Honestly, the first time I saw Akira Tendo’s face light up at the sight of a zombie apocalypse, I knew this show was going to be different. Most people see the end of the world and think "death." Akira sees it and thinks, "Sweet, I don’t have to go to work on Monday."
Finding the right cast of Zom 100 Bucket List of the Dead was a massive task for the producers because the tone is such a weird, beautiful tightrope walk. You have to balance the soul-crushing reality of corporate "black companies" with the absolute neon-colored absurdity of fighting a shark that has dozens of human legs.
It's a lot.
Whether you're watching the high-octane anime or the live-action Netflix flick, the actors behind these characters are what make the story stick. Let's break down who these people actually are and why they were picked to bring Haro Aso’s wild world to life.
The Man Who Stopped Working: Akira Tendo
Akira is the heart of everything. He’s that guy we’ve all been—burnt out, staring at a computer screen until his eyes bleed, wishing for literally anything to break the cycle.
In the anime, Shuichiro Umeda voices Akira. If he sounds familiar, it’s probably because he played Izumi in Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie. Umeda has this specific "golden retriever energy" in his voice. He can go from a depressed mumble to a high-pitched scream of joy in about two seconds. For the English dub, Zeno Robinson took the reigns. Zeno is basically anime royalty at this point (you’ve heard him as Hawks in My Hero Academia or Onyankopon in Attack on Titan). He brings a more grounded, relatable grit to Akira’s excitement.
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Then there’s the live-action movie. Eiji Akaso stepped into the suit (and the rugby jersey). Akaso is a heartthrob in Japan, but he’s not just a pretty face. He’s got serious range. You might know him from Kamen Rider Build or the viral hit Cherry Magic!. In Zom 100, he captures that "manic relief" perfectly. Seeing him run through Tokyo in a business suit while grinning like a madman is exactly the vibe the manga intended.
Shizuka Mikazuki: The Logic in the Chaos
Shizuka is the polar opposite of Akira. She’s all about risk hedges, calorie counts, and surviving at all costs. She’s the person in the group who actually reads the manual.
The Voice Talents
- Tomori Kusunoki (Japanese): She’s a powerhouse. You probably know her as Makima from Chainsaw Man. She has this cool, detached delivery that makes Shizuka’s eventual "softening" feel earned.
- Abby Trott (English): Known for voicing Nezuko in Demon Slayer. It’s funny because Nezuko barely speaks, but in Zom 100, Abby gets to show off her ability to play someone incredibly sharp and analytical.
In the Netflix live-action version, Mai Shiraishi plays Shizuka. Mai is a former member of the idol group Nogizaka46. Usually, when idols pivot to acting, people are skeptical. But Shiraishi nailed it. She did most of her own stunts and managed to keep that "don't touch me" aura while still being likable.
The Best Friend: Kenichiro "Kencho" Ryuzaki
Every hero needs a sidekick who is willing to get naked at a moment's notice for a joke. That’s Kencho. He was a successful real estate agent who was secretly dying inside because he hated lying to people.
In the anime, Makoto Furukawa (Saitama in One Punch Man) gives Kencho a booming, confident voice that cracks whenever he’s scared—which is often. Xander Mobus handles the English dub. If you've played Persona 5, that's Joker. It’s wild hearing the "cool" Joker voice coming out of a guy who spends half the show in his underwear.
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Shuntaro Yanagi plays Kencho in the movie. Yanagi is a fashion model turned actor, and he’s tall—really tall. He has that "cool older brother" look but plays the cowardice and the loyalty of Kencho with a lot of heart. He’s also starred in Alice in Borderland, another Haro Aso adaptation, so he’s basically part of the family.
Beatrix Amerhauser: The Samurai Spirit
Bea doesn't show up in the live-action movie (which bummed out a lot of fans), but she’s a core part of the anime's cast of Zom 100 Bucket List of the Dead. She’s a German girl obsessed with Japanese culture who travels to Japan just as the world ends.
Minami Takahashi (not the idol, the voice actress from Food Wars!) voices her in Japanese. She uses a very specific, overly formal way of speaking that highlights Bea’s love for old-school samurai traditions. In English, Laura Post (Yoruichi in Bleach) gives her a powerful, "warrior-princess" vibe that makes her stand out from the more frantic energy of Akira and Kencho.
The Villains and Side Characters
You can't have a zombie story without a human villain who is worse than the zombies. Enter Gonzo Kosugi, Akira’s former boss.
In the anime, he’s voiced by Kenta Miyake (All Might from My Hero Academia). It’s a total 180 from All Might’s "I am here!" heroism. Kosugi is a soul-sucking parasite. In the movie, the legendary Kazuki Kitamura takes the role. Kitamura is famous for playing tough guys and villains in movies like The Raid 2 and Killers. He makes Kosugi feel genuinely terrifying, even without a single zombie in the room.
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Other notable cast members include:
- Sora Amamiya as Saori Ohtori (the office crush)
- Nobuhiko Okamoto as Kanta Higurashi (the "dark" version of Akira)
- Miwako Kakei as Maki (one of the flight attendants in the movie)
Why This Specific Cast Matters
The reason the cast of Zom 100 Bucket List of the Dead works is that they don't play it like a horror movie. They play it like a workplace comedy that just happens to have monsters.
If Eiji Akaso played Akira too seriously, the movie would be depressing. If Tomori Kusunoki didn't give Shizuka that tiny bit of hidden warmth, we’d hate her for being a buzzkill. The chemistry between these actors—even across different mediums—is what sells the idea that maybe, just maybe, the apocalypse is the best thing that ever happened to these people.
What to Watch Next
If you've finished the anime and the movie and you're craving more from this specific group of actors:
- Check out the Manga: The art by Kotaro Takata is unbelievable and goes way past where the anime ends.
- Follow the Voice Actors: Zeno Robinson and Abby Trott are very active in the con circuit and often talk about the behind-the-scenes "vibe" of recording this show.
- Watch Alice in Borderland: Also written by Haro Aso and features several actors (like Shuntaro Yanagi) who cross over into this world.
The real takeaway here is that the "bucket list" isn't just a gimmick. It's a reminder to do the stuff you love before life (or a zombie) gets in the way. Whether that's becoming a stand-up comedian like Kencho or just eating expensive sushi, the cast makes us believe it's worth the risk.
Go update your own list. Seriously. Right now.
Actionable Step: If you want to see the "original" inspiration for these performances, read Volume 1 of the Zom 100 manga. Comparing the facial expressions of Eiji Akaso to the original drawings shows just how much work went into the casting process.