If you like chaotic but cute anime featuring bizarre fantasy and a genuine emotional core, you’ll want to check out Train to the End of the World. This 2024 anime is nothing if not absurd, but in an enjoyable way. Though there are valid criticisms of this anime – mostly that it could have had more depth – I found myself having fun in almost every episode. Please join me for a brief review of Train to the End of the World. All aboard!!!
Story
Score: 7/10
Two years ago, the world as we know it ended in a split second. Japan implemented a new technology called the 7G Network. Once the waves were activated, catastrophe ensued as the laws of physics, logic, and everything else crumbled. Many people transformed into animals, plants, or objects. Short distances grew absurdly long. Flowers bloomed larger than the buildings that danced like candles in the wind. The sky changed color. It rained golf balls. You get the idea: everything went crazy.
The world lost its infrastructure, leading to Japan’s isolation from the outside world. There was no way of knowing if things like “countries” even made sense anymore. In this weird world, a teenage girl named Shizuru set out on an adventure to find her friend Youka, who went missing after running away two years ago. Shizuru and her three companions – Akira, Reimi, and Nadeshiko – embark on a train, determined to drive it to Ikebukuro, the part of Tokyo where Youka was last seen.
The absurdity of the premise is a win for me since I love goofy, chaotic anime. However, the comedy wasn’t quite as good as I had hoped. Compared to something like Gintama, it didn’t quite hit the mark. Moreover, though the story started with a strong opening concept, it definitely could have been better executed. For example, there was a lot of wasted potential for world-building. The pacing was also a little on the slow side and rather formulaic at times.
Despite these issues, the story of Train to the End of the World was still good overall. It’s still pretty funny on its own, if you don’t compare it to the best of anime comedy. In addition, this series has a sincere emotional core: Shizuru’s desire to heal her relationship with Youka. The story themes are heartfelt and simple, yet classic. The themes include adventure, friendship, memories, and change. Most importantly, people need each other. That’s the central message behind the chaos.
Visuals
Score: 7/10
Personally, I love the visuals in Train to the End of the World. In fact, the visuals in the trailer were part of what inspired me to try this show. However, realistically, the art and animation isn’t anything special in this series. It’s what you would expect from a 2024 anime, so it’s adequate but not excellent. I think 7/10 is a fair score. Regardless, the art style is very cute. The characters have small, slender bodies, big heads, and colorful, emotive eyes.
The animation was not too choppy according to what I remember, and there were even a few good action sequences. The character designs are adorable, but also not the most memorable. Even though I like her cute hairstyle, Shizuru has a pretty samey design with brown hair and green eyes – typical for an anime protagonist. On the other hand, some were more creative, such as Akira’s cute design and Youka’s witch form.
The lighting and shading struck me as immaculate in this anime. There are beautiful scenes at sunset especially. All the lighting looks golden, hazy, and sort of nostalgic, like a hot summer from long ago. I like the colors, too. The creatures and animal-people looked surreal at times, but in a way I liked. Lastly, there were numerous comedic, overblown face expressions from the characters. These make great reaction images and are extremely amusing, in my humble opinion.
Audio
Score: 9/10
The audio was outstanding mostly due to the songs and voice-acting. The opening song is “Ga-tan Go-ton” by Rei Nakashima. This song may not be everyone’s cup of tea, as it’s extremely cutesy and happy-go-lucky. I love it, though. And as much as I appreciate the opening song, I love the ending song even more. It’s called “Eureka” by Rokudenashi and it’s one of my two top favorite anime songs of 2024. The song has a strong, inspiring chorus. It’s about how humans need each other. I highly recommend listening. (I will link the ending song in the Personal Enjoyment section.)
Now let’s mention a few of the talented seiyuu who voiced the characters. (I don’t have time to mention them all.) Chika Anzai played Shizuru Chikura and did a fantastic job. She is probably most known for voicing Reina in Sound! Euphonium, but I was most impressed with her role of Sirius in Re: Zero season 3. Another talented cast member is Nao Touyama, who played Youka Nakatomi. Some find her heavily feminine, emphatic voice to be annoying, but I’m a fan.
The last name I’ll mention for today is Hina Kino, who played Akira Shinonome. She is best known for voicing Honoka in Asobi Asobase, another absurd anime (though it was ruined for me by the anti-trans “comedy”). Kino’s voice is well-suited for highly emotional and neurotic characters like Akira. Her high-pitched voice is perfect for over-the-top screams. Without a doubt, Hina Kino performed amazingly well. I won’t easily forget the audio of Train to the End of the World.
Characters
Score: 6/10
The characters were engaging but rather under-developed. Some were also a little one-dimensional. Shizuru, for example, is the tomboy, and Akira is the nerd. Reimi is the loud, worldly gal, and Nadeshiko is the quiet motherly type. Despite them fitting into clear roles, I liked the characters and found each one cute and entertaining. My personal favorite was Akira. I just wish that there had been better ongoing character development for her and the rest of the main cast.
The side characters were likewise entertaining but lacking in depth. Maybe it was silly to expect such an absurd, goofy anime to have well-developed characters, but I think if Gintama can do it, then so can other shows. My personal favorite of the side characters was Pochi, the bodyguard of Youka. He was actually a crow who turned into a buff human due to the 7G Network. I also liked Dr. Makoto the scientist. That’s all I have to say about the character category.
Personal Enjoyment
Score: 8/10
There was a lot to enjoy in this chaotic anime. I will repeat the fact that I absolutely adore the ending song. The lyrics are sung really fast, so I can’t sing it well yet – but I’ll get it eventually. The song is linked below. You should also be able to find a video on YouTube with English and Romaji lyrics. This is an English translation for the bridge of the song and the last chorus. It may be on-the-nose, but I love it.
“After much thought, I finally understood:
Humans should not be on their own.
You don’t have to be happy about it.
It’s not okay – it’s really not okay.
How many times
Have I hurt you, made mistakes, and failed,
Meeting your kindness with contempt?
Hurting, forgiving, and being forgiven –
You were told to live.”
There were a few things in the series I didn’t like, such as Kuroki having to flip up her skirt to short-circuit the zombies. It could have been worse, though. It was also genuinely hilarious when Akira read out erotica to scare the same zombies. Other sources of enjoyment included the character of Akira, the music and animation, and the general silliness and absurdity of the adventures as the girls progress.
Overall Score
Score: 7.4 out of 10.0 Train Stops
The overall or average score of the five categories above is solidly in the 7s range. That means it’s pretty good. It’s coincidentally about the same as the score currently listed on MyAnimeList.net, which is 7.37 (as of June 2025). If it had a little more depth and a little better comedy, Train to the End of the World would surely be a better anime, but I enjoyed the show as it was. Check out this anime if you have some free time and enjoy absurd but cute and heartfelt adventures.
~Thanks for Reading~
Written by 7Mononoke at Anime Rants
Anime Rants 
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