Surviving a zombie apocalypse beats being a wage slave any day! After spending years slaving away for
a soul-crushing company, Akira's life has lost its luster. He lives in a trash-filled apartment, his
pay is abysmal, and he can't even muster up the nerve to confess his love to his beautiful co-worker.
But when a zombie apocalypse ravages his town, it gives him the push he needs to live for himself. Now
Akira's on a mission to complete all 100 items on his bucket list before he...well, kicks the bucket.
(Source: Viz Media)
Zom 100: Zombie ni Naru made ni Shitai 100 no Koto has taught me that people don’t know what “dystopia” means anymore. For the last 5ish years, I’ve seen a lot of complains on why the generic isekai we get by the dozens are popular, but I find the answer to that question very obvious: escapism, as they provide an outlet for MC-kun to get free from the burdens of the real world, and enter a fantasy world where he can do whatever he wants, while the high school age viewers places themselves in his place. Zom 100 offers the same idea but for the working age viewer, with the zombie apocalypse replacing the travel to another world, showing our working-class MC-kun being able to do whatever he wants now that he’s free from his work so the overworked viewer can self-insert on him. As a direct result of its escapism angle, the series isn’t actually horror, having a lot of light hearted moments and comedy to make it look like this is a superior lifestyle, which backfires on it hard because the comedy in this series is atrocious, I’m talking about “going naked is funny” and “fart jokes” levels of bad comedy, I wanted to slam my head on a wall when they unironically showed a zombie farting as if it was a punchline. This same light tone also undermines all the serious moments, not helped by the fact the series suffers from “getting character development means you’ll die” syndrome, so you get a scene painted as tragic because a character we barely knew is a zombie followed by the cast laughing at silly jokes. I’m a big fan of the style of Hiroyuki Imaishi, and one thing his series manage is to strike a balance between the serious character moments and the absolute batshit insanity going on around them, but this series clearly has no idea how to do that, as the tonal whiplash here is so jarring even Code Geass and its constant back and forth between racial politics and waifus eating pizza feels more balanced. MC-kun, named Akira this time, is a self-insert character, as unlike any other person or even the other characters in the same show, he shows absolutely no horror or regret at the idea of the world ending in a zombie apocalypse, instead being happy that he doesn’t have to work anymore, obviously a tool to enable the escapism aspect of the premise. This behavior is just downright nonsensical, as we have no explanation or thematic point made by Akira acting like the death of most of humanity is his comfort catalyst, and in fact makes him come across as a sociopath rather than the sympathetic character the narrative tries to paint him as, something that’s very notorious in episode 3 where contrasted against his friend who has a far more logical reaction to seeing everyone around him turning into murderous monsters. A character acting in an extreme way CAN be done well, as shown by Shirou in Fate/stay night and Shu in Ima Soko ni Iru Boku, but only if said behavior is done to make a thematic or moral point, something that’s not the case here, as there’s really no clear reason for him to act like that beyond making it #SoRelatable to the viewers who also feel overworked. Also, what’s up with the fact he doesn’t even look like an adult? If you showed me his design with no context, I’d say he’s 15, and even watching the show he acts just like I’d expect an anime teen to do it. The other characters aren’t really much better. Kencho has no character at all beyond being the comic relief, and by that I mean that he’s an obnoxiously loud idiot who clearly doesn’t know how to deliver jokes, with getting naked seriously being the best he can come up with in terms of comedy, just to put into perspective how poor the overall comedy of this series is. While I think that Shizuka was passable, given she seems to be the only sensible person here, she’s mostly used as a strawman damsel in distress despite her supposed capabilities to highlight how cool our MC-kun is, leading her to be a fanservice source at best. Bea is a westerner obssessed with Japanese culture - that's her entire character, everything around her revolves around being a weeb, and once again she's just a tool to provide some extra fanservice. An aspect for which I wanted to give this series points, however, is the visuals. We live in an age of seasonal shows that all are filled with so much cost cutting like CloverWorks works being filled with blurriness, and the idea of what good animation is has been reduced to just “flashy visuals” rather