Usually by now, I’d be sat at my University anime society, playing some Yu-Gi-Oh before we sit back and watch six episodes of an anime that either everyone is completely aware of, or something so obscure the cold war hadn’t been over for too long when it was released. Space Battleship Yamato, I think we were going to be watching this week. Anyone seen it? Please feel free to comment how good it was. However, my partner’s got a raging fever, so here I am writing a review on a series that I feel needs a bit of recognition.
Kore Wa Zombie Desu Ka (Is this a Zombie?) is a light hearted action/harem anime that focuses on Ayumu Aikawa, an all around average guy that was murdered by an unknown serial killer but was resurrected as a zombie, and his three rather unwelcome female housemates, perky, hyperactive magical girl Haruna, cool, collected Vampire-Ninja Seraphim, and quiet, emotionless Eu, short for Eucliwood Hellscythe, Necromancer of Hades and the whole reason for Ayumu’s sorry situation. Taking advantage of his new undead powers, Ayumu is searching for the same murderer to bring an end to the grisly murders around Tokyo, as well as defeating strange creatures known as Megalos that have begun invading the city.
(Credit: www.Giantbomb.com)
Now the first thing you should know about this anime is that you just need to roll with whatever happens, because this anime prides itself on having themes that go all over the place and things get pretty crazy right from the get go. You’ll be watching the girls playing suggestive twister over a pudding one minute to blood and guts gory flesh tearing battles between forces of the underworld the next, and that’s a good thing, because underneath all that mix of harem humour and bloodthirsty fight sequences, you’ll find a genuinely heartwarming plot and setting. Ayumu is an extremely likeable character, and you’ll smile to yourself whenever he manages to salvage a seemingly lost situation with his refreshing honest take on being that nowadays oh so common harem protagonist and unique sense of humour.
(Credit: www.korehazombiedesuka.wikia.com)
I really digress. What makes Kore Wa Zombie Desu Ka stand out from amongst the typical supernatural anime is the cast, and I say that with no doubt. They are all likeable in one way or another, something that harem animes will always struggle to achieve. Their funny and uplifting quirks and interferences with Ayumu’s attempted day to day life make this anime an easy and relaxing watch. While Ayumu is the undisputed star in being a generally average, likeable guy, everyone’s wildly over the top contrasting personalities make life all the more troublesome for Ayumu and all the more delightful for us to watch. You’ll want one of the girls living with you at the end of it, because all of them bring such colour to an otherwise dreary life. I’d happily have Sera live in my attic, even if she would insult me at every given opportunity. Besides, we can’t forget how warm and fuzzy it makes you feel when the characters eventually show their softer sides; that’s a universal given, right?
But I mentioned fights before, didn’t I? What are those like?
Well now, here we get to the other side of this anime, and it’s one you have to take with a pinch of salt. The fights ARE awesome. They’re supernatural to the extreme, back and forth taunting between the fighters, clashing blades, sparks flying, blood, LOTS of blood, deep meaning and fighting to protect your friends, sounds like a recipe for epicness.
Just ignore the dress.
(Credit: www.korehazombiedesuka.wikia.com)
You will come to ignore it. I know it looks very, very difficult to ignore, with all those frills and those revealing stockings, but by putting such an emphasis on just how noticeable the dress is the first few times, ironically, you come to accept it as part of the character. I won’t deny there are moments where you wish it wasn’t quite so…pink, but let’s compare the dress to Goku’s spirit bomb. No matter how bad things got, when he raised his arms to the sky, you knew things would turn out alright in the end, right? Well it’s the same with our loveable Ayumu. When he mutters that magical girl chant (Which, if anyone’s curious, if translated to Japanese and read backwards, says “I’m lovely and charming, but I summon Death”) and the pink frills bloom, you know that he’ll save the day, and somehow still look awesome doing it. Besides, even if you still can’t get over the frilliness (It is VERY frilly, isn’t it?) then focus on the chainsaw. That’s right, a Chainsaw. Voiced by R. Bruce Elliot in the Funimation English Dub. How more manly can you possibly be?
For those who are interested in the purely harem side of things (I know you’re out there), rest assured that you’ll receive ample fanservice in all shapes and sizes. Ayumu himself will be the recipient of almost every single one, so feel free to delightfully cry “Pervert!” whenever he finds himself in such embarrassing situations.
