Death Parade, which aired from January to March 2015, was created, written, and directed by Tachikawa Yuzuru. It all started with his short film in 2013, Death Billiards. Both the film and the series were brought to us by Madhouse, known for making some really great and not-so-great anime. To get the lowdown on this anime, I thought, “Why not give it a review?” So, here goes!
Story
Death Parade takes a spooky and intense approach to the afterlife and judgment day. What should you prepare yourself for? Awesome animation, intense suspense, and unexpected twists.
Now, Death Parade nails the horror anime game, and here’s why. First off, the premise is downright chilling. The show takes place in the afterlife, starring beings called arbiters. They’re basically emotionless judges, but instead of courtrooms, they use incredibly intense and challenging games to decide if a soul gets kicked into the void or a shot at reincarnation.
What gives Death Parade its edge?
Death Parade’s uniqueness
It’s no understatement that the premise alone is pure nightmare fuel. However, there are anime series where you read the description and think to yourself: “Oh my god, this is going to be so great,” yet the execution fails miserably. The plot of Death Parade is an interesting concept, but more importantly, the anime also manages to pull it off brilliantly.
Each episode hones in on pairs of characters stuck in this otherworldly limbo, hanging between getting tossed into the void or getting another shot at life. And when these games kick in, the writers crank up the intensity. On top of it, it’s very unpredictable, so each sequence is full of suspense and surprises. As a result, you will never be bored.
Would you be a good arbiter?
But it’s not just about the shock factor – Death Parade tackles themes that’ll give you the chills. A big chunk of the show zooms in on the arbiters’ methods, making you question the whole shebang.
Ever wondered about taking a philosophical journey? Regardless of your answer, the show itself can be viewed as one, with just a hint of spookiness Like me, you’ll probably end up pondering how effective these judgment methods truly are.
And it doesn’t stop there – it throws curveballs at your conscience, making you mull over what makes a soul morally good or bad in these crazy situations. It’s a horror that messes with your mind in the best way possible!
Throughout the anime, I found myself scratching my head at some arbiter decisions. It’s like, did they mess up there, or is their judgment system a bit wonky? I bet a bunch of viewers would be nodding along with those same thoughts. It’s one of those series that leaves you with a bunch of “wait, what?” moments, and you can’t help but question the whole soul-judging game.
We can all agree that humans are complex beings. This makes it especially frightening and interesting when you consider that arbiters could make wrong decisions.
Characters
Most of the side cast in this show comes and goes. However, there are two central characters: Decim and Onna. Needless to say, their interactions are thought-provoking and entertaining.
Decim
Decim serves as an arbiter in the afterlife who is responsible for judging the souls of the deceased. He oversees the games that reveal the true nature of a person’s soul.
While he appears emotionless, throughout the show, particularly through interactions with other characters, especially Onna, it becomes evident that there is more complexity to Decim’s emotional state than initially portrayed. Moreover, the show does an incredible job of exploring the nuances of his character.
Onna
Onna is a beautiful yet mysterious woman who can’t remember her past. She is so unique that she serves as a kind of living case study for Decim (this is because he finds it challenging to judge her). Thus, Onna becomes his assistant. She tries to see through people’s emotions and question Decim’s judgments directly.
Onna & Decim: Contrasting Duo
Not every anime can pull off real interactions between characters. But this is where Death Paradise shines. Not only do the interactions between our two main characters seem very real, but they are also fascinating to watch as we see Decim’s logic clash with Onna’s emotional studies.
The writers also do a great job using these conversations and debates between them to fuel ongoing debates and discussions about the criteria for deciding what makes a soul good or bad.
While I could write so much more about how much fun their interactions are, there is another interesting yet underappreciated aspect of the show: learning the truth about Onna’s mysterious past.
Lastly, the conclusion to the show was extremely effective and satisfying. It’s hard to analyze the ending without spoiling anything, so I will simply say that Onna’s arc concludes and the writers do a fantastic job balancing the arguments of the show to create an ending that is extremely satisfying but subtle enough where the viewer can derive their own meaning from it.
Final thoughts
Fair warning: Death Parade is no walk in the park. The themes it dives into are dark, twisted, and not for the faint of heart. Even though it may seem like a bunch of standalone stories, if you’re into horror anime or just curious about something that’ll send shivers down your spine, this one’s a must-watch.
Since it’s almost Halloween in the States, I thought it was only fitting to have spooky bedtime stories. If any of you are familiar with Reddit, you might know of the subreddit: nosleep. Some of these stories are downright bone-chilling. So, I made a list of seven of the best ones (in my opinion) to get Halloween started off right. Each one will have a snippet of the story and a link to read(some are in the title) as well as the author. Give them a read!
Spooky Bedtime Stories for Halloween
7. The Previous Tenant Of My New Flat Left A Survival Guide. I’m Not Sure I Want To Live Here Anymore
Dear New Occupier,
Firstly, welcome to your new home. I lived here before you for 35 years with my husband. Unfortunately, he had an incident at home recently that I’d rather not discuss that claimed his life. My sister has now decided I can’t keep up with the demands of the property and has insisted that I move in with her and her husband. I was reluctant at first, but the stairs do kill me at my age and without Bernie, it’s filled with sadness.
Anyway. When you’ve lived somewhere for as long as I have it feels like a person that you know. You understand its personality and what makes it tick. I thought it was probably pertinent that I impart some of that knowledge to you.
It’s a wonderful home, honestly, I have lived through the best and worst years, and leaving it behind is very emotional but if you are to survive and get the best out of it then there are some steps you need to follow.
1. The landlord will never bother you, he doesn’t visit, call or communicate in any way. But make sure to pay your rent in a timely fashion always. I have only dealt with him once in 35 years and let’s just say I never missed another rent day. For any repairs required you speak to the agent, you rented the place with.
2. DO NOT use the communal lift between 1:11 and 3:33 am. Just don’t do it. This step is vital if you are to have a happy life here. It really is life or death. Don’t do it. This has cost me and many others in the building greatly and I would rather not elaborate on why you shouldn’t do this. Just please don’t do it. I cannot stress this enough.
3. When you hear the strange animal noises coming from flat 48 don’t question it, Mr. Prentice lives there and he’s a lovely chap. Don’t be afraid to say hello to him in the corridor or on the stairs (he’s old school, so he never risks the lift) but whatever you do, don’t check on him when you hear the noises. You’ll know when you hear them.
4. If you ever come across a window cleaner on the balcony ignore him. He may seem like the nicest fellow you’ve ever had trying to sell you something at the door but it really is best that you don’t engage. He will go away if you ignore him. But he tries pretty hard the first few times so you’ll need some resilience. Whatever you do, don’t offer him anything. No money, no hot drink.
5. Don’t leave food scraps out. Bin or refrigerate them immediately. If you have small animals, it is imperative that you watch them eat and take away any leftover food immediately after they are done. This and rule 2 go hand in hand, the things forage all day and seem to really love animal feed. You don’t want them in your flat. I promise. You can leave what you want out between 1:11 and 3:33 am so you may want to feed your pets then.
6. Don’t communicate with any neighbors who claim to come from flats 65-72. These flats suffered a fire in the late 80s that devastated the whole floor, all the residents died in their homes. The building was mostly council owned at the time and they never bothered to renovate the flats. They’ve been empty ever since but every now and again someone will knock at your door claiming to live in one of these flats and ask to borrow some sugar. They will seem entirely average but you must shut and lock the door immediately. I installed two extra security bolts to avoid these fu**ers. I don’t like to swear at my age but they really are fu**ers.
