The virus of Western localization has finally come for Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, as it has been discovered that in their treatments of the series’ manga and anime – both its subbed and dubbed versions – Viz Media has equated the concept of ‘lolicon‘ to genuine pedophilia.
Written by Alice and Borderlands mangaka Haro Aso and illustrated by I Am Sherlock mangaka Kotaro Takata, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is an action-comedy series which follows 24-year old Akira Tendou (CV: Shuuichirou Umeda – Bird Kazami in Beyblade X) who, after spending three years unhappily working as a black company [a Japanese term for a company which cares little for the well-being of its employees] corporate slave, finds his world turned upside down when a zombie outbreak strikes Tokyo.
Now liberated from the mundanities of his former life, Akira vows to experience life to the fullest by completing his bucket list of 100 items before he ever becomes a zombie.
Joining his quest through the apocalypse are his best friend, former real estate agent and aspiring comedian Kenichirou Ryuuzaki (CV: Makoto Furukawa – Ash in Code Geass: Dakkan no Rozé), a former overseas company accountant by the name of Shizuka Mikazuki (CV: Tomori Kusunoki – Makima in Chainsaw Man), and a 21-year old German Japanophile-slash-former college student known as Beatrix Amerhauser (CV: Minami Takahashi – Sildonia Zeeles in Tsuyokute New Saga), all of whom seek to embrace the potential for adventure their new circumstances have presented themthem.
The edit in question can be found in the series’ 16th chapter, ‘Hometown of the Dead 2’.
Therein, during the group’s visit to Akira’s hometown, the aspiring entertainer Kenichirou makes an attempt to cheer up a young orphan girl, Anju (CV: Kino Sakai), who has not smiled once since she lost both of her parents to the zombie virus.
Choosing daruma juggling as his weapon of choice, Kenichirou proceeds to approach Anju while performing his act and strike up a conversation, beginning with the obviously facetious flirtation, “Thought I might practice my juggling. Say, pretty lady, if you’re not busy, maybe you’d like to watch me?”
Failing to elicit the smile he had hoped for, Kenichirou tries another move, this time telling Anju his ridiculous dream “To do my act naked! But I’ll be juggling so fast you won’t see my privates!”
However, this also proves to be a miss with Anju, as rather than laugh, the young girl responds to his reveal by asking him – per a translation of the original Japanese panel performed via Google Translate – “Bro, are you a lolicon? Why are you talking to me?”
However, in Viz Media’s localization, Anju instead asks Keinchirou, “You’re a pedophile, aren’t you? Why are you even talking to me?”
This dialogue was also changed in Viz’s localization of both the subbed and dubbed versions of its anime – but interestingly, rather than keeping the same edited dialogue seen in the manga, the two releases featured their own separate and individual takes on the term ‘lolicon’.
As seen in the subtitled edition of the series’ 10th episode, ‘Hometown of the Dead I’, rather than accusing him of a being an outright pedophile, Anju instead (albeit similarly) asks Kenichirou, “Are you into little girls or something? Why are you even talking to me?”
Meanwhile, in the English Dub, Anju asks the aspiring entertainer, “So, does that mean you’re a pervert or something? Why else would you be talking to me?”
