Death Parade

At the bar called Quindecim, the customers are not the usual guests. Its bartender, the arbiter Decim, invites two souls to play death games and draw out their true character. During these games, the souls are placed in impossible situations that push them to the edge. How they act will be the basis of the arbiter's judgment.

Initially, the souls do not remember that they are dead. They are tricked into thinking that refusing to play the death games will put their lives in danger. As the game progresses, they see highlights of their lives. After these games, the souls will either be reincarnated or sent to the void by the arbiters.

For Decim, it was business as usual until he met a black-haired woman who remembered that she died the first time she stepped into the bar. For Decim, this will make judgment more difficult because the souls are not supposed to remember that they're dead at the start of the game. Decim decides to forestall her judgment. The black-haired woman is later appointed as his assistant. Her presence however changed they way Decim judges the other souls.

Decim

From left: Quin, Nona and Ginti

Decim

Decim and the black-haired woman

I thought at first this series was going to be one of those battle royale-inspired stories where characters are placed in a situation where they have no choice but to fight amongst themselves. But when I got to the part where the souls were judged, it became more interesting. Later in the series, different types of people are pitted against each other. The series evoked sympathy, disgust, and happiness. Some of the meetings were painful to watch, some funny, while one made me question my idea of justice.

It's one of the few series I've seen that I did not only value for its animation (which is great by the way), action scenes or character development. More than anything, I looked forward to how the show was going to address morality and show how the humans are at their emotional limits. The dead brought their values, experiences and precious memories while they played the games (even if they could not remember it all, it still shows in their actions). They were tested in extreme situations, the kind of scenarios that would not be normally questioned while they were still alive. Sometimes they were forced to a difficult choice, a choice that often show what was most important to them and what they were willing to give or sacrifice.

The 12-episode series did not try to be too philosophical in its approach, which is a good thing. It gave the audience freedom to decide for themselves.

The opening theme seems kinda silly to me, almost like a mockery to the inevitability and sadness of death. But if that's the effect it was trying to produce then it's effective. 

Rating: 9 out of 10