The anime Deadman Wonderland is an adventure story with hints of hard-hitting action scenes and dramatic storytelling. The project is unique, at least among its analogues, due to its interesting and exclusive plot, well-thought-out characters and their relationships. Additionally, Deadman Wonderland is classified as horror, which is quite rare in anime. Cruelty is presented as a matter of course as far as those who have gained power are concerned, but the plot once again delights with new intricacies. Despite the small volume, the series turned out to be very colorful, and the characters of the anime “Deadman Wonderland” were memorable. The project is made with soul and pleases the viewer. In addition, “Deathman Wonderland” is voiced in Russian in full and of very high quality.
Some facts
The manga of the same name was created by the duo Jinsei Kataoka and Kazuma Kondo. It is quite possible that the reader has come across another creation of the authors - “Eureka 7”; the art is indeed very similar, and some of the heroes of “Deathman Wonderland” are strikingly similar to their “brothers” from the second project. However, these coincidences are exclusively to the benefit of both works, since all the ideas are quite fresh and are perceived with interest by the public. The manga was published in the USA, but only in five volumes. In total, 13 were made, and with a huge break.
In 2007, the characters in Deadman's Wonderland, as well as the setting as a whole, were received ambiguously by the public. Cruelty, cowardice, sadism - all this had no place among the brighter and lighter works. The sequel appeared 6 years later, after the TV adaptation gained popularity among viewers. It follows about - an anime with character and some specificity. It's not worth watching until you're 16-18 years old. In addition, the project is distinguished by the depth of philosophical and state-political issues, as well as the problems of humanism where it is impossible. The original series includes 12 episodes of 24 minutes each.
Plot Basics
The story of Deadman Wonderland is set in Japan. In 2013, an earthquake occurred, as a result of which 70% of the land went under water. Corporations provide primary management of both the remaining resources and people. Poverty and deprivation reign in some areas.
In addition, new killers have appeared who can manipulate blood. They were called Suicide Squads, after which a specialized prison appeared in which they were kept and periodically kicked out to fight. There is no place for pity and altruism in this world, and the protagonist understands this very quickly.
Plot
I don't know what to talk about here. If usually in even the most lost anime I can notice positive qualities that can be contrasted with negative ones, then in Deadman Wonderland I was puzzled for the first time. With all my might, apart from the potentially strong idea embedded in the series, I cannot see any positive qualities here. I can’t, that’s all. Absolutely all semantic components of Deadman Wonderland . Firstly, I don’t like it, although no, I even hate it when the script and main plot twists are based on the outright stupidity of all its participants. This is the reason I didn't like Koutetsujou no Kabaneri , the same reason I don't like Deadman Wonderland .
Absolutely everyone behaves stupidly here: Ganta, who generally ignores the events happening around him and does not try to strain his brain at least a little; Shiro, who doesn't try to tell Ganta how she knows him; the head of security, who is not aware of the existence of an entire block in her prison (provided that even the prisoners and some guards are aware); guards who allow prisoners to walk freely along the corridors - probably to make it more fun to catch them later; judges and investigators who imprison a frail fourteen-year-old who allegedly killed all his classmates based on videos with the quality of pirated VHS tapes. I was especially pleased with the “amazing” eighth episode, in which one heroic self-sacrifice occurs after another. And no – it doesn’t look dramatic, it looks extremely moronic. I'm not even talking about beating up a friend who just, in front of you, defused a bomb that was supposed to kill you. And there are a lot of similar logical nonsense in Deadman Wonderland - the series consists of them.
