The currently airing Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead anime series has kicked up a lot of intrigue among fans, as various series that portray the zombie trope are rare. The series begins with Akira Tendo, a 24-year-old who works at an exploitative company.

Seemingly depressed and on the brink of insanity, waking up to go to work the next day is a struggle. As Akira laments about going to work, he comes across his neighbor, who is eating another person. The whole city seems to be swarming with zombies, and it might just be the end of the world. But Akira has never been more excited to live!

RELATED: Summer 2023 Preview: Zom 100 -Bucket List of The Dead-

Exploring Zom 100’s Dark Themes And Tropes

Zom 100 portrays themes of the undead, gore, horror, survival, and comedy. Despite the comedy elements present in the show, very dark and brutal themes, apart from the undead aspect, are also portrayed.

The show starts off with Akira, a young man who tends to see the positives in life. After getting his dream job at a company in the industry he wants to work in, Akira is elated and excited about the things to come. However, he notices that after the new employee celebration his co-workers have for him, they all return to the office rather than heading home. Despite being a new employee, Akira is given a heaping load of work and ends up going home two days after his employment.

Despite realizing his company is one of those so-called exploitative companies, Akira gets up the next day, pumps himself up, and goes to work. Unfortunately for the young lad, his overtime hours keep getting worse, and he gradually sinks into depression and nears insanity. One time, he even tried to kill himself by jumping on the train tracks. However, the safety mechanism that prevents people from accessing the tracks while a train is passing by stops his plans in their tracks.

The Shocking Violence And Intensity Of Zom 100

When it comes to the lives of its characters, Zom 100 does not shy away from death. With the world overrun by zombies, the lives of characters are fleeting, and their deaths are often portrayed in gruesome ways. Although the series is portrayed through the eyes of Akira, who takes most things in a laid-back manner, the brutality of the series remains consistent.

After the zombie apocalypse begins and Akira realizes he does not have to go to work, he becomes elated and decides to go confess to Ohtori, his crush at his workplace, even though she is the CEO’s mistress. After looking up the company’s employees' contact information, Akira goes to Ohtori’s house. Unfortunately, on getting there, Akira meets the zombified CEO. After managing to get rid of the zombified CEO, Akira meets Ohtori. Unfortunately, she is now also a zombie. With tears in his eyes, Akira confesses his love to zombie Ohtori and runs away as she tries to attack him.

After Ohtori, Akira also comes into contact with Mikio and Sumire Kousaka while he is trying to navigate his way to a convenience store. The duo asks Akira to help them get some items from the convenience store, and he obliges. However, by the time he comes back, the couple’s apartment has signs of being invaded by zombies, and their lives and deaths are unknown.

Comparing The Brutality Level Of Summer 2023 Anime

The Zom 100 series is certainly brutal, but how does it do against its competition? Like Zom:100, many other non-sequel anime shows of Summer 2023 portray dark and brutal themes. Shows like Dark Gathering and Undead Girl Murder Farce are among its fiercest competitors.

Dark Gathering portrays the life of Keitaro Gentoga, a young man who has a knack for attracting ghosts and is stuck with Yayoi Hozuki, a young girl who wants to capture Japan’s most terrifying ghosts and ghouls. While Undead Girl Murder Farce portrays the life of the disembodied head of Aya Rindo, who employs the help of the ‘Demon Killer’, Tsugaru Shinuchi as she searches for her lost body and the person that decapitated her. While these shows serve as Zom:100’s competition, the title of most brutal leans more towards the zombie show.

The Most Brutal Anime Of Summer 2023?

Although there are competitors like Dark Gathering and Undead Girl Murder Farce, the themes of gore, horror, and the undead that Zom 100 portrays make it stand out. In the series, human life can be lost at the flick of a finger, and whether or not there will be survivors of humanity remains uncertain. As Akira tries to complete his to-do list of 100 things to do before becoming a zombie, much more brutal scenes are expected to play out. And so far, it is safe to say that Zom 100 serves as the most brutal anime of summer 2023.

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

MORE: Anime To Watch If You Love Zom 100: Bucket List Of The Dead