When two people die at the same time, they’re sent to a place that’s neither heaven nor hell—a lavish
bar between worlds where the stakes are high and the rules are simple: if you win you live again, if
you die… you’re gone for good.
Decim is the bartender charged with serving the souls who enter Quindecim. He may make a mean
cocktail, but his true profession is to play the role of arbiter—a judge who determines whether or not
a soul is worthy of reincarnation. To aid in his judgment, the bar’s patrons are forced to play simple
games laced with sadistic twists designed to bring their true natures to light. To Decim, judgment has
always been black and white—that is—until he meets a mysterious young woman whose fate seems
impossible to decide. His indecision shakes the very foundation of the games and raises the biggest
question of all: Who is fit to judge the dead?
(Source: Funimation)
Wew. Gonna say this now. If you're wondering what the message of the show is, just scroll down to the Enjoyment section. You'll find it there. I know I should have mentioned it earlier but I found it necessary to discuss it then because of how much I, well, enjoyed it. Synopsis: After death, there is no heaven or hell, only a bar that stands between reincarnation and oblivion. There the attendant will, one after another, challenge pairs of the recently deceased to a random game in which their fate of either ascending into reincarnation or falling into the void will be wagered. Whether it's bowling, darts, air hockey, or anything in between, each person's true nature will be revealed in a ghastly parade of death and memories, dancing to the whims of the bar's master. Welcome to Quindecim, where Decim, arbiter of the afterlife, awaits! Death Parade expands upon the original one-shot intended to train young animators. It follows yet more people receiving judgment—until a strange, black-haired guest causes Decim to begin questioning his own rulings. Story: Premise (1.5 out of 2) Madhouse's whimsical, yet tragic and cathartic interpretation of the afterlife through Death Parade is unique when considering the afterlife's usual depiction (heaven = paradise, hell = demon-infested land with evil shit) in mediums such as art and literature due to the inclusion of metaphor and allusion. Whether it was purgatory's representation through Quindecim, or the inclusion of religious phrases such as "momento mori" (Latin for "remember death), the overwhelming amount of references and techniques found (not meant in a negative light) make the premise of Death Parade that much more complex, interesting, and didactic. In addition, the more down-to-earth stories of Quindecim's guests and employees add that personal touch that the most cathartic anime need to succeed (which is only enhanced by the fact that Death Parade's plot is centered around its characters). The various climactic events, while predictable, can also leave a sense of surprise for more casual viewers. The show also does a great job of keeping the viewer guessing with its relatively frequent reveals and twists. Overall, the anime is incredibly subliminal in its messages and is effective in its ability to capture the viewer's attention. It is also effective in eliciting introspection within the viewer, as the anime's plot involves challenging the status quo regarding the meaning of life and how we judge those lives. In the end, it really is an intriguing story that keeps the viewer engaged and entertained. It is slightly hard to believe based on the setting, but I think it gets the message across nonetheless. Pace (1 out of 2): Death Parade's pace is incredibly inconsistent. The show begins at a relatively slower pace, which helps to explain how things at Quindecim work while drawing out the drama and suspense that the show constantly features. In addition, the interactions between the employees are fully-fleshed out during the slower parts of the show. However, viewers might lose interest due to the sheer influx of information being thrown their way. The pace begins to quicken as more and more guests arrive, but the arrival of new employees returns the pace to its original, more lethargic speed. The speedups themselves are effective in increasing the tension and really set the mood for each game, but the return to such a slower, drawn-out pace exhausts the viewer and may cause an incredible amount of confusion for those who cannot keep up. Complexity (2 out of 2): Death Parade is so incredibly complex almost to a fault. As mentioned previously, the show's heavy usage of allusion and metaphor set the precedent for what becomes an already complex and intriguing story. For example, the door that precedes the elevator to Quindecim has a carving of what looks to be a "Last Judgement" near the tympanum, which tells the viewer that whatever happens in this place involves the weighing of one's sins. In simpler terms, it features something bigger than the show. Along with these rhetorical techniques, the show really cements its complexity through the building of themes that explore morality, the meaning of life, emotion, and more. Decim's appreciation for a fulfilled life in conjunction with his opinions about death can be interpreted as the show's stance towards life; as the show stated, remember death in order to live the fullest life possible. Conversely, Nona's discussion with Chiyuki about how primal fear is as an emotion references how we feel about death; as humans, we try our best to avoid death because of how much we fear that terrifying eventuality. This dichotomy, among other things (e.g., Nona's emphasis on emotion for living a full life), only begins to reveal how incredibly complex the show is; it makes the viewer think about how they feel about the things we fear and, more importantly, how we view our lives and livelihoods. This sort of introspection isn't present in most anime, and its something that is especially necessary in a time where mediocrity and shallow art runs rampant. I digress. The show's detailed as fuck. Plausibility (.75 out of 2): Death Parade's story, while incredibly sensible on an interpersonal level, suffers from its idealized image of death in the form of a walk-in bar that you play games in. While the interactions in the bar are incredibly wholesome and wrought with emotion, I would argue that the unnatural setting slightly detracts from the catharsis seen in each episode. However, I will concede that the setting of the show is effective in other aspects (e.g., moral of the show) which will be discussed later. Overall, it's psychologically accurate, but that's about it. Ending (1.75 out of 2): Death Parade's ending is effective in providing closure for its characters after a 12 episode struggle with regret, doubt, depression, and one's identity among other things. The show, like most "feelsy" shows, provides an appropriate amount of tension that increases with each episode up until the dramatic finale. In addition, the way that the subplots sort of lurk until said finale keep the viewer hooked up until these subplots are about to end. In layman's terms, the subtle hints that are given regarding the backstories of each character are effective in maintaining intrigue regarding the story and the show in general. In terms of emotion, the story establishes a precedent right out of the gate and slightly increases the level of catharsis with each story up until the end of the show. The last subplot (Chiyuki's subplot) features the pinnacle of emotional expression as we delve into a more developed story in contrast with the more immediate subplots (immediate here means with no real context or hints). In general, the linearity of the story was something I can really appreciate because of its ability to avoid making the plot mediocre and boring. What I did not appreciate as much was how "set up" the ending felt; it felt incredibly underdeveloped to a point where I had to check for a second season (not really sure if one will come, maybe the show had no funding left?). Only time will tell. Overall rating: 7/10 Characters: Presence (.5 out of 2): The majority of the cast, regardless of stature, are mysteriously absent throughout the show. For some reason, it feels like characters who could be more fleshed-out and developed disappear after an episode or two. One could definitely argue that the show's brevity contributes to these absences, but Decim and Chiyuki seem to counter that argument well because of how three-dimensional they are. Personally, I would argue that the show's emphasis on its didactic message is to blame for the variety of each character's presence in the show (this message will be discussed later). Each character does play a certain role in developing and ultimately sending this message (e.g., each pair of dead people, each arbiter, etc.), so the absences are not necessarily illegitimate; however, it isn't really something that you can excuse or ignore. In the end, what could have been a dynamic cast with an innumerable (obviously an exaggeration) amount of interesting personalities ended up consisting of just Chiyuki and Decim due to how absent the rest of the cast were. Personality (1.25 out of 2): Regardless of how present each character was, each of their personalities were a step above your typical, lowest-common denominator character that you would probably see in your run-of-the-mill show that comes out each season. For example, Decim (who does become a much more complete character) is as close to a sociopath as you can get, as he cannot empathize with anyone until he unlocks his more human side at the conclusion of the show. His inability to relate with the people he judges makes him ignorant to their struggles and makes his character all the more boring. Oculus carries with him a literal god-complex along with a condescending attitude because of his restricted beliefs regarding the purpose of arbiters as robot-like judges who are devoid of any emotion along with the fact that he actually created. This sense of superiority without an adequate amount of context or background information makes his character and personality incomplete. Nona is perhaps the most interesting side character because of how her childish tendencies clash with her wisdom; however, she, like other side characters, don't show up as much as they should for reasons discussed earlier. Ginti could have also become a more developed character, but his lack of presence makes viewers remember him for his incredibly aggressive and aloof nature instead of some unique trait. Of course, each character's personality is fleshed-out as the show reaches its conclusion, but reaching that point could not have been possible due to the lack of presence from most of the cast. As a result, this discrepancy leads to a plethora of unoriginal and mediocre personalities that have the potential to be forgettable. Backdrop (2 out of 2): While the characters suffer from a lack of exposure and have relatively archetypal personalities, their respective interactions with the environment, usually Quindecim, are necessary for a few reasons. With each game, we learn more about the arbiters (including Chiyuki) as well as each group of guests. This knowledge is paramount for understanding the ultimate message of the show (once again, this will be discussed later) and gives insight into each character's backstory. As a result, this allows each character and subplot to develop with