Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou

Not a lot of people know about this series, and it's a real shame. Girls' Last Tour is, in my opinion, the best and most fascinating post-apocalyptic world ever. While it is extremely simple and seems to have no deeper substance lore-wise to delve into on the surface, it actually benefits from that simplicity and gives this somewhat jokey, light-hearted series a permanent undertone of mystery, intrigue, and a fear of the abyss.

Seeing these two girls, who may just be the last humans alive, rediscover Earth and its last civilizations is excessively interesting to read/watch. You get to learn more about this distant future as ... the girls continue to cover more ground; however, in doing so, the viewer is simultaneously left with WAY more questions, and for those wanting answers, you aren't going to find them here, at least not clear ones. One of my favorite parts about this deliberate choice is that we are basically just along for the ride with the girls, and we know just as little as they do. But after each chapter, we get another piece of a puzzle that will never be complete, so the gaps can only be filled in with the viewer's interpretations/theories. To a casual audience, it might seem cheap or hollow, but it allows for so much more than it would if we were simply just told what happened.

On its own, this series does wonderfully with the interactions between Chito and Yuuri, and given that they're (for the most part) the only ones present in this show, it's impressive to say that I never got bored of it, even on multiple rewatches. Despite this being impressive, the biggest reason this series/anime is elevated to such soaring heights is the presentation.

The art in the manga is astounding, and some panels had me just staring at the landscapes/wastelands for a while. Thankfully, the anime adaptation adapts the style nearly flawlessly; in fact, I think if they were given a higher animation budget like MAPPA or Ufotable, it would actually end up detracting from the series, since the simplicity and intricacies are what sell the world and give it its character. On top of animation, the anime adaptation blessed our ears with one of the greatest OSTs of all fucking time, and it fits the series PERFECTLY. I genuinely don't know how they did it, but bravo to everyone involved, Kenichiro Suehiro, you have my full respect.

The only reason this anime isn't a 10/10 is that it does not adapt the final 2 volumes and give us the proper ending, an ending of which that I suggest all fans of the series read, as it is what I would consider to be a life-changing read and the only way this story could've ended.

Ever since my initial viewing, I knew that this series was truly something special and is one that I find myself coming back to time and time again. And much like a lot of my other favorite series of all time, it changes me a little and gives me something new to appreciate each and every time.

Living sure is nice, huh?

Thank you, Girls' Last Tour.

Humans are cruel, aren't they?

Chito and Yuuri roams the unknown part of the dying earth in an unknown aftermath aimlessly. Scavenge rations, clean water, fuel, and other things then put them in the Kettenkrad - that's what you get when you mixed a motorbike with a german halftrack - and take the trip to nowhere. Chi and Yuu has no certain goal, but one each other is now the only thing they have left.

Let me tell you that i ever have a problem about depression and it might affect how i write this review. But i learned how to control my emotions right now so ... my depression wouldn't really made me think to suicide though.

I personally think this anime is the best* anime that really criticize anything about, war, nature, environment, and... humanity, like friendship, love, empathy, compassion, and others. (*Best, based on the anime that i already watched). I was also surprised that Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou (Last Girls' Trip) is the only slice of life anime that drive my to tears after Nichijou (My Ordinary Life). both 10 for me. I could say this because that i only watch Slice of Life anime and i can distinguish diffrences between animes with the same genre.

I don't know if this is a spoiler or not, but in the end i consider it isn't, the only main characters are Chi and Yuu. And also, i will not spoil how many characters directly involved in this anime. Just imagine.

The places showcased in this anime generally came from the unknown culture of postmodern earth. No terrain or ocean is seen (except in imagination), and instead, the whole place is made out of metals, maybe steels, and concrete. The only things exists are stacked platforms. with a really tall gap between platforms. Since the whole thing is made out of metal and concrete, the colors you seen in the anime are dark camo green, gray, deep navy blue, and other set of really faded and grayish colors. Triggers your emotions.

There are 12 Episodes, and surprisingly the wiki (on Wikia) drew them into a world map based on Chi and Yuu's position on certain chapters. The duration took in the story (for the whole episode) is maybe just so long, because it changes season every one or two episodes. Or, maybe, it may be caused by the destroyed earth so the climate became abnormal.

Also, there is a part where you start to contemplate about humanity. The orchestra song Nocturnes, Op. 9 (Chopin) is featured there and make you really really ponder about it. If you are a Muse (British alternative rock band) fan, you know that the album "Resistance" really fit this anime, and especially because Muse also feature the slightly rearrange Nocturnes, Op. 9 named "Collateral Damage". I'm sorry if i had to explain things other than anime, but you gotta know that the whole album talks about war, nature, environment, and humanity. So if you already listened the whole album, the contemplation effect will be as twice as effective for this part.

I get depressed beyond that point. However, the relation between Yuu and Chi will heal you eventually.

There are several points that i used to distinguish whether a Slice of Life anime is good or not:
> Slow Paced : YES (i mean, like, there nothing in this anime that will scare you to death by a sudden, shocking transitions that possibly triggers epilepsy or heart attack.)
> Emotional: YES, especially the last ep.
----> ... Suspense : YES
----> ... Tears : YES
----> ... Elated : YES
> Good Songs : Overall, YES
----> ... BGM is slow paced too: YES
----> ... BGM is overall voiceless : maybe yes. Most of them are only hums though.
----> ... Memorable OP and ED: YES for both.
> Good Story: Overall, YES
----> ... Great and structural character building in the first episodes: YES
----> ... Logical: maybe yes. Nobody knows how post-apocalypse looked like.
----> ... Continuous : YES.
----> ... Good ratio of for the portion of the number of characters to the plot: YES
----> ... Plot Twists : few, but good.
----> ... Arguable conflict: maybe yes.
----> ... Surprises: You really think i am going to say it?
> You find yourself is attached soo deep in the movie: OMFG YES.

Thanks for reading.

They say that it’s always the journey, not the destination. Often times, we seek something in our lives only for it to eventually fade away as we wither and die, leaving behind only the memory of who we once were in a world that we go on without us. In a world left as a shell of its former self, two girls take their last tour into the wide, open world.

(The only real important part of the review is at the very end in ‘Personal Enjoyment’, if you want to skip to it.)

Story:

Yuuri and Chito are two young girls who ride ... around on a hybrid vehicle of a motorbike and a tank. (Also known as a Kettenkrad) Through their days, they wander the wide-open world from a world left long ago.

Summed up in roughly two sentences, the simple story of these two girls wandering this vast, empty world is minimalism at its finest, expressing its twelve episodes through show, don’t tell, as each episode is split into several smaller parts where the duo takes into account the present situation at hand. Be it regarding food, the environment around them, or the few life forms still left in this empty world, Shuumatsu is in a word, depressingly blissful.

Behind its mysterious atmosphere surrounding questions asking what this world is and what happened prior to these girls spending their days wandering, to the surprising discoveries and excitement these girls make when even the simplest things that we in our lives take for granted shows up in front of them, very few things can honestly be said critically both good or bad about a show that drowns the viewer in awe from the kinds of things we’re presented. It comes to a point that sometimes words can’t really explain it and the phrase “just go watch it for yourself” comes to mind.

