Anime 54112 Zom 100 Zombie Ni Naru Made Ni Shitai 100 No Koto Reviews Filter Check 2

'Zom 100' is surely the most hyped and talked about non-sequel anime of this year. The first episode of this anime can probably hook anyone to give it a try. It was so damn good. But as soon as you start to pay attention to the characters and how they act, you should start noticing some major flaws of this anime, which might be the reason this falls into the 'This is not for everyone' territory.

Animation (8/10): I know that the plot is the first thing to discuss in a review generally. But all the hype around this show was mostly because of its animation. ... So let's talk about that first.
It was good. It was colorful and consistent throughout the entire 12 episodes. I never felt I had any problem with the excessive use of those vibrant colors. Although I noticed something interesting. The fact that Akira's face and expressions perfectly resemble Luffy. Hmmm... still it didn't bother me. Not that the other characters had any remarkable or unique character design to begin with. So I was fine with it as they looked good. Overall, you can't expect much better in the animation department than this from a new studio.

Plot (6/10): 'Zom 100' is not the first anime to have a setting where a bunch of people try to survive a chaotic situation where any normal human being would feel some sort of fear and sadness. Regardless of the individual, they will constantly be thinking about how to prolong their stay on this planet, even by a tiny margin. 'Highschool of the Dead' used this exact concept more than a decade ago. That anime showed the journey of a group of people trying to survive while also keeping their sanity and humanity intact. And that is the part where 'Zom 100' faces a major issue. We follow a set of characters who act inconsistently. Sometimes they act like normal people and sometimes they act like a bunch of drunk psychopaths you would find on the streets. They embark on an aimless journey. More about them in the 'characters' category.

Characters (5/10): Wouldn't you notice if the 'Good Guys' of a show can forget anyone's death just a few moments after their death and can celebrate getting a huge TV like they won the biggest lottery of their life? I personally think you should notice that. Akira and his nudist friend with a questionable personality are both equipped with very little common sense and empathy.Sometimes they crack some silly jokes which didn't hit the spot most of the time. I don't care how much one suffers handling their respective jobs, how painful it gets to keep your cool. Will you lose your human traits just because of the temporary freedom you get? (Of course, it is not temporary in their case as they survive every difficult situation just because they have plot armor, how on earth he jumps better than some Assassin's Creed characters btw?) Akira, his nudist friend, Shizuka and Beatrix continue their journey which has very few things to discuss. I think anyone will be able to tell that there is not much personality in any of the characters. So you get to see Beatrix, she is there for the sole purpose of giving us some fan-service with an added 'Samurai Woman' gimmick which makes her character even less enjoyable to watch. And in Shizuka's case, she also starts acting like Akira and his nudist friend upon meeting them. The reason: 'Happiness, freedom blah blah blah....' To sum up, you will find a bunch of idiotic characters wandering around prioritizing their desires over their survival. I know the author maybe tried taking a less serious approach while writing this. But zombie apocalypse and light hearted comedy about some people chilling and saying some idealistic things once in a while just don't go well together.

Audio (8/10): As always, there is little to complain about the voice acting, it was good. The opening and ending songs were also good. The visuals of those songs were even better.

Overall (7/10): At the end of the day, I can't deny the fact that I enjoyed watching this show(Specially first three episodes). That is the reason you are seeing that rating. Though this show suffers from lack of good writing and likable characters, most of the people will still find it enjoyable. These shows might have a higher 'entertainment value' than most, but lack some basic things that make a show memorable. I still won't recommend it to someone who looks beyond a show's 'entertainment value' and searches for a zombie survival show that handles the situations seriously and has an actual plot.

**I forgot to mention anything about the last three episodes being delayed earlier. That really wasn't any good news for this anime either. The hype has already died out and I had to rewatch all the episodes partially while writing this review (Not watching the recap was intentional btw)

Zom 100 has a lot going for it, especially in its premise and first three or so episodes. This anime has an absolutely stellar first episode in particular, but as I continued to watch the story unfold, and like a zombie left out in the sun for too long, I realized that things could only get worse from here.

