Death Parade

There is a place between life and whatever comes next, and it looks like an old nightclub. In Death Parade, recently deceased people are brought to a bar where a pale bartender runs a series of games that expose their true personalities. Competitors, who can be strangers, lovers, or friends, must play until a match ends, since no one leaves mid-game and the result determines their fate. Decim, the bartender, keeps a measured, clinical demeanor, while a mysterious black-haired woman with no memories observes and unsettles his judgments. Each episode stages a new contest, with moral choices and flashbacks revealing past decisions.

Death Parade premiered in 2015 as a 12-episode TV series directed by creator Yuzuru Tachikawa and animated by studio Madhouse. It developed from the 2013 short "Death Billiards" and has seen distribution beyond Japan through international simulcasts and dubbed releases.

It didn't dominate major international awards, but it earned notice within anime circles and showed up on several critics' and fan lists for 2015. Reviewers and genre commentators praised its original concept and distinctive art direction, and voice actors were often highlighted in fan polls and specialist award shortlists.

The show left an impression for its neon-lit bar setting and the ethical game format, which spawned fan art, cosplay, essays, and long forum threads about morality. Decim's calm, ambiguous authority and the recurring imagery of the Quindecim bar became shorthand in discussions about darker, psychological anime and how shows handle judgment and consequence.

Critics and viewers generally responded well, reflected in an 8.0/10 average from 569 votes, citing strong atmosphere, animation, and voice performances. The series focuses on judgment, memory, human flaws, and the weight of choices, often presenting scenarios that invite debate rather than delivering neat answers.