Viz Media

Heavy Metal Hayashis, Maid Cafes, and Evil Paintings, oh my!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

DanDaDan S2 Ep. 6 & 7 Review

So, since I was at a convention last week, I was unable to watch the new episode of DanDaDan. So, I’m combining my review for the last two episodes since they both continue the Evil Eye Arc! And as we have already seen multiple times by now, the Evil Eye is a problem, and will continue to be a problem until it’s gotten under control. But since Jiji is such a good person, that means that the family is going to have to do things the hard way. And as these two episodes demonstrate, this ragtag group has very much become a family.

So, after Jiji almost lets the Evil Eye out thanks to some room-temperature soy sauce, it becomes apparent that the Family can’t keep going like this. Fortuntately, the Hayashi that Seiko sent for arrive…and they double as a heavy metal band! In some cultures, music is said to have mystical properties and can banish supernatural evils, but this takes it to a whole new level! As a casual fan of heavy metal myself, I wholeheartedly approve of this creative decision. Especially since the anime does a great job of giving us the private concert that manga readers have waited years to see!

One might think that having Jiji decide to not exorcise the Evil Eye would make that entire scene pointless, but it wasn’t. It was a good source of entertainment, which is what stories are supposed to do. Plus, it’s likely that we’ll see the band again in a future arc. Until then, though, the group has to keep watching Jiji while they train to get stronger to stop the Evil Eye.

In all honesty, though, we can’t really fault Jiji for feeling sympathy for the Evil Eye. After what they went through in life, many people would end up as angry and vengeful as that yokai has become. This also isn’t the first time that a teenager has opted to try and befriend a demonic being calling their body home, either. Granted, Yuji never could get Sukuna on his side, but Naruto was able to win over Kurama the Nine-Tailed Fox, so there’s hope! Not that it doesn’t make it any easier when Jiji nearly loses control again and almost kills Momo. The look of guilt on his face is overwhelming. That is the look of someone who thinks they’re a burden and a monster. But more on that later; let’s talk about Momo’s new job!

MAID-O BEAM!!!

In light of the recent damage to her home, Momo has come to the decision that she needs to get a part-time job to help pay for repairs. That’s when her two gyaru friends come in clutch and land her one at a nearby cafe. However, they also do two things. Firstly, they mischeviously drag (literally drag) Okarun there while she’s working to embarass the two of them. Secondly, they neglect to tell her that this cafe in particular…is a maid cafe.

It takes a certain level of confidence to work in a restaruant that requires its employees to wear potentially embarassing attire. Normally, Momo has that kind of confidence down pat. When she’s forced to work in front Okarun, her mutual crush, though, it’s likely one of the most embarassing moments of her life up to that point! Anyone who has had the misfortune of being on the clock when their crush walks in on them can relate! Still, it does feel like it’s worth it when the two end up walking back to the Ayase home together. Sadly, this is also when the incident with the Evil Eye happens again, meaning it’s back to the seriousness.

The fact of the matter is that at this time, none of the Family can hold a candle to the Evil Eye. If they want to win, they need to get stronger fast, especially Okarun. Surprisingly, Turbo Granny proves quite forthcoming about ways to tap into her power more, bringing him to his school after dark, with Aira following out of curiosity/she’s simping for Okarun. She talks about having to maintain a steady rhythm or something during combat and how slow Okarun is. That matter can wait, though, as they have to fight haunted paintings.

…Wait, haunted paintings? Oh dear!

I Give “We Became a Family” and “Feeling Kinda Gloomy” a 4/5 and 3.5/5

Naruto is What the World Needs Right Now

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime REvisited, Dubs & Subs , , , , , , , , , ,

Remember Naruto 10 Years After his Series Ended

November 10th, 2014 was an important day in my life. Not because I hit an important milestone or something good happened, but because a story that I had been following for the last nine years had ended. On that day, Naruto, one of the greatest Shonen manga of all time, came to an end as we saw that our guy, Naruto Uzumaki, had finally achieved his dream of becoming Hokage.

