When Sato-kun died by Yamagata Aona
- Cailyn N. Dougherty
- Aug 4, 2023
- 1 min read
OVERVIEW:
He is silent, expressionless and he keeps to himself, but then he shared a smile with me. That boy is… a walking corpse! Sato-kun, who met an early demise in a traffic accident, came back to school as a Zombie. That popular guy who would light up the room, is now cold and lifeless and barely manages to trace the habits of his old life. However, Hozumi from the same class, seems to be the only exception. Zombie Sato, stares at her from nearby and why is he following her? What ever will she do? Is he still the old Sato-kun or is he… .
REVIEW:
This one shot (7 chapters in total with a brief "what-if" bonus chapter) is an absolutely heart-wrenching, mysterious story between two classmates. Hozumi is a gentle, caring person who is worried about those around her despite her fear of communication, relationships, and general otherness. Sato was a popular, well-liked boy in her class until his sudden death. Both characters are written well and believable.
The world crafted by Yamagata Aona is unique in the sea of zombie literature and adds value to the genre. Keeping in mind this is a one-shot or short story, there are areas of development that would benefit the story; however, it is well developed for its intended purposes. The story ends abruptly, but considering the journey these two take over the course of the 7 chapters, it only emphasizes the feeling of losing someone close to you leaves behind.
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