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We’ve all joked about how technology is moving so fast that it might overwhelm us. A few years ago, there was even an ongoing joke about how the 5G mobile network would mind-control us. To my surprise, Train to the End of the World is an anime that uses this as a trampoline for its bizarre yet gripping plot. With 7G finally upon humanity, what might’ve been a blessing turned out to be the doomsday device for the world, and yet, it makes way for a wholesome and shocking adventure.
Train to the End of the World Is An Unhinged Anime I Can’t Get Enough Of
Nowadays, we have so many anime tropes that can get tiresome. I say this as someone who watches anime every day. Once a new season begins, I list all the shows I’ll watch and tackle them individually during lunch. I even have a calendar next to my workspace with each airing date, and I don’t miss a single one. Ask me about my mother-in-law’s birthday, and I couldn’t tell you; ask me when an anime premieres, and I’m your guy. And while this media is my daily protein, I can agree that sometimes the tropes can get old too quickly. I only picked a few Isekai that seemed promising, and I tried to choose my shonen shows carefully.
However, I also added Train to the End of the World to my anime watchlist because the plot seemed simple enough: a group of girls on a train looking for a friend in a post-apocalyptic landscape. The synopsis doesn’t do justice to this show. What you have is an anime where, one day, our run-of-the-mill girl, Youka Nakatomi, wins the chance to launch the 7G mobile network. Yes, 6G has long come and gone. Now, humanity is about to make its biggest leaps regarding communication capabilities. Well, as soon as our girl presses that button, the world enters doomsday mode.
Normality in a Devastated World
Suffice it to say, the opening minutes of the first episode were enough to hook me. I was in for a runaway story or some teenage drama. And yes, we have that, but with a twist. After our seemingly obvious protagonist turned on the 7G network, the world transformed: creatures started roaming the streets, communications went down (oh, the irony), and people from certain communities transformed into animals. I thought, “Oh hey, a furry anime,” I didn’t mind. But no, what followed was a pair of minutes filled with some of the most organic dialogues we rarely see in the media. I say organic because it is hard to find any of them nowadays.
For example, any other anime emphasizes the characters’ backstories, but Train to the End of the World doesn’t. Instead of learning about the hero’s overplayed motivations, such as: “Someone beat up my father with a loaf of bread, and now I’ll become the best baker ever,” we have animals discussing their daily tasks. You might feel I’m delving too much into this, but the fact that we have characters speaking naturally instead of looking like they are reading straight from a script will always be a win for me in any media; nothing forced, nothing cliché. Yet the greatness doesn’t end there.
All Aboard
After the introduction to the world’s state, which is basically a post-apocalyptic landscape with monsters, delivery services, a la Death Stranding, and no communication outside of these small communities, we see our cast: a group of eclectic girls. Being the only four humans in the village, they are all looking for what to be once they become animals, which happens when they turn 21. Yet, our protagonist, Shizuru, has no clue as to what to do with her life other than see her friend again. Who’s that friend? You guessed it: the girl who turned on the 7G cataclysm.
After finding out the former train conductor can teach her how to operate the village’s train, she decides to learn the ropes of this vehicle and take it to where her friend was seen last. And yes, that’s where the journey begins. Just four girls, a dog, a train they barely know how to operate, a world full of dangers, and the drive to see their friend. It sounds like a simple plot, but for me, it’s more interesting than any we’ve seen in recent months.
Why do I feel this will be the sleeper hit of the season? Because we rarely see something out of the ordinary lately. I don’t mind the Isekai overload or the latest Yuri-riddled seasons; they are fine and good shows to binge in a day. However, having something that breaks the wheel and brings bizarreness is fantastic. Train to the End of the World is an anime series I hope gets recognition as its episodes air. It’s an organic show that hooks you with every bit of dialogue, interaction, and sequence. Add memorable characters, great world-building, and stunning visuals; this could be the best anime of the Spring.
