Anime Hajime Review: Kore wa Zombie Desu ka

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Kore wa Zombie Desu ka. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

Ayumu Aikawa (voiced by Junji Majima) is an average teenager. He goes to school and must deal with the problems every kid his age faces. The only thing that separates him from everyone else, he doesn’t do too great in the sun. Perhaps that has something to do with him being dead.

Ayumu was murdered by an unknown assailant. He was then resurrected as a zombie by the powerful Necromancer, Eucliwood “Eu” Hellscythe. With a servant now under her command, Eu has been living with Ayumu ever since bringing him back to life.

Being one of the undead has its perks. Ayumu can tap into superhuman strength and he has become indestructible. One of the more troubling issues though, he is more prone to attracting odd characters.

One is the chainsaw-wielding Magical Girl, Haruna (voiced by Iori Nomizu). As an unintentional result of Eu’s powers, Ayumu absorbed Haruna’s magic. To repay the unintentional act, Ayumu takes up Haruna’s responsibilities. Thus, becoming a Magical Girl in her place.

Another is the vampire ninja Seraphim, a.k.a. Sera (voiced by Shizuka Ito). On a mission to enlist Eu’s help, Sera has offered her assistance to the Necromancer. After being rejected, but not giving up, Sera decides to become Ayumu’s servant to stay close to Eu. Although, her servant title is in name only. She has nothing except bitter resentment towards the zombie.

With so much happening, Ayumu still isn’t sure what to make of it all. Now being an immortal, he has plenty of time to figure it out.

Series Positives

I want to jump right into the review, but before I start, welcome back to Pre-Blog Month.

If this is your first year, every review in March is a re-review. As LofZOdyssey, I have written over three hundred posts. These have ranged from series, movies, and much more. But this isn’t the whole story.

I have been watching anime much longer than I have been writing about them. As such, there are many shows I have seen and have even referenced that I have never discussed in detail. Thus, I give you Pre-Blog Month.

Unlike most posts which are a blind viewing, I have a history with the following nine series. Some good. Some not so good. My opinions on these shows I formed years ago. If you had asked me whether I would recommend any of them, I could have given you an answer. Except, I wouldn’t have been able to give you a "why". Until now.

I wanted to keep things balanced. There a couple shows coming up I can’t wait to return to. Then there are a series I don’t have high opinions of. But time has a way of changing things. There could be an anime from my past that I didn’t appreciate. Did I miss something? Did I not get it at the time? I want to know the answers to these questions.

To give an example, during last year’s Pre-Blog Month I relooked at Mirai Nikki. This is a series that, I would argue, many people enjoy. I say that due to one Yuno Gasai. She is among anime’s quintessential yandere characters. When I first saw the show, I couldn’t understand what the appeal was. That had a lot to do with the ending.

Upon revisiting it though, I enjoyed it so much more. I still had problems with it and the conclusion to the story remained full of nonsense. But I had forgotten how outstanding certain aspects were.

That sums up my goal for Pre-Blog Month. I want to give series second chances. You never know when another Mirai Nikki will come along. It’s possible my views won’t change. In that case, I hope my thoughts become more articulate. Or at least I can go beyond, “Yeah, it was good,” or “I didn’t like it.”

Also, the anti-Mirai Nikki could happen as well. A series I once enjoyed, could turn out to be awful. While this is a circumstance I don’t want to happen, I’m aware of the possibility.

Without any more delay, kicking off Pre-Blog Month 2 is Kore wa Zombie Desu ka.

Believe it or not, there was another reason I brought up Mirai Nikki. It and Zombie have a lot in common.

I don’t mean these two shows are similar in story or atmosphere. In that regard, they couldn’t be further apart. Mirai Nikki was an intense thriller which dealt with dire, world-altering consequences. Zombie was a goofy comedy that put its main male character in a frilly pink dress and gave him a chainsaw. One was taking itself more seriously than the other.

What makes Zombie and Mirai Nikki similar are my histories with the two shows and the buzz around them. Both have a large fan base that makes them solid staples of the medium. They are also two series that I couldn’t get into the first time I watched them. After both initial viewings, I couldn’t figure out what it was people saw in either.