Zom is a lot of style and very little substance. The animation, the choreography, the striking use of colorful paint in the place of zombie blood, everything on a visual level is just amazing. The opening song is an ABSOLUTE banger, and the both of the ... opening animations are just so fun to watch and listen to. Which is why it's so disappointing that I can't give this show a stronger recommend than I am. It's not a bad show at all, but I feel like Zom 100 definitely falls short of what it potentially could have been.

Zom 100's core message is that we all take life too seriously, and we need to stop waiting for "the day things finally get better for us" because that day will never come. It might come in the form of a zombie apocalypse, or something as quietly sinister as the slow passing of time, but for those of us with freedom and life, we owe ourselves the happiness we could have if we just lived life more fully. Our protagonist, Akira, realizes this too late as he seeks to live out the best life he possibly can now that there's a real sense of urgency in his life.

...And that's pretty much all there is to the message. It's safe and relatable, but the lack of nuance doesn't leave much room for further exploration. Characters and ideas are victim to this problem as well; things are either entirely good or evil, black and white. The villains of the show are made to be relatable but NOT very sympathetic, and as a result bad guys in Zom end up feeling like comic book villain stereotypes who are boring to watch.

This problem also extends to the main characters. All of whom, except for one at the start, are extremely good-natured people with very few negative characteristics if any. This isn't realistic and serves to make it hard to identify with these characters. There just isn't much depth to our cast of heroes, as fun as they are to watch. They also have relatively poor chemistry as most of them don't really open up to each other very much, however they've only just met so this is understandable to an extent.

The first season ends with a prolonged conflict, and without spoiling anything, I can promise you that you'll be rolling your eyes by the end of it. There's so much moral grandstanding and selfrightrousness written into these characters, it stops being belivable and just feels like a power fantasy cooked up by the author. I won't deny that there is a definite catharsis to it, but there's something so silly about how these later problems were handled that just doesn't sit right with me. Like I said, absolutely no room for exploration, all of life's problems wrapped up in a nice tidy package.

And speaking of catharsis, there's definitely a good sense of it in seeing these characters live out some of our dreams and fantasies, like the idea of quitting your dead-end job by kicking your zombified boss out of a tall building. But this thrill gets old pretty quickly, and it suddenly becomes apparent the the story isn't really sure where to take things from here. It wants to deliver these deep, thoughtful and incisive morals and lessons, but fails to consider that it needs a bit more than "society bad"

This is just season 1 so I'm hopeful this anime can get on its feet by then, but if nothing else Zom 100 is a very good anime to just turn your brain off to. Zom 100 feels shockingly fresh in a world full of zombie-related media and post-zombie media fatigue, but fails to do enough to capitalize on its core ideals.

After a period of zombie genre overexploitation, this anime is released without much ambition to be relevant in this realm. Having only watched 8 episodes (all the main characters have appeared), I have come to the realization that this series is primarily a comedy lacking in humor, a drama lacking in interest, and a romance based on the most insipid ecchi elements. The zombies themselves possess a mishmash of characteristics but lack any distinct personality beyond bleeding rainbows. It is entertaining to watch due to the spectacle of its visuals, but it feels empty both in terms of its characters and its messages.

The combination of ... adult life problems, such as work stress, with the foolishness typical of teenagers, like rejoicing over the end of the world to avoid going to work, risking their lives to steal a TV, or attempting to engage in casual encounters with any female he finds, makes it very difficult for me to consider it a seinen or something that someone over the age of 15 would truly enjoy. While many of us have fantasized about being the most skilled survivor in a zombie apocalypse to escape the burdens of real life, it seems to me that this anime takes the concept of escapism to such an extreme that it diminishes the weight of everything that occurs. Even in Highschool of the Dead the sense of zombie danger and the need to survive felt more palpable.

