MAPPA, the studio behind Chainsaw Man, is easily one of the biggest anime studios of the past decade. The quality of those two shows speaks for itself, but between other hits like Dorohedoro and Attack on Titan season 4, they’ve long since made a name for themselves for the consistently high quality of their productions, and they’re always among the best anime to watch every year.
Despite some controversies surrounding MAPPA’s working conditions, the quality of their work is undeniable, and 2025 has been no different. For starters, MAPPA has been in charge of Lazarus, the latest anime from Shinichiro Watanabe of Cowboy Bebop fame, but just as noteworthy, if not more so, MAPPA put out one of the best and most criminally underrated isekai anime of 2025, Zenshu. Despite its relative lack of attention, it’s easily one of the best anime of 2025, so far, and any isekai fan would be remiss to it up.
Why Zenshu Is Such A Great Isekai Anime
Original Anime Directed By Mitsue Yamazaki
Zenshu is an all-around great isekai anime to watch, and there are plenty of reasons as to why. For starters, as is often the case with MAPPA productions, Zenshu’s art and animation are among the best of any modern anime, with the creative character designs and gorgeous scenes and backgrounds always perfectly complementing the vivid and fluid animation. Whether it’s an intense action scene or something more down-to-earth, Zenshu always looks amazing, and few other anime in 2025 even come close to it.
The biggest draw to Zenshu, however, comes from its story content. Rather than being a simple isekai story, Zenshu’s story is written as a deconstructive parody that not only deconstructs and analyzes isekai tropes, but also the merits of dark stories versus uplifting stories and the ins and outs of anime production as a whole. Zenshu’s deconstructive storytelling gives it one of the richest narratives of any recent isekai anime, and it’s incredibly fun to watch from start to finish.
Of course, the high quality of Zenshu’s story would be nothing without its protagonist, Natsuko Hirose. While Natsuko starts the story as a reclusive artist unable to connect with others, her romance with Luke and her friendship with the cast of A Tale of Perishing always help her learn to appreciate others and teach her the value of human connections and, of course, a good anime. Natsuko’s character arc is the biggest reason why Zenshu is such a great anime, and it’s the kind of story that even those who aren’t fans of isekai can get a lot out of.
Why Was Zenshu So Underrated If It Was Such A Great Anime?
What Went Wrong With Zenshu?
Zenshu was easily one of the best anime of winter 2025, and that begs the question of why it was so underrated. Being an original anime with no built-in fanbase is one thing, but winter 2025 was filled with numerous other shows with far more hype surrounding them, such as Sakamoto Days, The Apothecary Diaries season 2, and, of course, Solo Leveling season 2. Zenshu never fully took off because of its nature as an original anime and because it was overshadowed by its competition, and unfortunately, it’s unlikely to pick up anytime soon.
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That doesn’t mean people shouldn’t watch Zenshu, of course. With its incredible visuals and a story that’s both entertaining and surprisingly thoughtful, Zenshu makes for a great short series that anyone can, and should, get a lot out of, even if other anime will inevitably get more attention than it. As tired as the isekai genre may be, Zenshu is a truly standout entry into the genre by MAPPA of Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man fame, and even with all the shows set to come out in 2025, it’s sure to be one of the best anime of the year.
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