History Main / FleshEatingZombie

* A gross summary of Titans in ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', in regards to their intelligence and their appetite. The main difference between them and most zombies being that the *smallest* Titans are still twice the size of the average human.

* A gross summary of Titans in ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', in regards to their intelligence and their appetite.

* The zombies in Umberto Lenzi's ''Nightmare City'' (a.k.a. ''City of the Walking Dead'') (1980) are variations of the Flesh Eating Zombie, except they drink blood instead of eating flesh. The specific origins of the plague are a result of [[NuclearNasty radiation exposure]].

* [[TropeCodifier Codifed]] by the ''Film/LivingDeadSeries'', including ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'', ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'', ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'', and ''Film/LandOfTheDead''. Though [[NotUsingTheZWord almost never called "zombies"]] before ''Land'' (series creator Creator/GeorgeARomero originally referred to them as "ghouls"), the living dead in this series became the starting point for nearly all Hollywood zombies that followed. They walk and move slowly, have very rudimentary instincts, and are driven most by the instinct to feed. They can only be stopped by destroying their brains. Over the series, their attributes are gradually expanded upon. In ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'' it's discovered that they are drawn to places they knew in life, such as malls. In ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'' it's discovered that they can be trained to use tools can be coaxed to remember aspects of their past life. ''Film/LandOfTheDead'' takes it all much further, showing that the dead can communicate with each other, empathize with each other and cooperate to solve problems, suggesting that they are replacing humanity. ''Anyone'' who dies in the living dead world will become reanimated, which is the overriding reason the planet is overrun so quickly. Zombie bites are fatal, thus causing victims to reanimate after they die.

* [[TropeMaker Invented]] and [[TropeCodifier codifed]] by the ''Film/LivingDeadSeries'', including ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'', ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'', ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'', and ''Film/LandOfTheDead''. Though [[NotUsingTheZWord almost never called "zombies"]] before ''Land'' (series creator Creator/GeorgeARomero originally referred to them as "ghouls"), the living dead in this series became the starting point for nearly all Hollywood zombies that followed. They walk and move slowly, have very rudimentary instincts, and are driven most by the instinct to feed. They can only be stopped by destroying their brains. Over the series, their attributes are gradually expanded upon. In ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'' it's discovered that they are drawn to places they knew in life, such as malls. In ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'' it's discovered that they can be trained to use tools can be coaxed to remember aspects of their past life. ''Film/LandOfTheDead'' takes it all much further, showing that the dead can communicate with each other, empathize with each other and cooperate to solve problems, suggesting that they are replacing humanity. ''Anyone'' who dies in the living dead world will become reanimated, which is the overriding reason the planet is overrun so quickly. Zombie bites are fatal, thus causing victims to reanimate after they die.

* The ''Film/LivingDeadSeries'', including ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'', ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'', ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'', and ''Film/LandOfTheDead''. Though [[NotUsingTheZWord almost never called "zombies"]] before ''Land'' (series creator Creator/GeorgeARomero originally referred to them as "ghouls"), the living dead in this series became the starting point for nearly all Hollywood zombies that followed. They walk and move slowly, have very rudimentary instincts, and are driven most by the instinct to feed. They can only be stopped by destroying their brains. Over the series, their attributes are gradually expanded upon. In ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'' it's discovered that they are drawn to places they knew in life, such as malls. In ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'' it's discovered that they can be trained to use tools can be coaxed to remember aspects of their past life. ''Film/LandOfTheDead'' takes it all much further, showing that the dead can communicate with each other, empathize with each other and cooperate to solve problems, suggesting that they are replacing humanity. ''Anyone'' who dies in the living dead world will become reanimated, which is the overriding reason the planet is overrun so quickly. Zombie bites are fatal, thus causing victims to reanimate after they die.

Overlaps with NoZombieCannibals when the undead ignore each other as a potential food source.