There is another strange combination regarding the actual threat posed by the zombies. On one hand, secondary characters can die within a couple of seconds on screen, but on the other hand, the protagonist is capable of jumping from a third floor, running like a gazelle, and effortlessly riding a motorcycle despite having no prior experience. The zombie apocalypse is meant to be fun, but be careful because you can die at any moment. That is, ultimately, the premise. The protagonist expects to die soon but wants to make the most of his time and fulfill all his goals in life, no matter how superficial and fleeting they may be.
The presentation is smooth and colorful. Absurdly colorful, in fact. At times, it can be quite impressive, but in my opinion, they go overboard. The show treats mundane actions, as the protagonist simply putting on a shirt, with the same level of epicness as jumping 15 meters to escape a horde of zombies.

Once it becomes clear that most secondary characters are destined to die as soon as they appear on screen, I can't help but feel that it's a waste of time trying to understand them with the little information provided. Before you can grasp who they are, they have already died without anyone caring. The protagonist continues to laugh and drink beer as if nothing happened.

In my opinion, this anime may be entertaining mainly for a male teenage audience who only consumes seasonal anime (although the airing has currently been halted). It is very straightforward, with a colorful presentation, smooth animation, one-dimensional characters that won't provoke any introspection, a certain amount of gratuitous ecchi, and very mild zombie violence. It is perfect for those who just want to pass the time without paying attention to the story or getting invested in the characters.

This show is pretty pogchamp for zombie genre fans and the animation do be pretty. However, it gets hit with delay every other week to the point where you kinda lose interest in what's going on bc last episode was 2 weeks ago and there's already a new delay announced after the one you're watching, killing all the hype. Watching this as it's airing is an absolute chore so if you're interested just wait for it to be finished.

The premise is the strongest part of the show. Characters are fine and likable enough. Action is pretty to look at. Comedy doesn't always land but most ... of the time it does, pretty funny show. I want Shizuka to choke me out.

If I were in the mood for an anime where a kid incessantly screams at me and had hoped for a more captivating experience, I'd opt for Black Clover. The initial episode seemed promising, setting the stage for what could have been an intriguing anime, but instead, it shattered my eardrums with one of the most unlikable, one-dimensional main characters. Oh, the protagonist quit his job to complete a bucket list – how profoundly moving, right? It's like, super deep, man, you just don't understand, bro. I do hope there's an incredible overarching plot that I missed out on, but from my perspective, it's just ... another visually appealing yet ultimately dull and uninspiring anime.

Starts fresh. Falls into already seen narratives.

The thing I probably loved the most about this show, was how characters were mostly developed through natural dialogue, a very intimate solution, that made me interested in their stories as if they were friends of mine. But then, the annoying cliché flashbacks kick in... and with the intent of getting the characters closer to each other, they, instead, manage to get the viewer far away from any involvement with them.

That, of course, is just one example. More generally, the show progressively replaces its extravagant, yet original ideas, with dull, unoriginal ones, and flattens its finesses one by one. ... That's the case for the art as well, which is nice, but gradually gets stale, to the point where you just forget about it.

On the whole, the show is still enjoyable, but nothing more than that.

"If you’re gonna waste the limited amount of reality at your disposal, who cares if someone tries to stop you? You gotta cleanse your brains. Your life isn't fast food" - Song of the Dead, Kana-Boon

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead burst onto the scene with an explosive and brilliantly captivating introduction, leaving no room for doubt. Starting with a metaphor that likens working in a black company to becoming a zombie, which also serves as a powerful reflection of a somber Japanese reality, underscores the depth of the issue and offers an impactul entry to explore this theme in the anime, and so ... it does, as Akira, the main character, unfolds his journey as he resigns by throwing his boss out of the window, a symbolic act of breaking free from his own limitations.

The anime's premise is remarkably simple. A zombie apocalypse serves as the unexpected catalyst for the protagonist's liberation, enabling him to fully embrace life. What truly captivates in this narrative is the paradoxical and extravagant juxtaposition it presents. The essence and beauty of the anime stems from the very contradiction of a zombie apocalypse becoming a conduit for the protagonist's freedom and happiness. However, this uniqueness is not the only characteristic that defines it. The animation's vibrant colors and lush palette add a startling contrast to the morbid and frightening scenario that often accompanies a zombie apocalypse. This fusion of disparate elements creates a unique synergy, providing an experience that is both fascinating and unpredictably fun. Ultimately, this combination of factors results in a perfect formula for a genuinely captivating and entertaining work.