Given the size of these series, it was near impossible to avoid their presence. That and I always wanted to revisit Mirai Nikki. Zombie never again appeared on my radar after I watched it.

That was until I had a change of perspective with Mirai Nikki. Having enjoyed the second go of that series, why not give Zombie another chance? I mean, wouldn’t it be great if lightning struck twice? Looking at them in retrospect, these two shows have another thing in common.

Like it was for Mirai Nikki, I understand why people like Zombie. Unlike Mirai Nikki though, I’m still not one of those people.

Even after a second viewing, I can’t say I liked this series. It has been years since I last saw Zombie. I have long forgotten my original reasons for why this show didn't grab me. Were they the same thing I thought were wrong this time around? If not, it doesn't matter. This series has many flaws.

That said, Kore wa Zombie Desu ka was by no means a terrible watch. To be honest, I wouldn’t even say this was bad. There are a few shows coming later this month I am not looking forward to. Some are going to be a nice sanity workout. That wasn’t this show. It just wasn’t all that good. It could have been a lot worse.

Let me put it this way. There are two seasons of Zombie. I have seen both. Had I ended up enjoying this series this go around, I would have found a spot to squeeze in its sequel somewhere soon. As it stands now though, this show’s continuation will have to wait until next year’s Pre-Blog Month. That’s a future I don’t mind heading towards.

Also, before we forget, I said I understand Zombie’s appeal. That’s an important upgrade in of itself. If someone said to me they liked this show, I would be happy for them. I would get where they were coming from. There were things to like about this series. It had clever ideas. It even delivered on some of those ideas. This made the flaws stand out that much more, but that’s me getting ahead of myself.

I have confidence the second season could bring me on board with this series. That’s provided Zombie 2 has more things like the following.

Ayumu Aikawa

Ayumu was a strong lead. He was the genuine best thing about this show. Of the problems with Zombie, there was only one thing that concerned him. And this was a problem because it didn’t make sense.

To get the most out of Ayumu’s character, it would help if you don’t give his zombie powers much thought. The concept behind what he can do was straightforward enough.

The idea was a living human body has put instinctual restraints on itself. We are unable to exert our full strength because doing so could lead to severe injury or even death.

Imagine your task is to break a car’s windshield with only your bare fists. No tools, no padding, you only get one solid punch. In theory, every human can do this. The force required to break the glass though would shatter every bone in our hand.

Even if someone was foolish enough to have a go, an alert brain would turn on and say, “Hey dumbass, this is going to hurt.” The body’s limiters would kick in and weaken the blow. The glass would remain intact and the person’s knuckles might have a few fractures.

For a zombie who can no longer die, those limiters don’t exist. This allows someone like Ayumu to give one hundred percent strength every time. For the sake of this series’ story, I’m not going to question any of this. What I will question is, how was Ayumu able to go beyond one hundred percent?

This was his signature move. When necessary, Ayumu could give two hundred percent, three hundred percent, and so on. Him doing this threw out the entire reasoning behind his superhuman strength.

Wonky strength or not, this was a character you could get behind. So much so, I get to say something I haven’t had the chance to say in a while. Ayumu is a great example of how a series should do a harem center.  

Calling Zombie a harem anime isn’t quite right based on this season alone. It was heading in that direction fast. By the end, the slightest tap would have been enough to turn this show into one. Thus, if season two did become one, this story would be in a nice position to move forward.

There were only two characters that had romantic feelings towards Ayumu. These were Haruna and Yuki Yoshida, a.k.a. Mael Strom (voiced by Hisako Kanemoto). If two love rivals are enough to make a harem, I know a couple romance shows that would be considered as such.

Eu’s relationship with Ayumu, according to this season, was something else. The pair grew close and they did develop strong feelings towards each other. Yet this never came off as romantic. They two were important to each other and that was where things stopped. Like Zombie becoming a harem anime though, it wouldn’t take much to change this.

Sera and Ayumu were never like that with each other. The former, at most, respected what the latter could do in a fight. Every other opinion Sera had towards Ayumu was contempt and coldness. That description sounds an awful lot like your textbook tsundere character. It would be weirder if this series doesn’t go in this direction in season two.