7. Simple one for you here, keep a weapon in each room. Sometimes you follow all these steps and something still slips through the net. Better to be safe than sorry.
8. The building has a committee that will try and get you to join. It’s one of those neighborhood groups about improving living conditions for all residents. It’s a nice group and the lady who runs it – Terri from flat 26- is a fantastic neighbor. By all means, get involved. But I wouldn’t recommend babysitting Terri’s 2 children. She’ll ask you because the poor woman needs a break, but if you accept don’t say I didn’t warn you.
9. Stray hairless cats sometimes roam in the hallway. I know they’re supposedly a special, expensive breed, but they don’t belong to anyone. They’re mostly harmless, but don’t pick them up. Not unless you see one of those neighbors that claims to live in 65-72. Then grab the cat and lock it inside with you. It’ll burn your skin a little but the cats are friendly and I wouldn’t want to see them hurt.
10. There is no way to fix the damp patch on the ceiling in the bedroom. Sometimes it will turn a deep crimson and look quite concerning, but please try not to be alarmed, it doesn’t drip, it doesn’t get any bigger and it’s been there longer than I have. The landlord won’t budge on it, according to the agents. I flagged it many times and even called the police the first night it changed color, but it was a waste of time and it will be for you too. It’s best to ignore it.
11. You can trust the postman. His name is Ian Flanders and he’s been the postman since before I moved in. He has his own key to the main door and delivers post to the door every morning at 8:54. I can’t include everything here, or it would become a novel but if you have any questions Ian will help you.
12. Finally, the first few weeks are the worst. You’ll feel like you’ve made a mistake, I’m sure reading this you already do, but if you can get through the first few weeks it really is a lovely block to live in. Every property has its quirks and this one is a little extra special, but you can be truly happy here if you just take my advice. I wish you all the best, I really do.Read Full Story HerebynewtotownJAM
6. I Had A Disturbing Conversation With My 7-Year-Old Daughter
“Daddy, please don’t stop me playing in the garden. I promise I won’t sneak out again. I don’t want the zombie to get me.”
“Rosie, I’m not going to stop you from playing in the garden. But you have to make me a couple of promises, too. First, promise me you’ll stop going around calling people zombies. Mr. Henderson may be old, but he’s not one of the living dead.”
Rosie frowned. “I didn’t.”
“What do you mean, you didn’t? You just ran in here a moment ago calling him one.”
“No, I didn’t. Mr. Henderson’s not a zombie. I saw the zombie in his house, but it wasn’t him.”
I frowned. I had the mug raised to my lips to take another sip of tea, but now I put it down again. “What do you mean, sweetheart? You saw someone else in his house?”
“Yeah, the zombie, dad! I could see it pressed against his little basement window while I was talking to him.”
Cold fingers ran up my spine. “What?”
“Yeah, it was really scary. Its face was all bashed up and bloody, and its mouth was open. Like it was screaming at me. But do you know what confused me most, dad?”
I tried to keep my voice steady. “What?”
“Well, I didn’t realize kids could be zombies, too. I thought it was only grownups. But I guess I must have been wrong, cuz’ the one in Mr. Henderson’s basement looked just like a little boy.” Read Full Story Herebysamhaysom
5. Something Went Wrong With My Heart Transplant
Laura’s heart beat so strongly it felt like it would come out of my chest. It did this all the time, and I realized this was what a healthy heart must feel like. So why couldn’t I shake my feeling of unease?
That night, I had a dream.
Laura was in her hospital bed, but her mother was gone. I could hear my heart, Laura’s heart, beating in my eardrums so loudly it was painful. I tried to cover them, but my hands were pinned to my sides. Some unexplainable force was moving me towards the motionless figure of Laura on the bed, her lips were blue and the window had come open, whipping her blonde hair around her face.
I was almost on top of her when her eyes flew open.
They were milky white, the eyes of someone dead.
“Get out.” She rasped, her voice guttural. I could hear the heartbeat faster and faster, drumming until I thought I couldn’t take it anymore.
Then I woke up. The sound had been real. Laura’s heart was so loud it felt like it would rupture my eardrums and I screamed in agony, trying to cover my ears. It was useless, it was coming from some deep place inside me, I could feel it reverberating around the hollows of my chest.
I stumbled out of bed, gasping for air, and tried to find my phone. I needed to call someone, anyone, an ambulance, or my mom. Anyone that would pick up.
“Get out.” It was a faint whisper over the hammering thumps of Laura’s heart, a low guttural voice that sounded like it had been made by an animal, and I crawled to the door, down the hallway, choking on my screams for help. My neighbor opened the door, his eyes as wide as saucers at the sight of me on the floor clutching my chest.
He drove me to the hospital as I cried in the passenger seat of his car.
After about fifty different checkups, the doctors told me that absolutely nothing was wrong with me. They told me my heart was regular, my blood pressure was normal, and that everything was going just swimmingly. I stood in the waiting area, wallowing in my shame and frustration.
4. My Mother-In-Law Was Poisoning Me, Then I Found Out Why
Everyone has their own nightmare in-law story, though I couldn’t imagine how bad mine would be. As it turns out the worst thing wasn’t my mother-in-law poisoning me, the worst thing was why she did it.
I finally got a few days off so we could head to visit his family about six months later. His whole family came over and everyone seemed thrilled to meet me, except for his mom, Betsy. She was cold and distant and could sit there without saying a single word to me. It was creepy, but I kept trying to spark a conversation.
On our last day, he announced that we should take an afternoon hike up into the national park their house sat on the edge of. Betsy made lunch and I was changing to go out when it hit me, just waves of nausea. I wound up in the bathroom for hours that afternoon.
I figure it was just a touch of something and thought nothing of it. We went back a few months later and again had a great time except for Betsy. She wouldn’t talk to me, though Craig brushed it off and said she was just getting to know me. He finally said we could rent jet-skis the next day and explore a lake in the next town as a way to get out of the house and unwind, which made me feel better. I was so excited to tell everyone where we were going, but it wasn’t to be. After eating I got so sick I could barely walk for the next two days.
At this point, I started to get suspicious. No one else was sick, and we all ate the same food. It seemed like Betsy must have been up to something, but it wasn’t until our next visit when a night in a romantic cottage another hour up the road was canceled due to me getting sick that I was sure: Betsy was poisoning me. Read Full Story Here by nmwrites
3. We’ve Been Stuck In Construction Traffic For 8 Hours Now. If We Leave Our Vehicles We Will Die
After a half hour had passed, I started to get antsy, and so did everyone else. People were sticking their heads out the window to try to see what was going on, but it was no use. The line of cars seemed endless. A few people got out of their vehicles to try to get a better look. I got out too and started walking to Lauren’s car.
When I was halfway there, a voice cut into the air. It sounded like someone shouting through a bullhorn. “Return immediately to your vehicles! No one is permitted to be outside! This is your only warning. If you do not heed it, there will be severe consequences.”
“Wha da fck is goin’ on?!” some guy shouted in a thick Boston accent; he was standing a few car lengths in front of me. An instant later, he was down on the ground, not moving. I didn’t see what happened exactly, but that was enough to make me hustle back to my truck. Read the Full Story Here by nslewis
2. Buying A Weighted Blanket From Amazon Was The Worst Decision I’ve Ever Made
I came home determined to get rid of the blanket and buy a new one. But you know what happens when you lose your entire world, with no answers? You start to cling to things. You hoard them. Because you can’t lose the comfort they bring you.
