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One of the most anticipated anime of 2023 was Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, and it has not disappointed—outside of several episode delays. Zom 100 is about former wage slave Akira Tendo getting a second go at life during the zombie apocalypse. Free of the shackles of his exploitative work, Akira is determined to finally live his life for himself with the help of his friends and a bucket list. With a strong ensemble cast, excellent comedic timing, vibrant animation, and plenty more, Zom 100 would have certainly found a fanbase amongst longtime anime fans based on these elements alone. Zom 100 is on another level, though, especially with this generation, given its anti-capitalist message, optimistic call to action, and a release during “hot labor summer.” With so many across the world fed up with the exploitation of the working class, it’s no surprise that Zom 100 is destined to be the most important anime of this generation.
Zom 100 Directly Challenges Anime’s Labor Problem
The beginning of Zom 100 happens shortly before the zombie apocalypse, but Akira—the protagonist—already resembles a zombie to an extent. Akira is not undead, but he is a mindless wage slave. The series then cuts back to his early days at the entertainment company he works at, and viewers see how he was not always like this, as well how the toxic working conditions and minimal pay have turned Akira into a “zombie” over time. While the literal zombies are a fantasy, the toll work has on Akira mentally and physically is not. Akira is like many others working in Japan’s entertainment industry, specifically the anime industry. As The New York Times reports, despite anime’s popularity internationally, thousands of illustrators earn as little as $200 a month. Vox also estimates that animators in their 20s and 30s earned below the poverty line in 2019.
Along with this insulting pay, animators are subject to horrific working conditions, as Vox and the New York Times report. Falling asleep at the studio is not uncommon—something that is depicted in Zom 100. The anime also shows how Akira and his co-workers fall ill due to exhaustion, another all too frequent occurrence for animators. Along with that, jokes about more serious maladies are made by Akira’s co-workers.
Some labor codes have been put in place in an attempt to protect animators and workers. Unfortunately, as Vox reports, there is a lack of action from authorities to enforce said codes. Along with a lack of accountability, employers have found other ways around these regulations. Instead of hiring salaried employees, studios often prefer to hire freelancers. As Vox reports, this means employers don’t have to worry about labor codes. The New York Times also confirms that studios favoring salary employees are a rarity. On top of this, studios and companies like Akira’s are not afraid of losing their workforce because there is a massive pool of young, passionate professionals eager to get their start in the industry. As seen with Akira, this is his dream job, and he represents thousands of aspiring professionals who want to get their foot through the door. However, once they are in, the ugly truth of the industry comes to the surface.
Unfortunately, for those like Akira, losing their place in the industry outweighs the numerous red flags. It’s easier to say it’s worse elsewhere than it is to accept the harsh reality that your dream job is a nightmare. Along with that, the knowledge that one is so easily disposable ensures they stay in line. As seen in Akira’s workspace, those who do not make the cut or step out of line are removed. To hammer home how disposable employees are, Akira’s supervisor tosses his former employees’ name cards into the trash. This is another tactic by Akira’s boss to remind him that there will always be someone to replace him. It also hammers home that throwing away this opportunity would mean competing against thousands once more. While Akira is not working for an anime studio, the parallels between his entertainment company and the anime industry are obvious. Furthermore, his experience speaks universally to the fears and hardships millions of workers are facing internationally.
Hot Labor Summer and Zom 100 Emphasize the Need For Change
Labor issues expand beyond just anime. For over 100 days, the Screen Actors Guild has been on strike, as actors are tragically underpaid and at risk of being replaced by artificial intelligence (via Vulture). Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America reached an agreement, ending their strike after 146 days (via Vox). Similar to the SAG strike, the WGA went on strike in response to the threat of AI and comically low pay. Like Akira, these entertainment professionals are being exploited by corporations and their employers. Unlike Akira, it’s not a global catastrophe that causes them to take action, it’s the aftermath of one. The past couple years have seen many workers who quarantined or worked remotely return to their workplaces in person. Along with that, the COVID-19 pandemic brought to light how unstable things truly are for us as a society. Returning to normalcy is out of the question for many, whether that is because the pandemic forever changed the landscape or because the pandemic brought to light already existing issues that could no longer be ignored. For those striking, it’s a bit both.