than having any appreciation for the technical aspects with MAPPA churning out disaster after disaster that isn’t well animated to anyone who knows of animation but looks flashy so it gets called “good animation” by those who don’t know, making Zom 100 a show that stands out in this landscape because it actually tried. The first episode didn't have the generic simple shots made to save money, it had an actual visual identity, something that’s such a rarity in modern anime that I can see why people act as if this was groundbreaking, even if in reality it’s more of a minimum to look good, at least when they don’t use CGI, that still looks bad even here. However, this “carried by the animation” angle was only at first, as each episode got uglier and uglier to the point it got rid of much of the praise points I could give it, as it looked like any other anime by its later half, which very likely relates to its now infamous troubled production and grueling working crunch. Given that from what I read, this new studio BUG FILMS was created by people who felt overworked on their previous work at OLM, and the evils of overwork being the main theme of the series, the fact this new studio now perfectly reflects the very type of company the anime criticizes is incredibly hypocritical. Overall, this series is just a failure all around, it fails at being entertaining, it feels at giving social commentary on Japanese work culture, it fails at being funny, it fails at building actual characters, and most importantly, it fails as an anime production, with its terrible development hell that postponed the last batch of episodes for months being a perfect example of the terrible state the anime industry is in nowadays. Thank you for reading
~~~youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt4_enX63K0&list=RDTt4_enX63K0&start_radio=1)~~~ Zom 100 was one of the most hyped anime for the summer season, created by the minds of Haro Aso and Koutaro Takata. I was really excited about this anime and read the manga. # ~~~__About__:~~~ ~~~img400(https://files.catbox.moe/bg22wl.jpg)~~~ ~~~img400(https://files.catbox.moe/y1bv4s.PNG)~~~ So, what is this anime about? Zom 100 is about a guy named Akira Tendo. He gets his dream job at a production company. He develops a crush on a cute girl, and things seem to be going well. It’s not only that he eventually realizes that the company he is working for is exploitative. He works long shifts, barely gets any rest, and his boss is a complete asshole. Akira suffers for three years of his life until one day, he wakes up in a zombie apocalypse. However, instead of being scared for his life, he’s happy because he no longer has to work. He then decides to make a list of 100 things he wants to do before becoming a zombie. ~~~img400(https://files.catbox.moe/kaxqyq.jpg)~~~ This anime takes on a more positive POV of people going through a zombie apocalypse, completely different from what’s shown in the first few seconds of the first episode when Akira is watching a zombie movie. It’s a very interesting concept. We get to meet many interesting characters like Kencho, Shizuka, and Beatrix throughout the series. As he continues to gather more of the gang, he goes on a lot of adventures and does fun activities like surf yoga, dining at a sushi restaurant, and taking a nice dip in a hot spring. There’s also character some character development between the group, especially for Shizuka. ~~~img400(https://files.catbox.moe/qrbjav.PNG) img400(https://files.catbox.moe/r8bb3a.PNG)~~~ #~~~__Art + animation + Music__~~~ ~~~img400(https://files.catbox.moe/t23tbw.jpg)~~~ The art in this anime is amazing. You can tell right off the bat that Bug Studios put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into animating this. I like how they use black and white when showing feelings of sadness, frustration, and misery. It then switches back to using colors when things start to get exciting. The use of colors, little transitions in between scenes, and special effects were awesome. The animation was very good, and so was the music. It was like watching a movie at the cinema. #~~~__Cons__~~~ ~~~img400(https://files.catbox.moe/9wkvwv.jpg)~~~ The only thing I dislike about this anime ( and I think many will agree with me on this ) is the delays. This series has gone through multiple delays and an indefinite hiatus due to production issues. It sucks seeing an anime you were so excited for suddenly have delayed episodes and lose its hype. Regardless, we must remember that this is a completely new studio. Unless you want the animators to go through what Akira did, __they aren’t robots and deserve breaks.__ I think it’s also better to prioritize quality over quantity. I’d rather have delayed, high-quality episodes than have a studio produce crappy ones weekly. In conclusion, this anime is very enjoyable. A fun horror comedy that will get you on the edge of your seat and, at the same time, laugh your socks off.
