Akira Tendo is a 24-year-old office worker who has spent three years trapped in an abusive marketing firm. He has no drive, no purpose, and no idea what he wants out of life until a zombie outbreak hits Tokyo. That’s the premise of “Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead,” a Japanese anime series that premiered on MBS, TBS, CBC, Hulu and a host of international channels in 2023. It’s a show about living better, not faster, even when the world is ending.
The setup is simple. Akira decides to make a bucket list of everything he wants to do before he becomes a zombie. He doesn’t want to die without having fun. His friends join him: Kencho, a college buddy chasing a comedy career; Shizuka, a blunt woman escaping abuse; and Beatrix, a German grad. Together they check off items ranging from eating at expensive restaurants for free to riding roller coasters and visiting haunted houses. The show is a comedy, an adventure series, and a heartfelt look at what matters when time runs out.
Trailer, via vizmedia.
Akira Tendo’s List
Akira is the engine of this story. He’s not a hero in the traditional sense. He’s a man who has been worn down by his job, and the zombie apocalypse gives him permission to stop being passive. His bucket list is the through-line of the entire series. Each item is a chance to reconnect with joy.
Shuichiro Umeda voices Akira, and he sells the character’s shift from apathy to determination. The performance carries the emotional weight of a man who finally decides to live. Tomori Kusunoki voices Shizuka, bringing a sharp, cynical edge to the group. Makoto Furukawa voices Kenichiro Ryuzaki, and his comic timing keeps the lighter scenes buoyant. The trio work together as a unit, and their chemistry is the reason the show holds together.
The Bucket List Items
The list itself is the draw. It’s full of small pleasures and big adventures, and the show treats both with equal care. Some items are simple:
- Eating at expensive restaurants for free
- Riding roller coasters
- Visiting haunted houses
Others are stranger and more elaborate. The show commits fully to each one, whether it’s a quiet moment of reflection or a chaotic chase through a horde of zombies. The pacing keeps the show moving without rushing. Episodes build toward each item, and the payoff is usually a laugh or a warm feeling rather than a twist.
The Zombies and the World
The zombies themselves are mostly background noise. They’re there to raise the stakes, not to be the focus. The show isn’t interested in gore or horror. It’s interested in people finding meaning in a broken world. That’s a smart choice. The show trusts its audience to care about the characters before it cares about the threat.
“He decides to create a bucket list of everything he wants to do before becoming a zombie in order to not only experience it firsthand but also to show that he is still alive and well.”
The global pandemic is eventually traced back to the pharmaceutical corporation Umbriel, but that reveal doesn’t change the tone. The show stays focused on the people making lists, not on the corporations that made the apocalypse possible.
The International Run
“Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead” aired on a staggering number of networks, from MBS and TBS in Japan to Hulu, Crunchyroll and international broadcasters across multiple countries. That reach is notable for an anime series. The show was licensed for English release by Viz Media outside of Asia, with Muse Communication handling South Asia and Southeast Asia. A live-action film adaptation premiered on Netflix in August 2023.
The anime’s production was handled by Bug Films, and the manga it’s based on was written by Haro Aso and illustrated by Kotaro Takata. The series has been serialized in Shogakukan’s seinen manga magazine Monthly Sunday Gene-X since October 2018, with 23 tankōbon volumes collected as of August 2026. The manga is licensed for English release in North America by Viz Media and in Southeast Asia by Shogakukan Asia.
What Works
The show’s strengths are its heart and its humor. It’s funny without being cruel, and it’s sincere without being sentimental. The writing knows exactly what it’s doing, and the animation supports the tone. The show is bright, energetic and visually distinct, which helps it stand apart from the crowded zombie genre.
The show also understands the value of small victories. A bucket list item doesn’t have to be a grand adventure to matter. Sometimes it’s a meal, a walk or a conversation. The show celebrates those moments without diminishing them.
What Doesn’t Work
There’s not much that doesn’t work. The show is consistent in tone and quality throughout its 12-episode run. It doesn’t strain for depth it doesn’t need, and it doesn’t repeat itself. The only complaint is that some viewers might find the lightness too light for a show about zombies. But that’s a quibble, not a flaw.
Final Word
“Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead” is a perfect example of a show that knows exactly what it wants to be. It’s a comedy, an adventure series, a coming-of-age story and a tribute to the small things in life. It doesn’t pretend to be anything else, and it succeeds completely within its own terms.
The show earns a 10 of 10.
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