Undoubtedly, the creativity and expressiveness Akira presents find a unique harmony with the general atmosphere of the anime. From using a rugby ball strategically attached to a horn to attract the zombies' attention through sound, to the audacious choice to wear an anti-shark suit to avoid being bitten by the undead, are examples that reward the audience in a gratifying way. The absurd caprice of these unconventional solutions lends a humorous and ingenious touch at the same time, adding undeniable value to the narrative. Finally, this dose of improbable wackiness proves to be not only funny, but also exceptionally beneficial to the experience as a whole.

Addressing the negative aspect head-on, it's paradoxical but also evident that the protagonist, ironically, bears significant responsibility for almost erasing the qualities that could have enriched the anime. His negative influence is so pronounced that it becomes difficult to ignore how his presence significantly affects the overall appreciation of the work. Regrettably, Akira is remarkably inconsequential as a character. His eccentric behavior and extravagant actions can certainly be considered an attractive aspect of the anime; however, as a whole, it appears that his personal evolution is at a standstill. Just when you expect him to be developing self-awareness, he goes back to where he started. This regressive dynamic is constant throughout the narrative, noticeable in practically every episode.


Q: A zombie apocalypse has just happened, what to do first?

A- Worry about your own family (just saw a family turn into a pool of blood) ✕
B- Going out with a stewardess ✓
C - Make dreadlocks ✓
D- Have a cool beard ✓
...


Bluntly, what's truly disheartening about the introductory part is how the protagonist dismisses the gravity of the world situation, listing thirty trivial matters to his bucket list before recalling the existence of his own family. This glaringly illustrates the character's inherent shallowness and emptiness. What is the real purpose of stating that "the most important thing I want to do right now is see my parents", when at no time before that has he shown any regard for them? The irony deepens even further when we realize that, instead of immediately acting on this desire, he chooses to prioritize trivial acquisitions, such as a new television to play video games. This sheds light on Akira's true priorities and underlines his disconnect with the claims he makes, reinforcing the contradictory nature of his actions and words. Regardless of whether it was the author's intention or not, the fact remains that it's indeed frustrating to follow the story of a character like that.

Essentially, the majority of the issues raised would have become almost irrelevant if the author had promptly addressed the family matter, allocated screen time for the character to express genuine concern for his parents during his adventure to find them or, even more ideally, refrained from introducing them so early on the story. And this indirectly creates an identity problem in the anime: After all, what does it propose to be? An episodic comedy? A comedy that uses elements of dark humor to, in the end, convey an impactful message to the audience? The feeling that permeates the anime is that the author faced difficulties in clearly defining his direction. The interaction between the zombie plot and the development of the protagonist ends up creating a web of intentions that sometimes becomes somewhat confusing. While hilarious moments and enjoyful situations predominate, the deeper content that could have been explored seems to give way to the comedic aspect. In this sense, the narrative resembles a puzzle with scattered pieces, some of which fit together perfectly, but others seem somewhat out of place.

As previously mentioned, there are no apparent issues with the protagonist's eccentric behavior and unpredictable actions. Quite the opposite, these aspects contribute to the charm that this anime brings forth. My concern lies in Akira's lack of emotional growth and priorities; he fails to navigate loss, fear, and the repercussions of his choices in the way one would typically expect. The protagonist's lack of self-awareness is notable, as he rarely reflects on his actions or consequences. This lack of introspection prevents him from growing as a character. In short, every dramatic part of the show involving Akira ends up becoming a wasted opportunity, as he does not extract learning from the situations in which he finds himself. Not only is this a fact, but one often witnesses him transitioning between emotions in an unusual manner: he appears worried, then, seconds later, he reverts to the same personality of "look the crazy stuff I do in a zombie apocalypse." As a spectator, feeling uncomfortable with certain situations becomes the only viable option due to the protagonist's utter lack of awareness and empathy. It's not inherently problematic for a character of this nature to exist. The real issue lies in the fact that this character is precisely protagonist. With the anime's proposal, witnessing someone like Akira being consistently rewarded, despite the decisions and actions he undertakes, makes it progressively challenging to wholeheartedly support each achievement. In essence, the lingering sense of injustice ultimately overshadows any sense of triumph.