Armed with my funnel and a bucket, I pulled the edge of the blanket over the bed and cut a tiny hole into the seam near the corner. I expected the beads to come pouring out in a clattery flood as soon as I dropped the corner into the bucket. Instead, there was a single, loud thump as a lump of something metallic hit the plastic. Read the Full Story Here by barkoholic
1. Under The Back Porch
I could hear it in dad’s yells, he was pissed and was about to get violent. Mom wasn’t helping either, just piling fuel onto an inferno of a flame. So I knew I had to find a good hiding spot. I’d gotten the idea a few days before, when I realized the lattice covering the bottom half of the back porch had a hole in it. Not big enough to fit a full-grown man, most likely, but it could fit a skinny six-year-old no problem.
So wrapping myself up in my blanket and grabbing my hippo stuffie, I snuck out my window and ran into the backyard. In the middle of autumn. When it was forty degrees out and the temperature was steadily dropping.
I crawled under the porch, scraping my elbows and getting splinters in my palms but I fit inside. It was actually quite spacious compared to most of my hiding spots, I couldn’t sit up all the way but I had plenty of room to spread out my limbs.
“Honey, are you cold?”
That voice was not the voice of my mother, scratchy from all the smoking and screeching she did. It was sweet, like honey. I turned over to see the dim outline of a woman, lying on her stomach next to me. She had a pretty butterfly necklace and was just as dirty as I was.
I nodded, not wondering how she’d been down there without me noticing.
The woman’s belly crawled forward and wrapped her arms around me and suddenly I became warm. Like I was sitting next to a campfire. I snuggled into her arms, not minding the mud, after all, we were both dirty. Read the Full Story Here by theoddcatlady
Spooky, no? I spent all night reading some of these and more. And yes, I did have to sleep with the lights on but oh well.
It’s okay to be scared. It’s natural to doubt yourself, but if you can push through that, and do what needs to be done, you’ll do just fine.
Nolan Grayson (Omni-Man)
Is Invincible worth watching? Season 1 of Invincible is a show when I first saw the trailer for, I wasn’t completely hooked on it but was interested to see its take on heroes. Mainly because I am a sucker for coming-of-age stories, action, and the 2000s animated style I got from it.
Based on the 2003 Invincible comics by Robert Kirkman, The TV series has gotten a lot of popularity, becoming a modern superhero icon with all the memes, clips, and reviews. After watching the series I wanted to share my thoughts of the series, and though late to the party I finally got around to writing it out.
Invincible (TV series)
Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Super Powers, Thriller
Studios: Skybound Entertainment
Episodes: 8
Aired: March 25, 2021
Plot Summary
The series follows Mark Grayson/Invincible, a 17-year-old teen that has just gained superpowers and hopes to live up to the legend of his dad Nolan Grayson/Omni-Man (the greatest superhero on earth—according to him). We follow his struggles to learn his newfound abilities, make tough decisions, an awkward love triangle and all the realism of an actual hero living in a world like ours.
What did I think?
Invincible is one of the year’s most surprising and best superhero series. Fair warning if you haven’t seen it yet it’s quite dark and gory sometimes, definitely not an animated series for kids, but in the shows defense isn’t that how realistic superhero shows should be? (i.e. made for adult audiences is what I mean by my argument)
Kirkman comics are always interesting and Invincible is not an exception, it merges various plot elements that we have seen time and gain from series in its genre but it works. That is probably the reason it’s so highly praised.
STORY
Invincible is a properly written series that, as I said earlier, mixes a lot of superhero tropes that we have seen repeatedly but strangely enough works, I wasn’t tired of seeing again this time around in Invincible.
The series was well written, with its mature modern take on superheroes and what family is. It strikes a perfect balance between comedy and some really emotional scenes and with great moral thoughts kept into the series. Invincible really seemed to tell a lot, maybe because it was animated so they could explore a lot more with the characters.
Invincible is an excellent series to recommend to someone who’s not really into the superhero genre but loves action and a show that can build tension. Invincible knows just how to keep you invested in the mysteries and the characters in the story.
Watching the series you can see a lot of thought and effort was kept into the plot and lore of the world. Though at first glance Invincible looks like a parody of different shows, the series has a way of painting scenarios as gray, that you can’t always easily categorize characters as good or bad, because there is usually a reasonable reason they do what they do.
CHARACTER
The protagonist and other characters of Invincible are very likable. To the point, I care about them, their hopes, their dreams, where they are going, and where they are coming from. The characters know how to build off each other, easily creating tension and making a plot premise that isn’t completely new, very refreshing to watch.
Watching Mark, an awkward teenager with superpowers, try to navigate and balance everything was interesting, especially his relationship with Amber and his kind of love interest Eve. And his interactions with his family, friends, and fellow heroes.
Character development wasn’t for only our protagonist though we get to see Eve and other heroes develop too. But Eve finding her own way was great to see. They really fleshed every character out and we got to see what makes them how they are.
There are many interesting layers to the cast of characters that was probably why there were so many A-lists lending their voice to the series. Every character served a purpose for the progression of the plot. I ended up leaving the Invincible TV series interested in seeing how each character’s story would go.
Animation
The animation quality for Invincible was great. It reminded me of early Saturday morning cartoons. They well-designed characters so that it was easy to differentiate them from one another. They also choreographed fight scenes well, so that everything felt believable.
I also want to mention character design again, their design fits perfectly with the characters they are supposed to portray well. The world was so well done and felt very lived in. I really loved seeing the outer-space worlds, nature, and other fictional places, even glimpses of them.
Sound
The sound and music are really wonderful. And it really helps in complementing the narrative and building tension. None of the sounds felt misplaced, and they knew the right time to add music to set the mood for some fight scenes, reveals, or coming of age scenes that made the experience more fleshed-out.
Episode 2of Invincible. We got to see another side of Omni-Man and it was fun to watch.
Least favorite moment?
There were some but if I have to narrow them down, it would have to be between two. Probably because everything that could go wrong, did go wrong in these scenes.
Episode 5of Invincible.
Episode 7of Invincible.
Favorite character?
Battle Beast and Omni-Man are pretty cool but I would have to pick?
Rex Splode
Rex is pretty unfiltered, lazy, and funny but there is more to him than what you see at first glance. Even though he acts like he doesn’t care, he cares a lot for his teammates and those around him, but he can be very self-sabotaging and immature sometimes.
Art Rosenbaum
Art is someone that seems like he would have a lot of interesting stories to tell. Plus, he’s like Iron Man just without the cool suit.
Least favorite character?
Titan
He is pretty cool but don’t like the way he does things.
What did I learn?
What I learned from Invincible;
You don’t have to be the best version of anyone but yourself.
Believe in yourself.
Good friends and family are scarce so don’t mess it up if you have them.
Doing the right thing is not always easy and can be scary sometimes.
Once you know you have done the best you can at your current abilities don’t dwell on the negatives except if it’s to improve yourself apart from that don’t get depressed, “they did not build Roman in a day”.
Would I watch more?
YES!!!!! Invincible is an interesting series, with a lot of superhero tropes we have seen before but still done well, going further than most to explore what it really means to be a hero. I would definitely love to watch another season to see how everyone’s story goes.
Invincible is worth watching and always recommending to fans of the superhero genre, new beginners in the genre, or anyone really, as long as they don’t mind some really gory scenes.
When is Invincible Season 2 Release Date?
As of now, there is no official release date mentioned from any of the staff or studio. But, we know they have renewed Invincible for seasons 2 and 3. Animation production takes longer, but with proper funding and more staff maybe we could see it back as early as next year.