I learned about Naruto in 2005 when the English Dub made its way onto Toonami in the Fall. And while I thought the series was pretty interesting, it still took me a while to get into it. It didn’t help that I kept missing a few episodes or that more than half of the original series was filler. It wasn’t until I was in Middle School or High School that I became a hardcore fan, watching most of the episodes and reading the manga weekly. It became one of my favorite things when I went to lunch. I would go to the library, find a computer, and just read the newest chapter on whatever website I could find. And I’m pretty sure I almost cried on the day that the last chapter came out. These characters, who started no older than me, were now all grown-up and living their best lives, raising their own families and everything. And I went to my journal (I wrote in a journal then) and just poured out all my thoughts and feelings about the ending.

Growing Up in Unprecedented Times

I think the reason that I grew to like Naruto so much was not just because of the story or the flashy moves, but because of the message that I felt that it was trying to teach us. When we’re kids, we tend to see things as pretty black-and-white, good and bad, that sort of thing. As we get older, most of us tend to realize that things aren’t often as simple as they appear to be. Good people like Itachi can be forced to do terrible things to prevent something worse. Those with the best intentions can wind up being broken by the pain and suffering we all experience through life, just like Obito and Nagato. And some people just wind up being hated and spat on for reasons that they simply don’t understand, just like Naruto. The boy was born the son of the Hokage, but not only did he lose his parents within hours of his birth, but he didn’t even know they were his parents until he was in his teens. And everyone treated him like trash for something that, as the Third Hokage pointed out, should’ve been seen as a hero for. The world wasn’t always fair like that!

Such Pointless Hatred

I didn’t start getting full-time into Naruto until my teens, but I found it at the right time in my life. Because that was around the time when I began to realize just how bad the world could be for some people. I was reading up all these history books talking about atrocities like the Holocaust and all this other stuff, and I couldn’t understand why these people were being treated so harshly for, what I saw, the most trivial of reasons. And this wasn’t just an issue of the past, either. It was something that was affecting our world in the present day. Flash forward to a few years after the end of Naruto, and it seems like people are more divided than ever! People are being divided on all sorts of lines! And for my life, I still don’t get why everyone is making such a big deal about it. I understand rationally why there’s so much hate and discord. People are afraid of that which they don’t understand. We’re so scared of losing the things that we have because someone else is going to come and take them. We’re afraid that that new neighbor who moved here from another country will hurt us or our loved ones. And sometimes that does happen, causing that fear and pain to morph into hate. And that hatred leads us to continue the cycle of pain and hurt others in the process.  

I understand that, but I donโ€™t accept it.

Naruto himself would learn that all too well when he lost his master and father-figure, Jiraya. He was motivated to avenge his master, especially when he realized that his killer was once Jiraya’s own student. And that need for revenge almost made him succumb to his dark side until the fail-safe his Dad left brought him to his senses. Afterwards, instead of just killing Pain, he chose to hear out how his life fell apart and what made him the way he was. And while he understood why Pain became the way he did, and still wanted to make him pay for hurting his loved ones, he chose not to. He decided to spare Pain’s life, and that mercy and empathy led Pain to undo everything he did, albeit at the cost of his own life.

We All Need to be Nicer to Each Other

Naruto had always been a person who was capable of great empathy, because he knew what it’s like to be treated like garbage. But this was the moment when he really started working towards finding a way to end the hate that seemed to plague his world. He didn’t know how he would do it, but he knew he had to do it. Granted, many people have complained about his “Talk no Jutsu” over the years and called it a cop-out. And it can be a bit of a cop-out at times. The way I see it, though, Naruto is just really good at trying to find the good in other people, no matter who they are.

https://twitter.com/GreninjaGoat/status/1854530070217470123

I know that Naruto isn’t always the most realistic of characters because of how he views the world, but then I remember just what his world is like, and what our world is like. More and more people are living in fear and hatred of each other, and given current events, it might even feel like there’s no hope for the world. As bad as things are, and I know that they can get worse, I don’t want to give up hope that they can get better. When enough people realize that’s it better to love each other rather than hate each other, then we can change the world for the better. I know that many people may feel like they don’t have a place in this world, but they can’t let themselves think like that. They need to keep working towards making things better. And maybe, when enough of us come together to do so, we can end up changing things for the better.

