- Episodes : 12
- Genre : Psychological, Game
- Airing Date : Jan. 9th, 2015 - Ongoing
- Producers : Madhouse, FUNimation, Nippon Television, VAP
Death Parade Preview / Plot (No Spoilers)
Death Parade is a very unique and fantastic psychological series with each episode introducing two new characters who have died on Earth at the same exact time. Upon death, they are sent to one of many mysterious bars in an unknown realm who are welcomed by the bartender. It is here where they take part in Death Games, betting with their lives to see the results of their fate.
These games reveal the secrets of their past that led them to their present situation, with the bartender ready to judge their souls. To be sent for reincarnation, or to be banished into the void.
The series follows Decim, the bartender/arbiter, who is the caretaker of the Quindecim bar and plays the role judging such souls as described above. All that changes when he is introduced to a very interesting and curious dark hair woman with no name.
Who does Death Parade cater to?
Death Parade takes place in a world where the dead are taken to in order to uncover their true nature and inner secrets, mainly in a dark, fancy, dim-lit bar with no one else around except for them, the arbiter, and his assistant. When your in the bar, you enter through an elevator with no recollection of how you ended up there.
There are no exits, except where you came in from, and the only way out is to be judged. People will like this show mainly because its like watching a new story every time. With new characters and situations, it hardly seems boring for anyone.
What's so appealing about this piece of work.
Death Parade is a very interesting series that will have viewers at the edge of their seats by the end of each episode. The thought of gambling with your life is most intriguing, especially when you're playing some sort of a game to decide ones fate.
Also, the series develops its own story that involves the characters who exist in the bar and elsewhere. If you like watching anime that involves secrets, betrayals, and even murder in a very psychological way, then I suggest you check out Death Parade.
Death Parade Trailer
Death Parade Main Characters List
Decim
Voice Actor :Tomoaki Maeno
He is the bartender of the Quindecim bar who's caretaker and oversees the Death Games. Also known as the arbiter, it is up to him to pass judgement on the souls who enter the bar. Decim is quite disciplined and follows orders to the “T”, but that all changes when he meets the dark hair woman.
Decim's hobbies include making mannequins of the souls who were sent into the void. This is a way of allowing the judged to be remembered, and it also brings out his other side which apparently has human emotions. He is also a great bartender who mixes the best drinks anyone has ever had.
The Dark Hair Woman
Voice Actor :Asami Seto
The dark hair woman is a characters who has no memory of her real or her past. She is introduced into the series as Decim's assistant and helps out delivering the frequent routine of the Death Games.
So far, she is the only soul to be aware of her own death as soon as she entered the Quindecim.
Nona
Voice Actor :Rumi Okubo
Nona is the manager of the Quindecim and the many other bars overseen by other arbiters. She's been the manager in the unknown realm for many, many years. I think more than 80 years?! She is Decim's boss who sometime oversees the Death Games.
Nona is also the person who introduces new arbiters or members to the unknown realm, kind of like your everyday manager introducing them to their new position and employees.
Ginti
Voice Actor :Yoshimasa Hosoya
Ginti is a character who seems on edge about his surroundings, especially if another person is there. He is easily irritated and follows the rules given to him without really having any thought or emotion as to why he's carrying them out.
Ginti used to work at the Quindecim as bartender/arbiter, but now oversees his own bar called the Viginti, which also handles Death Games.
Contains Spoilers
Death Parade Review
Death Parade is an series that will probably not please everyone out there in the anime world. Most will think the story moves slow and not really exciting or appealing to them. But like many short series comprised of 12 episodes, the closer you get to the end, the better.
To start things off, Death Parade is the extended adaptation of Death Billiard, a 25 min. short film released in March of 2013 and produced by Madhouse. Death Billiards was an original series from the production company as part of the Young Animators Training Project's to help fund young animators.
In Death Parade, each episode begins with two new characters introduced in the series, as they arrive in an unknown realm by elevator, they are greeted by the arbiter or his assistant. The first episode was a great introduction to the theme, setting, and story for the show.
Every time a pair of new souls arrive, the arbiter asks them if they have any memory before coming out of the elevator. None of them seem to remember except for the last bit of memory before realizing where they are. Nothing really makes sense to anyone except for the employees of the bar, Quindecim.