* The books ''Literature/TheZombieSurvivalGuide'' and ''Literature/WorldWarZ'' by Max Brooks attribute the zombie outbreaks to the fictional virus "Solanum", described as being contagious through contact with bodily fluids in open wounds (i.e. bites, [[BloodSplatteredInnocents splatter]], and deep scratches) and 100% fatal. The virus warps the brain into a new organ that does not require food, water, or even air to survive. Still, even though it's not necessary to sustain unlife, zombies attempt to attack and consume living flesh, largely as a means of spreading the virus. Zombies don't feel pain and can only be killed by destroying the brain -- decapitation merely results in a head that can still bite and feed if one gets too close, burning them can take several minutes to fry the brain (during which time they can set their surroundings on fire), and freezing them solid only works until they thaw out again.

[[folder: Western Animation]]

[[/folder]]

* Zigzagged in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''. Zombies are usually created by TheNecromancer rather than a plague, but later editions included rules for portraying zombies that were "self-perpetuating". Zombies also usually simply try to kill anything that is around them because they hate life, but again rules for supporting flesh-eaters exist. In particular, ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}'' provides ample support for it, having featured Cannibal Zombies (which are, literally, zombies built by way of this depiction) in 2nd edition, and having the 3rd edition {{sourcebook}} "Van Richten's Guide to the Walking Dead", which spells out the exact combination of salient powers and traits needed to build a Flesh-Eating Zombie.

* In the movie ''Film/{{Demoni}}'', the eponymous creatures are basically flesh-eating and plague-bearing zombies, with a bit of demon in them.

* ''Film/ShaunOfTheDead'' zombies are generally of the Romero type. The interesting thing is that, while animal-like and mindless, they retain some mannerisms and shards of personality they had in life -- a zombified kid keeps playing with his ball, zombified menial workers can still do their job, and [[spoiler:Shaun's zombified stepdad turns off the radio with the blaring modern music he hated in life]]. And [[spoiler:zombie Ed still plays video games]].

* In the movie ''Film/{{Demoni}}'', the eponymous creatures are basically flesh-eating and plague-bearing zombies, with a bit of demon in them.

* The zombies in Umberto Lenzi's ''Nightmare City'' (a.k.a. ''City of the Walking Dead'') (1980) are variations of the Flesh Eating Zombie, except they drink blood instead of eating flesh. The specific origins of the plague are a result of [[NuclearNasty radiation exposure]].

* The zombies of ''{{Film/Fido}}'' are clearly inspired from Romero's ''Living Dead'' series, with the reanimation of the dead (which continues to occur for anyone who dies of any cause) being attributed to space radiation like in ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968''. Naturally, they act this way, though the [=ZomCon=] corporation has developed control collars that somehow inhibit the desire, allowing controlled zombies to act as domestic servants. Unusually, the bites of these zombies do ''not'' seem fatal, as one character is revealed to be covered in several bite-like scars (presumably from his [[{{Squick}} zombie girlfriend]]).

[[folder: Literature ]]

* Featured in Creator/JaneAusten's classic ''Literature/PrideAndPrejudiceAndZombies''.
* In Literature/{{Portlandtown}} the mindless zombies that are created by the Hanged Man's presence are fairly standard modern type, eating flesh and turning those they bite into zombies.
* An early example is in ''Literature/HerbertWestReanimator'' by Creator/HPLovecraft. While the story predates the usage of the term zombie, several of the corpses that are reanimated (Doctor Halsey in the chapter "The Plague-Daemon" and the boxer in "Six Shots by Moonlight") do kill and eat other people.

* ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' includes zombies that eat flesh.

* However, in the ''Buffy'' spin-off ''Series/{{Angel}}'', the episode "Habeas Corpses" has the ultimate emergency mode of the Wolfram & Hart office building be to revive dead employees as Flesh-Eating Zombies.

