Zom 100: Bucket List Of The Dead Anime Release Date, Cast, Trailer, Plot And More Details

There is no denying that there is a vast array of exciting anime titles set to arrive in 2023, and it may seem like a daunting task for even the most hardcore followers to keep up with every new release. These new releases include an adaptation of the Eisner Award-nominated horror-comedy manga series "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead," which debuted in October 2018 and is finally getting the anime treatment.

The 13 volumes of "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" that the series will take inspiration from were illustrated by Kotaro Takata and written by Haro Aso (the mind behind "Alice in Borderland," now a hit Netflix show). And if fans were curious about how the adaptation looks to the minds behind the source material, both parties are very excited about how their creation looks after jumping from the page to the small screen. 

Takata said in a statement (per) Variety, "It's such an honor to know that 'Zom 100' is getting an anime adaptation! Seeing all the pieces come together through everyone's hard work is amazing." Meanwhile, Aso stated, "I've had a chance to take a sneak peek at the script, character design, and teasers, and I have to say, they're all beautiful; the quality is great. I'm thrilled!" By the creators' accounts, it seems like fans will not want to miss the anime. Here's everything we know about the show ahead of its release.

The first thing that fans of the manga series probably want to know regarding the "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" anime is when they can start enjoying the adaptation. A report from Variety published in early 2023 indicated that the series would arrive at some point in July of that year. It was later revealed that the show was set to drop on July 9 in Japan, and that fans in America would be able to access it right away. "In the U.S, the series will simulcast on Hulu premiering 2:00AM PDT, July 9th, 2023, with sunrise details for Netflix and other streaming platforms to come," Anime News Network confirmed.

It usually takes a little while for dubbed versions of new anime shows to be produced, but, luckily for English-speaking fans of "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead," the wait isn't very long in this instance. As confirmed by the show's official Twitter account, the English dub of "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" will be available to stream on Netflix from August 6, 2023. The episodes will drop weekly, with new installments coming out every Sunday, the tweet revealed. Crunchyroll will also be streaming the series, and it will provide dubs in English, French, German, Italian, Castilian Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Hindi in due course.

The anime adaptation of "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" will consist of 12 episodes and will not stray from the source material. The series will follow a run-down young man in his 20s named Akira Tendo, who at first believed his job was a dream come true, one that would lead to many great opportunities. However, Akira starts to realize the relentless pressure and never-ending grind his work entails is slowly causing him to miss out on all the best things about life.

Thinking he is stuck in an endless rut with no escape in sight, things take an intriguing turn for the overworked individual when Japan is overrun with zombies. Instead of looking at things negatively, Akira decides to make the most of a less-than-ideal situation that at least allows him not to have to return to his lousy job. After creating a bucket list of things to accomplish now that he has all of this newfound free time, Akira ventures into the dystopian, cannibal-corpse-ridden world, encountering a slew of interesting survivors, factions, and threats along the way.

Shuichiro Umeda voices the main character Akira Tendo. In a statement released on Twitter, Umeda discussed his connection with his character when he first read the manga, saying, "I was struck by the way Akira put his whole heart into everything he does. He really kept me turning the page." The actor is a relative newcomer but has already voiced major characters in shows such as "Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion" and "Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie." The English dub voice for Akira Tendo is performed by Zeno Robinson, known for his efforts in "Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero" and "My Hero Academia."

Eventually, Akira meets a quick-thinking, low-key genius named Shizuka Mikazuki, who is voiced by Tomori Kusunoki. The actress is known for "Chainsaw Man," "Spy Room," and "Wonder Egg Priority." Abby Trott provides the English dub for Shizuka, and her credits include "Carmen Sandiego" and "Demon Slayer." She also provided the English voice of Aya in Makoto Shinkai's smash hit "Suzume."

Makoto Furukawa plays the part of Kenichiro Ryuzaki, an old acquaintance of Akira from high school and a former real estate agent. The actor is known for "One Punch Man" and "Golden Time." Xander Mobus, known for "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations," "Jujutsu Kaisen," and "Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War," will provide the English dialogue. In a statement put out on Twitter, Mobus revealed his excitement to fans. "The show looks gorgeous, and I am so happy I get to be a part of it," he said.

Minami Takahashi voices Beatrix Amerhauser, the katana-wielding Samurai warrior college student from Germany obsessed with Japanese culture and sushi. Takahashi's prior efforts include "Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid" and "Black Clover." The English dub for Beatrix is done by Laura Post, who is known for her DC work — she voiced Big Barda in the series "Justice League Action" and Harley Quinn in the video game "Batman: The Enemy Within."