Overview:
+ Simple, yet very, very atmosphere

Characters:

As for the girls themselves, both Chito and Yuuri exhibit opposite traits to each other that provide a nice contrast to one another. Chito is levelheaded and thinks more with her head, whereas Yuuri is slightly psychopathic and thinks more with her stomach, constantly talking about food in a world where finding it can prove to be a challenge.

Aside from them…the few characters we do get only bolster the image of a world on its last legs. Beings who sit there, grasping at straws to give themselves a goal, something, anything to do to give them a purpose in a seemingly empty and meaningless place. It’s surreal and really makes you think when put into perspective the human nature and how we as a species spend so much time running around to survive in a bustling or starving place.

Overview:
+ Simple, yet effective characters

Art:

Produced by White Fox, the show gives us this drab yet stunningly beautiful landscape that speaks volumes more than the dialogue ever will. Landscape, wide shots, establishing, low angle, top down, crane; as the viewer, we’re privy to see this gorgeously depressing sprawling ruin of a city that stretches for miles on end. Not often is the show’s landscapes and art direction this key to the show’s overall existence and feel as it is here. With every episode we’re introduced to something new in the world of Shuumatsu, and every time it becomes a guessing game of:

“Why is it like this?”

“Who made these?”

“What happened to this place?”

All of which are answers that are intentionally left out and left to our own imaginations. The few clues we’re given catalyze the viewer to at least start thinking about the possibilities and add more wonder to what led to what to create the result we see.

Comparatively, it’s interesting to note the blob-like design that the girls have, which add a surprisingly humorous contrast to the bleakness of the world they live in as they scoot along on their Kettenkrad. Sure they’re simple, but surprisingly enough, it does actually work with the rest of the show’s style.

Overview:
+ Breathtaking scenery
+ Ironically? hilarious character designs

Sound:

Both the show’s OP and ED are sung by the seiyuus of the two girls, which are both ironically cheerful and happy, poppy and surprisingly memorable tracks with vaguely depressing lyrics that add a hilarious contrast to how the actual show plays out.

But the true winner is how the rest of the OST plays out. Each track in the show presents us with a simple or awe-inspiring track with only a small handful of instruments and/or voices that show us that you don’t need a huge symphony or choir to create a huge impact. Kenchiro Suehiro’s work is a sublime piece of art that gives us the gentle push of subtlety just enough to make the audience resonate with what’s happening on the screen. If you don’t believe me, listen to it for yourself.

Overview:
+ Stellar soundtrack

Personal Enjoyment:

When I do a review for a show, I tend to spend my free time thinking over what I watched about a week prior to the last episode and determine the show’s positives and negatives in an impartial judgment that leads me to analyze any given show the way I’ve formatted these reviews for years. Very rarely for one of these reviews do I sit at my desk at a loss for words. There’s a certain beauty to the show’s bleakness that I cannot describe, a certain wonderment that I cannot accurately put into words. Watching Shuumatsu sort of got me thinking what would life be like in a world without us around, what our lives would be like when an eerily quiet serenity took over the world and froze the things around us in an eternal slumber. What would our purpose be for those that remain? Like sometimes I wonder why I put out these reviews. You know, trains of thought like that.

Did I like this show?

Quite honestly, I’m not sure what I feel. It’s certainly not showing distaste towards the show, but it’s more of me being stuck in awe and wonder at the nature of it all. It seems like nothing at first, but when you watch it, it’s everything. It’s so simple, but it gives you so many things that pop up so many questions in your head that you can’t help but beg the show to give you some answers. But that’s part of the beauty of it. We like the girls have almost no idea what this world they’re traveling through is, what secrets it holds, what will happen in the future, or even what the point of living in a world where nothing you do matters because no one will be around to see it, if you’re remembered at all.

What didn’t I like about this show?

Yuuri’s…kind of a dick. Yeah, I’m calling her out on that. She’s kind of a terrible person for most of the show.

Would I recommend this show?

If you’re not a fan of atmosphere and want some kind of oomph to your show, then Shuumatsu isn’t for you. If you don’t mind a show devoted to its atmosphere, man, you’re in for a treat with this one. Quite honestly, there isn’t a lot about this show to be said because of how beautifully simple it all is, and just how difficult it is to put into words. It’s one of those things that I would highly, highly suggest you go watch yourself because it’s a show that has to be experienced than told about, and really deserves more attention because of how rare a show this deep in its atmosphere appears.

Times sure are changing and so is anime. With titles like Youjo Senki and Made in Abyss, loli characters are getting a new dimension of ideas and Girls‘ Last Tour is yet another example of this. But instead of loli hitler or a dark fantasy with children, we have iyashikei in a post apocalyptic setting. But is its creativeness enough to make a show good? Sometimes it might be, but the anime has more to offer.

But before that there’s one huge problem to face and that’s merging 2 absolutely opposite things – iyashikei and post apocalyptic setting, as mention before. But they managed to do ... it perfectly like it was nothing. While I still don’t know how they’ve done, after 20 minutes of one episode I was completely calm and forgot about all my daily worries for a moment, even though I was watching 2 girls, Chito and Yuuri, having conversations about various topics, while they were searching for food, trying to survive in a world without civilization. Danger can come from anywhere and yet you still will be smiling.

The dialogs are not there just for a light hearted humor for your relaxation though as they make one ask himself many philosophical question, which is quite enjoyable and serves as a great icing on the cake. Dark colors even give it more serious flavor, but chubby art style of characters still leaves it heartwarming and the balanace between those two is just right. As brighter episodes are to show up, we also come across to not that serious topics, but still explore interesting ideas Chito and Yuuri have to discuss like “What is house?“ or “What is God?“, and also relaxing subjects like “Fish”, “Cooking” or “Music”. Because their daily lives are about food search, they have no clue about those things and look at them in a captivating perspective. And it’s the same about more serious topics like “Life” or “Destruction”.

What their main goal is? There’s no real answer, since there might not even be one, as they keep moving forward and climbing up, their destinations change based on their mood and surroundings. And that’s exactly how it’s done right, since there’s no one alive (just few exceptions) where would you go? Just explore, be curious, probably reach as high as you can and chat with your friend, and that’s exactly portrayed here, so it’s really easy to empathize with them and understand their actions.

They are lucky though to have a friend to share their journey with. In a world full of solitude a companion comes in handy and we even had a chance to see 2 characters all by themselves. We could see in their personality and the way they talked, that they were lonely. In need to find a purpose in life, they either draw maps or want to construct an airplane to fly to another city. But what if you lose all of it? What comes after that? A partner to ease the loneliness is priceless.

Their relationship is really beautiful. As we watch them struggle to find food, it’s really easy to make you smile even over the most stupid joke they make (and they make plenty of good ones). A really true friendship, they share everything, they hide nothing, what would happen if one lost another? As we were poked with this question in the series, it’s really a frightening thought. By the time I reached the final episode, I could totally relate to them and aside from everything mentioned before, there’s a lot of emotions to feel.

