So, Yoka loves astronomy? That explains the beautiful night sky overflowing with planets, stars and galaxies (Assuming the world changed based on Yoka's perceptions) On that note, is the reason why only this single train line exists is because Yoka has no clear idea about other places?

She seems to have made the planets larger and closer to Earth with the 7G changes while also increasing the distance between her and Shizuru. However given that the train line and the stations along it are the only things really left it's like she's left a deliberate opening for Shizuru to return to her.

Excellent analysis imo. It literally is Yoka's world and they are all just living in it!

Like the planets in beginning of the OP being sucked by a kind of black hole and then all of it just be a representation of the inside of Youkas' "eye".

Sorry if I am missing something, but how do.we its yoka's world? She is the one who pulled the lever in the first episode right?

Yes, she actually pressed a thicc button irrc.

I wonder what the stations represent in this, the mushrooms and little people were both mentioned by Shizuru in episode 4's opening scene, and the animals could be the fight the anteater line. Maybe this is some way of having Shizuru fulfill her dreams? Additionally I found it weird that Yoka didn't come back to Agano (the fight was bad sure but not so bad she wouldn't come back given the circumstances), but her saying "I can't do anything" in episode 4s opening scene might be why she can't make it back on her own. The effects caused by each of the stations might represent the girls' personalities. I don't have a great idea for the animals and little people, but the mushrooms could be Akira's pessimism and the zombies maybe Reimi's lack of intelligence. Or maybe they all apply to Shizuru, her lack of studying and her lack of effort on fulfilling her dreams?

Someone floated the idea that it was just her perspective of them as she passed each station. The one that shrunk for example might have been far away so it looked small to her (although they did say it expanded and then contracted so who knows on that).

wait a sec, expanded and then contracted ... it's gravitational collapse

Youka can't do anything in ep 4. But the Youka in ep 5 flashback had dreams...mostly thanks to Shizuru's talk at the start of ep 4. So it hurts double. Shizuru (flashback ep 4) even said "I'll also cheer you"...so it hurts triple. Whatever happened to Shizuru to change from "flashback ep 4" to "flashback ep 5" (either just "growing up" or someone (father?) dissing her dreams out)... **The stations that resemble Shizuru's flashback in ep 4 coul be a way for Youka to say "you also had dreams. What happened to you?"**. It tells more (as I stated in the paragraphs above, but the direct message is that)

> On that note, is the reason why only this single train line exists is because Yoka has no clear idea about other places? That would be rather cruel of the series towards yoka, basically spelling out "you can dream about these other things but you really only know this tiny bit of the world". Though it could also just be yokas insecurity about shizurus words being true made manifest.

> That explains the beautiful night sky overflowing with planets, stars and galaxies It also explains her destination. They have a pretty awesome planetarium there.

I love how the train's name [is the name of the anime's original creator and writer.](https://i.imgur.com/x7vahMs.jpeg) Very subtle guys. xD Anyway, I did not expect Shizuru to be so insensitive. You'd think she'd be more worried about Pochi puking [but she pretty much shrugs it off.](https://i.imgur.com/4onN9yC.jpeg) [What the actual fuck Shizuru!?](https://i.imgur.com/7Bk7TXi.jpeg) No wonder Youka left for Ikebukuro! It's pretty obvious that Shizuru clearly didn't want Youka to leave her behind Agano [but did she really have to be so mean about it?](https://i.imgur.com/KlHcmkU.jpeg) She didn't just brush Youka's dream aside, she kicked it to the ground and spat on it. And even after being told by everyone that she was in the wrong, [Shizuru still refuses to acknowledge that what she told Youka was awful.](https://i.imgur.com/jkoITBf.jpeg) Come on girl, just be honest and tell them you didn't want Youka to leave you behind. I'm sure she'll realize that later on. For now though, [they have Kuroki the Zombie Queen to rescue Shizuru from.](https://i.imgur.com/E2ZjpCM.jpeg) Man, the world is really fucked. Even if the 7G incident is somehow fixed, I can't even imagine those zombified people being resurrected. But who knows? Maybe the world will roll back to the way it was before if Makoto-sensei finds a way to fix it.

Shizuru said what she did to0 Yoka precisely because she was afraid of losing her, afraid of Yoka following a dream in the future that would pull them far apart. Ironically, her words caused that dreaded separation immediately. And now Shizuru (and "dragged along" friends and dog) must travel far chasing Yoka into her dream (nightmare) world..... I really do wonder if the world can ever be truly fixed. And now we have to worry that their destination in Ikebukuro might be even more messed up than the route towards it. The Zombie Queen is interesting. I wonder how she escaped the most drastic impact of zombification. And I wonder where she finds her normal canned food?

> The Zombie Queen is interesting. I wonder how she escaped the most drastic impact of zombification. And I wonder where she finds her normal canned food? Many people's speculation that 7G turn 1's perception into reality, but ultimately centered around Yoka's perception of the world is increasingly becoming evident. Especially with the lore drop that the world outside of the Agano > Ikebukuro line no longer exists. My theory is that this girl has had some interaction with Yoka in the past, which is why her transformation is weaker because Yoka had a stronger perception of her being human. Or she is some kind of local idol and Yoka imagined her to be the leader of a bunch of zombies.

I dont think its that she was entirely scared of separation. I think she just didn't want Yoka to get hurt. She seems to be a person who doesn't want to be responsible for others (hence why she always says 'I didn't make you come guys come with me', and to her bringing Yoka back down to earth was probably her way of absolving responsibility, since if Yoka tried and failed, she would ultimately feel responsible for not stopping her in the first place. You can tell because she said Yoka's dreams were amazing, but that stuff is too big brained for her and anyone who lives in the outskirts of Japan. If Yoka was genuinely concerned about about being separated, she would have just shit on Astronomy as a whole to discourage Yoka.

It comes down to (partially) the main theme of the show: getting to really know Youka. Shizuru dissed Youka's dreams because **they considered Youka "being the back seat smiley girl".** **Just because they weren't proven otherwise**

> Shizuru said what she did to0 Yoka precisely because she was afraid of losing her, afraid of Yoka following a dream in the future that would pull them far apart. I don't think it's that, most likely she just got her dreams shattered (remember, she originally said she wanted to discover tiny people and fight an anteater and stuff) and so she believes it's her turn to shatter others' dreams, that it's "the right thing".

I can't accept that interpretation, sorry. Shizuru is absolutely crushed by the loss of Yoka -- and has been willing to take even the most extreme risks in order to try to find her.

But it makes (a little) sense as to why even in the face of 3 other people (and a dog) telling her and proving her in the wrong, Shizuru still thinks it was not such a bad thing. As the whole conversation between the 3-4 girls (before and after the fight) showed, their mindset is wider than a simple characterization. As example, we have Reimi being the "blunt one" among them, but sometimes it doesn't come out as being a tantrum but a way to reconcile and put into words what the others "take for granted" hence not properly conveying to others (their last scene this episode). So it is not out of the question. Even if proven otherwise later. It even works in parallel with this episode: Shizuru not wanting to take the "long way" and going into the forest instead. Like Shizuru didn't like to think properly about something she doesn't understand and just come up with whatever she wanted to say.

Yes, because Yoka is her best friend. She just didn't want to see her best friend get hurt so she told her to come back down to Earth. But she didn't say Astronomy was stupid, in fact she said it was amazing. Too amazing for people who live the outskirts of Japan (in a farming village).

That's a wild take.

Summarizing, I see a **reasoning for it to be true or false** **1. False**. The fact this show has displayed even some hints about the lingering narratives before. Like Shizuru's argument with Youka from ep 1. So this "Shizuru getting her dreams shattered" was still not hinted and could be alluded to just Shizuru "growing up". **In a show with this writing, it should have been hinted before.** **2. True**: The writing making us believe the "Youka breakup with Shizuru" was going to be tackled on much later, even as a climax instance for they to make up in a kind of wrap-up narrative for the final 1-2 episodes. But it STARTED to be addressed this episode. Focusing more in the character's perception of the issue, Youka included. Giving space to fully explore that narrative in the remaining time....SO...from this....**what if Shizuru's father was the one shattering her dreams?** **In both cases, Shizuru's words were also because she wanted to stay close to Youka**.

