WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Zombie Land Saga Revenge Episode 4, "Pure-Hearted Electric SAGA," now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Franchouchou's first performance in Zombie Land Saga, back before the group had a name or even fully conscious members aside from Sakura, was a head-banging metal concert. Since then, the anime's music has occasionally experimented with other genres but has mostly stuck to standard idol pop. "Pure-Hearted Electric SAGA," the fourth episode of Zombie Land Saga Revenge, finally brings the zombie idols back to their rocking roots -- and it's awesome.
Funnily enough, Kotaro is the one to thank for that. As Junko points out herself, Kotaro's personality can flip on a dime from depressed to a nuisance to surprisingly inspirational depending on the plot's whims and whatever's funniest at any given moment. Kotaro's in inspirational mode this week, determined to not let Ai leave Franchouchou and offering Junko his electric guitar while telling her to "smash" her way to victory with the instrument "inside her soul."
When it's finally time for Franchouchou to open for Iron Frill's concert, the zombie girls know they're performing in "enemy territory." Their concert can't just be good -- it needs to be so great that it can easily bring Ai back from the temptations of joining Iron Frill. With Junko on guitar and lead vocals and Tae finding her true musical calling on the drums, their rock performance is exactly as amazing as it needs to be. Junko tops it all off by smashing the guitar a la Pete Townshend or Phoebe Bridgers.
Ai is so inspired by this performance that she comes running and leaping into Junko's arms to rejoin her Franchouchou family... only her arm falls off because she's a zombie, and they timed the jump so poorly that they both end up falling in front of the stage. Even this mishap, however, proves to be the perfect inspiration for the group's encore. Ai and Junko electrocute themselves using a loose wire, conducting enough electricity to put on a spectacular (if scientifically improbable) light show to a remix of their hit song "Mezame RETURNER."
By the end of Episode 4, Franchouchou is now in a much better place than they started. Not only is Ai back in the group, but the members of Iron Frill were so impressed by the performance that they've declared Franchouchou to be their biggest rivals.
New episodes of Zombie Land Saga Revenge premiere Thursdays on Crunchyroll.
