WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Netflix's live-action Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead movie.
Summary
- Netflix's live-action Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead movie condenses the manga's first 11 chapters into a 120-minute story, giving Akira, Shizuka, and Kencho a self-contained ending.
- The post-credits scene in Zom 100 plays with the aftermath for Gonzo Kosugi, Akira's former boss, who is left alone to clean up the mess and live with the consequences of his actions.
- The Zom 100 movie hints at a potential sequel, as it only covers a portion of the manga's story and leaves room for Akira, Shizuka, and Kencho's journey to continue.
Netflix’s Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead movie brought the popular manga into live-action, covering a certain portion of the story and giving Akira, Shizuka, and Kencho a relatively self-contained ending. Based on Zom 100:Zombie ni Naru made ni sh*tai 100 no Koto by writer Haro Aso and illustrator Kotaro Takata, Netflix’s Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead movie tells the story of Akira Tendou, a man who finds in the zombie apocalypse the peace and tranquility he was looking for after spending several months working overnight an exploitative company. Akira’s story goes from having fun to a journey of self-discovery throughout the Zom 100 live-action movie.
A Zom 100 anime premiered on July 2023, with new episodes covering around one chapter of the story every week. The Zom 100 movie, Netflix’s latest live-action anime adaptation, condenses the manga’s first 11 chapters into a 120-minute story. The Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead movie’s ending saw Akira, Shizuka, and Kencho standing up against Gonzo Kosugi, Akira’s former boss, to save themselves and everyone else. The Zom 100 trio also helped save those working at the aquarium from a horde of zombies and inspired them to break free of Kosugi’s influence. Here’s a breakdown of Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead’s ending.
Zom 100 Bucket List Of The Dead’s Post-Credits Scene Explained
Netflix’s live-action Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead has a post-credits scene, yet it is not necessarily something to set up a sequel. Instead, Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead’s post-credits scene is more of a joke that makes fun of Gonzo Kosugi, Akira’s former boss. After Akira, Shizuka, and Kencho helped save the people living at the aquarium and inspired them to break free of Kosugi’s orders, the manipulative boss was left alone. Gonzo Kosugi bragged about how those living under his protection were weak and needed him, yet he was the one who begged Akira to stay there in the end.
Gonzo Kosugi’s role in Akira Tendou’s story is over, and the Bucket List of the Dead post-credits scene plays with how the former boss will have to clean up the mess and live by himself now. Even those who had been working for Gonzo since before the zombie outbreak began chose to leave him after Akira, Shizuka, and Kencho exposed how cowardly and selfish the boss was. This theme of freedom was present in Haro Aso’s other popular manga, which was adapted into Netflix’s Alice in Borderland. Zom 100’s post-credits scene raises the question of what will be of Gonzo Kosugi now that he has no one at his side.
Akira’s New Costume & Job In Zom 100: Why He Wants To Become A Superhero
Akira’s superhero costume debuted during Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead’s ending, which by itself is a significant difference from the manga. Akira’s dream of becoming a superhero comes earlier in the manga compared to Netflix’s Zom 100 live-action movie, right after he meets with the flight attendants and heads toward the aquarium. In the Zom 100 manga, it is explored how Akira Tendou could not remember whether he had a dream when was a kid. However, following Yukari’s death right after she discussed her dreams, Akira remembered that he dreamed of being a superhero. Akira gets himself a “superhero costume”, just like what happens in Zom 100’s ending.
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Similar to what happens in Netflix’s live-action Zom 100 movie, Akira uses a diving suit and other diving gear from the aquarium to pull together a superhero costume that would be able to resist a zombie’s bite. Akira’s idea worked during Bucket List of the Dead’s ending, although the pain of the zombies’ bites is the same regardless of how resistant the costume is. Akira Tendou is a good person who wants to help people even during such a horrible time. This is why Akira adds “Have ‘superhero’ as my new job” to his bucket list at the end, setting up his “Akiliger” alias in a possible Zom 100 sequel.
