Director: Takaomi Kanasaki,
Starring: Junji Majima, Austin Tindle, Iori Nomizu, Jad Saxton, Midori Tsukimiya, Cherami Leigh, Ai Shimizu, Monica Rial, Aya Goda, Caitlin Glass, Hiroyuki Toshino, Anthony Bowling, Hisako Kanemoto, Brittney Karbowski,
Running Time: 325 minutes
Certificate: 15
Extras: Episode 1 Visual Commentary, Episode 10 Audio Commentary
IS THIS A ZOMBIE OF THE DEAD is the second season of a show that messes with the Zombie formula more so than TWILIGHT did with vampires and werewolves. Although this isn’t a huge issue, you soon start to forget that there is anything wrong with the lead character of Ayuma. Very rarely, if ever, do his zombie powers come into play. A show shouldn’t need to go overboard with the demonstration of powers from the supernatural lead, but unfortunately season 2 has but one thing on its mind. Sex!
Anime has never been the most subtle of mediums when it comes to mixing humour and sex. With miscommunication and talk of breast sizes often appearing in a few episodes a series. This is specifically true with harem shows where a male protagonist ends up living with multiple females. However, I AM A ZOMBIE OF THE DEAD takes things too far, with barely 1 minute going by without some mention of perversions, sexual innuendos, or boobs swinging at you. It becomes tiresome, which not only makes the entire season slightly dull, but also lessens the impact of the good jokes. We all like a giggle at sexually inappropriate situations, but not every few seconds.
The animation remains respectable, and often the bright colours can detract the viewer from the very hollow material. The cute relationships are replaced with accusations of voyeurism and constant yelling, making this hard on both the ears and the mind. Darker aspects that were prevalent in the first season due to the hunt for the protagonist’s killer, are mostly pushed aside which isn’t always terrible. We’re introduced to a drunk pink haired nurse like character who vomits rainbows, and the entire plot of Ayuma’s identity being revealed to the world in all his cross-dressing glory does provide an interesting and very funny angle.
If you like broad, sex-filled comedy, without any actual sex, then you may enjoy this season a lot. At least it subjects the male protagonist to the same objectification as the female characters, thanks to an ongoing fascination with his butt. Bright, loud, chaotic, but ultimately unfocused and messy, I AM A ZOMBIE OF THE DEAD seems as though is started off as one thing, but decided it wanted to be something else, which actually cleverly reflects the main character going from human, to zombie, to magical garment girl. There’s just no stability.
[usr=2]IS THIS A ZOMBIE OF THE DEAD is released on DVD on 20th January via MVM.
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