3 Episode Impression: "Zombie Land Saga"

Synopsis

Sakura Minamoto was a high school girl who was simply on her way to school but ends up being hit by a truck. Rather than passing on, she finds herself waking up as a zombie and a man named Kotaro Tatsumi greets her. He tells her that he is bringing her into an idol group made up of zombies, Dead Girls he has “recruited” from several eras of Japanese history.

The Good

From the premise alone, it’s clear that the series is presenting a unique concept that on paper may seem weird but once executed, worked out better than expected. In just three episodes the series presented a different sort of formula to the idol idea by having the girls take on different music styles. Personally, it wasn’t until the second episode that this writer was truly drawn into the series. The first episode had it’s hooked in terms of impact, yes, but the show of character development and the whole rap segment in the second episode really hammered in the uniqueness of the episode.

The characters also form a rather interesting dynamic between them and the way they impact different audiences is another plus for the series. Other than this, the way it adapts it’s style to the music genre they’re performing is different but adds another unique point to the series.

The Bad

So far the only negative that can be said about the series is that the characters seem, at their core rather typical for the genre type of the series. They have their moments but it’s clear that there will be episodes featuring each of their girls finding either their lost love for performing or forming a connection the stage and audience. On a smaller note, the third episode showed a CGI rendition for their performance which is a clear homage to the generic idol performances but if the series does adapt its style depending on the music genre, there is a chance that it may come off as awkward if not handled well.

Conclusion

It’s a truly unique show that is worth checking out for the music and performances. The first episode alone really hits you on the head with its concept in a good way and the following episodes do well in forming its characters and showing its different styles to draw the viewer in. There are some generic points with the characters but the overall presentation of the story and music makes up for it.

Rating: 8/10