Deadman Wonderland: The Complete Series

"Bloodsport" takes on new meaning in this ultraviolent action anime set in mid-2030s Tokyo. Fourteen-year-old Ganta is the sole survivor of a dismemberment-massacre of all his classmates by a floating wraith he calls the "Red Man." Nobody believes Ganta, who is convicted of mass-homicide and sentenced to Deadman Wonderland, a for-profit penitentiary that combines a theme park with lethal Japanese game-show contests—killing inmates in front of cheering crowds. But wait, there's more! Inside lies a secret, even nastier prison, holding warped convicts infected with (or genetically modified for) a virus that turns them into various super-powered weapons. These prisoners are forced to duel each other for online voyeurs...or military R&D...or something. Hard to tell, as the 12 episodes here—based on a manga—devolve into a gory, betrayal-soaked prison break, during which super-powered characters declaim at length even while being sliced to pieces. The abrupt end leaves many narrative strands unresolved, with brutalized Ganta still frustratingly clueless about the shocking identity of the Red Man (which is revealed long before to the viewer). A twisted, bloody, profane series, Deadman Wonderland is presented in a dual-language set, rated TV-MA, with extras including a video commentary with the U.S. vocal cast, and a prequel OVA episode. Optional. (C. Cassady)