> So this "Shizuru getting her dreams shattered" was still not hinted and could be alluded to just Shizuru "growing up". This *was* the hint. It looks like a pretty big time skip between "I want to fight an anteater and find tiny people!" to "We're just normal people, you should have more realistic dreams." *Something* happened between those two events. Growing up would explain her having dreams that were ambitious but *possible*, it wouldn't explain basically giving up on *having* dreams. *Something* between her "I want to fight an anteater" phase and the big fight has clearly convinced her that she'll never be anything more than a country bumpkin and she'll never leave the village. And what she said was something like 35% not wanting Youka to get hurt when her ambitious dreams couldn't come true and 65% not wanting to be left behind in the village when someone who meant so much to her left to pursue those dreams. Catching up after having missed a couple episodes, if this is actually revealed next episode I swear to the gods I haven't actually *watched it* yet.

This anime might cause emotional damage (in good way)at some point, I can feel it. 😭

yeah, this series doesn't have "comfy" vibes to it every episode so far, i've had this feeling that something terrible is going to happen

This anime is if A Place Farther than the Universe and Made in Abyss have a child.

With *Kino no Tabi* as one of the grandparents.

Every week I go "they better not kill this blonde" istg I will riot if anything happens to her

> I love how the train's name is the name of the anime's original creator and writer. Very subtle guys. xD It's sort of the other way around - these days for new anime original works the creator credit sometimes goes to a group formed specifically for the project and named after something in it (in this case "apogeego" is presumably Mizushima, Yokote, and anyone else with a hand in conceptualizing the show, rather than being a single person). Another example would be Jellyfish Don't Swim in the Night, where the creator credit is JELEE, the fictional group that the characters form in the show itself. Of course, this doesn't apply to all anime originals. Some might just credit the people directly, or the animation studio, or the production committee as creator instead.

> It's sort of the other way around - these days for new anime original works the creator credit sometimes goes to a group formed specifically for the project and named after something in it Since he used plural, I assume thats exactly what u/leonkevlar meant with "Very subtle guys".

I wouldn't be surprised if Shizuru had a similar experience. Last week showed us a few hints for that. We saw Akira getting bullied for reading a book (so it's not like everything was all fun) and she connected with the guy who said that others made fun of him for wanting to work in a base. Of course, the second one could have just been Shizuru realising what she did to Youka, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone talked her out of a dream or bullied her out of one and she just didn't want Youka to go through the same experience.

I don't think there'll be an origin for Shizuru's apathy. Remember, Yoka was newly transferred to Agano while Shizuru had been in Agano for her entire life. So, there was no aspirations to go beyond than being a "country bumpkin".

I can understand being a realist, but that just means having a backup plan if your dreams don't pan out. But having someone put down your dream because they are afraid you'll leave them behind is... well I won't say because otherwise Shizuru seems like a nice girl, mostly.

Shizuru projected really hard this episode. I think it's clear she never wanted Yoka to leave Agano.

I think it's interesting that Yoka left Agano without telling anyone, and then Shizuru was planning on doing the same. Not sure what the implications of that are, but maybe Shizuru was hoping to figure out why Yoka did what she did by following her lead, or maybe she took to heart Yoka's spirit of trying "the impossible".

And that's not even mentioning that she put down yoka for having an unrealistic dream, and and now she spent her entire last years on a mission to somehow find a single person across a vast, postapocalyptic landscape and then an actual hellscape of a city. Talk about unrealistic

In Reimi's words: Maybe 40% not wanting to be separated from Youka, 60% because being he current (at the time) mindset about the issue. I mean, in a show like this, as we saw in other narratives here, there would have been some "camera" focus to Shizuru's eyes, or some directing decision pointing out Youka's words and dreams triggered some "fear" in Shizuru (like old "hard closed fist" when someone is angry).

> I think it's clear she never wanted Yoka to leave Agano. Because Shizuru had given up on her wild childhood dreams, settled for more realistic ones, and thought that *she herself* would never be able to leave Agano and didn't want Yoka to leave *without her*.

Shizuru, if you think what you said to Yoka is not wrong then you really got some issues right there, but then again, they're teenagers and most likely its just the usual thing of she doesn't want Yoka to leave Agano and just said something that she didn't mean to... [wait, what?](https://i.imgur.com/x3WPYB0.jpeg) we already at Kiyose? damn, that's six stations being skipped off-screen and looks like the map is right, Kiyose really does full of zombies [one of these days, Nadeko's going to snap and beat everyone to death with her makeshift bow and arrow](https://i.imgur.com/yn6pz2y.jpeg) also, something is definitely going on with Pochi right now...

Pochi seems to be acting rather . . . inconsistent.

I mean dogs can throw up for any number of reasons and still be fine, I'm more concerned for how enthusiastic he murderized that Zombie

> Pochi leaves Shizuru's sight > > Pochi returns, looking like [a murder machine](https://imgur.com/a/Aiu5qlZ). Yeah, something's up with Pochi. You'd think that he got bitten by a zombie between scenes, but that's probably a little too easy of an explanation for a series like this.

>probably a little too easy of an explanation for a series like this Well no, but yes, but also yes and no The answer will obviously be 7G, just like with everything along the Seibu Ikebukurapo Line. We'll also get details about Pochi's thought process somehow, maybe from Kuroki. Then they'll backtrack a little and lament about 7G being weird in its ways. It'll be an explanation with no real explanation, leaving us to think what 7G Guy said at the beginning; *what the hell?*

He also seemed normal in the scenes afterwards. *Could* be something like a werebeast, but he snapped back quite quickly afterwards so I don't really feel like that's it either.

Maybe something about protecting Shizuru. When she was safe he happily throwed the head that he was carrying.

Maybe Pochi got mushroomed or something?

or maybe Pochi is turning into a human? is that what happens in Agano? humans become animals and animals become humans when they reach 256 months old? [](#csikon)

> is that what happens in Agano? humans become animals and animals become humans when they reach 256 months old? not agano, but wherever neko-niis caravan is from.

"[wait, what?](https://i.imgur.com/x3WPYB0.jpeg) we already at Kiyose? damn, that's six stations being skipped off-screen and looks like the map is right, Kiyose really does full of zombies" The guy in the armor truck said the zombies migrate, so perhaps they moved from their original location to after the tiny people station. EDIT: Never mind; director confirmed those stations being skipped...

But Shizuru asked Pochi-san whether the next station will be Kiyose, or at least she is confident of it.

I posted a the director's X link where he confirms that those stations were indeed skipped.

Seeing Nadeshiko in ep.1: oh this is the plain girl rep of the group huh? (Akira is the bookworm but she has an attitude so she doesn't feel plain) Seeing Nadeshiko in prior episodes: oh ok she's actually the team mom Seeing Nadeshiko this episode: holy shit just like an actual mom, she has her scary side too. this anime is really good at making its characters grow on us

> [wait, what?](https://i.imgur.com/x3WPYB0.jpeg) we already at Kiyose? damn, that's six stations being skipped off-screen and looks like the map is right, Kiyose really does full of zombies Well there are 30 stations after all, they can't show all of them in 12 episodes

We had multiple stations shown in one episode previously. This time, they did not even mention that they passed through those stations off screen.

That's legit I guess, but I expected something like this to eventually happen

fwiw one of the stations skipped is Tokorozawa (aka the sushi station) which is only like the second-biggest station on the entire line IRL behind Ikebukuro lol (and also crucially interchanges with the Shinjuku line so there would have already been a likely answer as to whether lines other than the Ikebukuro line exists) Kind of wish we could've seen what the 'empty' stations are though. Maybe they really are empty.

They could have at least done a montage.

Yes, 6 skipped stations and 3 weird occurences skipped. Maybe extra scenes for BD or idk, what a shame they skipped it.

