Movie
Description
Decim is the pale-skinned, white-haired bartender of Quindecim, a mysterious bar that serves as a waystation for the dead. He is tall with bright blue eyes, and his uneven bangs often cover the right side of his face. His attire is a formal bartender's uniform consisting of a white long-sleeved shirt, a black vest, a red bow tie, black pants, a black apron, and black leather shoes. In the original short, he works largely alone, attended only by a silent female assistant who appears bored by the proceedings.
His primary role is that of an arbiter, a judge who determines the ultimate fate of human souls. When two people die at the same time, they are brought to his bar. Without revealing that they are already dead, Decim instructs them to play a seemingly simple game, such as darts or pool, with their very existence at stake. Through observing their behavior under pressure, he decides which soul will be reincarnated and which will be cast into the void.
Personality-wise, Decim initially appears completely emotionless and serious, detached in his manner of speech, and dedicated to his duties as an arbiter. He takes pride in his role and is always respectful toward his guests. Despite having performed this job for many years, he lacks a genuine understanding of human emotions. He is non-confrontational and dislikes violence, but he will intervene forcefully if a guest becomes violent or tries to break the rules, using invisible threads to restrain them. However, beneath his stoic exterior lies a capacity for compassion; in the original Death Billiards, he is shown gently embracing a distraught elderly guest, offering comfort to a man who has just realized his life is over.
Decim's core motivation is to faithfully execute his function as an arbiter. He genuinely believes that everyone can and should be judged, and initially he approaches this task with clinical detachment. His character begins to develop through his interactions, most significantly with a black-haired woman who becomes his assistant during the events that follow the original short. Her presence forces him to confront the nuances and complexities of human nature, leading him to question his own judgments. He shows shame when he realizes he may have made a mistake in a prior case, revealing that he is capable of growth and is not a static, unfeeling entity. Over time, he becomes more compassionate, sometimes cracking small jokes or giving guests a moment of leeway before they depart.
Within the larger narrative, a key relationship is with Nona, a superior who oversees the arbiters. She is aware of Decim's shortcomings, noting his lack of understanding of human emotion, but she also facilitates his development by assigning him the assistant who helps him learn. Another notable relationship is with a fellow arbiter named Ginti, with whom Decim has a tense and occasionally physical rivalry; Decim finds Ginti overly volatile and prefers to avoid his aggressive tactics.
Decim possesses notable supernatural abilities, primarily the power to generate and manipulate nearly invisible, intangible threads. These threads are incredibly strong and versatile. He can use them to restrain unruly guests, hang decorations, or carry large objects. In a confrontation with Ginti, he demonstrated their offensive capabilities by using them to deflect high-speed projectiles, grab his opponent, and throw him with enough force to shatter a large water tank. This power is his primary tool for maintaining order within his bar and enforcing the rules of the judgment games.
His primary role is that of an arbiter, a judge who determines the ultimate fate of human souls. When two people die at the same time, they are brought to his bar. Without revealing that they are already dead, Decim instructs them to play a seemingly simple game, such as darts or pool, with their very existence at stake. Through observing their behavior under pressure, he decides which soul will be reincarnated and which will be cast into the void.
Personality-wise, Decim initially appears completely emotionless and serious, detached in his manner of speech, and dedicated to his duties as an arbiter. He takes pride in his role and is always respectful toward his guests. Despite having performed this job for many years, he lacks a genuine understanding of human emotions. He is non-confrontational and dislikes violence, but he will intervene forcefully if a guest becomes violent or tries to break the rules, using invisible threads to restrain them. However, beneath his stoic exterior lies a capacity for compassion; in the original Death Billiards, he is shown gently embracing a distraught elderly guest, offering comfort to a man who has just realized his life is over.
Decim's core motivation is to faithfully execute his function as an arbiter. He genuinely believes that everyone can and should be judged, and initially he approaches this task with clinical detachment. His character begins to develop through his interactions, most significantly with a black-haired woman who becomes his assistant during the events that follow the original short. Her presence forces him to confront the nuances and complexities of human nature, leading him to question his own judgments. He shows shame when he realizes he may have made a mistake in a prior case, revealing that he is capable of growth and is not a static, unfeeling entity. Over time, he becomes more compassionate, sometimes cracking small jokes or giving guests a moment of leeway before they depart.
Within the larger narrative, a key relationship is with Nona, a superior who oversees the arbiters. She is aware of Decim's shortcomings, noting his lack of understanding of human emotion, but she also facilitates his development by assigning him the assistant who helps him learn. Another notable relationship is with a fellow arbiter named Ginti, with whom Decim has a tense and occasionally physical rivalry; Decim finds Ginti overly volatile and prefers to avoid his aggressive tactics.
Decim possesses notable supernatural abilities, primarily the power to generate and manipulate nearly invisible, intangible threads. These threads are incredibly strong and versatile. He can use them to restrain unruly guests, hang decorations, or carry large objects. In a confrontation with Ginti, he demonstrated their offensive capabilities by using them to deflect high-speed projectiles, grab his opponent, and throw him with enough force to shatter a large water tank. This power is his primary tool for maintaining order within his bar and enforcing the rules of the judgment games.