Angels of Death is a series based on an RPG Maker game and it shows. The bulk of the anime consists of the lead characters, Rachel and Zack, ponderously navigating a nondescript murder house while being assailed by a procession of one-note psychopathic killers. While this premise naturally raises questions about the building's purpose or how the characters are connected, Angels of Death is content to brush those inquiries to one side for the majority of it's runtime, only begrudgingly sparing a sentence or two in its last act to deliver an unsatisfying barely-answer. Instead, the audience is subjected to episode after episode of two boring characters wandering around in a stark and utilitarian environment, interacting with the requisite puzzle elements found on each floor. This makes the show feel like a glorified walkthrough rather than anything worth watching.
Speaking of the characters, Angels of Death has a very weak cast, with each member coming across as a human-shaped vessel for a collection of disconnected traits that fail to amount a coherent personality. From the first episode onward, Rachel is unemotive and vaguely defined as religious, while Zack is simple, temperamental and prone to violence. Neither are particularly inquisitive, most of their dialogue consisting of observations on and reactions to whatever situation they've been placed in, leaving very little time for character development outside of the few scattered intervals in which some tepid backstory is delivered via flashback, brining the story's events to an abrupt halt. Needless to say, this utter lack of character makes it extremely difficult to get invested in the lead characters, even ignoring the fact that Rachel's main goal in leaving the building is to be killed, meaning there's little point in rooting for her to survive. The show's antagonists are no less flat, each having one gimmick a piece. Danny is obsessed with eyes, Eddie is a possessive stalker that digs graves, Cathy is a sadistic prison warden and Reverend Gray is a judgemental priest that tests people.
While Angels of Death is listed as a horror anime, a label that the gloomy art style and decently atmospheric soundtrack make a token effort to earn, in truth, the series' horror themes are only skin deep. With its motley character design, superficial religious imagery and semi-frequent indulgences in action, it's not hard to tell that the anime is trying harder to be cool than it is to be scary. One can always tell when the leads are or aren't in danger, undermining any potential for tension, and the series' attempts at dark imagery are few, brief and unimpressive. What little ambition Angels of Death has manifests in attempts to build ambiguity (it would be too generous to call it mystery) about the history and mental state of the protagonist, Rachel. Alas, even if the show gave this plot point the focus it deserved, it would still culminate in a series of unimpressive and sometimes laughably predictable twists that only undermine the viewer's investment further while saying nothing meaningful. In general, the show has very little to say, existing seemingly for its own sake while using its imagery as set dressing that contributes nothing to the story.
To conclude, Angels of Death is an anime that fails at just about everything it tries. Its on-screen action is dull and tedious, its attempts at horror are non-existent, its story is a pointless slog, its characters are cardboard cut-outs and its imagery is piss-puddle shallow. At the time of writing, I genuinely cannot think of another anime that has bored me this much and I can think of no reason for a person to subject themselves to this series. If you're looking for a horror anime with actual tension, watch Another instead.