Then, when it comes to priorities, it's a recurring theme that Akira tends to prioritize trivial and mundane matters over recognizing the genuine significance of what truly matters. While this contributes to the comedic aspect the narrative aims to convey, there's another dimension to this behavior. At various points throughout the anime, there will be instances where grappling with the idea that "A" should take precedence over "B," or vice versa, becomes a challenge. Addressing immediate concerns that can be easily done is one matter, but sidelining a clearly more important goal for the sake of frivolities presents a different scenario altogether. Without intending to be overly critical, Akira serves as a prime example of how a slightly disproportionate protagonist can negatively impact a work, regardless of the quality of the story and world-building.

Regardless of the previous issue, the second negative point has nothing to do with the work itself but it's crucial to address the issue of how problematic the anime's postponements were. This situation carries a tremendous irony and frustration, given that in its opening episode, Zom 100 critiques capitalism, particularly the Japanese black companies, yet ends up experiencing the very setbacks it aimed to criticize. Placing the protagonist in a setting reminiscent of the current anime staff's former studio, and witnessing the anime succumb to the same issues the animators had indirectly highlighted, presents a truly unfortunate twist of fate.

In fact, the delay is a double-edged sword: while serving as a significant irony regarding its critique, it also provides relief for animators by easing the burden of a heavy workload that would have accompanied the original schedule. Nevertheless, this regrettable situation will undoubtedly leave its mark in the records of anime industry. Luckily, the fact that the anime is more focused on an episodic comedy, the postponement issue actually doesn't affected the enjoyment of the story too much. Aside from this and from the protagonist, the anime still managed to captivate its audience with a surprisingly fun character: Beatrix.

Xenophile girl injects new life into the anime as the final addition to the main group of characters. Her interactions add an extra layer of unpredictability to the group dynamics. She can transition seamlessly from being a badass samurai with a stylish soundtrack to an incredibly friendly and extroverted individual who pays no heed to societal norms. Her relationship with the rest of the group creates delightful moments of shared camaraderie, often giving the impression that they share the same braincell. For me, she is the greatest of all time and the one who carried and saved a lot of things from this show.

Unfortunately, this show is a love or hate choice: If one ignores the protagonist decisions, way of thinking and actions throughout the anime, it will end up being an actually funny watch. If not, Akira will most likely break the viewer suspension of disbelief and every scene will feel forced.

Therefore, despite its promising potential for a highly captivating story, "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" is notably undermined by both its controversial production issues, identity crisis and a protagonist lacking emotional depth. Sporadic delays, an incomplete opening theme, and drops in animation quality collectively diminish the overall enjoyment of the work. Yet, despite the challenging schedule, the production team still managed to deliver something remarkably compelling, even amidst unfavorable working conditions. In the end, despite its enjoyable and compelling narrative elements, this show has its potential severely limited, rendering it unable to achieve the impactful and lasting status of a truly memorable story.

I really wanted to give this anime a positive review. The first episode skillfully blended narrative and performance. It was like a breath of fresh air waking up my drowsy senses. The portrayal of the "black" company life in the first half was both humorous and despairing: obscured angles in the cramped office, or dimly-lit horror vibe outside the office. The visuals even gradually shifted to black and white without me realizing. When the protagonist, Tendou Akira, started the zombie chase, the animation exhibited astonishing expressiveness while transitioning to color – it was truly remarkable. On top of that, there were so many splendid moments ... that it's impossible to list them all.

