I first took notice of this series in the Summer 2018 lineup. The synopsis intrigued me so much, I read the manga and watched a complete playthrough of the game. The anime adaption, so far, is faithful to the source. It draws primarily from the manga but the released episodes have taught me they’re ready to adapt little things to fit a big screen.
Episode 1 was fast-paced and edgy while later episodes settle into a more relaxed atmosphere. Our main characters reveal their true colours-- Zack is a goofy madman, while Rachel does a 180 and becomes a monotonous doll. The reason for her mood change was confusing (basically Rachel remembered something) so I felt the anime should have made it clearer. To be fair, it was never fully explained in the game nor in the manga, and it is difficult to explain without spoiling. One thing I noticed is that they skipped backstories for some characters (shame) but if it was a necessary sacrifice to adapt everything.
I love the light sprinkling of humour. Some may find it off putting but it adds to the interesting relationship between Rachel and Zack. Some also find the constant repeating of ‘kill me’ and ‘swear to god’ annoying but trust me, it eases off over time and the characters (namely Zack) does comment on it.
JC Staff did a good job on the anime because I really dig the aesthetics of the show. I also like the use of effects; it gives a polished, modern look. (wish they toned down the yellow filter/glow thing…) Character designs stay consistent and faithful to the original ones and did I mention how much I love their eyes? Eyes (‘peepers’ lol) were prominent in the original game: the heterochromia of both Zack and Danny, the light in Rachel’s eyes and the piercing blue of her eyes.
I have no problem with the OP and ED. Opening ‘Vital’ is sung by Endoh Masaaki and written by Jin. Ending ‘Pray’ is sung by Chisuga Haruka (VA of Rachel) and written by DECO*27. Both are sung by accomplished singers and written by popular vocaloid producers (HYPE). I don’t know how to judge music but to my ears, both themes fit the anime well! The visuals are also impressive. I love the nod to the original chara designs at the beginning and the signboard holding at the end of the OP; whereas in the ED I love the footprints and the English words that correspond to the lyrics.
Personally, I did not find the game particularly gripping or life-changing. It’s really not as amazing as people make it out to be >< Nonetheless, it is a breath of fresh air from recent anime. If the anime keeps the original spirit of the source, adapts parts of the game to better suit a anime and makes full use of its medium, it could well be considered anime of the season(barring certain popular sequels…)
Please note that horror and puzzle-solving will not play a big part! I’ve seen many people classify it as a horror anime but the horror in here is tame. Be prepared to be disappointed if you were expecting a groundbreaking psychological thriller. To me, the main selling point of this series was that it was short and satisfying, with the right amount of edginess and completeness. There are way too many light novel/manga adaptations nowadays that adapt one tiny bit source leaving many loose ends but Angels of Death is sourced from a game, which means you can experience the whole story in one perfect 16-ep package.
Should you watch Satsuriku no Tenshi? Yes, but I recommend playing the game/watching a walkthrough of the game first. (If you want to experience both game and manga, do game first. The quality of art between the two is astounding. Not that game art is bad. It's endearing. But I digress.) Satsuriku no Tenshi is a series that benefits from rewatching as it creates a better experience and clears up many confusions. So give Satsuriku no Tenshi a chance because ultimately it is worth watching♡