Also, Robert Kirkman has talked about the series running for a decade with plenty of comic material to adapt.
Oh, I didn’t get to talk about Cecil Stedman (right) but he’s pretty cool too.
So with that, I am done! What do you think? Have you seen Invincible? What are your feelings about it? What are your favorite or least favorite moments? what character did you like? am I droning on? Drop a comment below and let us know what you think!
Till next time… Remember whatever is meant to be will be!
There has been controversies about the ship regarding Rachel and Zack’s age gap (~7 years, Rachel is 13 and Zack is assumed to be about 20), particularly when the ship is shipped romantically or even just platonically. Most fans compensate by aging up the characters in fanworks to prevent arguments or drama.
I’ve mentioned this before regarding Zack and Rachel’s relationship but I feel this needs repeating. As for now, where their relationship is, is strictly platonic. Do I ship them? Heck yes, I do. BUT ONLY after they’ve both grown up. I don’t see it as grooming either since anything romantic is the furthest things from BOTH of their minds. They’ve been dealt a hard hand at life and only know survival. They would both need therapy and serious help but I do believe that these two help each other and have that trust there that could make a beautiful relationship.
For context, the husband and I are also 7 years apart. So the age difference definitely could work. But not yet. That’s why fanfictions almost always show an aged up version, which is good. If she was still 13, it would be weird. But Zack doesn’t show interest of any kind to her then. We can see that there’s the POTENTIAL for it to grow into something more as they age, which is totally fine.
Rachel is the first person that Zack has come to trust and he is the first person to see and accept the darker parts of her. They both have to come to terms with their past and who they are. They would make a cute couple and it’s an anime anyway.
From the onset of this anime, Rachel and Zack bind themselves with a promise. If she helps him get out of the building, then he has to kill her, but Zack has a stipulation of his own. Rachel’s eyes need to change, or in a sense, become more human before he’ll take her life.
This promise between them becomes the sole purpose of their goals. Rachel seeks constant affirmation that Zack is going to hold to the promise and stay by her side until their time of reckoning comes. She does this by asking if she’s been useful to him each time they struggle through an obstacle.
Once they make it to Eddie’s floor, they find a grave that’s been specifically prepared for Rachel. It’s the largest in the plot, and seeing it instantly pisses off Zack to the point where he wants to destroy it. Rachel stops him, feeling sentimental about the resting place that’s been thoroughly prepared for her benefit.
It’s one of the first gestures from Zack that shows that he cares about Rachel’s words. Up to this point, he’s been rude towards her and could care less about what she wishes, but he concedes on this point. He even fondly touches the headstone with his hand for a brief moment.
His emotions come across even more so when Zack shoots himself in the arm with both of the drugs Cathy provides. In the wake of him losing his mind, Rachel is able to find a bit of clarity wherein Zack tells her not to let him kill her just yet. Even though he speaks harshly, Zack continues to protect Rachel from harm as much as possible.
At this moment, Cathy has pitted Zack and Rachel against each other where only one of them will survive. Zack decides that he will not be used as a tool and slices himself with his scythe. This speaks to Zack’s intrinsic desire to protect Rachel in dangerous situations. When she proposes a harmful solution to any of their obstacles, Zack takes it upon himself to gain control of the situation, so that the danger passes. It shows that he cares more than he lets on.
As they search for their final destination, Zack gifts Rachel his most precious knife. When breaking through iron bars, Zack loses his strength of will while Rachel resolves to get the bars open no matter what. When Zack notices that she’s trying to do so with the knife he gave her, he brings her up short.
He mentions that she’s the first person he’s ever given anything to and that it’s not for keeps, but so that she could keep herself safe. If this doesn’t scream love and care for Rachel’s well-being, then we don’t know what does.
So could they/should they be in a relationship? Only after they’ve grown more. But yes. Right now it’s more of a best friend type of thing. I for one will keep reading the aged up fanfictions and shipping them always.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!
Is Gleipnir anime any good? Is it Worth Watching? And when will we get a Second Season of Gleipnir? Gleipnir is a 2020 anime that managed to create a sizable fandom and an anime that is either loved or hated. So I will be sharing my opinion to help you decide if you should give Gleipnir a chance. So let’s discuss Gleipnir!
Gleipnir
Episodes 13 | Aired Spring 2020 | Produced by Pine Jam
Plot Summary
Shuichi Kagaya isn’t human. He has an unnatural sense of smell and can transform into an incredibly powerful beast… of sorts. He does all he can to avoid standing out and being discovered, but no good deed goes unpunished, and his decision to use his power to save a girl spells the end of his quiet life.
What did I think?
Gleipnir is an anime that seems to borrow from Norse mythology, with an Alien that acts like the trickster Loki and a boy that turns into a wolf-like mascot outfit, who has been subdued mentally to forget his past and if he ever does break free from these shackles and remembers will be the beginning of the end.
Gleipnir meaning “the open one” is an anime about monsters, human desire, unity and interpersonal relationships. Gleipnir is definitely not your ordinary anime, offering some fresh experiences in how it explores many deep issues about young adult minds.
STORY
Gleipnir has a lot of crazy, unique and exciting things to offer. It is relatively short, which makes it easy for anyone to pick up and watch without worrying about having to catch up on 100+ episodes.
Its an anime with a very slow unravelling plot that leaves more unanswered mysteries than answered mysteries. And dialogue that can be considered confusing and unrealistic sometimes. Gleipnir continuous fanservice halfway through the series also felt unnecessary at certain scenes.
But some of Gleipnir faults might be from the herculean task of trying to fit so much of the plot into 13 episodes. Gleipnir is a dark gory story that can be seen as a coming-of-age story as our protagonists Clair Aoki and Shuichi Kagaya, start to come to terms with their traumas and desires.
Gleipnir plot is unique, with battle royale elements and an interesting building theme on the weight of one’s own sins. It can be very convoluted the first four episodes, with the way it throws a lot of themes at you at once but it does start to settle down.
CHARACTER
The two protagonists are our classic red and blue ogre, yin and yang protagonist pairing. Separately Clair and Shuichi will have ended up being meh characters but together they balance each other’s personalities out and help us learn a little bit more about themselves in each episode. It was interesting to watch both characters development and see them trying to find that middle ground.
Other characters sometimes felt one-dimensional or like afterthoughts kept to fill the world of Gleipnir. But even though they didn’t feel fully fleshed-out, characters were complex, with flaws and reasons that explained why they acted the way they did. And made it feel strangely like it was done intentionally to make you feel like you were meeting actual strangers that if you got to see more of, learnt more about but if you didn’t really, wouldn’t know anything about them.
Animation
The animation quality was really great. Characters, transformations, choreographed battles and scenes seemed to have more depth to them. Even little things like characters changing clothes or moving from point A to B was actually well animated and thought of. Gleipnir art is really pleasing to the eyes especially during its moments of calm and less dark and brutal moments.
Sound
Gleipnir music can be wonderful at times, helping complement the narration, thrill and mystery. I especially noticed how it helped set the mood for some fights and made them feel more fleshed-out than they were.
Episode 7of Gleipnir. We got to see another side of Shuuichi and get an idea of how powerful he and Clair could be. It was another side of him I would like to see more of next season.
Least favourite moment?
Episode 12of Gleipnir. Gleipnir didn’t pull the punches in this episode, it was completely dark and brutal. No one should ever feel unloved or unwanted.
Favourite character?
