Fanfic / World of the Dead

World of the Dead is a Highschool of the Dead Fan Fic written by Rassilon001.

Picking up about a week after the events at the police station in the manga, the fic follows the survivors of Fujimi High School as they attempt to survive and find their place in a world that is growing ever more dangerous.

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World of the Dead contains examples of the following tropes:

• All Just a Dream: The opening of one of the chapters, which quickly turns very messy. Word of God is that the author intended to explore very graphic ways for the main characters to die without actually killing any of them in the same story.
• Ancestral Weapon: Rei's naginata, used by a famous female samurai, taken from a museum. Implied to be the case with many of the other weapons raided from the museum.
• Anyone Can Die: Despite this claim at the very beginning and more than a few false scares, totally averted.
• Asshole Victim: The marauders at the Super Viva Home, Dr Hikke, Shido (surprise) and many of his Black Sun followers. Almost anyone who does die in the story has it coming, with a few exceptions.
• Ate His Gun: Chapter 3 reveals that Saya is debating this, revealing that this is the reason she kept the Luger as a "last resort." Takashi shoots that down, insisting that they haven't come that far to give up now.
• Bait-and-Switch: At one point, Saya is bitten on the ankle during a fight with Them, and she requests a Mercy Kill. Just as Saeko is about to do so, Shizuka stops them, examining the wound and discovering the wound is actually a dog bite; Zeke had accidentally bitten Saya during the struggle.
• Berserk Button: Threaten Saya and Kohta will tear you a new one. And then widen the old one.
• Better to Die than Be Killed: In the second chapter, the group comes across a family of three, dead by gunshot; Takashi speculates that they either decided to take the easy way out, or the father went crazy and killed his wife and kid before turning the gun on himself.
• Bigger Stick: Inversion, after they run low on ammo most of the main characters raid a museum for medieval equivalents to their weapons, in essence downgrading their equipment instead of upgrading. Arguably proves more effective.
• Black-and-Grey Morality: Takashi's group do some morally-questionable things, but they're still far better than the likes of the marauders at the Super Viva Home, Dr Hikke, Shido (surprise) and many of his Black Sun followers.
• Big Fancy House: The Sanchurakai Castle.
• Brainwashed and Crazy: Shido's followers, even moreso than the original manga/anime.
• Breather Episode: Occasionally the survivors find a place to use as a temporary rest point, but special attention must be called to the Onsen they visit, where they celebrate Rei's birthday.
• Brutal Honesty: Takashi in general avoids lying to the others, even when their morale is flagging. He makes a few exceptions to omit the truth, but never outright lies to anyone.
• Chekhov's Gunman: Saito. His bloodtype is the only one that matches Takashi's, which becomes important later on when the latter requires a transfusion.
• Character Development: Evident just about everywhere, but especially with Saya, who grows to be slightly less insufferable of a genius when she admits her love to Kohta (just to him, though) and accepts swords lessons from Saeko.
• Chew Toy: Takashi tends to get roughed up the most in the story, with injuries that leave him incapacitated for long stretches of time. Word of God is that this was an attempt to see how his leadership had rubbed off on others in the group, and see how well (or poorly) they would do in his absence. Saya also frequently gets roughed up.

• Cool Boat: The S.S. Mimei, their temporary home for almost half of the story.
• Cool Car: The enormous truck they acquired late in the story.

• Crossover: With Marshal Zhukov's "Simple Kind of Dead" stories. Two characters from the former make a guest appearance in the Epilogue, with their backstories altered to fit into the new continuity.
• Cruel and Unusual Death: Dr. Hikke, whom Saeko continues to shoot even after long dead. Also Shido, left to the mercy of his former followers (now zombies).
• Darkest Hour: After barely escaping Kushejima with their lives, everyone is on the Mimei as it drifts back to Tokyo, and spirits are at an all-time low. The way it's written implies most of them just lay down and die.

• Disaster Democracy: Deconstructed. Nearly causes a break in the group when Saya finds conflict with Takashi and Saeko (the latter of whom threatened Kohta).
• Distracted by the Sexy: Shizuka uses this technique combined with some Techno Babble to procure some hallucinogenic herbs from a rather dim-witted guard.
• Driven to Suicide: In the All Just a Dream opening of one chapter, the cause of death for most of the characters, but especially Takashi and Rei at the very tail end of the nightmare.
• Due to the Dead: On more than one occasion, the group covers up the bodies of the deceased.
• Dying as Yourself: Cheisu. Also invoked by Saya when she was believed infected but averted when it was discovered she thankfully hadn't been.
• Earn Your Happy Ending: Through all the turmoil and suffering, our protagonists finally manage to arrive in a peaceful, safe location. And if the epilogue is any indication, will be able to rebuild and live out their lives in peace there.

