(Episodes 10-12 have been delayed indefinitely)
For now, let me ignore the frustrating production schedule for this anime. This is a review till episode 9.
The beauty of this anime lies in its simplicity. This is an apocalyptic slice-of-life. As ridiculous as it sounds, somehow it works because of how well the studio Bug Films has envisioned this story.
Zom 100 has one very simple theme - "You only live once". And the story always sticks to the single theme. The author has explored a very different perspective on a Zombie apocalypse. And that alone makes this anime very, very unique. The setup for the protagonist was just perfect for this particular story. Just see the 1st episode and you'll understand.
This is one of those stories that'll make you think about your own life. What's in your bucket list? What are the things you want to do? What's your childhood dream? Or what's your current dream?
The characters are nice and a very wholesome group of 4 forms towards the end of the season. Akira as the protagonist is very integral to the story. As far as his personality goes though, he's not as interesting. The character that actually stole the show was Shizuka. The way she was at the beginning of the anime and how she was slowly influenced by Akira was great to see.
I think they sort of set up a nice cliffhanger towards the end of episode 9 so that we keep waiting for the next 3 episodes to release later. But I do hope that they make a season 2 and take their sweet time instead of rushing into the production and delaying the episodes continuously.
But this is a very good anime and it's great to see the different way in which the author as well as the anime staff has envisioned this story.
Review for Episodes 10-12:
Well, I loved it. It was exactly the kind of finale I would've expected from Zom 100. I think this anime is one of a kind. It knows its message and cherishes it. It also presents itself with a lot of confidence and energy. Just go watch the opening on YouTube and you'll know what I mean. These are exactly the kind of shows that separate anime from other media. Normally, you wouldn't expect a zombie apocalypse story to have a weirdly wholesome, entertaining and somewhat light hearted vibe. But that's exactly what Zom 100 is. There obviously is some dark stuff here and there though. But this anime had a very specific feel to it and I was all for it. This is the way that the author wanted to convey his message. And I found it very creative. The message is very simple, but the way of conveying it is what made this anime what it is. And sometimes simple messages are all that is required for an anime.
The final episode was everything that I love about this series. It brought me to tears - bittersweet ones. It was directed beautifully and animated gorgeously.
I really hope we do get a season 2. I would love to see where this studio goes from here. It would be a shame if they don't continue this series, because so far I have been very impressed with this studio, and this story is worth continuing.
