Zom 100: Bucket of the Dead Synopsis
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is the most fun representation of the Zombie Outbreak trope that I have seen in a long time. Imagine The Walking Dead but instead of nihilistic finality, it’s jubilant freedom from your corporate overlords.
The anime is fun, energetic, and filled with good humor that keeps you coming back for more and more. Even though it’s set in a pretty gruesome setting the jubilant nature of the protagonist Akira keeps the series from falling into a morbid or ghastly vibe. That being said it does have quite a bit of body horror.
I highly recommend checking out Parasyte the Maxim if you're into body horror. The zombies in this show give off a similar vibe and it's definitely worth checking out. Don't miss out on this intense and thrilling experience!
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The plot of Zom 100
Akira Tendo, a 24-year-old office worker at ZLM, discovers himself trapped in a routine and meaningless life. He lacks drive and motivation since he is disenchanted with his career; however, when a zombie apocalypse unexpectedly strikes Tokyo, everything is turned upside down.
Instead of succumbing to dread, Akira sees this as an opportunity to experience life to the fullest rather than settle for his humdrum existence. He decides to create a bucket list of everything he wants to do before dying in order to not only experience it firsthand but also to show that he is still alive and well.
This decision is made with a newfound sense of purpose. With the happy company of his friend, Kencho, Akira embarks on a number of exciting and frequently bizarre excursions throughout the zombie-infested city.
Their pranks range from simple pleasures like eating at expensive restaurants for free to more extravagant pursuits like going on roller coasters and visiting haunted houses.
Akira and Kencho come across other survivors who have their own motivations for surviving as they make their way through the dangerous streets swarming with flesh-eating zombies.
Along the journey, they forge odd alliances, face their own anxieties, and learn the importance of friendship and the human spirit's ability to persevere in the face of difficulty.
Who are the characters?
Akira Tendo our protagonist
As we said above this dude absolutely hates his job but is too stubborn to quit. He knows that it’s a bad company, he knows that he should run away but he just can’t bring himself to quit.
Akira is the poster child for corporate burnout. To the point where when all of civilization is crumbling around him and people are dying this broken man is jubilant over the fact that he doesn’t have to go to work anymore!
Shizuka Mikazuki arrives on the scene
Next, we meet Shizuka Mikazuki a seemingly cold-hearted analyst who prides herself on self-discipline and control. She presents as someone who always tries to make the optimal decision regardless of feelings.
While Akira’s goal is to enjoy himself to the fullest until he eventually becomes a zombie, Shizuka’s goal is to avoid being zombified at all costs. Her series outlook and disciplined deminer is a good juxtaposition with Akira’s carefree joyful celebration of the apocalypses.
Her character trope shares similarities with the main character from Zombieland. In Zombieland, the hero survives the zombie apocalypse by following a series of rules that help him practice best practices for survival.
Shizuka has a list of tasks to do to ensure that she survives and it falls into the same character type.
Meanwhile, Kenichiro Ryuuzaki is stuck in a love hotel
Akira’s best bud from Rugby. Pre-zombie pandemic Kenichiro was a successful real estate agent who was “living the good life”. Money, women, connections all of it was he’s however he still felt empty and alone.
We first meet Kenichiro while he’s holed up in the Love Hotel which is overrun with zombies of the customers and staff. His supplies running low or gone he despairs until he gets a call from Akira, who after 3 years of having no social life, remembers that he has friends with he can spend time now.
I’m really looking forward to what Akira and Kenichiro get up to during the series. Honestly, it feels like putting gasoline on the fire of Akira’s stupidity but we’ll have to see what shenanigans these two get up.
Beatrix Amerhauser busts onto the scene
A busty German teenager weeaboo who is obsessed with Japanese culture.
Her goal is to eat the best sushi in Japan and even braves the zombie hordes to accomplish that goal.
Get ready to see a lot of her as her narrative function definitely includes providing fanservice for the series. Doing a Google search will show you what I’m talking about.
She’s a really busty blonde in samurai armor, there is a non-zero percent chance of her ending up as a collectible figurine. Fans will line up around the corner for the limited edition bikini production run which I’m sure will come down the line.
Her character design and personality a geared toward providing fan services for the anime. I imagine sooner rather than later you’ll see a figurine of her in her armor with a tank top.
