In Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, the Zombie Apocalypse Sets a Corporate Drone Free

Someone once said, “Choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” However, many of us will have to go through a lifetime’s worth of lousy jobs just to get to that point. Whether it’s waiting tables, cleaning toilets, or telemarketing, almost everyone has had a phase in their lives when they dreaded going to work every day. It’s even considered a rite of passage among some in the workforce to embrace the toil of the rat race until the last crumbs of humanity are crushed in the capitalist machine.

For these reasons, many will find themselves relating to the hero of Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, which premiered in July.

Bug Films

Akira Tendo is a 24-year-old man whose heart is filled with ambition and hope for the future, especially now that he’s landed a job at a high-end foreign finance company. It doesn’t take long, however, for his work environment to start crushing him into a soulless corporate drone. No overtime, no days off, no respect. A little part of his soul dies with each passing day—until a zombie uprising caused by an experimental bioweapon striking the capital changes everything forever.

Rather than being overcome with despair, however, Akira sees this zombie apocalypse as an opportunity to live his new life to the fullest and do everything that he’s ever wanted to do before he dies. What may seem like the end of the world to most is a new beginning to him and his friends Kencho Ryuuzaki, Shizuka Mikazuki, and Beatrix Amerhauser.

I’ve praised many other anime for having fun and interesting premises over the years, but I think that Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead may just be one of the very few zombie-related media that takes something as devastating as an undead apocalypse and puts it in a lively and colorful world. Not since Shaun of the Dead have I had this much of a blast watching a ragtag group of survivors navigate a zombie-infested city, putting enjoyment first and survival second. It makes it a mission to make viewer feel just as alive as the main cast undoubtedly does.

That isn’t to say that that this show doesn’t take itself seriously. At several points so far, there have been moments of solemn reflection and heart-to-heart conversations among the survivors peppered in with the wild and raucous fun. I appreciate the pacing between these two elements, as it paints the characters as actual human beings with their own dreams and goals. It also drives home the message that it’s never too late to follow your dreams and do what makes you happy, no matter how dire things may seem.

As of publication, there are four episodes available for viewing on Crunchyroll, Netflix (where it’s not to be confused with the live-action movie), and Hulu. With its zany premise and lovable characters, I’ve never been more excited to see what Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead has in store for its audience.