Starting off on such a high note, no wonder my expectations exploded on this exaggerated comedy + road movie. I thought it was an exaggerated comedy road trip movie, and patiently watched the ep.2-3 with all the "character introductions". Starting from ep.4, it began to feel somewhat tedious. While there were still exhilarating action scenes (such as the ones at the aquarium in episode 5), the clichéd plot and lackluster content began to surface. The story veered between being humorous (though it gradually became less funny), action-packed, emotional, exaggerated, and realistic – it left me feeling disjointed. The only consistent factor was that the characters gradually became one-dimensional, turning into mere "labels"; I could no longer empathized with any characters.

I guess the delay in airing the anime made things worse. The last three episodes were so bad, with shallow character motivations and a faltering story. Such an ending actually left a bad taste in my mouth. If it weren't for the incredibly captivating first episode, I would have rated this anime a 5 out of 10.

Before watching it, I really liked the pitch. I thought there was a lot of potential within this serie.
However, even so I really liked the first episodes, I was quite disappointed by the following ones, especially by the final ones.

The more the serie goes on, the more the characters ( especially the bad guys) seem empty, without any kind of depth. I was particularly disappointed by the frustrated evil group at the end. I was almost under the impression that they were embodying the lazy workers in order to emphasize « rightfull » meritocratic values.
A show can in my opinion only be ludicrous when it ... tries to moralize its watchers even though the content is extremely caricatural.. How then still take this serie seriously, when the directors are taking us for idiots ?

I recognize that I am quite harsh in this comment, especially given the way I rated this show. However, how not to be severe when the end of a relatively good show is so mediocre ?

Nonetheless, I still find that a second season could be promising given the last images.. Lets have hope:)

Ladies and gentlemen I present you the snowboarding track of this season. This show goes up and down and up and down in terms of interesting locations and things to do... but at the same time it's always going downhill. Episode eight jumped the shark for me and I am finally degrading initial score I gave it to a one closer to average, because that's all it is... just average. World building and setting might be different and initial premise was interesting but it completely devolved into "happy go lucky I hope to find a girlfriend lets visit hot springs together" kind of show. We ... could have expected it to become something of an adventure, but they literally did nothing with the premise. Zombies are nothing more than an obstacle to overcome so writers can come to this episode's expected content. Take zombies out of the equation and you get your average story of guy giving up on exploitative work and goes to live his life.

Remaining parts of the show are done very competently so they skillfully mask what is otherwise told to boredom story which you've seen many times by now. Even then it would have been possible to make such a story interesting but main characters lack even characteristics they were introduced to us with. Shizuka is suppose to be calculated and survival-focused person obsessed with gaining statistical advantages... that goes out of window after some episodes. Ken is just there as poor comedy-relief and only thing authors think is funny that he does is gets naked, which you never see but you are suppose to think is funny. Main character on the other hand is just an airhead who does whatever and somehow he always manages to survive, be it from his friends' help or act of god or some other plot convenience. Basically he has the thickest plot armor you've seen yet backed by a healthy dose of ADD. He will see something shiny and drop whatever he was doing at the moment and go do the other thing.

And that's it. Main characters are introduced at a steady pace, you can see those from the MAL page. They all go from point to point and do nothing of note. Story is never developed, you never get to learn about world and how it became like that. So I can't really say this is spoiler because there's nothing to spoil. I stopped watching the very moment Beatrix is introduced and they all collectively decide to go to hot springs. For no reason and out of the blue. That's the moment I feel show has jumped the shark and have stopped watching. Story is at this point beyond redemption.

And trust me, I am more disappointed at this development than most. It hurts me that they decided to ruin interesting and otherwise very competently done show. This season was so lacking of things to watch. But it had to be done, I had to say something and if you ask me, I wouldn't recommend it to people but some may find it entertaining enough. All in all this show is not at the same level as Akira or Death Parade or some other anime of note as it is currently rated at.

An anime that contains many logical errors and has a main character who is still a teenager despite graduating from university. An attempt was made to fill the gaps in the script by focusing on the comedy element, but I can't say it was very successful. Okay, the first few chapters were fluent, although they had their shortcomings. However, after episode 8, I changed my mind. It would have been possible to have a different end of the world instead of the zombie element, considering the characters. For example, a very deadly epidemic. There are places where it is successful, but it is not enough. ... Its value varies between 6.5/7 depending on your current mood.

