Train to the End of the World

Train to the End of the World (終末トレインどこへいく？) is an original Japanese anime television series produced by Kadokawa, animated by EMT Squared, and directed by Tsutomu Mizushima, with Michiko Yokote handling series composition, Asako Nishida handling character designs based on namo's original designs, and Miho Tsujibayashi composing the music. It aired from April to June 2024. A manga adaptation illustrated by Torimura began serialization on Kadokawa Shoten's KadoComi manga website in March 2024.

Plot
After the disastrous launch of an experimental 7G cellular network warps reality, Japan is left devastated, with civilization collapsing and being reduced to scattered, isolated settlements. The launch, known as the 7G Incident, has also caused strange phenomena and affected the surviving population, such as the residents near Agano Station transforming into intelligent animals once they turn 21. Two years after the 7G Incident, student and Agano resident Shizuru Chikura finds evidence that her missing friend and classmate Yoka Nakatomi is alive and in Ikebukuro. With the landscape too dangerous to travel on foot, Shizuru and her friends commandeer an abandoned Seibu 2000 passenger train, which they later name the "Apogee", to follow the Seibu Ikebukuro Line to Ikebukuro and reunite with Yoka.

Main characters

 * Shizuru Chikura (千倉 静留)
 * A student and resident of Agano. She lives with her grandmother and mother, who were turned into animals following the 7G Incident. Shizuru has spent the past two years since the 7G Incident searching for Yoka, who disappeared after they had a falling out; it is later revealed that their argument was because Shizuru would not support Yoka's dream. After learning that Yoka is in Ikebukuro, Shizuru and her friends commandeer an abandoned Seibu 2000 passenger train and head for Ikebukuro to reunite with her.
 * A student and resident of Agano. She lives with her grandmother and mother, who were turned into animals following the 7G Incident. Shizuru has spent the past two years since the 7G Incident searching for Yoka, who disappeared after they had a falling out; it is later revealed that their argument was because Shizuru would not support Yoka's dream. After learning that Yoka is in Ikebukuro, Shizuru and her friends commandeer an abandoned Seibu 2000 passenger train and head for Ikebukuro to reunite with her.


 * Nadeshiko Hoshi (星 撫子)
 * A gentle and polite student who accompanies Shizuru on her journey to Ikebukuro and acts as the group's peacemaker, often breaking up fights between Reimi and Akira.
 * A gentle and polite student who accompanies Shizuru on her journey to Ikebukuro and acts as the group's peacemaker, often breaking up fights between Reimi and Akira.


 * Reimi Kuga (久賀 玲実)
 * An energetic and cheerful student who accompanies Shizuru on her journey to Ikebukuro and often gets into fights with Akira due to their conflicting personalities.
 * An energetic and cheerful student who accompanies Shizuru on her journey to Ikebukuro and often gets into fights with Akira due to their conflicting personalities.


 * Akira Shinonome (東雲 晶)
 * An intelligent but withdrawn student who accompanies Shizuru on her journey to Ikebukuro and tends to keep to herself. She often gets into fights with Reimi due to their conflicting personalities.
 * An intelligent but withdrawn student who accompanies Shizuru on her journey to Ikebukuro and tends to keep to herself. She often gets into fights with Reimi due to their conflicting personalities.

Supporting characters

 * Yōka Nakatomi (中富 葉香)
 * Shizuru's best friend, who had a falling out with her and left Agano for Ikebukuro after she discouraged her from achieving her goal of becoming an astronomer and has been trapped there since the 7G Incident. It is later revealed that 7G turned her into a witch queen who can manipulate reality and rules over Ikebukuro. It is also revealed that Pontaro erased her memories to prevent her from revealing the truth behind 7G's failure to the world and manipulated her into helping him eliminate those who know. After her memories are restored, she reverses 7G and returns home with Shizuru and her friends.
 * Shizuru's best friend, who had a falling out with her and left Agano for Ikebukuro after she discouraged her from achieving her goal of becoming an astronomer and has been trapped there since the 7G Incident. It is later revealed that 7G turned her into a witch queen who can manipulate reality and rules over Ikebukuro. It is also revealed that Pontaro erased her memories to prevent her from revealing the truth behind 7G's failure to the world and manipulated her into helping him eliminate those who know. After her memories are restored, she reverses 7G and returns home with Shizuru and her friends.