Just look at what Naruto was able to do by the end of his series. He had managed to unite the majority of his world together through his empathy and kindness. Through his sheer tenacity, he managed to slap some sense into Sasuke and made him turn his life around. And it looked like the world was on the way to becoming a better place.

Choose to Follow Naruto’s Example

Granted, Boruto has shown that that’s not the case, and many people hate the series for that. But no matter how great you are, you can’t expect to solve all the world’s problems in your lifetime. But if you manage to pass on your ideals to the next generation, they can continue what you started. And right now, our generation is in the position to do just that.

Our generation came of age in very uncertain times, and it feels like things have only gotten worse. But, as bad as things are, I still hear stories about people going out and doing things to try and make the world a better place. It may not seem like much, but all those small acts of love and kindness can add up to something greater. And right now, the world needs more love and compassion.

So, as we celebrate ten years since the end of Naruto, I’ve gone back and reflected on the message behind the entire series. What Masashi Kishimoto was trying to do was teach kids the importance of hard work and never giving up on our dreams. That we should not hate each other, but learn to understand one another. And from that understanding, we can work together to build something more significant than we ever could on our own. With how the world is right now, heaven knows we need to remember that kind of message. This world needs more people like Naruto in it!

Happy belated birthday to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto. It was an honor to get to see you at NYCC in 2015, even if I never got to speak to you!

https://twitter.com/NarutoVibe/status/1854916911651316002

‘The Elusive Samurai’ is an Amazing New Shonen Series

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll , , , , , , , , , ,

The Elusive Samurai Initial Series Review

Earlier in the summer, I made a list of the anime I looked forward to watching during the season. But now that enough time has passed, I can honestly say there are anime that I regret not including on that list. A prime example being one of the latest successes to come out from the legendary Shonen Jump, The Elusive Samurai. Coming from the mangaka who created Assassination Classroom, something that I greatly enjoyed watching, I knew that I was going to enjoy this series, and I’m happy to say that I was right. Not only is it beautifully animated, it tells the story of a seemingly atypical Shonen protagonist. I say seemingly because, as you’ll soon learn, this boy may not be a great fighter, but who needs to fight when you can dodge and outrun your opponents until the fat lady sings?

The Elusive Samurai and His Origin Story

The year is 1333 AD, Medieval Japan. Tokiyuki Hojo is the young heir to the Hojo clan and the Kamakura Shogunate, AKA the de-facto rulers of Japan. But he’s not interested in being a lord, though; all he likes to do is play hide-and-seek with his exasperated teachers. All of that comes to an end, though, when Takauji Ashikaga, one of his family’s retainers, betrays them to the Emperor. Before the first episode ends, his home is

razed to the ground, his retainers dead or on the run, and his family slaughtered.

All’s not lost, though. Thanks to the help of Yorishige Suwa, this really sketchy priest who claims he can see the future, Tokiyuki escapes with his life. With Yorishige as his mentor and a group of young, eccentric retainers by his side, he vows to rebuild his family, take back his home, and get revenge on those who betrayed the Hojo clan. There’s just one problem: Tokiyuki is a lousy fighter; all he’s good at is running and hiding.

As the series demonstrates, though, that’s the best skill he can have in his era.

Tokiyuki is No Coward-He’s a Road Runner

At first glance, Tokiyuki Hojo doesn’t seem like your typical Shonen hero, much less one from Shonen Jump. From the outset, he’s not skilled in combat or has the latent potential to become so. Nor is he loud, boisterous, confident, or as cunning as protagonists like Luffy, Goku, or Naruto. In fact, most people see him as a coward for preferring to run and hide rather than face his enemies head-on like Samurai are expected to do.

