The episode opens with Hirose Natsuko, who seems to have been transported into the world of an anime called “A Tale of Perishing.” She wakes up after being unconscious for three days and is immediately questioned by Luke, one of the Nine Soldiers who protect this world. The story takes place in the Last City, where nine countries each had a “Soul Future” that kept people happy until creatures called Voids started consuming them.

Natsuko quickly realizes she’s inside an anime she’s familiar with, though no one believes her explanations about their world being animated. She meets other characters including Memerun and encounters the city’s mayor and a prophet named Baobab. When the mayor suggests recruiting Natsuko into the Nine Soldiers, Luke strongly opposes it, expressing his prejudice against women joining their ranks, claiming they’re weak and prone to gossip.

The situation becomes more serious when Natsuko reveals her knowledge of an upcoming Void attack during the harvest festival. She explains that flying Voids will emerge from a mothership and devastate the city’s crops, leading to food shortages. Initially skeptical, Luke makes a deal with her: if her prediction proves true and they can defeat the Voids, she can officially join the Nine Soldiers.

Natsuko’s main motivation seems to be getting free food at the tavern that serves the Nine Soldiers, though she’s also trying to figure out how to return to the real world. At the tavern, she meets Naomi, the matron who reminds her of someone from the real world – apparently the president of a company who worked as a producer on “A Tale of Perishing.”

The climax comes when the Voids actually appear exactly as Natsuko predicted. During the battle, she hears her pegbar (an animation tool) speaking to her, telling her she needs to draw. Unlike her previous summoning magic, she learns she can’t reuse the same drawings – she must create something new each time. Under pressure as Luke fights the Voids alone, Natsuko manages to create an impressive aerial battle sequence that helps defeat the Void invasion.

The episode ends with Natsuko recovering from her magical effort – she was unconscious for another three days – and sharing a meal with Luke, who seems to have softened his stance toward her. The food theme continues to be important to Natsuko, who appreciates Luke’s cooking while noting that the time she spent unconscious matches the time it would take to animate the battle sequence she created.

Throughout the episode, we see an interesting blend of anime production knowledge with fantasy elements. Natsuko’s power seems directly tied to her abilities as an animator, though she’s still learning how it works in this world. The episode explores themes of prejudice (through Luke’s initial rejection of female warriors), the power of creativity, and the importance of proving oneself through actions rather than words.

The ending suggests a growing respect between Luke and Natsuko, while also hinting at deeper mysteries about the connection between the real world and this animated universe. The presence of real-world people as characters in this world (like Naomi) suggests there might be more to Natsuko’s transportation than a simple accident, though these connections remain unexplored for now.

The episode concludes with a sense of accomplishment and new possibilities, as Natsuko has proven her worth to the Nine Soldiers while also discovering more about how her animation powers work in this world. However, questions remain about whether she truly wants to return to the real world and what larger role she might play in protecting the Last City from future threats.

Video Recap: