Deadman Wonderland Series : EP1 Review

Deadman Wonderland started  off with a bang as the first episode hooked me from the get go.  We meet Ganta who is watching an advertisement for an adventure park ran by death row inmates that they will be visiting on a class field trip.  We witness him interacting with his friends such as Mimi, a cute dsrk hairrd classmare, which really helps building the image of a sterotypical child.

However as class begins, “The Man In Red,” slaughters the entire class except Ganta who he implants a red stone into.  When Ganta wakes he is taken in for questioning by police and eventually tried for the murder of his 29 fellow classmates.  He is found guilty as an apparently forged tape of him bombastically confessing surfaces.  All of the fabricated evidence against a child really makes you sympathize with Ganta.

He is sentenced to capital punishment at the very amusement park he was going to visit, Deadman Wonderland.  This sadistic sham of a prison in-prisons their subjects with collars that can locate as well as poisions them.  Candy seems to be a form of survival as it adds more time to your collar to keep you from dying of the toxin enjected.  Chief Makina is a frighting women who would strike fear into the baddest villains from even the scariest of universes.  She runs her park with an iron fist and is not scared to cut anyone down in her way.  Shiro originally came off as a bizarre and cute character as she innocently attempts to kill Ganta after he asks to be killed sarcastically to himself.  However she turns out to be one of the kindest characters we see in this episode, especially in the Wonderland.  He genuine personality is a bright spot in an otherwise bleak situation.

The beautifully colorful amusement part is a great contrast to the true darkness the resides behind the curtains of this place and the glimpse of the advertisement really drives home this day and night comparison this park has going on.  All and all one of the better starts to a series I’ve seen in a while.  Defiantly a must watch at least so far.

Brad Lee