Judging by the synopsis alone tells me exactly what to expect initially. We have the post-apocalyptic setting with humanity on the brink of distinction. Humanity fights to survive in this dark age and we follow the journey of two characters – Natsume and Kaburagi, with very distinctive backgrounds. Coming into this show, I had one main goal in mind and that’s to embrace the creative story in a sci-fi world.
Let’s get business out of the way first. Prior to even watching the first few episodes, I realized that director Yuzuru Tachikawa is involved with this project. He’s worked on previous titles such as Death Parade, Mob Psycho 100, and even parts of Steins;Gate. Those are among some of my favorite titles in recent years so I had my expectations set high. But looking back at that roster, Deca-Dence stands out very differently. Among the first things I came to notice in this show is the theme of survival. We have to realize the timeline takes place since hundreds of years ago and in reality, humanity itself is in danger of extinction. This is caused by the presence of the mysterious lifeform known as Gadolls. The first few episodes shows us the life style of two types of people, the Gears and the Tankers. Natsume has a dream of becoming a Gear fighter but to her disappointment, she ends up becoming a maintenance worker. Serving under the wings of Kaburagi, she soon realizes what he’s really capable of and in a twist of fate, he offers to train her as a warrior. Talk about a change at luck, right?
Well, it turns out, that's not the only element of surprise. This isn’t your typical survival sci-fiction adventure as we quickly find out about the existence of a mega corporation known as Solid Quake. The second episode also reveals the plot twist for the purpose of Gears, simulated characters built to fight the Gadolls in the way of video games. Don’t make a mistake though. This isn’t some isekai show where the protagonists are thrown into some virtual reality world. Humanity is truly in danger. However, the plot twist will caught most viewers off guard as it shifts from the typical science fiction tropes you see so often. It may sound outlandishly risky and indeed, Deca-Dence’s antagonists is actually an evil organization. After the second episode, Deca-Dence almost feels like a different show.
That’s the beauty of original anime. You’ll never see it coming. From episode two and beyond, we are shown more details about the inner workings of Solid Snake and why characters behave the way they do, especially Kaburagi. One of the elements of the show also involves capitalism at its extreme nature. Natsume and Kaburagi aren’t just living in a world dominated by mysterious lifeforms but they are controlled by capitalism. The war they’re fighting isn’t just about survival anymore because in reality, there’s no limit at how many Gadolls can exist. It’s like a live service video game with admins adding whatever amount of content as they please. Picturing it in your head right now and you’ll realize how hopeless this will be for humanity.
Still, humanity does have hope thanks to the efforts of Natsume and Kaburagi. One of the key selling points of the show is their character chemistry. At first, they just seemed like a pair that were forced to work together but overtime, the two bonded and become more than just fellow comrades. Natsume in particular shows she is adamant to achieve her dream. Kaburagi realizes her potential and trains her to be a Gear fighter, even in some of the most ridiculous ways possible. What’s more important than ever is they represent the hope for humanity. When everything seems hopeless, they fight for the greater good. This applies more to Kaburagi’s case including one episode where he becomes a prisoner. Watching Kaburagi’s actions in such an episode shows that he is more than a fighter. He’s a believer in that one day, humanity will be in a world where capitalism isn’t a dominant force and humans will no longer have to live in fear.
Studio NUT hasn’t been in the animation business industry for long. Their most noticeable work was Youjo Senki back in 2017. Deca-Dence artwork style didn’t seem appealing at first based on the trailers and promotional material. It had a decent production quality but nothing in particular stand out at first. With the fictional fortress made of 3D art, it actually symbolizes as an icon in their world, a place of salvation. Character designs of the human cast is more intact with modern animation style while the cyborgs were drawn by hands. To make the art look more distinctive, we have the cartoony look for the simulated virtual characters. From the second episode and onwards, you’d be surprised to see how different the show looks when scenes shift between one settings to other. Finally, the Gadolls resemble monsters you’d can picture from sci-fi fictional stories – monsters with Godzilla-like intimidation and a whole lot of otherworldly characteristics.
Deca-Dence took the sci-fi genre by storm. What started out as a generic opening of the first episode quickly turned itself around after the big revelation. Such a reveal gave Deca-Dence more of an identity, an IT factor that defines this show’s story and characters. This isn’t a typical sci-fi show that you may get used to and over time, you’ll come to appreciate what Deca-Dence really is. And truth to be told, I welcome our alien overlords.