Girls’ Last Tour also has done a very good job in their drawings and animated scenes well, though I especially appreciate the CGI work, which has collected a bad reputation lately, but the movements of Girls’ vehicle, Kettenkrad, is here to show us that if given enough attention, it can work in anime too. A limited palette of colors is also a perfect way to set up a good atmosphere. Dark colors work perfectly to leave a mystery aspect in the background and leave an impression of danger, while when we have a lot of bright and white colors, we feel more safe and it lightens up the audience.

With a lot of themes in an episodic story, to come up with a rich collection of good soundtracks is a challenge, but we are not left disappointment. There are many OST to cover everything and really nicely follow us throughout the show. Contrasting opening is one to remember, tunes our mood well and is almost unskippable, pleasant to listen to. As well the “dab scene” was surprising to everyone and made me to wait for it every time. The ending songs weren’t that good as the opening, but still were really well handled and you could feel, that the show is saying good bye to us, watchers, especially the last episode's ending had honestly a strong impact on me.

The anime serves its purpose, is fresh, makes you think, is charming to watch, shows us a good progress in CGI, has a lovely music and overall is an awesome series. Though it might not appeal for someone looking for a bigger plot, it’s still great in many other ways and surely would recommend anyone seeking a well written story. Definitely belongs to one of my favorites of the season.

I use the word melancholic a lot as it is one of the most interesting emotions to have, and one of the hardest to get right. This show is the walking definition of melancholic. Melancholy, technically, is sadness with no reason. But I always took it to be a bittersweet emotion. It’s happiness and sadness, hope and isolation, a personal feeling that lands a slight grin on your face and a light burden on your heart. Happy things are happening and you can enjoy it, but there are introspective elements that have this personal reflection and somberness to it. Like going separate ways with someone ... you once cared about (or still do) with no hard feelings, or knowing it’s the right thing to do. That is what this show is to me and why it is so personal. It is about these two innocent, naive and ignorant little girls forced to question heavy subjects concerning their own mortality. The plot of the show is these two girls travel a war torn city. Through this they question civilization and societies behaviors like religion, war, the desire to destroy, the importance of books and life and friendship. They reflect on time and monotony, on Darwinism, on memories and dreams, on the purpose of living and bodily necessities like hunger and baths, and fun, song, humor, art, hope, homes, death, companionship, society, survival and everything in between. These girls question the purpose of life and everything it has through the innocence and ignorance of children. They are in constant hunts for food and amusement, taking pleasure in simple things. They are absolutely adorable and their friendship is precious, as they are all they have in the world. Both characters are lovable and adorable and mostly hopeful, never thinking too seriously about their situation. This show, with all philosophical points I’ve described can be seen as a very serious and sad show, but because of the personality of these girls, who only focus on making the most of their situation, making for genuinely funny and heartwarming scenes, it makes for a melancholic tone. This is a very light hearted show for the most part, with the girls getting on each other's nerves and getting into many antics. The girls are content and even happy at times, leading to funny moments and wholesome interactions, all the while with weapons over their shoulders and a desolate war-torn infrastructure around them. Their philosophical conversations aren’t shown as existential (even though they absolutely are) but more like a neat idea they came up with. It’s simple conversations to pass the time with meanings they don’t fully understand. You smile at their antics, but feel sadness in your heart from their situation. “Getting along with the loneliness” is a repeated phrase that perfectly describes the show.

This tone isn’t only carried by the astounding dialogue and charming, yet introspective characters. This show’s tone and themes are also expertly crafted through the unique world they inhabit. It’s not our world they are traveling through, but a towering, desolate infrastructure of machine and cement. So industrialized that a fish is the only other surviving animal in the entire show (other than human), and has great significance in its existence. Other characters are rare and a breath of fresh air and relief when you do meet them. The religion and stone figures, along with the indescribable, yet very industrialized artifacts leads to a world of unease and mystery. As you explore the world, through mazes of pipes and fields of cement, the more ominous it becomes, leading to one of the most existential endings to a show I have ever seen. There is no exposition, all adopting a show-don’t-tell story method, which is very much against the usual anime. It allows you to make your own conclusions about the world. It introduces heavy, yet subtle themes of over industrialization. The effort of ascending this multi-layered city is inspiring, yet dreadful. The mystery of the world is filled in by our understanding of the themes, and is explored by the ignorant children who were left behind.

To aid in this atmosphere, this show has some of the best sound design in all of anime. I haven’t hear foley this thematically rich and enticing since Wall-E (which actually has similar themes). The mechanical trotting of the vehicle, the subtle wind, the isolating echoes and the sound of emptiness make for a very lonely experience, only made hopeful through the voices of our protagonists. It’s not something that gets enough attention but the subtle sounds and lack thereof, leads to a much more isolating and thorough world. Just the different uses of water alone, from eerie drips, to beautiful rain drops, to relieving baths and and the somber tank of the fish, it all leads to different emotions from the sounds alone.

The cinematography is also astounding. The color is so devoid of life, so grey, that whenever color is in the shot, it’s so impactful and that much more dazzling. The wide shots of this lifeless world shows just how small our characters are. Every camera angle and shot size is intentional, there is not a wasted moment visually in this entire show. The soundtrack is equally as melancholic and matches perfectly with the sound design. It’s very simple and very effective, carrying the whimsy of a child dampened by the isolation of the world. This anime is a masterclass in every sense and is so underrated.

Just ignore the fact that they dab in the OP please.

Now that this series is more than half-way over, i'm confident enough to write an accurate review. Gonna abbreviate "Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou" to "SSR" because i'm lazy. There are no real spoilers in this review. Here goes:

This anime is fantastic, but not for everyone. There's honestly very few a̶n̶i̶m̶e̶s̶ sources of entertainment that'll give you the same atmosphere/feeling as SSR, the best way i can describe it is a calming feel of despair.

Layers
SSR isn't a surface level show. It's pretty obvious from the beginning that it's written in a ... way to encourage the audience to think along with it. The characters and settings are used as a medium to raise up difficult/controversial topics such as life, religion, death and war. SSR is
not subtle with being philosophical and artsy. It happens rarely, but at times the show sacrifices proper dialog flow to bring up these topics. Many details/clues of the world/setting are shown and not explicitly told and i've missed quite a few of them without help from the comment sections. Still, I strongly suggest watching every episode blind before reading comments. If you're wanting a straight forward plot with a typical anime arc then this is the wrong place to look.

Characters
I went into this show with the question "How can you possibly fill 20+ minutes of content for 12 episodes with just two characters?" and i'm quite satisfied with the answer. The two main characters compliment each other so well that they can rival any iconic duo. Chi and Yui felt like a mixture of Calvin and Hobbs + George and Lennie; something very cartoon-like and innocent mixed with pity and reality. The heavy topics explored in the show are all presented through the insightful, different and childlike worldviews of Chi and Yui.

Art and Sound
This anime is beautiful. It's got an unique cartoon-ish art-style for its characters that sets it apart from your typical anime. The backgrounds and surroundings are especially well-done. I felt that the lighting and color scheme was brilliant and tailored especially to this show. The sound effects are top notch and the BGM is memorable and fits the show well. I normally skip Ops and tune out before the Ed even begins but I simply couldn't do the same for SSR. Both Op and Ed are unskippable once it starts, i tried once but felt so guilty afterwards that i went back and listened to it twice. VAs fit their roles and gave a great performance for their respective characters.