Madoka
He is a character that I can relate with to some point, he is socially awkward, not necessarily good at anything but still trying his best and failing a lot and he’s pretty much an underdog. He acts tough but he’s someone that cares deeply for every member of his gang and will never abandon them. Madoka wants power not for himself alone but to be able to take care of the people he cares about, which is admirable and sweet.
Least favourite character?
Madoka
“Among monsters and humans, there are only two types. Those who undergo suffering and spread it to others. And those who undergo suffering and avoid giving it to others.”
– Alice.
Even though I like him, he’s definitely not perfect he is completely crazy. Madoka’s heart might be in the right place but he was passing his suffering on to others. Which makes all the good he wants to do void.
What did I learn?
What I learnt from Gleipnir;
Never ever jump to conclusions.
No one deserves to feel unloved, unwanted or easily replaceable.
“Evil is created when someone gives up on someone else. It appears when everyone gives up on someone as a lost cause and removes their path to salvation. Once they are cut off from everyone else, they become evil.” – Othinus.
Everyone needs to be supported no matter how strong they look on the outside.
How we treat people matters.
Would I watch more?
Overall, Gleipnir is an anime with an interesting enough premise, that throws a lot of themes at its viewers and the potential to be dark and creepy. The series tries to work with too much at once but in the end, Gleipnir really started to shine. I would definitely like to watch another season to see where the story goes from where we were left.
Gleipnir is watchable, but don’t expect to be completely swept off your feet with this first season.
When is Gleipnir Season 2 Release Date?
As of now, there is no official release date mentioned from any of the staff or studio. But, if we were to speculate, with the success of season 1 then we expect Gleipnir to be released in 2021, fall, or summer 2022.
So with that, I am done! What do you think? Have you seen Gleipnir? What are your feelings about it? Drop a comment below and let us know what you think!
Hey everyone, it’s the 11th OWLS tour for the year. Thank for following us through out the months reading and contributing your thoughts on our thoughts.
It’s been an amazing year, definitely a roller coaster both good and bad. And it’s coming to an end.
End of the year parties……..
We have been busy reorganizing the blog and getting everything better, hope you are liking our new look by the way but I saw the topic for this month and I just had to take time for this one. Plus it’s my birthday today so wanted to write a post for all of you and what better than an OWL post.
The topic we have been talking about this month is something we have all been through and it is “Failure“.
One of the best ways we can learn is through failure. This month we will be talking about the failures of our favorite characters in pop culture media and what we can learn from them. We will also reflect on our own mistakes and failures and how those experiences have allowed us to grow as human beings.
It’s something I personally have gone through a lot of especially in my earlier life. Failure is hard and painful, it can happen at any point as you aim for something you want.
For me, I think the hard part about failure is the doubt it gives you. The hopelessness that maybe you are just not good enough.
Instant failure just add water (how I use to feel)
Failure can define you, destroy you or strengthen you and for me, a character that goes through each of these is;
Subaru Natsuki
17-year-old Subaru Natsuki a shut-in and gamer. Whose transported to a fantasy world has he leaves a convenience store.
Where he meets the beautiful Emilia, whose in search of her stolen possession and saves him from some hoodlums. The two hit it off after that and to thank her, he decides to help her look for her missing possession.
During their search for it, they are murdered. Subaru Natsuki wakes up to the moment of being harassed by the hoodlums and Emilia saving him, realising he has the ability he calls “Returns By Death” -the ability to resurrect after death.
Meeting Emilia changes Subaru Natsuki from a guy who takes the easy way out of things to a loyal person who is always willing to help the people he cares about.
Helping the people he cares about sometimes forces him to take the path that’s not easy and filled with failure after failure. Some failures he’s able to reset sometimes while others he has to learn to live with no matter how hard. This really tests his resolve to always get back up no matter how many times he fails.
Comical way of showing the trial Subaru goes through
He learns that even if you are blessed with a magnificent power, sometimes you still need to put in a lot of hard work and sometimes even then it’s not about being a one-man army, you still need the support of others to try to avoid failure.
And even then failure might still happen but the work done in self-improvement is something failure can never take away. The fear of failure or failure it’s self is really what pushes us to be better than what we currently are. So maybe failure is not so bad.
He realizes no matter where you are, failure is a thing in any world even a fantasy world. As long as you aim for a dream – resolve, support and just realizing that failure is not necessarily a bad thing but a stage of growth, learning and humbleness are one of the things we must learn to have, as we work to make a dream reality.
I really feel the way Subaru acts in his earlier life before being transported to the fantasy world was a safety mechanism, I mean you can never fail if you never try at anything. Failure is a hard pill to swallow, most of us can end up choking on it sometimes.
Failure has friends and comes with a lot of emotions that make you really feel less than. But under all this, if we can look really close it’s also a learning stage a place for growth which Subaru eventually realizes and truly becoming Emilia’s knight.
When is the second season of Re:ZERO – Starting Life in Another World coming out you asked?
For all of us, that love Re:ZERO – Starting Life in Another World, the second season should start beginning of 2020 maybe debuting Winter 2020 season.
Thank you so much for reading, sticking around to the end of my ramblings and thoughts on failure. Leave comments I would love to hear your thoughts on the topic.
Be sure to read Lyn’s post on this topic. Also if you haven’t already check out Pinkie’s post Never a failure. Always a Lesson. You should. They are amazing bloggers who’s thoughts on the topic failure will be an interesting read.
When it comes to romantic relationships, what do we look for in a partner? What core values do we seek when it comes to building a healthy and loving relationship? For this topic, we will be discussing some of our favourite couples in pop culture and what they have taught us about love and relationships, the good and the bad.
Hello everyone, it’s been a while. This is our topic for the OWLS this month of September titled “Lover”. We all have our thoughts of what we want and look for in a partner or i.e lover, but I think there are some fundamental things we all look for, so I wanted to try to identify some of those traits. I had so many ideas for this topic but I really thought Mirai Nikki also know as The Future Diary was what really fit for this topic.
The Future Diary is an iconic show and cultural phenomenon, that I felt really popularized the “yandere” female character in anime. It explores human nature, how we relate and what drives us. And most especially to me puts a spotlight on relationships and the ups and downs that come with it.
Even though everything is cranked up to 11. The Future Diary is really unique to me because of its large cast and its ability to show us views from the perspective of each character, showing us everyone has a story to tell, “even the devil was once an angel” is the best way to describe it I think.
Yukiteru Amano and Yuno Gasai from Mirai Nikki are definitely not your average anime couple. I think Yuno describes them well with a quote she uses to describe herself;
A half-moon. A bright half and a dark half. Just like me. – Yuno Gasai
I just had to use this cause I thought they looked cute in this…
Yukiteru the bright half and Yuno the dark half, both not completely whole without the other. The show examines normal issues we all have even though it’s in a much darker tone, its in a subtle way, it has lessons to teach us about how a healthy relationship should be. Like;
Seeing the cracks
No one is completely perfect, so learning to accept and love the person despite their faults is part of the whole process of love. And it’s something I think we all have to learn.
Just like Yukiteru learns to with Yuno personality of being overprotective and Yuno with Yukiteru indecisiveness. They can both be seen as polar opposite in the way they reason and think but they learn to love each other.
Trust
Yuno might have an “interesting” way of showing her love for Yukiteru but no one can doubt her unwavering complete love to him. She trusts him, and that’s an important pillar for the foundation of any relationship.
Trust is the number one thing I think we all search for and value most. Which can be formed from a deeper understanding of knowing each other like the back of your own hand, knowing what the other can or can’t do.