no significant problems. Of course, problems such as the absence of some characters does infringe upon how well each area develops, but the negative impact that this has pales in comparison to how well the setting emphasizes the overall message of the show. Aside: I talk about this message frequently because I love how didactic the show is. I'll talk about it soon. Development (.75 out of 2): As to avoid any redundancy, I'll keep this short. The only two characters who significantly develop are Decim and Chiyuki. The rest of the cast vary in terms of their flatness; some characters such as Nona aren't as flat as Oculus for example. Overall, the amount of one-dimensionality found in this show is incredibly disappointing considering how grounded both Decim and Chiyuki were at the end of the show. Catharsis (2 out of 2): With all the negatives out of the way, Death Parade's ability to invoke sympathy and sadness ranks high on the list of shows that know how to open the floodgates. While my lack of a heart prevents me from shedding tears, I still sympathized with each of the guests as their stories and lives were both incredibly poignant and powerful. My favorite story would have to be the love story (second pair of guests) because nothing warms my heart more than wholesome love. In terms of the cathartic effects on the characters, the impact remains the same. However, Decim and the other arbiters are slight exceptions for most of the show for a myriad of reasons (Decim is basically a sociopath, Ginti is apathetic and doesn't appear for half of the show, Oculus appears like three times, etc). Once again, the other characters (mostly Chiyuki and the guests) are instrumental in the injection of emotions such as sadness, fear, and anger, so they carry the load for most of the show. Overall rating: 6.5/10 Aesthetics (art style): General (1.5 out of 2): Death Parade carries with it an incredibly distinct art style that separates it from the status quo that most anime maintain. For the most part, this cast of characters have unique designs and the backgrounds are rife with a myriad of colors as to make the surroundings that much more beautiful. In general, the show's dynamic backgrounds are both marvelous to look at and add a sort of ironic beauty to an otherwise morbid and cathartic show. The animation is incredibly detailed as well; the first trial (the couple who died in the car crash) really encapsulates how meticulous the animation is through the realistic convulsions and contortions that the couple experiences as they destroy their bodies. The show's metaphorical beauty is also nothing to scoff at, as the show masters both symbolism through art as well as realism regarding tropes like revenge and, for the most part, agency (act in accordance to one's self, basically working for one's own benefit) among other things (refer to the last trial before Chiyuki remembers everything). A nice show artistically. Characters (1.25 out of 2): The cast of Death Parade consists of a somewhat memorable and recognizable bunch when considering their semi-realistic designs and somewhat unique features (such as Oculus' distinct hair style). For the most part, the main characters are glaringly similar and simple in terms of their design, but I think this simplicity exemplifies the serious tone that the show seems to want to set. In particular, the uniforms of each of the arbiters are pretty monotonous in their color scheme (white w/ a black apron) as to truly sell the importance of their job. Their personalities are pretty stagnant throughout, so there's no real evolution of character until the end of the show. The side cast is relatively generic, but still exhibit characteristics that the viewer can relate with such as empathy and love (compared to the arbiters). In terms of memorability, it really depends on what subplot you empathize with the most. Otherwise, I'd call most of the characters somewhat memorable. The length of the show as well as its episodic progression don't really do the stories justice, so it becomes much harder to remember all the characters. Backgrounds (1.5 out of 2): My memory fails me here. I do remember how beautiful the backgrounds were (which once again emphasize the ironic beauty that really defines the show) but I cannot really remember anything in particular aside from the main bar area. My only gripe was how repetitive everything looked. I understand that the show takes place in only one area, but the lack of variation can really bore viewers, especially considering how cool the color palette is (lots of darker, chill colors with some brighter shades thrown in). Yes, moments exist when the backgrounds shift dynamically (e.g., Nona's place of residence, a sort of Garden of Eden) but these moments do not last long enough to merit a higher rating, which was unfortunate considering how magnificent they were. Aside: I'm going to try my best to stay cognizant of background quality in the future. Granted, I wouldn't say I analyze shows as efficiently as others might considering how they might do such a thing as a profession, but I think I'm severely lacking in this department. Will try harder. Animation (2 out of 2): One of the stronger points of the show. I can only marvel at how great the attention to detail was while watching. In particular, it seemed as if the quality of animation increased throughout each episode, especially during the trials. In addition, the animators did an excellent job of animating with the mood of the episode; I appreciated how aggressive and visceral everything looked during moments of extreme tension. In general, the "extreme situations" as the arbiters so artificially call them are a perfect example of how to realistically animate pain. The same can be said about the more tranquil moments of the show, which feature more fluid, soothing movements (e.g., Chiyuki's ice skating sequence) in order to invoke feelings of sympathy or sadness. Wonderfully animated overall. Visual effects (1.75 out of 2): Like the animation, the visual effects are awe-inspiring and so over-the-top as to enunciate how strange the show sounds based on its premise. The melodramatic explosions are silly for a show this didactic, but I think they are necessary for the show to get its point across. Other visual effects like the holy gloss on Decim's judgement floss indicate some sort of "holier than thou" superiority over the more subservient humans who enter his realm. Even something as simple as the shine filter applied to almost everything adds a sort of "I'm seeing the light" effect as to hint at the passing of the participants. I do want to mention however that the shine can be hard to look at for so long, so its not perfectly executed. Overall rating: 8/10 Aesthetics (sound): Voice acting (2.5 out of 3): This ensemble of voice actors, while not as prominent as other actors in the anime scene, do a great job of fitting in with their character. More specifically, each actor seems to accurately portray the personality of their character effectively. It's a shame that most of the actors didn't get to truly flesh their characters because of how absent some of them were. Once again, my memory fails me for any particular grievances. I'll do better next time. Apologies. Music (2.75 out of 4): Death Parade's musical arrangement is hit and miss. Whereas the show has one of the best openings ever, the music found in the show itself is nothing but forgettable (save for the piece that was played during Chiyuki's ice skating theme, which does an excellent job of creating a cathartic scene with its lyrical composition and slow tempo in conjunction with Chiyuki's full, fluid, and eye-opening movements). Yes, while the music is regrettably forgettable, it it does an okay job of matching with the overall mood of the scene (tense, fast-paced music with more tense scenes, vice versa), which all music should strive to do in a show as emotionally driven as Death Parade. The ending offers a more realistic portrayal of the show's nature and message with its drawn-out notes, morbid imagery, and depressing tone and does a fantastic job of contrasting with the more cheery, whimsical song that is featured in the opening which ultimately creates another dichotomy in a series with a myriad of dichotomous relationships. Sound effects (2 out of 3): I'm gonna keep this short. You can say many of the same things I said about the visual effects (replacing visual with sound ofc). However, I wouldn't go so far as to say the sound effects have as much of an impact on the show compared to the visual effects. They do increase the level of drama and emotion during some scenes, but at this point that's expected. There wasn't anything revolutionary, though I will concede that my memory indeed fails me again, so I'll be a bit more lenient. Overall rating: 7.25/10 Enjoyment: Art (1.75 out of 2): Reference the "Aesthetics (Art style)" section. Rounded up because I really enjoyed how beautiful the show was overall. Music (1.25 out of 2): Reference the "Aesthetics (Sound)" section. Enjoyment (5 out of 6): When I think of Death Parade, I think of a complex and multi-dimensional show that is fueled by its pathos and features an incredibly complex and didactic story. While it might fail to develop some characters effectively or even feature them in the show, the rampant symbolism, the grounded realism, and the overall message of the show were all enough to both make it stand out among other more mediocre shows and remain good throughout. I particularly enjoyed the overall message, as the show constantly advocates for a "cognizance of death" perspective towards life. In layman's terms, the show tries to persuade (or at least inform) the viewer that life should be lived to its extent with death in mind. Humans too often fear death, so they hesitate to try things that might seem risky in their eyes. Through Death Parade's symbolism and message, the viewer understands that the idea of regret regarding your entire life is arguably worse than death itself. The show emphasizes fulfillment (and cathartic expression) as a sort of requirement for a good life through the show's events and ultimately argues that death isn't bad or isn't something that should be feared or forgotten; instead, it should be remembered so that we can live fulfilled lives as humans. I really appreciate this perspective and I think that it is something both critical and casual watchers can appreciate as well. Not to mention that even without understanding the didactic nature of the show, the grounded nature of the show alongside an irony that is pretty easy to point out (Death Parade subverts the viewer's expectations of the show, making it out to be some sort of whimsical portrayal of death when it is in fact a somewhat realistic portrayal of death and the afterlife through the perspective of humans and "gods" alike). All in all, its a show I really enjoyed casually and critically albeit its flaws. Overall rating: 8/10 Summary: Death Parade is a great show casually and a decent show critically. I wouldn't call it revolutionary, but its ability to tug at the heartstrings while advocating some existential message does merit some praise considering you do not usually see that in anime to begin with. I digress. Good show with some flaws. Total rating: 7.25/10 Would I recommend?: Casually, yes. Critically, I'd lean towards yes but warn you that it has some problems.