Here’s the thing: Tokiyuki’s no coward, and he’s not a weakling, either. Early on, the series does its best to demonstrate how his Ultra Instinct-level dodging ability is the best thing he could have in his violent era. Moreover, Yorishige correctly recognizes that, far from being a coward, Tokiyuki is someone who genuinely enjoys the thrill of the chase and the risk of getting caught. In the second episode, he uses this to great effect by dodging an enemy combatant to the point where he can’t defend when the boy goes in for the killing blow.

To sum it all up: Tokiyuki is like the Road Runner or Jerry the Mouse if they had Ultra Instinct. He gets excited by the thrill of facing death, and he’s capable of being more cunning than most give him credit for. Coupled with his friendly attitude, he’s able to endear himself to allies that can make up for his shortcomings. In other words, he’s got a few things in common with some of the best heroes from Shonen Jump’s roster.

Amazing Animation and Art at Work!

Tokiyuki is only half of the series overall appeal, though. The other half is thanks to its amazing animation. The series is brought to life by Cloverworks, a studio that’s already well-known for its work on Bocchi the Rock, Spy x Family, Darling in the Franxx, and several other series, and it shows. The animation for the characters is incredibly fluid, especially during the fight scenes. Additionally, it also does a good job of bringing together some of the more surreal moments of the manga to life. I.E. when two of the retainers hunting Tokiyuki look like they’re communicating through their superhuman eyes and ears. It makes as much sense in context, trust me.

The real appeal of the show’s artwork, though, is how it captures Feudal Japan in all its blood and beauty. The series is a historical one and most of the cast is based on real-life figures. However, since records of that era are scarce, the mangaka’s not afraid to include more supernatural elements of Japanese culture, leading to some pretty impressive backgrounds and characters. It’s a really good-looking series!

Lastly, we have the OP and ED. Any good anime needs to have a memorable OP and Ed, and The Elusive Samurai delivers on that promise. The OP itself is very upbeat and exciting, despite how grim the series itself can get, while the ED is this bizarre Japanese hip-hop talking about the history of the Kamakura Shogunate. And like the rest of the series, both are beautifully animated.

Overall, I really like The Elusive Samurai, and have greatly enjoyed watching the series thus far. It’s got some interesting characters, good music, great animation, and to top it off, it’s a historical series. As someone who loves reading about history, that alone gets me interested. If you haven’t already, I’d highly recommend you go watch it.

My Verdict: WATCH. IT.

‘Monsters’ Finally Adapts Eichiro Oda’s One-Shot Manga

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Blogging , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation Review

Before he became the man who created One Piece, Eichiro Oda was a young man who aspired to become a mangaka. In the 1990s, he cut his teeth in the industry with a series of one-shots that would be published in a collection after One Piece started, but one in particular stood out. So much so that Oda would eventually incorporate it into the overall story of One Piece itself. Almost thirty years after it was published, this one-shot has been adapted into an ONA on Netflix. While Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation doesn’t reach the same levels of action and silliness as One Piece does, it demonstrates the groundwork for what would later become Oda’s massive success. 

A One Piece Prequel

Taking place several hundred years before the events ofย One Pieceย in an unknown location,ย Monstersย revolves around Ryuma, a wandering swordsman with a few eccentricities. Chief among them, he’s constantly begging for food, always repays his debts, and considers anyone who bumps into the scabbard of his sword as challenging him to a duel. That seemingly comes back to bite him when a passing con man frames him for trying to attack him and uses a horn to summon a giant dragon. However, there’s more to the story than people realize…

The main that should stick out regarding this ONA is how familiar the main character, Ryuma, feels. With his appearance, wandering nature, and skill and dedication to the sword, one would assume that he’s the prototype for Roronoa Zoro fromย One Piece. They’re not wrong, as Oda would refine many of Ryuma’s traits into Zoro. It’s more than that, though. After the end to the Wano Country Arc, Oda confirmed in an OBS that Zoro is, in fact, a direct descendant of Ryuma. This only makes the events of the ONA all the more important to the greater lore ofย One Piece. In addition, the special ends with the moment when Zoro bested the zombified Ryuma during the Thriller Bark arc, earning his sword and (unknowingly) the right to call himself his descendant.

