Deadman Wonderland

Adult Swim Premiere	May 26, 2012

Deadman Wonderland is a Japanese anime series based on the manga of the same name, written by Jinsei Katakoa and illustrated by Kazuma Kondo. The series originally aired in Japan from April 16, 2011 to July 3, 2011 and aired on Adult Swim's Toonami block from May 26, 2012 to August 12, 2012. The series returned to Adult Swim for a second run from January 3, 2015 to March 21, 2015.

Plot

A massive anomaly causes a giant earthquake that ravages the Japanese mainland and sinks three-quarters of Tokyo into the Pacific Ocean. Ten years later, the story shifts to Ganta Igarashi, a seemingly ordinary student attending Nagano Prefecture's middle school. As an escapee, a survivor of the earthquake, Ganta has no memories of the tragedy and has lived a normal life. This all changes when a strange man covered in blood and crimson armor floats through the classroom windows. Grinning madly, the Red Man brutally murders the entire class and embeds a red crystal shard in Ganta's chest. Ganta is declared the sole suspect of the massacre and is sentenced to life imprisonment in Deadman Wonderland, a massive theme park like prison.

Arriving at the prison, Ganta is fitted with a special collar which monitors his location and life signs. A lethal poison is constantly injected into his bloodstream but can be neutralized by consuming a peculiar candy-like medicine every three days. Additional candy can by obtained by hard work or with Cast Points, the prison's currency. Fortunately for Ganta, he is aided by a mysterious albino girl named Shiro who apparently knows Ganta but whose existence is unknown to the other prisoners.

While trying to survive as an inmate on death row, Ganta becomes increasingly obsessed with finding the Red Man and clearing his name. Unbeknownst to him, Ganta has become one of the prison's Deadmen, an isolated group of prisoners possesing the Branch of Sin, the ability to manipulate their blood for their own uses. After his ability is discovered, Ganta is forced to participate in brutal gladitorial death matches known as the Carnival Corpse, whose anonymous spectators pay large amounts of money to watch. In his struggle he manages to befriend some of those he fought off in the arena and with their help Ganta continues his quest to discover the identity of the Red Man, why he turned into a Deadman, and some of the dark secrets the prison authorities are hiding.

Deadman Wonderland (Prison)

Deadman Wonderland is Japan's only privately operated prison, built after the Great Tokyo Earthquake on ground zero. It gathers prisoners from all over Japan and raises money for the revival of the destroyed metropolis. To the public and the tourists that visit daily, Deadman Wonderland is a massive theme park-like facility run by the prison population. Unbeknownst to the general population, most of the prison's attractions involve cruel games of survival where many inmates lose their lives or are maimed for the entertainment of an oblivious public. The prison also runs a secret gladiator-like game called the Carnival Corpse, where wealthy anonymous donors pay to watch death matches between the prison's Deadmen. Deadmen who are defeated yet survive the game have a part of their anatomy surgically removed for scientific research. In a cruel twist, the loser spins a macabre slot-machine to determine which part of their body will be removed, with the show being broadcast live to the other prisoners. The winner is awarded a large amount of Cash Points, live-saving candies and other prizes.

Each prisoner is fitted with a collar that functions as a life monitor, locator and stunner. The prisoners on death row receive poison injections through their special collar and must consume a special antidote candy every three days. Their collars contain countdown timers that warn the wearer with blinking and beeping when time is running low. When the timer reaches zero, the collar displays the word DEAD and the inmate immediately succumbs to the poison and dies. Afterwards, the collar unlocks allowing it to be removed. The collars can also be removed using key cards used by the prison guards.

While the threat of violence is constant at the prison, most prisoners enjoy a great deal of liberty inside Deadman Wonderland. Utilizing Cash Points, the prison's unique form of currency, prisoners can purchase a wide variety of items from ordinary lunches, luxurious furniture for their rooms and even years off their sentences (Although Cash Points can't be used to buy the freedom of a Deadman). Those on death row can also use Cash Points to purchase their life-saving candies.

Despite its identity as a prison and a theme park, Deadman Wonderland houses a much darker secret. Hidden away from the eyes of tourists and the general prison population is a massive underground facility known as G Block. This is where the prison keeps their Deadmen secluded and where the Carnival Corpse arena is located. G Block also houses numerous laboratories and rooms where experiments on humans are performed and where scientists are attempting to harness the powers of the Deadmen for monetary and political gain.