“It’s not just grief. There are as many emotions as there are people. The fragility of someone who lets their anger get the best of them… The strength to overcome fear because of love… You can’t comprehend anything about them.” – Chiyuki An anime that you might recognize because of its iconic OP or unique setting, Death Parade was one that I was looking forward to watching for a while. My first impression were pretty well met, and the first thing that I had noticed was its unique atmosphere. Right off the bat, Death Parade had managed to establish a tone of air that grabbed my attention. Soon afterwards I realized that I was in for something dark and special. For the most part, it was pretty episodic with the events that unfolded as the anime progressed. While there was a somewhat vague goal in mind going on behind the scenes, there didn’t seem to be any REAL storyline or message in the beginning of Death Parade. I had enjoyed the various events that took place though because of the psychological awareness that us viewers had of the participants. You were able to see what they were thinking, feel what they were feeling, and what made them tick on the inside. This is where the art/animation shined because of the stunningly realistic and dramatic facial expressions that were featured. Another thing that stood out were the unique designs that had fit the environment almost perfectly. While Death Parade did have its dark tones, it still had much more to offer in terms of entertainment. Both the character interactions as well as the occasional comedy were enough to lighten the mood a bit and give viewers a break from the intense moments that were soon too appear. While this anime did have an episodic style in the beginning that didn’t seem to have much in terms of a storyline, it soon turned into something MUCH deeper than I was ever expecting to see. And now it’s an anime that has become one of my favorites that I’d highly recommend to any who are in to either dark or philosophical genres. Let’s get on with the scoring: Art and Animation: 9.2/10 This anime had some really good art/animation to offer in every element that it featured. From the surrounding environment, dynamic sequences, moody color palette, and unique character designs, every element worked in unison to contribute to the overall atmosphere of Death Parade. Despite all of these positive elements, I have to admit that this type of style has to be down your alley in order for you to fully enjoy it. It brings to the table an “ominous” feel that i haven’t experienced too often with other anime. My eyes never felt strained or distracted by poor animation, so be rest assured that this anime delivers from a technical standpoint. Storyline and Character Progression: 9.4/10 I felt quite conflicted while scoring this section because of a few reasons. The main thing that i must admit was how long it took to build up the story. For while the story in the end was AMAZING beyond words, it took until the last few episodes where it all blossomed into one powerful message. In the beginning the anime was very episodic and occasionally hinted at a storyline developing in the background. While this style of anime might appeal to some, an episodic “feel” undermines many events in an anime as irrelevant. The unique thing that i appreciated was how the beginning used these episodes to slowly and secretly add to the main message behind the events. Near reaching the end of the storyline, it all came together in such an unexpected way. In ONE episode my opinion of Death Parade changed dramatically for the better to the point where it brought tears to my eyes. It truly was a breathtaking and “wow” moment where it seemed like the whole world stood still in this moment, i couldn’t believe what i was watching. I’m not being dramatic either, i truly felt like this was a special moment in my anime career without a doubt. Overall, the story was phenomenal despite the slower and unclear beginning. This anime is definitely geared less to a general audience, but aimed towards one more specific in tastes. As for the characters, this too was executed VERY well. From the very beginning, i felt like i was watching ordinary humans with sincere feelings and thoughts. It was quite an art to see how they interacted with such natural fluidity and thought process. It was as if we were diving into the inner thoughts and desires of each person to see what made them as a person. What made them happy, what made them sad, what made them scared, or what pushed them to insanity. All of these thoughts and actions were carefully observed by the main characters, and they too were still figuring out why humans made the decisions they did. This anime showed that while humans seemed simple, the emotions they felt were beyond comprehension. Being able to feel what they felt and see what they saw, it was still a challenge to deduct WHY these humans acted in such a manner. And in the end, our main characters came to a beautiful realization that suddenly blossomed into something truly spectacular. With each passing moment, they came to terms with their emotions and accepted what seemed to be fate. I felt connected with them at this point, and the emotions experienced became my own. I was fully immersed into the anime at this point, and i soon realized how well executed the character interactions and dialogue were. This was by far the strongest part of Death Parade, and i enjoyed every single minute of it. The only downside i felt with this anime was the insignificance of the supporting characters. I didn’t really end up caring or connecting with them, and one girl in specific was just annoying and unneeded for me. So while the main characters were developed VERY well, i felt like the supporting roles were somewhat overlooked or neglected. Soundtrack and Audio: 8.9/10 What can i say? The OP is one that I’m sure many of us have seen and heard because of how iconic it is. Its upbeat, the animation is dynamic, and i never grew tired of listening to it. The rest of the soundtrack didn’t feature much, but was spectacular when it was showcased. It contributed both to the mood and atmosphere of the moment to amplify it even further. The piano piece specifically was the highlight of it all, as this was the moment I was moved to tears. I had no complaints with the voice actors, since most of them executed their roles very well in conveying sincere emotion. Sounds effects too were of decent quality and didn’t negatively affect my immersion, so no big complaints at all here. My final thoughts? A slower paced, episodical beginning that suddenly grew in meaning and significance towards the end in order to blossom into a powerful lesson. This is one of the few anime I’ve seen where the ending FAR surpasses its beginning. Truly an emotional and intense experience that I won’t soon forget, and one that I’d recommend to anyone looking for something more mature, psychological, and with a touch of darkness. This is why i believe Death Parade deserves the score of 9.1/10. For its unique environment, memorable soundtrack, and truly beautiful lesson, this is an anime i wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. Thanks so much for reading this far, and I’ll see you in the next one! <3 ~~~Streaming Platform: Funimation~~~
_Death Parade_ is an enigmatic mix of emotion and emotionlessness. It centers itself around the theme of death, the place in which it garners most of its ideas. The death games provide a good spectacle, while the narrative tries to make a commentary based on the psychology of the human condition. This show has its moments. Since it is an episodic anime, each episode revolves around a different game with different players. The games are where this show shines, be it darts, bowling, or otherwise. Each game _explodes_ onto the set, giving way to the ominous yet powerful atmospheres that each game presents. This gives the characters a chance to display a whole range of emotions within their 20-minute time span. Furthermore, each game comes to a unique emotional peak, making the darker episodes hit harder while producing the right amount of tension to keep it interesting. But when it comes to the permanent members, it is hard to come by development. They are mostly cast aside, while the focus is put on the storyline of the week. This makes me feel like they were more of an afterthought used to link the games together than actual characters. Although they were given moments of personality, they were tacked on, never feeling impactful or genuine. A good example of this is Oculus. He is the driving force of the main narrative and is the ‘boss’ of the arbiters. But nothing came of his storyline. Sure, he was threatening towards some characters, but these were empty threats as he never followed through or changed emotionally in any way because of it. The overarching narrative did not fare much better. It portrays itself as grandiose, indicating some big finale to come. _The tables might turn, or there could be a surprising plot twist._ But anything remotely similar to that only happened within the final moments and by then, it was too late. The finale should have occurred at the halfway mark, leaving room for proper characterization, worldbuilding, and more solid stakes later on. Nevertheless, the opening is one of my favorites. Along with it being a total _bop_, it creates a complete juxtaposition between its tone and the tone of the show, somewhat cleverly subverting expectations. The original soundtrack is fitting and attunes to the tension that comes with people playing for their lives. Additionally, MADHOUSE never fails to impress me when it comes to their work. The art has enough detail to be pleasing, the animation is dynamic, and their color palette is fittingly moody. All of this works well to enunciate the themes and resolutions that are reflected in the story. All in all, I like Death Parade for what it is. The flashy games provide a spectacle full of raw human emotion, with a pseudo-introspective look into what makes us human. This is not a drama that prides itself on its insight or storytelling prowess, but rather a vessel used to showcase the games and the narratives that flourish within them. ___ Alterations Emotional Score: 76/100 -6 for the underdevelopment of the main cast (Mainly: Decim, Chiyuki, and Oculus). -2 for the underdevelopment of the main story