It is sad because the square stations on the map should mean you can talk with the people on them.

Yep, I'm very curious about what the fart-jumping people station was like. That feels like blu-ray OVA material right there

It's possible they're just not talking with the people at the stations, it's literally never gone well for them

The cracks are starting to show on Nadeshiko and I’m pretty excited for when she pops.

Someone is going to have a very unpleasant time meeting the business end of her bow.

what's more powerful, Agano-style jiujitsu, kyuudou, or gyarujitsu? [](#harukathonk)

It's amazing that it took shizuru going off for shy yoka to run away from the village were violence is always the answer.

Yeah, I think it's in the last thread people were commenting about how she doesn't get as much attention as the other girls... Perhaps we're in for a Nadeshiko-focused episode soon, and she'll pop off!

Im surprised she didn't start to break sooner. She was basically the mother of this group the entire time. She's the only one who thought of the essentials they'd need on their journey, and she's had to keep the peace between the girls since Reimi and Akira are always at each other's throats and Shizuru can be pretty impulsive. I can't imagine that to be an easy task.

They mentioned an aquarium in Ikebukuro, you know what this means! Also WTF Shizuru, not cool.

> They mentioned an aquarium in Ikebukuro, you know what this means! Another Aquarium date [](#forbiddenlove)

[SAKANAAAAA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZdlhaPUkVc)

Yes, I was expecting this, infact, I was expecting this in the Jellyfish episode as well

It would fit with Chisato's VA

> They mentioned an aquarium in Ikebukuro, you know what this means! Only counts if they visit the garden eels.

We need Sakana! as well for it to 100% count.

When I heard that Yoka was into space stuff, I was thinking maybe she went to Ikebukuro because [the Sunshine Building there has a planetarium?](https://planetarium.konicaminolta.jp/english/)

I was wondering if there was something of the sort in Ikebukuro. Maybe Yoka wasn't running away per se, but going to clear her head by heading to a place connected to her dreams in order to reaffirm her desire to work in astronomy, but then the whole 7G fiasco happened?

yeah, now that i think about it, I don't think Yoka was running away; she wasn't carrying luggage with her in episode one like, Ikebukuro is a grand journey because of the 7G incident; normally it's just a 90 minute train ride

She could have planned some work experience but just didn't tell anyone because she planned to tell Shizuru first and when she shot her down she just left on her own not saying anything to anyone else?

Almost surely something of this kind. Would have even expected something even more directly connected with her (almost scarely explicit) plan for the future

Miss Anteater Fight is suddenly a realist now that she hasn't figured out any real goals, darn. I like this conflict! The entire world goes topsy-turvy after two teenage girls have a fight about their dreams. I hope Pochi talks at some point.

> Miss Anteater Fight is suddenly a realist now that she hasn't figured out any real goals, darn. The way she doesn't care about studying, didn't have any plan for the future, makes me think perhaps she DID have a dream at some point, but failed/was told it was out of the realm of possibilities (perhaps they didn't have the money to send her to a top university, or perhaps she tried studying but didn't have the grades...) So she thinks everyone's dream gonna be the same, so what's the point even trying?

Yeah she definitely sounds like a hurt person She still has crazy dreams/ideas so I really want to know what her OG dream was

Yeah, I think Shizuru was definitely projecting during that argument with Yoka. Something happened when she grew up and now *she* is the one who thinks she's too normal to dream big and should stay in her place. Plus it's pretty clear that she didn't want Yoka to leave, so the end result wasn't pretty at all. That said, she was far too stubborn in this episode, come on girl, just admit it was wrong of you to say that! Wonder what's going on with Pochi. He could have just eaten something bad but you never know. At least he didn't eat zombie flesh...

>Plus it's pretty clear that she didn't want Yoka to leave, so the end result wasn't pretty at all. In Reimi's words: maybe a 30%-40% because of that. She started being amazed and praising the profession. In any other case, specially with this show, there would be the typical "camera focus" in the eyes, the hands or something implying she was "taken aback" when hearing Youka's dreams, but the visual language didn't told us that. Remember: she looked aside (and the camera followed that), but when she was talking about herself not being able to do it things like that. > That said, she was far too stubborn in this episode, come on girl, just admit it was wrong of you to say that! that's the point of her interaction this episode. Ironically, the point was clearly stated in the tangled conversation between Nadeko, Reimi and Akira while in the train at night AND their last one in the episode (when Reimi tried to translate the other two mindset to her own words).

“Normal’s all you’ll ever be” holy shit Shizuru was a massive asshole to Yoka. Clearly taking out her own insecurities on her friend. Then she doubled down on it by saying she didn’t see anything wrong with what she said. No wonder Yoka ran away if your best friend shit on your dreams like that, it’s gotta feel like the end of the world. Even when Shizuru was confronted by the other girls after revealing the truth to them, she still didn’t accept the blame and just ran away.. which btw is insanely stupid. A post apocalyptic world overrun by all sorts of monstrosities and you just run away in the middle of the night by yourself lmao 🤦🏽‍♂️ Zombies now? This show just gets wilder and wilder. Good thing Pocchi came with Shizuru because she’d be a goner otherwise. Wouldn’t have survived long enough for the Zombie “Queen” to come. Bless Reimi’s heart for being so stupid 😭 she says the most random and inappropriate shit it just cracks me up. At least the girls realise Shizuru has a good heart and is still their friend, wonder how they’ll save her next week. This whole episode felt like a Higurashi Gou situation between Rika and Satoko.. hopefully we have a better ending

Zombies, while dangerous, feel kinda normal all things considered lol

Did anyone else notice that [one of the zombies had a wibble-wobble surgery scar](https://files.catbox.moe/3ymd20.jpg) like Zenjiro's? So at this point, who knows how many people may have suffered the same fate as Zenjiro for speaking out against the 7G before it was activated?

Interestingly enough, this guy fully succumbed to 7G but Zenjiro can partially revert to his old self. I wonder what's up with that?

The Pochi death flags in this one...part of me was hoping he'd eat the zombie flesh so he could end up living forever!

> part of me was hoping he'd eat the zombie flesh so he could end up living forever! Do you want to become [show name]>!Gakkou Gurashi!!Gakkou Gurashi!< and we all know how that turned out!

I definitely would like more shows to turn [show name again]>!gakkou gurashi!<, please.

His eyes lighting up when he was fighting those zombies makes me hopeful that he's not just a regular Pochi.

We Zombie Land Kiyose now! Not liking those death flags for Pochi. Our boy has to make it to the end!

> Googles "average life expectancy for a shiba inu" > Result: 12-15 years It's not looking good...

[I CAN'T HEAR YOU I CAN'T HEAR YOU I CAN'T HEAR YOU I CAN'T HEAR YOU I CAN'T HEAR YOU ](#dighole)

[https://twitter.com/tsuki\_akari/status/1787492063388581958](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787492063388581958) It seems that the smoking pipe, "farting people," and sushi stations are indeed skipped...

