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Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Episode 3 – Quick Summary
In Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead episode 3, “Best Friend of the Dead,” Akira started working his way down his bucket list. Despite modeling it with a felt-tip marker, he decided to give up on growing a cool beard – he just didn’t have the face for it. His next item, hanging out with a best bud, required him to have a best bud. So, hoping against hope the cell network was still up, he tried calling his friend from college. And got an answer! But the answer might not have been what he was expecting. Who was Akira’s best bud? Did he answer the phone? And if so, what kind of shape is he in?
Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.
Favorite Quote from Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Episode 3
Well, at least he tried. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
One of Akira’s bucket list items was to “grow a cool beard.” At the beginning of his episode, we could see it has been a few days since the previous episode, because Akira’s face in the mirror showed stubble.
Just stubble. In fact, it was hard to see, and that really pissed him off. His whiskers looked so pathetic that he could not in any way, shape, or form think of it as “cool.”
Undaunted, he stared at his face and said (04:18), “I wonder if there’s any way I can get it to grow in any cooler…”
Using a felt-tipped marker, he drew in how it would look even if he had dark enough whiskers. Even the shape of his face worked against him. Sadly, he had to cross that item off his list. But at least he tried!
Favorite Moment from Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Episode 3
The fall of civilization and a zombie horde at your back make you realize what’s important. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Setup: Kencho Lives!
Am I the only one who worried that Kencho was going to die? It was only after watching this episode that I realized the blonde guy in the ED is Kencho! I’m glad he didn’t die. The character’s a lot of fun. It’s also good to see that Akira has a friend he can rely on.
When a show makes it hard for me to pick a favorite moment because there are too many candidates, I know I’m enjoying myself. It might sound like something strange to say. Wouldn’t I always know? Well, keep in mind that I force myself to look for things to enjoy. I’m trying to celebrate anime. So there are times when I get a bit lost in terms of what I really like.
For example, in the most recent episode of Synduality Noir, we met some comedic villains. There’s nothing wrong with comedic villains. They’re a legitimate part of story telling. But they weren’t at all what I expected. So I had to change my expectations in order to enjoy the show. I had to do that with takt op.Destiny, too. That memory is still a little sad, though the writer is in no way obligated to give me the story I hoped for. In fact, the world’s a better place when writers share their true vision, and not what they think I want.
The show seems to have a very clear idea where it’s going. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
This show, though? At least so far, it has sailed right past my expectations to dance among my hopes. Yeah, that’s my attempt to say it has exceeded my expectations. I should probably avoid attempts at flowery wording in the future, huh?
Well, nothing ventured and all that.
My second favorite moment setup my favorite. Remember when Akira choked out his apology to Kencho? Ever since the last time they had shared drinks, Akira felt guilty for getting mad at Kencho. Kencho’s job seemed perfect – he ate with Diet members, he dated a model, and he seemed flush with cash. He even encouraged Akira to quit working for such an exploitative company.
Delivery: Oppression Takes Many Forms
The apparent gulf between their lives inflamed Akira’s jealousy. Kencho’s genuine concern for his friend made it worse. Now that civilization had collapsed all around them, now that he had faced his inner demons and had tried to turn his life around, Akira knew: blaming Kencho made no sense. So he apologized (14:16).
That scene deserved the status as my favorite. That is, it did until the real victor showed up. Akira had delivered his apology with such enthusiasm that he attracted the zombie horde. They escaped to the roof and repurposed the air conditioners to block the door. But it was obvious the barricade wouldn’t hold. Akira, freed as he was from his old responsibilities, managed to leap to the next building over. He called for Kencho to join him.
But Kencho had not yet experienced his freeing moment. It turns out that he had been little better off than Akira. Sure, Kencho had more money. He got to hang out with what society said were important folks. But the end result was the same, only with more creature comforts.
As the zombies pounded on the faltering door, Kencho said that he (17:30), “didn’t enjoy my job at all. Day after day, I had to smile at people while lying to their faces. I tricked them into bad contracts.”
I’ve enjoyed how this show uses lighting and color palette to tell its story. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
The show had done a great job showing us that in college, Kencho had gone out of his way to make sure everyone enjoyed themselves. That helped his confession hit hard. Then he said (18:48), “I wanted a job where I could sincerely entertain my clients.”