Anime is an abstract medium. While not as mainstream as other mediums, it certainly has more surrealistic and creative ideas. Death Parade is an example of it. Shows like this are the reason, why I like the medium so much and prefer it over other mediums. Death Parade is a psychological thriller, centered mainly around the concept of death and the afterlife. It gives a unique approach to the concept of the afterlife; to put it simply, instead of simply going to hell or heaven (reincarnation or void), the show presents the idea of an arbiter, an emotionless judge, who decides which of the people, who appear in his bar goes to- hell, an empty void which goes on forever or heaven, a form of reincarnation. The arbiter, being emotionless, objectively tries to determine which people deserve what kind of fate, by emotionally wrecking them, and getting the darkest aspect of their character out. In a way, this show is an extremely accurate character study, which shows the mental state of people and how each person has a different perspective on life and death and how humans can't understand each other. The show also explores, the randomness and unfair nature of life, and how humans aren't in control of it, and how they can lose their sanity in any given moment, due to dire circumstances. Watching this show hit me hard, and it made me extremely sad at times. However the reason, I feel this show is so well done is because of how the characters in this show, (the ones which come to the bar), feel so human; all their actions are neither good nor bad, all the characters have some flaws or are morally grey, that you as the viewer can't help yourself, but judge the people coming in the bar yourself, and determine which person deserves what kind of fate. Something the show screams at the viewers to not do. In a way we humans are arbiters as well, we pass judgment on people without knowing their circumstances, and determine which person is good or bad, when in reality everyone has flaws and everyone's lives are different, hence we shouldn't really pass judgment on them. This level of thematic exploration via the characters is brilliant and how the show manages to engage the audience and provoke them and get reactions out of them is just brilliant. Hence I feel the show does justice to its themes. Now moving onto the characters, They are messed up. The Human characters are great, however, the arbiters in the bar are extremely flat and one dimensional and for the most part serve nothing to the story and are underdeveloped and their plot points are unresolved. Hence in a way, none of them are in any way necessary to the story, and all they do is open up plot points and give empty threats, which are left dangling, and not fully addressed. The exceptions are Decim and Chiyuki who have layers of depth to them, but Decim's character is extremely sloppy as well. The arbiters constantly refer to Decim as being an arbiter with human emotions, however, that point is never foreshadowed or emphasized in the show, until the last 4 episodes, where Decim's character goes through some development and becomes likable. Chiyuki on the other hand is already layered and has enough depth to her, and she makes the judgment episodes entertaining. Plot and Pacing- The anime is episodic and is focused on thematic exploration, hence an actual plot in this story is absent. However the show tries to hint at a possible plot, whenever the show focuses on the side characters, but they are not really addressed, which for the most part, is the only weakest link of the show and the most prominent. 1/3rd of this show's episodes are not required and don't progress the story nor close up the plot points they tried to explore, hence they are just there and make the progression of the main story slower. So I feel the show could've ended in at most 9 episodes and that could've been better. Art/Animation and Sound/Music - The art style and the way the show is animated is just marvelous. It's madhouse studio after all. The character designs are unique and visually appealing, and the art of this anime sells its setting well. However, the A game of this anime is its sound and music. The background music in this anime is harmonious and just suits and sells the depressing setting this show has. Also, the opening song is really misleading, because it just subverts viewer expectations and delivers something completely different; in a way, it contradicts the show. The ending is my personal favorite though. Since it just makes the experience feel more emotional and is a great and impactful way to end the episodes. Final Verdict- This show feels really realistic and handles the idea of death; in an extremely original, realistic yet abstract way. If you can turn a blind eye to some of the points the show messed upon, you will have a fulfilling experience with this anime and gain a lot of value from it. Hence my final score is 89/100
[ENG] Let me tell you a story, a story so beautiful that simple words cannot describe it, the story of the first lovers of our existence. Snuggle up and listen well, because I'll tell you how Death fell in love with Life First, let's understand a little better about what this artwork is about. Death Parade, produced in 2015 by Madhouse Studio and Yuzuru Tachikawa's original creation, explores “if there is anything after death”, and in this universe there is something, a beautiful bar called Quindecim. Upon arriving at this bar, the newly deceased people are received by their Bartender, who, in the case of history, is called Decim, and is accompanied by his beautiful dark-haired assistant. The great premise of Death Parade is that in this world there is no "Heaven" or "Hell", in fact the only options are Reincarnation or the Void, so the Bartenders, in this case Decim, have the responsibility of judge these souls and send them to the proper place. Since it’s not easy to make this decision, each Bartender receives all the information about when the newly deceased was alive, such as the important moments and how they actually died and, through simple games like Dart, Cards and Bowling for example, exposes them to extreme situations to assess whether such a soul deserves a second chance, or it is time to forget it in the Void. Throughout the Anime we follow these judgments closely, seeing situations and cases that are so sad and terrible that you will certainly end up familiarizing yourself and being touched by one of them, but how this different story can talk about the love between Life and Death? Well...you have to watch it to know (no Spoilers) Death Parade is a Anime full of layers, I could talk about countless other observations and analyzes in this history as a whole, but when I realized that it’s the representation of the first time the feelings of Life touched the heart of Death was something very special. It remains only to know how Death can also show his feelings, and this is explored with mastery in the last few episodes. My great recommendation is that you pay close attention to all the messages that the Anime shows, each scene, each character, each second, carries a symbolism and a meaning that can go unnoticed if you blink your eyes. Not only that, but each trial will end up demanding too much of your emotional and mental state, because you will certainly end up connecting with any of the cases presented, this connection is so well explored that at various times between episodes I had to pause it because I was feeling so shaken and excited, and I can say with all certainty that it was one of the few Animes that made me feel that. Bellow there is a video link, entitled “Life and Death”, which better analyzes the Anime and its premise as a whole, making this review even more accurate (Please turn on the English Sub for it). [PT-BR] Deixe-me contar uma história, uma história tão bela que simples palavras não conseguem descrevê-la, a história dos primeiros amantes de nossa existência. Se aconchegue e escute bem, pois vou lhe contar como a Morte se apaixonou pela Vida... Antes vamos entender um pouco melhor sobre do que essa obra se trata. Death Parade, produzido em 2015 pelos Studios Madhouse e criação original de Yuzuru Tachikawa, explora “se existe algo após a morte”, e nesse universo existe algo sim, um belo bar chamado de Quindecim. Ao chegar nesse bar, as pessoas recém falecidas são recebidas pelo seu Bartender que, no caso da história, se chama Decim, que é acompanhado pela sua linda assistente de cabelos escuros. A grande premissa de Death Parade é que nesse mundo não existe “Céu” ou “Inferno”, na verdade as únicas opções são a Reencarnação ou o Vazio, cabendo aos Bartenders, no caso Decim, a responsabilidade de jugar essas almas e enviá-las para o seu devido lugar. Visto que não é simples tomar essa decisão, cada Bartender recebe todas as informações de quando o recém falecido estava vivo, como os momentos importantes e como de fato veio a falecer e, através de jogos simples como Dardo, Cartas e Boliche por exemplo, os expõe a situações extremas para avaliar se tal alma merece ter uma segunda chance, ou se chegou o momento de esquecê-la no Vazio. Durante todo o Anime acompanhamos esses julgamentos de perto, vendo situações e casos que são tão tristes e terríveis que certamente você vai acabar se familiarizando e se emocionando com um deles, porém como essa história tão distinta pode falar sobre o amor entre a Vida e a Morte? Bem...só assistindo mesmo para saber (sem Spoilers) Mas Death Parade é uma obra cheia de camadas, poderia falar de inúmeras outras observações e análises em sua história como um todo, porém ao perceber que é a representação da primeira vez que os sentimentos da Vida tocaram o coração da Morte foi algo bem especial. Restou apenas saber como a Morte pode também mostrar seus sentimentos, e isso é explorado com maestria nos últimos episódios. Minha grande recomendação é que preste muita atenção em todas as mensagens que o Anime mostra, cada cena, cada personagem, cada segundo, carrega um simbolismo e um significado que pode passar desapercebido se piscar os olhos. Não só isso, mas cada julgamento vai acabar exigindo demais de seu estado emocional e mental, pois certamente você vai acabar se conectando com algum dos casos apresentados, essa conexão é tão bem explorada que em vários momentos entre os episódios em precisei pausar de tão abalado e emocionado que estava me sentindo, e posso dizer com toda a certeza que foi um dos poucos Animes que me fez sentir isso. Segue o link do vídeo, intitulado de “A Vida e a Morte”, que analisa melhor a obra e sua premissa como um todo, tornando essa review ainda mais precisa. [Link of the Video](https://youtu.be/eApostjHbQY)