I honestly forgot about this show after Summer, probably in no small effort of the delay that only ended until a few days ago. While I do think the delays the show suffered from hindered it's popularity, I won't be using those delays as a con for the inherent qualities of the show, as it doesn't really hold any inherent reason for the quality of the show. Being honest though, even if I were to count it as a con it would hardly matter because this is one of the best seasonals to date. If there is one word, one theme, that defines this show, it's Freedom. Not the kind that's preached about by Attack on Titan, but pure, unadulterated freedom to do what you want, when you want. The 1st episode is by far the best indicator of that. The episode spends most of the time badgering and destroying Akira through the toxic corpo environment of Japan, shackling him and imprisoning him through the hellish work ethics and quotas, his habits and supportive crutches slowly being stripped away to the point where he's just a cog in a machine fueled by blood, sweat, and tears, a common thing in the country. By the time the zombie pandemic hits, Akira finds the strength to unshackle every chain that held him down to the mundane and menial life he in order to experience the freedom to do whatever he wants and enjoy life to the fullest, starting small, and getting ever higher with his ambitions. The visuals, animation and sound at the first episode more than the serve that purpose too. The vivid focus of color, the bombastic and frantic animation through multiple camera perspectives and how dynamic it all feels, all while supported with a high energy score alongside the catharsis of not having to go through the hell that was his job anymore. It's an immensely satisfactory first impression and thankfully it carries that same energy throughout the rest of the season. While the animation hasn't technically reached the same heights in later episodes, it still holds extremely well and it's hardly a con to be against the show. The characters and story are fairly great too, Akira himself is super endearing, and you can see how infectious his personality and will to live life with no regrets not just with Kencho and Shizuka, but with every character he comes across. While he's not perfect, his qualities stand in contrast to the general mood a zombie apocalypse typically brings and it shows. He's an optimist in a world full of pessimists, and through his personality, he helps people change their perspective of the world, and help them pursue what they truly want in life. Beatrix is a bit of an outlier, given she joined a bit too late in the season, but from what limited screetime she had, she too has somewhat the same development as the others. It's not as though there isn't any antagonistic force however, Akira finds himself subjugated by past demons, and through the friends and support he nourished along the way, he was able to overcome then, just like how he supported his friends and helped them overcome their troubles to live life to the fullest. Then, we move on to the final episodes, where the main characters not only fight off the seemingly thematic parallel versions of themselves, but in the sides, a battle of Freedoms, specifically, Positive vs Negative Freedom, is being waged. And it makes a lot of sense, especially once the main characters entered the village. Through the characters sense of community and support, they were able to deter Higurashi, his cronies, and the zombies that came to ravage the village. Kencho won against the worst husband of the year because unlike him, he knows how to treat people correctly, and not expect anything in return, as seen in his cabaret days and now with the girl he tried to save. Shizuka won against the fatty because he wasn't willing to work with others, or even commit to learning anything about his work, while she had devoted herself to working with the community, and in turn the community helped her. Beatrix won against Toko because she respects the people and their differing ways of doing things, unlike her, who tried to project her perfect way of doing everything. And finally, Akira won against Higurashi, because unlike Higurashi, Akira had the support of his family and community to support him and his dreams. Higurashi was the embodiment of negative freedom, acting in a way that harmed others, serving only himself, while Akira was the embodiment of positive freedom, acting in a limited manner, but never harming others, and serving himself and the people he cares about. In the end, he is defeated because he's alone, and his self-serving actions amounted to nothing, and it never satisfied him. While the show does do the annoying thing like Demon Slayer where they do give him a sob story in an effort to sympathize with him, they never explicitly treat him like a person that was wronged. All of it was his fault, and he recognized it all too late. Beyond that, I don't think I have any major gripes with the show. Besides the fact Kana-Boon sung the op (I don't like them, blame Silhouette for that), lorebuilding regarding other survivors make it seem like that outside the main characters, antagonists, and the village characters, the people in the city are deemed like idiots in an apocalypse, and maybe you can be a bit pissy to the fact they pulled a bait and switch regarding Akira's dad, then honestly, it's a near perfect show. I don't think zombie shows will ever outheal the damage Hollywood caused on the genre back in the early 2000s-2010s, as it stands it's still a really bloated genre with too many awful picks overshadowing any genuinely good stuff. But Zom 100 is one of those good ones. It takes the ironic memes about how weebs and gamers would survive the zombie apocalypse and revels in it, wrapped tightly in a neat bow about how your personal freedoms are the most important thing, and you shouldn't let trivialities like society or a zombie apocalypse stop you from doing the things you want to do. It's an amazingly fun piece, and I hope despite the delays it had, it gets picked up to get another season.