Except…hold your tongue a moment. Because Ayumu, despite passing all qualifications for the identity of enormous pervert in the middle of harem anime (Cough cough Issei Hyoudo), Ayumu genuinely isn’t a pervert. If enormous bosoms or naked women are thrust elegantly, explosively, or both, into his face, or is subjected to some barely concealed innuendo (Emphasis on the barely, ladies and gentlemen. That head teacher has quite the mouth on her), most of the time, he’ll pass by with some casual yet witty comment, seemingly unaffected. Of course, I won’t deny that there aren’t perverted moments with Ayumu. There are certain opportunities that are simply too precious to miss, and I doubt many people would deprive him of them. Look closely, however, and you’ll see that most of these perverted moments are geared towards Eu, the girl he genuinely likes. Now I don’t know about you, but the fact that Ayumu dismisses enormous breasts and half naked bodies to shower Eu with his affection…that’s really damn sweet.
(Credit: www.anime-evo.net)
That brings me onto why I feel this particular harem anime is better than others out there, say, High School DxD. Now I’m not saying for a minute that I dislike High School DxD. It’s an interesting concept with flashy fight scenes and hilariously exaggerated fanservice, and there were quite a few moments that tugged at my heartstrings (Season 1, Episode 5. Best episode in the season, in my opinion). But I think, on the whole, the characters in this particular anime just surpass it, and there’s no other way of saying it. I pair Issei and Asia together with every fibre of my being because I saw more emotion in Issei in episode 5 than I did for the entire rest of the season regarding him and Rias, and while I love Rias all the same, to pair those characters off simply because they’re the main ones when the relationship between Asia and Issei was done so well before seemed like such a downgrade, and you don’t get that in Is This a Zombie. You know that Ayumu loves Eu, and their relationship is built up just as strongly throughout the series as Issei and Asia’s. Also, while Issei’s pervertedness was funny at the start, as the series progressed it gradually became more and more forced, as if the writers were trying to hold back character development until the second season. Ayumu’s occasional and subtle (Sometimes) pervertedness keeps things fresh and funny, and sometimes it’s just cute to see him go all soft over Eu. Like I said, I’m not saying I dislike High School DxD, but I never got that feeling with Issei that I did with Ayumu; a feeling of liking him for who he is, not for who he tried to be.
But is there anything wrong with this anime? Hmm…yes. And the main fault I find with it is, hypocritically, after singing it’s praises in the third paragraph, the plot. While it is definitely heartwarming and sweet for the most part, there are occasions where it thins a bit, sometimes to the point where you really have to wonder whether or not you’re watching the same show. I know it’s a harem and you don’t really, in the fullest sense of the phrase, watch it for the plot, and maybe it’s just a personal thing, but while I’m all for fanservice and Sera’s harsh yet amusing insults, I still like the plot to be progressing, even if only in the background, and not fixated entirely on her cleavage. This fault I find comes up most prominently in Season 2, which had low sales as a result and dimmed the chance of there being a Season 3, which is REALLY ANNOYING because between the boob jokes and panty shots of that season, a seriously suggestively dark twist to the plot was revealing itself, and at the end of the season, we had so many questions left unanswered that we couldn’t help but pine for Season 3. Haruna’s past, the possibility of Eu returning to the underworld, all really vital stuff I desperately want answered. I still hold true the theory that the Magical Girls are in fact a horrible species that wipe out worlds for their magic and follow some kind of interdimensional Aryanism, but that’s just my own theory, possibly influenced by Madoka Magicka.
(Credit: www.gamefaqs.com)
But in conclusion, for the most part, Is This a Zombie is a funny, exciting, delivering and at times dark anime with a strong cast and unconventional yet effective storyline that I fully recommend. Word of advice though. Watch Season 1 first, and take Season 2 with a pinch of Salt. Treat it like Darker Than Black, basically speaking!
Also, as a parting note, I recommend that you watch it with English Dubbing. You’ll be surprised at just how good it is, especially Lindsay Seidal’s scream. Besides, you’ll get to listen to Eric Vale at his most sexy, and what’s not to like about that?
The post Is This a Zombie? – Why it’s one of the best harems out there appeared first on Anime Blog.