Many believe that zombies are not popular in Japan, due to the few existing animes. In this article, I want to show the real reason why zombies are not famous, as well as present an extensive list of zombie animes and other works.
Before we talk about zombie animes, we need to understand a bit of Japanese culture and why there aren’t so many works related to zombies. If you understand this, you will be able to comprehend why some Japanese zombie works are so different.
Table of Contents
Why are zombies not popular in Japan?
In Brazil and the West, zombies have been very successful; it all started with the release of the series The Walking Dead and the Resident Evil movies. The internet began to viralize the term zombie, countless survival tests in a zombie apocalypse, themed games like plants vs zombies, I spent the last 3 years hearing and seeing people talk about zombies all the time; it seems like there was a zombie movie every month in theaters.
This is slowly running out, but in Japan, despite great works like High School of the Dead and Resident Evil, zombies have never been as popular as in the West. What is the real reason behind this?
Some may find this good, but unfortunately, due to the unpopularity of zombies, many works that we like end up not getting a new season or continuation. Are the undead not well represented in animes?
Burying the dead is uncommon in Japan
What contributed to the unpopularity of the term zombie in Japan is the fact that most Japanese are cremated and not buried. For this reason, Japanese creations like Resident Evil and High School of the Dead began with a virus outbreak and not with people rising from graves.
Another key factor is that respect for the dead in Japan is very great. Many have an altar in their homes, and there is even a whole week of holiday dedicated to the spirits of loved ones. Turning a cemetery into a scary place simply does not work in Japan.
Weapons, weapons, weapons
Despite animes depicting a lot of action, giant robots, and flashy weapons, Japan hates guns. Finding a weapon in Japan is very difficult. While all zombie movies portray weapons as a means of protection, if a zombie apocalypse were to happen in Japan, everyone would die, as even the police usually do not carry weapons.
Weapons? Who needs weapons when you have katanas? Those who think it’s easy to get a katana in Japan need to stop dreaming about animes.
What horror is popular in Japan?
These small factors do not mean that Japan has not tried to spread zombies in its culture. There are several movies, dramas, and mangas that depict zombies; some of them even became very successful, but the vast majority were a failure. In a country where fantasy goes far beyond, it is difficult for zombies to compete with the competition.
One thing that is very popular in Japan is ghosts. Japanese people believe in spirits and are very superstitious. So in Japan, when someone dies, they become a ghost and not a zombie. The amount of animes, mangas, doramas, and movies featuring ghosts is enormous, becoming almost a cliché in Japan.
Action and Horror Zombie Animes
When it comes to zombie animes, people want to see horror and action. Below we will share the best zombie animes with horror and action:
Highschool of the Dead
When the infected approached Rei and Takashi’s school, it led to a terrible bloodbath that left most students and staff dead or turned into zombie-like monsters that spread across the world.
Together with a handful of other survivors, Rei and Takashi set out to find their families in a world that is rapidly deteriorating. Governments have collapsed, the deadly disease is out of control, and people everywhere are doing their best to simply live each day…
This is one of the most famous zombie animes, with plenty of action and ecchi. Unfortunately, the anime had only 12 episodes and ended with a somewhat open ending, but it remains a frantic work that keeps you hooked from start to finish.
Koutetsujou no Kabaneri
During the industrial revolution, humanity is threatened by the sudden emergence of undead monsters that can only be killed by piercing their hearts with an iron plate. Those bitten become one of them.
Called “Kabane,” these monsters exploded in number. The people of Hinomoto built fortress stations and barricaded themselves inside. Only steam locomotives, the Hayajiros, can travel between them.
The anime is quite frantic and interesting, with beautiful art and soundtrack. Unfortunately, this was another anime overshadowed and prevented from having a new season due to its unpopularity in Japan.
Kore wa Zombie desu ka?
This anime, despite having zombie in the title, features different creatures in a story full of craziness. Ayumu was killed by a serial killer – at least, he was. After the mysterious Eucliwood Hellscythe revives him, he becomes a zombie.
Now, besides not being able to die, the boy must cater to the whims of his supernatural and silent companion – but things keep getting worse from there. He even ends up becoming a magical girl.
Additionally, in the anime, we have the addition of a hostile vampire ninja. Will Ayumu be able to have a normal life while fighting monsters and searching for the person who killed him? Will his dignity remain intact?
Different Zombie Animes
When we look to watch a zombie anime, we want to see action and blood. The Japanese step out of this pattern and invent zombie animes that are moe, with comedy and even romance. Now let’s see the best different zombie animes:
Gakkou Gurashi
Looking for a school loli anime with zombies? This anime tells the story of Yuki Takeya, who loves her school; in fact, she lives at school, even attending classes, despite being one of the only ones who does. Why doesn’t she go home?
She is part of the “School-Life Club,” a group of four girls and their dog who camp in the club room at night and grow their own food on the school roof. They do not leave the school because it is a safe place in a world that has been devastated by zombies.