I'm not saying you have to be Einstein to enjoy this show but know that it's not meant to be sat through mindlessly. The slice of life tag is both prominent and misleading as SSR is vastly different than most shows sharing this tag. Keep in mind that "slice of life" is very much dependent on who's life it is and what world they're in. SSR does ultimately bring about that "slice of life" feel but through very different means. This anime does NOT have any significant amount of comedic moments and it does NOT have any shots that's meant for fan-service. In fact, this principle applies in varying degrees to the other three tags (adventure, sci-fi, mystery) as well. Ultimately if you want to experience what i considered to be one of the more unique animes out there, then give Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou a shot and it's not likely to disappoint.

Girls Last Tour seems like an impossible to to tell story that will never work. The story revolves around two young naive girls in a war torn dystopian world and their adventures and experiences through this bleak and colorless world. The main charecters Chito and Yuuri only have each other as well as a vehicle that accompanied them from the beginning of their journey. In this world with culture, people, and knowledge are getting lost to time these two young girls embark on a journey through human history.

Almost immediately I feel in love with this art style and story because of the ... antithesis of the characters and world, which admittedly i thought was going to be a huge problem. The reason why i loved this so much is because the chemistry of the two characters almost created a paradox, where when they were on the screen it felt warm, comfortable, and even wholesome where nothing but desolation and destruction exist. To this point, the moe art style, is genius because of the effect it has on the world and the feel of it. The story also intrigued me immediately for two reasons, the first being because a national superpower like Japan getting into a situation where nothing but wreckage remains. The second reason lies with how the world is built into levels similar to that of a building where different floors have different information to offer. The goal for the two girls is too make up to the highest level of the the world they are in.

The soundtrack and music choice also added so much to this story, from the opening and ending following the trend of the art, being in complete contrast to this world because of the upbeat nature of it. This again is the genius of this anime where it welcomes you in with open arms but will remind you of the dystopia by adding intensity and sadness with music, but also show them creating something more light and joyful out of it like episode 5 where they made music out of the rain. The music to put simply, is beautiful and truly made me feel something. The one that stood out the most was when they played Chopin in the last episode, where the girls get many answers about how the world got to where it was.

Finally I wanted to talk about the meat and potatoes, the writing. The writing is incredibly strong. The emphasis on learning and curiosity truly made this a fulfilling watch. The girls slowly recording their experiences from learning what cheese is, too discovering and learning about the religion that was practiced before they arrived. The attention to detail when emphasizing religion helped not only keep me curious but, made the ending that much more impactful. Overall, the writing was tight and clever.

My final thoughts on this show is that it is 100% worth the watch. Every part this show was great and with great effort. I truly believe that this anime will give you something meaningful after the watch while also allow you to enjoy a great adventure.

it's a beautiful show with a lot of potential wasted.
I am not going to go into too much details and ill add more to the review at the end of the weak when the show is over.

art (8/10):
the chibi art sit well with the show. it's not doing anything out of ordinary but it's still nice and enjoyable.

sound (8/10):
the soundtracks, ops and eds are quite good. I think that the soundtracks are used t wrong time or places at times as it doesn't always sit the ton of the show or the ep.
the voice actors was fine most of the times but I feel like ... there were a few times it was bad (not something major). overall, the va are doing a fine show.

plot (6/10):
this show doesn't really have one plot. every ep got it's own plot/s. sadly enough it don't do anything really good with it. I think this is one of the show bigger weaknesses as it doesn't make you care enough about what happen at the screen. I think it's also because the characters aren't good enough and ill get to it. overall, the plot isn't what it needs to be nor is good enough for this show.

characters (5/10):
the characters aren't good enough. there is almost no character development nor are they something really good. I like chito a bit and I hate yuu. the supporting (which isn't usually there) was good and I liked it. I feel like the characters were needed to be written better for this show to be a really good one. overall, the characters are no more than fine and bad a times.

overall (8/10):
so if you noticed it doesn't look like the show should have 8 as an overall score. why then? because this is a philosophical show with really interesting ideas. the ideas it tries to convey are really interesting and at times are even close to me. unfortunately the show fails in conveying most of it's ideas in a way that will actually make me think about them or care about it. I know a lot of the people watching this show will give it a 10/10 or stuff like that because the show is deep but this is wrong. you shouldn't just give the highest score to a show if it's deep. I added something like 1 point to the show overall score because you don't see a lot of shows like it and because it's interesting ideas but I wish the show would have been better at conveying the ideas and make you care about them.
so do I recommend the show? sure. it's nice. if you look for something deep then this show is good. but don't expect too much out of it. expect to these ideas there isn't much to the show.

There were two shows that I frequently found myself comparing and contrasting to Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou (Girls’ Last Tour) throughout my watch of it. They both aired this year, which is probably why they were fresh enough in my mind that I kept making these comparisons. These shows are Kemono Friends and Made in Abyss. All three of these shows have in common the theme of putting cute, sometimes naive characters in a gloomy setting that’s full of mystery.

The level of gloom highly varies between these three shows. While Made in Abyss didn’t hold back from showing the dangers of its world and even depicted ... on-screen brutality at times, Kemono Friends kept its darker elements entirely as undertones, the show being overwhelmingly child-friendly. Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou falls somewhere in the middle: Chito and Yuuri’s world clearly isn’t as innocent from the beginning as the one in Kemono Friends may appear to be, but it’s not overwhelmingly dark, nor is there much of a sense of threat or danger in most scenes. I’ve heard some refer to it as a “post-apocalyptic Aria”, which is definitely a good comparison.

Our two main characters, Chito and Yuuri, are charming, cute girls with very contrasting personalities that the show likes to show off. Chito works as the true leader of their partnership, having the ability to read and write, while Yuuri is the seemingly fearless and naive “brawn” of the duo. (She’s not completely unaware or delusional about what’s going on but like Yuki in Gakkougurashi!, but simply always is able to look on the bright side.) There are some very interesting scenes in the series that suggest that perhaps Chito is envious of how naive, easygoing, and fearless Yuuri is. It reminds me of a quote from The Great Gatsby: “And I hope she’ll be a fool - that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”

Thankfully, the show isn’t all gloomy. Much like Kemono Friends and Made in Abyss, Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou has some moments of slapstick and comedy that are sure to put a smile on your face and maybe make you forget for a second how bleak the world Chito and Yuuri live in is.

The music is great. Every piece of music is set with the mood and the atmosphere in the scene in a similar way to Made in Abyss. Once you get past the dabbing in the OP, it’s a flawless catchy tune.

However, the show isn’t perfect. My main issue with Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou is the fact that most of the time, nothing’s happening. I sometimes struggled to recall significant events that had occurred in past episodes, simply because nothing seems that significant. You could probably sum up everything that happens in eleven out of the twelve episodes of the series over a single paragraph. Kemono Friends and Made in Abyss both kept my full attention by their sense of danger/threat and the way that the mystery was unveiled throughout these shows. At times, the show feels like something an English teacher would assign to you, along with questions to help you think about/understand the material. (Don't get me wrong; if it were a book you had to read in English class, it would be one of the better ones!)