Not that Zoro would ever care about something like that. 

The Seeds to Oda’s Success

Look closer atย Monsters, and one will also find some of the concepts and ideas that Oda would incorporate intoย One Piece. Besides the dragon, there are two main villains. One is a hammy bandit that wouldn’t look out of place next to Buggy the Clown, while the other acts like they’re the good guy, only for it to be a facade. One is a card-carrying bad guy, the other is more insidious, but both are bad news. And both are the kinds of enemies that the protagonists usually fight inย One Piece.ย 

The special itself is short, only clocking in at about 25 minutes. However, it makes up for it by capturing the anachronistic feel of the original one-shot, the art style of the anime, and Oda’s sense of comedy. Getting to see a creator’s early work adapted and comparing it to what they’re most famous for is an interesting experience. And while Monsters isn’t as grand, silly, or epic as One Piece would become, you can see the seeds of what Oda would one day create.

Overall, Monsters is less of a must-watch for 2024, and more of a gift for longtime fans of Eichiro Oda. If you ever wanted to see more of what Oda did in his youth and how it would help shape the mangaka he would become, though, I’d recommend giving Monsters a watch.

Also, if you want to read the original one-shot, Viz Media just published it onto their website. Click this link to see it for yourself. 

I Give “Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation” a 4/5

‘Zom100’ Came Home for the Holidays!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Zom100: Bucket List of the Dead Eps. 10-12 Review

It’s been three months since the last episode of Zom100 came out, thanks to delays with production from behind the scenes. Many people despaired that one of the year’s best anime would never be finished. However, after three months of hiatus, Akira is back for the holidays! When we last left off, he and his friends had settled in his secluded hometown in the mountains, safe from the zombies. Unfortunately, their oasis was about to become a battlefield thanks to another quartet looking to do whatever they wanted. Unlike Akira, though, this group wants to hurt everyone around them! It’s up to Akira and the others to save his home in this three-part finale!

Getting to Know Everyone in Akira’s Hometown

At this point, Akira, Kencho, Shizuka, and Beatrix have integrated themselves into Akira’s hometown. Akira is helping his parents work in the field. Kencho has taken to trying to cheer up a little girl named Angie, who lost her parents. Beatrix has learned more about how the villagers keep the zombies out. As for Shizuka, she works as the village’s unofficial doctor. As a kid, she always wanted to study medicine and become a doctor, but her dirtbag wouldn’t let her because it wouldn’t be a high-paying job, which doesn’t make sense. After all, being a doctor is one of the best-paying jobs in the world. 

All this downtime allows everyone to relax and bond with the villagers and other refugees. Akira, in particular, tries to devise a way to repay his parents for everything they’ve done for him. As someone lucky enough to still have both his parents, it’s a sentiment I can greatly relate to. Plenty of kids give up so much for the sake of their kids, and not every kid can fully repay or express that gratitude while they still have a chance. It’s a genuinely wholesome moment and one I enjoyed getting to see.

It’s too bad the moment gets ruined by a group that’s the yin to Akira and his friend’s yang, who open the barrier, keeping the zombies out so they can destroy the village.

Higurashi and his Group of Haters 

Meet Kanta Higurashi, a 24-year-old shut-in and the anti-Akira. Like Akira, his life before the zombies was terrible, with no friends, family, or job. This made him bitter at the world and blame everyone else for how his life turned out. Thus, when the apocalypse happened, he decided to indulge in everything he wanted and found others who wanted to do the same thing. In other words, he’s a mirror version of Akira.

Here’s the difference, though. The problems that Akira and his friends had before the zombies came were external, resulting from things that weren’t always in their control (bad job and worse boss, bad Dad, etc.) Higurashi’s group? As the zombies come pouring in and each member of Akira’s group has to fight a member of Higurashi’s group, it becomes clear that most of their gripes are self-inflicted.

