REVIEW: ‘Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead’ Episode 9 – “Treehouse of the Dead”

With the hot springs behind them and a new companion to travel with, Zom 100 Episode 9 sees the group tackle the last leg of their journey to Akira’s hometown. But with the only road blocked off by zombies, the party must take the long, perilous trip over the mountain if they hope to reach their destination.

The opening of this week’s episode sees Akira (Shūichirō Umeda, Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie) getting to scratch an unexpected item off of his bucket list. While navigating treacherous cliffs and ancient wooden bridges, the group stumble across a lone old man being chased through the woods by a zombified wild bore. After a swift save thanks to a well-placed arrow by Beatrix (Minami Takahashi), they learn that the man is out here trying to build a treehouse for himself to weather the zombie hoard in. As building a treehouse happens to be on Akira’s bucket list, the group ends up taking the day to aid the old man’s endeavors.

This sequence is a beautiful blend of upbeat optimism and somber reflection. At first both Akira and Kenchiro (Makoto Furukawa) gleefully throw themselves into the new project but Akira soon learns of the old man’s sad past, including regrets concerning his son that are tied up in the house. This blend of banter and heart that opens Zom 100 Episode 9  perfectly captures the strengths of the series. By the time the group is done helping with the construction of the impressive-looking treehouse, Akira is more than ready to reach his parents’ home. It’s been three years since he’s seen them, and after his talks with the old man in the woods, he is eager to make up for lost time.

Upon arriving at the town, the group finds a picturesque scene that would never hint at the chaos that ensues outside. Things appear untouched by the outside world. Kencho even comments on how he feels like he has come home, despite never having been to the town before, the calm being that welcoming to the group.

The moment where Akira comes face-to-face with his parents in Zom 100 Episode 9 is a loving, if awkward moment. So much has happened to Akira since he left his hometown, he doesn’t even know where to begin. His thankfulness at finding his parents well is a bit overwhelming for him. On top of this, his dad seems like a man of few words, and not exactly prone to emotional moments. When Akira begins blurting out his thankfulness to them in front of everyone, his father quickly shuts him down. It’s not from a place of anger but it’s still not the response Akira was clearly hoping for. While his father and most of the village return to work, Akira and company go with his mom to rest and grab a bite to eat. Here we see Akira continue to fumble as he attempts to show his appreciation to his mom.

The scene between Akira and his mom is a highlight of the episode as it explores how one should help people. Akira throws himself into trying to do everything for his mom. He offers to clean up the dishes and give her a massage among other things. While his mom acknowledges how sweet he’s being, she’s clearly happy to take care of the dishes so he can rest from his long journey. This leaves Akira feeling frustrated as if he is failing at his goal.

Many people seem to have this reaction when someone declines help. As if declining to accept aid is an outright rejection of it, as well as the intentions of the person making the offer. However, if Akira took the time to look a little closer he would be able to see that his mom is genuinely thankful for his offers, she is just happy to see him and wants to make sure he is able to get some rest.

While still feeling rejected by his mother, Akira heads out to the fields to help his dad and maybe get a little father-son bonding in. This sees its own struggles as his father has little to say, though why is kept secret from Akira.

The pair’s bonding time is cut short as Zom 100 Episode 9 turns away from the duo to follow a group of city folk who recently arrived at the village. The episode follows the group’s journey to the town and highlights some dramatic similarities to, and differences from, Akira’s group. They also have a bucket list of sorts, but while Akira’s is one full of wishful things he’d like to do, this group’s is filled with anger and violence. Viewing themselves as outcasts from society, even before the zombies came, this group is looking to hurt the world opposed to Akira’s goal to enjoy it. The group’s presence in the village bodes ill for the inhabitants, as it seems the greatest monsters in a horror series will likely once again be people.

Zom 100 Episode 9 delivers plenty of emotional setup between Akira and his parents, as well as narrative setup through the introduction of the disgruntled outsiders in town. Given how skillfully the series has handled previous plots, the prospect of how these stories will come together is both intriguing and terrifying to wait for.

Zom 100 Episode 9 is streaming now on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Netflix.