10 Second Anime - Death Parade - Episode 4

Death Parade - Episode 4



Two newly departed fight for their lives in a fight video game. Decim's sabotage helps him judge the souls, but Kurokami objects to the harsh methods.

Heh.

Just because you're losing at a videogame is no reason to bash the other guy's head in.

 

I liked the character specific touches on the arcade game. The young man's hobby was "otaku," but his ability was "none." Harsh, man. Meanwhile, the lady's ability was "temptation." Not really a surprise where she ended up at the end.

 

This couple didn't die in the same place and time, so it's still a little vague how these people get paired up for judgment. The circumstances of their lives were both related to their family situations, so perhaps each couple has a "theme" for how their lives ultimately cause their deaths.

 

The most interesting thing for me was how Kurokami reacted to the heavy-handed methods Decim uses to draw out people's reactions. A good apprentice also teaches the master, which is the dynamic I suspect the story is aiming at.

 

Hmm.

I wasn't too surprised that the lady's soul went to the void. From her life's flashbacks, we saw that she kept making the same mistakes and attracting the same kinds of guys while accumulating more children along the way. And while she may have loved them and it was important to work to support them, they still weren't her number one priority. She may have regretted her impulsive actions, but those impulsive actions always served her own selfish interests first. Off to the void with this damaged soul.

 

The young man committed suicide, but he fit the stereotype in Japan for shut-in, disconnected young men who take their own lives. The question for his soul was whether it could actually love other people, or if it would always close itself off. His regret for not accepting his stepmother was different than the lady's regret for her selfish impulsive actions, because he finally accepted that somebody else could love him, but it was too late for him to reciprocate. Reincarnation for this one. Try harder next time around.

 

We've got a pretty good handle on how the 15th floor judges souls, with even some flashes of disapproval from the new girl, so it looks like next time we'll meet some of the other characters we see in the opening credits. Maybe Kurokami will even get a name? No, I doubt it. There are no names in this afterlife.