It would seem that here is a promising idea for a prison in which prisoners are forced to participate in attractions in order to survive. Well, dedicate at least half of the series to this topic, show the prison from different angles, show various tests - it’s interesting! But, in the end, we are only shown one episode where prisoners go through an obstacle course, and... that’s it! Enough fun! Now watch the adventures of the snotty Ganta, who is trying to get the red man, and his inadequate friends! No less obvious would be a way to construct the plot through a sequence of varied, dynamic battles. There was no need to invent anything here - just use the basic principles of shonen, diluted with cruelty and psychology, and you will be happy. This, for example, was done in the quite successful Akame ga Kill . You can come up with a huge number of interesting abilities with blood, as well as scenarios for their implementation. But no. No no and one more time no. Instead, the combat component of the anime has turned into a pathetic performance, when the weak protagonist talks his teeth into the enemy with arrogant phrases, and then, with the last of his strength, makes the first and only normal blow and wins. Bravo. The hall rejoices. Ovation guaranteed. Both the battle with the Raven and the Hummingbird were turned from a dynamic action into a dull and merciless farce - I was especially pleased with the arrival of Brother Hummingbird in the midst of the battle, at which point I finally lost hope of seeing anything interesting Deadman Wonderland
The second half of the series gave hope for something interesting, by attracting a huge number of new characters and mercilessly exterminating them, as well as increasing the level of general dynamics, however, sooner or later everything comes down to the pathos and stupidity of the storyline. I don’t even remember the last time I had to almost force myself to watch each new episode, and so barely get to the finale. But the scriptwriters felt that the listed shortcomings were not enough, and they decided to add one more! Why end an anime at a logical point if you don’t have to end it and just end the story in the best traditions of the Madhouse studio? Considering that a continuation is still not expected, this shortcoming can be called serious. To summarize: the first arc is a rare low point, the second is watchable, but pretentious and banal.
Sin Branch and Suicide Squad
The ability to manipulate blood was called the Branch of Sin. The protagonist's mother took part in the creation of a superweapon, as well as a soldier who could use his body as a means of achieving his goal. As a result, Original Sin appeared - the first carrier and, in fact, the second "I" of Shirou. The Sin branch does not have any pronounced restrictions in terms of the distribution of forces. The characters in Deadman Wonderland use both physical, material manifestations of their talent, and psychological ones. For example, the Branch of Sin can create illusions or copy the opponent's powers.
Suicide bombers are people who, as a result of certain circumstances, received the power of Sin. The protagonist believes that this is due to the Nameless Worm, a crystal implanted into the body. The Undertaker division owns a special weapon, the Worm Eater, which allows them to neutralize the influence of the ability; it was thanks to them that the Undertakers were even caught in prison. The main danger from the use of one's powers for the Suicide Man is gigantic blood loss. In the pictures of Deadman Wonderland you can often see blood; this is the main strength and weakness of the heroes.
Panache
The graphic part of Deadman Wonderland leaves a double impression. On the one hand, I liked the chosen color scheme, as well as the animation of some of the combat scenes (especially in the obstacle course). On the other hand, the design of some characters can hardly be called memorable - especially the main character. Only a couple of minor characters and Shiro turned out to be bright, but after a couple of weeks it will be difficult to remember the rest. In addition, the facial detailing of the secondary characters is not very impressive. The background images and close-ups turned out quite well. The main problems of Deadman Wonderland are clearly not in the art.
Deadman Wonderland
The prison is located in a remote area. Those sentenced to death for committing murder or mass atrocity are sent here. It looks like an intimidating and huge building. It exists solely through funding from the private sector, and is effectively privatized. Block G in the prison is created exclusively for those who wield power. Here they serve their sentences and fight bloody battles. The characters in Deadman Wonderland are almost all fatalists who view their deprivations with a certain degree of healthy indifference. Those who manage to constantly win the Corpse Carnival can even afford comforts.
The Carnival of Corpses is the arena in which the Deadmen fight. Victory brings the fighter a certain amount of winnings in local currency, which can be spent on products or services from the prison administration. Often the battle is fought not to death, but to the exhaustion of one or another opponent. Suicide bombers are a fairly valuable resource, so they rarely die. When losing, in addition to wounds from the opponent, the fighter rotates the Wheel of Fortune, on the segments of which certain parts of the body are located. This is the price for defeat. In prison, prisoners are abused, which is hidden from the attention of a wider audience.
Means of Confinement and Purpose of Prison
Upon arrival, each prisoner is fitted with a collar-like device. It is designed to track the owner's movements and also serves to constantly inject a deadly toxin into the body. You can neutralize its effect using a special candy, which will cost 100,000 local credits. In addition, obtaining the antidote may be difficult. Anyone who does not take the candy on time dies, this is how his sentence is carried out. The authorities are aware of the entertainment taking place on the prison grounds, but turn a blind eye due to the financial potential of the project.