However, when the show decides it’s time to unwrap at least a portion of itself for the viewer, it makes the payoff of a slow-paced journey all that much better. Even still, some questions are left unanswered that leave plenty of room for a season 2. My score was on a 7/8 borderline for the majority of the show, but I ultimately decided on an 8. I loved Chito and Yuuri and would watch a season 2 in a heartbeat.

It is the quiet and understated lives of these two characters that Girl's Last Tour drifts after and in its wake it drags me; an exhausted and perpetually busy college student. I'm so glad it did.

GLT was stunning, there's no other way to put it. Hyperbole is unnecessary in describing a work of genius, villains and long running plots are equally irrelevant in creating one apparently. Yes, the plot is barebones, it only follows the two leads as they wander somewhat aimlessly and hopelessly alone through a vast and unexplained world. However, this show makes the viewer care so much about so little. It's not ... just the cuteness factor (although that is there re:potato faces), Chi and Yuu are intensely relatable and endearing. I was invested in a very short time and their day to day life was as compelling as any battle packed action story. That is the crux of what works. Life is a day to day struggle full of unexplained phenomena, constant self doubt and mundanities. GLT recognises this and is so sincere in its depiction that boredom is an afterthought for the viewer. Not to say the episodic storytelling is plain, on the contrary it is colourful and very entertaining.

The setting is key here in evoking this pathos. The awesome and superbly vast nature of the surroundings provides a stark dichotomy to the lifelessness of the world and thus the isolation of the girls. Some truly inspired aesthetic choices, such as slanted city structures and strange magnificent devices, lend an always interesting backdrop and in their dwarfing of the small deuteragonists enhance the evocation of loneliness. I am drawn to the silence of their surroundings, the hints at unexplored depths and grand mysteries. I want so bad to see more of this world, enough that even were I not to give a shit about the pair (which is not the case at all) I'd still watch on like an idiot just to catch a glimpse of more; namely the unknown and what could be. That is storytelling. That is a setting worthy of this show.

Let me not fail to praise this show further. the characters and their philosophy are what truly kept me watching. They aren't just cute, they're individuals. Each stand on their own and the comedy (and passion) sparks from how they work off each other. Yuu's single mindedness and determined philosophy contrasts both comedically and dramatically with Chi's practicality, doubt filled nature and tendency to introspection. GLT constantly asks the question, what gives life meaning? More obviously, what is the point? Well this anime and these characters find meaning or at least enough of it to pursue living in their long odyssey. They take comfort in each other, in simply living. Other philosophical abstractions are considered but I won't get bogged down in all of them, safe to say they aren't ever trite or cliche.

What aids this relationship and their mediations is a beautiful and melancholic OST. It's much like the snow that falls, or the rain that clamours; natural and vagarious. When it's used, it is used in synchronicity with the scenes. Whether to encourage fear, sadness or wonderment, there is no sense of insincerity. In particular, certain ways they incorporate music is ingenious.

There are other technical factors to delve into but I'm no expert and would probably only muddy or poorly relate them. Suffice to say this show is expertly crafted. It is sad at times, elusive and occasionally frightening, yet is also pure and magnanimous. It soothed me and empathised with me. GLT is adorable and relatable and I goddamn adore it.

Did you ever have a friend from childhood so unlike you, so different in their approach to life that it offended your sensibilities, flustered you to no end, and made you question why you always put up with them? Yet, you did. Every day. They were simply part of your being by circumstance, familiar. Known. You could implicitly trust them, and they you. Silence was perfectly fine, and their mere presence was a comfort.

Now imagine them as the only other remaining person on Earth, and your lone companion in a grey sullen apocalypse. That's Yuuri to me, and I adore her as she adores Chito. ... Together, they're the inseparable pair upon which this entire series rides, and it's a joy to watch them interact. How believably they bicker, how mirthfully they find their little moments of play in that moody, decrepit industrial wasteland of a world, with its forgotten machines creaking and groaning out their last vestiges of function in pointless unthinking service to the masters of a vanished civilization.

Our duo explores its darkest bowels and crumbling spires, rumbling along in their gas-guzzling military relic of a vehicle from site to site, ever scavenging for food rations and shelter. We learn who they are as the series unfolds, and they learn just how deeply they matter to one another. How their differences are a complement, and that the tragedy of humanity's forlorn fate only binds them closer. That tragedy is mysterious and foreboding, and the reasons for it are gradually unveiled.

I found the setting and story to be utterly captivating even in its mundanity, each new location holding small treasures, curiosities, or traces of life that the girls observe, tinker with, and ponder over. The pacing is slow and the silences long, but by the end, I wanted nothing more than for their journey to last a thousand episodes, because it felt to me like I was right there with them, taking shelter in the warmth and sincerity of their friendship like a third girl huddled in a cozy blanket against the barren winter of eternity.

Honestly, I love this anime, so much, I won't go into details on why this anime is great, but the simplistic character design, with an incomplete story somehow leads to me to appreciating this anime for so much more. I've rewatched several times and read many reviews. Yuuri and Chito will always be my favorite anime characters and the unspoken lessons and theme from the series will stick with me forever. I think that if anyone watches this, they won't be disappointed by anything, the voice acting, the hidden lore, all perfect. The art style is perfect for the story, especially the moe-y parts when ... the potatoes just turn into jello.

An intimate portrayal of humanities relationship with nature and technology and it’s inability to fully understand or respect either. Seen through the innocent eyes of two young girls wandering a post apocalyptic landscape with little knowledge of what they’re witnessing. Quiet, heartfelt, and at times emotional. Considering the themes of war and hatred, it’s not as dark as you may assume. The aesthetic is tightly wound, and although the scenery can be grey and repetitive it never feels dull or lazy, rather it feels lived in and honest. I also believe this to be one of the most accurate views of a post apocalyptic future ... I’ve seen any media. The characters are lovely and the relationship between them more so. The ignorance the main characters have of their surroundings and history give for a wholesome and simple look on heavy and deep concepts. I would die for them and protect them with my life, though honestly they’d probably be the ones protecting. A masterpiece, the last episode had me in tears.

The very moment this little show starts, you can clearly see it's going to be special. The story is told in such a gentle and sweet way that despite the serious themes it might be reflecting upon you never perceive any darkness nor violence. Both of the main characters are unique and adorable. Their highly stylized design is a WIN and you truly come to love them. Voice acting is one of the most memorable I've heard in animation as well (Japanese)! The places the girls take you around are beautifully haunting and the rest of characters that eventually appear here are brilliantly written. There's ... a pretty soothing effect through the episodes (accompanied by precious music) and it constantly grows along with the tenderness of it all. "Girls' Last Tour" feels important to watch and does everything very naturally. I hope everyone can find the chance to enjoy and talk about it a long time after finished.

READ THE MANGA WHERE THE ANIME LEFT OFF. It's only a few chapters and it made me experience new feelings that I had never felt before. The anime itself is also a very unique take on the slice of life show. I enjoyed the interactions between the two main characters and usually I am a big character guy and like to see multiple interesting people in one show but I was fine with just the two girls for most of the show. This anime asks questions about what's important in life and why are humans the way that they are all throughout the show, and ... so does the manga, which I will once again ask you to please read the last few chapters of the series once you are done with the anime.

