D_Cide Traumerei: A Thrilling Anime Adventure in a World of Eldritch Entities

D_Cide Traumerei

“A Thrilling Anime Adventure in a World of Eldritch Entities”

So, what happened? Once again, I decided to watch an anime that received low marks from my go-to anime rating source, Mal Japan. And I have found my own personal source of shame. There is a certain novelty to anime that could be better but is entertaining.

That novelty is enhanced if it seeks to push the boundaries and investigate issues in a country with which I am unfamiliar. Anime creators should be commended for highlighting the seldom-discussed topic of mental health. This brings us to the most recent anime that attempts to delve into such topics.

D_Cide Traumerei The Animation is a mixed-media project comprising a mobile game and an anime series. The project, a collaboration between Bushiroad, Sumzap, and Drecom, tells a dark fantasy tale in which pacts made with ancient eldritch-style entities can change reality and grant power to those who make them. Sanzigen animated the anime series, which aired from July to October 2021. You can watch it on Crunchyroll or Aniplus Asia if you're in Southeast Asia.

Yoshikazu Kon is the director of D_Cide Traumerei. He is a seasoned animator and director who has worked on numerous anime projects, including: ID-0 (2017): He was the director and storyboard artist for Sanzigen's original sci-fi mecha anime. Inuyashiki (2017): He was the episode director and storyboard artist for this adaptation of Hiroya Oku's manga about an older man who transforms into a cyborg hero after meeting an alien.

Bubuki/Buranki (2016): He directed and storyboarded Sanzigen's original action anime about children who control giant weapons called Bubuki. Arpeggio of Blue Steel (Ars Nova) (2013): He was the assistant director and storyboard artist for Ark Performance's adaptation of a manga about a futuristic naval battle against mysterious ships called Fog. 009 Re:Cyborg (2012): He was the animation director and key animator of this movie based on a manga by Shotaro Ishinomori about nine cyborgs who fight against a global terrorist threat.

He is a well-known director in the field of 3D anime in Japan. Yoshikazu Kon is renowned for his 3D animation expertise and involvement in Sanzigen's original works. He has also worked with directors such as Kenji Kamiyama, Kazuya Murata, and Seiji Mizushima.

So, picture this: after serving as the show's secondary protagonist, your favorite redhead with an almost pompadour got his own series. You'd cheer for him and wish him the best of luck. Right? Some screenwriters may give him good dialogue instead of allowing him to be a dense loudmouth. Simply substituting Kazuma Kuwabarra should help you understand where I'm going with this.

The protagonist of D_Cide Traumerei is Ryuhei Oda, an upbeat high schooler who, as a child, saw the mysterious death of his older brother. Since then, Ryuhei has dreamed of disturbing creatures he calls Desaria. One day, he meets a cute and mysterious creature named Tris, who grants him the power to become a Knocker Up, a slayer of Desaria. Along with his childhood friend Rena Mouri and other Knocker Ups, Ryuhei fights against the Desaria and tries to uncover the truth behind his brother's death and destiny.

D_Cide Traumerei is an anime made to support a video game. It falls into the list of other anime that seek to do the same thing. This makes it easy to prejudge an anime as being sourced from a manga or LN, which makes a series better.

What drew me to this anime was Ryuhei. He is my Kuwabarra. He is the character with whom you immediately form a love-hate relationship. He has a simple backstory. He witnessed his brother's murder before him, yet he managed to move on.

His brother, who was instrumental in his life, formulated his love for kickboxing, a sport he fails at, but when it comes to killing the many Cthulhu-type creatures, our hero is definitely overpowered. He is more brawn than brain, brash, and sometimes arrogant, but he is allowed the "Hero's Journey."

The secondary protagonist, Rena Mouri, joins him. Rena is his childhood friend, and she reminds me of Asuka from the Mondaiji isekai. She's an idol, being the 3000th most popular person on the social media site Kawasta. She features prominently in the series, though she does not become a "Knocker-Up" until episode 3.

So what is a Knocker-Up, you ask? Contrary to popular belief, it has nothing to do with getting someone pregnant. The term refers to a member of a profession in the Netherlands, Britain, or Ireland that lasted well into the Industrial Revolution when alarm clocks were neither cheap nor reliable. A knocker-up's job was to rouse sleeping people so they could get to work on time.

In the case of DCT, Knocker-Ups could see the strange creatures called "Weirds," the Drops, who could enter the world of Traumerei or Daydreams. Ryuhei nearly perishes when he enters this dream-state world before Eru and Randou intervene to save him. These two Knocker-Ups would appear again in the series.

Multiple incidents would occur in Shibuya, creating episodic events that would pair him with his classmate and many a fan's choice for the best girl, Eri, and two Knocker-Ups who serve under Tris, those being Aruto Fushibe and Jessica Claiborne.

The anime does a decent job introducing the main characters and the story's premise. It also gives some depth and development to the characters, but they could be more compelling and relatable. Ryuuhei's backstory was quickly done to establish his vendetta; however, Erin's and Aruto's stories felt rushed.

I commend Hiroshi Ōnogi for tackling the topics of abuse and neglect, and I wish those story arcs were revisited after those episodes were completed. Despite this, Rena's arc was well done, and that sniper shot was climatic! Unfortunately, the momentum dips after episode 6, so we have Jessica Clayborn, which brings us to the animation.

The animation quality of the anime could be better. However, there are moments when it shines, and if you are looking for screenshots to add to your phone, laptop, or desktop, this is your anime. Some of the best scenes feature Jessica Claiborne, who Aoi Yūki voiced—the same Aoi Yūki who voiced Tanya Degurechaff from Yōjo Senki. Trust me when I say Jessica is Tanya if she were an American Special Forces soldier and lacked the mage powers.

The character designs are colorful and expressive, but sometimes they must be more relaxed and consistent. The action scenes are dynamic and flashy, and the CGI may be off-putting for some. The background art is detailed and atmospheric, and the music is fitting.

Tokyo Jihen performs the intro, "The Reasoning of Beasts." It's a fitting jazzy intro that almost reminds me of "Shake and Shake" from the anime Pretty Boy Detective Club. Rondo from D4DJ performed the outro, "Black Lotus." Along with the soundtrack, the voice acting is solid and emotional but sometimes sounds forced.

As an anime series, D_Cide Traumerei the Animation falls in the middle of the pack. The anime has a fascinating plot, but it's not very creative. Many other anime series, such as Persona, Madoka Magica, Sword Art Online, etc., have explored the idea of protagonists traveling to a parallel world to battle monsters. The anime's plot follows many of the standard tropes and clichés of the genre. For instance, the anonymous group responsible for Traumerei likely has nefarious goals.

It has some good points, such as its focus on trauma, abuse, and neglect and its treatment of substance abuse as a coping mechanism.

It stands out for its colorful animation, nice still shots, catchy music, intriguing premise, and Eri, an important topic in the Crunchyroll comments. But it has many flaws, such as its cliched plot, generic characters, and mediocre execution.

It is a good anime to watch if you are looking for mindless entertainment, which is why it is my guilty pleasure. However, it is not a great anime to watch if you want something original or memorable.