Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is a 2023 Japanese live-action comedy horror film adaptation of the popular manga series of the same name. Bullied by his boss, worked around the clock, Akira is nothing more than a corporate drone. All it takes is a zombie outbreak for him to finally feel alive.
Directed by Yûsuke Ishida from a screenplay written by Haro AsoTatsuro Mishima and Kotaro Takata. Produced by Akira Morii.
The Robot Communications production stars Eiji Akaso, Mai Shiraishi, Shuntaro Yanagi, Yui Ichikawa, Mayo Kawasaki, Akari Hayami, Miwako Kakei and Kurumi Nakata.
Plot:
Akira Tendo (Eiji Akaso) works at an abusive, soul-crushing company where he suffers endless late hours, power harassment from his boss, and illogical tasks. He spends his days feeling more dead than alive.
One morning, the town is overtaken by zombies and the familiar landscape is already devastated. Seeing such destruction, Akira shouts with glee that he doesn’t need to go to the office anymore.
Showing his innate positivity, Akira comes up with a list of a hundred things he wants to do before he becomes a zombie and “kicks the bucket”, including cleaning his home and camping on his balcony, and sets out to complete his bucket list…
Reviews:
“The characters experience comedic situations as in the manga, but the movie surprisingly shifts towards a slightly darker and more dystopian atmosphere as the plot progresses. Unfortunately, the pace slows down in the last 45 minutes, making the 2-hour runtime a little tedious. It begins to feel like two separate films, although the climax brings back some of the exaggerated comedic elements from the first half.” 7 out of 10, Abstract AF!
“The condensed storyline helps keep the pace breakneck, but at the same time, it sacrifices some elements of character development that are necessary. Ultimately though, Zom 100 works in its own right, primarily in how it brings to life action, the joy and vulnerability of Akaso as Akira, and its dedication to going big or going home in some of the craziest fight scenes. Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is another fun adaptation…” 7.5 out of 10, But Why Tho?
“For a film about breaking free of convention and trying out new things to make the best of a bad situation, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is mostly just bad. It does get the checking boxes part down, but there is little life to the experience. There are a whole host of moments where characters make grand proclamations about the importance of embracing life where you can and not falling into just going through the motions.” Rating: C- Collider
“Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is one of my favorite movies of the year, and it’s certainly one of my favorite zombie movies of all time. I love the fact that Yusuke Ishida and Tatsuro Mishima had a lot of fun with the premise but didn’t compromise in terms of the visuals, character work, or effectiveness of its themes. In doing so, they ended up making such a timely film that will definitely (or hopefully) speak to the hordes of recent graduates who are stuck doing menial jobs…” DMT
“While it’s compelling to watch how they co-relate the toxic work culture with becoming a zombie and the whole deadly situation works as a metaphor. But other aspects feel a bit lacking, like the storyline with Akira’s Boss, Kosugi. Personally, his character arc wasn’t that satisfactory and should have met with a bit more tragic end. Other than that, it’s a fun film which transforms the absurdity, entertaining to watch.” 3.5 out of 5, Filmzzine
“If you enjoy Japanese productions (and especially if you’re a fan of manga and/or anime), then you’ll definitely want to check out this one […] it stays true to its own style and plot, which is certainly a plus. Also, the whole zombie element works really well. Both the actual zombies and the more symbolic zombie element of the story.” 3 out of 5, Heaven of Horror
“The gore and nudity are enough to earn it a 16+ rating on Netflix, but the script (by Tatsuro Mishima) feels like it was written with younger viewers in mind […] It doesn’t even get much mileage out of its most incisive joke: that there’s only a fine line separating a sleep-deprived office drone from an honest-to-god zombie. That would’ve taken brains — and teeth. This moribund comedy doesn’t have either.” The Japan Times
“With the corporate slave cycle now having turned into a universal phenomenon which everyone can connect to, this movie lacks in every aspect to talk about anything. Even the gag-worthy quips are loose and unfound, and I would not recommend this release to anyone, especially not anime fans.” 1.5 out of 5, Leisure Byte
“At first, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead really does draw you in because everyone can relate to the corporate world and the parallel to being a zombie slaving away at your desk. But it does lose its footing in the middle because of the zombies. It’s not necessarily generic, but it does drag out until the very end. This would have benefitted from a shorter runtime…” 3 out of 5, Ready Steady Cut
YouTube reviews:
Teaser:
Trailer:
Release date:
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead will stream worldwide on Netflix on August 3, 2023.
Background:
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is a manga series written by Haro Aso and illustrated by Kotaro Takata. It has been serialised in Shogakukan’s seinen manga magazine Monthly Sunday Gene-X since October 2018, with its chapters collected into fourteen tankōbon volumes as of June 2023.
Meanwhile, an anime television series adaptation of Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead by Bug Films is set to premiere on Netflix on July 9, 2023. There will be a total of twelve episodes in the first season. Episodes will be available weekly, with new episodes on Sundays until the season finale on September 24th, 2023. Each episode will have an approximate runtime of 24 minutes.
Original Japanese title:
ゾン100～ゾンビになるまでにしたい100のこと～