Once these routes open, or if more get added, then yes, Zombie would fall under the harem anime banner. And that would be fine. Especially since it would be Ayumu at the center of everything.

For Ayumu there were reasons why characters would fall for him. He proved himself to be a thoughtful, caring, and courageous person. This went beyond what he could do in a fight.

Ayumu’s zombie powers allowed him to go big and take many hits an average person couldn’t endure. That notwithstanding, he would have taken these hits even without his abilities. When someone needed him the most, Ayumu would be led his support. His best moment of this came with Yuki.

To get this out of the way now, the instance I am about to reference had a ton of problems. Problems that stem from why this show failed to win me over. Regardless, there came a point when Yuki was in a dangerous situation. One that would have killed her had Ayumu not been there. He managed to silence the beast that had taken over Yuki’s mind.

This was the only part of this moment that didn’t come off as random. As such, it was a highlight of this series. This was also proof that Zombie did know how to put in the required effort.

Another thing I liked about Ayumu was how he avoided the pervert trope. Don’t get me wrong, he still had tendencies, but they remained in check.

The worst of these characters never stop trying to be a leech. These are the people that would be the ones planning to peak in the girl’s bath. Or going on a panty raid. Or doing other childish things while justifying their actions as what “real men” do. When it’s a side character, it doesn’t make it better, but it does make it more tolerable.

Yet when a harem series, or any series for that matter, set their lead as this, that is when it becomes annoying. This is even more insufferable when a story expects us to believe this person has admirers. Ayumu was not this.

For the majority of Zombie’s more risqué moments, Ayumu wasn’t a part of them. The one time he dabbled in this area was when he had access to a pair of x-ray glasses. While this item worked on everyone, it was clear what the show was trying to do.

Fortunately, this didn’t last long, and it led to a rather funny payoff.

All this aside, Ayumu was Zombie’s strongest source of life. I understand how ironic that is. He was the most animated, he was the most expressive. He got the most laughs out of me. He was also responsible for one of the most groan-inducing moments as well. Except, him breaking out his beatboxing “skills” only happened once.

In addition, when this series tried to have a soberer scene, it was Ayumu who held these instances up. This was a nice contrast to his usual go-with-the-flow attitude.

And this credit goes to Ayumu’s voice actor Junji Majima. He did a fantastic job. For his other vocal works, Mr. Majima hasn’t been in many roles I recognize. The one I do though makes all the sense in the world. After Zombie, he portrayed Kimihito Kurusu from Monster Musume. This is fitting since that series is one of the best harem anime out there.

Plus, we will be hearing Mr. Majima again later this month as Kinji Toyama from Aria the Scarlet Ammo.

Season 1A

With Zombie you were getting two seasons for the price of one. There was a distinct split in the middle of this series. The first half, which we will call season 1A, lasted between episodes one and six. The second half, season 1B, went from seven to eleven.

But what of episode twelve? Don’t worry, we will get to that.

Many shows will have a big, mid-story face off. Except when this happens, there is still a reason to continue. For most series at their halfway mark, there are several plotlines that need a resolution. Zombie had a definitive stopping point. If you wanted to, you could leave this show satisfied with episode six, Yes, I Summon Death.

Although there was a teaser at the end of this half that introduced what was to come in the second, so what? I have seen plenty of series finish on a teaser and this was no different. Part of me wishes this was the case. Zombie season 1A was alright.

This storyline was nothing special, but it got the job done. It was entertaining, it was fun, it was something I could get behind. Whatever my reasons were for not liking this series the first time, I doubt it was this. Had this arc encompassed the entire season, there would have been more time to focus on certain areas. Areas this show struggled with, yet displayed promise here.

For instance, the only person to have their background told in a meaningful way was Haruna. This moment came during 1A.

Haruna was a brash, headstrong girl who looked down on everyone. In her mind, she was superior. No one was worth the effort for her to care about them. If she didn’t find something interesting, she didn’t bother trying to remember it. Among these details were people’s names.