• Evil Feels Good: Most of the Black Sun seem to enjoy indulging their base desires, but special mention definitely needs to go to Koichi Shido.
• Eyepatch of Power: Kohta receives one of these, upping his Badassery to newfound levels.
• Face Death with Dignity: After being bitten, Cheisu jokingly tells Shizuki they'll have to take a "rain check" on their date, hands her a gun, and calmly closes his eyes and waits for a Mercy Kill.
• Fanservice: Still plenty of it, in keeping with its manga/anime roots.

• Field Promotion: Kohta when Takashi was out of commission. Lampshaded by his new flak vest, which bears the rank of a major.
• Fire-Forged Friends: Most of the survivors, really, but special attention needs to be drawn to Saeko and Rei, who were almost on the verge of killing one another before being thrust into a fight and Rei ends up saving Saeko instead of letting her die. It is through this act they grow closer together. Saeko later repays this debt, not that either of them are counting much at that point.
• First-Name Basis: Most of the core cast are doing this by the start of the story. Goes doubly for Saito, who has Only One Name.
• Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: Takashi to Kohta when he suffers a major Heroic BSOD at Kusejima Isle.
• Girlish Pigtails: Rei braids Alice's hair into the fashion, in imitation of her big sis Saya. Who in turn starts braiding her hair.
• Godiva Hair: During a scene in the hospital, Saeko wakes up naked and remains that way for several long minutes. She is not vividly described, but Word of God said this trope would be utilized if the story was made into a manga page or an anime sequence.
• Gory Discretion Shot: Hide's death from extreme falling.
• Gratuitous Japanese: Mainly averted, a few words crop up but only to add flavor, and rarely go long without being untranslated for the reader to understand at least.
• Gun And Sword: Saya briefly, at least until she runs out of ammo.
• Hand Signals: Kohta employs these from time to time, though he does his best to make their meaning clear since none of the others know them. Also, this is primarily the only way Saito can communicate.
• Harmful to Minors: Saito bore witness to multiple horrors at his elementary school by the time Takashi's group finds him, and is so traumatized by them that he can't speak. The gang discovers exactly what he saw when they find a Nightmare Fuel Coloring Book in his backpack.
• Heroic BSoD: Kohta, Takashi. Saeko also suffers a frightening one when her sword breaks and she can no longer call on her Shinigami persona.
• Honor Before Reason: Takashi invokes this when he says he doesn't want to slaughter the Black Sun when they escape, despite holding them hostage and abusing him and his family. He won't go out of his way to save them, but he'd rather not kill them if at all possible.
• I Call Her "Vera": Suggested by Takashi given how much affection Kohta shows his AR-10. Kohta replies in an ambiguous fashion that suggests he did indeed name the weapon, but never gives the name out.
• Implausible Hair Color: Referenced frequently, averted with Saito, whose dark greenish-blue is closer to black than some of the others.
• Important Haircut: After reaching the hot springs resort, Takashi has his hair cut to resemble the style he had at the start of the manga/anime, while Saeko cuts it all the way to a pixie cut, although she keeps her signature bangs.
• Improvised Weapon: All over the place when ammo starts to get low. Saito even makes use of a camera on a strap, once to blind a cultist, the other time as a makeshift flail. Of course, the other time turned out to be All Just a Dream. Saeko also gets away with using a shovel after her sword is snapped in two.
• Incredibly Lame Pun: Shizuka, after remarking that some Black Sun thug needed to pipe down. No guesses what she used to knock him out.
• It Never Gets Any Easier: The characters make a point of not letting it become normal to kill to survive.
• Ironic Nursery Rhyme: Kohta and Alice sing a rendition of "Ring Around the Rosie" on the Mimei. Considering the state of the world, its highly appropriate.
• I've Come Too Far: In chapter 3, Takashi shoots down Saya's suggestion that they eventually end it all for this reason, stating they've come too far to give up.
• Keeper of Forbidden Knowledge: Dr. Hikke seems to be one of these, but his subsequent attempt to murder the protagonists For Science!! leave his knowledge of the outbreak somewhat vague. Word of God confirms it was meant to be up to the reader if he was this trope or just completely insane.
• Kissing Under the Influence: Most of the teenagers during their brief stay at the hotel. Attempted by Saya but ultimately subverted by Kohta, who didn't want to take advantage of them. Until the next morning, when she remarked she was sober this time.
• Laughing Mad: Some of the Black Sun compound during the big escape. Justified because most of them are high on hallucinagenic drugs released into the air.
• Leaning on the Fourth Wall: There's a discussion in the first chapter regarding zombie movies, the protagonists use them to form a rough plan on how to proceed.
• Leave Behind a Pistol: As established under Ate His Gun above, this turns out to be the reason Saya opts to save a Luger as a "last resort"; as she points out, it's better than starving or freezing to death.
• Let Us Never Speak of This Again: Referring the OVA, when the same hallucinogenic drug turns up in the Black Sun compound. Saya invokes the trope when Rei reminds them of the incident.
• Living Is More than Surviving: Discussed in chapter 3; as Saya points out, they need a long-term goal rather than just wander aimlessly, or the group will eventually implode and fall apart.
• Love Triangle: Takashi, Rei, and Saeko. Comes to blows at one point, and eventually leads to sharing.
• Mad Scientist: Dr Hikke. Starts off reasonably sane, if a bit of a jerk, then gradually reveals he's been studying the zombies to learn more about them. Okay. But then he tried to purposefully infect Takashi and Saeko to learn even more, crossing the Moral Event Horizon and going into full blown madness.
• Makeup Is Evil: Konna, repeatedly described as wearing enough to 'sink a barge' and being one of the most self-centered, airheaded and lustful Sisters in the Black Sun cult. Averted with Rei, who only uses enough to pretty herself up a little, and usually for a greater purpose.
