Highschool of the Dead is set in the present day, beginning as the world is struck by a deadly pandemic that turns humans into zombies, euphemistically referred to by the main characters as "them" since they are no longer considered human. The story follows a group of high school students, the high school's nurse, and a young girl as they fight their way to safety through the deadly streets of Japan during a worldwide catastrophic event known as the "Outbreak". Led by sophomore Takashi Komuro, the focal group of survivors consists of six others and a small dog, and creating a gestalt team with one purpose: to survive.