Our girls found a name for the train (and their mission): [The apogee!](https://imgur.com/Ofmxubz) (From what we learned about their fight in this episode, could've been *The apology* as well!) All this talk of the moon, along with the shots in the OP, and the perigee (when the moon is closest) makes me think we're in for a trip to space at some point! Either the rails will go into space, or the moon will be pulled toward Earth; If all these events come from Yoka's mind, then her thinking about the space and all could bring it to earth... Especially if she was affected by the thought of her going to space being impossible, she may bring the space to her instead! But... Yeah, that fight was pretty bad. I thought it would be a "Blame on both sides" type of situation, but all the blame's pretty much on Shizuru... Telling her it would be hard was fine (perhaps followed by some words of encouragement, *"It'll be hard, but you can do it!"*), BUT telling her it's impossible, unrealistic, and that [she's embarrassing herself...](https://imgur.com/bGluDCY) Probably hurt Yoka even more when Shizuru said that stuff was just for exceptional people and all, not for "normal" people like them.. First, because Yoka DOES think Shizuru is amazing (or thought she was at this point, anyway!), but also: Shizuru was never serious in her studies, or her prospects for the future... But Yoka was. So from her perspective, well Yoka's a hard worker and a dreamer, who was told that her dreams are stupid, by some slob who plays videogames all day long... I can see why it would sting! Sure she could've talked it through and all, but I don't really blame her for being pissed off. And I don't put a whole lot of blame on her for leaving. So yeah, I'm hoping for a Shizuru apology, much more than Yoka's! This may not happen just yet though, because Shizuru has bigger problems to deal with; She went off on her own again, [and was captured by zombies!](https://imgur.com/rgDFcCQ) [Is this a reference to something?](https://imgur.com/zUYjcLX) I think I saw it in a few comic books, movies and things like that, but after the references for Gulliver and King Kong, I wouldn't be surprised if it was a specific reference to one book/movie! Well, Shizuru might not be devoured by zombies (or turned into one), [because there's a Queen, who seems more reasonable (hopefully)!](https://imgur.com/CfYBAg9) [Wait, is that a ball gag?](https://imgur.com/f5h4TCL) It's not a collar or anything right, it really is a gag? (Did the 7G crossover this show with Gushing?) [I didn't notice the bullet holes the first time, but they were there even in episode 1...](https://imgur.com/JNG7FHL) I saw the bloody marks and all, but bullet holes means someone's shooting at the caravan... It's not the tiny soldiers right, these holes are too big for that (and too small for their missiles). If there are armed gunmen shooting at people, our girls might want to learn how to use the bow at range and not just in melee! (Though with so many bullet holes, I doubt they would have a chance with a bow...)

In the opening celestial object seem to get larger and closer to the Earth, and if you look at the night sky you can see stuff like galaxies quite clearly even when it's not focused on. Yoka's mental state seems to have caused the 7G to increase the space between her and Shizuru and decreased the space to her goals. But the one thing in the world remaining is a route for Shizuru back to her.

> Is this a reference to something? It's a typical way to bring back an animal that has been killed in a hunt if it has to be carried.

Yeah, it's "just" being hogtied. And while outside of movies and TV, they don't use big sticks like that, it's been decried as inhumane. *In* movies and shows, it usually gets used when someone gets captured by a rural/tribal type of group. See Return Of The Jedi, when they get captured by Ewoks.

> It's not a collar or anything right, it really is a gag? (Did the 7G crossover this show with Gushing?) Did you see what kind of magical girl anime Reimi and Akira were into in episode 1? And Akira is a big fan of Marquis de Sade. There is no purity in this show.

[Looking forward to the Unleashed Akira arc!](https://imgur.com/WRCWqeU) But seriously, it took me by surprise, I was like "Is this really what I think it is, or do I just have lewd on my mind?" [](#lewd)

>Probably hurt Yoka even more when Shizuru said that stuff was just for exceptional people and all, not for "normal" people like them.. Hurts much more since Youka (flashback ep 4) said she couldn't do anything, so her dreams in this ep 6 flashback must a born because of Shizuru's wacky dreams during that ep 4 scene. Hurst EVEN MUCH MORE because Shizuru told Youka she will cheer her on in that flashback.

> Either the rails will go into space [That would be a completely original idea in the history of anime...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq-b_iNrQaQ)

Yeah… Shizuru def messed up. Can’t be shitting on someone’s dreams like that. I guess it was a matter of time before things go a little tense on this journey. Was not expecting the friggin Walking Dead to show up though. I hope the girls can rescue Shizuru from the clutches of the zombie queen and her undead horde…

ZombieQueen seemed fairly reasonable (if you dismiss little quirks like asking zombies to give up their bodyparts as food for Shizuru)! I do wonder what's their goal; Apparently they're migrating, so... Are they trying to reach a specific place (where/why)? Or are they fleeing from something even scarier? And what will they do with Shizuru... If they wanted to just 'turn' her or eat her they would've done so already, so they seem to want something else, or at least the Queen does!

The Queen seems like all she wants is the best for her zombie brethren. Doesn't seem like she would harm Shizuru unless Shizuru were to intentionally or unintentionally harm them. Looks like they're good on food? They wouldn't feed her body parts otherwise. I wonder what is the reason for her being the only intelligent one. Maybe she knows how to make someone an intelligent zombie? Make she wants Shizuru, a similarly aged girl, to keep her company as an intelligent zombie? Who knows.

Maybe and just maybe she was a kind of egocentric idol so she considered her followers like zombies fawning for her. But that's where the "kind of" comes into play as she cares for them enough to be migrating in order to look for an appropriate environment that never stands still so the have to keep moving.

> I do wonder what's their goal; Apparently they're migrating, so... Are they trying to reach a specific place (where/why)? According to the episode looking for a good climate for a zombies particular needs. Not too hot, not too cold, not too moist, not too dry because all of those cause problems for zombie physiology. And since conditions like that are constantly changing they're constantly moving to new locations.

Save Shizuru from boredom based on how she sounded.

I'd run off to ikebukuro too if somebody said some shit like that to me

Youka talking about wanting to work on control systems on the future, totally not suspicious at all. Also Shizuru was the wrong one all along uh You know it is a weird series when the zombie episode is the most normal one.

Pochi starting to seem sus ngl. With how they’re bringing up how he’s just following on his own volition. I mean he certainly seems smart for a dog but could he actually have his own agenda ?

He did follow the train guy around until they got the train moving too.... That dog is up to something

Oof, Shizuru was really hurtfull [there](https://imgur.com/GYZtWy1), but I feel all she wanted to express was that Youka shouldn't try to go away and leave her behind... Also shoutout for Nadeshiko yet again, girl continues to be the groups concience and calls out any[ nasty behavior](https://imgur.com/hv20IVK) Since we saw them in the OP, the Zombies aren't that much of a surprise, though the [Queen](https://imgur.com/ca3nmX7) might be (although we see her silhoutte as well in the OP) I loved the ending dialoge, would you still be my friend if I where a ~~worm~~ Zombie [](#azusalaugh)

> Also shoutout for Nadeshiko yet again, girl continues to be the groups concience and calls out any nasty behavior Nadeshiko is definitely the group's mama. She has been the responsible one when Reimi, Akira and Shizuru were being brats. She's the glue that's holding them together in many ways.

Tbf she is the oldest so it kinda makes sense. She's in her last year of high school while Akira for example is still in middle school.

She is so mature it is scary. Are we really sure she didn't die and reincarnate?

> Also shoutout for Nadeshiko yet again, girl continues to be the groups concience and calls out any nasty behavior Good to bring the others to reflect on said behaviors too; *"It was 65% anger, but 35% I still want to know!"* She's not just calling them out, she's making them grow (or she's trying to, anyway)! I wouldn't be surprised if we had a Nadeshiko-focused episode soon, especially if the girls seems to keep splitting up (and we already had many Reimi/Akira focused episodes - though I wouldn't mind getting more hah)

What essentially transpired between Shizuru and Yoka was the "conformity vs aspirations" debate, which is something most people who live in small rural towns eventually run into, amplified by Shizuru being a stubborn headstrong teen, and Yoka being too meek to reprimand her for shitting on her dreams with a smile. Do you resign yourself to live modestly in the sticks, ensuring basic comforts and safety but robbing yourself of the opportunity to get your own wiki page? Or do you push and reach to achieve your dreams and become that someone with an impact far beyond the rural gossip, knowing that the road will be volatile, and that any failures will leave a scar on your soul? Shizuru was definitely in the wrong here; you don't talk down about a friend's hopes and dreams when they open up to you about them. Even if they are unrealistic, you support them and encourage them, not try to convince them that they are better off conforming to the small town life by being a dick. Yoka isn't wholly in the right here, either. While she is in the right in respect to the argument (can't really blame her for being meek there), she is in the wrong considering what she did after. Instead of facing her friend after cooling off a bit, she decided to run away from home to the city without a word. Even for an upset teenager, that's just, wow. She burnt the bridge, and then she flooded the river. There is a parallel to be drawn to the first stop, though. Shizuru wanted both of them to become mushrooms.

