Death Parade was released in 2015, almost a decade ago, and has found its place as one of those classics that remain on the bookshelves covered in dust until somebody picks them up and it completely breaks you.
Going into this anime I didn't have particularly high expectations for the anime knowing it only for the really good opening theme. I was surprised by the sheer depth this anime actually explores.
This brief review is going to remain mostly spoiler free and safe for those who want to get into the anime.
Imagine if you one day found yourself in an unknown place with a mysterious ambience without any prior memory of how you found yourself in there alongside a complete stranger. You soon run into a bartender who demands you play a game where your very lives are at stake and cannot leave the room until the game is finished. After initially refusing to play and looking around for a couple of minutes you give in and play the game, what could go wrong?
We could see the motif of the game here as an allegory for life, as we are simply judged based on arbitrary criteria in an unfair match that has absolutely no end goal or any meaning whatsoever. It only serves to create tension and get the worst out of us. To reveal the darkness found inside our souls.
This anime tackles the themes of nihilism perfectly by displaying the very nature of the human condition as well as the very morality and implications of judging somebody as deserving infinite suffering for their finite actions. It goes into the depths of a complex human psychology and brings out the most instinctual and simple human responses to situations happening inside an environment curated for this kind of wicked play.
As humans we are simpler than we might like to admit, we get sorrowful when we lose somebody we hold dear, we get happy when you make us happy, so fragile and prone to being played with by forces unknown to us. As such the mission of the games is to exploit this very nature in order to create so called extreme conditions that will result in judgement of their participants.
Certain moments inside of this anime really made me reflect on my own life and meaning in a personal manner, I have felt deeply for the characters and the struggles they had to deal with, some more than others but there was humanity inside each and every one of them. The shades behind each action and experience can be felt deeply as the games progress.
Overall this anime is one of those forgotten gems that are worth checking out if you want a profound look at the nature of life and the tragedy of the human condition. If not for the deep philosophical undertones that drew me in personally, at least consider the beautiful and stunning character design. Especially the so called "Kurokami no Onna" with her mysterious appearance and beautiful black hair and most honourably Nona with her sweet playful charm of a princess who knows something we do not. The overall serene ambience of the bar where the plot takes place and the emotional soundtrack that set the stage for the special moments of beauty inside this gem are worth staying for.