Death Parade | Episode 1 | TFP Review
EmperorBrandon: So I guess the actual winner and loser of the game doesn’t matter? The high stakes game draws out the players dark sides and it gets decided from there (given that Machiko “won”, but she was sent to the “void”…) Interesting how the particular details early on like the husband being a doctor and the wife having kept her pregnancy secret ended up being rather important to what gets revealed.
In a way, it makes me think of Hell Girl, in that we get an episodic story where there’s a bit of mystery over who’s been awful, how awful they’ve been, and just what will come of them. We also have the supernatural attendants of the process, some of which may have conflicting feelings over their job.
Well, not knowing just what this was going to be, I think I’m decently intrigued. OP animation was pretty neat too.
Sly05: That was quite good. Like EmperorBrandon,the premise reminds me of Hell Girl. The OP also shows it has a similar silliness to it, but I liked that it didn’t get carried away with it during the game scene (something that Hell Girl tended to do during its “torture” scenes). The visuals are top notch and I’m looking forward to seeing the other arbiters next episode.
Sensuifu: Hell Girl immediately came to mind for me as well. Not that it’s a bad thing, but it’ll be interesting to see if this treads on neutrality that popped up a couple of times in Hell Girl. Whereas Hell Girl was mostly judgement to Hell, this seems to be more like a sadistic St. Peter having fun with you at the Pearly Gates (casino) before redirecting you to your ‘destination’. Not knowing what to expect coming into this show, I thought this first episode left a good impression. I don’t mind the episodic formula that’s being used, but hopefully there’ll be more to it than just torment and torture (although interestingly enough the affected ‘players’ may just self-inflict it as we’ve already seen here). With the amount of characters involved and the various ‘games’ to be played, it’s looking to be another show I’ll be anticipating new episodes every week.
EyeOfPain: It could just be feeling “episodic” because this was the first episode, and we only really learned anything about the couple. Future episodes may have a lot more focus on the arbiters, with the pairs passing through Quindecim being more of a side thing.
GingaDaiuchuu: Another spectacular start to a MADHOUSE series. The animation was as great as I would’ve expected, but everything else about this was excellent, especially for having to establish this kind of high-concept narrative while still delivering deep character work all within its first episode. Its relatively fun OP contrasts with the immediately dark subject matter while also sharing its sense of boundless style, and over the course of a twisted game we experience fascinating psychological unraveling that becomes more intense as it reaches the climactic revelation that’s executed in a familiar but no less effective manner, giving us the premise that has limitless possibility for explorations of many more broken individuals each with circumstances that are sure to offer something unique. For some sense of continuity and overarching storytelling, we’ve got a few more arbiters who will likely be our recurring guides to what may be largely episodic tales.
bctaris: Like others, I was pleasantly (as much as one can be with this sort of material) surprised. The design and animation, of course, was a nice draw coming in, but I wasn’t so sure about the “horror” theme of the whole thing when I believed the couple in question were kidnap victims for some sadistic cult, or whatever psychopathic type is popular in movies today. But when they were revealed to be already dead, and this was a more thoughtful psychological and relationship and moral tale, well, that changes everything. It’s not really horror to me at all. (Though I cringed but slightly that the old “deceitful woman” ended up, in this psychological roulette game, to be the ultimate bad one of the two. That said, her quick anguished expression before the elevator doors close was a nice heartrending touch.)
I am intrigued. And I like episodic tales. (And after last year’s underappreciated Hozuki no Reitetsu, I’m in the mood for more procedural after life adventures. )
And that OP is just great. I’m so sick of overly serious, goth-colored, death metal openings of late. This is really a nice complement to a show like this that has more going on under the surface than you expect.
Momoka Kibi: The main thing I learned from watching this is set ups designed to promote suffering & Horrible People being Horrible People because they’re Horrible People is not for me. I realize when I ranted on Twitter, I was in a sense griping that Apple Pie had Apples in it to use an analogy.
However even if I conclude I was being too harsh on the show, the fact remains I just can’t get into a series where the premise is again about horrible people being horrible people. Which is basically what the 1st episode screamed at me the entire time. 12+ episodes of this would be too much of me, so I’m bailing now.
Rhys2753: After having seen Death Biliards(which had a bit lighter characterization) I was very happy with this first episode and look forward to how the other attendants at the bar will play into the story. Also many have mentioned “Hell Girl” but the series “Bartender” and even a hint of “Mushi-shi” came to my mind with this series concept.
Also LOVED the OP and how the ED seems to be episode specific.
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EyeOfPain: I actually had a different take on the outcome [of the game]. If you look at it in a Buddhist context, the “void” could be nirvana. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra] The loser is sent to be reincarnated, while the winner is able to break free from the cycle of samsara. However, I’m very likely over thinking things, and your explanation seems a bit more plausible.
EmperorBrandon: Not able to catch what word they’re apparently translating as “void”, but I had noticed the elevator Machiko went in had the more demonic-looking mask over it, which to me implied she had the more unfortunate fate. Could be misinterpreting it, though.
Sensuifu: That’s what I thought too. Decim actually says that either of them are sent to Heaven or Hell. I believe those masks are taken from Kyogen and Noh theater, the ‘happier’ mask (Okame) that the husband went in is representative of a more uplifting outcome and good fortune. In contrast the horned mask (Hannya) that Machiko went in, can represent sorrow and torment. The show is making parallels to ‘heaven’ vs ‘hell’ and that the arbiters are there as agents in this ‘purgatory’ (Quindecim) to direct the souls to their most appropriate resting place.
bctaris: I think that’s correct. In fact, the outcome of the game, if not the nature of the game itself, makes sense, and does matter. Having “won”, as in ending up with fewer points, only means that you were more willing to inflict pain on your competitor, i.e. her husband, thus proving your guilt. I’m not sure if all the games will work in that manner, but I suspect they will each be tailored to the particular two people involved.