~~~webm(https://v.animethemes.moe/Zom100-OP1.webm)~~~ #####~~~(Video includes audio. Be sure to unmute)~~~ *Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead* is a series that, at least in the beginning, seemed to have its finger on a bizarre pulse that had laid dormant for some time. Romping through its *Splatoon!*-colored zombie-fied “end of the world” setting, it decided that character depth and important intrigue would be abandoned in favor of giving its setting the excuse to go full-fledged indulgent into the stupid. Why concern yourself with hunkering down and fighting blood, sweat, and tears to survive when you could be more concerned about getting beer at the konbini instead, despite the clear and present danger? Why take the time to probe the deepest depths of human emotion when you can deliberately be silly instead? There was something refreshing about that. After all, we had already experienced the glut of zombie fiction in the late 2000s and early 2010’s from things like *The Walking Dead*, and recently saw *The Last of Us* assert itself as well. Given how stories sometimes try to justify its characters “having a deep purpose” for everything or insisting at some “deeper meaning” thematically within the material, *Zom 100* seemed to be a reminder that there is indeed a place for the wild and belligerent (if not also pig-headed) in entertainment. The show’s start seemed to celebrate the kind of B-grade joy that only this brand of slop (I use that term affectionately) could provide – lean into the joy of what you are, celebrate your liberation from important expectation, and go ham. Don’t concern yourself with having a point or a central argument to tie it all together. Embrace chaos and run with it! And for Tendou Akira, he seemed to get that memo immediately. Having been nearly choked to death by his job and his boss, wrung dry from every ounce of life fluid within him, Akira nearly became another type of zombie himself. However, upon waking up and realizing that the world has changed with zombies running rampant both in the streets and his own apartment, he could not be happier! With his job at ~~OLM~~ his company effectively over, he sets out to do the things that he wants to do with the newfound sense of freedom. What other way could you celebrate than running like a madman, laughing at the change of fortune? ~~~webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/4c74607723e5f8544031f6a321b7b8bd.mp4)~~~ #####~~~(The series puts its best foot forward aesthetically by having both its tone and its main character Akira running full tilt into the dawn that awaits. According to Sakugabooru, at least six animators were involved in the creation of this specific sequence, and the first episode in general is full of cuts, “camera positions,” and filters that point towards a cinema-inclined style)~~~ But naturally, it’s a zombie-infected country, so danger is just around the corner. Akira’s carefree and can-do attitude might be his MO, but it doesn’t quite translate to the most intuitive survival skills. It’s only after an encounter with Mikazuki Shizuka that involves just barely avoiding a rather painful greeting with a zombie-driven truck that he realizes that if he’s going to make the most of the time that he has left, he’ll need a list of things that he wants to do, even if it ends with his eventual infection. In the midst of this new understanding, he has a path ahead – and it involves more fun and crazy times. This oscillation between the inherent over-the-top nature of the setting or situations and the tiny doses of cold reality gives *Zom 100* its life. The result is a strange kind of literally and metaphorically colorful funkiness to the whole, leaving the question behind of what type of preposterous happening will occur next. Akira is kept sober enough to realize that sometimes you cannot just go do whatever the heck you want, but not so sober that he doesn’t get preoccupied with his own vain desires and wants. Contrasted with Shizuka’s pragmatism, their dynamic (punctuated by Ryuuzaki Kenichirou and Beatrix Amerhausen) offers a steady string of collisions to roll the eyes and provide a chuckle. *Zom 100* doesn’t always manage to strike the balance perfectly, but it happens well enough to give the push the material needs to get on its merry way. However, as the world expands beyond Akira’s gaze and intersects with the others around him, the material at times decides that pleasantries and laughter must be put on ice in exchange for rumination about life. In a manner that feels wholly antithetical to how it conducted itself at first, we take the time to get to know, or be reintroduced, to brief characters that are likewise trying to live their own lives in the midst of the zombie world. Yet, each of these encounters MUST tie into the historical past or the past / present anxieties of a main character like Akira or Shizuka, which screech the established tone to a halt. The sense of B-grade fun and kinetic energy that comes with the knowing wink that you should “just go with it” is thus replaced with something meant to be taken more seriously. ~~~img550(https://i.imgur.com/OOVsIpr.png)~~~ ~~~img550(https://i.imgur.com/zMl0KTB.png)~~~ #####~~~(The attempts to inject character pathos and deeper psychological drama create terrible drag, leaving the show’s innate flair behind in exchange for moments that cannot coalesce. Shizuka’s backstory and dialogues especially adjusts her sense of zest and pragmatic foil to being a romantic interest focused character instead)~~~ *Zom 100* is a series that, in one episode, will have the characters trying to stop a gigantic zombie shark from eating everyone, and then one episode later involves a dive into a character's darker