The fact is that Tokyo attracts huge crowds of tourists who come specifically for the entertainment in the prison. Some of them know that the performance is real, others consider the performance to be staged. In any case, visitors bring considerable money to the treasury of the state and the city. These funds are used to restore the capital from damage. It is impossible to escape from prison without a supply of antidote. In addition, the complex is a gathering of sadists who take pleasure in torturing prisoners.
Characters
The protagonist in Deadman Wonderland , Ganta Igarashi , is easily the worst protagonist I've ever encountered. Only Shuu Ouma from Guilty Crown and Shirou Emiya from Fate UBW . And the point here is not even that he is a schoolboy - no, the reason is different. In the end, even among schoolchildren, although rarely, there are interesting specimens. But this is definitely not the case. I will never understand why, as the protagonist of any anime, do something so useless ? The only thing Ganta knows how to do masterfully is, with the stupid look of a baby who has ruined his diapers, make faces and complain about his fate. And also yell. Lots and lots of yelling. He doesn't try to analyze the situation. Doesn't try to ask questions. He doesn’t try to understand the entanglements in which he finds himself. Doesn't try to master his powers. He. Absolutely. Useless. And I can’t stand characters like this.
He is emotionally difficult to watch. Even when Ganta takes some right steps, they are presented with such pathos and pomp that they cannot evoke anything other than negative emotions. In front of you is a stranger who is superior in strength. Hmm, why not run at him with a metal pipe in your hand without even asking him who he is? Some girl says she knows you. Hmm, why not ignore her instead of finding out? I'm a very patient person, but after a couple of episodes of Deadman Wonderland, even I found myself in the grip of the desire to stop watching, and the protagonist was the main reason for this. In the original, Ganta also chose a voice that was as annoying as possible... Usually schoolchildren are made the main characters so that the main part of the audience can associate themselves with them. But will anyone really compare themselves to Ganta? The second reason may be the clarity of his development , but over the course of twelve episodes he does not develop. There are prerequisites for this in the latest episodes, but only very superficial ones. He also suffers from amnesia - this was the final nail in the coffin of my interest.
Things are no better with other significant characters. Let's start with the antagonist - Tamaki Tsunenaga . A sadist with a fox-like face and a passion for children's toys, he works as a lawyer in his free time. He does not cause hostility, he does not arouse interest, and, therefore, does not cope with the main functions of antagonists. He's angry because... why? Because he wants to run the prison? He already controls it. Because it makes him happy? Yes, somehow you can’t see his manic enthusiasm for villainy. So let's just show that he's evil and motivation... fuck motivation! Among the “suicide bombers” with whom the unfortunate Ganta will have to fight, no interesting personalities were noticed. Raven is a man skilled in numerous battles, who loses a fight to a schoolboy who uses his power for the second time, and therefore gains respect for him. Hummingbird , from whose first appearance it becomes obvious that she will turn out to be crazy in any way. You Takami pretending to be Ganta's friend is an even sadder sight. I’m generally silent about a bloodthirsty girl engaged in lynching, or a monk with a guitar. The images and purposes of the characters are guessed at one glance - simply because any schoolchild who watched a couple of psychological anime could easily come up with them. No depth, no development, no intrigue - still worse than the second season of Tokyo Ghoul . And this deserves respect - I thought it was impossible to do worse.
The only bright spot, literally and figuratively, is the albino girl Shiro . In her case, a fairly popular type of strong character is also used, who does not need this very strength, since he would prefer to lead an ordinary life. However, it is extremely difficult to spoil it, so as a result, Shiro turned out to be quite sweet and spontaneous. In addition, she is the only hero who harbors some kind of intrigue, since nothing is known about her origin for a long time. But, unfortunately, you can’t get far with just one good character, especially when it comes to the psychological genre.
Ganta Igarashi
A teenager who was 14 years old at the time of his imprisonment. Protagonist. He looks like a frail guy with unruly black hair and dark eyes. He lived an ordinary life until he met the Red Man (Original Sin). He shot him in the chest with a crystal, and then killed all his classmates. When the guy woke up, he found himself in the role of a prisoner. He was quickly sentenced to death and sent to “Deathman Wonderland.” His mother, Sora Igarashi, was part of a group that conducted research into the Branch of Sin.