*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?

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.

*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. 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.

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.

Was fun and enjoyable for the first half. Nothing serious or groundbreaking, just a simple entertaining show. The second half however started to get cringe (which was weird because nothing in the environment or the characters really changed?), they shifted from a more casual and slice of life tone that was funny, to trying to be inspirational and teaching life lessons but in the most generic and elementary way possible. It felt like watching animated Dhar Mann YouTube videos. It's like the writer forgot what he was trying to write halfway through. It felt like a show for a much much younger audience, would of ... been great for elementary school kids, but you couldn't show them it because there's way too many inappropriate things going on. I don't regret watching it tho, like I said I liked the first half and some of the cringe was just so cringe that it was entertaining to make fun of. I wouldn't tell anyone to watch it, but its at least not a waste of time if you are just looking for something quick that you don't want to be emotionally effected by or want to pay too much attention to. The opening is fun and catchy :), changes up a lot too so I don't skip it.

I agree with everything the reviewers who didn't recommend seeing it were able to write, but I won't be so harsh. I originally dropped watching during the story line with the boss because it pissed me off beyond belief. I've never seen worse garbage in the form of a human being, maybe it's because as a Central European I just don't meet people with that character in leadership positions, or very rarely. Then I gave it two more chances and finished watching it. The premise and first few episodes had promise, but it got more and more absurd as time went on. I would have ... given it 4 points, but the plot twist with the hemorrhoids honestly got to me, so I'll give it 5 points. Overall, wasted potential.

The first few episodes is amazingly animated and very fun, and the anime keeps a steady quality until the german girl is introduced. Her character is uninspired and the rest of the anime drags and feels like they were running out of ideas.

The art direction and color use in this anime is astounding and colorful which definately helps make the anime more enjoyable, however it cant fix the boring copy pasted concepts that plague the latter half of the anime.

Despite the problems with the second half of the anime, the first half is a blast, making use of characters being put in absurd situation while ... its ideas are still fresh

All in all this anime gets a 6/10 because of its great first half followed a dragging uninspired second half.

This show sounded in theory like something I'd love; walking dead, discussion of depression, loss of self, coming back to life -metaphorically/ mentally- cinematic visuals and interesting colors. The idea was appealing to me.

While we did get that, I didn't get it to the extent I liked. The show tried to take a motivational -happy-esq way to the story so the sad (important) parts were brushed up on more than delved into.

It felt like I am watching MHA in a different universe, it was bizzare. The voice actor for Tensho is the same as Midoriya's probably because they sound the same. Even a ... lot of his characteristics are the same. If you added freckles and bushy green hair you'll get him. And his friend is like cosplaying all might? yellow hair -awful shade btw- two long strands, blue eyes, minus the running naked joke. This isn't my sense of humor so I didn't find it amusing, became boring later.

Higurashi is like a weird fusion of Bakugou and Shiguraki in terms of attitude -and voice- and general vibe respectively. (if we're going far with the comparison I'll add sero's hair and Kirishima's teeth)

Also the show isn't binge-ble which was annoying since I got bored and wanted to drop it but persevered.

Overall I just didn't get enough of what I came for/ liked. It might be a favorite to somebody else but unfortunately it isn't mine. I would've preferred to have it in one direction or the other; either funny and lighthearted or more toward the serious side.

I'm not sure who the targeted audience are, since the cast are adults and the issues aren't kid-friendly but are glossed over and with the overly cheerful attitude it feels like it's made for kids.

Idk, that's my personal view though.

Japan Anime Does Zombie Apocalypse Right

The manga has been well received and its time for the anime version. This is Japan anime does zombie apocalypse right. Great to see the studio adheres to the manga and the artwork looks well made. Still the use of the color blotches to replace blood or the color red may not sit well with some fans.

