Remember Zombie Land Saga? You know, that series that had a crazy resurrect dead girls to create an idol group? Did you know it had a second season?
I did.
And I waited forever to see it. I didn’t have a Crunchyroll subscription, so I had to wait until the DVD came out last year]. But I am happy to say that Zombie Land Saga: Revenge lives up to and in some places exceeds the awesomeness of Season 1.
Now that all the main characters (more or less) have been introduced, the series is able to focus more on plot and lore. And as it turns out, there is a reason why these specific girls were resurrected and why Kotaro wants to save Saga prefecture so badly.
And you know me. I looooove some good lore.
Throughout the season, there is a looming threat of the group’s true identities being exposed – but the main focus is the group getting back on their feet after a disastrous performance and get their revenge.
But of course, nothing is so simple.
PLOT
After a failed performance, the members of Franchouchou have to get jobs to pay back a 20 million yen debt. Along the way, Ai is forced to confront the members of her old group Iron Frill, Saki has to come to terms with being the same age forever, and we get Yugiri’s backstory.
Towards the end of the season, the girls schedule their revenge concert only to be interrupted by a rainstorm. Throughout the season, we also learn a little more about why the girls were bought back and why they need to save Saga.
While it’s considerably more lore heavy than the first season – Zombieland Saga: Revenge shares much in common, particularly the ending. The season itself gets wrapped up nicely, but there are still plenty of questions left unanswered and character arcs to be resolved as well as a hell of a cliffhanger.
I can only hope we get a third season. Maybe Zombie Land Saga: Encore?
The Good
Jeez, where to start? The music? Every song is a bop! The characterization? Stronger than ever. It really expands on what we already knew about the characters and digs in deeper. It also explores the idea that not only are the girls functionally immortal – but they can’t grow up. They’re never going to be normal again.
And my god, I just love the angst that comes with it.
Yugiri
We finally get Yugiri’s backstory – through a 2-episode flashback that brings up something very interesting: a curse that was placed on the Saga Prefecture, that tragically befalls the people who are supposed to make it great.
That’s why the girls were chosen. The whole idol group? Well, let’s just say there’s a reason for that – and it has to do with Sakura’s and Kotaro’s shared past. But while all the other girls’ stories were shared in bits and pieces in dedicated episodes: we get Yugiri’s full story. And it’s really interesting.
I don’t want to give any major spoilers. But this arc is intense, emotional and adds so much to the lore. I love it.
And no, there is no Tae Yamada story in this season, either. You need to read the special comic for that – and it’s only online as far as I know.
Kotaro
I was not expecting there to an actual reason why these specific girls were needed to save Saga. I just thought Kotaro was insane – but there is a reason, or several really behind his desire to form an idol group. I mean, I’m still pretty sure the man has a few screws loose – but he’s still fairly good at his job.
This season shows there’s a lot more to him than just being …well how he was presented. He’s a character that can only be experienced on screen, not by words but I grew to love him more as a more fully rounded character this season.
There’s still a lot of mystery to his backstory and how he became a necromancer but hopefully that will be answered in the next season or perhaps a movie?
The Insanity
Only in the Zombie Land Saga universe could the way the girls manage to pay off their debt work and actually make sense. Yes, it involves Tae. Only in the Zombie Land Saga could the plot go from trying to pay off a debt, to dealing with a natural disaster – and still that not being the biggest plot twist of the season.
It makes the first season seem grounded in comparison. Sure – it involved zombies and idol groups but there wasn’t an entire episode revolving around an America’s Got Talent clone where the main competition is Light Yagami if he were a child actor – or an episode where Kotaro kidnaps a girl because he thought he killed her.
The last season was mainly backstories. This one ends with literally the most insane plot twist – and I’m just willing to accept that’s how this world works. Why Saga didn’t get saved by their performance in the season finale, we won’t know…until a Season 3.
And yes, I’m acting like it’s an inevitability because I refuse to accept that they would end this anime the way they did.
Even if it is just a big tourism ad.
It’s a damn good one.
The Bad
I want more.
But, in all seriousness, I can’t really name anything bad about this season or anything that I particularly disliked. That doesn’t mean the season was perfect, of course…But with a show wit such a ridiculous premise – it’s hard to find flaws where I would normally find them.
There is stuff I’d like to see – like whether Sakura’s parents recognize her, and what their thoughts are…But that feels like something that will be explored in a later season. If there is one. The show ended on such a note, that it could be considered an “ending” while still leaving space for it to continue.
I can only hope its the latter. And considering there were 3 years between seasons – I think we may hear something by the end of the year
And that’s the scoop.
Grade: A –
Release Year: 2021
Length: 12 episodes
Director: Munehisa Sakai
Written: Shigeru Murakoshi
1 thought on ““Zombie Land Saga: Revenge” shows a second season is best served cold”