Quindecim is a very classy looking 1940's bar with an amazing decor. The lighting is very dim and the feel you get from the bar is dark and is somewhat calm or relaxing. From the elevator, there is a long walk way that turns alongside a waterfall stream against the wall. There is a piano in the background with booths and chairs; and two of my favorite things so far in the bar are a giant chandelier in the shape of a jellyfish and a water tank with jellyfish in them.
That's my kind of place.
When the souls sit at the bar, they're always offered a tasty libation of their choosing. Once their comfortable, the bartender begins to explain the reason for them being there. Decim is the arbiter and caretaker who oversees the Quindecim and judges the souls who arrive there. He explains a few rule for them to understand, sort of. What he says next is surprising in the most awkward and confusing way.
First, Decim is unable to tell them where they are. Two, they will soon play a Death Game. Three, the game will be decided by a roulette board that comes down from the back of the bar. Fourth, by playing the game, they will bet with their lives. Fifth, no one can leave until the game is over.
Now, if you were in a situation where you heard these rules and especially hearing you can't leave, you immediately panic a little and wonder if what was said is true. That's what happens in most cases, leaving the souls to check every part of the bar to only find no way of escaping. Also, Decim can't answer any question that is somewhat related to the rules nor the outcome of the rules, leaving the souls no choice but to participate in the Death Games.
This is where things get interesting, because if they refuse to play, Decim shows them what the penalty is, being turn into a soulless mannequin. They have one hour to decide. Most play immediately knowing there really isn't any choice, and that's exactly what I would've done. There's no point in wasting time if you know the only way out is to participate and finish the game.
Now, there is also a story to the series and the main characters in it. Right now, most of it seems to revolve around Decim and the dark hair woman who is his assistant. First being introduced in the second episode, the dark hair woamn has no memory whatsoever, she was brought in by the manager of the realm and its many bars, Nona.
She makes her assistant to Decim, because she has a certain emotion in her that seems to relate to Decim or vise versa. What I don't quite get yet is that Decim in fact has the dark hair woman's memories and is keeping it from her for some reason. It makes me wonder if its because he sees something in her, much like Nona, and feels what human emotion she has left in her is a way of him feeling like a living being.
Because, Decim and the rest of the employees in the unknown realm are spirits born with a purpose of serving the afterlife in what I think is purgatory. There's even a conversation between Nona and another character who considers himself the closest thing to God, Oculus, about judging the souls and why they do what they do.
Deep down, Decim is a fairly young and curious spirit who still has a lot to learn, but is drawn to the souls of the living, especially, the dark hair woman. This is when Nona decides to test Decim's abilities to handle a high priority judging, eventhough he's mostly been handling souls with trust issues, betrayal, deceit, and envy. Now, he is dealing with murder, the most challenging judgement Decim and the dark hair woman have encountered, yet.
This is where I will stop, on episode 8, which is a good point to end with, seeing as the series has not finished airing.
1. Galactic Pool
One of the coolest scenes in the series so far is during the conversation Nona and Oculus are having. While they talk, they're playing Galactic Pool that sounds exactly like what it is. The billiards are the planets in our Solar System and are animated in a very realistic sense.
Every time a planets falls in a pocket, its dispensed below the table and thrown into orbit in a small version of our Solar System. I looks great!
2. Death Games
As for the games played, there are several of them on the roulette board which are not revealed until one of the souls presses a button. So far in the series, souls have played a darts, bowling, arcades, Twister and now pool.
The cool thing about the Death Games, is some of the games incorporate the players organs on the board or the objects used to play. As a way to enhance the game, sometimes the organ displayed in the game reacts in sync with the other player. Sometimes causing excruciating pain when interacted with.
3. Reincarnation and the Void
After a game is finished and depending on the outcome of the memories revealed for the player and their actions, it decides whether they should be reincarnated or sent to the Void. This is a good way of knowing the true nature of a person and if they deserve to be forgiven.
Overall, since the series has not finished, I am completely hooked by the ability to present viewers an unique psychological anime that I have never really seen before. There are some anime out there that have this kind of feeling, but not quite like Death Parade. I feel this is a great anime for someone to watch, especially a beginner to the anime scene.
With that said, I look forward to watching the next episode, as #8 is a two part episode and #9 just aired recently, I can't wait to see the outcome. I hope you all have found this review entertaining and informative. When the series ends, I'll be back to add my final conclusion and thoughts about Death Parade.
Author: Alfonso "Fonzy" Ortiz
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