Hypersonic
June 14, 2022
Death Parade Episode Twelve Review
>By: Prince Lammy
Death Parade Episode 12: Suicide Tour
Wow! Wow!! Wow!!!
Give me a minute to wipe my tears. I must’ve felt a bit of sorrow at the same time Decim did, and watching Chiyuki’s final judgment was heartbreaking. And allow me to sing a bit too.
❝I’m not gonna make it.
Is it almost over now?
Can’t see the way.
Run down.❞
I can’t even complete the song. Don’t worry; you can check it out about 20 minutes into the episode. I guess I’m still emotional right now.
And now, Oculus has added another rule to the previous three guiding the existence and habit of arbiters. But what transpired in this episode?
Story | 9/10
The episode starts with Decim putting a call through to the Information Bureau, requesting them to send over some memories, which they sent within a short while. Then Oculus takes the elevator down to meet Nona and attempts to use his flower beard to read her memories. But she dodges, and he accosts her about her little experiment (implanting Decim with emotions).
Then he asks her what her end goal is, to which she responds that she wants to show that arbiters are capable of change and are more than puppets. He further explains the biology of arbiters and why they are how they are, as they’re filled with the souls of those sent to the void.
Decim then takes Chiyuki into an elevator and asks Clavis to take them down to the lowest level. Humans brought for judgment into Quindecim are not usually taken down there.
Chiyuki wakes up in her room to her mother’s voice calling out her name. As she tries to get up from the bed, she falls and sees Decim walking into the room. Then he sits with her on the bed, and the duo talks about two dolls her mother made for her.
After some brief talk, Decim revealed that she’d already been dead for three months and that she was back in the real world. Stepping out of the room and into the dining room, she recalls how the family had always acted at the table.
From there, she moved into the living room and remembered how she had always run to her mother to read her the Chavvot story. Unexpectedly, her mum opens the door and enters the house but can’t see her.
Outside, Decim gave her a device and a choice: press the button if she wanted to come back to life. But another random soul would be taken in her stead. And everyone’s memory of her death would be wiped.
She sees her mother show great affection for her, even after death. She expresses her will to live and things she could’ve done differently. Then she starts thinking about all it’ll take to come back to life and how it would affect a random person’s life somewhere.
She starts recollecting people she’d helped Decim judge and then makes a decision. Her expression of her feelings and reasons shook Decim to his core. For the first time, he got hit by a wave of emotions and fell apart inside.
Oculus and Nona had been watching the entire scenario from the galactic billiards board. Both expressed their opinions on what they’d just seen. Decim is later seen taking a walk in the void with Chiyuki.
As Decim sends her on her way, he recalls all moments he’s spent with her, and she tries to make him smile before she leaves.
Art | 8/10
Don’t mind me this time around. I ignored the art this time around. I was just too engrossed in all that was happening. But let me chip in a bit about it.
Those animations are just flawless. It’s like chopping a piece of something with cutting-edge technology. In addition to that, the color and shading are great as well. You can’t miss the traces of pencil used in drawing the characters, especially as if they had been made by hand.
How did MadHouse make the most of this? The animation is still the most significant part of this anime. I’m not sure how. And indeed, it outperforms the vast majority of other shows that aired at the same time.
Even when creating flashback scenarios, the pictures are still excellent, despite the graininess. It’s hard to think of greater utilization of lighting, shadows, effects, and other aesthetic components from that period.
Sound | 8/10
The musical component of the act has, up to this point, provided a complete analysis of the plot in a consistent manner. And the Japan-English mashup of the opening and closing songs is dope, and it provided some extra vibes to the concert and compensated for the often sorrowful and deathly atmosphere there.
The ending track, on the other hand, serves more like a condenser of ideas. It brings to a straightforward and decisive close any ideas you could have had during the show.
However, I also found the little musical interlude to be rather enjoyable before the finish.
Piano melodies were also evident in various moments that required musical accompaniment. Every musical element has been exploited to its fullest potential to enhance each scene and atmosphere.
Finally, a word about the voice acting. There’s no better way to describe it. Even though I don’t know Japanese, I could pick up on their emotions from how they were spoken. High-quality voice acting, even if they didn’t speak the same language, could convey emotion, tone, and mood.
Decim cried!
Like, I mean, the arbiter without emotions cried! And burst out in despair!! It was heart-wrenching, I have to say. And it wasn’t just any ordinary burst of emotions. At this point, I think it’s fair to say Decim has become more of a human than an arbiter.
Chiyuki, on the other hand, showed a certain amount of consideration and discipline even when presented with the thing she wanted the most (to return to her former life). It is impressive to see how well she’s grown over time.
Enjoyment | 9/10
I enjoyed every bit of this episode. Who wouldn’t? It was a masterpiece of tragi-comedy (a lot more on the sad parts). And what more could one ask for, asides from an iconic ending to a short but exciting series.
Overall | 9/10
As much as I would’ve opted to have this series continued, it’ll only be valid to say it’s done its bit at this point. And the way the story had been written, I doubt it can even be continued. But so far, it’s been one excellent ride, and this episode is a fantastic and emotional masterpiece.
Who would’ve thought that despite all the flaws this series has managed to have, it would have such a fantastic ending? But really, I’m glad that after all that drama, Chiyuki still got to be sent to be reincarnated (I saw that coming, though).
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