Death Parade will change your view about life and death | Anime Reviews

Death Parade: 12 Episodes

Duration: 23 min/ep

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Supernatural, Thriller, Suspense

Theme: Adult Cast, High Stakes Game, Psychological

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆

“Everyone lives with the sins they’ve committed.” – Chiyuki

Pilot episode thoughts

I expect this to be something dark with a little touch of comedy. Apparently, not. Death Parade offers a fresh concept about what happens after death. It reveals emotions and spits out honesty, well this is in just the first episode. 

The anime is set in a casino slash bar where guests are already dead. People here are those who died at the same time. They will play in a casino, betting with their own life, risking it with the ones they are with. 

This is promising and really compelling. I have really high hopes for the next episodes. Let's see what they have. 

“People aren’t as complex as you think they are. They’re simple, and they get sad or angry over simple things. That’s how they are. They’re quickly affected by the littlest things, and live without knowing where they’re going to fall down. That’s who people are!” – Chiyuki

Full review

It's insane, it's dark, it's unsettling. We talk about untouched human behavior, the darkest of our souls, and the insanity that we have within. 

The 2nd episode is basically the 1st episode, this time, from a different perspective which is a really nice touch on how the story will bloom. They expose the unbalance between good, bad, and unpleasantly bad. It uncovers the truth behind another truth. 

Surprisingly, it has a heartwarming part. The mystery of death and the lives that they lived. A part where they can look back and base their judgment on that. 

However, despite different games each episode, the stories may feel repetitive, just different stories but you know, same outcome. I'm not sure if there's a build up into something, hopefully. 

Well, I lied. I was writing this in real-time, that I'm watching the episodes and just polishing it in the end. 

This whole build up is insane, it's no repetitive, you have to feel each emotions at the level of their sins, I love how they intensely visualize darkness of the soul. It's psychotic but it may happen in real life. Watching few episodes towards the end gave me goosebumps, not because of the action-packed scenes but the triggers and the level of insanity of what's happening while everything while watching it with massive detail and at a really slow pace. Everything appears to be falling apart, messing with our minds, with our sanity.

The pacing is great. You'll finish the anime in no time, they have amazing characters even with short screentime. 

“Do you know what the most primitive emotion people have is? It’s fear.” – Nona

The Finale

This is mental awareness. Suicide awareness. This ending is quite surprising and an emotional one. I never thought that they will go this way base on the dark theme. 

Shemss!

Apparently, it all comes down to the ultimate test. Really nice touch for the ending. The build up is worth it. The show is big on understanding each other. A heartwarming ending to a brutal essence that we face in life. Hard truths and inevitable dilemmas. 

“Life really is a mysterious thing. Each and every life spins its own, totally separate tale. Yet they become intricately entwined in each other. And no one knows how they will end up.” – Decim

My takeaway

You'll get used to it soon.

Crazy words, it may change someone's life. For the better, or worse. Our minds can easily be manipulated by repeated actions or words, we should always be aware of where we put our attention into. 

Death is a one way ticket. Once you're there it's impossible to come back. It's a permanent thing, a final destination, it is inevitable for all of us. 

It has this glommy visuals that can be interpreted as life can just end in a snap. You might not get the chance to say goodbye, to say sorry and to say i love you. Life might end in an instant, without warning, just falling into the void. 

We'll never know.

“It’s not just grief. There are as many emotions as there are people. The fragility of someone who lets their anger get the best of them… The strength to overcome fear because of love… You can’t comprehend anything about them.” – Chiyuki

Big question!

If you're given a chance to live again, in expense of other's person's life. Would you take it?

//DeathParade

//sebajisoka

Horimiya is refreshingly nice | Anime Reviews

Horimiya: 13 Episodes

Duration: 23 min/ep

Genre: Comedy, Romance, Shounen, Slice of Life

Theme: School

Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

“You can have the bad days so you can love the good days even more.” – Miyamura Izumi

Pilot episode thoughts

The initial episode is nice, the animation is crisp for a romance anime. It's lovely, the characters are easy-to-relate to. It's funny, it's interesting so far. I don't know the goal of this anime but so far, I enjoyed it. The 23-minute episode passed in an instant. I never get bored throughout. 

“Everyone starts from zero. If you mess up, just try it. Figure out why, and try again.” – Miyamura Izumi

Full review

I like the animation especially when they need to emphasize a specific feeling. they're changing the background into this oblivious plane that highlights the specific emotion in the scene. The effect and the music behind really impact the exact emotions that they want you to feel.

It tackles loneliness in a school setting, this kinda happens in almost all school-setting anime. It speaks the emotion, it hits hard if you encountered and experienced such a thing. You feel the agony and the loneliness, even the feeling when getting out of the specific situation.

A specific aspect of the show is how they focused on a specific person's emotion despite what's happening outside. For example, while all the people around are laughing, someone is really sad inside. It's about conveying one feeling towards another. 

