With three years under his belt at the company from hell, Akira Tendo is mentally and physically spent. All at the ripe old age of twenty-four. Even his crush from Accounting, Saori, wants nothing to do with him. Then, just when life is beginning to look like one big disappointment, it happens. The zombie apocalypse descends on Japan. Surrounded by hordes of hungry zombies, Akira comes to a realization that will forever change his life...
“Wait, does this mean I never have to go to work again?” Now, with his nightmare job no longer, Akira’s got his mojo back.
The July anime "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" has received positive reviews for ingeniously tapping into the sentiments of East Asian “corporate slaves” — the desire to avoid going to work. Before becoming a “corporate slave”, the protagonist Akira Tendou was an ambitious youth, transitioning from vibrant enthusiasm to a lifeless routine in just three years.
A corporate slave
On Akira’s first day at work, the boss was polite, the supervisors were composed, and the colleagues were friendly, hosting a welcoming feast for him. Just as the dinner was ending and he was preparing to go home and rest, the spirit of the "corporate slave" awakened within him. He witnessed his senior colleagues neatly donning their ID badges — leaving work was not an option; returning to the office for overtime was mandatory.
A few days later, Akira Tendou experienced his first instance of leaving work. But at 6 o'clock the next morning, his alarm rang again, and he pondered where he could clock out for the second time.
I see my reflection in Akira Tendou. We always yearn for more. We wish to work in our preferred industry, date our crushes, achieve work-life balance, and earn more money for a comfortable life. We believe that will surely be better than our current state. Desires grow and ripen like juicy apples, making it impossible to resist.
Yet, it’s not allowed in such a society. The dream company is a sweatshop, the admired girl succumbs to money's allure, the spinning daily routine drains us physically and mentally, and the money isn't earned enough yet. Most importantly, the once lively and life-loving self is gone, never to return. Only a lifeless shell remains, devoid of vitality and numbness.
What went awry? Was it the obsession with money and the coldness of society? Or has this icy demeanor spread across the entire world? We resent the world, but changing it seems beyond our grasp, leading to a feeling of helplessness that engulfs us, leaving us numb and in pain. It's no wonder that depression is so prevalent in modern society. Going insane or contemplating suicide often feels like the only option. The dream of a healthy and content life is slipping further away. However, we still yearn to reboot our lives.
The story is a metaphor for life
One day, Akira Tendou wakes up to find that everyone around him has turned into zombies, and he's chased by a horde of them. As an exemplary "corporate slave", his initial reaction is too real: "At this rate, I'll be late for work." However, he soon realizes that life has gained color back. “Wait, does this mean I never have to go to work again?”
"I'm free!" For the "corporate slave" Akira Tendou, zombie apocalypse, and world-ending chaos aren't considered disasters; as long as he doesn't have to work, life is incredibly bright. He can become himself again.
In the animation, the trigger for Akira Tendou's life reboot is the zombie outbreak. With snarling and clawing, it seems he might be dragged into hell the next second.
This is what makes this animation brilliant. The clichéd zombie apocalypse theme is grafted onto the theme of restarting life, unexpectedly exuding vitality. It not only attracts fans of traditional zombie themes but also ingeniously taps into the pain points of today's young people, granting the protagonist, who has faced social failure, a chance to reboot life. The zombie outbreak permanently alters the world's landscape, enabling the fulfillment of past desires and offering unimaginable freedom. Regardless of the outcome, he gains liberation.
In the Western Stoic philosophy, there's a technique called negative visualization. Through this mental suggestion, we discover the often-overlooked beauty in life, imbuing everything with extraordinary and profound meaning. The sky is high and distant, the grass is lush, and the world is colorful. While your material circumstances may not change in the short term, your mindset will become much more resilient and open than before.
This is why Akira Tendou opts for a fearless confession. Whether the world is facing its demise doesn't concern him. Even if the person he cares for has transformed into a zombie, it holds no significance. There's nothing that can impede his stride. Beyond being a mere outlet for emotions long suppressed, it stands as a proclamation of his fervent affection for the fresh life he's found.
"Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" truly embodies the essence of legendary animation — brimming with energy, boundless joy, and vibrant hues. Akira Tendou, the lone human amidst his zombified colleagues at the workplace, when did they succumb to becoming zombies? Precisely, the instant they adorned their ID badges and engaged in overtime marked the onset of their zombification. Nonetheless, my aspiration remains that we continue to infuse life with its colorful shades, rebooting our lives anew!
So, what’s yours? Let the bucket listing begin!
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