This anime is one of my personal favourites.

Nothing too much ever really happens, and it's rather slow paced, but it feels perfect, and it fits it's genre in a unique way that is refreshing compared to all the other fast paced survival anime that are out there.

A big mention is the backgrounds and art style. The character design is very minimal, and it fits, but the biggest thing has to be the world they are set in. The cities and landscapes are truly beautiful, and were a big push for me creatively when doing my own work.

While I can't write too much about then ... ending without spoiling anything, I have to say it was perfect for the tone of the story, giving a satisfying, yet slightly sad ending to this anime I have loved so much.

Finally, while it may be a small thing, I was really loved the ending song, as well as the animation it was paired with, the inky, sketchy style was extremely visually interesting.

(This review has been adapted from my blog/reddit thread. Spoilers ahead!)

Unlike the leading ladies of Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou, I probably would not survive the apocalypse.

It first assumes that I’d make it through whatever horrible catastrophe would befall humanity, and I would just-so-happen to be lucky enough to have a fighting chance. But then my prospects would reach zilch real quick when most everything else has disappeared: life’s pleasures, family, some semblance of health.

I wouldn’t know what to do with myself, and I’m sure my mental state would degrade as hopelessness sets in. However, after finishing this anime and seeing the ways in which these girls ... approach such a world, I’ve learned that there may yet be optimism left to cling onto.

STORY

Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou emerges from its in medias res cocoon as a contrasting hybrid, a chimera formed with the body of a post-apocalyptic lion, the slice-of-life wings of an eagle, and the dramatic-laced tail of a snake. This mystical entity is normally Greek in origin and fantastical in nature, but this variation hails from the land of anime – and “exists” at that too.

From the onset, an amalgamation of parts so jumbled is rightfully questionable. A dreary sadness plagues the atmosphere as melancholy and loss envelop the area, but cuter interactions between the two leads and their environment spark a warmth and a comfort through giggles and fun more commonly found among the cheery, comedic genre.

Despite these extremes, the show balances the creature through thoughtful coexistence. The taming evolves from the manner in which Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou partitions itself into small chapters. These chapters focus on a certain item, place, concept, or action, keeping the scope of their current situation narrow despite the vastness of their predicament.

As such, there’s no real plot to speak of, and there doesn’t need to be one in the first place. Instead, it spends its time essentially curating a bunch of vignettes as if they were a museum on the back of this chimera, showcasing the testaments to humanity and lining them up for the audience to see in continuous fashion as Chito and Yuuri roll along on their tiny military vehicle.

This lofty museum features that thoughtfulness. For example, the two ladies will investigate an unknown place and hum and sing a song as they make rations. Or they may sit down in an empty room, imagining the comforting bliss a nostalgic home provides. Or maybe they dance the night away while under the bright moon and a drunken stupor.

Whatever the case, these smaller, almost inconsequential asides demonstrate a caring nature and a maturity in the writing as its methodical approach typifies the happiness discovered in those everyday happenings. Moments in life about life – without life around them. A contrast so distinct it amplifies the meaning and the power behind its life-lesson topics and appreciation towards the simple things nearby.

The outside of the museum displays the bigger pictures. Graffiti takes shape as Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou challenges ideas such as religion, war, and death, darker subjects which remind the audience that humanity has its underbelly and its quirks too. Simultaneously, clear windows introduce compassion and determination, for humanity contains goodness at its core.

A chimera and a museum cannot stop all woes, though. It’s arguable that the anime doesn’t lean far enough into its apocalyptic setting. Not that their trip is idyllic or exactly easygoing, but the show keeps itself within a specific circle as it ignores potential avenues (e.g., injuries, psychology). It also bends its fictional realism a tad too far during the last couple episodes when a bizarre technological super-beings subplot treads more so into fantastical territory.

Yet (and to extend this extended metaphor one last time) the beast and the building defend themselves. Various dialogue pieces highlight how Chito and Yuuri will reference previous episodes, forming a nice sense of continuity from all their past experiences. And it balances the tone between the drama and comedy well, refusing to lose sight of either as an indication of its sturdy narrative.

Indeed, the overall story is strong in execution.

ART & ANIMATION

It’s weird to call destruction of this magnitude “majestic”, but Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou delivers a majestic artistic vision through the squalor and the voids it depicts.

All-important establishing shots immediately get at the decrepit state of the world, capturing the wreckage as an unfortunate woe that the girls must traverse to survive. Delipidated buildings. Barren fields of war. Metallic warehouses and hangars. Wind farms. Concrete pillars and hallways. Factories. Abandoned structures. As the title of the anime hints at, this tour of these lasting monuments enshrines not only the pessimism of the situation but also the history of what once was.

This terrain formed from the rubble of a civilization long dormant thus immortalizes the despair and the malevolence of a place whose eerie loneliness the audience both sees and feels. To this end, the show incorporates swathing details for better realism and quite the dreary color scheme with heavy emphasis on those darker hues. Weapons, tangled masses, and large broken objects litter the path almost everywhere, oppressing with stark impossibility. And the colors: greys, blacks, browns, greens. They complement the carnage present, and they drag down the mood not by force but by a constant realization that there’s almost nothing left except sadness.

Yet, through this wreckage, a serene beauty surfaces. Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou punctuates its somber air with scenes of clarity, contrasting the darkness with light and with awe, rays of hope which the audience and the girls admire. From a high-rise look-see at the dazzling cityscape beneath them to a full view of a bright room reflecting off the glass “pond” as a tribute to some unknown deity. The anime lets its majesty shine among the snowy hills, the makeshift forests, and the underground caverns for rare glimpses of optimism.

Beyond the gorgeous setting, the anime makes other conscious decisions with its visuals. Movement remains solid throughout as they interact with the environment and move onwards to that next destination, relying on its at-best stiff CG models only for those most taxing maneuvers with their vehicle. It also goes for creativity as well. A grainy photograph of the two or the smudged filter of an old-timey hand telescope showcase the show branching out with newfound minutiae and perspectives.

To top it all off, Chito and Yuuri have nice designs to match. They fit the part, what with their soldier helmets and heavy coats protecting them from the inescapable harshness. Contrasting traits – heights, eyes, hairdos – pinpoint their differences by looks alone and setup their duo duality with ease. Not to mention how their round-yet-blocky features afford a lot of malleability, seen in the slightly squashed style that aids the comedy with exaggerated looks and extra silliness for a cute, fun approach as required.

The setting. The fundamentals. The designs. Each part strikes gold in each artistic part, and the anime is all the richer for it.

CHARACTERS

Chito and Yuuri enter Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou as a tried-and-true narrative pair: the brains and the brawn. Such a standard setup has been around for ages because it works, and these ladies are yet another testament to this fact.

Chito essentially leads the group (if it can be described as such). She pilots their mini-tank from location to location, and she manages their free time and side ventures with a perceived caution. Moreover, true to her brainy nature, she reads books to understand culture, she writes down notes as a record of their adventure, and she has her wits about her. However, she has her faults. Heights scare her completely. She does not know how to swim. She lacks physical strength.