This was why Ayumu’s conversation with Haruna’s teacher Ariel (voiced by Ai Shimizu) was so good. We got insight into Haruna’s backstory. We learned about her shortcomings and the things that were holding her back. One of those things being her overinflated ego. Ariel comments on how much her student had grown since meeting Ayumu. If nothing else, Ayumu was one of the few people whose name Haruna has remembered.

This wasn’t a long conversation. But it had a significant impact on Haruna for the rest of the series. Knowing more about what was going through her head explained many of her actions. This included why she would go on to develop feelings for Ayumu.

This was the only moment where Zombie brought a character to life in a way that worked for the story. It came at the right time, it wasn’t out of nowhere, and it complimented what was going on in the plot. Haruna, along with Ayumu, was one of the aspects this show got right.

Along with that, the ending to this first mini-season was solid. Zombie had a nice lead up to that point. A lead up that would have benefited from making this one story arc the entire series.

1A focused on Ayumu searching for the notorious serial killer who murdered him. This story established this person to be dangerous. This was someone who would prove to be a handful for our main characters. This foe would be in a whole other class from past opponents. And, for the most part, Zombie delivered.

The actual confrontation between Ayumu’s group and the killer was an exciting throw down. It balanced the right amount of seriousness that worked with this show’s goofy nature. Then as this fight went on, the more dramatic elements of this segment started to take hold. This transition from comedic to heaviness was gradual and smooth. Not jarring.

Both Ayumu and Eu had their share of epic moments against the killer. In turn, this villain matched our hero’s tenacity with a healthy dose of derangement. This was a character you want to see beaten. Not because they were overplaying their capabilities. This was someone that needed to go down.

The resolution to this story arc was fitting for the characters involved. This was a large part why 1A was as satisfying as it was.

That said, Zombie 1A still had all the problems Zombie 1B had. This was not a perfect run. But this former half did something the latter failed to do. There was enough here to distract from the glaring flaws of the narrative. While everything is going on you’re not focusing on what this series was doing wrong. You’re focusing on what it was doing right.

Series Negatives

Even though I wanted to give Zombie a fair second chance, there was an immediate red flag. One I should have seen before I hit play. Except I wouldn't notice this issue until part way through the opening episode. It was around the time Ayumu and Haruna were fighting some giant crab monster. The realization hit me.

I had remembered nothing about this show. This is not an exaggeration. It was like I was watching Zombie for the first time again.

To give some credit, saying “I remembered nothing” isn't true. There were actually two things I knew about when returning to this series.

One, I remembered the main male character was a zombie. That’s a plus I suppose. Except, I wrote “main male character” instead of “Ayumu” because I couldn’t recall what he looked like. But Ayumu wasn’t alone. This was true for most of the characters.

Later this month, I will be relooking at High School of the Dead (HSD). I will say this now despite me for sure repeating myself later. I have not remembered much about this series either. What helps HSD though, if I see a picture of its characters, I would associate the two together.

This was not the case with Zombie. If you had shown me an image of this main group in their most recognizable clothes, I would have been at a loss. With the sole exception being the second thing I managed to remember about this series.

I don’t think I can ever forget what Eu looks like. I can’t say the same thing about her personality since her not speaking was a surprise to me. However, her outfit is very distinct.

So out of everything, we had the signature look of one of the key characters and the basic premise of this show. These were the two things I had remembered about Zombie. Too bad once again, me saying “the basic premise” is also misleading.

The simplest description I can give this series is, “a boy becomes a zombie and a magical girl.” Bare bones, but that is what this show is. And I completely forgot about the entire magical girl aspect.

The scene with the crab monster, that was when Ayumu transformed for the first time. That was what it took for me to remember one of the critical components of this series.

While we are on the topic, here are some other things I forgot:

- Ayumu was a murder victim.

- The identity of the murderer.

- Haruna and Sera being part of this series.

- Vampires being a thing.

- The amount of blood and violence.

- The level of fanservice.

And in case you are wondering, the answer is yes. I haven’t the slightest idea what season two’s story is. That is why I can talk in terms of what might happen. Even though I should know what is going to happen. I don’t.

