsuko falls into a mental spiral and her team panics about the film’s fate, Naomi gives her plenty of patience and reassurance. This architected catastrophe makes Naomi a compelling character. On the one hand, her intentions are in Natsuko’s best interests. But, on the other hand, is Naomi’s tough mentorship the best for Natsuko’s health?

When Natsuko writhes on the floor of her office cubicle, Naomi must face the consequences of her actions head-on. Food poisoning certainly was not part of her plan. But by facilitating Natsuko’s mental decline, Naomi also facilitated the mental state that caused Natsuko to ignore the fact that she was eating grimy, purple, fungus-afflicted shellfish.

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Something is Askew in Natsuko’s Anime Heaven

In the last scene, Natsuko awakes from a nap at a picnic table surrounded by her friends at the Serval Cat House orphanage. It’s an idyllic scene featuring a dozen happy children, a table full of delicious food, and A Tale of Perishing’s characters living their best lives. However, despite the utopia Natsuko created, she can’t ignore the feeling that something is off.

Natsuko contemplates her new life while staring at the clear blue sky above her. She asks herself, “Is this how the story’s supposed to go? Is it wrong for everyone to be so happy?” The hawk with the red bob swoops onto the stone fence behind Natsuko and looks her dead in the eyes. Without missing a beat, she declares:

Natsuko’s new fates clash with Kamataro Tsuruyama’s vision of A Tale of Perishing. However, this clash presents an ethical dilemma. A Tale of Perishing is arguably Natsuko’s first love. It’s the film that inspired her to become an anime virtuoso. Why wouldn’t she do everything possible to save the characters she adores, especially Luke? But is she betraying her artistic hero (Tsuruyama) by preventing the perishing that this tale is about?

All of “First Love”‘s yarns end in loss. Midori moves to a new town and never sees Natsuko again. Ninomiya sweats his heart out for Natsuko, only for her to lose interest and move on. Aoi watches Natsuko surpass him and dwells on her success while struggling to graduate. Lastly, Naomi watches her wunderkind pupil die before her eyes. Perhaps there is no love without loss. If Natsuko truly loves A Tale of Perishing, she might have to let her newfound family go.

ZENSHU

Release Date

January 5, 2025