Zatsu Tabi episode 1: Chika's journey across Japan begins

Zatsu Tabi episode 1, which aired on April 7, 2025, quickly established its premise by introducing the main character, Chika Suzugamori, and her desire to become a prominent mangaka. However, her drafts are always rejected because her editor feels something special is missing, so she decides to travel to rejuvenate and come up with fresh ideas.

When it comes to the debut installment itself, Zatsu Tabi episode 1 establishes the mechanics of the story since Chika decides to go on a train to visit a town and simply enjoy the experience. This is also coupled with different small events she tries to live to recover the joy of discovery and treat herself after so much work, which reaches its climax when she walks 1225 steps to reach the top of a temple.

Disclaimer: The article contains spoilers for Zatsu Tabi. Reader's discretion is advised.

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Zatsu Tabi episode 1: Chika's weary days motivate her to travel

Chika starting her journey (Image via Makaria)

Zatsu Tabi episode 1 starts by showing the protagonist, Chika Suzugamori, in the office of Kadokawa, as her manga is being reviewed by her editor. However, while the editor thinks that the draft itself is not bad, it lacks something exciting that can hook the reader, much to Chika's disappointment since she gave three drafts and all of them were rejected.

It is revealed in the following scene that she won an award as a young mangaka revelation which earned her one million yen, but she is still struggling to come up with something exciting. Therefore, once she gets home, she posts on social media a poll to determine where she should travel to so she can relax, and see if she can come up with something special.

It turns out that one of her mangaka friends, who has twenty thousand followers on that platform, shared it and the protagonist sees how a lot of people ended up voting for it. Once she sees that the choice people chose was "Up," she realizes that she doesn't know what she meant when she wrote those options. However, she still decides to travel.

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Zatsu Tabi episode 1: Chika celebrates her journey

Chika after having walked 1225 steps to reach a temple (Image via Makaria)

The second portion of Zatsu Tabi episode 1 continues this slice-of-life anime by having Chika going on two trains to reach her destination while enjoying the view, the experience, and the different tourist attractions. Furthermore, once she reaches the town she is heading to, she is looking forward to asking for a room at a hotel without a reservation like she has seen in stories.

She takes the opportunity to rest on hot springs and have a meal, which also has her seeing an older lady drinking alcohol and the protagonist having inner thoughts of "not ending up like her." The climax of the installment is when she decides to walk 1225 steps to reach the top of a temple for the view and ends up exhausted but realizes that it wasn't for the view but simply the experience of doing it.

In the conclusion of Zatsu Tabi episode 1, Chika is shown to have had a great experience and now wants to go back to work. However, the story moves forward a few weeks and shows her after a new draft was rejected. Chika, now once again, wants to travel.

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Final thoughts

Zatsu Tabi episode 1 quickly established the main predicament for Chika Suzugamori in the story, which was her struggle to come up with an exciting manga, and the nature of her journey. It is very likely that the next few episodes are going to feature more travel and also properly introduce her supporting cast, which was teased here.

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