is an original Japanese anime television series produced by MAPPA. It is directed by Mitsue Yamazaki and written by , with Sumie Noro serving as assistant director and Yukari Hashimoto composing the music. Original character designs are provided by Yoshiteru Tsujino, while Kayoko Ishikawa adapts the designs for animation. The series aired from January 5 to March 23, 2025, on TV Tokyo and its affiliates. The opening theme song is "Zen", performed by Band-Maid, while the ending theme song is "Tada, Kimi no Mama de (ãÂÂã ãÂÂÃ¥ÂÂã®ã¾ã¾ã§)", performed by Sou. Crunchyroll streams the series.
Premise
The series centers on Natsuko Hirose, a prodigious director and animator. While struggling with the storyboard of her latest project, she reads a newspaper article that says the director of A Tale of Perishing, a critical flop, but her favorite anime movie nonetheless, died of food poisoning, only to suffer the same fate moments later.
Waking up in the world of A Tale of Perishing, she discovers that she has the power to bring her animations to life, in order to alter the tragic storyline and bring hope to the world of the anime that inspired her to pursue animation as a child.
Characters
An animator who got food poisoning and awakens in a world based on her favorite childhood anime film A Tale of Perishing. She discovers that her pegboard came along with her, which has also gained a will of its own, though only she can hear its voice. Using the pegboard, she can summon a magic work desk and use it to quickly draw something that she can temporarily bring to life. She also has control over her creations. However, there are limits: her powers only work in dire situations, she cannot draw the same thing twice, she is vulnerable while drawing, and she passes out for three days after using her powers. It is later discovered that the Voids, the showâÂÂs main antagonists, can also copy her creations. On most occasions, her face is covered by her long hair, which led the Nine Soldiers to believe that she's a gremlin when they first met her. She soon becomes a member of the Nine Soldiers and is good friends with Destiny, although she does not get along well with Unio, though they soon put aside their differences. In her past, she lacked the ability to fall in love, but soon begins developing feelings for Luke.
The main protagonist of A Tale of Perishing and the leader of the Nine Soldiers. He isn't all the caring as he at first mistreats Natsuko after thinking that she is a gremlin, but his views towards her changes upon seeing her unbelievable powers and that she's really a human being. However, he continues to be a rude and arrogant jerk towards Natsuko, which she understands and refuses to give him what he wants and he ends up insulting Memmeln when trying to make an excuse of not letting Natsuko join them, but he soon begins to warm up to her. He develops feelings for Natsuko after seeing her face, but also knows Natsuko doesn't feel the same way about him. He also has feelings for Destiny, though they donâÂÂt fall in love in the altered storyline. It is revealed that the ending of the movie, Luke begins to despair and blames the Soul Future for everything, leading him to destroy it and killing everyone. Luke becomes the real Ultimate Void and the world is destroyed. But due to QJ telling Natsuko that because of her, the future and Luke's fate could change. This is proven right as the world is restored following the Ultimate Void's defeat, with all lives lost being revived in the process.
A small unicorn-like creature and a member of the Nine Soldiers. He can transform into a flying unicorn but without his horn, he is mostly powerless, though it grows back. Like Luke, he at first treats Natsuko like an outcast until learning of her true characteristics. He was originally meant to be the first to die in the storyline by sacrificing himself to destroy a Void army, but was saved by Natsuko after she creates a monster to destroy them instead. Nevertheless, he still doesnâÂÂt like Natsuko at all, who usually swings him around and throws him whenever sheâÂÂs mad at him, and later wears his horn like a hairpin. They often get into heated arguments, and Unio almost always sees Natsuko as a threat to himself and his friends; however, it may be because he is jealous of Natsuko's relationship with Luke. Despite this, he never goes too far as to antagonize her using ruthless methods. However, they soon begin to put aside their resentment of each other.