  • Kurasugi hated his wife because she always complained about him never being there for her. In reality, though, he failed to put in the effort that came to a successful marriage, expecting his wife to do everything for him and ask for nothing in return. That’s not how marriage works!
  • Atenbou (who tries to French kiss Shizuka) complains he’s had bad luck, but it was due to his lazy and careless nature. I.E., he forgot to put out his cigarette in the restaurant he worked in, which burned down.
  • This woman named Kanbayashi got fired from her job, but it was because she had an overbearing attitude, insisted she was always right, and was generally a Karen.

Thankfully, Akira’s friends all beat each other while shutting down their arguments about why they’re jerks.

  • Shizuka points out how Atenbou’s lack of care for anyone but himself means his bad luck is self-inflicted. Then, she helped all the elderly people capture him.
  • Kencho outsmarts Kurasagi by diving into a cesspit to hide himself from the zombies. Gross, but effective.
  • Beatrix shuts down the water mill, providing power to the electric fence, trapping everyone, and points out the fact that so many different cultures and ways of thinking in the world mean that no one can be right about everyone. She’s then eaten by zombies instead of crushed by a water wheel.

As for Akira, he outsmarts Higurashi by disguising himself as a zombie to get close enough to pin him. Higurashi (who went to college with Akira and Kencho) then breaks down in tears and complains about how miserable his life has been.

Happiness is Something that Has to be Worked for

As sad as it is to see Higurashi cry about how miserable his life was, like his friends, a lot of his misery was self-inflicted. While his introverted nature did make it hard for him to reach out to anyone, it wasn’t like no one tried to. Akira did offer to befriend him in college, but his fear and loathing at how carefree Akira seemed to be led to him refusing this offer. 

According to T.V. Tropes, Higurashi is a deconstruction of the NEET archetype that’s become popular in many skis. Unlike someone like Rudeus Greyrat, who puts in the effort to be a better person, Higurashi doesn’t. He gave up on the world, so the world gave up on him and led him to what he is today. Unfortunately, Higurashi gets bitten by a zombie amidst his epiphany, denying the chance for a redemption arc. Instead, he sacrifices himself to lure the zombies away.

On to the Next Adventure

In the end, everyone’s able to escape the zombies, seal back in the tunnel, and rebuild the village. And, though I’m not sure if it’s shown onscreen, Atenbou’s the only one still alive and works to help rebuild and make amends. The bigger question, though, is what Akira and the others will do now. 

As it turns out, Akira’s father is suffering from a painful illness. The good news is it’s hemorrhoids, something a doctor can take care of. The bad news is that zombies make that pretty hard. Not wanting to let his Dad die this way, Akira comes up with a new goal: find the cure for the virus.

In almost every zombie story, one of the top priorities for survivors is to find a cure for whatever’s creating the zombies. Barring that, it’s trying to get them under control and rebuild society. Thus, the fact that Akira wants to eventually find some way of ending the zombie apocalypse is kind of expected. Given who he is, though, some people might not believe Akira can be the guy who could save Japan or the world if it’s spread that far. However, I think he might be able to do it.

No, really. Akira might be the guy who saves the world. He’s outgoing and friendly, bringing out the best in others and inspiring them to be better. If he managed to win over Shizuka as he did, then he might be able to get everyone to unite and stop the outbreak.

Thus, Akira, Kencho, Shizuka, and Beatrix all head out on their next adventure: finding a cure for the plague and completing more on their now-shared bucket list. Thus, the first season of Zom100 came to an end. 

A Season Two on the Horizon?

I will be upfront about this: I want to see a second season of Zom100 under better circumstances.

This anime is one of the best out of 2023; there’s no denying that. The problem is that it was plagued by production issues that led to delays and more. As a result, much of the hype around this amazing series started to fizzle out. This is sad; I’ve taken to read the manga, and it’s pretty good. This anime has much more potential, and I hope it continues. Until then, though, I will enjoy what we’ve gotten.

