Tae Yamada/History

Tae Yamada is a mysterious girl with an unknown past. She's the only zombie who hasn't awakened. She's also a member of the idol group Franchouchou.

Early life
Unknown

Scars
We really can't speculate much about Tae, She received the same bandage treatment as Ai, minus her face.

She could have been burned to the skin or a skin condition, It could be speculated that she received a head trauma that caused her almost wild/zombie personality and actions.

It also seems that its limbs are dismembered because they have an irregular rotation and come out easily, so it could be assumed that it had the most horrible death.

More background story is needed.

Generals
Tae is Kotaro's mother.


 * Tae is much older than the other girls, so she probably has a role in the plot that a teenager couldn't realistically fulfill. She died when Kotaro was about 10 years old and her pain led him to investigate a method to revive the dead. She had an unfulfilled dream of being a singer, which is what led him to this plan.

Tae is Kotaro's sister and inventor of the zombie process.


 * That is why she is zombie 0, because she was killed just after inventing the process and it is the first time that she tried it. That is why Kotaro is so lazy in how it works, because she really doesn't know anything beyond what she has found in her notes on how to revive people. It's also why it won't tell why it's legendary. But since she always loved idol singers, he formed an idol group to provide the encouragement to wake her up. Saving Saga was just a useful excuse.

Tae is a criminal


 * Her pajamas are the classic black and white prison jumpsuits that could be a clue.

Tae's bites aren't just due to her zombie traits


 * Keep in mind that the only people she has really bitten so far are those she really knows. and most of them are zombies (Sakura and Junko come to mind). Her bite is just her way of showing she likes them.

Tae is Queen Himiko of Yamatai.


 * OK, this doesn't start with me. I'm just translating someone else's theory.
 * Yamada Tae. Yamatai do you see?
 * Then there is the fact that it was deliberately left out of a back story. Wouldn't this indicate something... different... with her?
 * Each zombie must be connected to the Saga prefecture. There are multiple theories as to where Yamatai is located, and one of them is the Yoshinogari historical site, Saga.
 * It would join the theory that the bartender was Xu Fu: Xu fu is a zombied himself (or became immortal by any other means) and fell in love with the Queen, 400 years after her birth. Xu fu then offered zombification to the Queen around 200. The Queen agrees, but the process makes Tae what she is today. Xu fu prevented people from seeing the Queen directly, ruling instead, until 248 when he decides that there is no way to hide anymore. Announcing that the Queen is dead, he ran away with Tae, and has been searching for ways to restore Tae's mind ever since. He offers the zombification technology to Kotaro on the condition that Tae is admitted to the group, and that is why she is there.

A missionary?
She could be a missionary who traveled to Japan. The person whose main objective is the proclamation of the gospel through works and words among those who do not believe is called a missionary. Tae is dressed as one of them, she also agrees with her hobby of visiting travel agencies, so my conclusion is that she is a missionary who came to Japan or Japan to Kyūshū during the persecutions of Christians and then delicate


 * If we assume that Tae lived around the Meiji era as Yugiri, or even before the Yugiri era in the days of the Edo era, things would start to make more sense if we replaced the words "travel agencies" with "shukuba".
 * As such, Shukuba (post stations) would be created to facilitate travelers.

Tae probably enjoyed her time at various hatago (basically inns), tea houses, etc. Now, due to her outfit, she may have been a "hidden Christian" traveling throughout Japan at a time when Christianity was highly persecuted.

If Tae were from Saga, it would make sense if she were Christian, since Christianity was more prominent in southern Japan, albeit with persecution. Since the only thing we know about her in regards to time is that she died at age 29. With Franchouchou's age range of 12 to 19, 29 is quite remote.

Fortunately, we are not given information about when she was born or when she died, so the era in which she could have lived is a mystery.



Afterlife
She is the only character whose conscience has not returned, and has only the intelligence of a baby or a beast. Therefore, she does not know how to hide her true identity, and she moves with the zombie instinct and priority in her appetite. Not able to speak normally.

According to the anime staff, Tae plays a crucial role in making the viewer not forget the show's zombie theme.

However, she seems to understand a few words (at least Sakura's), and her actions have gradually become smarter and more cooperative as the series progresses. In fact, in Saga rock's waiting room, she is able to imitate Saki's response and gestures, try to lie when Lily asked her where her squid is, and when she is in the mountains, she can skillfully make a snow sculpture of Romero, etc. There are many behaviors that are impossible only with instinct. In other words, she may have woken up already but is in that state.

In the third episode, the name "Franchouchou" was named after her sneeze "Furuashusshushu!" And it became the reason for the group's name.

She doesn't sing and dance awkwardly, but she's definitely on stage as a member of the group, and her dance improves as the story progresses. in the second half she changes her attitude from a normal zombie to a dog that follows orders. Thanks to Sakura's work, Tae achieves a relationship with her position since she was one of the people who helped her progress and follow the choreography of the group.

According to an interview with the staff, "The first feeling that arose was love for Sakura" (it has been speculated that it would be a mother-daughter relationship).

Consideration
In Kotaro's presentation, he only mention that she was legendary not giving details and it is not known at all who she was in life. Compared to the other girls, there are many elements that make us think that she is different from other girls, such as that she is the number "0" and that she is the oldest of all with 29 years.

Although she is more mysterious than Kotaro, it is certain that she was born before the Showa era due to her age of death. Also, her "travel agency tour" hobby suggests that she was alive until relatively recently (she may have died after Junko Konno).

In an interview with "Animage" in January 2019, the final episode was a way to adjust expectations for the sequel. Therefore, it is possible to expect the possibility of being revealed by future development.

