Overview (Spoilers Below):
The Declaration
The day of the showdown arrives. The Corpse God and friends prepare to rescue the real Polka while other forces maneuver in the shadows. But a surprise visit from the kidnapper himself takes events in a direction no one expected.
The Shinjuku War
The Corpse God prepares to sacrifice himself to stop Civil, but his new friends have other ideas. Rescuing Polka’s soul and regaining any shot at peace will take two lifetimes’ worth of connections.
Our Take:
I know I said this already, but this series knows how to keep me intrigued with its mysterious surprises and engaging arcs amid its convoluted plot. Unsurprisingly, the final two episodes of Dead Mount Death Play are no exceptions, with the Corpse God and his comrades finally facing the destructive forces of Civil and his crew. Of course, we also have Iwanome and Arase having their own case concluded thanks to their investigation inside a familiar yet creepy house, leading them to confront the Fire Breathing Bug.
The Declaration started with the Corpse God revealing the last few secrets connecting to his arrival in the real world. One is the identity of Polka’s mother, who was briefly mentioned at the end of the previous episode. It’s revealed that Polka’s mother is a descendant of a deceased member of the Corpse God’s clan in his home world, further proving the necromancer’s true connection with Polka. This alone gives the Corpse God another reason to rescue Polka and even give him his old life back as his way of providing peace. The other secret is the Corpse God’s real name, the Emperor Slayer, which he hid to keep his dark memories concealed.
Following those surprises is a showdown we’ve been waiting for since the start of the show’s second cour. As the Corpse God faces Civil, who can now use fire magic, Xiaoyu and Misaki battle Civil’s partners-in-crime, with the latter attempting to rescue Polka from Lulu. That battle carried over to the season one finale, The Shinjuku War, which has the Corpse God facing the sins of his past and realizing how much his friends matter.
Unsurprisingly, the final two episodes are what I expected regarding an action anime’s conclusion: thrilling, fun, and satisfying. However, instead of Civil being destroyed by the Corpse God’s allies, he calls a truce for the time being. What the Corpse God and Civil have planned next is unknown, especially since we’re still waiting for a season two announcement. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind returning to this series if they decide to move forward with season two. Despite its confusing plot elements that made my head spin more times than I can count, I would consider Dead Mount Death Play another solid addition to the anime isekai collection, which I’ll explain further in my upcoming season review. It was a long journey experiencing it, but all in all, it was worth it.