It was poignant. The moment struck with raw, authentic emotion. It made me wonder, for the hundredth time (at least!), why those who don’t enjoy the benefits of our economy argue so forcibly on behalf of those who do. Why do people in failing economic regions lobby so hard for an economic system that has failed them? I can see being burned out like Akira. I can see being trapped by the superficial benefits like Kencho. But advocating for your own pain — and the pain of your family? I just don’t get it. But I’m here for the ride as Zom 100 explores the topic!
What did you think of the manager taking in survivors? What were your favorite moments? Feel free to share in the comments!
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Episode 3: Other Posts
Other Anime Sites
- Reddit: Zom 100: Zombie ni Naru made ni Shitai 100 no Koto • Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead – Episode 3 discussion
- DOUBLESAMA: ZOM 100: BUCKET LIST OF THE DEAD EPISODE 3 REVIEW
- I Drink and Watch Anime: ZOM 100 – Episode 3
This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)
- Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Episode 01: Akira of the Dead
- Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Episode 02: Bucket List of the Dead
- Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Episode 03: Best Friend of the Dead
- Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Episode 04: Flight Attendant of the Dead
- Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Episode 05: Hero of the Dead
- Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Episode 06: RV of the Dead
- Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Episode 07: Truck Stop of the Dead
- Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Episode 08: Sushi & Hot Springs of the Dead
- Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Episode 09: Treehouse of the Dead
Why are so many zombies in their underwear?
I liked Kencho’s wardrobe change.
You know — that’s a damned good question!
I mean, thinking about it, I tried to convince myself that underwear might be more clingy and therefore difficult to remove. But harder than a buttoned shirt? Or jeans?
About the only conclusion I can come up with is that they simply couldn’t draw naked zombies running around and not trigger censorship. Can you imagine some of the chase scenes? Most of the screen would be smoke and fog, pixelation, or black bars! Or big gold stars like what covered Kencho’s manliness.
There would be a lot of nudity in a zombie apocalypse, wouldn’t there?
I don’t know. Why would they bother removing clothes? Eventually they’d fall off from damage or rotting away but it would be patchy. Clothes might outlast the zombie.
OTOH… Very often sleepwalkers are nude even though they wore PJs or underwear to bed. Some corner of the amygdala or maybe limbic system is awake while the rest of the brain stays asleep. This primitive corner of the brain doesn’t like clothing or any kind of physical restrictions. That could give us a mechanism for naked zombies.
As far as surviving humans… A few might abandon shame based clothing. (Yay!) But only people who were either dedicated nudists or exhibitionists would do that. Very small number.
Think of it as being D&D and there was one member of the party who insisted on being naked. (In the game, maybe not in person.) That would be me. 😎
If live humans were in extremly short supply people would worry less about diversity in clothing options. It would be a great way to found a new world.
Interesting you should ask — I think you exposed a flaw in my thought processes. I was thinking many of the zombies would have been in situations like Akira’s old boss or workplace flame. From that perspective, I thought the animators added underwear to avoid nudity.
But you’re right. Many of the infected would have become so while out and about. So the clothes should still be there. I’ll have to watch the ratio going forward.
In a zombie apocalypse, I’d try to wear a lot of denim, maybe a Carhart or leather jacket — something that’s teeth-resistant. For as long as it was available. The looms are all shut down now, aren’t they? So there’s going to be a clothing shortage if we want it or not. Stores will only last so long.
And my luck, the local Walmart would be out of my size anyway.
I think bikers’ leathers and motorcycle helmets would be the way to go. Leather would last a long time. Maybe the plastic armor that mountain bikers sometimes wear. It would get insanely hot so have secure locations for rest.
One thing I have always wondered about. You need a energy source for motion. If everyone is a zombie and zombies don’t eat zombies, the zombies should eventually starve. If they do, then they rapidly drop in number as they turn on each other. Not enough humans left in Zom 100 to maintain a population. They would also dehydrate. A body has to stay moist to be flexible.
In the movie “28 Days Later,” zombies looked like victims of super rabies. Infection causes extreme violence, though it sets in almost immediately. (No infection could move that quickly.) They don’t eat or drink, so eventually die for lack of nutrition. The density of zombies rapidly peaks and then diminishes. Far more reasonable than most scenarios.
That makes sense. Flexibility and strength with the biker leathers would be the way to go.
I think I remember them using the mounter biker gear (or something similar) in Walking Dead. But it’s been awhile since I saw it!
I’ve often wondered about zombie physiology. Part of why I enjoyed “28 Days Later” and “28 Weeks Later” was their version of zombies. I liked the thought they put into making them realistic.
I’m not sure how well I’d deal with fast zombies. Shamblers are bad enough in horde mode. But the sprinters? Yeah, that would be a problem.