Zenshu Ep 5 Review
Natsuko has been on an absolute tear ever since she came to the world of A Tale of Perishing. Every time a Void has shown up, whether she’s seen them before or not, Natsuko has managed to win. At the rate Zenshu is going, she can change the downer ending into a happy one. However, it would make for a boring anime if things continued along this same pathfr the rest of the series. With Zenshu nearing its halfway point, it has to mix things up to keep the viewers interested. In this case, that, sadly, involves teaching Natsuko an important lesson: just because she knows the original story, doesn’t mean she can solve all its problems.
Natsuko is letting her ego show
I Hirose Natsuko, but it’s not good for Natsuko to let success get to her head. #anime #ただ君のままで #全修 #ZENSHU pic.twitter.com/EL4fcvbRBn
— Rena Sayers (@BenFan29650536) February 2, 2025 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
It was established in the first episode that Natsuko wasn’t someone who worked well with others. Because she has such high standards for herself, she would get repeatedly frustrated when others couldn’t be on her level. Thus, instead of admitting she had no clue what she was doing with her romance flick and asking for help, she tried to do everything alone. While Zenshu already indicated that things were getting bad for the studio she worked at, the opening to this episode showed us just how bad they were getting. If that upcoming film didn’t do well, the entire studio would go under, and it would all be Natusko’s fault.
Here’s the thing, though: Natsuko never figured this out. Nor have her experiences in a world of Perishing helped to curb her lone wolf mentality. Instead, her string of victories over the Void has caused her ego to swell to the size of a planet. She’s openly basking in the people’s adulation and saying that she’s handling everything. Even when she acknowledges how the story has gone way off the rails, she thinks she’s got it covered. Even the cocky Unio believes she’s got too big a head on her shoulders!
Natsuko needs to get her act together
There are two significant issues with how Natsuko is acting in this episode. Firstly, there’s the story itself. If Natsuko is dreaming all this on a hospital bed, then when she wakes up, she wont have learned any important life lessons. Nothing will change, and thus she’ll doom her job due to her ego. Secondly, thinking you know how a story in an isekai will end can be a recipe for disaster. Case in point, the other heroes in Shield Hero thought the same thing. Look up how that turned out for them!
Bottom line, Natsuko needs to start learning how to work with a team, especially now that she’s begun to make an impact on the Nine Soldiers.
Luke is getting jealous of Justice
By now, it should be evident that Luke is falling for Natsuko. Luke may try to deny those feelings, and Natsuko might be oblivious to them (for now), but Unio is fully aware and hates it! Those feelings only continue to grow in this episode when Destiny asks the group to help out the orphans in the District of Despair. Not only is Luke impressed with how easily Natsuko wins over the kids, but he grows jealous when they reunite with an old friend of there’s who starts hitting on Natsuko.
This episode introduces the audience to Justice, a Dragon-man and former member of the Nine Soldiers before he quit. On the surface, it looks like did it to indulge In a life of debauchery. In truth, though, it was because in an earlier battle where a teammate died, his wings got crippled. As a result, he can’t fly. To a dragon, that’s the same as being paralyzed. The worst part, though, is that Luke didn’t even notice it because he was so worried about their other dying comrade.
Oh boy, is Luke becoming jealous Natsuko and Justice are D-A-T-I-N-G? #ZENSHU @RyanNegronVO @lucilovesmic pic.twitter.com/5oPw0PJdPW
— Vincent Sophuok (FU, Musk) (@VincentSophuok) February 2, 2025 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Natsuko is able to bond with Justice because she understands his pain genuinely. Unfortunately, she doesn’t learn from his mistakes of not asking for help from others. In addition, her spending time around Justice starts giving Luke the wrong idea.
Natsuko might have bit off more than she can chew
Eventually, though, Natusko’s hubris catches up with her when the next group of Voids appear. For the first time since she got isekai’d, Natsuko’s drawings fail to defeat the good. The last moment of the episode is of her sitting vulnerable on the ground as the Void looks ready to end her life!
What a cliffhanger! For the first time, things are about to take a turn for the serious! Even if Natsuko makes it out in one piece, the consequences will still be significant. Hopefully, this experience will be the wake-up call she needs. Otherwise, this whole isekai experience will have been for nothing.
This ending is so good
Zenshu ed pic.twitter.com/S619dC4dMr
— ANURAAAAAGG (@AnusamXX) January 6, 2025 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
I Give “Justice” a 4/5