psychological trauma and torments. It will ask you to buckle your seatbelt when Akira runs like a crazy person out of his apartment exalted at the new reality before him, then try to endear a one-off flight attendant character to "convey a message" to make you stop and appreciate the melancholy of it all. It handles lunacy far better than drama. *Zom 100* essentially employs whiplash as a deliberate storytelling tool between its episodes, but does not wield it effectively enough since it cannot fully commit to either tone it’s aiming for, leaving the material in an odd in-between suspension about what it really wants to do. This in-betweenness also makes its way into the colorful aesthetic that was a central attraction before. It’s become well-known that the series, like several others released this year, fell victim to production delays due to either overambitiousness or an inability to get everything finished properly, if not occasionally both. Just a few days after episode one aired, Sakugablog already published an article [expressing ambivalence about the production and whether it could even survive the seemingly-impossible standard that had already been set]( https://blog.sakugabooru.com/2023/07/14/zom-100-bucket-list-of-the-dead-production-notes-01/). The manifestation of such problems was already coming before the delay inevitably hit – the show’s visual identity was phased out in exchange for something markedly more run-of-the-mill, as though the shift to “more mature” storytelling accompanied the resulting change. It was not a wholesale replacement, but compared to what came before, it felt less like the absurd romp it once was. ~~~webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/d86a618cca6f8adeb88c6290a8899ae9.mp4)~~~ #####~~~(Though the animation and its colorful aesthetic was one of the primary features of the show, and there are still some good splashes that occur later, the compositing and CGI gets markedly more plain with time)~~~ The delays however are only the touch of bold print. Regardless of whether the delay happened or not, at the end of it all, *Zom 100* couldn’t uphold its own sense of hammy freneticism and wackiness because that somehow wasn’t enough for it materially. It slammed on the gas pedal with reckless abandon, then eased up while deciding to admire the scenery, and then thought to stop and take the time to dramatically ask what it all means for a character traumatized by their past. It didn’t need to be something that has a meaning; it just needed to be. But by trying to find meaning and pathos, it got greedy and textually collapsed in the process. I miss the zombie shark.
__Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead__ is a tightly paced, well-directed comedy anime with a fun and energetic cast of characters. All the episodes are beautifully animated and are directed with a fast, energetic style, similar to if Edgar Wright were to direct an anime. However, what really brings this show to life are the charismatic cast of main characters. Each of the characters has their own motivations and dreams that they are constantly aiming to accomplish, which goes along with the theme of the show, which is to follow your dreams and do what you really want. The characters all have great personalities that work well with the comedy. This is because Zom100’s comedy is focused on funny characters doing amusing things rather than comedy based on references to pop culture like in Gintama or forced chibi comedy in many battle shounen anime. Since the anime is a comedy, one important thing to mention is that you definitely shouldn’t expect this anime to be a psychological horror zombie apocalypse. In fact, the zombie stuff is mostly background decoration for the most part, with the main focus being the adventure in a world where you are free to choose what you really want to do. Overall, the story isn't anything amazing since it's a comedy anime with a focus on putting the characters in funny situations. However, the pacing works wonders at never letting it feel like they're overstaying their welcome at any area the characters visit, and as a result, it never makes you feel bored. This season even has a decent conclusion for a first season, as it ends with the main characters taking a significant step towards their dreams. I’ve seen some people criticizing this anime for being escapism for people who hate their jobs; however, there is a difference between the messages of Zom100 and your average isekai power fantasy. Zom100 encourages you to work for your dreams and make time to help people in need, as well as to give back to the people who’ve supported you, while isekai power fantasies preach the idea that you should give up on your own life and jump in front of a bus. As a comedy anime, Zom100 is one of the best I’ve watched as it constantly entertains you with great animation and directing, as well as a fun cast of characters to follow from start to finish. It truly is a shame that this anime has already been forgotten about due to its terrible release schedule. