Have you ever felt so exhausted you wish you would never wake up again? Do you feel like a prisoner in your own life? Perhaps you can even say you are living like a zombie. This was also true for Akira, the protagonist of Zom 100. When the zombie apocalypse began, he was finally free to stop working. He took it as a sign that he should do as much as possible to enjoy himself in the time he had left.

Many of us could take a page from Akira’s book. We need to live satisfying lives while we can. As for me, the issue isn’t that I’m overworked. The issues are things like panic disorder and severe ADHD. These obstacles make me think that I cannot do the things I need to do, the things I loved in the past, or the new things I want to try out. So, this show has got me thinking that I should make a Bucket List, too. And rather than wait around for the zombie apocalypse, I’ll be taking steps in the here-and-now.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the first two episodes of the exciting new anime, Zom 100: Bucket List of The Dead.

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Episode 1: Akira of the Dead

Akira Tendou is a hard-working young man fresh out of college and eager to start his career. However, the place he works is exploitive to its employees, overworking them to an insane degree. With no time to do anything but work, Akira becomes depressed and exhausted. He barely manages to hold onto sanity. One of the few reasons for his perseverance is the presence of Saori Ohtori, a beautiful female office worker. Akira develops a long-lasting crush on her, even after finding out she is sleeping with the boss.

One night, Akira goes to bed wishing he would never wake up again. The next morning, he goes to talk to the landlady about a bike ticket. Much to his shock, the landlady is dead and being eaten by a zombified man. When Akira runs outside, he quickly discovers that the zombie apocalypse started overnight. Suddenly, it occurs to Akira that he doesn’t need to go work. He is overjoyed. It’s like life has color again. However, he’s also worried about Miss Ohtori, so he goes to her apartment, dodging zombies along the way.

At the apartment, he finds his boss turned into a zombie. After finally telling his boss how overworked he’s been, Akira offers his resignation. He proceeds to knock the immense zombie out of the window. Miss Ohtori appears from the bedroom, but alas, she is also a zombie. Akira confesses his love to Miss Ohtori before fleeing and leaving forever. That night, the young man contemplates life. He decides to write a list of 100 things to do before he becomes a zombie. Thus begins the Bucket List of The Dead.

The first episode of this much-anticipated anime was indeed impressive. I’m not sure if I believe it deserves the insanely high ratings it’s been getting across the internet, but it’s certainly good so far. The music was enjoyable and the visuals were really great. The way the blood splotches were bright neon colors in Akira’s vision was neat. The animation of him running from the zombies and jumping around was smooth and fluid. I loved the change from monochrome to vivid colors, as it shows the exhilaration Akira feels.

The most unusual thing about this anime to me was the nature of the main character: a hard-working, enthusiastic jock-type who is very fit and has a cute face. This is not the kind of main character I am used to seeing in a modern setting. It’s not that unusual in a shounen anime, but in more realistic series, you often see main characters who are introverted, unhealthy, and rather “nerdy.” They have impressive brains but few practical skills. Akira Tendo is the opposite. Although I like the introvert character type too, I think Akira will be a refreshing and entertaining character to watch.

I noticed one or two small issues with the narrative. Mostly, I thought it was strange to spend so much time on Miss Ohtori early on just to have her turn into a zombie in the same episode. But besides a few little nitpicks like that, I’m enjoying Zom 100. I also think it’s an anime that could have a lot to offer, including some social commentary. The first episode shows how workplaces can exploit employees, and how overwork can drive people into deep depression. That’s the kind of awareness we need. Great first episode!

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Episode 2: Bucket List of the Dead

After finally cleaning his apartment, Akira decides to spend the day drinking. However, he’s only two beers in when he discovers he’s run out. Thus, Akira sets off to the convenience store. On the way, he speaks to Mr. and Mrs. Kosaka, who live in a neighboring apartment. He promises to get food for them. At the convenience store, Akira is surprised to see a fellow survivor: an attractive and strong young woman. Though he tries to exchange contact info, the girl refuses, saying she won’t team up with someone who can’t prioritize or evaluate risks.

Just then, zombies rush into the convenience store. Akira moves forward to help the girl, and she responds by grabbing his coat and throwing him backward. This was actually done to save his life, because at that moment, a truck driven by a zombie crashes into the front of the convenience store. It killed the zombies, and would have killed Akira if not for the girl’s quick movement. With the immediate threat gone, the young woman leaves on a bike. Akira’s bike was crushed in the truck crash, but he rides back home on a motorcycle. This is something he’s always wanted to do, and he’s ecstatic.

The good mood doesn’t last forever. When Akira returns to the apartments, he finds evidence that Mr. and Mrs. Kosaka have been killed. The young man is reminded that anyone could die at any time. So he takes a notebook and writes 33 things he wants to do before he dies or becomes a zombie. The rest of the episode showed the same events from the perspective of Shizuka Mikazuki, the girl who saved Akira. She is like his opposite: rather than have fun, she’s denying herself simple pleasures in order to maximize her survival chances. The character contrast was interesting.

This episode was almost as good as the first. Everything looks and sounds amazing. The soundtracks, including the OP and ED songs, are awesome. I’m also still enjoying the vibrant colors and smooth animation. I liked the face, hair, and eyes of Shizuka. However, it was strange to me that she looks so skinny and un-toned considering that she works out every day and takes protein supplements. If she is literally strong enough to throw an adult man from that angle, one would think she would have a muscular build. But whatever.

My main hang-up is my disappointment that this anime is already strongly objectifying the female characters. The body proportions of the girls are absurd and the way the camera focuses on their chests and butts all the time is aggravating. While this could be a significant blow to my enjoyment of the series, I’m definitely not giving up yet. There are still other things to enjoy. Plus, besides the overtly sexualizing visuals, I am not detecting any sexism from the narrative. That already makes this a better story than Highschool of The Dead, which is an anime I despise. Let’s hope Zom 100 never stoops to that level!

Thank you for reading~

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