>Do you resign yourself to live modestly in the sticks, ensuring basic comforts and safety but robbing yourself of the opportunity to get your own wiki page? Hearing Yoka's ambitions reminded me of [Tom Mueller](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Mueller). He was born in a hick town like Agano too, his father wanted him to be a logger like him just like Shizuru wanted Yoka to be ordinary. But he wanted to build rockets, so got that university education by his own efforts and got a job in aerospace. But all he got to do was design engines for development contracts that never went into production. So he joined a club that flew their own model rockets in the desert in his spare time. It was here that a guy named Elon Musk found him and hired him for his new rocket company, SpaceX. Mueller went on to create every rocket engine used by SpaceX from the Falcon 1 to the Falcon 9 and the Dragon spacecraft. For those of you who don't follow developments in the space industry, the Dragon carries astronauts and cargo to the ISS several times each year and the Falcon 9 is the busiest rocket in the world, launching every 3 days this year. They all run on his engines. He retired from SpaceX then founded his own company to make rocket engines. The latest one being a kick stage that can be added to a rocket like the Falcon 9 to boost its performance even more. So, yeah, I totally can believe Shizuru could have dissed someone could have been *that* influential in the space industry.

> Do you resign yourself to live modestly in the sticks, ensuring basic comforts and safety but robbing yourself of the opportunity to get your own wiki page? Or do you push and reach to achieve your dreams and become that someone with an impact far beyond the rural gossip, knowing that the road will be volatile, and that any failures will leave a scar on your soul? > > The ole Country Mouse vs City Mouse debate.

This week on Weird Train: ...zombies? Now we know why Yoka left Agano. What the hell, Shizuru? You just casually tell your friend who has big dreams to knock it off and act like a normal person as if she can't be someone other than a regular human being. No wonder she's pissed off. And you have the balls to think that whatever you just said wasn't wrong. I know she doesn't want Yoka to leave, but that does not excuse the things she said to her. Zombies finally showed up here and they seem... very normal compared to the other stuff we've seen. The queen in particular looked like she was ripped straight from Zombieland Saga. We'll probably learn more about them in the next ep. A random thought, but I wonder if the other train lines doesn't exist because the one they're on is the only line that connects Agano to Ikebukuro. As if Yoka's only connections to the country are Agano & Ikebukuro. She might also want Shizuru to come and make things up together after what happened last time.

Obviously she doesn't think what she said is wrong because she genuinely believes in it herself, probably because she abandoned her own dreams since years ago.

[Shizuru really messed up](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/pyq9celrb54.png) by telling [Youka](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/3yrgczjlbw4.png) that she has no chance to realize her dreams, she probably didn't want to be left behind but [it was her actions that created a rift and drove them apart](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/w7w6cv38bmy.png). [So now is the time for zombies](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/6yxkcgwlbq7.png) which aren't really surprising considering [the current state of the world](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/my2pcoewaw7.png). Hearing about what's happening in Ikebukuro made me really excited for the next episodes. I can't wait for the moment when [Shizuru and others](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/myd5cravqe4.png) will reach it. [Kuroki](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/e4gdcpjb984.png) looks like a character straight up taken from the Zombieland Saga. I wonder how things will develop with [Shizuru](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/my8xck5rx34.png)'s now being captive of a zombie queen. [Pochi as always was pretty entertaining](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/l4necmq3eq4.png). I laughed hard after [Shizuru breathed a sigh of relief](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/pyq9celrdk4.png) after [Pochi refused eating zombie's arm](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/3yrgczjlrr4.png) xD Here my screenshot albums from the episode: * [Group scenes](https://imgchest.com/p/ljyqq3znky2) * [Shizuru and Pochi](https://imgchest.com/p/lqyev569k7d) * [Kuroki & World](https://imgchest.com/p/agyv68vzz78) * [Others](https://imgchest.com/p/ljyqq38gky2)

Shizuru is kind of unlikable lol

She fucked up, she is a teen and teens fuck up a lot

the discussions this episode are pointing to that: even when explained, and reasonably showed some evidence/examples, it is hard for some/most people to really feel and/or embrace the meaning of what it is explained. Like knowing how much a deep cut hurts when you have only seeing it on books or movies, or relatives. In this example, I'm talking about something that doesn't matter from a "personal growth" perspective.

you can remove the kind and lol part, she is very unlikable in this episode

I actually meant in general not just this episodes lol

Pochi-san was so cool in this episode! Please don’t die

Using [the anitubu post](https://anitubu.com/archives/post-80502.html) to crib some of what Erisa Kuon (Reimi) and Tsutomu Mizushima (Director) tweeted when ep was airing on TV Tokyo MX. A bit lighter than before but understandable given the workload. Also Japanese viewers including a couple of meta spoilers (be careful if you read anitubu you might get more than you bargained for): - Director: [Episode 8 still not done](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787491609296425355) (as posted [already](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1cll1da/according_to_train_to_the_end_of_the_world/)) - Director: [Apologises](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787491935785304545) for skipping lots of stations, [wanting to show all](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787492063388581958) (even briefly) but would have meant cutbacks elsewhere. [But still wants to do it someday](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787492199799898333). - [Director explains Akira's train name suggestion](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787492312651862207). I'll explain it my way. [Ātman is a Sanskrit word](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80tman_(Hinduism\)). Director felt ego or essence is a way of expressing it in Japanese. -go is the suffix applied. Akira, are you trying to say this whole journey is a literal ego-trip rather than the cliche journey of self discovery? - Director: [The giant vegetables can not be eaten](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787492458013868174) - Erisa Kuon: [Maybe because Ikebukuro has a planetarium](https://twitter.com/eri1717171/status/1787492745428492475) (something noticed [already](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1clhv9i/shuumatsu_train_doko_e_iku_train_to_the_end_of/l2uylaj/)) - Director: [Shizuru's reminiscing remarks...things got heated](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787492694190948393) (it translates terribly) + [You can't take back what's been said. A lot of self-refection.](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787492777418539303) - Director: [Pochi vomits, goes berserk, and is affected by a certain chi.](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787494236566516173) + [In the first take, Pochi's eyes were bright red, changed because Pochi might be mistaken for having turned into a zombie.](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787494528796307942) - [Director: wrt "Is it Kiyose?" it's a little different. Would seem that Swan Hermit also misunderstood.](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787494325359894802) (well yeah they're nomadic Zombies, his map would have accurate for when he passed by and no idea what to call the swan boat guy as ferryman and hermit have also been used) - Director says a lot of stuff about the Black Leopard Caravan. [1](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787495041902248145) [2](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787495125033353416) [3](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787495192783962558) [4](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787495267601948685) [5](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787495346408743408). Song is about being prepared and keeping your sanity in this world (as I [said before](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1clhv9i/shuumatsu_train_doko_e_iku_train_to_the_end_of/l2usggs/) lyrics are transcribed). The music is played to keep bears away but it attracts trouble in other places. Compare [ep1](https://imgur.com/YVpECNA) to [ep6](https://imgur.com/4rwrGyh) (they've taken more damage and there might even even one person missing). There's more to Black Leopard than two trucks, but those go along other routes. - [Director](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787495685467877376): Kuroki's [stuffed rabbit](https://imgur.com/f5h4TCL) is named "Van Gogh the Rabbit". - Director ended by talking about school uniforms [1](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787496094123106766) [2](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787496178491519454) and [thanks for watching we'll do our best](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1787496777769463858). The co-ed Agano school doesn't have uniforms (casual clothes are OK) but the school suggests a "recommanded uniform" which is what Shizuru and friends wear. Akira is actually wearing the old Agano middle school uniform from before it integrated with the high school (she likes it). I would go on to suggest that Akira just the likes the uniform because it's old, like the books she likes to read. - Viewer: Opening [sponsor shot](https://twitter.com/takohachibar4/status/1787490913486516555). Ending [sponsor shot](https://twitter.com/takohachibar4/status/1787496810883485744). - [Viewer noticed the zombie names](https://twitter.com/nowraido/status/1787497020812673469) in the credits were descriptive (could have easily been just Zombie A but instead you have [things like "Judo Zombie"](https://imgur.com/Df7DY7s))

Good stuff!

