'Deca-Dence' Has the Best Anime Plot Twist in Recent Memory

Deca-Dence was not among the new anime series from summer 2020 that I initially watched.  However, it was something I always felt I would end up watching anyway.  And since the things I had been hearing about it indicated that it was seemingly something I would be interested on, I picked it up sooner than later.

Deca-Dence is set in a post-apocalyptic future wherein Gadoll, monsters that come in all kinds and sizes, had demolished human civilization and are now in dominion over the land.  Meanwhile, the remnants of humanity are now living in a gargantuan mobile city fortress named “Deca-Dence.”

The denizens of Deca-Dence are divided into two classes: Gears and Tankers.  Gears are enhanced warriors whose responsibility is to battle Gadoll and defend Deca-Dence from them.  As the elite class, they live in the opulent upper level of Deca-Dance.  Meanwhile, Tankers are the lower class living in the slum-esque “fuel tank” area of Deca-Dence.  Being non-combatants, they perform mundane, lowly tasks such as the maintenance of Deca-Dence and gathering food (i.e. Gadoll meat).  However, there are a few remarkable Tankers who are recruited into “The Power”, and they get to fight alongside Gears.

The story centers on Natsume, a teenage orphan girl with a prosthetic arm who lost her arm and father to a Gadoll attack while she was a child, and Kaburagi, a former decorated combatant against the Gadoll who had lost interest with fighting and has resigned himself to serve as an armor-repairer of Deca-Dence.  Natsume’s dream is to become part of The Power, like her father, but her request is denied, and she’s instead assigned to be an armor-repairer under Kaburagi’s supervision.  During a Gadoll attack, Natsume and Kaburagi accidentally fall into the middle of the battle, and the latter is forced to show off his skills, much to the former’s amazement.  Afterward, Natsume starts begging Kaburagi to train her.  Kaburagi is adamant at first, but after being moved by Natsume’s plucky determination, he gives in.

Based on that synopsis, Deca-Dence seemed to be something inspired by Attack on Titan, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, Mortal Engines, Super Dimension Fortress Macross, and Snowpiercer.  However, that particular setup is actually just based on the pilot episode’s presentation.  It’s not really the whole picture.  In the second episode, a fantastic, mindblowing plot twist is dropped, revealing what the real deal with this anime actually is.  It explains why the show per the pilot seems trope-y, and establishes the true direction of the narrative moving forward.

As it turns out, (MAJOR SPOILERS from here on), it’s more accurate to compare Deca-Dence to The Matrix, Westworld, and Jurassic Park.  For, unbeknownst to the Tankers, Deca-Dence is actually a freakin’ theme park!  It is set within a bubble on what used to be Eurasia, and serves as a colossal entertainment facility for cute, stylized, cartoon-y robot beings who are living in a spaceship above the bubble.  Gadoll are actually manufactured, and the Gears are the avatars of these robots when they log in to the game.  Kaburagi is one of these beings himself, but had been demoted to live among the Tankers.  Almost ready to kill himself, he finds new purpose in guiding Natsume toward having true freedom.

This is definitely the greatest anime plot twist I’ve encountered in recent memory.  And since this show is an anime original – i.e. not based on a source material – the surprise couldn’t be spoiled prior, and thus, proves utterly potent.

This twist fuels a lasting sense of enthusiasm for this anime series moving forward.  Although the plot no longer has any such huge, jaw-dropping revelations to offer after this, the enjoyment from watching it doesn’t let up.  All throughout, Deca-Dence remains riveting and appealing on several layers.  You get truly invested into the worldbuilding and storytelling involved in both its in-game and “real-world” contexts.

Moreover, the unique conventions and conceits it has in place generate genuinely exciting set pieces.  The battles against the Gadoll in particular involve some pretty exhilarating aerial action scenes.  But my favorite set pieces are hands down those involving Deca-Dence itself.  Whenever the giant mobile city had to perform its convoluted but lore-consistent attack preparation, I got giddy without fail.  And once its hard-hitting attack got released on a kaiju, I felt quite a rush.

All in all, Deca-Dence is a compelling anime.  The amazing plot twist plays a huge part in that, but it’s not just that.  It’s simply solid all across the board of its production.  Admittedly, although it tries to have some depth, it’s not exactly profound, nor is it original with its themes.  But as far as entertainment value goes, it delivers a rewarding extent.