Apr 28, 2024
I have never written a review to showcase my thoughts on a show, rather just tell you in person all the reasons I adore something, but this one compelled me to write one. I won’t include spoilers, or at least have some minor ones, so be warned when you read this. But I heavily recommend it as a delightfully fun yet still dark take on the zombie format; My only point of reference is it’s similar to Shawn of the Dead and Sunset Overdrive in tone.
The animation is fluid and full of emotion in every scene, with more detail and passion put into more serious
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impactful moments. The big standout for me is the tone and art shift from dark and dreary in the first episode to a bright, neon-colored cityscape where zombies are colored with not just red but green, pink, blues, and yellows by its end with Akira running carefree from all the stress navigating a flood of the undead without a single care. How the show deals in telling its message of life sucks and just do what the hell you wanna do is one that I love; Personally for me, that's the kinda energy I’ve been trying to resonate to escape our depressing world of war and politics; I’d rather live on my own, being rough and ready for fun or a fight.
I don’t comment much on the writing and story of an anime or adaptation as it’s pulling from a source and the original creator is the one deserving of making the art. I extend that praise to creator Aso, Haro for writing a fantastic story. One of the reasons I really love this show is that it feels similar in spirit and tone to Gurren Lagann, more so in the meaning of screw what everyone says and take the helm of your life. It also doesn’t help that Akira and Kenichirou have a similar bro bond that Simon and Kamida had in that show.
The setting and dark tone also fits with another zombie show of my childhood that I doubt will get a revival (though I love to be optimistic and believe it’ll come back) soon. Except where this show and the one I’m referring to differ is that this show lacks excessive over-the-top fanservice of well-endowed characters that distract from the seriousness at hand, creating a clash of tone IMO; I’m of course talking of Highschool of the Dead. Now I know it's an outlandish comparison, but what I’m saying is that this show is a more mature, yet still comedic version of HotD. Zom 100 has FS but is limited to the sidelines in a more respectable way, cause that's not the core part of what they’re selling here; Plus I also can’t find another dark comedy zombie anime like HotD and Z100 is the only thing I can see some similarities. It's rather more so a worthy spiritual successor in my eyes.
Comparisons aside, the show here has several great aspects that make it hard to not recommend. My only critiques are a bit of a slower moment around the halfway part with the old manager or boss they encounter, bringing the fun to a halt, and that it can be hard to worry for main characters that laugh and even strip nude before undead. This show is more focused on comedy and taking light of depressing times, living life to the fullest, so that can make moments less worrisome. The slow part puts this to a hold and has them deal with an unbearably disgusting, scumbag boss I wish had been turned undead; Though left with nothing and powerless is worse than undeath and a slow eventual demise is also fitting of him.
A hard 10/10 for me though, as the weak points are still not enough to bring this show down a point or two :)
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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