Ep 3. Rolling Ballade

A riveting and deeply philosophical anime, Death Parade is a show that grapples with heavy themes such as the nature of life, death and the afterlife. Set in a purgatory-like realm called the Quindecim, Death Parade follows the story of Decim, an enigmatic bartender who judges the souls of the dead in a series of games. Fueled by the belief that games reveal a person's true nature, Decim is tasked with determining whether a person's soul should be reincarnated or sent to the void. In episode 3 titled Rolling Ballade, the show once again takes us on a journey of introspection and self-reflection.

The episode starts off with a seemingly happy-go-lucky couple named Takashi and Machiko, who are excited to be in the Quindecim. Little do they know that they are about to be judged and that their fate hangs in the balance. As always, Decim greets them with his cryptic smile and guides them towards the game room. The game they will be playing is called Dart and is a classic game of darts, except with a twist. The twist being that each score corresponds to a body part and the person who gets hit in that body part will feel pain. It is a brutal and violent game, but necessary in determining the true nature of the contestants.

As the game begins, it becomes apparent that Takashi is a skilled player and is dominating Machiko. However, as the game progresses, Machiko starts to show her true colors. It turns out that she is a former ballerina who had to give up her dreams due to a severe injury. As the game continues, she starts to feel the pain of the darts hitting her injured leg. Takashi, on the other hand, is shown to be a heartless businessman who has no empathy for anyone. He revels in his success at the game and shows no remorse for causing Machiko pain.

As the game comes to an end, Machiko realizes that she cannot continue to play and chances are that they may lose the game. Her desperation to avoid further pain leads to a desperate plea to Takashi, asking him to throw the game to spare her. However, Takashi, driven by his own selfishness, refuses and ends up winning the game. Machiko is sent to the void and Takashi is sent to be reincarnated.

As the episode comes to a close, we see that Decim is left pondering the role of pain in human life. He wonders whether pain is necessary for human growth and whether it is possible to truly understand another's pain. It is a thought-provoking episode that emphasizes the importance of compassion and empathy in human life.