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RATING: 6.5/10
DISCLAIMER: I don't really write reviews, I usually write thoughts for myself. But this time I tried something different, and ended up writing a lot, so I made it into a review. I hate all anime reviewers with a passion.

First off, the soundtrack and visuals are great, and give off this smooth and cool vibe. The animation is really well-done. Not to mention the delightful opening, as well.

Now, to the actual thing at hand, I don't really like episodics, but there have been some that won me over, and so I'd hoped Death Parade would. While it's interesting, the themes and dynamics it puts ... forward, it doesn't really elaborate or explore them much. Therefore, if there isn't an overarching story or purpose to tie it in, or to keep us engaged, it ends up being these short and simple stories that are cursory in nature. Granted, some are quite good and even emotional. Which amounts to something, just not much. I suppose it tries to remedy this with "Black Haired Woman" but, her character and story take a backseat to it all, that they are really just as superficial as other aspects. I suppose they needed a POV character to show the story(ies), plus you know, typical anime bullshit of needing a pretty female or waifu of some kind.

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

The characters we are given are also quite stereotypical, sure they are handled with more care, and if they are to-be-judged souls they are given backstories and varying amounts of depth. But others are just flat-out one-dimensional, and clichéd. Notably the denizens of Quindecim, and Mayu. Speaking of her, why? Awful character that ruins every scene. It's obvious that they are trying to make her the comic relief (and the fan service machine at that), but then again, why? Is it necessary? Why then her, or a human to be exact? Why does she get to be special? A useless and pointless C-plot? It completely ruins Black Haired Woman's role as an exception. Plus, once more, anime bullshit for waifuism.

Speaking of Black Haired Woman, her entire "arc" is sloppily written. Really? That's the big reveal. That's the purpose for why she is "special"? She does not really differ from any other character, nor are the circumstances of her exception. Which all goes to prove my original theory of just needing a POV character to throw exposition at, as well as to create cheap mystery and sentimentality to give the illusion of depth or poignant writing. And the usual waifuism bullshit.

Then there is the plot line of Arbiters evolving, or something along those lines. This undermines everything. Not only does it ruin the mysterious and otherworldly vibe, it also turns the story to a clichéd and uninteresting "Humans that aren't humans, are actually humans too!". Which every goddamn anime with humanoids does. It's completely pointless and subtracts from the anime's core themes of human morality and death, to add a trite existentialism subplot that feels shoehorned.

Furthermore, I also dislike how the characters would condescendingly (to the viewer) explain everything happening and has happened. Leaving nothing to the imagination, or for interpretation. While also, insulting audiences' intelligence by spelling things out for them. Not just events, but also "philosophical" themes and subjects as well. Had it been aimed for younger audiences, I'd excuse it. But this is obviously meant to come off as mature and deep.

There is a certain inconsistency to the job of "Arbiters", are they game masters, or judges? If they are judges, why are the games chosen at random instead of tailor made? Why is luck a factor? Are the Arbiters allowed to interfere or not? If so, when is it allowed, and when is it not? To create extreme situations? But we've seen episodes that played it out without any need for extreme situations, so what constitutes as one? And are they even necessary? Arbiters are supposedly emotionless, but how can they be fair judges if they do not experience emotions (I understand it's a plot point, but it seems far too obvious in the first place)? Also, it is apparent throughout the anime that they do experience emotions. And, I don't just mean Decim, all of them do. Perhaps a better explanation would be if they changed "emotions" to "empathy".

Other inconsistencies lie within the Quindecim itself, does it only pair people who died together or connected? Or just any two people? If so, why two people only?
It judges who goes to Hell and who goes to Heaven, but the way it is set up is that if one goes to Heaven, the other must go to Hell. How is that fair judgement? It creates a choice-fulfillment bias. If it only selects two people, that are guaranteed for one to go to Heaven and the other to Hell, then why bother with the games, if such knowledge is available? In fact, we see Arbiters judge without using games, granted it's only special cases, but then why even bother with the games instead of another method? Also, you'd think that they judge based on a universal principle of justice or morality, but it's all based on personal justice? How is that an indicator of fairness?

If "God", or some higher authority made the Quindecim for judgement, why is it a flawed system? Why do Arbiters "break" when working with humans in the first place? Where they designed to fail? If so why? Why is it a rule if they don't even work with them, and the time it happened was an exception?
What's the point of the entire thing, if it isn't even Heaven (Reward) and Hell (Punishment)? Because both Void and Reincarnation mean nothing to the souls, and are not by any means even indicators of "cosmic moral justice". So sending a soul to void or reincarnation isn't even a judgement at all. So what is it supposed to act as? A purge of perhaps "evil" souls? But every person met was morally grey-to-good, plus what even constitutes as evil? Also, aren't the judgements supposedly meaningless? Why then try to manufacture "darkness of the soul"?

And other inconsistencies, and plot contrivances.

You might be inclined to think that this is the entire point of the anime, but it isn't at all. It doesn't actually go into them, nor does it pose these questions. It has a very clear-cut sense of supposed "morality", that is frankly incoherent and obviously not well-thought-out. It constantly backtracks on what it establishes, not out of some grand contemplative purpose, but rather out of a pitiful attempt at creating mystery and/or "subversive" philosophy.

Then again, it's not a bad anime (I actually enjoyed it), just not that good from a story point of view, or a philosophical and/or intellectual point of view. But I might just be looking into it too much or a midwit who missed the whole point.