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ __Final Scorings Animation: 9/10__ Artstyle + 2 (Unique) Consistency + 2 (Consistent) Backgrounds + 1 (Basic) Sakuga + 2 (Great fight animations) Directing + 2 (Artistic) __Sound: 7/10__ Voice acting + 2 (Great) Soundtrack + 1 (Generic) Sound effects + 1 (Standard) OP/ED + 2 (Catchy) Purposefulness + 1 (Standard) __Story: 5/10__ Premise/Setting + 1 (Zombie apocalypse comedy) Pacing + 2 (Fast) Plausibility + 0 (None) Themes + 1 (Basic) Conclusion + 1 (Satisfactory) __Characters: 8/10__ Personality/Presence + 1 (Basic/Captivating) Motivations + 2 (Solid) Interpersonal Dynamics + 2 (Quirky) Development + 1 (Some) Appeal + 2 (Sexy/Funny) __Enjoyment: 7/10 __(Fun watch) __Overall Score: 7.2/10__
Behold, The anime which was delayed throughout most of 2023 but still managed to give us a satisfying finish. It got delayed a bunch of times (Some context for people who wonder why this show has mixed reviews and don't know about the delays). I went into this anime with absolutely zero expectations and was genuinely mindblown by the first episode and was watching it on a weekly basis until the delays started and then they finally dropped the last 3 episodes. Animation : Top notch really, nothing to say. Story : Passable I guess, its your run of the mill Zombie story but what separates this from other entries in the ever expanding Zombie franchises is the nature of the main character itself. Akira Tendou is unlike your run of the mill protagonists, He defies logic quite literally and there are some moments when you'll be like what the actual.. But trust me its fun for what it is. Characters : The characters are what make this different from the plethora of existing zombie franchises. Akira our main character is just hopelessly optimistic, the groups goals are different but they all stick together. Good chemistry among them. The main character Akira's personality can be annoying for some but it reminds me of my childhood when I could dream about being this or doing that. It teaches me that it's never too late to start doing stuff because we will all die someday soon So it's better to live without regrets than with them. That's the message I got from the main character and maybe the author was trying to convey that. Unfortunately this anime suffered from being stuck in production hell which is ironic considering the premise of the show. So this anime lost a lot of it's popularity and traction since it got delayed for a couple of months but they did deliver on the final batch of episodes. Kudos to the staff and everyone involved. A delayed but completed product is better than a rushed incomplete product. Enjoyment : It's mostly a fun to watch show depicting a post apocalyptic zombie world which is fun and over the top. Realism went out the window once zombies were mentioned so who cares about that anyway lol. Overall this was a pretty good one and I hope we don't have to wait too long for another season because it definitely deserves one. I'll recommend this to any fans of the Zombie or end of the world genre , it's a pretty overused idea for sure but it actually reminded me of High school of the dead (which unfortunately we will never get more of). Even someone who has seen Last of us or played the game will probably like this Show, although keep in mind the world isn't as bleak and gorey as depicted in other zombie shows. The show has it's comedic moments and the chemistry between the main group of characters is something charming too. Thanks for reading!
__It's a generic zombie apocalyptic clique anime that turns into the most wonderful story about following your dreams. __(No Spoilers) I like to keep my reviews short so I'm not going to touch on visuals, sound, characters, etc. I'm gonna focus on the story itself and where it'll eventually lead to. I went into this anime completely blind. I knew nothing about it, other than it has zombies. Heck, I didn't even read the "bucket list" in the title. And to be frank, I don't even like zombie movies/series to begin with. I think they're overdone. I just read that the anime was trending so I just decided to give it a shot. This one may have gotten bad reviews due to the delays; the anime aired up to ep. 9 and the last 3 episodes were released a couple of months later. I started the series when it finished airing so I wouldn't have to wait for the episodes to come out. I understand people's frustration, especially those who watched it every week. If I could compare it to something, it would be Evangelion. They're completely different stories, sure, but they did something very similar: they used a trope to promote the author's ideas and feelings. If someone asked you to recommend a mecha movie, would that be Evangelion? Probably not. Similarly, the zom100's main theme is zombies. But it has nothing to do with zombies. The characters will go through tough times, the zombies will throw them off the tracks and they'll always be a threat as long as the story goes on. But it doesn't matter. The story is about the main character doing what he always wanted to do. The zombie apocalypse is just an excuse for him to finally do the things he always wanted to. That's where the title of the anime comes in, The Bucket List. Akira, the main character, decides to ignore all the noise and do the things he always wanted to do. Surviving? Nah, f*ck that! What about wearing a very expensive watch that you couldn't buy because you had to focus on your bills and job and couldn't afford it originally? What about all those things you wanted to try but your dead-end job wouldn't let you enjoy? This anime could be as well done without the zombies, by someone just simply quitting his job and enjoying life. But that wouldn't catch the attention of the community, would it? Zombies feel more like obstacles and less like threats in the story. Don't get me wrong, they're still out there killing people and infecting other creatures. But they're not presented as a terrifying entity that you can not comprehend. The story is all about finding what you want to do, helping & inspiring others and it's a wonderful message about daydreaming and setting goals for yourself. I wouldn't recommend it to someone looking for dumb entertainment cause its action is underwhelming and fights are resolved pretty quickly. I would, however, recommend it to anyone looking for a slice-of-life story with a bit of an edge to it.