 * Zenjirō Taira (平 善治郎)
 * A mysterious train conductor who arrived in Agano and decided to stay here for the time being. He teaches Shizuru how to operate the train and communicates with her group by tapping on the train tracks to generate Morse code. After arriving in Agano, he managed to retain his humanity but lost his sanity, which he can temporarily regain for five minutes a day while wearing his conductor's cap. He holds a deep grudge against Pontaro, the inventor of 7G, and has sworn revenge against him, and it is implied that he was involved in the creation of 7G.
 * A mysterious train conductor who arrived in Agano and decided to stay here for the time being. He teaches Shizuru how to operate the train and communicates with her group by tapping on the train tracks to generate Morse code. After arriving in Agano, he managed to retain his humanity but lost his sanity, which he can temporarily regain for five minutes a day while wearing his conductor's cap. He holds a deep grudge against Pontaro, the inventor of 7G, and has sworn revenge against him, and it is implied that he was involved in the creation of 7G.


 * Pochi-san (ポチさん)
 * Yoka's pet dog, who was seemingly unaffected by 7G and accompanies Shizuru and her friends to Ikebukuro.


 * Makoto Angstrom Gappa (・マコト・オングストローム)
 * A doctor who helped build Inariyama's military base, but was overpowered and imprisoned by the Boss, who took over her role, and was shrunk along with Inariyama's people as a result of 7G. It is later revealed that she is one of the scientists who helped create 7G. She is later freed by Shizuru's group, and after the Boss is defeated, she decides to return to Agano to reunite with Zenjiro, who knew her in the past. She grows to 1.6x of her normal size (a giant in comparison to the others) after 7G's reversal.
 * A doctor who helped build Inariyama's military base, but was overpowered and imprisoned by the Boss, who took over her role, and was shrunk along with Inariyama's people as a result of 7G. It is later revealed that she is one of the scientists who helped create 7G. She is later freed by Shizuru's group, and after the Boss is defeated, she decides to return to Agano to reunite with Zenjiro, who knew her in the past. She grows to 1.6x of her normal size (a giant in comparison to the others) after 7G's reversal.


 * Neko (ネコ)
 * The leader of the Black Leopards, a group which makes deliveries across Japan.
 * The leader of the Black Leopards, a group which makes deliveries across Japan.


 * Mito Kuroki (黒木 ミト)
 * The queen of the zombies, whom Shizuru encounters after abandoning her friends. She is actually a human who disguised herself as a zombie to control them, as she considers them as a family and useful servants. When Shizuru and her friends offer to take her to Ikebukuro, she refuses, having decided that her rightful place is with the zombies, but later reunites with them to help them stop Pontaro. She maintains her status as the zombie queen even after 7G is reversed, as her zombies (who are now human) still exist.
 * The queen of the zombies, whom Shizuru encounters after abandoning her friends. She is actually a human who disguised herself as a zombie to control them, as she considers them as a family and useful servants. When Shizuru and her friends offer to take her to Ikebukuro, she refuses, having decided that her rightful place is with the zombies, but later reunites with them to help them stop Pontaro. She maintains her status as the zombie queen even after 7G is reversed, as her zombies (who are now human) still exist.


 * Sū-chan (スーちゃん)
 * A character from the popular manga and anime Alice in Nerima Land, who was brought into existence by 7G alongside her friends and is the only surviving main character after they were killed prior to Shizuru and her friends' arrival. She later dies after they fail to revive her friends.
 * A character from the popular manga and anime Alice in Nerima Land, who was brought into existence by 7G alongside her friends and is the only surviving main character after they were killed prior to Shizuru and her friends' arrival. She later dies after they fail to revive her friends.


 * Old Man
 * This unnamed man is usually seen traveling across Japan on a swan-like boat. He met Shizuru and her friends at some points and gave them maps to help them. He also unintentionally helped the girls in the final confrontation against Pontaro where he and his boat crushed the latter when he tried to escape with Yoka.