Yuuri earns opposite stripes. While she loves to laze about and can never have enough food in her belly, she certainly can be her own individual. Using weapons, pushing debris, not being afraid of heights. Clearly the brawny muscle, she anchors the trip they take with a stout head on her shoulders. Much like her companion, though, faults arise. The most notable is her lackadaisical attitude, contributing to a carefree nonchalance in handling situations.

Thus, Chito and Yuuri look to each other for help during these trying times. Not just because they must, given they are practically the only people remaining on their godforsaken planet, but also because they can. They cover each other’s weaknesses: Yuuri keeps Chito calm whereas Chito keeps Yuuri reeled in. Yet their most important roles stem from the fact that humanity has an inherent need to think and to conjecture.

This core represents the basis of nearly all thought: questioning and answering. For Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou, the main protagonists form a dichotomy insofar as the anime typically relegates them and their time to one of those sides. Yuuri is the questioner; Chito is the answerer. Yuuri is very simpleminded, but her frank honesty and unashamed questions invite a pure dive into everyday wonders that people generally take for granted. In turn, Chito attempts to explain these “foreign” topics, offering similarly simple answers which elucidate their overall complexity.

Their inquisitive nature begets the semi-philosophical edge which the show leans into for much of the season. Yuuri will take Chito’s answers at face value, applying them in a straightforward manner for an out-of-the-box way of thinking. Chito will take Yuuri’s questions as a sign of her reserved maturity to view their predicaments in a new light. Together, the contemplative conversations they exchange, from the small asides to the larger sit-down discussions, further characterize themselves and hearken back to that crucial motif on the value and the nuance life contains.

Looking more so at their relationship, it’s seemingly that of best friends, but a nugget of frustration and disparity exists on occasion. Calling it “animosity” or “hatred” is not correct, yet the anime unfortunately refrains from truly testing their bond to discover otherwise. Emotions remain mostly stable over the course of Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokoueven as it scoots close to such interpersonal conflict. Ultimately though, and similarly to the story, the anime shies away from possible avenues, extreme or not. Yes, being friends is essentially an inevitability under such insane circumstances, but this missing challenge sticks out.

Speaking of friends, a certain patchy spider from a particular video game borne of blood can be quoted as saying, “What is friendship, but a chance encounter?” Such an “uplifting” statement applies to the friends which Chito and Yuuri happen to meet along the way.

Their brief stays combat the nihilism such a predicament would entail. A cartographer letting things go to start anew. A mechanic finding goodness in hardship and in failure. A zoologist learning about empathy, be it for man, fish, or robot. Arguably, the show doesn’t tie back in these scarce side characters all that well, but it may be unfair to expect them to do so, especially when their encounters have given them memories, direction, and hope anyway.

No matter the case, Chito, Yuuri, and these friends prove that the human spirit lives on through sheer tenacity. It could be by thinking, or it could be by realizing the obvious. Either way, they’re all an existence within the anime that surely improves the project.

MUSIC & SOUND

For Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou, it’s imperative that the two leads Chito and Yuuri are as intriguing as possible since they are followed constantly and cannot have usual rapports with other side or supporting characters.

Which is why Inori Minase as Chito and Yurika Kubo as Yuuri lead the charge with a couple of strong voice-acting performances. Chito has a resigned cadence to her words that bring out a so-done-with-this attitude, and a carefree lilt for Yuuri stamps in her usual jokey self. They each boast a calmness to their voices, too, lending even further credit to their VA chops when the role demands a delicate touch for this tough in-universe habitat.

The original soundtrack follows suit with a diverse selection that does not interfere with the ladies or the grounded presentation but rather supplements the events with its purposeful music. Xylophones for the methodical sections; acoustic guitar strings and chords for those moments of reprieve; banging drums and quick drumlines for a can-do vibe. From the gentle pieces to the mild tunes to the depressing ensembles, the OST captures the mood and the beauty of the anime once again.

But chief among its aural landscape are those items which may not be strictly categorized as part of the normal music offerings. I.e., Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou smartly takes advantage of its story and of its medium when it creates signature moments inspired solely by the sound in the air.

A reddened sunset overlaid with a choir-like radio channel comes to mind, but the plinking of rain on various objects during a storm manifests as a trifecta of perfection. It’s very relatable, it morphs into an awesome song, and it follows the ideas and the intent of the show to the highest of degrees. It would not be a stretch to claim this chapter as one of the best parts in the whole anime.

As for the opening track and the ending track, they too deserve praise.

“Ugoku, Ugoku” aligns with its namesake as the steady beat and the reserved pacing move the song along. The techno, space-like sounds add a technological and mysterious edge that goes with the show, and the chiptune instrumentation instills a meta-regression that likewise befits the non-modern-day content. The “1, 2, 3…” lyric is also a catchy inclusion with its surrounding, fuller portion of the track that sandwiches comfortably within the docile beginning and finishing segments of the OP.

“More One Night” targets a slightly different genre of music. This dance-party tune makes for a jovial conclusion to each episode, the quick repetition of the lyrics, the onomatopoeia, the piano, the bass, and the snapping making it almost mandatory to nod or to tap a foot to the song. It’s a non-complex, straightforward ED that caps off the rest of the audio design in groovy fashion.

ENJOYMENT

I’m not a religious person whatsoever, so I may be biased in my reasoning here, but the following dialogue exchange between Chito and Yuuri is one that I find encapsulates this series: “What’s a God?” “A god is like… I dunno.” “Can you eat it?” “You can’t.”

Before hearing it, I was already quite enjoying the anime. After hearing it, I had a feeling I was going to view it all very favorably when it finished – and my hunch thankfully turned out to be correct.

That exchange and others had me engrossed during its run for two reasons: the laughs and the simplicity. Chito and Yuuri were often a couple of goofballs, their antics leading to a bunch of funny moments as they dealt with yet another obstacle and talked to each other on a regular basis. Yuuri and her hilarious lines. Chito and her deadpan stare. The two together getting by as best they can. They were a hoot and a gleeful pair.

And it’s a simple show. Deceptively simple. This description is a positive mark in my eyes, for it takes this simplicity and delivers a show on being and living and wondering. Interlaced within this drive is a ton of heart behind its actions, and the necessity for hope, while slightly saccharine for this setup, is a message that I certainly endorse and appreciate no matter which walk of life somebody happens to tread.

Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou flies to the top-tier level with enormous success. The thematic exploration in its story and the introspective angle in its characters are swell, and the production values for the entire anime uphold a beauty and a vigor that do not go unnoticed. Combined with an overall rewarding amount of entertainment, its prospects reach far above zilch.

SUMMARY

Story: Good, a dramatic, comedic, slice-of-life chimera whose museum of life- and life-lesson vignettes form a meaningful journey

Art & Animation: Great, the majestic visuals for the setting, the smart artistic decisions for the fundamental elements, and the tailored designs for the narrative equate to an artistic treat

Characters: Good, Chito and Yuuri are a classic brains-and-brawn pair who support each other, their inquisitive nature and their chance encounters along the way defining the tenacity of the human spirit

Music & Sound: Great, nice VA performances, a fantastic OST, signature audio moments, a nifty OP, and a dance-party ED bolster the audio with execution aplenty

Enjoyment: Great, gods cannot be eaten

Final Score: 9/10

I don't know why this review is listed as preliminary, I've watched this series in its entirety, read the manga, and am currently rewatching the anime.
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This is a drunk review, and I've drank enough to have drunk purchased multiple patches and stickers related to this show off etsy, so maybe take this with a grain of salt, but I feel I am being honest right now.