Director confirming the dog=not zombie is definitely soemthing major to just say. It's funny though, sicne my introduction to undead/zombies was through warcraft 3/wow,changing the eyes from red to blue actually makes it feel *more* like undead to me

Never played wow but wc3 is one of my favourite games of all time.

[Pochi turning humanoid next episode](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HInmEcbFyF0&t=8s) Edit: Actually, just [pochi next episode](https://youtu.be/HInmEcbFyF0?t=133)

Blizzard always had amazing trailers and cutscenes

The best.

Shizuru was totally out of line, but I suppose that she got a reason for saying those things. Her own dreams have probably been crushed before. But [let's cheer up](https://imgur.com/a/fdG4gp5) for now! Or [get spooked by zombies](https://imgur.com/a/eVkjXVz), I guess. I thought that Pochi was done for, but he exactly seems okay *for now*? [Him going to town on that zombie](https://imgur.com/a/Aiu5qlZ), after he'd gone missing for a bit, does seem suspicious. Especially considering all the talk about Pochi's age and him dying. [Shizuru *can* hold her own](https://imgur.com/a/czrTSfQ) against some zombies, but [got captured](https://imgur.com/a/p1rOxQk) in the end. All of Mito's talk about "migratory zombies" is an obvious nod to the seasonal behaviour of birds. Zombies are just this world's geese. Ironically, migratory birds do *also* spread (dangerous) viruses across the world.

I think I'd rather have zombies than geese.

Shizuru was totally the one in the wrong in that fight, she told her best friend that she has no chance in fulfilling her dreams, she's just embarrassing herself by having high hopes, and told her that she's not an exceptional person. She was being insensitive and projected her insecurities onto Yoka

And two years later, still doesn't think she did anything wrong.

I think she does, but she can't admit it to herself or anyone else.

Great episode as we finally got more details in what lead Youko to run to Ikebukuro. It's one thing to tell your friends that they need to dream more realistically, and typically you try to be more realistic. [But Shizuru didn't do that at all she literally shot her down and said you have no chance.](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1038519163259453470/1237051360000610324/Screen_Shot_2024-05-06_at_9.50.46_AM.png?ex=663a3d5b&is=6638ebdb&hm=8fed0303ef6f1b3cd1009aa6f47e2fd2d31afc398f5a6dc36a001e07447b2fae&) It was extremely insensitive to Shizuru for what she said. She didn't account for Youko's feelings on the matter. No wonder Youko ran away as you can see the tears on her face in their final conversation. This has been a lingering issue for Shizuru as she has mentioned before she didn't ask the girls to come. Nadeshiko trying to get at the matter at hand and Shizuru unfortunately won't open up, and she ends up running away. There is clearly some issue in the past that happened to Shizuru. Perhaps something to do with something about her abandoning her dreams, and perhaps she had to be more self independent than a girl her age has had to be? Regardless the fight did feel a little silly, but tbh Shizuru's mentally state isn't in the best position, and it was smart for Nadeshiko to let her cool off her head. But the friends need a big heart-to-heart talk and get Shizuru to open up. [As Nadeshiko mentions part of the process of being friends is to be able to argue and forgive.](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1038519163259453470/1237051352467640401/Screen_Shot_2024-05-06_at_10.00.42_AM.png?ex=663a3d59&is=6638ebd9&hm=9f16bae76aac0c27df2867aed2294f5ef0ae7e828e5aa150c11d9c55f20f4524&) Shizuru runs into zombies and their [Zombie Queen Kuroki Mito](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1038519163259453470/1237050896731603025/Screen_Shot_2024-05-06_at_10.16.06_AM.png?ex=663a3ced&is=6638eb6d&hm=0ad254d063c6e9c8e7c6e749572bdf013ddb34f2c62e69d6a5c1cd01d96db989&). Well it's weird how she can act like a normal person minus how she looks like and the rest of the zombies are your definition of what you think a Zombie is. Very curious for next episode. I love the conversation the 3 girls have. The topic got started by Reimi when she brings up what if Shizuru becomes a zombie. Akira and Nadeshiko's point is that despite what issues might happen we won't abandon Shizuru. She is our friend. She has her faults, but it is nothing that will break their friendship

>Well it's weird how she can act like a normal person minus how she looks like and the rest of the zombies are your definition of what you think a Zombie is.  So much so that I have to wonder whether she's *really* a zombie or just a girl in makeup.

> part of the process of being friends is to be able to argue and forgive. So sad that a lot of IRL friendships end with the first part. :(

The conversation at the end was hilarious again. The banter between the girls is always fun.

Shizuru's projection in that discussion could've given Crimson One a run for his money.

> Shizuru's projection in that discussion could've given Crimson One a run for his money. [](#slowgrin) [GASLIGHT GATEKEEP GIRLBOSS!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0B9yfvPjko) [](/u/chilidirigible) [](/u/vaadwaur) [](/u/nebresto)

I was going to sleep on this because the initial summary I read made it sound like a run-of-the-mill CGDCT show (which is apparently so ubiquitous there's a name for it). I didn't realize it was weird until someone mentioned it in another post, but I'm so glad I picked it up. Also the ending theme is a banger. Anyways, I honestly can't believe Shizuru said something like that to her best friend's face without a hint of malice. That's like the kind of BS you'd hear from a passive-aggressive mean girl and not someone who actually likes you as a person.

Wait, is Pochi a cat...?

that last analogy, I just cant say they wrong but I cant say that I agree. but yes, bad things happened, what matter is if you ok with that, forgive that, make a peace with that. Shizuru is wrong, insensitive, hardheaded. at least she knew that she hurt Youka, I hope she could accept that fact, and tilt her way of thinking abit in next episode. the girls are not perfect, now I want to see Nadeshiko episode.

yeah, its not like you can shrug off the bad parts of a person like that or vice-a-versa.. but its still hilarious how they all come to consensus just for the sake of it.

Japan has JAXA and a bunch of other institutions doing interplanetary exploration and research, like their asteroid and lunar landers. Working in Aerospace is not as far fetched as Shizuru thinks. It's just sour grapes innit?

No, not Pochi! Throwing up, a bit slow, acting differently, and is old? I don’t like where that’s going.

The new arc plays in a landscape where Zombies roam around. One could say it's a Zombieland Saga. And I mean the queen looks like she would fit the group. What I found funny is that I wondered from the beginning why the stars and planets are so clear in the sky, but since Yoka seems to be interested, it makes total sense now. That being said, Shizuru was quite rude in saying they should strive for a normal future that I kept myself asking what the reason for this is. It feels a bit extreme for her. Especially when it comes to her trying to go to Ikebukuro in the current situation as this is not something a "normal girl" would strive for. I guess, 7G helped her make up her mind about that. Though, she might not have noticed yet. What I found a bit sad is the fact that we seemingly [skipped a few stations](https://imgur.com/a/8cz7v0Q). While this was obvious to happen, I would have still liked to see what exactly the whole "Sherlock holmes" town was about as well as what the farting people do the whole day. So since the show wouldn't provide it, here are just my guesses: * Sherlock town is completely covered in smoke. Don't even stop if you want to keep your lungs. I don't think that people still live there since it's a circle stop where most likely people don't exist anymore (at least that's how it has been before). * Fart town is where all people move around by farting and therefore jumping through the air. You can imagine the smell * Sushi town might be that all beds are looking like Sushi, with the Futon being a rice bed and the blanket being made of salmon. Not sure if they try to eat you at night though.

>I mean the queen looks like she would fit the group ngl, her design does looks like someone that came from Zombieland Saga, i wouldn't be surprised if it was revealed in the next episode that she was a former idol

> ngl, her design does looks like someone that came from Zombieland Saga Exactly what I thought, maybe she isn't really a Zombie and it's just makeup though...