• Mercy Kill: Takashi is prepared to perform this on Rei's father after he's turned, the same as with Hisashi, but Rei steps in to do it herself. She later denies such a kindness to Shido when he's begging for help, saying he's not worth it.
• Moment Killer: Interrupts Saya and Kohta's first kiss, when their ship breaks down rather loudly.
• Ms. Fanservice: Just above every girl over the age of twelve, including more than a few zombies.
• Mundanger: In addition to zombies, the protagonists frequently battle the environment and living antagonists, like marauders and cultists.
• Nightmare Fuel Coloring Book: Turns out Saito was carrying one around in his backpack, giving hints into the horrors that left him The Speechless.
• No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Takashi and Hide. Word of God is that the author wanted to avoid suddenly making them expert martial artists like a shonen anime and had them brawl more 'realistically' instead.
• No One Gets Left Behind: Frequently, though the group divides into smaller teams to accomplish goals they always reunite before moving on. Most prominently showcased when they are climbing over a high wall, and Shizuka stops to grab Zeke (unable to quite reach) by the collar and haul him up with them.
• Nose Bleed: Takashi and Kohta both fall victim to these when the girls give them a show in swimsuits.
• Not a Zombie: When Saito first appears, the group mistakes him for one of Them, particularly when he attacks them in a terrified frenzy. Alice is the first to realize he's human and stops Kohta from shooting him.
• Not Now, Kiddo: Saya sometimes pulls these with Alice or Saito, ignoring the kids when they have the solution to her current problem. Usually Played for Laughs.
• Not Using the "Z" Word: Zigzagged. The word is never spoken aloud by the characters, but the readers see it crop up frequently to identify their undead assailants.
• Nothing Is Scarier: Long stretches of the story have the protagonists on guard and on edge because of potential zombies, but do not find them.
• Obligatory Swearing: Slightly less commonplace than the manga/anime. But can lead to Precision F Strikes.
• Offscreen Moment of Awesome: Numerous implied, particularly with Rika and later Alex's group ("that Carnival wasn't my fault!"). Some likely were even Noodle Incidents.
• Ominous Fog: In the hillside regions before they find the Onsen.
• Only One Name: Saito. He must likely doesn't remember it because of all the trauma he suffered.
• Oops I Dropped The Keys: Dropped straight into the harbor, no less. Poor Alice has to swim down to find them.
• Original Character: Saito, Cheisu, Kensui, Hikke, and many others. Most of whom don't last beyond a chapter or two.
• O.C. Stand-in: Hide, Konna, and Kensui. None of whom even had names except for the first in their brief scene in the anime.
• Parental Substitute: The entire group continues to do this for Alice, and later Saito when he's found.
• Personality Blood Types: Somewhat implied during a tense scene involving a donation from compatible types. Takashi and Saito are a type B-, Kohta and Alice are AB+, Saeko and Rei are both B+, Saya is A-, Shizuka is an O+. The types were mostly chosen to heighten drama, since only one was compatible with the injured party, but there is some similarities to the personality types involved as well.
• Pleasure Island: Shido's way of maintaining control of his Black Sun cultists, where his religious ceremonies are little more than thinly-veiled orgies aided by hallucinogens and almost completely free reign to indulge in base desires.
• Polyamory: Rei and Saeko opt to do this with Takashi, rather than force him to choose between them.
• Precision F-Strike: On rare occasion. Saya, in particular, seems to have the foulest mouth.
• Pregnant Badass: Rika is revealed to be pregnant in the penultimate chapter.
• Puppy Love: Implied with Alice and Saito, especially in the finale, when her name is his first new word.
• Really Gets Around: "Sister" Konna, and strongly implied most of Shido's young female followers. Rika also calls herself a "hot commodity" and "affectionate," to the extent she has no idea who the father of her unborn child is.
• Reckless Gun Usage: Saya, during a nihilistic moment. It wasn't loaded, but Takashi didn't know that until after she pulled the trigger. And it's still dangerous, as any gun enthusiast will tell you.
• Room Full of Zombies: At a liquor Store.
• Refuse to Rescue the Disliked: In chapter 10, when Shido is caught by one of his zombified former disciples and begs Rei to save him, Rei just walks away and leaves him to be Eaten Alive, realizing that he's shedding Crocodile Tears and knowing that he'll just likely throw her to Them just to save himself.
• Safe Zone Hope Spot: Kuesjima Island, for much of the first half of the story. Turns out to be a dud, and from then on, the group is very wary of such things. They still check out the Black Sun messages, but are not wholly surprised when it leads into a trap.
• Sanity Slippage: Not unsurprising given the world's gone insane, but Saeko in particular stumbles down the slope often in the throes of bloodlust. Shido also deserves mention for believing his own lies about a better world, which he's been spoon-feeding to his cultist followers.
• Seppuku: In the All Just a Dream segment, Saeko falls on her katana in a remarkably familiar fashion after she's been bitten, after giving a Tearjerker farewell to beloved Takashi.
• Sex Is Violence: Saeko again. Seeing Takashi go murderously destructive on a zombie prompts Shinigami to wonder if he could be just as enthusiastic 'between bedsheets'
• Sexy Soaked Shirt: Shizuka was wearing a white t-shirt when she initially arrived at the hospital... during a heavy downpour.
• Shinigami: Saeko's alternate personality refers to herself as this, the Goddess of Death, despite the Japanese word being gender neutral.
• Shoot Out the Lock: Normally opting for more quiet means of entry, Takashi does this when speed is off the essence during a bridge fight, trying to find the controls to raise the bridge.
• Shower of Angst: After Mercy Killing a bitten Cheisu, Shizuka takes one, complete with Troubled Fetal Position.
• Shown Their Work: Word of God is the writer consulted with experts and did research on vehicles and weapons for the story, and only tweaked a few physics regarding fallout and agriculture for the sake of the story.