Girl's Last Tour is an impeccable anime that is the very definition of unique. Everything in this anime has never been done before and is the epitome of a new and fresh experience. The animation is unique, the story is ... unique, the characters are unique, and the enjoyment of watching it is unique. This one of the two anime I've enjoyed enough to want to read the manga it originated from, and neither of the genres disappointed.

The story of Girls' Last Tour is a unique take on post-apocalyptic media. The original author of the manga, "Tkimz" (at least I think that's right, I'm too drunk to be sure and I'm heavily using the backspace to correct my spelling" is a wonderfully talented and depressing individual who manages to create completely unique and highly captivating post apocalyptic media. There's no zombies, there's no disease, there's no action; it's just a completely unique and captivating story for reasons other than solely being post-society. The anime finishes prior to the ending of the manga, so if you liked the anime, the manga is a must-read for you, and finishes up the story perfectly. Afterwards, "Shimeji Simulation" by the same author, is yet another amazing piece of media that somehow ties into the story of Girls' Last Tour.

The art is unique as well. The characters are cutesy and simplified, but are very expressive, unique, and lovable. The scenery is realistic, also being unique, and feels just as important and the character designs themselves, whereas background scenery is a secondhand thought 99.9% throughout the anime industry. This results in an extremely unique experience that can be found nowhere else. The art is honestly one of my favorite aspects of Girls' Last Tour, and I'd give it an 11 if I could.

Sound is yet another category deserving of a perfect 10 score. It's one of the few series' OSTs I found myself consistently listening to on a casual basis. It's a wonderful mix of cheerful, depressing, and atmospheric music, so original that no other series has managed to match its level, in my opinion. I urge you to listen to the music as you watch the series, and come back to the OST after you finish it.

Characters? You got two lovable sweet potatoes. These girls are the cutest motherfuckers you'll ever meet. Fantastically written, amazing dialogue, superbly fitting and contrasting with the story. There's a lot to be said here, but I am far too drunk for philosophical conversation. Just believe me when I say these characters are some of the best I've ever seen. Tkimz is a fantastically gifted author.

Girls' Last Tour is just such a fantastic anime in general. It's a completely new experience you won't even find plagiarizers mimicking (yet). Everything feels distinct, purposeful, and enjoyable. I don't know how this review may look to a sober reader, but please know I genuinely mean all of this and I hope everyone manages to find the time in their wonderful lives to watch and enjoy Girls' Last Tour.

I originally didn’t want to watch this anime. I thought it would be boring, because I had heard it was slow-paced. Well, as I have discovered with this wonderful, wonderful anime, an very slow-paced story isn’t necessarily bad, as long as what little progression displayed is done in the right way.


STORY

As of episode 10, there is very little real plot, and the story doesn’t seem to be progressing much in most episodes. However, there are hints that suggest that this anime is, in fact, going to end up progressing background information on how the world ended. But as for now, there’s the occasional reference to ... previous episodes, but other than that, it’s mostly mini-plots following our protagonists’ shenanigans. But that’s not a bad thing; just look at episode 5’s Sound of Rain, which has, through some odd phenomenon, become my second favorite episode (or in this case, part of an episode) of this season, only being beaten out by Made in Abyss episode 1.

ART

I’m by no means adept at art critique, yet I can tell you that the art fits the world and the characters spectacularly, with the occasional 3DCGI fitting in decently (or at least, not jarringly) with the rest of the art.

SOUND

As far as I could tell, the sound design was good, but not noteworthy, with a few notable exceptions such as the aforementioned Sound of Rain story.

CHARACTERS

This, being a cute girls doing cute things anime, naturally has cute girls who do cute things. The two main characters are the infinitely likeable Chito and Yuuri, two girls who are bored when not trying to survive after the end of the world or travelling.

CONCLUSION

So, this anime is great and all. However, I do have at least one bit of confusion that needs clarification.

In the OP, the girls ‘dab.’ However, when presented with Chocolate-flavored rations, they were confused as to what chocolate was. Therefore, is it logical to conclude that the ‘dab’ outlasted chocolate? If so, in my own personal opinion, that world deserved whatever they got.

Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou started in 2014 as a manga by Tsukumizu. In 2017 our old acquaintances at White Fox adapted it into an anime. Yes, the same studio that did the shitty Goblin Slayer, the mediocre Zero Kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho and the enjoyable Gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka. I can't really predict quality based off of their prior works, so let's delve right in. 

Story:

Chito and Yuuri are two young girls wandering across a desolate, bleak landscape trying to survive and make the most of their situation. The series basically follows their encounters with various relics of the past and their philosophical discussions. 

The biggest ... issue with this anime is the ending. It's rushed and it has some content that contradicts what we've already seen in the series. The pacing can also be somewhat slow at times. And the back story elements are a little weak.

What this series does really well is the juxtaposition. The key to this lies with the hopelessness of the landscape against the bright exuberance of our heroines. The world is basically dead with very little signs of humanity but our heroines keep things very light-hearted and always find ways to enjoy themselves. Which is an interesting choice but it works since nothing too depressing happens to either of them. Their discussions can also be really interesting and there are some compelling scenarios for the pair. 

Characters:

Chito & Yuuri are both strong characters with a good amount of complexity. Their dynamic is strongly put together. They encounter two other humans during their journey. Both of whom are fairly interesting, given our limited time with them. The issue is really with the non-human characters who show up towards the end and don't make much sense. 

Art:

The artwork has the same kind of juxtaposition as the series itself. The backgrounds are highly detailed, barren and can really create an atmosphere as solitude and desolation. In contrast, Chito & Yuuri have a bright, almost moe design. Which reinforces the idea that they're the proverbial ray of light in a desolate landscape. Or maybe it's just an inability to draw humans normally. We can say that if we want to be uncharitable. 

Sound: 

Both Minase Inori & Kubo Yurika excel in this series. You might say it would be hard to cast badly when the bulk of your acting is being done by two people, but they definitely nailed the casting. The music is quite nice. Suehiro Kenichiro definitely did better with this than he did with Goblin Slayer. 

Ho-yay:

Overall, Chito and Yuuri have a more familial dynamic than a homo-erotic one, but there are definitely moments when they come across as a couple. 

Areas of Improvement:

Explain your magical creatures that don't make much sense. This is the big problem with the ending.
Pick up the pace a bit. I get that you're trying to build atmosphere, but there's a point where it's too slow and this series certainly reaches that.
Build up the back story a little more. I'm not saying we need to know how the world got to be in its current state, but we could definitely benefit from knowing more about Chito & Yuuri's lives before they set out on their journey.

Final Thoughts:

I can't say this is the best White Fox production I've seen. However, it is a good work with some strong atmosphere, interesting juxtaposition and compelling characters. A kind of shit ending and some other narrative issues definitely weaken it somewhat. But I'll still give it a solid 7/10.