I'll go quick on the plot, as my main focus will be unfolding the underlying message of this brightful anime. - Akira begins his dream job at a company which turns out to be extremely exploitative. Three years later, his soul is completely crushed. - SUDDENLY. A zombie apocalypse strikes Japan. Chaos. Everyone is scared as they should be. Akira? Not this guy! He's just too happy to be freed at last from his awful job. He decides to live life to the fullest, write down a bucket list of what he has always dreamt of doing before being turned into a zombie. - Akira makes some friends along the way. Namely Kenichiro, Shizuka and Beatrix. - Some quirky and fun situations occur until they reach Akira's hometown, since he wants to make sure they're okay. - In said hometown, another group of 4 characters show up with a bucket list of their own, on the nihilistic side. So, confrontation. The end. The first episode hooked me instantly, because of how absurd it is to be happy that the world is ending, and also because I know too well how burn out feels. The next few episodes have some ups and downs, with some anime clichés here and there, like the dull past of Shizuka. But oh well, you gotta take the time to introduce the characters and do some world building I guess. The last 3 episodes at Akira's hometown felt a bit forced at times, mostly with the villains being overly caricatural. But, going past that annoying part, they actually serve a purpose (more on that later). I went into this anime just expecting some dumb adventures of a guy enjoying his life during the apocalypse but, to my surprise, some underlying messages really resonated with me. Right off the bat, the most chocking thing is the contrast between the zombie apocalypse currently taking place, and how everything is being depicted so brightly and colorfully. Obviously, it fits Akira's change of perspective about life. And, to me, that's the main takeaway message here: whatever life throws at you, there IS a way to get back on your feet and thrive nonetheless. It all boils down to looking at the situations differently, and making (sometimes, bold) choices. Akira's first big change in life in that matter isn't due to his own volition of course, since the apocalypse decided for him. But that was the shock he needed, as we all need one sometimes. From then on, he is his own man, making choices towards what really holds meaning in his eyes. Meaning. Purpose. That's the other point this anime makes: you need to have some purpose in life to enjoy it. And you gotta think carefully: what is it that REALLY matters to you to feel fulfilled? Grinding? Nah, I'd pass. You really see in the first episode how a few life choices can really crush all sense of meaning and purpose, making you feel like you're barely surviving and don't have a choice anymore. And the anime doesn't make the mistake of showing us some dumb YOLO character, as in being wildly selfish and self-centered: Akira show how chasing your own happiness IS compatible with showing empathy and giving back to others. This sounds a bit too "positive thinking" uh? I'm not into that so don't worry, and neither is this anime: you can see how quickly Akira goes back to his old self when running into his old boss. That's actually a very meaningful lesson here: on the path to change, you are eventually gonna hit some lows here and there. You're not gonna magically be happily ever after, no more pain, stuff like that. Shit happens, you may still suffer and fail. The point is to look at it differently, think and adapt, instead of just feeling sorry for yourself and blaming the circumstances endlessly. Also, about the "villains" from the last 3 episodes that I mentioned earlier as serving a purpose: they very clumsily show how much one can take a wrong turn in life from sheer lack of trying, lack of empathy, or from the fear to fail. They are extremely caricatural, but I see them as serving a twofold purpose. One, showing how not asking yourself the right questions can make your life turn for the worst. Two, seeing how they and Akira are extreme opposite, it's a nice reminder for ourselves that we are allowed to fail, the point being trying to bounce back. All in all, this anime really shows how it feels like to burn out : 1/ being crushed 2/ being cut from the source of burn out, and starting to burn through life mindlessly like you've figured it all out 3/ relapsing 4/ getting back on your feet, but this time while assessing your true values It really is an anime full of hope that I recommend warmly. And even if you don't care much for the underlying ideas, it's still a very fun anime, full of colors, full of life, with high quality animation.