~~~_A place, neither in the world of the living nor in one of the dead. A judge, who will test the minds of freshly dead matching people in the most extreme conditions. All this, without any emotion to avoid any subjectivity and be able to make the right choice: send the spirit to be reincarnated, or in the void, lost forever in anger and regret._ ~~~ Just said like this, I would be already ready to watch it, but it did not stop there. In fact, there would be a lot to say about this anime. __It brings and deals with complex subjects that can be frightening if we don't take a step back.__ It makes you realize __how complex the human mind is and that the notion of right and wrong does not always follow the one of a just/unjust imposing a total objectivity.__ - To be honest, I didn't thought this anime would go that deeper about its subject, I was not really for having a whole plot around the concept of judgment, by I got it anyway, and it was really good. At the beginning, I was afraid that it would be an episodic anime _(in the sense 1 episode = 1 pair of guests)_. So I was pleasantly surprised to see this rhythm quickly broken. Moreover, these guests all have their __own personality__ and above all their __own story of development__, which makes them very different and lets the viewer immerse himself totally in their story. About the design and the animation, it's quite simple, nothing special to say about that. You can note the fact that the mouths are relatively low on the face _(which I must admit I didn't like but I got used to it)_. I really liked the opening In addition to the main story, we are offered an __ interesting and mysterious secondary story.__ Episode 10 also has an __easter egg__ to another anime. I give you the name of this one in a spoiler if you want to guess by yourself: ~! Death note !~ We also learn in episode 10 something very interesting, which was a huge step in the story - or at least for the main character. _(I'll put it in a spoiler if you want to come to this reflection by yourself)_ ~! We learn that everyone can have (and even has) a dark self and that we are all capable of the worst if we are pushed to the extreme. !~ ~~~ In conclusion,__ this anime has been able to bring a reflection on the human being__, the difference between what he says and what these words mean, how he thinks _(sometimes deducing too quickly from the facts)_, what he is capable of when he is triggered with "extreme conditions". It shows how, although very complex, __emotions are essential to live and to make judgments__. _So I would recommend __Death Parade__ if you like psychological anime. If you wanna have a good time watching an anime while bringing you to a deeper reflection, don't wait anymore. The end really got me on that.~~~_
You're dead... What comes next, how great are your sins? Is it even possible to weight between sins? Let's start with my review about this anime: # 1. Story The anime "death parade" discusses the topic I really like to think about: What comes next after death? It is a very interesting question and many anime are trying to get this question into a story. The main character Kurokami no Onna comes to the place after death with her full memories, which shouldn't have happened since all the people get the memories when they played the game of sins. The story takes place in a bar (Quindecim) where the white-haired bartender, Decim is serving. The anime let us see different life stories and the choices of Decim who makes the choice of whom will go to hell and who will go to heaven. img220(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k52lASJXNQQ/VSpMhZ0EdFI/AAAAAAAACgY/gXN7eypyqw8/s1600/Death-Parade.png) I think, that the author really did a good job with creating this anime. The aspects of sins and the misscalculation of the bartender, I can tell that the author really tried to think about every aspect possible. # 2. Character The character Decim is on the one hand performed as someone who doesn't really have any emotions -or he doesn't show them-. He simply tries to find out who is weighting how much sin. The main character on the other hand is very mysterious but very human. She feels with the people and show human reactions unlike Decim. img220(https://i.imgur.com/B0HkRUn.gif) It is fun to watch how the side characters change when they regain their memories and try to win the game. Each player is playing with their life on the line which makes it even more interesting to watch. The author describes the fear of each character very good and very realistic. img220(https://thumbs.gfycat.com/AcceptableDismalCoqui-max-1mb.gif) # 3. Soundtracks I have to say, I really really love the opening song. It is so catchy and when I hear it, I want to dance. Here, give it a try: youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjjTMNDZi-A) The sounds of in the anime are really realistic too, I think the producer did a really good job! # 4. Art / Animation First I persoanlly needed a bit of time to get used to the art style. I didn't really like how the art of the faces of each character. But after I got used to it, I really liked it. # 5. Conclusion I really really like this anime as I said. I even watched it 2 times. That is why I will give this anime a 10/10. It debates about a topic which humanity will never solve. I think it is also a interesting way to think about the afterlife. I really recomment this anime! When I'm dead, I definitely want to meet Decim xD img220(https://i.gifer.com/NAs2.gif)
I remember seeing this anime few months back and I finally decided to write a review on this anime. Death parade is a deep psychological anime, it changed my views on death. The whole anime revolves around arbitrary. Basically 2 people who dies on same time come to The Quindecim Bar to face arbitration where they will be judged upon whether they go to heaven or hell. The whole judgement is based on the 2 people playing a game decided by a roulette. It’s not just a game but deciding factor of their afterlife. The fact that if they lose the game, their soul will be sent into a void (a place with people’s darkest emotion) and their body will be recycled (ripped apart). If they win the game, they will get a chance to become reincarnated. img220(https://imgur.com/tTwzP0e.png) It might look so simple, play a game and win and life is smooth, BUT THATS WHERE YOU ARE WRONG. It’s not just a game. The arbitrator will use every weapon on his sleeve to make sure the participants exhibit their true nature and dark emotions hiding away deep in their heart. Each episode have different deceased people coming over the bar waiting for the verdict. The various games played are below img220(https://imgur.com/SHoyM5E.png) img220(https://imgur.com/MTfPX99.png) img220(https://imgur.com/J35UJD8.jpeg) img220(https://imgur.com/zkraLdr.png) ____ It left a deep impact on my mind, I wonder what really happens after death. It’s all fiction of course, but is there someone who judges us. Who decides whether they are right or wrong. Life is always unfair. We dream of a fictional world. No human is born equal. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Each one has a different story to tell and depending on the point of view the end is different. What is it that we truly seek. What is it that makes humans different from gods, is it power? is it superiority? Every human is judged by one another. Is this judgement? What really is judgement? Do we need judgement? I have contrasting opinions on the judgement the arbiter passed on the people, for example I believed a person can have a chance of reincarnation but he was sent to void. Do these people have emotions Emotions are something that someone shouldn’t have while passing judgment. If people listen to their hearts then they will be influenced. So emotion is definitely dangerous. I don’t have a lot to say about the anime, but it left me to think a lot. It was a thrilling experience. I gained a lot of brain cells lol. Every psychological anime has objective to trigger our minds and put us to thoughts, and so is this anime too. The animators did a splendid job. I really like the whole story line, it’s very unique. I am glad I got to watch this anime before my demise. I would give this anime a 70/100