If this were my initial viewing, all these elements would be part of the ride. Too bad that was not what this was. This series once left no impression on me. I suspect it will do this twice.

Kore wa Zombie Desu ka has no sense of impact. Although there were entertaining elements, a large collection of nonsense surrounded those things. Whatever I didn’t care for during my last viewing doesn’t matter anymore. I know what bothered me about this show this go around.

Tone

Zombie was a comedy at its core. It wasn’t the funniest thing in the world, but there was good humor to be had. This series’ jokes relied on a lot of goofiness and slapstick. This story and its characters weren’t afraid to get silly.

I mentioned how this show had a pretty serious segment with 1A’s villain. This was thanks to the gradual change in this show’s atmosphere. The comedy and the drama never outdid each other or stepped on one another’s toes. This moment in Zombie was the exception, not the rule.

This story had a habit of going dark. I’m talking horror series levels of intensity.

This show had some blood to it. Most of these bits of overexaggerated violence, this series used for comedic purposes. When the two first met, Haruna didn't hesitate to sacrifice Ayumu for her mission. This involved her slicing Ayumu in half with her chainsaw. Red stuff went flying. Plus, it would be a lie if I said I didn’t find this amusing.

In cases like this, the use of blood and violence fit with this show was doing. The atmosphere was lighthearted and playful. As such, there was nothing wrong with things going over the top. Since Ayumu couldn’t die, this story had no reason to not rough him up. Had Zombie reserved this for its main protagonist, it would have been one thing.

Except, the villain of 1A was a psychotic serial killer. On multiple occasions, we saw the aftermath of some of their attacks. These crime scenes were brutal. They in no way fit with the humorous nature Zombie was making itself out to be.

When it was Ayumu getting stabbed, maimed, and broken, it was funny. He could keep coming back for more. When such things happened to others, there wasn’t anything to joke about. Also, the hit that killed the pre-zombie Ayumu was graphic.

There are ways to balance this scale. Zombie itself even found one of those routes. When this story took its time and built up the intensity, these extremes were able to coexist. Too often though, this series jumped from anime wackiness to showing the dead eyes of a corpse. This is not an easy leap to make and it was one this series wasn’t prepared to take.

Character Development

Zombie was on the receiving end of a one-two punch. It was bad enough this story didn’t do a great job of fleshing out its characters. Had this review come out at any other time, this would remain true. Except this series has the distinction of being the first to follow my overview of Durarara x2.

If you missed that discussion, here’s what you need to know to give this section context. Durarara has one of the best casts in anime. This was a show that spent a ton of effort getting to know its rather large cast. There are few series that have done this better. After coming from the top to Zombie, the shortcomings of this story were much more apparent.

To back off a little, it is unfair to hit Zombie too hard with this. There is only one series coming later this month that would have stood a chance against Durarara. The Azumanga Daioh re-review can’t get here fast enough.

Direct comparison aside, Zombie still wasn’t stellar with character development.

This series did have a fine character growth moment with Haruna. Except like it was with this show’s tone, this was the exception. Nevertheless, this was proof that this story knew how to build up its cast. There was another scene that confirmed Zombie understood how to craft a backstory.

The was a dialogue exchange between Ayumu and Eu. By dialogue I, of course, mean Ayumu was the one talking, and Eu was writing her notes. Regardless of how this played out, what these two were discussing was quite heavy.

Eu was explaining why she didn’t use her voice. She felt she was nothing but a burden to the people around her. Even worse, she was afraid her magic would hurt the ones she loved should she ever lose focus for even a second. In her mind, it made sense why she should isolate herself and not let anyone get close.

While this was happening, Ayumu was doing everything he could to prove to Eu none of what she was saying was correct. He didn’t care what her powers could do. He didn't see her as the monster she was claiming to be. To him, she was Eu and that was what mattered.

This was a powerful moment for these two characters.

Too bad this came way too early. How early? This should have happened closer to the end of the series. Episode eleven, episode ten, episode nine at the earliest. Where did Zombie decide to put this? In episode four. What? Why?

