Zombie Land Saga Episode 8 Review: Go Go Neverland SAGA

It’s been a while since I was this shocked with a plot twist. It’s hard to tell what will follow in this crazy show and I love it. Zombie Land Saga is honestly a treat.

Japanese Original Episode Title: GoGoネバーランド SAGA

Plot

Franchouchou is starting to get a little more renowned around the area and enjoy various new gigs and events. In one of the events, a very large man named Takeo Go, recognizes Lily as the previous child star Lily Hoshikawa, ending up with Saki beating him up. Lily then reveals to everyone that the man is her father and former manager, further revealing that she was originally a boy named Masao Go who died from the shock of growing facial hair during her stressful television career. After meeting him again in another event, the girls realize how much Takeo cared for Lily and they decide to organize a special event where she will perform a special song to give him a proper goodbye.

Episode Highlights

He must be a yak: Alright, this sentence took me a while to figure out. If you are watching this with English subtitles, when Takeo comes in the event and waits in line, Saki says to Sakura that he must be a yak. She actually means that he is a yakuza debt collector and not all the other sick meanings that came into my head. If you don’t understand what I am saying just have a look here.

Now everything makes sense: Okay, prepare to have your mind blown because honestly this show pays so much attention to details, it’s actually insane. So the greatest revelation in this episode was the fact that Lily is actually a boy named Masao. Now first of all, have a look at the episode’s title: ‘Go Go Neverland SAGA’, it actually references the Go family (Takeo Go and Masao Go) and then ‘Neverland’ because Lily doesn’t want to grow older. Her whole situation also explains why Lily was so happy to be a zombie in the second episode and her love for heavy machinery magazines (which we see once again in the ending credits of this episode). Also, if you remember she looked horrified when they said they were going to the hot springs. Now we know why… And last thing, she died out of shock that’s why her heart is always jumping out. Are you amazed? Because I sure am with the brilliance of this show.

Themes & Trivia

Nyoki: During the intermission screen, we see a card of Lily sitting next to a plant and saying ‘Nyoki!’. Nyoki nyoki or ニョキニョキ is the Japanese way of the sound of something that is growing or popping out. So maybe this is once again a reference of Lily’s facial hair growing.

Rolling Sobat: Saki used a move called rolling sobat when she kicked Mr. Go in the face. It is a term used mostly by the Japanese for a jumping, spinning, back kick. Often seen in Japanese pro-wrestling, and sometimes in video games.

Comments

This show gets really dark when it comes to the deaths of the girls. I am kind of scared to see how the rest of them passed away. I mean Saki was probably killed in a fight or something like that and I really believe that Yugiri was killed by one of her clients or something equally macabre, but what truly terrifies me is Tae… Is she legendary because she died in a legendary way? I am also starting to suspect that she will be the reason why their zombie identities will eventually be found out, because she will be recognized from someone.

Also, I hope that we will get to learn more about Kotaro as well before the show ends. I would really like to know the reasoning behind all this and his motives. He can’t be doing it just for the sake of it or for the money, because either way even if the girls become successful he won’t be able to use them for long, because their fans will realize that they are not getting older.

Holy crap that’s long.

The next episode is probably going to be about Saki’s past and her gang wars. Also, what is the deal with the next episode’s title?

NEXT TIME: “Though My Life May Have Ended Once by Some Twist of Fate I Have Risen, and If Song and Dance Are to Be My Fate, Then Carrying the Memories of My Comrades in My Heart as I Sally Forth Shall Be My SAGA”