# ~~~__Death parade__~~~ __I discovered anime not too long ago. before I discovered it, I thought anime was dumb, it was for kids, no one with a right mind should watch it but when I watched my first anime because my friend forced me to, my perspective on anime completely changed and I started to love it. after having watched anime for about 5 months now, I always go back and ask myself, why did I think anime was dumb, why did I think it was for kids and no other show encompasses my feeling about anime now other than death parade. after having watched death parade I am so grateful to my friend who recommended anime to me because without that friend, I don't know what I would have been doing right now. death parade changed my life, it changed everything I know about living and death. on the surface, it's just a simple death game show but below that surface, it is so much more than that, seeing the participants slowly realize that they have died is extremely sad and extremely haunting at times. seeing the person who lost the game accept that they are going to hell and be ok with that is brilliantly done, and every new participant has something new to bring to the table, they never feel like the same characters, and they have a depth to them, the minigames so fun to watch but so hauntingly fantastic at the same time, the music goes perfectly with each minigame and backstory, the animation at times mindblowing, the attention to detail in every scene just makes this so easy to watch. the opening is completely different from the show, it just makes you think you are watching a fun minigame-filled show. as soon as the first episode played, I realized that this show was something special, it has one of the best first episodes in anime, the dart game is so genius, and the way that they realize how they died and that they were married was again haunting but fantastic, when one person hit the dartboard and the other person got hurt, you felt the pain, it was almost as if some had poked you with a syringe. the series ends perfectly with decim finally feeling emotion even though he is a doll, the ice skating scene so beautiful with great animation and music, the existential dread that you get watching this puzzle piece of a show slowly build itself together, every game while being basically the same, somehow feels refreshing and every character, even the random character here and there are written so brilliantly. the only thing I don't like about death parade is that one episode where they are playing twister and it's just innuendo galore going on, but apart from that, I think death parade will change how you look at anime. from the unique setting to the brilliant minigames to the backstory to the ending, I just feel that everything about it is nearing perfection__.
img1000(https://gonzonyan.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/death_parade_groupblock_by_animewallsoftsu-d8dxe5l.jpg) There are times when surprises happen to you when you are not prepared for them. The reality is that they do not frequently occur, at least when it comes to anime shows that have no hype behind them but somehow have a huge following when word of mouth spreads around. Often than not, these surprises turn out to be positive outcomes when finished from beginning to end. Death Parade is one particular surprise from 2015 that will reign among the greats in this specific year. Death Parade starts as an episodic anime showing the life of a purgatory that hosts a game that will determine two people’s fates intertwined from their former lives. Each episode hallmarks a unique story that develops the characters nicely, even with only one episode. What also works is how they layer these stories with a mystery that adds suspense to the actions that these characters do. It does seem like an attempt by the writers to make it exciting to watch rather than a slow burn for most people, but it is still a warm welcome to make the narrative more engaging. They add great emotional depth to the characters that build a melancholic, humorous, and heartwarming flavor to each of them. It is always great to see a show like Death Parade tackle these three elements simultaneously to have a unique identity to its story and do it successfully. img1000(https://gonzonyan.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/isopdfjq.jpg) For the characters themselves, I’ll start with the ones put into purgatory to delve into the games that our main protagonist, Decim, puts them into. As I’ve mentioned before, the characters that Decim looks after are developed accordingly concerning the amount of screen time they can muster. That means they aren’t treated as just throwaway characters that we know aren’t going to be seen again, but are written with deep intentions from how they are seen as either good people or rotten from the inside. There is one instance where one duo, named Haruda and Mayu, do have more than one episode to help develop them, and they’re the most substantial arc because of it. Their arc has the humorous and sad moments that are packed together at the right time where they don’t feel awkward in one episode, even at the most instantaneously funny ones involving one of them falling on a pit of big spikes. The characters that aren’t the ones participating are a mixed bag. On the one hand, you have characters that are so beautifully developed and emotionally tragic in how they are portrayed. On the other hand, it seemed as though they were just plot devices and didn’t feel like actual characters. An example of the latter is Ginki, where it appeared as though the writers wanted to put an arrogant-type character into the mix to balance out the cast a little more. The same can be said about Nona, who has a more significant impact on the story than Ginki does, yet does not even come close to the greatness of the minor characters I mentioned. It’s not terrible by any means, but they never felt fully realized for me to have any connection to them. img1000(https://gonzonyan.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/cutedeathparade.jpg) The all-around great characters are our two main leads: Decim and Chiyuki. Their slow development adds to their character arcs that we get to see later on in Death Parade and the relationship they’ve managed to make from their first meeting. It helps how different Decim and Chiyuki's personalities are. Decim is the stoic one, and Chiyuki is more emotional, and yet they still play off each other's chemistry exceptionally well. Individually, there is more to Decim than when we see him for the first time as this unemotional character. Obviously, without giving anything away, let us say that he has the most compelling character growth that I’ve experienced in recent times to the show's end. Chiyuki has the same amount of development when we get to know her past a bit more that is both tragic but uplifting at the end of it. They’re both unique characters that make Death Parade a good sit just for those two alone. Another big positive to note is Death Parade’s direction from the artistic and general side of things. Its art direction is quite a sight to see, though nothing too spectacular as it doesn’t break too many boundaries. Despite that, it still has detailed character designs that give all of them a unique visual trait that makes them distinguishable. Now for the general direction, it is incredible how much care was put into producing some of the most intense moments that will have you at the edge of your screen to see what will happen next. This goes right down to how perfect the music plays off the scenes of whatever mood is set to encompass a stylistic tone, whether in a life or death situation or just lounging around at the bar. The way scenes are shot with the constant close-ups, although affecting, can become tedious at times. Thankfully they don’t go overboard with it throughout the show. img1000(https://gonzonyan.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/death-parade-episode-11-10-18_2015-03-21_13-52-16.jpg) One thing to mention that makes Death Parade an exciting show to watch is how it does not treat the mystery aspect of the show lightly as an afterthought. Some things are left uncertain to the viewer that was done purposefully by the writers to make the audience think more about what they saw. Many other shows of the mystery genre involve too much explanation of various aspects of the story. Death Parade, especially the one involving the first episode, leaves many things unnoticed for the viewer to contemplate after watching it. Then the next episode puts a different perspective on the last one and puts a whole new light on the scenario that the audience may or may not have noticed. That is one of the many intelligent moves that the writers implemented into the show. Death Parade was a definite surprise for me to see how I didn’t have much expectation going into it. Usually, episodic anime try to be too formulaic in its structure, but Death Parade flips it on its ears and makes an exciting way to compose a narrative. With a show like this to come out in the Winter season of all things, you know that this year will be an interesting one. At least one could hope it will be. Grade: A-
Synopsis: Humans spend their whole lives wondering where they will end up after they are dead. Heaven or hell? Will they be incarnated? Or will they just drift away in the void. Death parade offers a more logical and debatable solution to determining one's afterlife. Players are to play a randomly chosen game and their fate is determined based on their performance on the game which pushes tem to their limits and brings out their true colours. ____ __Plot__ There is no main overarching plot but small plot twists and revelations in every episode. However, the show centres around the past of a human whose fate cannot be decided by a rookie arbiter who supposedly has human emotions. It also features supporting characters who make occasional appearances in the series. The show does not stick to a case of the day format for all 12 episodes, which i had expected after watching the first few episodes. It was enjoyable getting to know the unique backgrounds of the people who step into Quindecim and the decisions they make over the course of the game. It was equally engaging as viewers are left to guess the fate of the players and see if it matches the arbiter’s. The players were in a way related to each other, except for one pair, and this helped to set up conflict in the show. As their memories are revealed one by one, our impression of them changes and makes the show more exciting and suspenseful. At the same time, around the 4th episode or so, the show pays more attention to the background of the mysterious assistant who is a human but for some reason her fate has not been decided and Nona, has let her help Decim make decisions. The show teases us with a