Episode 3

**Best Friend of the Dead** (ベスト フレンド オブ ザデッド, *Besuto furendo obu zadeddo*?) is the third episode of *Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead* anime adaptation.

## Synopsis

Akira came to Shinjuku to meet his only friend with whom he could get in touch, Kencho. They had shared joys and sorrows together in the rugby club, and Kencho was supposed to be leading a successful professional life. However, now he is in a life-threatening crisis. Can Akira save Kencho!?

## Summary

In the bustling atmosphere of Club Shou-Time, Shou and other staff managers find themselves defending their establishment from a horde of zombies. Meanwhile, Akira is resolute in his determination to locate his friend Kencho. Rewinding a few hours back, we find Akira attempting to check off an item from his bucket list - growing a beard. Regrettably, this endeavor doesn't go as planned.

Amidst his facial hair experiment, Akira's phone receives a series of message notifications, notifying him that the Wi-Fi has been restored. This prompts him to reflect on how he hadn't had the time to check his messages for the past three years, resulting in an overwhelming influx of unanticipated messages. While going through his list, he stumbles upon Kencho's name. Fueled by the belief that Kencho is still alive, Akira becomes resolute in his mission to find him.

Simultaneously, Kencho is struggling to survive in Club Shou-Time, confined to the bondage room and faced with a perilous encounter with a zombie. Akira reaches out to Kencho by phone and assures him that they will meet at Shinjuku, despite Kencho's warnings.

During his journey to Shinjuku, Akira takes a moment to acquaint the audience with details about Kencho - a popular college student, Akira's closest friend, and a party-goer, who later became a successful real estate agent. Although Akira was at times irritated by Kencho's advice to leave his exploitative job, he remains unwavering in his commitment to save his friend.

In the climax, as Shou succumbs to the zombies, the noise draws their attention away. Kencho seizes this opportunity and escapes the room, eventually running into Akira. Expressing remorse for not having listened to Kencho and being envious of his success, Akira sincerely apologizes. They are then chased to the rooftop by the pursuing zombies. With a daring move, Akira jumps to a nearby building and urges Kencho to follow suit. However, Kencho reveals that he had never been fond of his job and had been merely putting on a show all these years. His true passion lies in becoming a stand-up comic, and Akira wholeheartedly encourages him to pursue it by quitting his job.

Kencho takes a leap of faith, successfully making it across to the other building, shedding his clothes along the way. Later that night, as they talk on the rooftop, Kencho confides in Akira about his ambition to save the survivors of the apocalypse, although Akira remains skeptical. The episode concludes with Kencho and Akira sleeping on the rooftop, and the camera pans to a close-up of Akira's bucket list, signifying the journey that lies ahead for both friends.

## Characters

* Akira Tendou
* Kenichirou Ryuuzaki

## Gallery

### Illustrations

Hanako Ueda (Key Animation) IllustrationTakata Koutarou Illustration
## References

1. ↑ Hanako Ueda (@hanamaru\_hnkc). 3話ご視聴ありがとうございました～ #ゾン100 (in Japanese).
2. ↑ Takata Koutarou's Official Twitter (@kosamehal). Reference link: すいません打ち直し告知ー。アニメ「ゾン100」6/23TBS系にて17:00より第3話ですー。 心はいつも素っ裸、竜崎憲一朗ことケンチョ登場！CVは古川慎さんです！ すぐアレになるやつですが何卒よろしくお願いします！#ゾン100 #zom100 (in Japanese) (Retrieved July 23, 2023).