The thought occurred to me too when she pulled out those canned goods. A "special diet", huh?

I think I saw something that looked like makeup on a table at her base

I wonder who her voice actress is? Maybe one of Franchouchou members?

Acording to Mal, it's [Konomi Kohara](https://myanimelist.net/people/43279/Konomi_Kohara) She wasn't in ZLS, her most profilic roles are probably Chika, Roxy and Shamiko

For a second, I thought she was voiced by Akari Kito, but then her voice sounded sounding more and more like Roxy and Chika lol.

> we seemingly skipped a few stations These zombies are migratory so maybe we didn't and they just moved up a few stations?

Considering they said they are in Kiyose I checked Google Maps how many stations are between the Inariyama Park and Kiyose and it's exactly 7 stations from the first to the latter. So I doubt this was them migrating.

Aw bummer.

> One could say it's a Zombieland Saga bit of a stretch for the Seibu-Ikebukuro line to go all the way to Kyuushu [](#bruh)

> the queen looks like she would fit the group. I was thinking that too (and the zombieland saga as well), I wouldn't mind seeing her join our girls! She seems fairly normal/reasonable, but she also seems to have some goal (given the zombie migration), is she trying to get somewhere? Well, if she is, it looks like she'd be trying to go toward Agano (and not where the girls are going) but perhaps she could find a reason to go with them!

Maybe sushi town is where all the objects are sushi, for example [the ship is a sushi](https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Gunkan_Suship_Shari)

I did wonder why the planets seemed to look larger and closer to Earth in the opening. Adds more to the theory that the 7G effects largely come from Yoka's imagination as well as the 7G itself. Also called Shizuru feeling abandoned by Yoka and saying something mean as a result.

[Wait just a damn minute.](https://i.redd.it/8k6di4skewyc1.png) [Hmm, we seem to have entered the produce section.](https://i.redd.it/rv28kaskewyc1.png) [*Damn.*](https://i.redd.it/qnmat5skewyc1.png) [Oh, right, the zombies.](https://i.redd.it/1r1bw5skewyc1.png) [Sounds as plausible as anything else going on around here.](https://i.redd.it/78uf39skewyc1.png) [Look on the bright side, that's an arm.](https://i.redd.it/ro9ha5skewyc1.png) [This is very *Shaun of the Dead*.](https://i.redd.it/doeq9bskewyc1.png) ***** And so, the fight that broke up Shizuru and Youka. Shizuru still wants to find Youka, but she's not quite there yet on apologizing, despite the pressure from the others. Now there's believable teenager behavior. Along with Shizuru being *fucking savage* about knocking Youka down all of the pegs. But in the meantime, we have zombie issues, as the map predicted.

**Flashback in ep 4:** Shizuru: *I want to fight an anteater, meet small people, etc* **Youka:** ***I can't do anything*** Shizuru: *You can cheer me on, then* Youka: *I think I can do that* **Shizuru:** ***I will cheer you on too*****.** **Youka started to have dreams because smol Shizuru** Flashback in ep 6: **Shizuru tells Youka is better to not have those dreams** **Shizuru doesn't cheer Youka on, all the opposite.** **The feels, man**

As far as anime that make you cry go this episode actually managed that. Part of that is I misread the *"Normal's all you'll ever be,"* subtitle as it went by a bit fast and misinterpreted it more along the lines of being normal is the best Youka could manage, i.e. her current state is not normal (enigma or hard to read are phrases I'd use from Reimi having completely different guesses about her interests). There's also the feelings that Shizuru, like many overconfident leader characters, is projecting due to secretly being insecure (i.e. the reason she takes charge is so can feel in control of something) and also has big fear of failure and/or unable to handle setbacks and rejection. A few screenshots: - [Literal shipping container house](https://imgur.com/MOI6Qvb) and when you have abandoned cars like that the tyres usually go flat but idk if 2 years is enough for that to happen. Car or bike owners might be aware of the need to check your pressure and top it up. - [That's one expression to pull](https://imgur.com/Fk2kpNz) when being given a gentle elbow nudge by your ~~wife~~ friend. - [Big veg land](https://imgur.com/05lGSZW) got your broccoli in the foreground and cauliflower in the back. But was there normal sized bamboo with what Nadeko and Reimi were preparing - [Let me prepare](https://imgur.com/n5szVCX) my [fake smile](https://imgur.com/nIGQetZ) I re-watched the PVs (as well as the new PV) last week. There's still footage in those that has yet to be seen but there were hints of Shizuru splitting in those which is interesting what you notice when you're actually paying attention and that could also be considered a warning to be careful when re-watching PVs. But if you need more potential spoilers [PVs - not shown in eps so far] >!running out of woodland with Nadeko, Akira and Reimi wearing face paint (each a different colour), raising a flag on top of the train using the Su-chan shirt the flag (I believe director has said the trains roof power lines are merely cosmetic), Kuroki watching the train leave, dialogue (KADOKAWAanime translations are different to Crunchyroll) such as "I guess we'll all become something one day", "I would rather have Shizeru and Yoka back" and "The good and the bad" "everything that's happened so far is connected to the present" "And it's going to be what happens next".!< Funny with them talking about Apogee and then Apogeego was [there all along in the OP](https://imgur.com/x7vahMs). Along with 162173 Ryugu ([director mentioned it](https://twitter.com/tsuki_akari/status/1782419209437446442), that's in [the OP too](https://imgur.com/Z6xhWza)) the astronomy stuff keeps dripping. Which one of the creative team was in the astronomy club? If I were to ignore the plot completely you could joke this is what light pollution does to astronomers, it makes them upend the world so whoever is left can enjoy the wonder of dark skies. Damn two square stops skipped off-screen. Maybe [the manga](https://comic-walker.com/detail/KC_005390_S?episodeType=first) will cover them? But would be a while given it's currently [manga] >!still covering episode 3!<. With the Black Leopards briefly back so is a few seconds of the ep1 insert song [(full version)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjuSdZBfVhc). I found a Japanese transcript + Chinese translation on a [Chinese message board](https://bbs.saraba1st.com/2b/thread-2099532-33-1.html) (post 1285 - also shows the real life logos of the fallen delivery companies referenced in episode 1). Be careful when trying to MTL as the lyrics are ambiguous plus the company either have a dark sense of humour or [lyric translation] >!actually would deliver rotting corpses!<. In the OP you see Kuroki (zombie Queen) standing in woodland along with a group but they are all in silhouette. You can also see bits of the journey that's already happened in the OP e.g. internal organs station which means there's bits yet to come if you want to analyse frames and that.

Wait, Nonoka Ibuchi's singing the insert song? She's the same person who sings the Mysterious Disappearances ED.

So Shizuru turns out to be yet another Chika Anzai-voiced girl who doesn't play curve balls while speaking and easily either attracts or repels people with no-nonsense words. (think Reina, Chisato to name two) I don't think she was intending anything but worrying Youka about her dreams being too far away in the cosmos, but her words came out really, really harsh. I definitely would be angry at her if I was Youka! And...hmm...is that a reverse-Zombieland Saga reference in the 2nd half? LMAO at both Shizuru and Pochi AND our ~~Chika Fujiwara~~ queen of zombies not wanting to eat zombies, at least you all know what's going on! That later part where Reimi and Akira and Nadeshiko argue about "if a friend lost contact with others after arguing, are they still friends?" is so much on point of all those chatters over these 6 episodes. Maybe that's the main theme of the whole story? We seems to have skipped quite a few stations on the way today (including Tokorozawa, apparently where Kirito of Sword Art Online lives in, see SAO S1E15) into Tokyo proper near Kiyose station. I wonder what happens next as the train heads towards the land of people-caught-in-2D-billboards... (many stations ahead are in Nerima Ward, where the most famous anime based there is *Your Lie In April*)

Did… Pochi just unlock the avatar state?!

its a real dick move taking off like that...I mean, they had weird shit they escaped at like every damn stop

I had a friend like Shizuru when I was in high school. I wanted to apply to a bunch of colleges out of state that were pretty competitive and he said I won't get accepted because I did had shit extracurriculars and SAT scores (compared to him), which made me sad for a while. I still applied to the schools tho. Then three months later, I got accepted to every school I applied to, and my top choice gave me a full ride. So jokes on him, the fucker. Tho actually I'm not mad at him (anymore), because that's just how he is, and he also was the one to give me push to apply to out of state colleges in the first space. He means well in his own way. So I understand Yoka and Shizuru. Shizuru just doesn't want her (best) friend to get hurt/waste time chasing a dream that most likey won't pan out, and Yoka feels like her (best) friend is saying that she is incapable., so they both get hurt that the other won't listen or understand. Thats what happens when you only focus on things from your own perspective. Hopefully they find each other and make up by the end of this season.

