This article contains spoilers for the manga “Zom 100: The Bucket List of the Dead”. Reader discretion is advised.
Because the anime adaptation of Zom 100: The Bucket List of the Dead has been one of the most popular anime of the season of Summer-2023 (July-September) around the world, it was evident that the popularity was going to carry over to the original manga written by Haro Aso and illustrated by Kotarō Takata. However, with the most recent chapter, 56, fans were in for a bitter surprise.
In this Chapter 56, titled as “Dolphins of the Dead“, Akira and Shizuka met a doctor named Joichiro Sakaki, who kindly sets out to help patients with any disease. Since Shizuka had dreamed of becoming a doctor in the future, her expression changed after meeting someone who shares the same passion as her.
Then, once Sakaki offered her to accompany him on his journey (separated from Akira), she couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Akira was happy for her and gladly accepted the separation from her, and although they did not say goodbye to her, it seems to have been the best for both of them. In fact, Akira himself mentioned that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and that Shizuka might later regret it if she didn’t take it.
Although Shizuka looks sad that Akira isn’t trying to stop her, she seems to know that this is something of her own charm. But that wasn’t what was going through Akira’s mind, he was devastated. After saying goodbye, he walks towards the beach thinking about Shizuka and starts crying out loud. The sound draws the zombies towards it, and the chapter ends.
This chapter definitely shook the fan community of this franchise, as they expected romance to finally blossom for Akira (considering that his first love, Saori Ohtori, was a flop. Although there were some riots on social networks (funa) and they even hurled insults at the authors, everything has changed now that the continuation of the work has been revealed.
But how come you already have the new chapter if it’s supposed to be a monthly publication manga? Well yes, although the next chapter is scheduled for August 19 in Japan, actually released in advance for a limited time (100 hours only) to celebrate the premiere of the live-action adaptation of Zom 100: The Bucket List of the Dead on netflix.
It is evident then that it is a surprise programmed by the author, and it refutes those strange theories that “the fun of the Chinese made the author change his mind.” The fact that there is an early chapter reveals that everything was already planned, and the author could not change the chapter in such a short period of time.
Of course, the surprise of the new chapter was incredible. Shizuka returns to Akira to warn him about the approaching mob of zombies, and they both start running away. As they run, Shizuka asks him for explanations and demands that he tell her his feelings. Akira does so, confesses that he is in love with her, and Shizuka tells him that she is also in love with him. They both close the scene by kissing while the crowd of zombies gets closer and closer. The following is a script of biblical proportions, so impressive that even with the screenshots you could not believe it: Before the zombies reach them, they are saved by dolphins! And the chapter ends.
