One of the things that make anime so enjoyable is how unique their stories can be. The new series appearing on Crunchyroll, Zenshu, is no exception. Not only does the story keep you intrigued by showing you something you haven’t seen before, but the animation is fun, and the symbolism throughout keeps your mind active.

Natsuko Hirose’s life took off quickly. After graduating high school she began her career as an animator, showcasing a talent that hadn’t been seen in the industry before. People notice her work, and give her the opportunity to direct. Her very first anime becomes a massive hit, and from there on out she’s expected to continue producing at a level that might just be beyond her capabilities. Unwilling to give up, Natsuko continues to work hard.

But unfortunately Natsuko’s next anime is centered around first love; something she knows nothing about. Her lack of production causes the movie to be delayed, and one day while working on little sleep or food, she dies of exhaustion. She wakes up in the world of her favourite childhood anime, ‘A Tale of Perishing’. She soon discovers the storyline she’s forced to live isn’t everything she thought it was, and by concentrating she can change the storyline into something more survivable.

While Zenshu‘s story may sound a little out there, it’s actually a lot of fun to watch. Of course most of this is because we are living Natsuko’s life alongside her, and trying to solve the mystery of what is going on with her. At first her character is more than a little conceited and hard to like, but for anyone who is creative it’s easy to find yourself walking in her shoes. Natsuko’s frustration with herself really brings her down to earth though, helping to make viewers want to continue watching. Fan of the old Dungeons & Dragons cartoon from the 80s may see some similarities in the plot of Zenshu, after all like that show the main character is pulled from “real” life into a fantasy world and forced to fight all sort of fantasy characters. The two shows also keep you guessing as to if the lead characters are really still alive or not. Zenshu is darker though, and more grown up.

The symbolism in Zenshu is also fun to discover and analyse. Everything from why we don’t see Natsuko’s face completely at the start (a strong indicator of her withdrawing from society and doesn’t let anyone in) to why her childhood film is no longer everything she thought it was (a sure sign of her maturity), keeps the story interesting. The animation is nothing you haven’t seen before, but in this case it doesn’t have to be. It is interesting to note that it is fun and bright in most cases, juxtaposing itself with the relatively darker theme.

Zenshu should be a hit for Crunchyroll. Hopefully the rest of the episodes continue to expand the narrative, and keep us guessing as to what is really going on in Natsuko’s life.