Well, we really don't know what's happening inside someone's mind. We can't really tell what they are feeling. 

Aside from loneliness, the anime speaks of love, school, rivalry, bullying, and reconciliation. I enjoyed the anime, it's not that distinct from other anime of the same theme but you'll enjoy every moment of it, including the laughter and sadness. You'll definitely feel empty and the ending will leave you hanging for sure while asking for more. 

“Everyone has a side of themselves that they don’t want other people to see.” – Kyouko Hori

My takeaway

I've watched several animes since the pandemic, what I liked about them is how they discuss topics that actually happen in the real world. They do not need to make it well-produced or unique, they just need to address it, this is even in the simplest form. 

Just like in hiding your true self, sometimes it may be hard to show the real you for fear of judgment. We pretend to be someone else, we pretend to like things that are not usually us. We hang out with people that we think are cool and stay away from the weird ones. 

But sometimes, we do not belong to the right group. There will be circles that where we truly belong, the right set of friends and right set of interests. Somewhere, you can truly say that you belong. That you can be your true self. 

Are you in the right circle? 

// Horimiya

//sebajisoka

ID: INVADED is a really good detective-themed anime with a twist | ANIME REVIEWS

ID:INVADED: 13 Episodes

Duration: 24 min/ep

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Theme: Detective, Psychological

Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Is it ridiculous to think that I’ve been given a role to play in this world? - Akihito Narihisago

ID: Invaded is a sci-fi mystery anime from 2019 to 2020 where we follow the journey of an investigation of a murder in a simulation setting. 

Pilot episode thoughts

We are introduced to the main protagonist, a detective, in a mysterious world of puzzles from the get-go. Just like any other animes, everything seems confusing but they did a great job in slowly revealing key aspects of the story to allow us to be fully immersed in the narrative.

Full review

We follow a story of an investigator that curiously cracks the case of a murder victim in a very unusual and futuristic sense. Nothing makes sense at first but, a few episodes in, you'll get to understand the concept of the show. 

We are introduced to id and drive to kill to detect and locate the killer, it's mostly mind-games, to be honest. They used this interesting technology that has the ability to invade someone's unconscious mind. They just need to collect particles the person left behind. 

Watching the show is like building a puzzle, as the show goes, you also want to somehow discover what's on the criminal's mind based on what they're showing in the show. 

What's really good in the concept is the part where each mind that they invaded has its own set backdrop, own set of the world which is enticing to the viewers as the heroes crack the case. 

I get so interested few episodes in which I witnessed some interesting twists and turns. I enjoyed the part where they just give away the plot twist that happened in the end, it will feel like we already knew this all along. But, you'd really love how they handle the ending. 

My takeaway

The show explores the mind. How many aspect outsides affects one's thoughts and encourage some actions. My takeaway is, as humans, we are introduced to tons of data, we are imported information after information. 

I'm wondering how it will affect us in a long run? What abilities or characteristics have been developed towards this journey. It may be a trauma, an experience, or even a simple quote. How does our world change? Does it change in an instant? Or does it develop over time? 

It makes you really think. What do other people consume that makes them different from us?

//IdInvaded

//sebajisoka

End Of May

This month is somehow, packed with something. Maybe because it started great. 

TaskUs friends.

On May 1st, I met up with my TaskUs friends. Finally introducing Jasmin to the team. I surely missed them. Nag-kape lang kame sa Coffee Project tapos kwentuhan lang sa bagay bagay. Kamiss yung mga basagan tska tawanan. 

Sayang lang di kame kumpleto pero hopefully in the future? Also I met Jace, yung inaanak ko kay Maine. Hahaha!

Church with Family

But earlier that day, nagchurch kame as a family, finally, as a whole. Sobrang saya kasi, after a very long time, magkakasama na kame sa iisang church ulit. 

Election 2022

I already blogged about this election. I just wanted to say that I'm happy with my choices and I only wish for the best for our country, kahit sino pang naka-upo. Hopefully, this nation will be better as ever and I'll be glad to say, I was wrong. 

Pero I'm really happy sa local winners from Munti and Laguna. Let's go!

Subic 

NagSubic kame, kasama ang Casauay family, syempre kami ni Jas, it's been awhile na nakapag-outing and swimming, tamang relax lang after the depressing result of the past election. 

God's creation is ashtonishing. Ano palang to, animals. Just watch God's amazing works towards the animals. Sobrang fascinating nila, sobrang nakaka-amaze in so many levels. 

Meeting physically with the team

I've been with the team for more than 2 years now, pero ngayon ko lang sila nakasama physically. We went to Okada and ate at Medley Buffet. The food is great, and the atmosphere is fancy. I really enjoyed it here. 

And this is my first time in a casino building. 

The boys are back!

My beloved Celtics team just become the East Champ! For 12 years, we're back in the finals! 

Photo Dumplings

//EndOfMay

//sebajisoka