Highschool of the Dead, tom 2

The mix of zombie horror and teen life feels so distinct yet seamless. I wonder what inspired this unusual combination and how it influences the story's tone.

The characters face such brutal choices that I kept wondering how much of their growth was planned from the start versus evolving naturally during writing.

The depiction of the zombies and the chaos feels very visceral. I'm curious whether the author drew from specific horror influences or created a new kind of threat.