Teamwork
Adapted from the Roman god Jupiter, who hates direct confrontation and his wife Juno who is warlike, Yukiteru and Yuno also make up for each others shortcomings. Working together during the survival game and showing how teamwork in a relationship is important.
Never a piece of cake
After getting together once, breaking up, being kidnapped by Yuno, and all the hurled they go through. He goes through a lot to save his Princess.
Somehow they both come through the fire that is their life stronger and all relationships go through this not as twisted as the plot of The Future Diary but all relationship have their hurdles.
Once in a while, it’s worth holding onto someone, even if it makes your arms hurt.
If you are still here thank you for sticking around to the end of my ramblings. Leave me a comment on your views, I would love to hear them. Till next time keep showing that special someone you really care.
Also hope you have read Lyn post over at lynlynsays with her own take on Lover and tomorrow you should definitely not miss Takuto’s OWLS post over at Takuto’s Anime Cafe.
Angels of Death ending…do YOU know what actually happened to Zack and Rachel? We have 3 possible outcomes for these two and we still might not have all the answers. Let us go in-depth to discover which one is correct.
Angels of Death Ending what actually happened at the end
First Possible Angels of Death Ending
This is based on this speculated ending: Rachel has been canonically diagnosed with mental delirium. In this ending, she has an episode of delirium and envisions Zack visiting her and finally killing her. But she’s actually plunging the knife into herself, committing suicide. She was so committed to dying by Zack’s hand that her delirious brain conjured up the appropriate sounds and effects to the environment.
But, as I said, this is the most unlikely ending, because, at the end of the game and anime, the window of Rachel’s room is shown. The glass is shattered, the iron bars are broken, and there’s blood on the windowsill. She couldn’t have jumped out the window, since the glass is INSIDE the room and she’s not strong enough to break iron bars.
Not to mention I just don’t think I could handle this type of ending. It’s like when there was that theory that Pokemon was all just a dream that Ash was having inside his head and he was actually in a coma. It breaks my heart to even just think about this ending being real.
Second Possible Angels of Death Ending
The next ending is the angels of death ending I’m actually choosing to believe.
This ending is self-explanatory. Zack took Rachel away and then ran away together, supporting each other like the best friends they were meant to be. And more later on, but Rachel needs to grow up first. Don’t get wrong, I LOVE Zack and Ray together but she is still young. And both of them are just getting used to having a real friend. Their relationship can progress more once she grows up.
I mean, both of them have some serious PTSD and I think Zack might have some schizophrenia or something else due to his upbringing. It really makes you think of the whole nurture versus nature argument. Both he and Ray, have this moment where they almost blackout, Zack’s eyes go red and all he can see is his victim. He stops seeing them as human and Ray has to “fix” whatever she finds broken. They both have some type of mental illness that causes that.
So yes, I’m choosing to believe that they ran together and learned how to slowly trust each other and even fit into society. I’ve read some AMAZING fanfictions on A03 that capture their journeys for this. I ship them and will continue to do so.
And now, the “most likely happened but this show made us cry way more than we anticipated so we refuse to accept that this was the end” ending. And that is, that both of them died at the end with Zack killing Rachel and then himself.
Let me explain.
In episode 4, Danny says Zack couldn’t survive a shot to the head. But what if he did, at least for a short time? In this ending, Zack is shot in the head and the chest and the blood on his scythe and window may prove this. In the original Japanese version, Zack spoke less and less during the conversation, only giving single-worded answers or short noises like “hmm” or “ah”. This could be from the blood loss and haziness of being close to death.
So, Zack survives his execution and goes to Rachel.
You know Zack pulls Rachel out the window at this point since neither of them is in the room at the end scene.
In short, this ending is the theory that Zack was close to death after surviving the execution and going to see Rachel in his final moments alive. When they fall out the window, Zack stabs her and ends her life with his final breath. He dies shortly after and they are in each other’s arms. You can see that Rachel hugs Zack if you pause at the right moment. It’s just as they hit the ground. In a way, it’s kinda poetic. Using your last moments to fulfill the wishes of someone you care about, knowing you’ll die shortly after. And in their case, dying together instead of alone.
So there you have it. Three possible Angels of Death endings. Which one do you believe? I’m still believing in the second one since I’m a romantic sap that can’t stand the thought of losing both my precious children. Let me know in the comments below! And don’t forget to check out our other articles related to AoD, including FANFICTION and all the stickers/merch you can get at the anime shop!
First of all, that’s not the sign for the pound. It’s actually Ib as in”Ihb” being the name of the female protagonist. The other contender, Angels of Death, is another one of those RPG indie horror games. It was so well-liked that it became a manga, and then this past summer, an anime.
About Ib
Your main character is a little girl named you guessed it “Ib” or Eve depending on the translation. She is a nine-year-old girl who’s visiting the Guertena art gallery with her parents. She is a very brave and mostly silent protagonist. During her trip to the art museum, she finds herself in a twisted version of the gallery where the art wants her dead. Instead of a large haunted house, Ib enters an art gallery. The game begins rather simply, as it’s just a trip to the art gallery with her parents. They said it would be exciting for her. And yes, it will. So exciting that the poor girl is going to need therapy for the rest of her life after this whole ordeal is said and done.
Ib meets a young man named Garry in the twisted art gallery. She rescues him from near imminent demise. You see each of the protagonists has in their possession a rose, except Garry, who dropped his in his escape from a monster. When Ib comes across the monster it is tearing out the petals (ie diminishing Garry’s HP) she rescues his rose from the creature. Garry is a kind man who decides to do his best to be brave and help this little girl get out of this fabricated world.
Each has their own colored flower and a major place in the story.
The last of your party members is a little girl named Mary that the party meets about halfway through their trials. Mary has a yellow rose in her possession though she likes Ib’s red rose and Garry’s blue rose more. Oddly enough, the story is quite strong and memorable being that it only really revolves around three people: Ib, Garry, and Mary. You will start to understand these characters and care (or loathe) them throughout the whole of the game, so be ready for emotional investment.
About Angels of Death
The first protagonist is Rachel Gardner, a 13-year-old girl who wakes up in an unrecognizable place and only supposedly remembers going to a psychologist appointment after she saw people getting murdered. She decides to try to escape the building but to her surprise, each floor has a master that will try to kill her for the simple given reason that she was selected as a sacrifice.
The first floor she’s on is B6, is where she meets Zack, a serial killer who wields a scythe and is covered in bandages.
Later on, Zack breaks the place’s rules by going to the next floor and attacking its master so he too is selected as a sacrifice along with the girl and they have to work together to escape. The two form an odd “friendship” with a promise that Rachel will help Zack escape this place if he will kill her in return.
Each level brings a new killer to them. Cathy, who we met in episodes 4-5 so far, has probably one of the most annoying laughs I’ve ever heard. If I thought I wanted to kick Zack earlier at his laughing, he has nothing on Cathy. But we also have Danny, Eddie, and Gray who all lead fairly interesting lives and bring more suspense to the story.
Comparing the dark and good sides to both(SPOILERS!!)
Ib features multiple endings, most of which are fairly macabre. Garry with his mind broken and Ib refusing to leave his side.
Ib being tricked by an illusion of a loved one (it can be Garry, Mary, or her Mother depending on which route you went) and failing to leave the fabricated world behind. In the ending with Ib’s mother Garry is even on the other side in the art gallery desperately yelling for Ib to take his hand before it’s too late.
