Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead (Episode 2) – Bucket List of the Dead
Akira’s next goal was to clean his apartment for the first time in three years. Once done, it was time to indulge in some day drinking, however, Akira had run out of beer so he decided to make a run to the store for more!
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead (Episode 2) – Bucket List of the Dead
What did you watch?
After watching the first episode, I knew instantly that I had made the correct decision to review this series episodically. If I can’t write thousands of words about the stories that I love then what’s the point? So, I’m back so soon after catching up with the first episode to dive straight into the next one. Of course, this now puts me back at the mercy of the weekly schedule, but I can cope with that when it’s something I’m looking forward to. The last episode was surprisingly faithful to the manga so it’s going to be interesting to see if that continues. Anyhow, let’s get it on!
What happened?
Akira woke up from a bad dream in which his boss was still harassing him to work. Thankfully, it was just a dream and he didn’t need to go back to work… ever again… So, what was he going to do? Well, it had been three years since he had properly cleaned his apartment so that seemed like a great place to start. He scrubbed it from top to bottom and finally felt relaxed. Next, he would enjoy a nice cold beer… or maybe more. He’d always wanted to see what it was like to have a drink during the day when he was supposed to be at work. It was great!
However, when Akira went back for another one, he discovered that he was all out. How could he relax without any more beer? So, he decided to go out and get some more. His stairwell was swarming with zombies so he climbed to the next building and went down the drainpipe. On the way down, he bumped into Mr and Mrs Kosuka who were barricaded in their room. They asked Akira to come in, but he had to run out. He offered to get them some stuff while he was out, which they gratefully accepted.
At the convenience store, Akira met another survivor. She was of a similar age, athletic, and quiet. He asked if she wanted to exchange contact details, however, she said that he was too reckless, risking his life for beer. Then, some zombies slipped into the store. Shizuka watched the feed on her phone as a truck raced towards the store. If she could draw the zombies to the right place, the truck would finish them off. Then, Akira stepped in front of her to protect her. She grabbed him and pulled him aside as the truck smashed through the window. She disappeared shortly after. Akira upgraded his bicycle for a motorbike on the way home, although he was saddened to see the Kosukas had not survived.
What did you think?
Well, it was another great episode. However, I will point out one difference from the manga which I think was a big mistake. In the convenience store, Shizuka scattered a handful of magazines on the floor as the zombies ran towards them. They slipped, allowing her to simply walk past them. There was no magic truck that saved them. It was Shizuka’s guile. For me, that’s a much better representation of her character. She’s calm and collected, but most of all, she’s prepared. Otherwise, I loved it just as much as the first episode. We’re also still in the first volume of the manga and I think the next episode will probably wrap that up. With twelve episodes, it could get through four books.
What was your favourite moment?
I loved the moment Mr Kosuka saw Akira climbing past his balcony. His wife’s reaction was even better. However, when they asked for specifics from the convenience store was even better. This was all very funny, but I think it was when Akira got home that this moment really hit home. We’ve not really seen that many nice or ordinary people before they were turned into zombies. You could argue that Satori was the only one so far, so seeing that the Kosukas probably didn’t make it hit hard. Akira paused and stared into their apartment. There were smashed windows and pools of blood. I love the reflective moments just as much as the comedic moments in this series. I think that’s why zombie stories appeal to me so much.
Who was the most impactful character?
Shizuka is a fascinating character. I love that she is the complete opposite of Akira. He has his list of things to do before becoming a zombie and she has a list of things to do to not become a zombie. She’s watching zombie movies for information. She’s planning and being careful about what she eats and does. In a situation like this, things can become very hard if you try to live life as normal. Who wants a hangover in the zombie apocalypse? I can understand Shizuka because that’s how I would behave, but that doesn’t make Akira’s approach any less entertaining. I liked that she reconsidered not grabbing the mochi when she had the chance.
Was there any conflict?
I think I just went over that one. Akira and Shizuka are worlds apart in their approach to life in the zombie apocalypse and having two perspectives is fantastic. That said, Shizuka’s list was incredibly boring whereas Akira’s list made me smile with every item he added. He is really going to embrace his opportunity and enjoy himself to the fullest. It’s certainly making me reconsider how I might approach the apocalypse should it ever happen.
I’m also going to mention the Kosukas again as that really showed Akira how precious time was. He could have stayed with them and he could have died too. In both episodes, he’s remarked that you can die today or sixty years from now and that either way there’s never enough time to do the things you want, but that just seems to make him more positive that he’ll do what he can. We should all take note of Akira’s positivity and bring it into our own lives.
What have you learnt?
Opposites are a big part of storytelling. Often they are used to teach a character a lesson and show them what could happen if they do something in a certain way. What I’m loving about this series is that we’re seeing that both ways can work. I’m sure there will come a point where we’ll learn what the benefits and disadvantages of those ways are. One item that Shizuka was keen to focus on was her mental well-being. I think that’s going to be one of the big differences. Akira’s putting himself in danger for potentially trivial things, but that might be the thing that ends up saving him. We’ve already seen what life did to him when he adhered to the rules of the office!
Other posts in the series
- Manga
- Volume 1 – Akira of the Dead
- Volume 2 – Flight Attendant of the Dead
- Volume 3 – Truck Stop of the Dead
- Volume 4 – Hot Springs of the Dead
- Volume 5 – Hometown of the Dead
- Volume 6 – Hometown of the Dead Part 2
- Volume 7 – Suite of the Dead
- Volume 8 – Boredom of the Dead
- Volume 9 – Millionaire of the Dead
- Volume 10 – Geisha of the Dead
- Volume 11 – Cruise Ship of the Dead
- Volume 12 – Deserted Island of the Dead
- Volume 13 – Airsoft of the Dead
- Anime
- Season One
- Episode 1 – Akira of the Dead
- Episode 2 – Bucket List of the Dead
- Episode 3 – Best Friend of the Dead
- Episode 4 – Flight Attendant of the Dead
- Episode 5 – Hero of the Dead
- Episode 6 – RV of the Dead
- Episode 7 – Truck Stop of the Dead
- Episode 8 – Sushi & Hot Springs of the Dead
- Episode 9 – Treehouse of the Dead
- Episode 10 – Hometown of the Dead I
- Episode 11 – Hometown of the Dead II
- Episode 12 – Hometown of the Dead III
- Season One
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Interesting difference between the manga and the anime, with the use of magazines vs the timely, precise arrival of a truck. The whole truck thing seemed like a bit much to me. Like, what, they needed some sort of external sign of how Shizuka’s cuteness hits? And I felt it should have been impossible for Shizuka to so perfectly predict where an out of control truck driven by a zombie was going to go. Then again, I don’t know that scattered magazines would trip up an undead horde, and it gave Akira an excuse to swipe the moped and then the motorcycle. Pros and cons, I suppose.
Akira still got the motorcycle so nothing changed other than the magical truck that she was able to pinpoint where it was going to hit.
The magazine scattering was far more nonchalant and while it might be a lot farfetched it seems a better solution than the truck plus it made her look even cooler. Not a big deal, but it was one of my favourite moments in that volume of the manga.