Death Parade | Anime Review | Pinnedupink.com

DEATH PARADE

Death Parade is an extremely unusual series created by MadHouse. More interestingly, though, the series is inspired by “Death Billiards,” which was a half-hour short that inspired this anime into existence. The theme that the series tackles the most is that of morality, a deep untouched grey area, not unlike no man’s land.

Morality is a subject that toggles many discussions, yet none of the discourse brings much insight into how we are or who we are. Are humans born morally good or morally evil? What is the difference between the two? Who decides what is right and what is wrong?

There is no perfect answer to these questions. Honestly, Death Parade’s arrival further only elevates these inquiries, and while you might venture into Quindecim Bar with a ton of questions in your head. You will most likely leave with the same amount of answers you had when you came in.

This is a series that is closely built on the concept of death; however, each episode brings about a new level of understanding to it. Each episode brings our characters’ past-life forward, showcasing what led them to that (death) moment.

Death Parade, at the very least, serves as a deep character study of multiple characters. In each episode, a different set of characters play a different game. These games are determined depending on the players, and each game will reveal their deepest darkest secrets and ultimately decide their fates. Who wins the game? Is there even a way to win the game?

That part matters not; what level of depravity the players will go to win is what matters most. Decim, who is the bartender at the establishment, serves as the overseer of the games. With his trademark silver hair, sly personality, and suit to boot, each game turns into a thrill.

There are no parts in this story, and no arcs are separating major events from minor events or any course to do that either. Instead, it focuses on building themes and expanding them with the same or different characters. There are a plethora of themes at play here; revenge, jealousy, suicide, hatred, isolation, justice, lust, greed, and even more.

The series doesn’t shy away from showing anything, as even murder becomes a topic of conversation in a two-part continuation. When the series does choose to tackle these themes, it brings the best out of the main cast of characters. Though, don’t expect most of the players in the series to be returning for more than one or two episodes.

Their fates are determined by the end of each game. Some leave at their peaks, making us think, “That’s how I want to be like!” While, others may leave you with a bitter taste in your mouth, as you both pity and dislike them by the end of it all. The point is that every player of the game has different reactions to different things.

While most characters come and go, the show’s main cast remains there. Let’s start by talking about Decim; he is as funny as he is intimidating. The show constantly hints that he feels no emotions, yet his actions deny this fact about him. Even still, Decim is a character that will be a favorite of yours whether you like the series or not; he’s just that cool, funny, and terrifying.

Then, you have Onna. She has a real name revealed later in the show, but I don’t want to tell you what it is. She serves as Decim’s assistant at the Quindecim Bar. Unlike almost everyone else in the series, Onna seems normal in contrast, a particular episode in the series focuses on Onna’s backstory, her life before meeting her fate, and her actual name and identity. This was one of my favorite episodes in the series!

Now to talk about the art. I would just like to start this by saying; thank you, Madhouse. Death Parade’s artwork and visuals are some of the absolute best I’ve ever seen in the art-house anime genre. Bars are a symbol of fun, relaxation, and leisure, but the Quindecim is anything but that. Each game has a different style of its own, and while there are games with real-life counterparts such as Twister, Darts, Pool, etc.

There is an added layer of twist with the blood, guts, painful screaming, and gory goodness to each of them. Not every single game may lead to those levels of intensity; however, when they do, Madhouse is more than ready to take it upon themselves to create some of the most intentionally terrifying visuals in all of anime. The players are shown in drastically different situations in each episode, and the expressions on their faces are so well directed, they are entirely human-like. It’s pretty interesting to dissect, really, no pun intended.

The soundtrack is excellent for the majority of the series. The OST has ecstatic, thrilling, terrifying songs that will brutally describe the horrors that are happening on screen. In comparison, there are somber, low-pitch tones that will define the blue depth of death.

At first hearing, the opening song is a surprise; you think it would be for something like a romance anime or a funky comedic anime. In retrospect, the opening song brings a very light-hearted, comedy-centered mood with the music and the opening visuals. In contrast, the ending song is what truly hits the nail in the head with the series’ overtones.

Death Parade is a twisted, chaotic, messy, and often purely terrifying series that the Japanese era of exploitation films can only inspire. Death Parade has a cast of characters with deep narratives and complex stories being showcased each and every episode.

Madhouse’s talent shines bright with the animation and art here, with tons of colors being used per shot and some of the best framings you can find in modern anime. With a bit more emphasis on the main characters and their motives behind these games, the series could’ve gone a long way. But for a series as short as Death Parade is, this is genuinely art-house at its very core, and it is absolutely perfect as that.