Antagonists

 * Poison Pontarō (ポイズン・ポンタロー)
 * An eccentric but insecure scientist from Ikebukuro who invented 7G to improve life, but instead changed reality. However, he decided not to reverse the effects of 7G because he did not want anyone to know that it backfired. To avoid getting into trouble with the public, he erases Yōka's memories and uses her as a puppet queen, manipulating her to eliminate witnesses. He is even willing to go as far as to murder those who try to undo 7G. Following his defeat, he is turned into an egg custard after 7G is reversed.
 * An eccentric but insecure scientist from Ikebukuro who invented 7G to improve life, but instead changed reality. However, he decided not to reverse the effects of 7G because he did not want anyone to know that it backfired. To avoid getting into trouble with the public, he erases Yōka's memories and uses her as a puppet queen, manipulating her to eliminate witnesses. He is even willing to go as far as to murder those who try to undo 7G. Following his defeat, he is turned into an egg custard after 7G is reversed.


 * Pochi (ポチ)
 * Pontaro's henchman, who is named after Yoka's dog. He is a strong fighter and was previously a crow that was turned into a human by 7G. He later turns on Pontaro due to him mostly caring for Yoka's safety. After 7G is undone, he turns back into a crow.
 * Pontaro's henchman, who is named after Yoka's dog. He is a strong fighter and was previously a crow that was turned into a human by 7G. He later turns on Pontaro due to him mostly caring for Yoka's safety. After 7G is undone, he turns back into a crow.


 * The Boss (ボス)
 * A man who likes bases, planes and other military weapons and wanted to join the military, but was told he was not smart or athletic enough to join. His name is unknown. He is also an ally to Pontaro. After the 7G Incident, he went to Inariyama and, after discovering that the people there were shrunk, took over and made the lower class make electricity for him. He also locked up Doctor Makoto, fearing that she could find a way to return everyone to normal. After Reimi defeats him, he is banished to an island in Sayama Lake. In the final episode, he aids Pontaro in the final battle against the girls, but is defeated. His fate remains unknown afterwards.
 * A man who likes bases, planes and other military weapons and wanted to join the military, but was told he was not smart or athletic enough to join. His name is unknown. He is also an ally to Pontaro. After the 7G Incident, he went to Inariyama and, after discovering that the people there were shrunk, took over and made the lower class make electricity for him. He also locked up Doctor Makoto, fearing that she could find a way to return everyone to normal. After Reimi defeats him, he is banished to an island in Sayama Lake. In the final episode, he aids Pontaro in the final battle against the girls, but is defeated. His fate remains unknown afterwards.


 * Chaos (渾沌)
 * A humanoid cat who is the main villain of Alice in Nerima Land, brought into existence by 7G along with its protagonists. He works for Yoka and Pontaro, who ordered him to keep people away from Ikebukuro. After his henchmen are defeated by Shizuru and her friends, he flees to warn Yoka and Pontaro about them. In the final episode, he aids Pontaro in the final battle against the girls, but is defeated. His fate remains unknown afterwards.
 * A humanoid cat who is the main villain of Alice in Nerima Land, brought into existence by 7G along with its protagonists. He works for Yoka and Pontaro, who ordered him to keep people away from Ikebukuro. After his henchmen are defeated by Shizuru and her friends, he flees to warn Yoka and Pontaro about them. In the final episode, he aids Pontaro in the final battle against the girls, but is defeated. His fate remains unknown afterwards.

Manga
A manga adaptation, illustrated by Torimura and told from Akira's perspective, began serialization on Kadokawa Shoten's KadoComi manga website on March 25, 2024. A single tankōbon volume has been released as of June 2024.

Anime
The original anime television series was announced on Railway Day on October 14, 2022, which celebrates the 150th anniversary of Japan's first railway. It is directed by Tsutomu Mizushima and written by Michiko Yokote, both of whom had previously worked on the anime series Shirobako and The Magnificent Kotobuki, and features animation production by EMT Squared, original character designs by namo, animation character designs by Asako Nishida, and music composed by Miho Tsujibayashi. The series aired from April 1 to June 24, 2024, on AT-X and other networks and ran for 12 episodes. The opening theme is "GA-TAN GO-TON", performed by Rei Nakashima, while the ending theme is "Eureka", performed by Rokudenashi. Crunchyroll licensed the series.