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While looking for something interesting to see in a sea of “new age” anime that are only photocopies of the classics, I was struck by the miniature figure of a blonde demon with an electric guitar in hand. Behind, two other infernal musicians were cheered by a crowd worthy of an enraged mob of the 70s and some fled from them in terror; so I decided to get closer. I read the description, which was not common at all, by the way. After hesitating, with very little hope, I watched the first chapter. Then the second, the third, until I finished with the entire 12 chapters and the live action too. Seeing Detroit Metal City is one of the best things I have done in my life.
What is Detroit Metal City?
Negishi is an adorable boy who has just finished his music degree. He loves pink things, world peace, everything beautiful in this world and his biggest dream is to play in a Swedish Pop group. Nice wishes from Negishi, but every musician at the beginning of his career has to take the first opportunities that come his way.
Fortunately, Negishi is lucky and manages to get a job as a lead singer for a death metal band? Ehm, yeah. Just as you read it. This guy is the image and soul of the nascent band DMC: Detroit Metal City.
Many legends about Johannes Krauser II, the principal singer and guitarist of DMC run through the streets. They say that he is a demon in human flesh, who came to burn the earth from its foundations with music and that the first word he learned was “kill me.” They also say that Krauser-sama’s first song, “Satsugai”, is completely true and that he killed his parents and after that, he raped them. Legends and more legends awakens this dark musician and every day, new followers join his ranks, creating around him, a cult of unwavering will that will cause confrontations between DMC and genres such as punk, hip hop, indie and… Metal?
With his inseparable companions, Alexander Jagi (bassist), Camus (drummer) and Mr. Capitalist Pig (the band’s masochistic submissive), Negishi will constantly fluctuate between his true personality and his alter ego, Krauser-sama, who will arrive in the more unexpected moments to give us a lethargic dose of humor that only those with strong liver can resist.
How was it?
It’s not a recommended series for people who are easily offended or who are too sensitive, since all the references used in Detroit Metal City have aggressive or sexual connotations. And it’s necessary to clarify, because in this time, in which everything is intolerable, a series like this, are completely out of the “politically correct” by the majority society that accuses with the finger what is convenient for them, while turning a blind eye to the true crimes against humanity that are committed daily in front of their nose.
But beyond its incredible soundtracks, in which they have perfectly detailed each of the musical genres that enter the scene, or its well-elaborated animation that unexpectedly passes between the classic frames of a manga and the power of the In contemporary illustration, what most caught my attention is the large amount of social criticism and realities that are shown in an “indirect” way during the plot.
They not only show the background of the music industry that only seeks to make money without caring about the well-being of its musicians, but also aspects such as the cruelty of the media when they want to amuse their audience by shaming everyone who allows it or the film industry that sells its actors as if it were a piece of steak. It also deals with aspects such as the fanaticism of the show, in which thousands of people are involved, walking almost blindly and without criteria; thinking only of what their idols want; the loneliness in adult life, lack of acceptance of our true being and the disagreement between reality and what we want to achieve.
In a very funny and absurd way, DMC presents us with many truths in just a few minutes of story. This is the most admirable aspect of the series because you and I know many productions that with millions in their budget, they cannot seriously defend an argument. Detroit Metal City is a series designed to make those of us tired of the typical jokes and to feed awareness about topics that are not usually touched in a common gathering; especially in the field of music.
What does it represent?
I recommend it? Of course yes. But only to those who don’t have the need to judge everything that happens in front of them. DMC is a series to enjoy absurdly and put aside the pressures of our lives for a while. Finding it filled me with joy, because it’s not easy to find so much originality in these times. Would I see it again? Sure. To write this review, I took the opportunity to repeat some chapters and I would see them many more times.
Black humor is not for everyone. I have that very clear and for that reason, I hesitated a bit before reviewing DMC. But these differences don’t make some of us more than others; rather it simply highlights the great variety within our own race. Detroit Metal City is for the group of human beings who prefer reality-soaked satires and because of that, I firmly believe that if you are like me, you will like this series as much as I do.
