\u00a0[Note: This article contains major spoilers for <\/b>Deca-Dence<\/i><\/b>\u2019s first two episodes.]<\/b><\/p>\n
In the world of <\/span>Deca-Dence<\/span><\/i>, the remnants of humanity live on a giant moving fortress. Most people live deep within, doing the dirty work to keep the fortress running and supporting the hunters who go out and battle the monsters whenever they attack. The hunters are the lifeblood of the fortress–they collect the literal monster blood which is used to power it. This results in a rather rigid class system with only about 10% of supporters being able to work their way up into being hunters. Most hunters are born that way.<\/span><\/p>\n Natsume is a young woman who lost her arm when traveling with her father–a normal man who worked his way up to hunter. She wants to follow in his footsteps but her handicap seems to preclude her from service–despite her robotic prosthesis. Instead, she is forced to become one of the numerous people who clean and repair the outside of the mobile fortress while dreaming of becoming something greater.<\/span><\/p>\n All in all, it looks like just another story of humanity on the edge of extinction fighting monsters and trying to survive–hoping one day, to take back their planet. Here\u2019s the trick though, it\u2019s not that at all.<\/span><\/p>\n Deca-Dence<\/span><\/i> is actually about the equivalent of an intergalactic video game–only without the virtual component that would imply. Aliens download their consciousnesses into near-human bodies and take on the role of the hunters. They then fight monsters, level up, and customize their equipment. If they die, they lose their character and have to start another one from scratch.<\/span><\/p>\n While the actual humans struggle to survive, giving their all to keep the mobile fortress running and supporting the hunters who give them hope, the hunters are just playing an MMORPG. And if the aliens are the player characters, this can only mean one thing: In <\/span>Deca-Dence<\/span><\/i>, Humans are the NPCs.<\/span><\/p>\n This whole setup is a great twist on an increasingly overused post-apocalyptic scenario. Humanity is never going to be able to beat the monsters–not because the monsters are stronger or because humans keep fighting amongst themselves but because the aliens have a vested interest in keeping the status quo. After all, if the humans won, the game would end. Thus, the majority of them are kept from fighting–kept from a place where they could conceivably make a difference.<\/span><\/p>\n What makes this even more interesting is that from episode two on, we, the viewers, know what’s really going on–even though Natsume does not. We know that the system eliminates any humans who try to upset the status quo (considering them bugs in the game\u2019s program) and thus how much danger Natsume is really in because of this.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Worse yet, Natsume\u2019s boss, Kaburagi is actually a former-player-turned-bug hunter who\u2019s job is to hunt down problematic humans like Natsume. However, after forming a personal connection with her, he decides to keep her secret from the higher-ups and train her to be a hunter. Thus we\u2019re basically watching a player try to help out an NPC without the admin staff (or her for that matter) noticing what\u2019s actually going on.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s a fantastic twist on an established genre and two episodes in, I can\u2019t wait to see how it all plays out.<\/span><\/p>\n Deca-Dence<\/span><\/i> is currently streaming on Funimation<\/a>, Animelab<\/a> (AU\/NZ), and Wakanim<\/a> (EU)<\/span><\/p>\n Top image source: TV\u30a2\u30cb\u30e1\u300c\u30c7\u30ab\u30c0\u30f3\u30b9\u300d\u516c\u5f0f<\/a> on Twitter.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/EcI9Fm1UwAATrlR.jpg?w=700&ssl=1\")
Image source: TV\u30a2\u30cb\u30e1\u300c\u30c7\u30ab\u30c0\u30f3\u30b9\u300d\u516c\u5f0f<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/EdLEOhwUMAAaCb1.jpg?w=700&ssl=1\")
Image source: TV\u30a2\u30cb\u30e1\u300c\u30c7\u30ab\u30c0\u30f3\u30b9\u300d\u516c\u5f0f<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/Ec9xkkAUEAUwaZK.jpg?w=700&ssl=1\")
Image source: TV\u30a2\u30cb\u30e1\u300c\u30c7\u30ab\u30c0\u30f3\u30b9\u300d\u516c\u5f0f<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/EcY6RBlUEAAceuk.jpg?w=700&ssl=1\")
Image source: TV\u30a2\u30cb\u30e1\u300c\u30c7\u30ab\u30c0\u30f3\u30b9\u300d\u516c\u5f0f<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/EdC555gU4AI18hy.jpg?w=700&ssl=1\")
Image source: TV\u30a2\u30cb\u30e1\u300c\u30c7\u30ab\u30c0\u30f3\u30b9\u300d\u516c\u5f0f<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n
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