A female elf who is a member of the Nine Soldiers. She is skilled with a bow and arrow, which have magical capabilities. When Luke tries to make an excuse about not letting Natsuko join them by saying an issue about women, Memmeln gives him a cold shoulder for that as she too is a woman. She and QJ are the only members who do not have any personal issues towards Natsuko. However, it is later revealed that she is part of a cult who seeks to awaken the Ultimate Void so it can end their immortality. She was originally meant to be killed by Luke following her transformation into the Ultimate Void, but this was changed when Memmeln decided to reconsider (due to Natsuko reprimanding her earlier for not caring about innocent people) and Natsuko created a character called Sir Exister from an anime called Uta-Men, who dances with Memmeln to make her give up her attempt to end her eternal life due to her now idolizing Exister.
QJ
A flying robot who is a member of the Nine Soldiers. He can analyze situations and give advice, and can also fire lasers at enemies. He and Memmeln are the only members who do not have any personal issues towards Natsuko. In the ninth episode, he sacrifices himself to destroy a powerful Void; he didnâÂÂt die in the original storyline. However, he was revived at the end of the anime.
Justice
A dragon who was once a member of the Nine Soldiers, having quit due to being injured in battle and cannot fly for long due to their damaged wing. They seem to like Natsuko.
Destiny Heartwarming
The mayorâÂÂs daughter and Luke's love interest, who wears a skimpy outfit. In this alternate storyline, she does not become a lover to Luke. She was originally engaged with a rich chairman so she can start an orphanage. After being saved from a Void by Natsuko (she was originally meant to die at this point), who creates a wrestler character named Serval Cat Mask to defeat it, she becomes fascinated by her creation and begins wearing a wrestling outfit of her own, which is even more revealing than her previous outfit and also comes with a tiger mask, wanting to be a fighter too and in time develops a muscular body. She also starts an orphanage on her own after declining the chairmanâÂÂs proposal and is now good friends with Natsuko. However, she soon reverts back to her old self and becomes engaged to the chairman so he can help support her orphanage.
Chingosman
A former member of the Nine Soldiers who was killed prior to the events of the series, but was revived at the end.
Ganger
A golem-like character who was originally a member of the Nine Soldiers. He was killed prior to the events of the series, but was revived at the end.
Capitan
A former member of the Nine Soldiers who was killed prior to the events of the series, but was revived at the end.
Admiral
A former member of the Nine Soldiers who was killed prior to the events of the series, but was revived at the end.
Baobab
A goblin prophet who can predict the future.
Naomi
A bar matron who looks like and shares the same name as Natsuko's coworker from the real world.
Serval Cat Mask
A wrestler character who wears a tiger mask. Natsuko created him to fight a Void. Destiny idolizes him. He is a reference of the series Tiger Mask.
Sir Exister
A handsome man from an anime called Uta-Men. He was created by Natsuko to stop Memmeln from transforming into the Ultimate Void and put an end to her ulterior motives. Memmeln idolizes him.
Meg and Sally
Two elves who aid Memmeln with her plans to unleash the Ultimate Void and end their immortality. Like Memmeln, they may have abandoned their plans as a result of Sir Exister influencing them.
Midori Ichihashi
A girl who fell in love with Natsuko, but their relationship ended when she moved away.
Shu Ninomiya
A boy who fell in love with Natsuko during middle school, but could not win her over.
Saburo Aoi
A director who serves as a rival to Natsuko, but also had feelings for her. Like Midori and Shu, he also failed to win her heart.
Naomi Fukushima
The president of the studio that Natsuko works at. She also has feelings for Natsuko.
Kametaro Tsuruyama
The director of A Tale of Perishing, who died and apparently reincarnated in the world based on the anime, but as a bird. Natsuko idolizes her. She is annoyed with Natsuko for changing all of her hard work and wants the storyline to play out as she wrote it. Even so, she never intervenes nor does she try to stop Natsuko from changing the plot. In the end, while Natsuko returns to the real world, she remains in the anime world.
Episodes
Notes
References
External links