Deadman Wonderland 5 – So Grimdark It Hurts

You know, from all the laughing and such. The censoring makes it better, actually; maybe one of the few times I’ve genuinely enjoyed censorship. Look at that black blob Shiro is holding — so hardcore, man!

But, yeah, I enjoyed this episode, albeit for the wrong reasons. It has all these grimdark elements but executed in goofy ways like the slot machine that chooses which body part gets hacked off the loser of the death match. (Really, Crow should be glad he hit the jackpot and all three slots showed the same part. Just imagine if it were “right arm”, “left leg” and “ripped penis” (to use the promoter’s TMI description).) Now, I’d assume that the overly grimdark stuff is wholly intentional gallows humor if there weren’t other things that you’re supposed to react to like, “Oh man, that’s crazy!” or “Oh man, that’s so horrible!” that make me laugh just as much.

Maybe it’s just me, but the eye scooping scene made me laugh a lot. It was the combo of the white light censorship and the doctor’s crazy grin that put it over the top for me. The whole scene is trying so hard to be really dark and twisted, but the censorship totally undermines it, and crazy grins are almost always hilarious and not dark and twisted. The crazy grin is the default “we need a quick, lazy way to make this character seemed fucked up” technique. Basically every other character in this series has the crazy grin. Just so you know that Deadman Wonderland is a totally sick, twisted series, the logo itself should probably be shaped like a crazy grin.

I mean, come on, the smile, the orgasmic noises, the lip licking . . . this shit is hilarious.

Also enjoyed Shiro blowing up the security tower and scattering various censored body parts and blood all over the ground, all under the light of the full moon. (I hope she’s a werewolf.) That’s so Elfen Lied, dude! She even stares out into nowhere and then flashes the crazy grin. Now that’s what I’m talking about. Keep it coming, Deadman Wonderland! I like to laugh!

Also enjoyed this, even though the fight itself kind of sucks and is a huge disappointment. If there’s anything anime needs, it’s more brofists and more high fives. In fact, everything everywhere needs more brofists and high fives. Make it happen, people — whenever you have the opportunity to share a brofist or high five, take it. You will make the world a better place.