I've wanted to give writing a review a shot so this is the first one I have ever written and I decided to review Deadman Wonderland.
Deadman Wonderland is a raw and gritty anime that really deserves that R rating, but does Deadman Wonderland set itself a part from every other shonen anime? What is it that makes Deadman Wonderland attractive to viewers? Is it because the amount of gore and violence rivals that of just about any horror movie, or is there more to it? These are questions I found myself asking before watching Deadman Wonderland and found the answers rather quickly into the 12
...
episode series.
Story: 8/10
When I first started watching Deadman Wonderland, I thought that the only thing it had going for it was the massive amount of gore and profanity in the first episode. But the more that I watched the series, the more I saw a real plot begin to develop. The relationship between Ganta Igarashi and Shiro seemed very strange and unnatural at first but once the story started to delve deeper into Ganta's back story it really started to make sense. I could not even count how many times while watching this I was jaw dropped and confused by the vast amount of plot twists. While the story was very good it also progressed poorly and often left me wondering what was going on. Not only did the story progress poorly, but it also wasn't fully developed. The plot jumps all over the place and changes almost every three or four episodes. The worst part about the plot is where it left off, if this doesn't get a second season then this will be another anime that fell victim to not having a true ending. Even with all of the negative aspects to the story, I still give it an eight based on the true core of the plot.
Art: 10/10
The art quality in Deadman Wonderland was fantastic! The animation was very smooth and really helped set up the entire series. The dark colors gave it a very raw and gritty feeling that exposed the horrifying nature of the prison. The art played an integral part in the series and really set up the dark and somber tone throughout it.
Sound: 10/10
The music in Deadman Wonderland played just as big of a part in setting up the dark tone of the series as the art quality. The soundtrack really helped tell the story and was one of the best soundtracks I have heard in an anime. The music was really dark and creepy, it was almost as if the music was made for a horror movie. The music really made up for the parts that were lacking in the story.
Characters: 7/10
The main problem I had with the characters was that relationships were never really established and none of the characters truly developed besides Ganta. None of the relationships in the show were given time to develop which led to them feeling unbelievable and lacking a tight bond. Ganta's relationship with Shiro doesn't really makes sense until his childhood is explored and even then their relationship seems very confusing. His connection with Senji also seems very awkward and forced. I get that they share a bond based on respect, which isn't the first relationship that has been built on this, but it just doesn't feel right and is very rushed. Ganta's relationship with the resistance group also feels very rushed. He is only a part of the resistance for like a day or a couple of days and yet he has a great amount of faith and loyalty in the people that he has just met? It just doesn't feel natural. Moving on to character development which is very weak throughout the series. Ganta is the only character who I truly felt developed throughout his time spent in prison. The fact that he is just a frightened and cowardice child in the beginning who matures into a strong person who wants nothing more than to be able to protect his friends is great. I loved that, but because the anime is so short, none of the other characters get developed in the process.
Enjoyment: 9/10
I felt that this series was very enjoyable if you are either a fan of gore or aren't bothered by it. If you can't stand to watch very graphic and cringe worthy scenes than you most likely won't enjoy Deadman Wonderland. I thought that while the gore was overused, it also played a necessary part in displaying the terrifying nature of the prison. Not only was the gore necessary, but it also made the viewer sympathize with the protagonists of the series. The horrifying torment and abuse that the Branches of Sin users went through was very tragic and heartbreaking, especially for a character like Nagi. I highly enjoyed Deadman Wonderland for the disturbing portrayal of not only the life inside of the prison, but also for the corrupt people behind the whole thing. I felt that it sent a relatively real message about how people in charge often abuse their power.
Overall: 9/10
In the end, I felt that Deadman Wonderland was very much worth the watch and was very well done. As I have stated, I feel that the lack of character development, rushed plot, and the fact that the series felt unfinished at the end really are what kept this anime from being a must see classic. It would have been best if the creators had waited for the manga to finish in order to prevent the series from being left on a cliffhanger and gotten a fully developed plot. Instead we are left with an incomplete series that many people will view as “okay”. I gave Deadman Wonderland a nine because I found it to be highly enjoyable and one of the best core plots I have experienced in a shonen anime. Even though the plot did skip around a lot, it was a fundamentally great story that wasn't developed properly. In conclusion, I would highly recommend Deadman Wonderland to anyone who is looking for a more mature themed anime that is very unique and original.
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Dec 22, 2011
Deadman Wonderland
(Anime)
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I've wanted to give writing a review a shot so this is the first one I have ever written and I decided to review Deadman Wonderland.
Deadman Wonderland is a raw and gritty anime that really deserves that R rating, but does Deadman Wonderland set itself a part from every other shonen anime? What is it that makes Deadman Wonderland attractive to viewers? Is it because the amount of gore and violence rivals that of just about any horror movie, or is there more to it? These are questions I found myself asking before watching Deadman Wonderland and found the answers rather quickly into the 12 ... |
