Dead Mount Death Play: The Best Anime of 2023 That No One Talks About

It is a rarity anymore for me to watch/read something that I feel strongly enough to “beat the table” for. That said, when I discovered Dead Mount Death Play, I was surprised there was as little discussion or attention towards it. My good friends Stranger and Cheroro certainly championed for this series long before it had an anime, but I sadly did not realize this until well into my binge of the first half of the series! For those who might not know, Dead Mount Death Play is created by Ryōgo Narita, known for Baccano! and Durarara!! among other works. What amazes me even now still is that we have received two full seasons’ worth of episodes for the anime adapted from one of the better minds in the business.

I guess I’m getting a little ahead of myself though, especially considering that plenty of good folks haven’t heard of this anime before or just saw it in passing. Following an absolutely bonkers fantasy fight, we are given a bait and switch that sees what appears to be the villain of a setting reincarnated as a boy in Japan who seems to have multiple people trying to kill him from the moment he comes to. Not sounding very gripping just yet, I get it, but things accelerate when it becomes clear rather quickly that there are quite literally dozens of characters with fascinating agendas and exciting interactions with one another that make episodes melt by like butter.

Much like Durarara!!, DMDP’s main character can be argued to be the city and its nightlife itself. Bouncing between numerous characters, increasingly mysterious and occultic happenings are able to be explored from fresh and unique angles. Indeed, there is a sense of adventure that guides this journey that balances action, mystery, and entertaining comedy. Through twenty four episodes, not once did any of the over forty characters feel lazy or without charming personality. Such a feat leaves me further impressed with Narita’s work.

Taking a step back, I still wonder what kept this from gaining more steam. Durarara!! along with Kuroko’s Basketball marked my first time watching “seasonal” anime, so I cannot recall if there was as much ambivalence towards this series’ predecessor. My aforementioned friends had mentioned that the manga this is adapted from is stuck in Square Enix’s streaming hell, which could explain that facet of “buzz” not being there. The time the first half of this anime dropped could be a contributing factor, for sure, as Spring 2023 was a packed season with such titles as Oshi No Ko, Hell’s Paradise, a new Demon Slayer entry, TONIKAWA Season 2, The Dangers in My Heart, Skip and Loafer, Dr. Stone, Mashle, Vinland Saga 2 continuing its masterful run, Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear also continuing its masterful run, and AniTAY favorite Heavenly Delusion. Maybe I’m missing something more glaring, but this might have just been a case of the right anime at the wrong time for most audiences. All in all, I hope this article can turn even one person in the direction of this quirky adventure because it is so well written.

What is an anime from the past year you think is a gem? Let me know! As always, I hope you all have a safe and productive start to your new year!

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