The trailer for the "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" anime adaptation doesn't give away much, but it does offer a glimpse of what fans can expect when they tune into the series. The preview wastes no time making sure people realize that Akira Tendo's job, which at first seems glamorous, has become a non-stop nightmare that he fears he will never escape. But then, the mood changes when the zombies arrive on the scene. The sad situation quickly goes from a devastating ordeal to a declaration of freedom. The promo also shows off some of the remarkable personas he will encounter and how pleased the character is that, despite all the dystopian chaos, he finally has a day off from work. The teaser ends with the titular bucket list being written out, which the show will explore in more detail.

The trailer has been viewed over a million times at the time of this writing, and viewers are clearly happy about how the show is shaping up. "The voice acting, the music, the visuals, everything is hitting hard," said @soumojitsarkar3254, while fellow YouTube user @xeroamv8003 said, "looking at the trailer, looks like this anime will be one of masterpiece work." The comments section under the trailer also attracted many fans of the manga, who are all clearly very excited that "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" is getting some mainstream attention. "I'm so hypedddd," @mathattaque wrote. "I've read all the mangas because it's so great and now it feels like its coming to life I really hope it's going to give this masterclass the fame it deserves!!"

"Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" is made by Bug Films, a fledgling anime studio with relatively little experience compared to the major players in the field. Established in 2021, the Tokyo-based studio is best known for the time travel anime "Summer Time Rendering" and the romantic comedy "Komi Can't Communicate." The subject matter in "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" differs vastly from those two shows, but the animators are clearly right at home in Akira Tendo's post-apocalyptic world.

Rather than going down the dark, gory route of most zombie shows, the studio dazzles viewers with its clever use of color. "In a smart break from his old reality, Bug Films keeps the black and white animation, using vibrant colors as blood," But Why Tho? said in a review of the first episode. "It's like a Pollock painting in this transition and it works to sell just how jubilant Akira is at the end of the world."

While "Summer Time Rendering" and "Komi Can't Communicate" are the shows Bug is best known for, its animators have also plied their trade on a number of other shows. They have helped out on "Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible," "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury," "Pokémon Horizons: The Series," "Tosochu: The Great Mission," "Undead Murder Farce," and Season 2 of "The Ancient Magus' Bride," the dark fantasy series based on Kore Yamazaki's manga series of the same name.

"Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" is helmed by Kazuki Kawagoe. He hasn't got a lot of director credits, but the people at Bug Films know full well what he's capable of — Kawagoe was in the director's chair for Bug's "Komi Can't Communicate," working on all 24 episodes across the show's two seasons. Bug founder Hiroaki Kojima saw potential in Kawagoe after seeing his work up close and gave him his big break on the romcom. Prior to that, Kawagoe worked on the "Pokémon" franchise, first as a manager and then as an assistant coordinator. It was during his time at OLM (the studio behind "Pokémon") that Kawagoe got noticed by Kojima, who ran his own team there.

When Kojima left OLM to form Bug, he decided to bring Kawagoe along for the ride, and the rest is history. After years of being wasted in roles that didn't allow him to make use of his obvious talent, Kawagoe is now one of the most exciting up-and-coming anime directors in the business. "Kawagoe is the type of director who feels very conscious about gearing his style to each work," said kViN of Sakura Blog. "As a viewer, his inventiveness, those seemingly broad influences coupled with a desire to adapt them to specific situations, felt truly fresh — and, having spoken with people working around him, that is how he comes across to his peers too. There's no easier way to appreciate that freshness than going back to the first episode of 'Zom 100.'"

The opening theme song of "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" is called "Song of the Dead," and it's by the Japanese rock band Kana-Boom. Anime fans will know the Osaka-based group for their contributions to the "Naruto" franchise — they're the guys behind the super catchy "Silhouette" (the 16th "Naruto Shippuden" opening theme), "Baton Road" (the first opening song for "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations"), and "Diver" (the theme song of "Boruto: Naruto the Movie"). The latter track impressed "Naruto" creator Kishimoto, who specially requested that Kana-Boom create the theme for the film after falling in love with "Silhouette." He called "Diver" (via Anime News Network) "an amazing song that many people can feel for. When this song plays during the ending, even I'd be definitely crying."

"Song of the Dead" has that same vibe, managing to be hard-rocking yet uplifting at the same time. It definitely captures the feel of the series, as does the ending theme song. It's called "Happiness of the Dead," and it's by Shiyui. After starting out by uploading covers to the Japanese video sharing website Nico Nico Douga (now known simply as Niconico), Shiyui was signed by Sony and made her major label debut with the song "Kimi yo Nobility," the ending theme of the 2022 anime "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury." In terms of in-show music, Makoto Miyazaki (known for the likes of "One Punch Man" and "Spy x Family" is the composer), while Maiko Goda (who worked on "Chainsaw Man" and "Gurren Lagann") is credited with the music selection.