Ikinokotta 6-nin ni Yoru to (2022)

This series was very funny. The script was great. It had the perfect combination of Dawn of the Dead (2004) and Shaun of the Dead story elements. This had a great cast which did a good job portraying their characters. I also like how they did not take their character seriously. The zombie make-up was bad but I think it was done on purpose to help with the comedy aspect. They also did a good job with the cinematograph.

Random Note:

Don’t get scared off by the zombie aspect. There is only one somewhat gory scene in the very beginning of episode one.

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A Short & Fun Watch

I watched three shows about serial killers/murderers back to back. So, of course, a zombie drama was the perfect show to unwind. Although, the show is set during a zombie outbreak, it's not really about the zombies, it's about the people. This also means that although zombies are shown multiple times, they are used for comedic effect more than for horror, except for one event in the beginning.

This drama had it all; comedy, friendship, bromance, girl love, first loves, toxic relationships, insecure attachments, codependency, and even one effective, at least for me, jumpscare. The selfish nature of human beings is also highlighted throughout and it's especially noticeable through an event just before the last scene. Some of the characters, two more than the others, irritated me so much, but, overall, it was a fun watch with a quirky OST.

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Zombie Escapism

I am a sucker for anything zombies, so when Ikinokotta 6-nin ni Yoru to popped up on Viki, I immediately queued it up on my watch list, even though it has a pretty low rating on MDL.

If you're expecting a lot of zombies in this show, don't lol. A majority of the episodes don't even have a zombie in it! In fact, the stakes are so low that characters pass the time zombie-watching out of a huge floor-to-ceiling window, and the zombies don't even pay any attention to them. They just roam around the building aimlessly. The gang even has a favorite zombie that they check in on from time to time that's based off the infamous Keanu Reeves meme. It's hilarious.

You do have to suspend disbelief. The characters have been trapped in the mall for at least a month, but they all have electricity, running water, and a seemingly endless amount of food. There are no looters, raiders, bad people wreaking havoc in the streets. Also the zombie makeup is pretty mid, if even that.

Each character has their own quirk, some are kind of annoying, but at only six episodes, 20min each, it's bearable. Plus, the show progresses pretty nicely and doesn't linger on any character too much for their antics to be overwhelming.

All characters have responsibilities to keep the base in order - one does all the cooking, another does all the cleaning, but it seems rather imbalanced. One character is the leader but we rarely see him actually lead. In fact the one instance where he could've lead, he panicked until someone else stepped in. Another character, an influencer in her former life, serves as a record keeper, recording the gang's life in the mall, but that doesn't at all seem equivalent to cooking the entire gang's meals day in and day out. This is a minor nitpick but it did irk me lol.

The show is also very pretty. The color grading, the blurred backgrounds, the camera angles - it's very calming and reassuring, despite the juxtaposition of the zombie apocalypse setting. I find that it complements the show's escapism vibe very well. The characters aren't at all focused on saving the world or even really ensuring long-term survival. All six survivors just want to find love because what else can they do while being cooped up in a mall with no end in sight?

All in all, it was an enjoyable zippy show. I like zombie shows and I love dramas in general for an escape and it was fun to escape into this world where the stakes are low and the characters are just having fun!

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