The following contains spoilers from the anime series Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, now available for streaming.
The anime genre has become known for a number of tropes, some beloved, some detested, and others that have simply become tiresome to watch. One of the latter is a lead character who is an inspirational and optimistic fool. Many anime protagonists fall under this trope, some more effectively than others, but one of the best versions of this trope is found in the recent series Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead.
At a glance, the main character Akira Tendou is the typical anime lead with a loud mouth and chaotic personality. His overjoyed reaction to the zombie apocalypse makes him stand out as an oddball character, but it also makes him inspirational. After years of suffering at his office job, there's a reason why he acts the way he does during the zombie outbreak. While many of his qualities fit perfectly with the tedious tropes of anime leads, Akira's personality serves a greater purpose beyond matching trends.
Akira Tendou's Outdated Tropes in Zom 100
The archetype of the anime lead has followed many of the same traits. These characters, who are typically male, are outspoken individuals whose actions go against the flow of society. Roughly everything they do is quirky with many risks, and done with little tact. Physical strength and an unrelenting will may be their greatest assets, but their biggest weakness is their lack of intelligence, although the experience they gain through hard work makes up for their mistakes. Anime fans will recognize this protagonist trope among iconic characters like Naruto Uzumaki, Luffy from One Piece, Yuji from Jujutsu Kaisen, and Gintoki from Gintama among many others. While these characters are beloved by fans, the trope of the chaotic fool has been overdone for decades to the point that it's lost the edge it once had. Now in Zom 100, Akira Tendou adds another name to this anime archetype, but his traits add a refreshing nuance to what has been seen before.
From watching the anime, viewers have come to know Akira as a loud-mouthed, chaotic jock who is relishing in the zombie apocalypse. He takes risks for ridiculous reasons such as beer runs, a confession of love, and anything else he has written on his bucket list. He may not have any lofty goals like changing the world for the better, but he is inspirational in the way he lives in the moment and enjoys the little things in his day to day life. As the comedic relief of the series, Akira comes off as the foolish character with the most unorthodox solutions to conflict. As dangerous as his lifestyle is, the survivors around him find him to be charming and inspirational. Akira's personality may seem like an unrealistic novelty that lightens the mood of the zombie horrors in the anime, but his upbeat nature is more than just entertaining.
Zom 100 Puts the Right Anime Tropes to Work
While the rest of the world endures the suffering of the zombie apocalypse, Akira is living his everyday life like a normal person. He remains optimistic and free-spirited, which serves as his greatest strength in overcoming any obstacles that come his way. Despite these traits combined being such a common anime trope across protagonists, Akira's character holds a very central purpose that makes him the perfect protagonist for this series.
Characters in this archetype uphold the ideals of originality, creativity, resilience, and strength, but when overdone those ideals become dulled and lack meaning. In Zom 100, Akira's personality acts as an opposing force to the grim horrors of a devastating situation, and is treated as a meaningful symbol. Both the manga and the anime have been deeply analyzed as anti-capitalistic, although fans can also see Akira's daily life as a symbol of living life to the fullest one day at a time. There's also a clever purpose to many of Akira's traits and his background that supports his ability to survive. Both in practicality and philosophy, Akira is the perfect lead for this series, foolish tropes and all.
Zom 100's Akira is a Foolish Lead With a Purpose
With Akira's background as an athlete, it makes sense that he would be able to survive against zombies. He has the physical strength and speed to accomplish extraordinary feats. His upbeat attitude has always been a part of his personality, but his joy during the outbreak is given a special meaning because of his traumatic experience as an office employee. Before the zombie breakout, he and his coworkers are manipulated into overworking themselves to uphold their company's bottom line, which leads to Akira's spirit being shattered. In a way, he was a zombie before the apocalypse ever started because his job left him devoid of life. He wishes for any way to be freed from the shackles of his job, which is why he is overjoyed when zombies lead to an upheaval of society. This survival of the fittest is a scenario that is the lesser of evils for Akira because he is free from his job and thanks to his athleticism, he's well-equipped to handle running for his life.
What really solidifies Akira as a protagonist worth rooting for is his idealistic, but reasonable bucket list of things he wants to do before he meets his end. His frequent habit of enjoying the little things and his upbeat personality certainly makes him an oddity within the zombie genre, but the whole point of Akira's journey is to live his own life on his own terms. This fits with the archetype of the foolish lead, but it's done with purpose and heartfelt meaning. Whether looking at this series through the lens of anti-capitalism or looking at Akira's story as a positive way to live one's life, the series serves as a testament to paving a positive way through an overwhelming situation.
Zom 100's Akira Tendou is without question the typical foolish anime lead. He has a big mouth and takes risky actions without thinking too far ahead, but is charming with his optimism and heartwarming goals. However, with a carefully devised background and a deep meaning behind his character, he is more than a trope. There is a purpose behind Akira's character that reflects the message of originality, creativity, resilience, and strength that teaches its viewers to live their own lives without fear. This ideal is centralized in the series because of Akira, making him one of the best protagonists, even though he has some of the most tiresome tropes tied to his character.