With the huge unexpected success of the live-action series adaptation of Alice in Borderland on Netflix, the new manga scripted by Haro Asô was one of the most anticipated releases of this May. Under the dynamic and neat features of Kotaro Takata, Bucket List of the Dead revisits the zombie apocalypse from an angle full of humor and offbeat hope.
Survival is good, enjoying life is even better!
Akira Tendô is a Japanese employee like so many others who has been exploited by his company for three years now. At the end of his rope, this spirited 24-year-old gradually turned into a zombie, vampirized by his working hours and colleagues. It is then that one fine morning, the end of the world knocks on his door in the form of the living dead by the dozens. Faced with this disaster, he will take things positively and decide to create a list of 100 things to do before becoming a zombie. This zombie apocalypse may have left him perplexed at first, but he will quickly rejoice. For Akira, it's a chance to quit his job, rest and finally realize some of his dreams. Whether it's declaring his feelings to the one he loves, riding a motorcycle, relieving himself all day or skydiving, it's not a few walking corpses that will stand in his way. Akira regains his joy of living in all this chaos and may well be the savior of humanity with his foolproof optimism. Although it may seem out of place, his smiles have given a taste for life to other survivors he has met, such as his best friend. 
A dark but realistic vision of Japanese society
Aggretsuko or The Dungeon of Black Company are just a few examples that describe this completely hallucinating daily life from a French point of view. In the case of Bucket List of the Dead, despite a light and zany tone that unpins the heavy atmosphere that surrounds Akira, the duo Haro Asô / Kotaro Takata does not hesitate to press where it hurts without beating around the bush. The parallel between zombies and Akira is absolutely not hidden. The appearance of the young person is reminiscent of the makeup that can be made on Halloween, not to mention his lack of motivation almost vegetative. Akira's shattered naivety and innocence are representative of the sacrifices made by ordinary employees in Japan. Big companies give blessed stability to the land of the Rising Sun, but at what price! Overtime that is counted by dozens, sleepless nights that follow one another, here is the daily life of many Japanese. It is frowned upon to leave on time and let alone take time off. This situation is no longer a rumor or a shameful little secret, these are proven facts nowadays. 
A not-so-unknown mangaka duo
Haro Asô is no longer to be presented for most manga fans, however, it was not until 2020 that his name spoke to the general public. Mangaka rather prolific since 2008, all his series are available in France and his major work remains Alice in Borderland. The success was so huge that he had the opportunity to create spin-offs taking up the concept of chase in an alternate world. Haro-sensei is a gifted screenwriter, specializing in horror and psychological stories. Its partnership with Kotaro Takata is therefore complementary. He is used to writing lighter and fun adventures, with cute and colorful graphics. Despite a career as long as that of his companion, Takata-sensei saw his first French publication published last year with the 4-volume series, Moi, Sherlock. This first opus is an excellent start to an introduction for a series full of potential. The characters are funny and endearing. The atmosphere juggles between laughter and panic, not to mention a good dose of action and mystery. The sequel promises to be of the same ilk, so if you like the Z series, do not miss Bucket List of the Dead.