little information about her and ultimately reveals everything in the last few episodes. __Characters__ There were only 2 main characters which mostly appear in the show. There were other supporting characters that are introduced along the way. However, they did not have much of part to play in the show. Nona was the most prominent supporting character. Although she did not do much apart from ragging Decim, I enjoyed hearing her philosophy about life and death. There was another character, Oculus, the creator of the system of arbitration, who mostly formed an impression at the end of the show. I felt he could have had more screen time as his banter with Nona had some interesting points. Between Decim and the assistant, I really can’t pinpoint who is the main character as both experience major character development. The last 2 episodes were heated where everything about them falls into place and we are moved to tears. Both of them have a purpose and learn something about themselves and change for the better. It was heartwarming to see them working together. The assistant sees situations in a different light and this influences the player’s fates greatly. Decim may seem like a boring and nonchalant character at first but he eventually gets more interesting. __Animation__ No complaints with the animation. The characters were expressive, just what is needed in the show. The special effects were grand such as the transformation of the bar before each game as well as memories. Worldbuilding was creatively done and it was nice seeing the resort-like Quindecim, somewhere classy and peaceful before you continue on your afterlife. Something which I found fascinating was Nona and Oculus playing billiards with balls shaped like planets, symbolizing that controlling the universe is like a game to them. The OP and ED were catchy and suited the theme of the anime. I also found the part where memories compressed as kaleidoscopes very creative and symbolic as well. Majot themes [some spoilers ahead]: __Determining fate__ The main purpose of arbiter’s is to send the presumably good souls back to earth through reincarnation and get rid of the bad souls from earth. However, we were constantly questioned whether the system is just or not. Quindecim can be compared to a courtroom where evidence is presented to the judge and lawyers fight their case. However, the evidence there is objective. In Quindecim it is completely subjective given the complex nature of human beings. Can the games they play with the help of their memories accurately show their true character? Moreover, subjectivity entails different perspectives. Arbiters who are immortal have no fear of death and possess no emotions. Therefore, they cannot empathise with the players and make decisions solely based on what they witness. Chiyuki’s role is important here as she highlights that humans express their emotions differently and playing games, even creating “extreme” situations is not enough to show their true character. The episode which focuses on this the most is between a detective, Tatsumi and the boy whose sister was assaulted, Shimada. Shimada was a murder but he did it all out of love for his sister whom he wanted to protect. This shows that emotions that we posses can drive us to extremes and this is something that the arbiter’s do not understand. They capitalize on these emotions to test whether the players truly deserve a second chance or not. Hence, players are forced to tone down on their feelings for the sake of redemption. This was clearly seen when Shimada tried to attack Tatsumi who was conveniently held by Decim’s spider web but Chiyuki stopped him, worried that he would get sent to the void if he actually attacked him. Here, their emotions are suppressed and under control as there is a desirable outcome placed ahead of them: a second chance at living. The show reinforces that humans have the fear of death and would do anything to continue living. In the end Shimada does induce pain to Tatsumi releasing all the anger bottled inside of him. Proving that while humans would do anything to live, expressing emotions is inevitable. This system of determining the fate of one’s afterlife is just an extreme situation of what we face in our everyday lives. Are grades a good indicator of one’s intelligence? Is one’s salary reflective of their skills and hard work? These indicators are never accurate and it goes to show that life is not always fair. We should just be true to ourselves and do what we think is right. After all, the main objective of the arbiters is to bring out the darkness in the player’s souls. However, there is good and bad in all of us. When and to what extent does the bad outweigh the good? I believe that there is no foolproof method to figure that out. __Value of life __ Chiyuki’s stroy is something relevant in today’s world: feeling of being left out and alone and knowing your self worth. She got her whole passion snatcehd away from her with her injury and she felt lost and emotionless. The last 2 episodes moved me to tears as Chiyuki realized that she should have treasured her life more as there are people out there who care for her and need her. She said “humans should never try to learn to understand each other” (not exact) but after seeing her mother she quickly learnt that it is alright to do so. I liked seeing her character go from an ordinary person to a talented skater to someone who realizing her mistake. Surely enough, her story was enough to bring out the emotions in Decim. This shows that emotions are contagious. It is also worth noticing that her death is different from the other deaths as they died by accidents or murders meaning that did not intend to die. (Yes there was the otaku who committed suicide too but i felt that he was not in his sense at that time?) Whereas Chiyuki did have the intention to take her own life. By being Decim's assistant she learnt that life is worth living for and regretted her decision. Her "game" was finding out this outlook on life, whether she valued it or not. As well as her virtue, return back to her mother at the cost of another life. In the end, after learning her lesson, we was sent back to the real world. This anime, despite its dark nature, has lighthearted and emotional moments. It does deal with some heavy topics so brace yourselves. There are some notable dialogues from the show that really enlightened me.
Death Parade is an anime series that premiered in 2015 and quickly gained a dedicated fanbase. The show is known for its unique concept, gripping story, and incredible execution. It is a must-watch anime for any fan of the genre or those looking for something fresh and unique. The story of Death Parade follows a group of arbiters who work in a mysterious bar known as Quindecim. The arbiters are responsible for judging the souls of humans who have recently died, determining whether they will be reincarnated or sent to the void. The judgment process involves the deceased participating in a game or challenge, which is used to reveal their true nature. The main character, Decim, is one of the arbiters who works at Quindecim. Throughout the series, he is joined by a variety of other characters, including a human named Chiyuki who becomes a semi-permanent fixture in the bar. Chiyuki's presence has a significant impact on the arbiters, who are typically emotionless and unfeeling beings. Through her interactions with them, they begin to understand human emotions and develop a greater appreciation for life. One of the most impressive aspects of Death Parade is its ability to stay fresh and engaging throughout its entire run. While the setting of the bar and the judgment process remain constant, the games and challenges that the arbiters use to judge the souls of the deceased change every episode. This allows for a wide variety of characters and scenarios, keeping the audience on their toes and engaged with the story. The series also does an excellent job of fleshing out the backstory and motivations of the arbiters. While they are initially portrayed as soulless and unfeeling, we soon learn that they have their own pasts and traumas that have shaped them into the beings they are today. Seeing them grow and develop throughout the series is a significant part of what makes Death Parade such a compelling watch. One of the most memorable episodes of the series involves a man and his wife playing a game of darts. The game starts out as a friendly competition but quickly becomes more intense as their true feelings and motivations are revealed. It is a powerful and emotional episode that perfectly encapsulates the themes and ideas of the series. The series also features some incredible animation and visuals, particularly during the game sequences. The animation is fluid and dynamic, perfectly capturing the tension and excitement of the various challenges. The character designs are also unique and memorable, with each arbiter having their own distinct look and personality. Perhaps the most significant aspect of Death Parade is its ability to provoke deep philosophical questions and discussions. The show explores themes such as the nature of life, death, and what it means to be human. It raises questions about the afterlife and the concept of judgment, challenging viewers to think deeply about their own beliefs and values. The ending of the series is incredibly impactful, with a twist that is both surprising and devastating. It is a poignant and emotional conclusion to a series that has consistently pushed the boundaries of what anime can achieve. In conclusion, Death Parade is a must-watch anime that should be on every fan's watchlist. Its unique concept, gripping story, and incredible execution make it one of the best anime series of all time. The show's ability to stay fresh and engaging throughout its entire run, along with its stunning visuals and thought-provoking themes, make it a truly unforgettable experience. Whether you're a seasoned anime fan or new to the genre, Death Parade is a show that should not be missed.