Happy Holidays!

I Give “Hometown of the Dead Pts 1-3” a 4.5/5. Each

Akira Needs Love, Too!!

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Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Ep 4 Review

Dating in the modern day is hard; there’s no argument about that. Things like dating apps meant to help people meet and fall in love have only complicated an already complicated act even further. Throw in a zombie apocalypse, and the chances of finding love in the world seem even bleaker for people like Akira. It only gets worse in this episode as Akira gets close to finding love…only for it to be ripped out from under him.

As someone who struggles to find love today, I feel your pain, Akira.ย 

The Quest for the Perfect TV…and Date.

Now that he’s got Kencho living alongside him, Akira’s ready to enjoy that new life with his bro. They’ve got a rooftop camp set up, plenty of food and drinks, and Akira can play video games all day. Kencho even decides to get in on Akira’s bucket list by adding something: wine and dine with a flight attendant. This only leads Akira to remember a painful fact: he’s never had a girlfriend, while his best friend can date anyone he wants. 

This is another reason I like Akira so much as a character: I can see a bit of myself in him, especially in my social life. College was fun, but it kept me so busy I never had time for dating, something I now regret. While I’ve never worked at a place as horrible as Akira did, it can still get in the way of having a social life. In addition, there’s the subtext found in this conversation about how detrimental the kind of job Akira had is to society. The stress may keep people from going out to find love and have families. That may be why a lot of countries have declining birth rates. In other words, the show’s saying work culture is killing people’s chance to find love. Again, I relate to it.ย 

Source-Sportskeeda, Crunchyroll,

At any rate, Akira heads out on another scavenging mission, this time to find an even bigger TV to play video games on. It sounds, and is, stupid, but remember, the show’s advocating the importance of happiness and mental health even in dark times.

Akira Comes So Close to Scoring…Okay, He Doesn’t!

When their adventure predictably ends with them being chased by a mob of zombies (and zombie firefighters spraying actual fire), the duo takes shelter inside an underground mall. Said mall’s already occupied by a group of one man whose name we never get and three beautiful women. All of whom are flight attendants. 

The second Akira and Kencho realize this, they’re on cloud nine as the whole thing soon turns into an impromptu mixer. At least, it does for Kencho. He wins over one girl so fast that they’re already going off on their own the next thing Akira knows. 

Yes, they do sleep together. The show doesn’t dance around that.

Meanwhile, Akira tries to impress the others by drinking an entire bottle of tequila…only to end up puking into a toilet. Anyone who drinks too much alcohol at once can relate to that.

Despite that, he does end up having a sweet moment with one of the attendants, where they both talk about why they wanted to work the jobs they had. While things didn’t turn out well for Akira, the woman, Yukari, admits that despite all the bs, she still likes her job. It’s a sweet moment, even if Yukari does have a boyfriend.

Too bad the old man got infected by a zombie bite. RIP, flight attendants.

Source-But Why Tho?, Crunchyroll

Even this Can’t Get Akira Down

So, to his dismay, Akira loses his best chance yet to find love, but he and Kencho do get that giant TV they wanted, scratching two more items off their bucket list. The last conversation that Akira had with Yukari also inspires him to add something new: remember his childhood dream. 

I love Akira’s optimistic attitude more and more with every episode. Even when mankind’s facing possible extinction, he can bring out the absolute best in people through his carefree nature. By all accounts, he should be dead by now, but he isn’t. It’s part of why this anime’s so fun and inspiring. Keep living your dreams, Akira, no matter how silly or crazy they are.

One last thing: by the time you read this, the dub forย Zom 100: Bucket List of the Deadย will be out. Whether you’re a pro-dub stan or just want to support the voice actors, you should watch it. Zeno Robinson’s voicing the main character, and he’s been killing it with his roles over the last few years. That, and when you hear him as Akira, you can imagine Hunter fromย The Owl House.

I Give “Flight Attendant of the Dead” a 3.5/5