Ash P
It's the movie that was inspired by the Zom 100 anime/manga. The funny thing about this is that it came out a month after the anime's release in the exact same year they were released. I mean, that is how capitalism works when you think about it. I don't blame folks for not checking it out because it is another live-action adaptation of the anime/manga or because it is another generic kind of zombie apocalypse movie that has it's own set of issues like any other zombie movie would have. Especially when they have made some changes from the source material. However, after seeing this one, I just had a blast with this one. Because let's be fair, this movie does have its ridiculous moments, but so was the anime, okay. Punching a zombie shark in the nose with batteries at hand? What are you on? They did the same thing in the anime, too, just so you know. Yeah, as I've already spoiled one part of the movie, there will be some spoilers in this review. I will even explain the changes they made as well as what I thought about them. With that said, you have been warned.
Akira Tendo, played by Eiji Akaso, was excited to have a job until he'd slowly realized that the company he's working with is one of those exploitative companies. Working one year later, he notices that zombies have been popping off out of nowhere, and Tokyo is now currently in a zombie apocalypse. This is an opportunity for Akira to no longer work anymore and decides to make a bucket list of one hundred things to do before he becomes a zombie. Down the road, Akira runs into a young woman named Shizuka Mikazuki, played by Mai Shiraishi, who is surviving the zombie apocalypse with instinct and a police baton. Akira calls and helps out his collage buddy, Kenishiro "Kensho" Ryuzaki, played by Shuntaro Yanagi, from a zombie situation at a love hotel. They do things on Akira's bucket list as they make their way to an aquarium that is meant to be a sanctuary to survivors, including this married couple that Akira ran into since the beginning called the Kosaka's, played by Yo Takahashi and Akari Hayami, while avoiding zombies left and right.
Now that I've explained the story, let's explain the changes they've made into the story. Instead of Rugby, Akira and Kensho played American football. Instead of a womanizer, Kensho is kind of like an awkward fool, according to Wikipedia. Shizuka joins Akira and Kensho early instead of later down the road when they've crossed paths during the aquarium and later at an RV showcasing. They actually combined the arcs of them going to an aquarium and making it a sanctuary where Akira's former boss of the exploitative company he worked at, played by Kazuki Kitamura, keeps the peace while still being an exploitative boss. Akira doesn't get his "superhero" suit until later when the zombie shark makes its debut while its design is different compared to the anime/manga. Plus, this doesn't have Beatrix since this movie has a two hour runtime, and it's understandable if they had to work around with the budget of the movie.
What do I think of the changes? I think they're okay as they are. Reason I say that is that in-between such, they wanted to balance out the times when Akira and the group would have some open-minded optimism to cross things off the bucket list before the next act comes in mind. Mind you, they're playing this movie day-by-day. Hell, the list is short compared to the anime while having something new to add like seeing Akira painting a self portrait on a side of a building with spray paint, see Akira and the group visit a hot spring without being detected by this zombie couple with their feet dipped into a hot spring, and various other things while some J-Pop music was playing in the background. I actually laughed at most of them because Zom 100, as a whole, is horror/comedy, and this movie keeps that trend going. Respecting the source material, in my honest opinion. You could also make the argument that it felt rushed at times. It does in some parts because, again, the studio that was involved with this movie had to work around the runtime of it.
The acting is still great, with Eiji playing as Akira and Mai playing as Shizuka. Shuntaro, as Kensho is fine for his character portrayal. Kazuki, as the exploitative boss, is someone that you can't help but throw him out there since one of his subordinates made a dumb mistake, hence making a sanctioned place a second Hell. To be fair, multiple zombie movies and horror in general would always have that one dumbass move that can turn things upside down. Yet that would defeat Akira's purpose of showing some empathy even to the worst of your enemies. At least, at the final ten minutes of the movie, it ends on a good note. As for the chemistry between Akira and Shizuka, it's slow progress, yet she does open up more as the movie goes on. The chemistry between Akira and Kensho being best friends is still there, and they're together through thick and thin.
The zombies are on the practical side of effects as they are fast. I find it odd that they play more on exploiting their sense of going after something by sound when they chase anything they see in the anime/manga. But I digress since they are zombies, at the end of the day. Yes, they did use CGI for the zombie shark. I have to admit the zombie shark is amazing as the movie displays the shark eating the zombies, becoming a zombie, got itself out of the tank, and grew legs out of the corpses it consumed to chase the survivors until Akira manages to put it down thanks to Shizuka and Kensho's assistance. Yes, it is ridiculous that batteries were what killed it after punching it in the nose with them at hand as it's conductive through the diving suit Akira was wearing has steel fibers and titanium mesh. Mind you, it happened in the anime, too, and it is still awesome regardless of which side of Zom 100 you're watching.
Despite the changes from the source material and how it goes from start to finish, I still had a blast with this movie. I wasn't bored at all. Still got some good, horror cheese. Some good laughs. You'd still cheer for the trio to come together and do the things that were written on Akira's bucket list. I say it is worth checking out if you're a fan of Zom 100 or as a horror fan, as a whole. Sure, it won't please everyone. It pleased me, though. Which is why I am giving the Zom 100 movie eight Akira delivering an electrifying punch out of ten. 8/10.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
10/24/25
Full Review
Waniya S
Never expected to see a zombie shark but it was a nice twist. The movie conveys a good msg in a beautiful manner. Not to spend your life but to LIVE life.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
08/21/25
Full Review
Novelle O
Love this!!! Excellent acting, love the actors. They are sooo funny! I hope there will be a part 2. Make up and cgi is very good, as expected of the Japanese. My favorite Zombie movie.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
08/13/25
Full Review
Jose Z
La película es divertida ay momentos incómodo para el final es algo loco bueno me gustó la película. Tiburón 🦈🧟 estuvo random y XD
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
07/05/25
Full Review
louis a
Fun watch with friends.
a movie where you can just turn off your brain and have a blast with friends
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
11/21/24
Full Review
Lúcio Leonardo P
Entertainment inspired by the pages of a Japanese manga and which is very successful in transmitting the entire essence of oriental comics to streaming screens, with peculiar humor, faithful performances and unique situations. However, there are several errors in the script that become tiring and irritating as the fable unfolds (which takes a long time to happen) and, when you reach the end, you no longer want to wait for 100 things to do before becoming a zombie.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
09/20/24
Full Review
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