How Zom 100 Bucket List Of The Dead’s Ending Sets Up A Sequel
Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead’s ending sees Akira, Shizuka, and Kencho leaving the aquarium in their van and heading toward the unknown. While this is a relatively self-contained ending for Netflix’s Zom 100 live-action movie, it hints at how their journey is not over yet. In fact, Netflix’s Zom 100 film only covered the first 11 chapters of the Zom 100 manga. With 54 Zom 100 manga chapters currently published and the series not having an ending yet, there is more than enough material for a live-action Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead sequel to happen.
Perhaps the biggest tease of a potential Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead2 is the absence of Beatrix Amerhauser, a major Zom 100 character missing from the live-action movie. Beatrix only joins the story after Akira, Shizuka, and Kencho leave Gonzo Kosugi’s warehouse. Therefore, the Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead live-action movie ends right as the main characters are about to meet Beatrix. Should a sequel happen, Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead2 will likely begin with Akira, Shizuka, and Kencho meeting a girl fighting in samurai armor, thus adding a new member to their group.
What Shizuka & Kencho Adding Items To Akira’s List Really Means
Shizuka and Kencho both added items to Akira’s bucket list at the end of the Zom 100 movie. This is a slight deviation from the source material, as Kencho began to add items to Akira’s list shortly after they reunited at the beginning of the outbreak. Likewise, Shizuka discovered Akira’s list and shared her dream earlier in the story. That said, Shizuka and Kenco adding items to Akira’s bucket list in the Zom 100 movie’s ending has a similar meaning to how it plays out in the manga. Akira, Kencho, and Shizuka are now a team, meaning that they share the same journey and will pursue their dreams together.
Why Akira Saved His Boss In Zom 100 Bucket List Of The Dead’s Ending
The Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead manga focuses more on how Akira’s job at the exploitive production company affected his mental health compared to the live-action movie. When Akira runs into his former “leader” during the zombie apocalypse, his first instinct was to follow his boss’ orders once again. However, thanks to Shizuka and Kencho reminding Akira of his bucket list of things to do before he becomes a zombie, Akira regains his fighting spirit and breaks free of his boss’ influence. Still, as the kind-hearted Akira puts it, watching his superior be eaten by zombies is not part of his bucket list.
How Zom 100’s Zombie Shark Was Defeated
Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead’s ending brought the zombie shark into live-action, although the context of the monster’s appearance was different from the manga. Still, in terms of design, the live-action Zom 100 zombie shark was quite faithful to the manga. Even the way Zom 100’s zombie shark was defeated in the movie is similar to how it played out in the source material. Shizuka, who once studied to become a doctor, came up with a “battery bomb” for Akira to throw against the zombie shark. Akira aimed at the zombie shark’s head, a region more sensitive to electricity, thus stopping the monster once and for all.
How Zom 100 Bucket List Of The Dead’s Ending Is Different From The Manga
The Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead manga is still releasing new chapters, meaning that the story is not over. Likewise, the Zom 100 anime adaptation has just started, with season 1 likely covering the first 12 chapters of the manga. Therefore, the live-action Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead movie’s ending is not a definitive ending for Akira, Shikuza, and Kencho. Instead, Netflix’s Zom 100 live-action movie ends similar to how the manga’s Chapter 11 ends – Akira has “defeated” his former boss and saved everyone at the facility from the zombies. There are, however, some differences between the Zom 100 movie’s ending and the manga.
Firstly, the aquarium arc, including the zombie shark, has nothing to do with Akira's boss. Akira and his friends are only captured by Kosugi after they leave the aquarium. In the Zom 100 manga, it is after the aquarium arc that Shizuka really become friends with Akira and Kencho, and then they are captured by Kosugi. Likewise, Akira’s superhero costume is introduced when they are at the aquarium and does not come into play during the Kosugi chapters. Apart from combining the aquarium chapters with Kosugi’s story, Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead’s ending is faithful to how both of these stories conclude in the manga.