Not only that, this was the first time Ayumu and Eu had a chance to be alone. Up to this point, these two never came close to having this discussion. Despite it being well done, this show had not earned this scene. Don’t believe me?

There was a similar exchange between this pair in its proper place at the end of this series. It was so much more effective because more things had taken place to give this moment more meaning.

But to be honest, I'm happy this still happened between Ayumu and Eu. While it didn’t have the best timing, it did add to Eu’s character. I do like her. Besides, this was worlds more than what Sera got.

How much effort did Zombie spend on our vampire ninja? It gave her a large chest. Done. Sera was a big boobed character. That was it.

Season 1B

Faults and everything, the first half of this series remained enjoyable.

The same is not true for the second half. This was a giant mess of a thing. This wasn’t one issue, it was multiple. There were so many elements to this section of the story that didn’t work.

Why didn’t I like Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? This show started to operate without explanations. There was an insane amount of contradictions. Things stopped making sense.

I can accept all kinds of crazy nonsense. Having seen so many different anime, there is nothing left I will consider outrageous. A series’ logic needs to make sense for its narrative. That’s why it’s a problem when I’m actively questioning what's going on while its happening. It means a story has failed to pull me into its world.

Here are some examples.

One came in episode nine, Yes, When I Strip Down, You’ll Be Amazed. It concerned Yuki and her out of nowhere berserk mode. Where did this come from? When was this established this was a thing she could do? I’m not asking why this existed because I know that answer.

This was how Ayumu was able to save Yuki and thus this was how she fell for him. This was heavy-handed, and it didn’t have to be. If this story spent even a second explaining what this was before it happened, then it would have been fine. Or at least acceptable.

Example number two, Sera’s clan’s code. This was one hundred percent not necessary. This did nothing. What happened was, Sera decided to go against one of her clan’s most important values. Doing so made her an outcast amongst her comrades. Not only that, Sera was now a target for assassination. I’ll admit, this was a big development.

Too bad this entire angle did not need to be in the story. If it wasn’t here, nothing would have changed. There was never even a real reason Sera needed to be in the position to do what she did. It never became important.

Example number three. At one point in the show, Sera had to drink some of Eu’s blood. Because of this, it allowed the vampire to use this series’ ultimate deus ex machina weapon. This device was the only thing that could push back a demon horde that was coming. When the time came for her to use this item, Sera showed up in a maid outfit, because of course, she did.

Then surprise, the never-ending swarm of enemies was becoming too much for Sera to handle. But it was okay because her clan, the one that was still ostracizing her, showed up to help fight back. Together they pushed back the enemy. Never mind how only a few scenes prior, this story clearly stated Sera was the only person capable of doing this.

Example number four, episode twelve, Yes, There’s Still More. I’m referring to the entire thing. This episode could go die in a fire for all I care. This was an OVA story. An OVA story that was part of the series. An OVA story that was part of this series that served as the final episode. WHY?! Why do that? Why waste your time doing this?

The minutes this show threw away could have gone into making the characters that much better. Or the narrative could have included a few more details. But you know what? No. No, Zombie made the right choice. Instead of doing anything else, having a cringe-filled idol battle was the right way to go.

To be fair though, I did like Eu’s song.

Final Thoughts

I tried. I really did. I went back into this series looking for the things I missed. In my desire to do so, I found nothing except mediocrity.

This show has a decent idea going for it. This story did have a handful of fun moments. It had a strong main character in Ayumu. The first half of it wasn’t that bad. There were things to like about this one. Too bad you must work through a lot of trouble to get to what made this series any good.

The tone was inconstant. Character development needed work. Things stopped making sense by the end. When something came along that I liked, five additional things followed to ruin it. Try as I might, this was not my kind of series.

If you are a fan, like I said this at the top, I don’t blame you. What this show did right did work. Too bad Kore wa Zombie Desu ka is one I can’t recommend.

But these are just my thoughts. What are yours? Have you seen this show? How would you advise Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? Leave a comment down below because I would love to hear what you have to say.

And if you liked what you read, be sure to follow me on my social media sites so that you never miss a post or update. Also, please share this review across the internet to help add to the discussion.

I’m LofZOdyssey, and I’ll see you next time.

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