Alternative title(s): Zom 100: Zombie ni Naru made ni Shitai 100 no Koto
Manga Adaptation by Bug Films
Streaming on Crunchyroll

Premise

Akira Tendou, a 24-year-old office worker, finds himself living a life devoid of all meaning or enjoyment when he gets stuck in an exploitative company, often working for days on end for a bullying boss without proper food or sleep. However, everything changes when he gets up to work one morning and finds himself in the midst of a sudden zombie apocalypse. Now fighting for survival, Akira is not fearful but elated at the thought of finally being free from his job and the corporate world, and he is determined to live out the rest of his life, no matter how long it may be, with absolutely zero regrets.

Artemis’ verdict: Mixed Bag

I was really hoping this would be the one to break the monotony of summer 2023’s mid-tier and under shows. Sadly, I don’t think that’s going to be the case. That’s maybe a little unfair of me since it means I’m judging Zom 100 in comparison to other anime rather than purely on its own merits, but even so, I can’t shake the feeling that the series will likely turn out to be average at best, maybe slightly above if I’m lucky.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some things about Zom 100 to like. I may have never worked for an out-and-out exploitative company, at least not to the extreme levels that this anime takes it (even though I know they do exist), but I found the MC quite relatable anyway. What working adult hasn’t, at least from time to time, thought with a wistful sigh that even if some fantastical apocalyptic event would mean the end of hot showers, convenient food, and online entertainment, they would at least no longer be forced to fill in endless bureaucratic forms, file their taxes, or show up for yet another day at a job that overworks and underpays? We’ve all been there, and Zom 100 knows it.

I also appreciated that the premiere didn’t rush through this set-up. Sure, the main drive and action of the series is clear from the first second, even if you go into this completely blind, but it’s still nice to have a decent settling-in period and really get to soak in Akira’s background, which allows for some decent characterization rather than just going all in on the horror aspect. Black comedy plays a big part in this, and Akira’s situation is vital to make that aspect of the show work.

On the downside, the action feels a touch underwhelming, even though I do get the visual playfulness and intent of the artwork. The anime also unfortunately falls into the same old seinen-prevalent trope of being unnecessarily oversexed, as though the single acceptable way to let the audience know that a woman is considered attractive is via awkward “sexy” camera angles. Absolutely nothing about Zom 100 is subtle, and that often goes for the on-the-nose dialogue too, not just the stereotypical bust and thigh shots. It doesn’t ruin the series, but it does dampen the fun a bit for me.

All in all, it’s a mixed bag, and your mileage will probably heavily depend on your enjoyment of dark humor, colorful body horror, and possibly intentional lack of nuance.

Jel’s verdict: One Bite Away

This was so close to being great, and I can’t quite figure out what’s holding it back for me. I like the premise, it’s pretty stylish, and I think it leaves open a lot of possibilities for future episodes. This first episode was really well directed and paced, and there’s some fun shots like the main guy lumbering like an exhausted zombie after work to foreshadow things to come.

Ultimately though, it might be… too simple? As shocking as the events of the episode should be, as high energy as the big action sequences should be, it was all so plain and simple that it didn’t get as much of a reaction out of me as I would expect. When Akira confesses his love to his zombified crush, it felt more cringey than sad or funny. Nevertheless, I did enjoy this enough to give it another episode and I’m curious what they will do now that the workplace from hell is no longer a factor. I feel like Akira getting his soul crushed carried all the emotional weight of this episode, so what is the rest of the series going to be like? I guess we’ll see.