Ryogo Narita is my second all-time favorite mangaka right behind Inio Asano. I loved Baccano and Durarara and now he’s back with another series: Dead Mount Death Play. So, yes… this is another instance of me already reading the manga ahead of the anime but if you don’t want to skip to the end, this is obviously getting a YES-MUST WATCH from me.
I know… I killed the suspense… but if you haven’t read/seen it and want to know why… continue on.
Let’s go!
First Episode Synopsis
The Mighty Corpse God is a force to be reckoned with but yet one hero dares to step forward. Shagrua arrives with a sword in a hand and for the entire first half of this episode, we are treated to an amazing fantasy battle between good and evil. Both Corpse God and Shagrua possess the Evil Eye… an ability to see the spirits of the dead. Corpse God used his to become a necromancer, playing with the very spirits of his victims and using them to increase his power. Shagrua uses them to fight for the side of good so this clash was inevitable.
Right when the battle seems as if it would be a stalemate, Corpse God queues up a powerful spell, one that not even Shagrua recognizes. Realizing this could be his death blow, he races head-first into the clutches of hell itself and strikes! Corpse God is no more… or so we thought.
In modern-day Shibuya, Japan, a young 16-year-old boy named Polka Shinomiya awakens after having his throat slit wide open. His killer… a girl named Misaki who is quite surprised that her pray still lives. From being hunted by Shagrua to being chased by Misaki, Corpse God cannot catch a break! Meanwhile, a guy in a headset who appears to be a part of a retrieval service is watching all of this unfold via a drone. He cannot believe that Polka still lives but keeps watching anyway.
Misaki corners Polka (or Corpse God if you prefer) in a basement and aims to finish the job but that basement is special. It was the killing ground for the yakuza so there are many spirits that still linger there. Instantly regaining his powers, Polka lashes out and impales Misaki with giant undead bony hands as our first episode comes to a close.
Worth Watching?
YES – If you enjoyed Baccano and Durarara, then this will be an instant like for you as well. Without spoiling anything ahead, I will tell you that Ryogo Narita’s style of storytelling is completely intact with this series as well. In other words, in the future, we will meet many factions each with their own stories that will all begin to intersect… all set within a modern-day city. It’s a common theme in Narita’s stories and this one will be no different so if that’s your cup of tea then feast until you’ve had your fill with this series.
As for the first episode, it did the manga justice. For those who never saw it, the whole first half being complete fantasy could have thrown you off and I can see that being an issue. Not everyone will like the twist but that’s okay. It does end up being a very interesting series that keeps some of the fantasy elements to it later on so I encourage you to stick around and check it out. Rarely do I give a full recommendation but this series does offer up a bit of something for everyone so I think this one should be at the top of a good portion of “To Watch” lists this season!