* Zigzagged in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''. Zombies are usually created by TheNecromancer rather than a plague, but later editions included rules for portraying zombies that were "self-perpetuating". Zombies also usually simply try to kill anything that is around them because they hate life, but again rules for supporting flesh-eaters exist. In particular, ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}'' provides ample support for it, having featured Cannibal Zombies (which are, literally, zombies built by way of this depiction) in 2nd edition, and having the 3rd edition {{sourcebook}} "Van Richten's Guide to the Walking Dead", which spells out the exact combination of salient powers and traits needed to build a Flesh-Eating Zombie.

* ''VideoGame/DeadRising'' has zombies as the hosts of [[https://deadrising.fandom.com/wiki/Ampulex_Compressa_Giganteus a genetically modified species of parasitoid wasp]]. The wasp larva increases its host's appetite in order to gain nutrients for its own growth, hence the flesh-eating. The wasps were originally used in an attempt to mass-produce cattle, but one of the queens escaped and started the first zombie outbreak.
* ''VideoGame/SurvivorTheLivingDead'' has plague-bearing flesh-eaters. In large numbers, and from the 2D view normally associated with platformers. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbcyEoOGWnY Here's a review so you can see for yourself.]]
* Kyurem from ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' is a [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot frozen dragon from space]] whose appearance and mannerisms are based off of the classic flesh-eating zombie. It's even explicitly stated to have a taste for human flesh. Though, unlike other examples, its bite cannot turn you into a zombie.

* ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'' by Telltale has these as the premise of the game.

* ''Anime/DailyLifeWithMonsterGirl'' has Zombina, who adores eating flesh... not HUMAN flesh, mind, [[RealMenEatMeat but she loves barbecue]] being a dyed-in-the-wool {{Ladette}}.

* Necrons in ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' fill the role TheUndead would play in a conventional fantasy setting, and the Flayed Ones are their Flesh-Eating Zombie equivalents. Flayed Ones suffer from a MindVirus curse that causes feral behavior and BodyHorror physical mutations, as well as afflicting them with an incurable hunger for living flesh - despite the fact that Necrons are animate metal constructs and can't actually eat.

* Necrons in ''Franchise/Warhammer40000'' fill the role TheUndead would play in a conventional fantasy setting, and the Flayed Ones are their Flesh-Eating Zombie equivalents. Flayed Ones suffer from a MindVirus curse that causes feral behavior and BodyHorror physical mutations, as well as afflicting them with an incurable hunger for living flesh - despite the fact that Necrons are animate metal constructs and can't actually eat.

* The ''Film/LivingDeadSeries'', including ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'', ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'', ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'', and ''Film/LandOfTheDead''. Though [[NotUsingTheZWord almost never called "zombies"]] before ''Land'' (series creator Creator/GeorgeARomero originally referred to them as "ghouls"), the living dead in this series became the starting point for nearly all Hollywood zombies that followed. They walk and move slowly, have very rudimentary instincts, and are driven most by the instinct to feed. They can only be stopped by destroying their brains. Over the series, their attributes are gradually expanded upon. In ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'' it's discovered that they are drawn to places they knew in life, such as malls. In ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'' it's discovered that they can be trained to use tools can be coaxed to remember aspects of their past life. ''Film/LandOfTheDead'' takes it all much further, showing that the dead can communicate with each other, empathize with each other, cooperate, and solve problems, suggesting that they are replacing humanity. ''Anyone'' who dies in the living dead world will become reanimated, which is the overriding reason the planet is overrun so quickly. Zombie bites are fatal, thus causing victims to reanimate after they die.