His key ability is to shoot his blood, which turns into a projectile. Its most powerful form is the Ganta Cannon, a powerful short-range weapon that can cause enormous blood loss. He loves Shiro, and she reciprocates his feelings. As the story progresses, his personality changes from naive and good-natured to cold-blooded and tough. Together with Scar's Chain, he participated in the transmission of recordings about the Carnival to the mass media. Nicknamed Woodpecker.
Shiro
An albino girl who meets the protagonist immediately after his arrival at the prison. He claims that he can move freely and helps out the main character several times. The original nature of the character is a playful, cheerful and good-natured girl. Sweet tooth. In fact, it is just a part of the true “I”, since its second fragment is the Original Sin or the Corrupted Egg. I knew the protagonist as children; they played Aceman, a local superhero. When uncontrollable, he prefers red armor and usually walks around in a tight suit.
Ganta notes that a lullaby is being broadcast throughout the complex. It's the music of Mother Goose, the supercomputer, and cutting off the track causes Shiro to fade into the background, giving way to the Red Man. Ultimately, the two selves merge into one hero, and the true Shiro returns to the world. It was she who caused the earthquake, trying 10 years ago to destroy her body and stop the experiments. Really wants to be an ordinary child. What is noteworthy, according to fan responses, is a Yandere, that is, an initially romantic character who likes to torment his loved one. By killing Ganta's friends, Shiro tried to take revenge not only on his mother, but also on her friend who left her.
Ratings
Characters – 2.0. Among all the heroes, only Shiro, and at times Raven, stand out positively.
Plot – 2.0. Ragged, stupid and unfinished. It was painful to watch. A promising idea does not reach its potential.
Drawing – 7.0. Decent animation and color scheme, mediocre character design.
Music – 8.0. Atmospheric background sound. Luxurious opening, good ending.
Kiemasa Senji
The main character's first opponent and comrade. The branch of Sin is blades. Because of this, he received the nickname Raven, since he fights with his claws. A strongly built man with an athletic build, a former police officer. After losing the duel, Gante lost his right eye as punishment. Teaches the protagonist combat techniques using the Branch of Sin. He is embarrassed at the sight of a girl in more or less revealing clothes, Shiro often made comments. How exactly he ended up in Deadman Wonderland is unknown.
Minatsuki Takami
The characters in Deadman's Wonderland were given nicknames based on their abilities. The girl is known as Hummingbird, or Hummingbird Witch. She pretends to be sweet and naive in order to mislead her opponent or make him desire her. In fact, she is an insensitive bitch with sadistic tendencies. One of the guards, seeing that Ganta was trying to console her before going to the Carnival, exposed the girl, calling her a witch. As the battle progresses, the protagonist realizes how wrong she was, and yet, having won, asks the Scar Chain to save her from losing her organs. As a result, the wheel shows hair loss. I previously lost part of my intestines. Minatsuki was betrayed by her mother, so she behaves rudely to absolutely everyone.
Music
But the musical accompaniment in Deadman Wonderland was a success. The tense, psychological atmosphere of the title rests solely on his shoulders, which is in every possible way disrupted by semantic defects. I can only call the music a positive feature of the series. The composer was not the most experienced Nobuki Narasaki , but, it seems to me, he fully coped with his tasks. The soundtrack turned out to be simple, but intense - what is needed for a psychological title. Particularly impressive is the opening One Reason performed by DWB feat.fade - powerful, dynamic, and perfectly synchronized with the picture. I wanted to listen to him again and again. This is how the title as a whole should have been! This is what we had to strive for! As a result, it turned out that one of the best openings I've ever seen belongs to one of the worst titles I've ever watched. Paradox. The ending SHINY SHINY performed by NIRGILIS is not bad, but does not stand out much.
Tsunenaga Tamaki
The key antagonist and main sadist in the plot. The son of the prison warden, who later took his father's place. He admits that he pretended to be Ganta’s lawyer so that the latter would be placed in prison. He does not consider Suicide Squads to be people and prefers to call them animals. He organized the Carnival for his own satisfaction. He killed the beloved of the head of the Chain of Scar because he succumbed during the battle. Conducted experiments on creating artificial Suicide Squads, as a result of which Fakes appeared. Forced Ganta's friend to undergo an experiment.
