+ Like a cross between My Name is Earl and Zombieland, making a bucket list is inherently fun. It provides a thematic throughline for the whole show, and gives viewers something to look forward to in future episodes.
+ Easily the most joyful expression of zombie fiction, tied with maybe Shaun of the Dead.
+ Colourful, zany, explosive animation!
+ I love the sharp use of literary devices! For instance, I like how Shizuka's pragmatism serves as a foil to Akira's blissful hedonism. I also like how the bucket list naturally serves as foreshadowing for future episodes.
~ The writing can be clumsy and facile; emotional plot beats often devolve into melodramatic monologues and protracted fits of screaming.
~ The (non-zombified) antagonists are always so cartoonishly evil that it becomes hard to take the conflict seriously (since I know that the villain equivalent of Dr. Evil will inevitably fail against our protagonists).
~ Zom 100 has a long list of production issues. This won't matter to people watching the show long after the season has already finished, but this has led to delayed releases, incomplete assets, and outsourced work.
~ One such production issue: it took them nine episodes to finally finish the opening credits sequence in full. NINE!! Before that, they simply rehashed scenes from the previous episode to fill the opening's runtime, which always felt lazy and unsatisfying.
+ On the bright side, the completed opening is wonderfully upbeat, perfectly capturing the spirit of the show and its characters.
~ Outsourcing animation to a different studio has noticeable drawbacks, chiefly tonal inconsistency. Early episodes are a lot edgier compared to the wackiness of later episodes, which can mislead audiences.
~ This tonal inconsistency extends to character facial expressions, which aren't always as silly as they need to be. Skimming through the early chapters, the manga seems to agree with this; the manga has a lot of silly, exaggerated facial expressions that aren't adapted into the anime.
= The show can feel juvenile at times, and zombie fiction was already considered passé a decade ago. But unlike so many other mediocre anime, Zom 100 is actually *about* something. It's a response to Japan's unhealthy work culture, with a simple yet universal message: life is short and cruel, and you should seize the day by doing the things you love and being with the people you care about. Otherwise, how are you any different from a zombie?