The pace of the anime is pretty good. The music is on par with such theme. The OP and ED well suited though a bit overboard with the dead in the title. The list will be interesting to see as Akira fills it out. ... Now how well it stands against the live action one remains to be seen. Give it a go and make up your own mind. It is certainly a bit different from the usual zombie theme movies/TV out there. A good allegory of the human nature and the society we live in.

So, I'll just get straight to the point here, Zom 100 is probably both one of the best yet uninspiring anime out there. From a critical standpoint, while the premise is quite unique and interesting, in my opinion, where it falls flat is simply the depth of the characters and the world, as well as the lack of a deeper message going forward apart from "just enjoy life" or whatever. It doesn't aim to create any lore for itself or make the characters more interesting and feel real either. Everything here just feels very stereotypical and idealised to the point where it just gets annoying ... at times.

The plot just revolves around the theme of escapism, as the characters use the zombie apocalypse in order to find time to truly enjoy life, something they haven't been able to do due to overwork at their jobs, specifically in the case of Akira Tendou, the MC. Again, the plot is simple, but unique. As the story goes on, the characters in the show eventually learn about the harsh realities of life in a zombie apocalypse while trying to chase their dreams and finish everything they set out to do in their "100 things I want to do before I become a zombie" notebook.

In my opinion, the (ironically enough) part where the show really shines is in every second of enjoyability and just the impact of every moment, and I think this is enough to be able to recommend the the show. Because at the end of the day the show is meant to just be simple, chaotic fun and I really do like it for that. A lot of the moments in the show *do* feel cheesy but at the same time, it manages to contribute to the overall charm and lightheartedness that it aims to deliver, and it really becomes a guilty pleasure of sorts when watching. It really knows how to draw you into the characters' experiences, even if it lacks the depth or complexity seen in some other anime.

Something I think a lot of people really get wrong about this show is in the mindset that Zom 100 is a show that's trying to be deeper than what it is and something that's trying to push the boundaries of the genre like a ton of other anime this season, when it reality it's not. Like I said, at the end of the day, the show is just meant to be simple, chaotic fun and should be consumed as such, not as a deep commentary on life in a zombie apocalypse, Japan's toxic work culture, or the problems of depressing, anxiety, and social rejection. Because if it is taken more seriously than it should be, it really hides just how good this show truly is.

Lastly, I'd also like to give a shoutout to the great animation within the show, especially for a studio new to the industry like Bug Films, it's really amazing to see just how good the animation turned out, even if it resulted in numerous episode delays (which caused me to lower my rating considerably since I and probably a lot of other people lost interest after the last 4 episodes didn't air until Christmas). Kudos to them and all the people who helped in production.

TL:DR, great show with pretty good comedy, characters, and animation, but lacks depth and can be stereotypical at times. If you dislike comedy or lighthearted shows and/or are looking for something more in-depth and serious, or something like a horrific zombie horror show then this isn't the show for you.

Also, Shizuka best girl.

I would recommend giving it a shot for the first three episodes, but not longer than that. This show has a really good first episode, arguably one of the best out there in terms of animation and also in storytelling, showing us the terrible work culture in Japan and comparing it with a zombie apocalypse. Unfortunately, this show gets worse and worse in both story and production as it goes on. I would say that it is a show that had a lot of potential but failed to deliver a compelling story with memorable characters.

Its strongest points are the character design, original story, and its ... first couple of episodes. It is definitely a hit or miss but I think is worth giving it a shot.

Well this was quite fun. Watch this with your friends for maximal enjoyment. You shouldn't take the first episode too seriously — it gets way more comedic later on, with the "themes" becoming watered down in jokes. The plot isn't great, so you shouldn't care. The characters are one-dimensional, so don't bother. The wannabe-serious side of the show gets more and more preachy, and I don't think you need an office worker-turned-survivalist to tell you that you should "follow your dreams", so enjoy in how absurd all of it is.

I recommend this: watch the first two episodes, and if the comedy is solely enough for ... your enjoyment, watch the whole thing. Though the author's propensity for poop jokes gets way more obvious later on, the style stays mostly consistent, and most of all, usually quite amusing.