Zombie Land Saga

Japanese anime television series

Zombie Land Saga (Japanese: ゾンビランドサガ, Hepburn: Zonbi Rando Saga) is an anime television series. MAPPA, Avex Pictures and Cygames produced the anime.[2] It aired in Japan between October 4 and December 20, 2018.[3] It aired on AT-X, Tokyo MX, Sun TV, BS11, Saga TV, and TVQ.[2] Munehisa Sakai is the director.[2] Shigeru Murakoshi is the writer.[2] MAPPA is the animator.[2]

Zombie Land Saga
ゾンビランドサガ
(Zonbi Rando Saga)
GenreComedy, horror[1]
Created byMAPPA, Avex Pictures, Cygames
Anime television series
Directed byMunehisa Sakai
Written byShigeru Murakoshi
Music byYasuharu Takanashi
StudioMAPPA
Licensed by
Original networkAT-X, Tokyo MX, Sun TV, BS11, Saga TV, TVQ
Original run October 4, 2018 December 20, 2018
Episodes12
Manga
Written byMegumu Soramichi
Published byCygames
MagazineCycomi
Original runOctober 8, 2018 – present

Plot change

In 2008, high school student Sakura Minamoto plans to become an idol. However, a truck kills her on the morning she goes to submit her application. Ten years later, Sakura is one of seven "legendary" girls from many parts of Japanese history who return as zombies in an idol group known as Franchouchou (フランシュシュ, Furanshushu).[a] They are brought back to life by a man who plans to revive Saga Prefecture.

Characters change

Franchouchou change

Sakura Minamoto (源 さくら, Minamoto Sakura)
Voiced by: Kaede Hondo (Japanese); Brina Palencia (English)[5][6]
Saki Nikaido (二階堂 サキ, Nikaidō Saki)
Voiced by: Asami Tano (Japanese); Caitlin Glass (English)[5][6]
Ai Mizuno (水野 愛, Mizuno Ai)
Voiced by: Risa Taneda (Japanese); Bryn Apprill (English)[5][6]
Junko Konno (紺野 純子, Konno Junko)
Voiced by: Maki Kawase (Japanese); Amanda Lee (English)[5][6]
Yugiri (ゆうぎり, Yūgiri)
Voiced by: Rika Kinugawa (Japanese); Stephanie Young (English)[5][6]
Lily Hoshikawa (星川 リリィ, Hoshikawa Ririi)
Voiced by: Minami Tanaka (Japanese); Sarah Wiedenheft (English)[5][6]
Tae Yamada (山田 たえ, Yamada Tae)
Voiced by: Kotono Mitsuishi (Japanese); Dawn M. Bennett (English)[7][6]

Supporting characters change

Kotaro Tatsumi (巽 幸太郎, Tatsumi Kōtarō)
Voiced by: Mamoru Miyano (Japanese); Ricco Fajardo (English)[5][6]
Romero (ロメロ)
Voiced by: Yasuhiro Takato (Japanese); Alejandro Saab (English)[2][6]
Male Cop A (警察官A, Keisatsukan A)
Voiced by: Hiroyuki Yoshino (Japanese); Austin Tindle (English)[2][6]

Production change

Cygames announced the anime on July 5, 2018.[8] On August 31, 2018, voice actor Mamoru Miyano announced the anime's cast members.[5]

Crunchyroll streamed the Japanese version with English subtitles.[9] Funimation simulcasted an English version of the anime.[10]

A second season, titled Zombie Land Saga Revenge, was announced on July 27, 2019.[11]

Music change

The opening theme song is "Adabana Necromancy" (徒花ネクロマンシー, Adabana Nekuromanshī, lit. "Fruitless Necromancy").[2] The ending theme song is "Hikari e" (光へ, lit. "To the Light").[2] Both songs are sung by Franchouchou (Kaede Hondo, Asami Tano, Risa Taneda, Maki Kawase, Rika Kinugawa, and Minami Tanaka).[2]

Reception change

The opening theme song, Adabana Necromancy, charted at #13 in the Oricon Singles Chart on December 10, 2018.[12] It charted at #1 in the Billboard Japan Download Songs chart on the same day.[13]

One of the anime's characters, Lily Hoshikawa, is transgender.[14] Anime News Network named the revelation of Lily's gender identity as "the [eighth] episode's biggest talking point".[14] The Daily Dot named Lily as "trans Twitter’s latest role model".[15]