~~~img520(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/63/6c/c8/636cc8604e327209b4d1894d9450382d.gif)~~~ _English Version_ __Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead__, created by BUG FILMS, was the most anticipated anime in the __summer of 2023__, because it broke standards, talking about controversial topics about work culture. Although it has very strong comedic tones, there are many strong subthemes that this anime raises. The animation shows much more than what is being shown, the creators convey the inner world of the protagonist, __Akira__, an ordinary office worker in Tokyo,__ Japan__. They play with bright colors and black and white, thus creating a great visual impact on the audience, making them hooked. It all starts when Akira gets his first job in an office and is exploited at work for more than __3 years__. On a regular day he leaves his apartment to do the same routine as always until he realizes that something is happening, there are __zombies__ everywhere, it's the end of the world. While escaping, he is worried that he will not make it to work __on time__, minutes later he understands that there is no job to return to, and he is very __happy__ to regain some control in his life. Although it is absurd because there is no longer any control in society. ~~~img520(https://64.media.tumblr.com/c6fc843b5db71cf5216110a046a9cd4a/3d3797fbeb9c1b7d-bb/s640x960/52c6ccb291752df70e92c8a63ee9942c8529a7ba.gifv)~~~ The series begins with a very important and crude __criticism__ of the workplace in Japan, we see the exploitation that some employees suffer and how this changes the lives of people, who only live to work. This idea is developed throughout the anime, as the characters change their lifestyle in this __new world__. __Comedy__ is the best criticism there is, and Zom 100 uses that to its advantage, masking cruel themes in absurd situations or characters that are not so serious. This makes such __complex topics__ easier for the audience to digest and address. Although the anime makes a great and crude criticism, its plot is __very basic__, the characters have some dimension, there are characteristics that differentiate it, but there are many basic anime __stereotypes__. The pace of the anime is well done, it plays between going fast, running and escaping from the zombies; and slow since they analyze, listen to and understand the characters, Zom 100 achieves a great balance. __Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead__ is a story about changes, how you decide to live your life, seeing what things are really important, although it has basic jokes, they will make you laugh with a comedic and light version of the __end of the world.__ ~~~ img520(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6a/b1/6b/6ab16b4f8fa073f311668d002a08d360.gif)~~~ _Versiòn en Español_ __Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead__, creado por BUG FILMS, fue el anime más esperado en __verano del 2023__, debido a que rompió estándares, hablando de temas polémicos sobre la cultura laboral. Aunque tiene tonos muy marcados de comedia, existen muchos subtemas fuertes que plantea este anime. La animación muestra mucho más de lo que se está mostrando, los creadores transmiten el mundo interior del protagonista,__ Akira__, un oficinista común en Tokio, __Japón__. Juegan con los colores llamativos y el blanco y negro, creando así un gran impacto visual en la audiencia, haciendo que esta se enganche. Todo empieza cuando Akira obtiene su primer trabajo en una oficina y lo explotan laboralmente por más de __3 años__, un día común él sale de su apartamento para realizar la misma rutina de siempre hasta que se da cuenta de que algo ocurre, hay __zombis__ por todos lados, es el fin del mundo. Mientras escapa, está preocupado que no va a llegar __a tiempo al trabajo__, minutos después entiende que no hay trabajo al que volver y está muy feliz, de recobrar algo de control en su vida, aunque es absurdo porque ya no existe ningún control __en la sociedad.__ ~~~img520(https://giffiles.alphacoders.com/219/219932.gif)~~~ La serie empieza con una __crítica muy importante__ y cruda al campo laboral en Japón, vemos la explotación que algunos empleados sufren y como esta cambia la vida de las personas, que solo viven para trabajar. Esta idea se desarrolla a lo largo del anime, cuando los personajes van cambiando su estilo de vida en este __nuevo mundo__. __La comedia__ es la mejor crítica que existe y Zom 100 usa eso a todo su favor, enmascarando temas crueles en situaciones absurdas o personajes que no son tan serios. Esto hace que esos temas tan complejos sean más fáciles de digerir y abordarlo para la __audiencia.__ Aunque el anime realiza una gran y cruda crítica, su plot es __muy básico__, los personajes tienen algo de dimensión, hay características que lo diferencian, pero existen muchos __estereotipos__ básicos de anime. El pace del anime está bien hecho, juega entre ir rápido, correr y escapar de los zombis; y lo lento, que sería el analizar, escuchar y entender a los personajes, Zom 100 consigue un gran balance. __Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead__ es una historia sobre cambios, como decides vivir tu vida, ver qué cosas son importantes en realidad, aunque tiene chistes básicos, te harán reír con una versión cómica y ligera del __fin del mundo.__