Then there’s…Mary as a painting. Because she’s a liar. A popular theory is that she is the one that drew them into this world because she can only leave if she takes someone’s place. So she brought two people into the world, one to replace and the other to integrate herself into their life. Ib was to be her sister and Garry the sacrifice. Mary is…Mary is a character that a lot of people sympathize with her because “she just wanted to be real and to be free”. Nope screw that noise, that little blond psychopath tortured one of them to death and there is literally no justifying that course of action.
On the other side, we have Angels of Death.
Now, the story was a bit more in-depth, mostly because we had so many other characters to delve into their backstory. Ib kept us guessing and we have a lot more headcanons and fan theories. Angels of Death actually gave us some truth. Yes, there was the plot twist that Rachel actually was a resident of the building but we LEARNED this and didn’t have to guess.
The story gets dark when we learn that she witness her Father killing her Mother and the horrible conditions that Zack was raised in. It’s no surprise really that either one of them became as they did. Both became outcasts of society and were treated as tools.
Who Wins?
In my mind, there’s no question that Angels of Death beats Ib any day. The fact that it became so popular to gain a manga and then an anime whereas Ib is still just an RPG is just exhibit A. Do you agree? Have you played either of these games or watched the Angels of Death anime? Let me know in the comments below!
Hey everyone! I was so surprised by the response to the first part of this, that I made the second part in Rachel’s point of view per request. Angels of Death is such a fun game and a great anime. The fandom needs to grow even more for sure!
If you missed part one of this fanfiction, you can read it HERE
Angels of Death Fanfiction: Ray’s POV
5 years. It had been 5 years of running, avoiding the law and the people that would enforce it. It was only in the last two that they had finally stopped after their fingerprints had been left onto two other bodies to declare Issac Foster and Rachel Gardner dead.
Rachel figured she should be grateful for that. She was tired of running away. Settling down somewhere felt nice even though the small apartment she and Zack shared was nothing to write home about. But it was a home. To Rachel though, home was wherever Zack was.
Getting fake id’s, and rarely going outside helped. Ray wore a short black wig and brown contacts every time she did, and she almost wouldn’t recognize herself. She had started an online business(under a false name of course), that brought in a decent amount of money for them to survive. Zack wasn’t able to just walk into a place of business and get hired, so she made as much as she could. She was good at sewing and selling the items she made online was enough of them.
Zack still had to deal with the issue of his “dark passenger”. His desire to kill hadn’t stopped since they left the area, but he managed with being hired as a hitman, Rachel didn’t particularly like that he had to do that, but she also understood his need for it. He only went after those who deserved it. Those who had escaped the law, serial killers, rapists and the like. He had a code and underneath it all, Ray knew she didn’t want him to change.
Honestly, Rachel didn’t know if she would have survived without him. If she ever could.
It had been a while since she had asked him to kill her. She was surprised he hadn’t asked her why. But a small part of her was grateful. She didn’t exactly want to leave his side now.
The past 5 years had brought a change to her. She was taller, though still shorter than him, coming up to his chest. She didn’t mind though. Ray liked feeling his heartbeat against her cheek and often at night, she would curl up against him just to assure herself that he was really there.
Like now for instance.
She laid as still as she possibly could, waiting for the sounds of his even breathing to tell her that he was asleep. Then she could roll over and tighten her grip against him.
She heard him sigh and her breath caught.
5 years had changed her as well. Ray still rarely showed emotion on her face, but when she did, Zack was the reason.
And those smiles of his…they made her want to stay by his side forever.
She almost let out a small gasp as she felt his hand touch her hair gently. With slow, even moments, she relished the feeling of his hands running through her hair.
Another sigh escaped him. Quickly and too soon, she felt him move out of the bed, almost as if he was trying not to wake her. Waiting just a few moments, she opened her eyes and turned over. The light was on in their bathroom and making up her mind, she headed over.
“Zack? Are you in there?” She asked, rubbing her eyes against the bright light.
He jumped at the sound of her voice.
“What are ya doing up?” He grumbled in his usual gruff tone. “Ya know ya should be sleeping.”
She looked up at him, deadpanned. She could see him gulp when she moved closer. He was changing his bandages out and looked like he needed help. Not that he would mention it.
“You should be too.” She responded as she began unwrapping a new set of gauze for the bandages.
“Don’t have to do that.” He said softly, looking away.
She just looked at him and then continued her work.
He watched and stood completely still as Ray wrapped the bandages around his torso. The movement was small and quick, but it still brought her closer to him, close enough that she could smell the shampoo he used. She stopped near his navel, examining one of the scars. She wanted to erase all of the pain that those scars had for them. Each one told a story but they intrigued her. She wanted to move closer to him.
“Finally see me as a monster, eh?” He said curtly, trying not to look her straight in the eyes. “Took you some time to figure it out.”
Anger rose in her. “You’re not a monster.” Her fingers traced upwards towards his neck, then his chin so he was forced to look at her. “You’re not, Zack.” She tried to put enough vehemence in her voice so that he would understand what she was trying to say.
He made a hmprfhing sound and crossed his arms. “Yeah, yeah.”
She kept looking at him though. It broke her heart that in 5 years, he still saw himself as a tool and a monster. The crazy idea of just kissing him silly crossed her mind and she wondered how he would react if she did.
Eventually, she let his chin go and finished the rest of the bandages. Her heart was pounding and she was afraid of what she would say or do if she stayed near him too long.
5 years. 5 years was what it took to make her finally feel something. She didn’t know that such a feeling of…well, happiness could exist for someone like her. Being abused and tormented for years just didn’t seem to make that possible.
“Ray.” He called over to her as she had moved to put the soiled bandages in the trash, startling her out of her thoughts. She looked up at him. “Are you happy staying here with me?”
She was shocked. He had to ask that? Did he really not know?
After what felt like an eternity, Ray answered. “Yeah.” Then turned back to her work.
Zack grunted. “Just yeah, huh?” He grumbled out. “Try not to put so much effort next time, would ya?”
A soft giggle was the reply. She came closer, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. Ray was sure her heart was actually going to rip out of her chest.
She buried her face deeper into his chest, her voice muffled. “Yes, Zack. I’m happy staying here with you.”
It seemed like forever before he awkwardly wrapped his arms around her as well.
“Okay.” He whispered against the top of her head. “Just stay with me a little longer.” For now…they could just stay like this. As long as they stayed together, she didn’t care where they were.
Just a short fluff piece for Zack and Ray as I needed more fluff between the two. Also, because I’m a hopeless romantic and think that everyone needs a happy ending. At least in writing, they can get it. I haven’t come up with a title yet, so that’ll change once I do, but for now, just enjoy this!
*Also, I already have a disclaimer on the full website, but just in case…obviously I don’t own Angels of Death. The characters and artwork belong to their respective owners and I give them my thanks for creating vivid characters that I can terrorize through writing*
5 years. It had been 5 years of running, avoiding the law and the people that would enforce it. It was only in the last two that they had finally stopped after their fingerprints had been left onto two other bodies to declare Issac Foster and Rachel Gardner dead.
They weren’t of course. But it was necessary so that they could stop looking over their shoulders all the time. Zack didn’t mind, but he knew Ray had to be tired of running. She was a girl, so of course, she would want a home.
Getting fake id’s, and rarely going outside helped. Ray wore a short black wig and brown contacts every time she did, and Zack almost wouldn’t recognize her. He didn’t like that she had to cover that part of herself up. She was smart though, much smarter than him, and had started an online business(under a false name of course), that brought in a decent amount of money for them to survive.
Honestly, Zack didn’t know if he would have survived without her. If he even could.
