Should Your Teen Watch Highschool of the Dead?

At a glance, Highschool of the Dead looks like your typical zombie survival story—teenagers trapped in an apocalypse, fighting their way through chaos with bravery and grit. And yes, the zombies are there. So is the action. But so is something else: an overwhelming amount of sexualized imagery, over-the-top fanservice, and constant objectification.

This show walks a strange tightrope between horror and hypersexual comedy, making it a complicated choice for teen viewers. So before you give a casual yes based on the genre, it’s worth looking closer.

The story begins in a Japanese high school where a zombie outbreak erupts, sending society into immediate collapse. A small group of students bands together to survive—armed with weapons, quick thinking, and a questionable amount of slow-motion cleavage shots.

On the surface, it’s a frantic fight for survival. But as the story continues, it becomes clear that the real focus isn’t just on the undead—it’s also on how often the camera can zoom in on the female characters’ bodies.

Despite its grim setting, the tone is inconsistent. The show veers from dramatic death scenes to sexually charged comedy in a matter of seconds, leaving many viewers unsure of what it’s trying to be.

There’s no shortage of gore. Zombies are decapitated, limbs fly, blood splatters—it’s classic horror in visual form. Characters die, sometimes suddenly, and the show doesn't shy away from violence or panic.

Here’s where things shift. Nearly every female character is drawn with exaggerated features and framed by the camera for maximum sexual exposure—even during fight scenes. Characters run in slow motion, fall on top of each other suggestively, or strip for no logical reason. It’s frequent, distracting, and often inappropriate.

Buried under the visual noise is a real story about panic, loss, and making impossible decisions under pressure. Characters wrestle with fear, grief, and trust. But these moments are often sidelined by the show’s obsession with provocative imagery.

Recommended for: 17+ (With Discussion)

While there’s no outright nudity or explicit sexual content, the sheer volume of fanservice and innuendo pushes the show firmly into mature territory. The violence alone might qualify it for a 16+ rating, but the sexual tone adds another layer of caution.

The visual framing is too distracting and too frequent to dismiss. Younger teens may not have the media literacy to process what’s being shown and why.

To be fair, there are moments of real emotion in Highschool of the Dead. Friendships develop. Characters show loyalty, fear, and genuine trauma. It does attempt to show how humans break and bond during a crisis.

But any serious themes are constantly interrupted. It’s hard to take a death seriously when the very next shot is played for sexual comedy. The whiplash makes it difficult to extract any consistent message or reflection.

At best, the show flirts with commentary on human behavior in chaos. At worst, it uses a zombie apocalypse as a thin excuse for exaggerated fan service.

Highschool of the Dead isn’t a bad show in terms of pacing or animation. In fact, it’s stylish and energetic. But the real issue is what it chooses to focus on. The action might pull teens in, but the sexual tone might leave them confused about what’s being portrayed as normal—or acceptable.

If your teen is watching or planning to, it’s worth having an honest conversation. Ask them what they think of how the female characters are shown. Help them build media awareness. Make space to talk about how entertainment often packages violence and sexuality together—and how to spot the difference between fun and exploitation.

Because in Highschool of the Dead, the zombies aren’t the only thing worth keeping an eye on.