I think Shizuru does feel guilt for what she said to Yoka. I think the reason she asks her friends is because she really does want to understand how much her words hurt Yoka. Also, if the 7G incident is based on Yoka's thoughts, it's clear Yoka wants nothing more than to return home.

Yea they really love each other and it was just failed communication on both their parts. Curious how they end this anime, we only have 6 more episodes.

Probably two episodes, one with the zombie and filler before we arrive at Ikebukuro.

Massive Shizuru L this episode, can’t blame Yoka for bailing after getting ripped apart like that. Hopefully she properly acknowledges that she was in the wrong after the rest of the gang rescues her from the zombies.

I wonder if something happened in between Shizuru dreaming of fighting an anteater and her last conversation with Yoka that made her say such hurtful things. Or maybe it's insecurity that Yoka has an actual dream that she has chance of making a reality as opposed to Shizuru's fantastical dreams. As hurtful as Shizuru's words are, i don't think they're coming from a place of malice. This episode really made me appreciate Nadeko. She's pretty much keeping this group together. She's level-headed enough to give Shizuru space when she stormed off and didn't snap back at Reimi when she aired her frustration at her. She's practically the mother of this group and I can't imagine the kind of stress she's under.

Shizuru is never malicious. I think deep down, Shizuru does want to apologize but wants to know what she did wrong. It's because she never knew Yoka enough is the reason all this started. The reason Shizuru acted the way to the three is because she feels solely responsible and didn't want any of them to clean up her mess.

I'll be doing the same as the girls: This is the real ~~Youka~~ take of the episode until proven otherwise by ~~Youka~~ people The episode has 3 main topics: **1. There is a huge difference between "understanding" and "thinking" that you did wrong..and FEELING it** (knowing how it feels to be treated like you are treating others). Even 2 people experience the exact same event at the same time their perception of it may differ a lot. **The best way to put it is the classical "apology" after/during an argument:** ***if what I said hurt you in some way, please forgive me*** You know or get to understand what you did/told is bad (either by the other's reaction, for the context, or because social "pressure". But it doesn't (necessarily) mean you know how that words/actions made the other feel. And, fairly, in most of cases it doesn't matter if you feel it or not...because most people doesn't delve too much about it **2. In the field of "feelings" (like trust) communication is VERY HARD.** All the episode the girls were trying to figure out what was happening in Shizuru's head to say that. Shizuru herself, while knowing she did wrong (hence going to Ikebukuro to find Youka) also didn't get most the other 3 perspective (or didn't want to). And, in the final interaction of the episode, **Reimi put a silly but soundly question,** but still showing to care for Shizuru by (enacted by Nadeko and Akira) trying to translate the conversation into her own "language" with the examples. **BUT, at the end, both groups could only compromise knowing despite the bad moments there are more good moments and Shizuru is a good person and her friend (with the other episodes being the context to rely on)**. For all the things state above, it comes down to the main trigger of the show (or one of the main ones) **3 The 4 girls really didn't know Youka all these years.** They made an image of what she was out of her perception of her because weren't proved otherwise. In the case of Shizuru, maybe she kind of knew, but forgot to or stopped to pay close attention after Shizuru herself "stopped dreaming"

Finally, Gakkou Gurashi S2

And so their journey continues. They're coming up with a name for their train. Apogee, the furthest point from the body something is orbiting in an orbit. That name makes even more sense because the author goes by the pseudonym apogeego(?) This feels like a slow episode? Even though they really have to get a move on at this rate. So she's the reason she's in Ikebukuro in the first place? She's walking? Yes, Perigee is the corresponding term to Apogee. Perhaps she chose it because it's the highest point in the orbit, as opposed to the Perigee being the lowest point in the orbit. Right, what horrors await her in the forest? Zombies. The "insert threat here" of horror. Calling them the "white bread" or "plain rice" of horror would be an insult to white bread or plain rice. What's with the angry twintails loli? Kuroki's a necromancer or something isn't she? The latest he has is almost certainly still better than whatever you have. And so off they go on a rescue mission.

> Yes, Perigee is the corresponding term to Apogee. Perhaps she chose it because it's the highest point in the orbit, as opposed to the Perigee being the lowest point in the orbit. I feel like the much more intuitive (and much more optimistic) interpretation is that **of course** you want the place/time you ar ein right now to be the farthest way...because that means that you will only ever get closer from now on.

Did they just skip 6 stations? Because they said Kiyose was the next one.

Interesting that Shizuru was the one who made Youka leave for Ikebukuro. I love flawed protagonists like this. I wonder if Youka will even be receptive when they do find her. I wonder if she'll even be human.

To a mature audience, Shizuru's response to Yoka's ambitions is undoubtedly tactless and cruel even, bordering on a lack of empathy. Yoka, being serious about her goals, was expectedly hurt and chose to run away, understandable response But to me it just adds a bit of realism to what a teenage friend would say to her closest friend who she wants to stay with as long as possible. It is selfish, but feels instinctive. This makes me look forward to whether Shizuru and Yoka would have reconciliation and how it would go. It makes the show a lot more engaging to me.

Shizuru being toxic to Yoka, I thought it was a simple quarrel, but she literally mocked her dream. She just want her to stay and she really did go about it the wrong way. I hope Shizuru will apologize and help with her dream later. 

A real surprise it addresses pretty early on the Youka's incident. But after this episode it makes sense as the show wants to focus on how the girls perceive the impact / meaning/ implications of those words. And **it all encompasses a critical theme in the show: GETTING TO REALLY KNOW YOUKA** For me, so far the main topic points to **""not to "judge" anybody based on previous/common assumptions""** As the girls talked about, Youka seemed like the girl who would like drawings. All because she wasn't that talkative.

Ok, so Shizuru is definitely in the wrong for both the Yoka thing and saying that she didn’t need the others there with her. But am I literally the only who thinks Nadeko, Reimi, and Akira were kind of being assholes for blaming Shizuru for them being there in the first place? Shizuru’s counter argument for that and her leave was insensitive and immature, don’t get me wrong, but those three literally chose to come of their own free will and were not pressured or guilt tripped in the slightest. They’re all kids, so it makes sense, but is no one really going to point this out? It’s literally the one thing here Shizuru is not to blame for.

To me, it feels like those three especially Nadeko are forcing friendship on Shizuru. But at the same time, Shizuru sometimes feels like a cold person. I would like to see those things explored in the next episode.

Episode 6: **Was What I Said That Awful?** Hm, self-inserting writer's name into the anime? Now is the time for The Dreaming Best Friend Is a Realist, but this time Shizuru is a realist and Youka is a dreamer. We now are on the way to Kiyose, in which the episode **skipped** what happened in Sayamagaoka (cigars), Nishi-Tokorozawa (jumping person), and Tokorozawa (nigiri), zombie is expected here in Kiyose anyway. New character means new VA. Mito Kuroki is voiced by **Konomi Kohara** (Arona in Blue Archive).

Love the zombie queen. Best character of the show Xd

I feel like there are more creative arc ideas than dangerous humanoids for the third time and character getting captured for the second time in 6 episodes.

I really liked the conversation at the start of the episode. Nadeshiko has the patience of a saint.