• Sliding Scale of Idealism vs. Cynicism: A much argued and considered premise amongst the survivors of Fujimi High School. Tends to fluctuate wildly between the two at any given time.
• The Speechless: Saito. In the epilogue, it shows he's slowly growing out of this, able to finally say his first (new) word: Alice.
• Surprisingly Sudden Death: For a while, it looks like Takashi gets this, but they survive following a stitch-up and a blood transfusion. It leaves them out of commission for quite a while, however.
• Taking You with Me: Occurs during the nightmare sequence, when Kohta blows up their truck to take a zombified!Saya with him.
• Techno Babble: Shizuka uses this to confuse a Black Sun cultist about the properties of hydrangea leaves, mixing up the actual effects on purpose.
• True Companions: Rika and Saito quickly join the little family. Implied to be a similar case with Alex's group in the epilogue. Word of God confirms this to be the case.
• Translation Convention: All speaking is converted to English, irregardless of the language being spoken by the protagonists, for the readers convenience. For the one scene involving the use of a Chinese greeting, the actual words were omitted. Word of God this was much for the writers sake as the audience, as he doesn't know the language well enough himself.

• Villains Want Mercy: In chapter 10. For all his Social Darwinist views and "survival of the fittest" rhetoric, Shido completely freaks out and begs Rei to save him when he's being grabbed and overwhelmed by Them. Realizing that he's shedding Crocodile Tears and that Shido will undoubtedly throw her to Them to save his own hide, Rei just tells him "survival of the fittest" and walks away, leaving Shido to be eaten.
• Villainous Breakdown: Shido has one of these towards the end of his rule, ranting and raving like a madman.
• We Are Experiencing Technical Difficulties: Shown with all channels being emergency warning or static during their brief stint at the hospital.
• What Happened to the Mouse??: Kiriko Miyamoto, Rei's mother, introduced in the very last chapter of the manga, is not seen throughout most of the story and receives only passing mentions. Word of God is that the author was unprepared for her arrival so late in the story, and did not intend to re-write it to accommodate her. He simply made no mention in the hopes canon continuity would do her in for him.
• Wham Line: "Hello my children," said Koichi Shido, arms open wide. "It is so very good to see you again."

• Zombie Infectee: Largely avoided, in part due to how quickly the disease kills and reanimates.