SAG and the WGA had contracts up—contracts that failed to adapt with the times even before the pandemic. The entertainment industry was forced to change because of COVID; however, when it came to issues regarding royalties, streaming, pay, and artificial intelligence, CEOs and the AMPTP initially refused to budge. After facing a global pandemic that forced millions to readjust and adapt to survive, these higher-ups still want to cling to the old ways—ways that exploit their workers. It’s reminiscent of how Akira’s old boss tries to run a camp like how he ran his office. However, a “business” model like this can no longer be sustainable. Society has forever changed in light of the zombie apocalypse—just like our world has forever changed in light of the pandemic. These changes, as well as the revelations that come with them, mean those formerly exploited will not quietly return to a normalcy that harmed them long before the world was turned upside down.
The system that enabled Akira’s boss to exploit his workers is gone. Even though Akira and several others initially fall back into old work patterns, that’s temporary because the illusion of safety is broken. Along with that, his boss’ work model fails because he does not properly support his workers. They have no true loyalty to him, and there is no incentive to thoroughly do their jobs because of this. This leads to zombies infiltrating the camp and the destruction of everything Akira’s boss tries to rebuild. Akira, however, saves the day because his priority is not his survival and success. His priority is everyone’s survival—even his boss’. While working for his boss once more, he tries at every opportunity to support his fellow laborers, on top of giving them something to look forward to—in this case a cold beer and a chance to relax. Even before reuniting with his old boss, Akira does everything he can to live for himself and instill that value in those around him, like Shizuka and Kenichiro.
His support of his fellow workers and friends does not go unnoticed, for when he falls back on old patterns, it’s Shizuka who gives him the wake-up call he needs. Just like he supported her as an individual, she supports him. Furthermore, those who fall prey to his boss stand by Akira when times are tough as opposed to standing by his boss. Together, they are stronger, and together, they save the camp. Akira acts as leader – one who is no better than his fellow co-workers – and he risks everything they do. This camaraderie is what saves the camp and everyone present.
While Akira is dealing with literal monsters, the steps he takes to survive alongside his friends and fellow workers is reminiscent of the steps being taken by labor unions. Union members, like those in SAG and the WGA, are standing together and fighting for the same goal. While crossing the picket line and bending to the higher-ups may be tempting for some, there is no true stability or benefit in uplifting those who are unwilling to support the people they’ve used for personal gain. In fact, supporting a system that harms your fellow workers will only lead to its utter destruction, as is the case for Akira’s boss. The entertainment industry is not the only industry that is demanding changes be made, especially after our sense of normalcy was redefined in the face of a global pandemic. As the Los Angeles Times reports, 300,00 workers caused work stoppages nationwide in 2023. Amidst these workers, as well as workers who were on the brink of striking, include lifeguards, sanitation workers, nurses, traffic officers, teamsters, and more.
With the pandemic highlighting the flaws in our capitalist system, it’s on the corporations and employers to adapt to this new landscape. Instead, when contracts are up for negotiations for the first time since the pandemic, these employers cling to a system that fails its workers time and time again, like Akira’s boss. This generation, though, says no more. This generation has survived a global pandemic that changed everything, and they will not go back to the old ways that failed them in the first place. Instead, they want a bright future, one where they are valued as people—not wage slaves.
Just like Akira, this generation is not opposed to working. In fact, Akira is already thinking about what he will do for a career after the apocalypse. While he is uncertain of what that future will look like, he is certain—as are his friends—that he will not return to the normal that exploited him mentally, physically, and financially for the benefit of employers who care for one thing—themselves. Akira and his friends speak to this generation because audiences are reminded by them that there is so much more to life than climbing an unstable corporate ladder that goes nowhere. They are reminded that there are so many things that can bring joy outside of work, whether it’s something big like becoming a superhero or something small like having a beer with a friend. Zom 100 validates its audiences’ frustrations when it comes to how exploitative work has gotten, and it reassures them that they deserve so much more than this.
