Death Parade provides an interesting take on the events following one’s death. The deceased are sent to the bar, Quindecim, to be judged by the bartender known as Decim. Those who are to be judged are sent in pairs, and asked to participate in a game that puts their lives on the line. They are ignorant, however, of the fact they are already dead. The belief that one is participating in a death game brings out a disturbing, yet real side of humans. The participants of the death games throughout the series are often introduced as civilized, well-mannered people. Nevertheless, these first impressions only show a superficial side of the participants, and there is much more to them than it seems. As the game progresses, the participants are sent into an array of extremities that serve no purpose other than to bring out the real side of them, which they are judged by. From jealousy to the downright desire to kill, many dark themes are displayed by the participants in the series. The validity of this series is fascinating, and it gives a very real message about the nature of human beings.
The story of Death Parade is episodic for the majority of the series. Small similarities here and there can be found, but no real connection between episodes is present until very late into the series. A problem I had with the show dealt with this. An issue would be brought up that could potentially drive the story only to be dismissed as a trivial matter. This left many unanswered questions at the end of the series, as many of these issues were completely ignored. After many games are played, the focus of the story is redirected towards a black haired woman, whose name is not revealed until late in the show. Her reason for being at Quindecim and other issues are explained in the latter part of the show.
The biggest problem with the show was the characters. A very interesting cast of characters are introduced in the beginning only to be ignored. While Decim and the black haired woman had major development towards the end of the series, characters such as Nona or Ginti are left untouched. As they are also listed as main characters, Ginti and more specifically Nona should have had much more screen time. Nona was named the leader of the place, but did not act much at all. Another lackluster character was Oculus. His background is left unexplained and the motives for his actions in the latter part of the show are questionable. With that being said, the main arbiter per se ,Decim, is developed exceptionally as the story progresses. His time with the mysterious black haired woman leads him to question his ways as an arbiter. By the end of the show, he is a completely different than the emotionless arbiter he was at the start. Another strong side of the characters was the people being judged. As mentioned earlier, their actions were very real and delivered a strong message about humans. Moreover, it was hard not to be drawn to the game participants as their stories were revealed. Whether it was devoting one’s whole life to a loved one, or seeking out revenge for a loved one, it was heartbreaking that some of these characters had to die.
There is nothing to complain about when it comes to the art and animation of Death Parade. Everything is well drawn and it was a pleasure to watch the animation of the games. The same can be said for the sound. The original soundtracks add to the intensity of the games and the ominous feeling delivered by the atmosphere. The opening “Flyers” by BRADIO is the kind of song that one can listen to on repeat many times over. I will say, though, that it does not fit the story in any way, shape, or form.
Death Parade is definitely something that you should consider watching. Although somewhat flawed in certain areas, it is entertaining and provides a deep message concerning humans. Go watch it now and you’ll be in for a ride.