It had been a while since she had asked him to kill her, which for that, he was grateful. He still had the need and desire to kill, but he had standards, dang it. He only killed those who deserved it and Ray…Ray didn’t.
The past 5 years had brought a change to her. She was taller, though still shorter than him, coming up to his chest. When they first began running, Zack thought nothing of it when she fell asleep against him one night. But now, the t-shirts she wore to bed did nothing to conceal the curves of her. Delicious curves that brought a stained blush to his cheeks.
He stretched while looking away from her sleeping form, hoping the mental images would soon leave his mind. No such luck though. He sighed.
5 years had changed him as well. Ray had taught him to read and write, and with that, allowed him to feel and express his emotions a bit more. Ray still rarely showed emotion on her face, so when she did, Zack was proud of himself. He had to earn her smiles.
And those smiles of hers…they were worth it.
Hesitantly, he reached a hand over to her long blonde hair. It still felt like silk against his burnt fingers and a soothing calm enveloped him as he stroked her hair softly. It used to be that killing was the only time he felt either a high or at peace. Now though, he could find the same emotions when he was around Ray. She had become someone he trusted with his life, even someone he would call his best friend.
She didn’t treat him as a tool. Or even as a monster. She simply treated him as Zack.
Another sigh escaped him. If he kept touching her hair like this, he wasn’t sure he would stop. Slowly and quietly, so as not to wake her, he moved out of the bed and headed to the small shower.
He began removing his bandages, refusing to look into the small mirror that was near. Changing the bandages took time, but it was necessary. He wasn’t sure if he skin would ever heal, but they were simply apart of him now.
“Zack? Are you in there?”
He jumped at the sound of her soft voice. Glancing up, he saw Ray leaning across the doorway, sleepily rubbing her eye.
“What are ya doing up?” He grumped. “Ya know ya should be sleeping.”
She looked up at him, deadpanned. That expression of hers…or lack therof…should be trademarked. He gulped when she moved closer.
“You should be too.” She responded as she began unwrapping a new set of gauze for the bandages.
“Don’t have to do that.” He said softly, looking away. He didn’t want her seeing him like this anyway. Best if she didn’t see under the mask anymore than she already had.
She just looked at him and then continued her work. Man, she was a stubborn one.
He watched and stood completely still as Ray wrapped the bandages around his torso. The movement was small and quick, but it still brought her closer to him, close enough that he could smell the shampoo that she used in her hair. She stopped near his navel, examining one of the scars.
“Finally see me as a monster, eh?” He said curtly, trying not to look her straight in the eyes. “Took you some time to figure it out.”
“You’re not a monster.” Zack watched then as one of her fingers lightly traced the scar across his navel.
Her fingers traced upwards towards his neck, then his chin so he was forced to look at her. “You’re not, Zack.”
He made a hmprfhing sound and crossed his arms, trying not to feel self-conscious as she stared at him even more. “Yeah, yeah.”
She kept looking at him though, almost making him feel guilty enough to change his words. To be a bit kinder. Just for her.
Almost though. Not enough to actually do it. Eventually, she let his chin go and finished the rest of the bandages. Zack was internally screaming with relief, hoping he could find another way to get some more distance from them. Every one of his nerves was tingling, heightened and aware of the young girl’s…no, woman’s appearance.
5 years. 5 years was what it took to make him finally feel something more for another person other than himself. He had read about it in a few of those books Ray had left lying around. While he wasn’t a believer of God or things like that, he had to acknowledge that SOMETHING had led to him and Ray meeting. Maybe even sheer dumb luck that someone like her even wanted to stay with someone like him. To get close to him.
Maybe it was just so he would kill her, but Zack couldn’t think that after 5 years, Ray wasn’t happy just staying there with him.
But he never had asked…had he?
“Ray.” He called over to her as she had moved to put the soiled bandages in the trash. She looked up at him.”Are you happy staying here with me?”
He was almost afraid of her answer. What if she asked him to kill her right then? Could he actually do it?
After what felt like an eternity, Ray answered. “Yeah.” Then turned back to her work.
Zack grunted. Stupid women and never explaining things. “Just yeah, huh?” He grumbled out. “Try not to put so much effort next time, would ya?”
A soft giggle was the reply and it took him by surprise. Eyes wide, he looked at the girl in question as she came closer to him, wrapping her arms around him in a surprise hug. Zack was sure his heart was actually going to rip out of his chest.
She buried her face deeper into his chest, her voice muffled. “Yes, Zack. I’m happy staying here with you.”
His blush rose as he awkwardly wrapped his arms around her as well.
“Okay.” He whispered against the top of her head. “Just stay with me a little longer.” He felt her nod beneath him and he let out a deep sigh of content. For now…they could just stay like this. As long as they stayed together, he didn’t care where they were.
END!
They’re just too cute. Thank goodness for fanfiction or I might not survive reality.
Some of us have already heard of Angels of Death a couple of times before, having seen the game a few times on Steam. The game was even released as a manga though there are a few volumes that haven’t been translated into English yet. After playing the game, I was curious to see how this 16 episode anime adaptation would go into. So far, I have seen the first 5 episodes with the next episode set to be released on the 10th of this month.
What’s Angels of Death About?
The first protagonist is Rachel Gardner, a 13-year-old girl who wakes up in an unrecognizable place and only supposedly remembers going to a psychologist appointment after she saw people getting murdered. She decides to try to escape the building but to her surprise, each floor has a master that will try to kill her for the simple given reason that she was selected as a sacrifice.
The first floor she’s on is B6, is where she meets Zack, a serial killer who wields a scythe and is covered in bandages.
Later on, Zack breaks the place’s rules by going to the next floor and attacking its master so he too is selected as a sacrifice along with the girl and they have to work together to escape. The two form an odd “friendship” with a promise that Rachel will help Zack escape this place if he will kill her in return.
Each level brings a new killer to them. Cathy, who we met in episodes 4-5 so far, has probably one of the most annoying laughs I’ve ever heard. If I thought I wanted to kick Zack earlier at his laughing, he has nothing on Cathy.
Not to mention, her level seems to be a bit Saw inspired. I was waiting for one of them to have to cut off a hand or foot, but nope, she already provided that for them.
To begin with, I think the premise of Angels of Death is pretty darn awesome. A little cliche at times, and a few moments where I wanted to scream at Rachel to show some emotion on her face. Then again, if she had, she would have already been killed by Zack which wouldn’t make for a very long show or game. Not to mention, Rachel is mentally broken, which would explain why it’s difficult for her to show the expression on her face. Even in the first episode, I just wanted to kick Zach in the shins for being a butthead, so I guess I wouldn’t last very long there.
Speaking of emotions though, I think it’s a little funny that Zack can show more emotions on his face than Ray.
Zack as a character is interesting. We see throughout episode 5, his backstory is a little more than we thought. He’s had a rough past. It seems his foster parents(who are complete buttheads) made him bury the bodies of other children and treated him as nothing more than a tool. From the amount of bags and the way the woman speaks, you can assume that they’ve done this before.
Final Thoughts
It deals with everything I ever could ask for: mental health problems, and even the different points of view towards religion. It even does the life aspects really well. Already knowing the ending doesn’t make this anime any less well done and I’m excited to see where it goes. If anything, I just want to keep playing.
Have you already watched this? Or have you played the game? Let me know in the comments below!
As always,
Keep Smiling!
p.s….isn’t Zack super hot? Or is that just me? Lol, I’ll go fangirl by myself in the corner.
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