Hypersonic
June 13, 2022
Death Parade Episode Eight Review
>By: Prince Lammy
Death Parade Episode 08: Death Rally
This episode gave us an incomplete story and also rather special guests. I would call them August visitors, for they were different from the usual streak of players I’ve gotten used to.
Let me give a more descriptive and well-outlined review of Death Rally, Death Parade’s eighth episode.
Story | 7/10
Decim is given two new visitors in response to Nona’s request. The young man’s name is Shimada, and the detective’s name is Tatsumi. One of the new guests is suspected of being a killer.
While Shimada is looking for a way out of the situation, he discovers a knife that is covered in blood among his stuff. He is unaware of where the knife came from. Shimada gradually remembers watching after his little sister during an air hockey game the two visitors play. At the same time, Tatsumi recalls that his wife was killed.
Decim decides to amend the game’s rules such that scored pucks cause agony to the corresponding player’s organs because the two have regained memories that feed their impulses to escape, with Shimada recalling that his sister had been abused.
In the meantime, the woman with the dark hair requests to access the memories Decim was given and discovers that Shimada and Tatsumi are both murders.
And that was it! The episode came to an end! And I was left to wonder, just what judgment would be given to these two? And how would the game end? Seeing how this episode was finished, I guess the continuation of Shimada’s and Tatsumi’s game would be in episode nine.
Art | 8/10
There are some key moments and points to note when talking about the quality of the animation of this episode. One would be when the board for the air hockey opened up and came to the begging of the room, for that was just pretty breath-taking.
Another point would be with the sinister chuckle of the game board when the players ran out of time, and the game was to take another turn. The skulls on the edge of the board kind of reminded me of ghost rider💀.
The inscriptions on the pucks seemed pretty basic like it was an amateur’s handiwork. Still, I guess that’s what MadHouse intended.
But on a general note, the animation is fluid and crisp. The only drawback is that almost all the animated sequences have a similar aesthetic, which might make the experience feel rather monotonous. The utilization of CGI is acceptable since it fits in nearly entirely with the 3D artistic approach.
Sound | 9/10
Astonishingly good trolling. Their antics are so absurd that it’s almost amusing to watch them. Is it a good match for the show? The answer is no. Sure thing.
The final song, in my opinion, is the best since it showcases the show’s dynamic presentation through the use of tenor voice. Recognizable tones of screams. Perfect for the show, well-executed.
The OST is on the softer side. Aside from a few notable selections, the soundtrack is primarily instrumental and designed to enhance the story’s atmosphere. They cannot be listened to independently because of the absence of depth and composition.
In my opinion, Funimation’s dub is up there with their most refined. You can’t go wrong with this cast of performers. As always, the Japanese audio is superior. It sounds lovely, even though I don’t know the language.
The songs are memorable and enjoyable to listen to. And they’ve kept the same songs right from episodes one through eight.
Character | 7/10
Tatsumi and Shimada. Tatsumi is a grown man who is also a detective, while Shimada is a young teenager, possibly a high schooler.
Even before we got to know the two new characters coming into Quindecim, Decim could deduce from their memories that they were both murderers. And as such, he knew to be wary around them.
But much like every other character, there is zero development on them. All we get to see about them is just in less than 20 minutes, fragments of their memories and how they died. I think the show could get better in this respect.
Even Decim, the main focus and only recurring character from the beginning of the series, has almost zero development in his character.
I think the show brings different kinds of characters to peruse and judge. And it does that to show differences like humans, trying to cover as much ground as possible in that respect.
Enjoyment | 6/10
This episode had tragedies infused into its plot. Maybe that is why I didn’t enjoy it, as I had enjoyed other episodes before this one. But it’s already coming to note that this series is devoid of character development makes it a bit stale.
The show’s structure doesn’t work well for someone like me who wants to care about the characters they’re focusing on. As a result, I was unmoved by the circumstances these folks were in. Despite the abundance of tears, screams, and other expressions of emotion, I never felt connected to any of the characters on screen in any meaningful way.
Even if it doesn’t accomplish everything perfectly, the notion is still fascinating. Understanding one another is essential since it strengthens my connections and inspires others to adopt the same mindset. As a result, despite its lack of humor or drama, I found the show’s directing to be rather enjoyable.
Overall | 7/10
The reality seems to be more to the story being told here. And having to repeat the same motion over and over again without any insight or development on any of the recurring characters isn’t something I would commend.
I think they could have done better, but someone already said they had prepped their mind for having just limited episodes and stories in it, hence, the staleness.
Next Episode: Episode 9 Review
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