Watch DRAMAtical Murder

DRAMAtical Murder is a Japanese anime television series produced by animation studio NAZ and directed by Kazuya Miura. The series originally aired on Tokyo MX and other stations in Japan from July to September 2014, and was later licensed for streaming in North America by Sentai Filmworks.

The anime is based on a visual novel of the same title created by Nitro+chiral and released in 2012. The story is set in the near future on the remote island of Midorijima, where a virtual reality combat game called "Rhyme" has become wildly popular. The game is played using a device called "AllMate", which is a personal digital assistant in the form of a cute animal.

The protagonist of the story is Aoba Seragaki, a young man who works part-time in a junk shop and has an AllMate named Ren, who takes the form of a blue rabbit. Aoba is content with his quiet life, but his peaceful existence is shattered when he is dragged into the harsh world of Rhyme battles and the criminal underworld that surrounds it.

One day, Aoba is attacked by a mysterious figure known as "Morphine", who tries to force him into participating in a dangerous Rhyme match. Aoba is saved by a group of underground Rhyme fighters known as "Benishigure", who take him under their wing and introduce him to the world of Rhyme battles.

As Aoba becomes more involved in the Rhyme scene, he discovers that there are hidden forces at work on Midorijima that seek to control the island and its inhabitants. He must unravel a web of secrets and conspiracies while also trying to protect his friends and the people he cares about.

The characters in DRAMAtical Murder are complex and multi-faceted, with their own motivations and secrets. Aoba is a gentle soul who is thrust into a violent world against his will, and struggles to reconcile his peaceful nature with the harsh realities of Rhyme battles and criminal activity. His AllMate Ren is a source of comfort and support, but also harbors a dark secret that threatens to tear Aoba's world apart.

The members of Benishigure are a ragtag bunch of fighters with their own quirks and idiosyncrasies. Koujaku is a charismatic and flamboyant Rhyme fighter with a troubled past, while Noiz is a cold and aloof hacker who is feared by many in the Rhyme community. Mink is a mysterious figure who leads a criminal organization called "Scraps", and has a complicated relationship with Aoba that slowly unfolds over the course of the series.

The animation style in DRAMAtical Murder is sleek and modern, with a vibrant color palette and fluid action sequences. The virtual reality world of Rhyme battles is particularly impressive, with vividly imagined landscapes and imaginative creatures that capture the excitement and energy of the game.

In addition to its action-packed storyline, DRAMAtical Murder also explores deeper themes of identity, memory, and the nature of consciousness. The concept of AllMates as personal digital assistants blurs the line between technology and humanity, and raises questions about the impact of artificial intelligence on society.

Overall, DRAMAtical Murder is a thrilling and thought-provoking anime series that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. With its engaging characters, intricate storyline, and stunning animation, it is a must-watch for fans of virtual reality gaming, cyberpunk, and crime drama.

DRAMAtical Murder is a series that ran for 1 seasons (12 episodes) between July 6, 2014 and on Sentai Filmworks