If you're into zombie merch and T-shirts, we've got some great options for you. And the best part? If you decide to make a purchase by clicking through our link, you'll be helping us out with a small commission.
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Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Director and Studio
Zom 100 is produced by Bug Films Studios. They’ve done several 2nd key animations for several animes and it looks like they are still establishing themselves in my opinion.
They haven’t handled a full production run for many properties however they are making that leap now. If Zom 100 and Komi Can’t Communicate continue to the standard that the company works to then I’m very excited to see what they come out with down the line.
Komi Can’t Communicate is a series that I haven’t watched much of but what I have seen has been good. It was also well received and so Bug Films is setting the groundwork for consistent production quality.
Zom 100’s director is also the director for Komi Can’t Communicate as well. The director's name is Kazuki Kawagoe and while he is pretty new to directing he has already directed two very well-received animes. His background is mainly in production is mainly storyboarding and working as a production supervisor.
Bug Films also worked on another anime series that we reviewed recently called Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury. They primarily worked on 2nd key animations for the series but it’s great to see them getting work coming in the door!
Zom 100 Review
It’s a really fun premise
Light-hearted juxtaposition against the horror of what is happening around the hero and his group. The sheer joy Akira shows when he realizes that he doesn’t have to work anymore is so funny.
As someone who has worked a job, they dreaded going to before I audibly laughed for a good couple of minutes. When the zombies are chasing after him and he just is exuberant that he doesn’t have to work it’s so absolutely hysterical. We’ll have to see if that premise holds out.
I have a feeling that as the series goes on the seriousness of Shizuka will rub off on him but then again it wouldn’t be anime without a thick-skulled protagonist.
Zom 100 has a beautiful use of color
I absolutely adore the use of color in Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead.
The team behind the show has made some excellent choices that really bring the zombie apocalypse to life. While the setting is inherently violent and gory, the team has avoided using red for all the blood and gore. Instead, they've opted for bright, neon colors. T
his has a few effects, but one of the most noticeable is the impact it has on the overall vibe of each episode. If they had gone with the standard, blood-red scenes, it would have made the setting much more serious and grounded in horror. However, the use of bright colors keeps things light-hearted and fun.
It reminds us that, while we may be in the midst of the apocalypse, we're also having a good time checking things off our bucket list before the end comes.
Overall, the use of color in this show is truly impressive and adds a unique and enjoyable element to the viewing experience.
How has the series been received?
In the circles I’ve seen Zom 11: Bucket List of the Dead has been very well received. It’s a breath of fresh air in a year completely drenched in the deluge of Isekai animes.
The anime industry has hit such a low point with Isekai that we are now making animes about a dude who reincarnated into a vending machine. I’m not even joking about that check it out. In light of that having a series take place in a premise that is accessible, relatable, and fun is an absolute blessing from the anime gods.
It's worth noting that the manga for Zom 11: Bucket List of the Dead received two Eisner Awards in 2022: Best U.S. Edition of International Material and Best Humor Publication.
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are highly respected prizes that recognize creative excellence in American comic books.
They're often compared to the Academy Awards in the film industry. These awards will undoubtedly add to the prestige of Director Kazuki Kawagoe and provide a solid foundation for the upcoming anime series.
Netflix is making a live-action version
There is a lot of excitement surrounding the Zom 100 series, so much so that a live-action adaptation is set to premiere on Netflix. While I'm not typically a fan of live-action versions of anime, as they often fail to capture the essence of the original source material, this is a promising sign that the franchise and premise are strong enough to expand into multiple forms of media. Only time will tell if this strategy pays off, but I'm personally rooting for Zom 100's success.
The live-action version will also be directed by Kazuki Kawagoe.
It is kind of mind-blowing that Kazuki Kawagoe directed both the anime and live-action series in tandem. I’m not super versed in how adaptation deals are usually structured but having one consistent directorial tone and voice in both properties could help to make the product more consistent.
The live-action Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead will be premiering on Netflix on Aug 3, 2023
Another series that is on Netflix is One Punch Man and we reviewed that before so please click and read our review.
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Is Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead worth watching?
This series is absolutely worth your time to watch. Zom 100 brings a fresh bit of comedy and action to a season absolutely choked with Isekai vanilla characters.
You can watch Zom 100: Bucketlist of the Dead on Crunchyroll.com
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