Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead episode 9 brought forth a lot of angles, some new and some old. We finally got to meet Akira’s parents and many life lessons he’s trying to figure out while also being introduced to what some may consider his new counterpart, Kanta Higurashi—voiced by the widely popular Nobuhiko Okamoto (Bakugo – My Hero Academia). While the action took a backseat with this episode, the setup for a new arc was wonderfully done after introducing Beatrix last week.
Akira has yet to really encounter someone who works in a mirror image of himself. While Shizuka did present the opposite of what Akira believed in when we were first introduced to her, she’s gone through development since then by finding her own self rather than being what her father wanted. But Kanta is someone who shares the same mindset of being free as Akira, just with a twisted view.
The introduction between the two was teased in a well-executed way. Having the two pass by each other with Akira thinking he knew him from somewhere provided a certain layer of wonder that adds more drama to the story. Akira thinks he knows Kanta from somewhere while simultaneously being the angel to his devil. Both are creating bucket lists before turning into zombies but it’s what each bucket list entails that leads each of them down different paths.
While Akira became a work-hog at a corporate company, Kanta couldn’t find a job in the first place. The zombie apocalypse freeing both of them from their current positions leaves you wondering if they were switched, would they have the same reaction as the other in their current positions? Kanta feels rejected and now has the freedom to pay back that rejection while Akira was controlled and now wants his freedom to enjoy life.
So this entire dynamic between the two is something the series was missing in a sense. And now that the new arc is underway, there are many things this episode does well to leave fans wondering what could possibly be happening next. What is Kanta planning to do? What will happen to the village? So many possible questions and that’s what starts off a great arc—thinking of the expected and unexpected.
One thing that is constantly happening throughout the story progression of Zom 100 is Akira’s internal conflicts. This time around it deals with his perception of the people around him, specifically his parents. Something like this is just something you don’t see in any zombie apocalypse series and that’s why my love for this series continues to reach new levels. Sure, you have characters that have moments of regret. But can you name a moment in the genre where the main character wants to find a way to properly repay his/her parents in the midst of pandemonium?
What I also love about Akira’s resolve to repay his parents properly is that even though his adult life turned into something depressing, he was still thankful for them, how they raised him, and the opportunities they provided for him. It’s only natural that he’s lost on how to truly repay them back besides doing chores around the house. However, there’s something even deeper that I appreciate when it comes to Akira.
Piece by piece, step by step, Akira is finding himself while fulfilling his bucket list. He’s not doing all of these things just to cross them off of his list. Moments like repaying his parents back is something he wants to do properly and it’s taking him time to realize what the proper way is. Interacting with Masaru Kumano while building the treehouse was that first step and it stayed with Akira throughout the entire episode.
Yu Harima directed and storyboarded episode 9 of Zom 100. For a brief history, Harima also worked in the same roles for series such as Summertime Rendering, Tokyo Revengers, and Salaryman’s Club. Unfortunately, I just think it was one of those parts of the manga that leaves very little wiggle room for a director or storyboard artist to really show their own style. There weren’t too many moments where the production work really captivated me at times like past episodes of Zom 100. However, some of the framing and composition work that was done in episode 9 stood out to me a lot like the shots below.
Some flashbacks showing Kanta were similar to the ones we saw of Akira in the first episode. While not specifically the same, despite the use of aspect ratio (letterboxing), the storyboard work for this episode really did its job showing that Akira and Kanta are two sides of the same coin. That’s difficult to accomplish while Harima was also tasked with the job of making sure Akira’s focus is on his parents. So in the end, there were three strings being pulled in different directions in this episode: Akira’s resolve to repay his parents, Kanta’s resolve to do whatever from his list and whenever, and the differences and similarities between Kanta and Akira.
I will say though that my favorite shot (see below) of the entire episode had to be when Akira was walking behind his father as they were walking back home after a long day in the fields. The shot almost looked cinema-quality. The depth of field between them, the bushes behind them, the tree line way behind the bushes, the mountains behind them, and then having a beautiful sunset overtop his father’s head looked incredible. The colors and shadowing couldn’t have been any better.
Not only were we given Akira’s internal conflict and an introduction to his parents (and Kanta), but his father coughing and then showing blood in his hand makes for an extra layer of drama that will be building up in the coming episodes. Overall, this wasn’t my favorite Zom 100 episode, but it definitely kept the ball rolling for a fantastic series.
Episode 9 rating: 8/10
The release dates for episodes 10-12 are not confirmed at this time. Be sure to follow Anime Corner and Anime Corner News on X, formerly Twitter, for updates!
Screenshots via Crunchyroll
© Haro Aso, Kotaro Takata, Shogakukan / Zom100 Project