The Apocalypse (Episode)

The Apocalypse is the first episode of Log Horizon anime series. It covers The Beginning of Another World chapters 1-2.

Cold Open
Shiroe, Naotsugu and Akatsuki are fighting Brier Weasels at midnight. While fighting, Naotsugu tried to use the command system to perform Shield Smash, but gets confused at the interface suddenly spawning and multiplying. Akatsuki also seemed to be unable to use her skills and could only hold the Brier Weasels at bay. Due to this, Shiroe commanded them to fall back and tried to use Nightmare Sphere, before being apprehended by a surprise Triffid.

The Beginning of a Different World
Flashing back to the beginning, Shiroe opened his eyes and found himself immersed in a derelict urban city overgrown with plant life, which he recognizes to be Akiba. As he walked toward the Silverleaf Tree, he took a glance around the market of confused players, including one at an NPC stall demanding to talk to a Game Master (GM). He accidentally loses his balance and falls, prompting his status screen to appear. While checking his inventory, he notices that he is unable to log out. He then checked his friend list and started a voice chat with Naotsugu, a returning player. Meeting at the Silverleaf Tree, they deduce that they are embodied as their avatars in a physical representation of the Elder Tale MMO rather than Earth, and that the most recent activity was the release of the game's new expansion―Homesteading the Noosphere. They decided to consider this world their physical home while they continue exploring. Shiroe seems to be shorter in real life as he tends to fall due to the unfamiliar height of his avatar. Naotsugu reflects on his height as small rocks are being thrown at them, ranging from pebbles to a small boulder. Then, it is revealed that the thrower was Akatsuki, one of Shiroe's former party members that had been following the two. When Akatsuki started to talk, they realized she was a girl within a male avatar.

Small Assassin
Akatsuki remembered that Shiroe held an Appearance Reset Potion, and asked to use it. While she is using the potion, Naotsugu tried to take a peek at Akatsuki, but was horrified at the mutation. Akatsuki converted into a smaller, beautiful lady closer to her real size. Naotsugu made an off-color remark about her size and got kneed by Akatsuki. She then asked Shiroe how much she owed him for the favor. Naotsugu told Akatsuki something she can pay with a lewd suggestion but was interrupted before he could finish by her kneeing him again in the face. Then, Shiroe invited her to join his party, which she agreed to and began to address Shiroe as her Lord.

Crescent Moon Alliance
Next day, the party gather a feast only to realize that any food here tastes bland. Shiroe gets hailed by Marielle, leader of Crescent Moon Alliance, who invites him to visit. The party travels to the Guild Center, where all the guild zones are contained in a myriad of rooms. They enter Marielle's room, being astonished at how cute the guild master's room was. Marielle greets Shiroe with a flying hug, which Akatsuki seemed to be jealous over. However, Marielle quickly hugged Akatsuki too, assuming that she was Shiroe's girlfriend. Naotsugu also attracted Marielle's attention, making him flustered. Suddenly, a woman named Henrietta appeared, hoping that she could exchange information with Shiroe. While talking she noticed Akatsuki and was immediately enraptured by her cuteness. They didn't realize that the other guild members, including Shouryuu, were waiting by the door.

Shouyuu reports that the cities beside Akiba―Shibuya, Minami, Susukino, and Nakasu―were in same atrophy; and travel between cities is difficult with the Intercity Transport Gates offline. Marielle states that almost all members of Crescent Moon Alliance are in Akiba, though she sees that other guilds are regrouping and even recruiting. Naotsugu reckons that the world would be easy to live in due to their Elder Tale experience, but Shiroe retorts that the new expansion has radically changed the game with new monsters, quests and items. With such uncertainty among the players, Marielle suggests Shiroe to join her guild since he is no longer in Debauchery Tea Party. But he declines her offer in hesitation, and with nothing else to discuss, she could only watch the party depart from the guild hall. Shouryuu asks about Debauchery Tea Party, to which Marielle and Henrietta revere about their individualism and high-class composition, including Shiroe as their strategist.

The First Battle
The party discuss about whether death is permanent in this world, or perhaps it could be a means of escaping back to Earth. Shiroe decides to try the combat system, and they head towards the Archive Tower Forest at night. Normally, low-level monsters would ignore their Level 90 status, but the monsters here will attack anyone.

Level 28 Brier Weasels appear, which makes Naotsugu gauge them to be hardly trouble but then soon realized the difficulty of using the command system while in physical combat. The party retreats at Shiroe's order, but he was then attacked by a Triffid before he could cast a skill. Suddenly, Akatsuki used a skill accidentally to slay the triffid, neglecting the interface and actually using her body. Shiroe immediately came to this conclusion and ordered Naotsugu to use his body to feel the motion of the attack. Naotsugu decides to trust Shiroe and managed to use his skill to slay the weasels.

Back at the Crescent Moon Alliance, Serara at Susukino pleads to Marielle for help because she was being chased by some people. Hidden in the shadows, a player with the features of a cat observes the pursuit.

Trivia

 * The Debauchery Tea Party is introduced as a legendary group that distinguished itself from guilds, chiefly by not being an actual guild.
 * Elder Tale has 20 million concurrent players, with 30 thousand in Japan.

Translation Errors

 * Crunchyroll : The expansion is named “Novasphere Pioneers” in this translation. Since ノウアスフィア is the official Japanese translation of the expansion, it makes the term "Novasphere" an incorrect translation.
 * English dub : Shiroe exposes Akatsuki's entrance by mentioning her prowess in raiding parties he has accompanied previously. Other translations do not mention raids, and Akatsuki never had raiding experience, as seen in Shattered Wings, making this notion incorrect.