Zombie Land Saga won the 2019 Tokyo Anime Awards Festival award for Animation of the Year.[16]

Other media change

A manga adaptation by Megumu Soramichi began on Cygames' Cycomi website on October 8, 2018.[17] A stage adaptation, titled Zombie Land Saga Stage de Do-n!, was scheduled for March 11 to 14, 2020.[18] However, it was delayed to September 5 and 6 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[19]

A special featuring Franchouchou and Dempagumi.inc, Zombie to Denpa wa Chikyū o Sukuu! Special (ゾンビとでんぱは 地球を救う!?スペシャル, lit. Zombie and Denpa Save the Earth!? Special), aired on September 1, 2020.[20]

A visual fan book, Zombie Land Saga Pia (ゾンビランドサガぴあ, Zonbirando Saga Pia), was released on September 3, 2020.[20] It has a collaboration song between the two idol groups, Zombie Land Dempa!! (ゾンビランドDEMPA!!, Zonbirando DEMPA!!).[20]

Notes change

  1. The name is a play on the Japanese phrase Furanshūshū (腐乱臭衆), meaning "Decomposing Smell Group".[4]

References change

  1. "Crunchyroll - ZOMBIE LAND SAGA - Watch on Crunchyroll". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on 2018-10-11. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 Pineda, Rafael Antonio (September 10, 2018). "Zombieland Saga Anime's Video Reveals Staff, More Cast, October 4 Premiere". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2018-09-10. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  3. "アニマックス「ゾンビランドサガ」の重大ニュースを"大人の事情"で公表できず、と発表! 5か月間で何かが起こる!?". akiba-souken.com (in Japanese). December 16, 2019. Retrieved June 21, 2020 – via news.livedoor.com.[permanent dead link]
  4. "DEAD OR LIVE SAGA". Zombie Land Saga. Episode 3 (in Japanese). October 18, 2018. 10 minutes in. AT-X, Tokyo MX, Sun TV, BS11, Saga TV, TVQ. MAPPA.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Hodgkins, Crystalyn (August 31, 2018). "Mamoru Miyano Reveals Zombieland Saga Original Anime's Main Cast in Video". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2018-08-31. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  6. 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 "This Season's Sleeper Hit Gets A Great English Cast – ZOMBIE LAND SAGA". Funimation. October 25, 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-10-27. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  7. Ressler, Karen (October 18, 2018). "Zombie Land Saga Reveals Kotono Mitsuishi as Voice of Tae Yamada". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2018-10-19. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
  8. Ressler, Karen (July 5, 2018). "Cygames Unveils Zombieland Saga Anime for Fall 2018". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2018-07-06. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  9. Chapman, Paul (November 1, 2019). "The Music Never Dies: Rising From the Grave with ZOMBIE LAND SAGA". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on May 2, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  10. Ressler, Karen (September 26, 2018). "Crunchyroll, Funimation Add Zombieland Saga Anime for Fall Season". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2018-09-27. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  11. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (July 27, 2019). "Zombie Land Saga TV Anime Gets Sequel Titled Zombie Land Saga Revenge". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  12. "徒花ネクロマンシー". Oricon. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  13. "Charts". Billboard Japan Top Download Songs. Billboard JAPAN. 2018-12-10. Retrieved 2018-12-22.
  14. 14.0 14.1 Jones, Steve (November 24, 2018). "Episode 8 - Zombie Land Saga". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2018-11-26. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  15. Valens, Ana (November 26, 2018). "Twitter is falling in love with this anime's zombie trans girl". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on 2018-11-28. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  16. Chapman, Paul (21 February 2019). "ZOMBIE LAND SAGA and Case Closed Win Big at TAAF 2019". Crunchyroll. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  17. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (October 8, 2018). "Zombieland Saga Anime Gets Manga Adaptation". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2018-10-08. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  18. Mateo, Alex (27 November 2019). "Zombie Land Saga Stage Play Unveils Visual, Cast, Run Dates". Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  19. Sherman, Jennifer (July 17, 2020). "Zombie Land Saga Play Rescheduled for September". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 18, 2020. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 "「ゾンビランドサガ」×でんぱ組の楽曲制作決定!でんぱ組メンバーがアニメ絵に". Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. August 11, 2020. Archived from the original on August 18, 2020. Retrieved August 28, 2020. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; August 19, 2020 suggested (help)

Other websites change