# __Sobre:__ Death Parade é um anime de 12 episódios, animado pelo estúdio Madhouse e lançado no ano de 2015. Seus principais gêneros são drama, supernatural e suspense, sendo uma obra que possui uma narrativa e um enredo diferente do comum, já que não possui uma história linear e sim acontecimentos e episódios separados que tem com uma conexão para o desfecho do anime. ~~~img570(https://media1.tenor.com/m/PRxVJ5MsGPQAAAAC/death-parade.gif)~~~ Em resumo, a sinopse se baseia em um lugar chamado quindecim, um local que se parece com um bar, onde um bartender chamado Decim, recebe "clientes" ao seu estabelecimento. Esses clientes não são comuns, na verdade são pessoas que já morreram e que serão julgadas pelo próprio bartender que também possui um papel de juiz. Para chegar no local é necessário que a pessoa já tenha morrido e só a alma dela será enviada para lá, ali elas serão julgadas sem saberem se irão para a reencarnação ou o vácuo, fazendo com que elas não entendam onde estão e que aceitem jogar um jogo. De primeiro momento as pessoas não sabem disso e não se lembram de suas memórias antes de morrer, fazendo com elas fiquem tensas e confusas sobre a situação em que se encontram. Ao chegarem lá, elas terão ter que apertar um botão que irá sortear um jogo aleátorio, que é onde o juiz irá julgar vendo como elas se comportam disputando um jogo que "vale sua vida". Em diversos momentos desses jogos as pessoas são submetidas a coisas que fazem com que elas queiram superar seu adversário e nesse momento de euforia que o juiz consegue perceber a escuridão no coração das pessoas, finalizando seu julgamento. ~~~img570(https://i0.wp.com/ptanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Death-Parade-animacao.gif?resize=883%2C493&ssl=1)~~~ Com esse tema em questão, o anime consegue explorar a fundo o tema do budismo, demonstrando diversos elementos da religião, como personagens com características que as remetem, detalhes de cenários e a forma com eles enxergam o sentido da vida. Mas mesmo para quem não entenda nada sobre o budismo ainda sim as metáforas são bem simples e fáceis de entender por suas representações diretas e bem características. O anime não se aprende a apenas episódios de pessoas sendo julgadas pelo o que fazem e pela situação que elas são colocadas de disputarem umas com as outras, a obra vai trazer a tona a ideia de que talvez esse método sempre usado não seja o mais correto a se fazer e que não dá para se julgar as pessoas baseadas em apenas um momento de fúria em algum jogo. Sendo aí que que os personagens com seus diferentes pontos de vistas são bem explorados, já que se percebe que cada um tem uma maneira diferente de lidar com isso. O contexto como o anime é trabalhado faz com que os personagens não possam ser cheios de personalidade e carisma, já que eles não podem ser humanos como nós, limitando-os em personagens mais excêntricos que agem de sua própria maneira, deixando o papel de carisma para alguns personagens humanos apresentados na obra. Mas mesmo assim o anime consegue encaixar cada ponto de vista desses personagens sobre a situação como um todo, fazendo com que eles complementem o ambiente. ~~~img570(https://media1.tenor.com/m/CcFo3sn_lCwAAAAC/anime-death.gif)~~~ Além do anime ter uma ideia criativa e interessante, se descatando de outras obras, um dos pontos mais interessantes dele é a mensagem que ele quer passar ao público, que é basicamente sobre a valorização da vida e que não podemos agir de forma egoísta sobre isso. Já que enquanto vivas as pessoas muitas vezes não percebem que agem de maneira injusta em relação a outras ou que as vezes possam ignorar coisas importantes que não perceberam. Sendo de suma importância principalmente para o Japão que infelizmente possui uma taxa grande de suicídio. Outro ponto muito legal é a 'imersão' que o anime consegue trazer, já que em muitos episódios onde você vai descobrindo as memórias das pessoas aos poucos, você começa a julgá-las junto com o Decim e observando como elas agem conforme vão jogando, para assim no final ver se concorda ou não com a decisão tomada por ele. #__Conclusão: __ Death Parade é um anime muito bom, que se destaca por sua temática diferente do comum, explora muito bem temas culturais e tem episódios que passam diferentes mensagens e reflexões de como as pessoas viveram a vida delas. É cheio de surpresas e tem uma trama interessante, com personagens bem diferentes do comum que completam o ambiente como um todo. A opening é absudarmente boa e os personagens possuem designs bonitos e originais. Compensa muito assistir, já que é um anime bem curto e passa uma mensagem bem importante. Tendo um desfecho lindo e significativo. ~~~img570(https://media1.tenor.com/m/42PKPU6h7RoAAAAC/deah-parade-turn.gif)~~~ __Obrigado por ler!!__
~~~━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━~~~ I binged this in two sittings, by the third episode I was practically rocking back and forth in my seat anticipating the mystery at hand to unravel. Although it was somewhat episodic, almost every episode had a lasting impact and furthered the development of the two main characters, Decim and his unnamed assistant. _Death Parade_ is highly psychological, challenging what we consider to be moral, by framing how our arbiter Decim passes judgement on the deceased. Do they go to the void, convicted to drown in their sorrows, or are they reincarnated, passed onto another living soul? ~~~━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━~~~ # ~~~Judgment must be performed hand in hand with both life and death. It is something that must be performed hand in hand with humans~~~ ~~~━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━~~~ Going into the show completely blind, the first episode was shocking. I was impressed by the complexity of each new person that arrived to Quindecim, the bar in which they are judged. Decim and his assistant greet each new persons that arrive to the bar, with no memory of their lives, at times not even their name. Decim holds onto their memories and has them play a game against one another under the illusion that their lives are at stake. Each game that was played which drew out the players’ true character and ‘darkest’ part of their souls was simple but unravelled the events leading up to their deaths as their memories gradually returned. By the end of each new game, the deceased are sent to the lifts (or elevators if you rather), and sent to their respective fates; sometimes, both persons would share the same fate and both be sent for reincarnation and vice versa. I find that the first half of the series had much stronger stories. My favourites would be episode three ‘Rolling Ballade’ and four ‘Death Arcade’. At the finales, I would find myself rewinding the episode for a better understanding, and noticing all the moments of foreshadowing that was missed. I’m sure that If I were to rewatch the series, I would find signs strategically placed hinting at what is to come. ~~~━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━~~~ # ~~~People aren’t as complex as you think they are. They’re simple, and they get sad or angry over simple things. That’s how they are.~~~ ~~~━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━~~~ The common theme is understanding right from wrong and the extremities of human emotions. It is stated by another arbiter, Nona, that the most primitive emotion of all to humans is fear. For that reason, when they believe that they are facing the chance of death with the game, their darkest nature is recalled. Decim’s role is to pass judgement based on the players’ behaviour, and they are provoked by methods such as inflicting pain or tampering with the gameplay. What makes this series so intriguing is the decisions that Decim comes to. This has us questioning, was his verdict lawful? Or is morality subjective? He is an arbiter after all. We learn that in this judgement tower, there exists a hierarchy of arbiters, as well as the information bureau which handles the memories of the deceased. Within this hierarchy, there seemed to be a measure of subjectivity and prejudice against humanity. Arbiters are not human and therefore they cannot feel. For me, the ultimate takeaway from the story is that passing judgement on a person’s life is not as simple as it seems, and empathy is vital in understanding others. ~~~━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━~~~