Episode 1
After their successful death metal performance in a death metal festival, all of the zombie girls regain their senses excluding Tae, who is still acting like a mindless zombie.

Episode 2
Being the only zombie in the group who hasn't woken up, Tae still remains in her feral state. She is primarily driven by monstrous instinct to bite people.

During the girl's first event at the Saga Castle, Tae takes notice of a whole squid in the audience and immediately moves towards them. Sakura tries to stop her but ends up accidentally knocking off her head, nearly exposing the group's identities as zombies. As Sakura tries defusing the situation, Saki rebuffs her and plays around with Tae's head to mock the audience. Sakura eventually gets mad and knocks Tae's head away from Saki, where the two girls fight each other in a rap battle. Tae's head was later reattached to her body as Sakura and Saki verbally fight with each other.

Episode 3
While the other girls focus on training to meet Kōtarō's hasty expectations, Tae lounges around mindlessly. At one point, Tae instinctively chews and sucks on a marker, later causing her to sneeze. The sneeze inspires Lily with an original name for their group and suggests the name "Franchouchou", based on Tae's sneezing fit.

Despite her invisible sloth atmosphere, Tae was still able to train with the girls for their upcoming performance, which ended in bittersweet for everyone.

Episode 4
When everyone visits a Hot Spring Resort in Ureshino to earn a sponsorship with a pharmaceutical company, Tae is seen among her zombie idols sightseeing. When Sakura, Junko and Saki accidentally revealed their zombie forms to the pharmaceutical company president, Tae also ends up scaring the president by surprising the president in the hallway of the resort in a horror-like position.

Episode 5
When everyone was given a commercial deal by Drive-in-Tori she goes with everyone eating the chicken they served (she eats the chicken raw). When everyone dresses up for the commercial, Tae attempts to attack the mascot. During commercial performance, everyone faced various problems due to Tae's inability to speak and how she badly timed her roles. It eventually ended in success when Tae only crowed like a rooster near the end. When Kōtarō and Saki expressed their desire to do more with greater vigor, Tae responds by attacking the mascot again. Her attack was added to the commercial which became very popular.

At the 34th Kashima Gatalympics, she performs at the various events and manages to she win a gold medal in the Mud Tarzan Swing but was almost found out when her body fell to pieces. The other idols managed to put her back together without anyone finding out. Due to Tae's inability to speak she was unable to advertise her idol group. When Sakura thought Tae had a Franchouchou shirt under the muddy shirt she was wearing, Sakura calls to Tae to rip her outer shirt to reveal the inner shirt. Unfortunately, it was revealed that Tae was actually wearing a Drive-in-Tori shirt that they were given as a gift for the commercial. Tae then crows to the crowd, much to her idol companion's disappointment.

Episode 6
In a mini concert and photo op event, Tae is cheered by many for her Drive-in-Tori commercial performance, she replies by doing the same crow she did in the commercial.

Episode 7
While Junko locked herself up, Tae continues practicing and resting with the other Idols for the upcoming Saga Rock event. When Junko gain new resolve and decided to perform with everyone, Tae embraces her with joy along with the other Franchouchou Idols. Right before their performance, both her and Saki tries to invigorate the group by shouting but is told to quiet down.

She performs with everyone during the Saga Rock (notably she is the only one who isn't singing and isn't dancing in sync with everyone) and receives applause at the end with everyone.

Episode 8
When a giant man revealed to be Lily's biological father was questioned for suddenly approaching Lily and touching her, Tae is seen growling at the man in displeasure. When Lily sings a lead performance for her father, Tae is performs in the background with the rest of the idols.

Episode 9
Together with the other Franchouchou idols, Tae starts practicing Kashima Dance with to some elders to appeal them into being fans. Afterwards, everyone takes a break where she over drinks a drinking fountain. She then bites the buns of a biker girl who tries to intimidate Sakura and Lily.

In Saki's lead performance, Tae is seen dancing with the other idols while also dressing in a biker-gang theme like outfit.

Episode 10
When Kōtarō sends everyone in the mountains, Tae mostly slept or got frozen. At one point, she makes a "Christmas Tree" out of ice and snow. When Sakura's head gets eaten by a large boar, Tae attacks the boar with a ravenous attitude which saves Sakura.

Episode 11
After Sakura got hit again by a truck and reverts back to her past memories. Sakura lost her confidence to perform due to having several instances of bad luck during the course of her life, as shown when she reminiscences her past up to her final days of her life before she became a zombie.

Fully understanding to what Sakura is suffering through, Tae strives to convince her by doing whatever it takes to fully remember not only everything they've done as a group, but also her close relationship to her group-mates.

Episode 12
When Sakura was depressed due to her misfortunes, Tae attempted to help her remember what she did as an idol. Firstly by Cock-a-doodle-dooing whilst wearing the Drive-in Tori shirt to help her remember the commercial they were a part of. Later, she got out the magazine article regarding Saga-Rock, but Sakura brushed her off.

When Sakura locks herself up, Tae attempts to reach out to her again but with little success. After being ignored and brushed off so many times, Tae snaps in a rage. She breaks through the window in the room that Sakura locked herself up in and forces Sakura into the practice room. She then tries to show Sakura how much effort she made Tae practice and focus. Her actions gave the other idols, especially Yūgiri, the revelation how Sakura gave everyone so much and she has a responsibility to see through to the end no matter the results.

Along with the other idols, Tae performs in the Arpino concert and renewed Sakura's confidence despite the various misfortunes that fell on the stage. When Sakura regains her memories of being a zombie, Tae happily bites her head affectionately.

Second season
Tae Yamada/Sipnosis