Zombieland Saga Revenge Review: When Zombie Idols Rise Again

Zombieland Saga Revenge

I will confess that the sequel to Zombieland Saga was among the top 3 releases I had been looking forward to the most in 2021. There are many Idol anime, but few have managed to captivate me and hold themselves in my high regard over the years. This season has soared to the top of my list of favorite idol anime. Let's dive straight into the review. MAPPA, Avex Pictures, and Cygames produced Zombie Land Saga Revenge, with Munehisa Sakai returning as director and Shigeru Murakoshi as series composer. The production team saw notable changes, with Tatsuro Onishi and Momoko Mifune taking over as art director and director of photography, respectively. The choreography was handled by JUNJUN, with Maki Tsubono serving as dance coordinator, Kasumi Fukagawa providing the character designs, and Yasuharu Takanashi composing the music.

After the success of Franchouchou's first season finale performance, Tatsumi wanted to make a giant leap with the group by planning their most ambitious concert at the Ekimae Fudosan stadium, only to see the same number of people from the season finale performance attend this concert, which is a minimum number of seats in a vast stadium. Now with millions of yen in debt and without the support of Tatsumi (who, after the failure, now spends his time going from bar to bar drowning his sorrows in alcohol) and with their reputation back to almost zero among idol groups, mainly because their fame is almost exclusively local, Tae, Sakura, Saki, Ai, Junko, Yugiri, and Lily decide to work to pay off the debt, get back on their feet, and try to shine on stage again. And, of course, our girls will do everything without fear of failure. It's not like they're going to die for it.

The sequel, Revenge, expands on its characters and the world they inhabit, incorporating humor, drama, and even a hint of horror through the consequences of certain events. The series moves forward with its characters as it explores the girls' pasts and how their lives have changed, reminding them that they have lost things but gained some new ones in this second chance at life. However, having a mature dramatic side where the zombies contemplate their existence and the situations they find themselves in does not detract from the fact that this is still an anime with a sense of humor that does not hesitate to be ridiculous and optimistic in a way that makes its episodes simple to watch and enjoy. This second part achieves a fairly natural balance between all its elements, polishing the details of the first season but remaining unique with its revelations and surprises, surpassing itself with what it can achieve when it gets serious. The story arcs provide a rollercoaster of emotions and revelations crucial for the franchise's next, more complex chapter.

The development for each of them was more than divine, starting from the fact that we already had their personalities well established and, except for Yugiri and Tae, their respective causes of death. This season aims to delve deeper into each character and give them a chance to shine. Zombieland Saga shows that even though we have a main character, it's not all about her; it’s about Franchouchou as a group. This strangely puts Sakura as a supporting character for most episodes, and that’s not a negative thing. Despite being a supporting character in the arcs centered around her mates, Sakura remains a lot of fun. My favorite character arc was Junko's. I've been waiting for a solo arc and song since I heard her voice in the first season. This was especially true given that she and Ai were the only characters with real-life stage experience, albeit in different eras. Another crucial character arc was that of Yugiri, who turned out to be a character who was basically at the origin of everything and whose story helped reveal a lot of lore of the franchise.

MAPPA's animation work on Revenge is one of their most substantial efforts. It is colorful, with plenty of detail in close-ups and movements that are either very natural or exaggerated, as the scene requires. How well this production's visuals hold up over episodes is surprising. The creators worked with the local government (specifically the tourism department). The settings aim to faithfully recreate real locations in Saga Prefecture, including dried squid companies, restaurants, stadiums, and other traditional locations for the residents.

Otherwise, the characters are just as striking as before and work for the calmer and exaggerated moments, maintaining a solid balance between the two. The dance routines' CGI has improved since the first season, but it's still simple to distinguish it from the rest of the episode's animation, which is typical of idol series. For me, the climax of the animation was the final concert. I've seen many animated concerts, but this is the first to capture and transmit the energy and essence of being in one. Additionally, the sequence in which Franchouchou helped all the characters along the way arrive was truly epic.

Franchouchou showcases the series' musical prowess through its opening theme, "Taiga yo Tomo ni Naite Kure" (O Saga, Cry With Me), and ending theme, "Yume o Te ni, Modoreru Basho mo Nai Hibi o" (Spending The Days With a Dream and Nowhere to Go Home). The soundtrack exceeds typical J-pop conventions, including unexpected elements like the memorable dried squid company anthem. While the background instrumentalization serves its purpose without standing out, the insert songs demonstrate remarkable variety and quality.

The series has garnered significant praise from critics and fans, with viewers particularly appreciating how Revenge built upon the foundation of the first season while taking the story in fresh directions. The show has developed a dedicated following, earning acclaim for its unique blend of comedy, drama, and supernatural elements. Fans have especially praised its ability to balance serious character development with signature absurdist humor, making it accessible to idol anime enthusiasts and general audiences. The series' conclusion laid the groundwork for future storylines, including intriguing revelations about Kotaro's condition and a shocking UFO-related cliffhanger. While there has been no official announcement about a third season, an anime film project in development for the series on October 17, 2021, suggests the franchise has more stories to tell.

The first season surprised the world after keeping everything a secret until the last minute so that its mix of elements hit viewers with the force of a truck who did not know what kind of series they were getting into. With its secrets in the air, the sequel achieved the unexpected by surprising again, offering a much more solid show than one would expect from its premise that looks ridiculous initially. Like the first season, this is my idol series recommendation for those who do not think they will like it or want something different. This is unquestionably a worthy sequel, comparable to only a few others, and an idol anime that has firmly established itself as the best in its genre.