Death Billiards

Welcome to Queen Decim, mystical bar of fate. What happens when two people, whether they're strangers or the closest of companions, are pitted against each other in a seemingly mundane contest, with the stakes being their own lives? Suspicions, outrage, deceit, bargaining, and all manner of psychological warfare commence, all in the name of survival. However, is everything as it appears? ------If you have questions or comments about this review, please message me------- Note: I feel this episode 0, if you will, should actually be seen after the first two episodes of the Death Parade TV series. That way, one has an idea what's going on, and whothe characters are. Part of the mystery of the one-shot may be dispelled, but it made much more sense and was more interesting and compelling having seen some of the series. Story: 9 Two persons enter, and play what's a seemingly unremarkable game, such as darts, bowling, or in this case: pool. The people have no memory of why or how they've come to be at the Queen Decim, and are given no explanation of why they're being forced to play the game; other than that their lives are on the line. The alternative to playing is explained as "not something they want to experience." Eventually, after bargaining, attempts at escape, and outright threats, our contestants concede, and begin their life altering game. Outwardly, we watch two people locked in a simple contest of pool, each demanding no less than victory for themselves, if only for the pride of winning. Inwardly, we see a classic struggle: a clash between souls, with the ultimate reward or price at stake. The interplay of fear, suspicions, motives, emotions, and the individual thoughts, feelings, and memories that make up the person are a phenomenal conflict within themselves. They lead us to the question- "What will you do to survive?" which everyone can only answer to the best of their ability to do so. Life isn't fair, and rarely presents an opportunity for two souls to be on equal footing in their struggle, but again, our characters find themselves answering a question- "what is it that I have to live for?" Characters: 10 In this one-shot, we're introduced to Decim, the white haired, steely composed purveyor of the Queen Decim. The Queen Decim, an enigmatic bar (and character within itself), with a grand ballroom and game theatre whose only entrance is a pair of elevators ordained with a pair of ornate theatre masks- representing heaven and hell. Decim's purpose is to ensure that the entrants to the establishment agree to, and carry out their contract to play a random game of chance, enforce the rules, and execute the results. He's a stony, dispassionate man, and seems to take no joy in the games that he has his contestants undertake. Our two visitors in this episode are an old man, and a young businessman, each with their own Raison d'être. Neither has a clue as to why they're in the Queen Decim, playing pool for their life, but both have the same goal: win. As their fates unfold, so do their pasts- their memories begin to return to them- and alters the path that their life henceforth is set on. Art: 9 Excellently colored. Dark, ominous shades permeate the show. A miasma of blacks, purple, reds, and blues set the foreboding tone. Beautifully hand drawn characters are very consistent, and the anguish, the swell of victory, and the crush of defeat are very evident in the body language and facial designs. Moving. Sound: 9 Soft BGM, appropriately dark and foreboding. Subtly raises the intensity of the visuals. I felt that the moments of absolute silence were the most oppressive: it allowed the character's speaking to have a much more profound effect, as there were no distractions. Enjoyment: 9 A very intense and emotionally gripping episode. Twists and turns, and while not much makes sense in the beginning, everything is revealed in due time. While a bit dialogue heavy, and metaphorically challenging, it was absolutely enjoyable. It never felt like a chore to decipher the meanings behind, and has a very interesting outcome. The gloomy atmosphere and sense that something isn't quite right that surround the show are entirely addictive. Left me wanting more. Overall: 9 I've been looking for a new psychological thriller since finishing Ergo Proxy, and I may have found it. Very excited to see where the TV show is headed.

As quite few of you already know this is the preview for Death Parade, which has drawn comparisons to things like Saw movies or Twilight Zone, but this particular episode clearly screams out Twilight Zone episode called A Game of Pool. you'll nod if u know what I'm talking about! Anyway, I actually started watching Death Parade before this, and thus that kinda influenced me of knowing what was going to happen in Death Billiards. What makes this episode great and like all other death parade episodes are how they present you 2 characters that are pushed to their extremes thinking at first they have towin the "game" to live, but in reality they are both dead and the "game" is really being fought over who gets reincarnated and who goes to the void. The characters start to realize this, but the pressures of the game and the introduction of their memories heavily influence their actions. Even though the arbiter decides who goes where, I personally say that the anime allows you to have your own interpretation and how you would decide if you were an arbiter. One may argue both should go to hell, another may argue that they deserve heaven, another may say only one character should go to one and another goes to the other destination. So really you're not playing for your life, but moreso of your sanity and inadvertently who you truly are as a person. I also forgot to add this earlier, but the artwork is simply fitting for the mood of the anime, it feels very dark and mysterious, which in turns adds greatly to the environment that the 2 people have to play the game. It totally fits what the story is portraying. When you add the voice acting that brings out the stress from the 2 people competing from eachother and the relatively emotionless bartenders, you get sucked into the world with ease.

Death Billiards should be applauded for its ambition to convey a well executed and thoughtful short story in only 25 minutes. The premise is dark - two men (with a few decades between them) are basically forced to compete in a game of pool... with their lives on the line. What starts off as a cruel premise evolves into something even darker as the two men deal with the severe trauma of being forced into such a grim scenario. As the game begins we learn about the two unrelated main characters through some brief flashbacks. The challenge of getting an audience to care about them insuch a short time frame is handled very well, and as the story unfolds it's hard not to empathise with both of them. Other characters include a mysterious man and woman who act as 'hosts' for the event although we learn little about them. The tension in Death Billiards begins early on and builds steadily thanks to careful pacing, making for quite a gripping experience. You will find yourself invested with this story, and you will want to find out the fate of its protagonists. The atmosphere on-screen is very well crafted thanks to slick animation and a stirring soundtrack that ebbs and flows with the visuals. The main setting is a large room in what appears to be a bar of some sort, although there are no customers to be seen, and an air of mystery permeates the ambience. Not everything here is quite as it seems. A dark colour palate is used tastefully for the interior although there are some gentle hints of brighter colours to be found inside the bar too. The sounds and sights in Death Billiards are of high quality and gel nicely creating a bleak setting - cleverly matching the plight of its main characters. There is really not much to complain about in Death Billiards. The story evolves steadily and even delves into the theme of human mortality - yet it is careful not to overstep its margins due to time constraint. Animation and background music are very fitting. Perhaps the only gripe I have with Death Billiards is that I'd like to know more about its setting and see its characters fleshed out a little more, but these complaints are very minor. Be sure to check out Death Billiards if you feel even remotely curious. It's not very long and you'll probably enjoy it. 8/10

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