* The ''Film/LivingDeadSeries'', including ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'', ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'', ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'', and ''Film/LandOfTheDead''. Though [[NotUsingTheZWord almost never called "zombies"]] before ''Land'' (series creator Creator/GeorgeARomero originally referred to them as "ghouls"), the living dead in this series became the starting point for nearly all Hollywood zombies that followed. They walk and move slowly, have very rudimentary instincts, and are driven most by the instinct to feed. They can only be stopped by destroying their brains. Over the series, their attributes are gradually expanded upon. In ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'' it's discovered that they are drawn to places they knew in life, such as malls. In ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'' it's discovered that zombies can be trained to use tools and can be coaxed to remember aspects of their past life. ''Film/LandOfTheDead'' takes it all much further, showing that the dead can communicate with each other, empathize with each other, cooperate, and solve problems, suggesting that they are replacing humanity. ''Anyone'' who dies in the living dead world will become reanimated, which is the overriding reason the planet is overrun so quickly. Zombie bites are fatal, thus causing victims to reanimate after they die.

* The ''Film/LivingDeadSeries'', including ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'', ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'', ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'', and ''Film/LandOfTheDead''. Though [[NotUsingTheZWord almost never called "zombies"]] before ''Land'' (series creator Creator/GeorgeARomero originally referred to them as "ghouls"), the living dead in this series became the starting point for Hollywood zombies. They walk and move slowly, have very rudimentary instincts, and are driven most by the instinct to feed. They can only be stopped by destroying their brains. Over the series, their attributes are gradually expanded upon. In ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'' it's discovered that they are drawn to places they knew in life, such as malls. In ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'' it's discovered that zombies can be trained to use tools and can be coaxed to remember aspects of their past life. ''Film/LandOfTheDead'' takes it all much further, showing that the dead can communicate with each other, empathize with each other, cooperate, and solve problems, suggesting that they are replacing humanity. ''Anyone'' who dies in the living dead world will become reanimated, which is the overriding reason the planet is overrun so quickly. Zombie bites are fatal, thus causing victims to reanimate after they die.

* The ''Film/LivingDeadSeries'', including ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'', ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'', ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'', and ''Film/LandOfTheDead''. Though [[NotUsingTheZWord never called "zombies"]] before ''Land'' (series creator Creator/GeorgeARomero originally referred to them as "ghouls"), the living dead in this series became the starting point for Hollywood zombies. They walk and move slowly, have very rudimentary instincts, and are driven most by the instinct to feed. They can only be stopped by destroying their brains. Over the series, their attributes are gradually expanded upon. In ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'' it's discovered that they are drawn to places they knew in life, such as malls. In ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'' it's discovered that zombies can be trained to use tools and can be coaxed to remember aspects of their past life. ''Film/LandOfTheDead'' takes it all much further, showing that the dead can communicate with each other, empathize with each other, cooperate, and solve problems, suggesting that they are replacing humanity. ''Anyone'' who dies in the living dead world will become reanimated, which is the overriding reason the planet is overrun so quickly. Zombie bites are fatal, thus causing victims to reanimate after they die.

Contrast FriendlyZombie; [[AttractiveZombie Attractive Zombies]] also tend to avert this trope, due to BeautyEqualsGoodness.

* Lampshaded in ''VideoGame/Prototype2'' when one scientist questions why the zombies eat nothing but flesh when humans are actually omnivores.[[Handwave He's told he's overthinking it]].

Flesh-Eating Zombies are the type usually found in a ZombieApocalypse. They consume the skin, [[BrainFood brains]], or various other organs of the living, and sometimes [[TheVirus infect survivors, who become zombies themselves]] -- which makes them a lot like a [[OurGhoulsAreCreepier ghoul]], really. Can also be merged with a VoodooZombie or PlagueZombie. They [[OlderThanTheyThink show a lot of]] the characteristics of the actual European folkloric [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]], before Gothic novelists [[VampiresAreSexGods made them sexier and cleverer]].

* ''VideoGame/DeadRising'': Aspects of F and PS. [[spoiler:Mass-producing cattle created a wasp that turns people into zombies. The wasps in question are actually quite huge, compared to normal wasps. Trying to find out how they got so huge, the wasps themselves escaped and found a better source of food: humans.]]