Hypersonic
June 05, 2022
Death Parade Episode Three Review
>By: Prince Lammy
Death Parade Episode 03: Rolling Ballade
Before sitting to whip up this review, I’d seen this particular episode twice, and maybe I would want to say it strayed from what I’ve seen in the first two episodes. And that’s in a good way, too, because now I had something actually to laugh and awe at.
Asides from the deathly and judgmental concepts enacted in the preceding episodes, Rolling Ballade even featured something romantic (the first of its kind in the series). I’m not saying the first episode was devoid of that. Still, this one ended on a romantic note that you’d admire.
And now, maybe even if I don’t get to score a date with my childish crush while alive, I might have a chance at that when we get to Quindecim🤗😂.
Let’s not get carried away and focus on singling out this episode for an extensive review, and well, here it is.
Story | 6/10
Decim wakes Miura Shigeru, who is asleep on a couch in the Quindecim. And now, Quindecim has two bartenders: Decim and the nameless lady. After Miura walks up to the bar and joins Chisato, Decim and the nameless lady bow down their heads to welcome them.
After his brief welcome, Decim informs them they’d play a game while their lives are on the line. The selected game is ten-pin bowling. The balls possess the other’s hearts, which pulse in response to their owners’ emotions.
As the game progresses, the two become friends and begin to recollect memories from their past. The guy remembers himself as Shigeru Miura, a college student. In contrast, the girl remembers herself as Chisato Miyazaki, a childhood friend of Shigeru who moved away.
Shigeru then recalls that he and Chisato lost their lives on the same bus. Chisato remembers a little of the reality about herself. Shigeru invites Chisato on a brief date with how much time they had left after winning the game.
They parted company at the elevator, glad to have had the opportunity to spend time together. Chisato was Shigeru’s longtime childhood buddy, Mai Takada, who got plastic surgery to have Chisato’s appearance capture Shigeru’s attention. They are both destined to reincarnate.
Art | 8/10
This is a good show if you appreciate beautiful visuals. The distinct visual style contributes to the mood, and the color palette makes it feel both fierce and calm. Sorry, but I can’t stop saying "awesome" since that’s what this show is about. Lighting is used quite effectively, making things appear more lifelike and 3D.
The animation is excellent. The main issue is that most animated sequences are relatively similar in style, giving the appearance of being a little repetitious. The usage of CGI is appropriate since it blends nearly flawlessly with the 3D art style.
This episode has excellent visuals and would be ideal if you enjoy watching elaborate action sequences occasionally.
Sound | 8/10
For the most part, the soundtrack is excellent. The OST is exhilarating to convey the intensity of the games. Still, melancholy tones convey the aim of its sad mood. The OP song, however, is the most shocking.
Instead, it’s more like a deceptive commercial with dancing, stylized music, and a cheery tone. Otherwise, we receive a darker and mood-enhancing ED song to accompany each episode. However, some have varied footage based on the games played.
Character | 7/10
Suppose there is something you have to love about this series so far. In that case, it’s the consistently small number of characters per episode. This episode didn’t feature more than four characters, aside from those extras that showed in the flashbacks that Miura and Chisato had.
But since characters don’t get much screen time, character development is at a superficial level. It’s now making it seem more like the show’s main character might even be Decim, but with more focus on Miura and Chisato, as they’re the ones whose afterlife we got to see here.
We see Miura as slightly being a cut above the rest among boys. And despite realizing that they were both dead, they both didn’t let that faze them and still went ahead to request what they’d wanted to do all their lives, i.e., go on a date.
Enjoyment | 7/10
Now, this is just phenomenal among all the episodes I’ve seen so far. And I have to say; it’s really like that because you could hardly see much of any severe atmosphere (his assistant checked even Decim’s seriousness).
And irrespective of the fact that I know that these new lovey-dovey characters would be gone in twenty minutes, it’s still one episode I have to see and admire. And at some point, a part of me did wish I had something as beautiful as they’ve got.
And at some point also, I sensed some chemistry brewing between Decim and his assistant. But like Game of Thrones, Death Parade seems not to have any main character at this point. And the only recurring character I’ve seen so far is Decim himself. Or is he the main character? Well, time would tell.
Overall | 8/10
When I wanted to start this episode, I expected a scenery and episode similar to that of Takashi and Machiko from the first episode. Still, I was astonished by how beautifully this was crafted and executed.
And indeed, this bit is also thought-provoking, but it just sorts of takes a break from the thought-inclined atmosphere that’s already brewing around the series. And that’s a lovely thing.
And what’s more? This episode has no particular physical action, but it still catches my attention so much, so I had to see it again because it was just so interesting.
I’m sure all couples that watched this on 23rd January 2015 when it first aired would be in the best place to relate with some notions in the episode. But oh well, what can I say? Other than that, it was a masterpiece!
Next Episode: Episode 4 Review
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