The premise is a gimmick until you watch Fran actually grow into a person instead of a player character leveling up. The sword is never the story, she is, and every fight matters because it's her proving she's more than what was done to her. The animation stays gorgeous even in quiet moments, and that's where the show earns you: a girl and her weapon sitting by a fire, talking about what freedom actually costs.

A sword wakes up in a fantasy world, remembering his past human life but not his own name or why he is there. Using telekinesis, he roams this new land and builds up a range of skills and abilities. In a monster-filled forest he meets Fran, a young cat-eared Beastkin girl running from a beast, and she defeats it easily once she grabs him. Fran has also been targeted by people who want to sell her into slavery, and with the sword's power and guidance she strikes back at her captors and wins her freedom. Fran calls her new weapon Shishou and becomes his wielder, and the pair set out as adventurers who help those in need and bring cruel people to justice. Fran belongs to the Black Cat Tribe, whose members are poorly regarded and have never evolved into a stronger form. She means to be the first and fulfill her parents' dream, and Shishou promises to stay her sword until she does. The result is an action-adventure fantasy built around an unusual isekai duo.