Crunchyroll's Summer 2023 anime lineup is in full swing, and Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is leading the charge as one of the best due to its entirely unique horror protagonist, Akira Tendo, that adds value to an already atypical horror story. In the early days of the zombie apocalypse, where the trauma of the end of the world mixes with vibrant colors and a light-hearted tone, Akira takes the general idea of what horror protagonists should act like and throws it aside to be his own kind of hero in this zombie-infested world.
Horror in anime brings to mind the works of Junji Ito and anime such as Tokyo Ghoul or Parasyte: The Maxim. These stories thrust their main characters into horrifying and gory situations, facing them all with the same fear, disgust, or grim determination of a stereotypical horror protagonist. Zom 100 takes the horror situation, gives it a colorful and comedic twist, and puts forth an utterly fitting protagonist. Akira is joyful and impulsive, choosing to face his new reality with a smile on his face and bucket list in hand.
Zom 100's Akira is the Happiest Horror Protagonist in Anime
Pre-apocalypse, Akira spends his days pulling all-nighters at his toxic workplace and hating every moment of his life. Post-apocalypse, the world of Zom 100 bursts into color again, and Akira hollers for joy at not having to go to work anymore, while pack of bloody zombies chases him. To Akira, the apocalypse is the best thing that possibly could have happened to him, and he is intending to take full advantage of his freedom. He resigns from work to his zombified boss and also confesses his feelings to a zombified coworker that he had fallen in love with. Every moment that he's out in the world being chased by the undead, Akira is living the absolute dream.
When it comes to his interactions with his fellow survivors, Akira also stands out and even baffles them with his upbeat attitude. He first encounters Shizuka during a beer run and his joy at an unnecessary resource in an apocalypse baffles the stoic woman. Her demeanor as a typical survivor is meant to show how different Akira is in this world and also sets the stage for a fantastic dynamic between Zom 100 two main heroes. Even his former college teammate Kencho is befuddled by Akira in this apocalypse after the latter comes to rescue him. The threat of zombies and falling from the top of a building doesn't even faze Akira as he convinces Kencho to take a 'leap of faith' with him to live once again.
Akira Faces Danger with a Smile in Zom 100
Horror protagonists usually face their threats either with outright fear or with a grim demeanor and are constantly looking for a way to survive, while Akira is instead fully focused on living in the moment. Zombies and the threat of death aren't enough to keep Akira from living his life to the fullest and completing as much of his bucket list as he can. Joy can be hard to find in the dark of the apocalypse, as well as in daily life, but Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead's Akira Tendo proves that everything is possible by breaking the mold of what a horror protagonist is.
New episodes of Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead currently stream Sundays on Crunchyroll.