Never have I been THIS pumped-up and excited for original anime, because unique shows are a dime a dozen of few hits and many misses. But in the case of Deca-Dence, I can confidently say that it was a constant harbinger of expectations running wild and subverting them all at the same time of questioning me: "What comes next? What should I (not) anticipate?" And I was blown away each and every time with what Deca-Dence has offered in its more-than-enough perfect 12-episode storyline about a decayed world that is then occupied by cyborg-like avatars from an in-game perspective.
First off, I have to just commend the all-star production team of Deca-Dence, which comprises of talented director Yuzuru Tachikawa, scriptwriter Hiroshi Seko, character designer Shinichi Kurita, and many of the staff behind this colossal project. Fans of Tachikawa and (especially) Kurita will be delighted to hear that their works on Death Billiards, Death Parade have made them a household name, while Tachikawa and Seko have been in even bigger shows like Attack on Titan and Mob Psycho 100. (Kabaneri in Seko's perspective is shitty, NGL) Needless to say that these 3 are the big names in this show, and what a way to celebrate the living and breathing of anime by collaborating altogether to make something that is a trope, yet still make something special and different that I definitely won't be forgetting anytime soon.
Secondly, let's tackle the elephant in the room: Hiroshi Seko's scriptwriting as a whole (including that PARTICULAR plot twist that thankfully doesn't betray the entire source and inspiration of the show). The meaning of Decadence (one word) is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as: "The moral or cultural decline as characterized by excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury." And back to Deca-Dence (the same one word, split into two parts), shows a world that is once habited by humans, but excessive decay have rendered them out of extinction by the manufactured creatures known as Gadolls, and cyborgs have taken over as humanity's last bastion of life. See, the feeling of Deca-Dence is like playing RPGs: you have your own avatar to resemble your traits, and the in-game humans are just NPCs that serve their roles to fight against evil (the Gadolls) and die mercilessly at the behest of the corporation in control. And that company is the Solid Quake Corporation, which houses these cyborg denizens in the Deca-Dence and controls them like any administrator or Game Master would to have a stabilized, all-governing system. Before I get too far ahead though, let's bring in the central characters.
Natsume is a cheerful, bubbly young girl whose father (and his colleagues) have been all but decimated by a Gadoll attack, leaving her behind with a lost right arm and the dream to be a "Gear" when she grows up. See, the class system in Deca-Dence is split into two: Gears, the strongest of humans that are able to fend themselves from Gadoll attacks and eliminate these respawning creatures, and Tankers, which are primarily support characters in the background that serve to keep Deca-Dence afloat with the Gadoll's "blood" called Oxyone, which coincidentally is the lifeblood of the mobile fortress to unleash big-scale attacks. Growing up with a prosthetic right arm and joining as a Tanker is too boring for her, but meeting up with a burly guy named Kaburagi, he is more than meets the eye.
Kaburagi was once a veteran for the Deca-Dence (when it was free roaming), and he was considered the highest class of Rankers for doing the same role that the Gears are doing now. But due to a mishap of his former teammates rebelling against the system, he was questioned by Hugin, the overall commander for Deca-Dence and subsequently demoted to eliminating the rebels a.k.a "Bugs" secretly in the background a.k.a doing the dirty work for them. The thing is, anyone who is registered as an avatar is tracked in the Solid Quake system, but Natsume is a special case: she is a "bug", and in the special case of hide-and-seek, Kaburagi as one of the previous "administrators" decides to keep her under wraps away from the system tapping her presence, and in the way, nurture her growth from a Tanker to a Gear.
With the other characters in toll, the hide-and-seek game officially starts with Kaburagi making pivotal decisions every step of the way to keep her away from Hugin, and have her participate in the missions for Gears to keep the Deca-Dence safe. From that moment on till the eventual reveal of the overall setting (which baffles Natsume with destroying her expectations when she comes to find out the REAL truth), with Hugin chasing Kaburagi down after seeing the fire in Natsume's eyes to depict the world as how she sees it, he begins a change that would define his character back to his original Ranker status as a fighter who would fight for the better of mankind, for Deca-Dence. Even with the "bugs" of Solid Quake which are a constant nuisance, they also do serve a part to play in part to rebel against the status quo and fight for what they believe is right. And what a profound statement all this is.
Studio NUT, coming after "Saga of Tanya the Evil", and subsequently coming off from former Madhouse members, with Deca-Dence, they're a studio that I can firmly accept that they're not to be rifled with. Even with the less-than-impressive CGI that thankfully isn't a chore to watch, it has been consistent throughout this series, and it's a blast to see the art and animation get its flexing of the vibrant world and with it, the lore of science fiction.
Even better is the sound department, under yet another talent that is Fumiyuki Goh. Having worked with big names like Overlord, it's of no surprise that his talent have worked wonders for this show, adding onto the atmospheric worldbuilding with every inch of consideration. Great pairing of the OST with Konomi Suzuki's OP (to which her songs are getting better repertoires) and Kashitarou Itou's ED. Never have asked for great songs in yet another paltry season, but I'm glad that it exists.
Overall, this was a buffet of a treat from start to finish, and while I don't ever think that this will get a Season 2, pretty much what is said can be translated into this phenomenal show that I still can't stop trembling in fear and excitement over the past 3 months. Am quite sad that after the plot twist of Episode 2, haters just kinda shrugged it off and leaving this to dust, because greatness awaits in every step of the way.
One of the few original anime that I can wholeheartedly recommend, but it'd be best to binge all the way through. Quite satisfied at what we got, and there won't be anime like this to grace the small screens in a very long time that sparks creativity and lavishness.