This anime deceives those who watch it thinking it is just a slice of life of life. In fact, this anime has a good story behind it, positioning itself ahead of others in the ranking. Were you impacted by Madoka? Then go for it!
Zombieland Saga
The zombies are tired of living in darkness and want to shine. In the year 2008, high school girl Sakura Minamoto is abruptly killed by a truck while heading to an audition.
Ten years later, Sakura, along with six “legendary” girls from various periods of Japanese history, are brought back as zombies by a man named Kotaro Tatsumi, who seeks to revitalize Saga Prefecture by gathering a group of zombie Idols known as Franchouchou.
Only the Japanese could manage to combine an Idol anime with zombies. Do you believe it worked? Zombieland Saga is a great anime that manages to mix scary things in very funny situations. An essential anime for those who like the genre.
Sankarea
Chihiro is a student who loves the macabre and collects horror movies, thinking that dating a zombie girl would be interesting. But although the idea of death is appealing, when he loses his pet cat, he makes many efforts to resurrect it.
Every night, he sneaks off to an abandoned building and tries to prepare a resurrection potion until one day he meets Rea, the beautiful daughter of the Sanka family. However, after a mix-up, she ends up becoming a zombie!
Now the horror fanatic Chihiro is living the dream with his own zombie girlfriend, but how will the duo deal with Rea’s new diet and the onset of rigor mortis? Don’t miss this romantic comedy anime involving zombies.
Animes for Zombie Lovers
Although they do not literally have undead zombies, there are similarities between traditional works involving zombies. Now see some similar animes specially chosen for those who enjoy zombie animes.
Gungrave
Brandon Heat and Harry MacDowel were best friends who lived by the law of the street until one day they got into a fight with the wrong people, and their life of freedom was abruptly taken away.
With no one to turn to and nowhere to run, the choice to join Millenion, the most powerful syndicate in the city, seemed like an offer too good to refuse. Through science, they had their bodies recovered, becoming powerful zombies.
Now, amidst headaches, tragedy, and absolute betrayal, Brandon must take up arms and help Harry rise in the ranks of Millenion to succeed, in order to protect the people he loves, even if it means killing countless others in the process.
Tokyo Ghoul
Tokyo Ghoul are not exactly zombies; they are Ghouls, creatures that feed on human flesh. They cannot infect other humans, only eat them. Despite this, the atmosphere of the anime is quite dark and resembles zombie animes.
Ken Kaneki is a normal university student, quiet and a big fan of reading. However, this normal boy lives in a deadly world – home to creatures called ghouls, which need to eat human flesh to survive.
One day he ends up being almost devoured by a love interest, becoming half Ghoul and half Human. From then on, he must try to preserve his humanity while surviving in an increasingly hostile world filled with human and ghoul enemies.
Hellsing
In today’s England, a war is being fought. The average citizen does not notice, but vampires are running rampant among the population, and it is up to the Hellsing organization to contain the threat of bloodsuckers, even using their own weapons against them.
Alucard, himself a vampire, is the best agent the organization has to offer, answering only to Integra Hellsing herself. No one knows much about this mysterious figure fighting against supernatural creatures, including zombies.
Other Zombie Animes
There are many Resident Evil animes, but all of them are in CGI, which may displease most. Besides these, we have some animes not mentioned in the article, OVAs, and movies that we will list below:
| Mo Dao Zu Shi 2 | Anime | 2019 |
| Mo Dao Zu Shi | Anime | 2018 |
| Black Butler: Book of the Atlantic | Movie | 2017 |
| Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress Movie: The Battle of Unato | Movie | 2019 |
| Is this a Zombie? Of the Dead | Anime | 2012 |
| School-Live! | Anime | 2015 |
| Is this a Zombie? Of the Dead: Yes, This Suits Me Just Fine | OVA | 2012 |
| Is this a Zombie? | TV | 2011 |
| Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress | TV | 2016 |
| Highschool of the Dead | TV | 2010 |
| Zombieland Saga | TV | 2018 |
| Is this a Zombie? OVA | OVA | 2011 |
| Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress Part 1: Light That Gathers | Movie | 2016 |
| Sankarea | TV | 2012 |
| Resident Evil: Damnation | Movie | 2012 |
| Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress Part 2: Life That Burns | Movie | 2017 |
| Resident Evil: Vendetta | Movie | 2017 |
| Sankarea OVA | OVA | 2012 |
| Genius Party | Other | 2007 |
| Resident Evil: Degeneration | Movie | 2008 |
| The Empire of Corpses | Movie | 2015 |
| Highschool of the Dead: Drifters of the Dead | OVA | 2011 |
| Hitori no Shita: The Outcast | TV | 2016 |
| Resident Evil 4: Incubate | OVA | 2006 |
| Mo Ri Shu Guang | Anime | 2018 |
| Shi Xiong | Anime | 2014 |
| Seoul Station | Movie | 2016 |
| Kyoufu! Zombie Neko | TV | 2015 |
| Walking Meat | Movie | 2019 |
| Spookiz | Anime | 2014 |
| Gyo | OVA | 2012 |
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