Aug 8, 2024
Score so far (based on 3 eps):
Story - 5/10
Art - 10/10
Sound - 7/10
Character - 9/10
Enjoyment - 6/10
Overall - 8/10 (I don't get the average of all scores, overall is its own category, meaning the whole show.)
Dead Dead Demons Dededede Destruction is some of the dirtiest and yet most grounded pieces of sci-fi out there. And while I've only seen three episodes so far, I do have some strong impressions about this show. Very promising start, but also, it's tough. Watching this weekly, you can tell that they are setting up a lot of plot points through clever foreshadowing and mystery. It's payoff will happen in
...
the near future. But whether this ends up to be like Steins;Gate's TV Anime storyline or something else is yet to be realized. I recommend binge-watching this series once all 18 episodes are out. Or perhaps, three episodes per watch, because, I'm not exaggerating, this one's a slow burn. And even for Slice of Life fans, this show will not comfort you, but you will be rewarded for staying.
DDDDD presents itself as a political military drama interspersed with SoL drama, but you can clearly tell where the heart of the anime series belongs to; Ouran and Kadode. It is their show, but while that may seem to be the case, there is a huge disconnect in the narrative that the series has to address, and that's the huge freaking UFO in the sky! And it is a very daunting task to make a story work while pushing through the mundane and the extraordinary, much more, to present it as it is without any theatrics or spectacle. Even the military stuff in the series feels like it's been attached to keep us distracted. So instead, DDDDD shines with its main cast, working through their day-to-day life in the midst of a silent war that has taken hold of their futures. And it does play around with that theme a lot, of course, with the flair of late-stage capitalism and internet humor, along with Inio Asano's peculiarities. Now, this is the first time I've watched an Asano work on screen as an anime, but from what I know of their work in Oyasumi Punpun, Dead Dead Demons seems to be tamer in comparison.
So what makes DDDDD work? Its beating black heart. Black as in hurt, not pure, sometimes edgy, but you can tell the charm and the soul resounds deeply. I saw myself tearing up at the some points. You can tell that Asano writes troubled lives with true authenticity. This anime sold me immediately with its characters, full of humor, eccentricities, but also their flaws, their worries, their convictions. Their heart, in many ways, is in the right place. But what did that do to them? To us viewers, these characters are so weird and innocently cringe that imagining them exist in real life seems closer to home than seeing the nth iteration of a waifu or wacky cast on screen. DDDDD reminds me, again, of Steins;Gate. Yes, I mention it again. Steins seems to be its spiritual predecessor, not with time travel, but with its cast of weird yet lovable characters. From our delusional dictator Ouran to dorky Kadode, Ouran's older brother, Hiroshi, who seems to be a keyboard warrior, that at first glance I thought was an incel/otaku, Kiho, the troubled normie who feels like an outcast to everyone around her, and many more who are still developing their stories. And much more, the dedication to giving us a very "lived-in Japan", one that is devoid of tourism or cultural attraction and fantasy. Even the anime's color palette is very drab and boring, but in both instances, this is what gave Steins;Gate its strengths. So I'm excited to see more of this sci-fi drama show evolve.
My first impressions with this show. Well, if animation is what you are after, I'm sorry to say, this is just a slightly more polished and more modern Steins;Gate. The music though, has its charm. Its as weirdly warm and oddly experimental as both the opening and ending songs of the show are. The characters, I've already talked about. Kadode gets a lot of screentime, so it seems like she's the main "MAIN" character here. And so far, I love her journey. She needs some hugging and a warm cup of coffee, hays. As for the story, there is a lot to unpack in it, but the pacing has been great, not for those looking for entertainment though. DDDDD is one of those hipster shows desiring attention and understanding, even if its package, the first three episodes, look like any other anime out there. But yeah, it is not an otaku show nor a weeb/mainstream show, so DDDDD might not see the light of day/become popular. Perhaps this series will be a cult favorite hmmm? Oh, and speaking of VAs, I love ano's performance so far as Ouran. She's sold me on such an authentic portrayal of a quirky high schooler full of dreams.
DDDDD has the potential of being one of anime's hidden gems. But I think I still have to watch more to further see that shine, hopefully with enough polish!!! A great start to what seems like a great show. Dead Dead Demons blurs the line between genres and transforms into a one-of-a-kind story that only anime could tell. The only bad thing about this show so far is its release. Because, there's a movie and an episode 0 OVA kind of gimmick going on, and from what I understand, they're all canon, but also slightly different? Weird. But I heard not to watch Episode 0 first, and go straight to the anime series. That's what I did.
I actually don't know what to expect of this show. There's so much room for growth and a strong sense of mystery and intrigue that is compelling, but can also weigh one down if this isn't their cup of tea. However, I am invested and would like to see where it goes. I don't know how Asano's narratives flow, but one thing is certain, the guy loves making fun or having fun with their characters. Asano's not afraid of having a politician look like a pair of balls, which is, wow. That's crazy! Asano also loves being real about how the society in Japan works, there's a lot of hidden truths and dark realities that this series handles. It's not in your face, it's just, there. Shit happens.
So to conclude, should you watch this show? Absolutely. Do I recommend it to everyone? No, I don't think so. I can't even recommend it to Slice of Life fans. This stuff is for the Sci-Fi lovers, but even then, binge-watching is the preferred method. That's all.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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