Death City (デス・シティー Desu Shittii), also known as Death Vegas (デス・ベガス, Desu Begasu) is a city in Nevada, United States. It is the central location for Death Weapon Meister Academy's main branch and school.[1]
Appearance
Soul Eater
From a distance, Death City appears dark and gloomy, like a pile of numerous identical buildings with white walls and red roofs in the middle of the deserts of Nevada. While the buildings resemble those of European origin from the 1800's, from within, the city is actually rather lively, rich in atmosphere and culture.
The cobbled streets are long and winding and often maze-like, with lots of stairs, twists and turns. The occasional Shinigami mask structure is shown above the buildings. Right at the top of the 'pile' of buildings is the Death Weapon Meister Academy. A single long highway leads out of the city. Unlike the real world, The Sun and The Moon that appear over the city (and in the rest of the world in fact) have faces and can usually be seen grinning or chuckling. Although invisible to most, Shinigami's soul is seen surrounding the city like a forcefield. Overall, it is a strange-looking city. However, it is also the place where many of the main characters call their home.
Businesses in Death City tend to have supernatural themes, including a cabaret club called Chupa♡Cabra's, a reference to the supernatural creature of the same name. Most businesses have the word 'Death' incorporated in them, such as Deathbucks Coffee, the parody of the real coffee shop, Starbucks. They also have their own newspaper, known as the Death Times. Maybe businesses offer part-time work for the DWMA students in need of money. It can be assumed that many of Death City's inhabitants are the DWMA students. They are quite famous among the locals living in the city.
Soul Eater NOT!
In Soul Eater NOT! the city's appearance has changed. While many of the elements of the city's appearance in Soul Eater remain intact, it is no longer simply surrounded by a desert. Though desert-like features are still present around Death City. However, there's also a wall that surrounds Death City. Out from the Desert lies a more country-like environment along with actual roads. More of the buildings within Death City also are more defined and parts of the city resemble other well known locations such as New York and London.
Key Locations
Major Headquarters
- Death Weapon Meister Academy: Death Weapon Meister Academy (DWMA for short) is an academy run by Death as a training facility for Meisters and Weapons.[2] It is in almost the exact center of Death City.[3]
- DWMA CIA HQ: Within Death City also lies the headquarters for the DWMA Intelligence Agency, located somewhere within Death Weapon Meister Academy.
Living Quarters/Houses/Apartments
- Maka and Soul's Apartment:
- Black☆Star and Tsubaki's Apartment
- Patchwork Lab
- Gallows Mansion
- Hero's Apartment
- DWMA Girls' Dorm
- DWMA Boys' Dorm: Is is known that the DWMA also provides a dormitory for the males. According to Raid's opinion, the dormitories are described as "crappy".[4]
Notable Areas
Businesses
Law Enforcement
Hook Cemetery
Main article: Hook Cemetery
Hook Cemetery
Hook Cemetery is the local cemetery on the outskirts of Death City, where Maka Albarn and Black☆Star first battled the resurrected zombie Sid Barrett.
Blair's (Former) Home
Since the silhouette of the DWMA is seen from Blair's old house in the anime, it is assumed that Blair already lived in Death City before encountering Maka and Soul.
Blair's old home was located in a forest (although the trees contained large glowing orange orbs instead of leaves) and was shaped like a pumpkin jack-o'-lantern (which Soul thought was 'cool'). In the manga, a symbol resembling a bat with a star is above the front door.
The only room inside that is shown is the rather spacious bathroom, in which Soul jumps into via a large window facing the bathtub. The bathroom was decorated with pumpkin-shaped lamps.
Deathbucks Cafe
Main article: Deathbucks Café
Deathbucks Café
A parody of the famous real-life Starbucks, Deathbucks is a popular cafe in Death City. Many the DWMA students and staff alike come to visit for a cup of its famous coffee brewed by the Master, although it is often mistaken that they come to the cafe just to see the the DWMA students. It is shown as a gathering place for some of the students of Death City.
Deathbucks is one of the cafes that accept students trying to earn money to work as waiters/waitresses. It seems to be a popular choice for some female students, as the work is not that physically demanding and many employees think the uniforms are "very cute."
It was mistakenly spelled 'Deathbacks Cafe' in Chapter 3 of Soul Eater NOT!
Uncle Bob's Rumba Coffee
A small coffee shop that is only in the anime. Run by the titular Uncle Bob, it is a coffee shop that Joe Buttataki is very fond of, saying that its coffee is so good, it makes people dance. It is temporarily closed down throughout the series, much to Joe's dismay, but it reopens again after Asura's defeat.
Death Robbins and 42 Ice Cream
Death City residents have ice cream from Death Robbins and 42 Ice Cream, which may be the same location. Both are parodies of the real life ice cream chain, Baskin Robbins, known for its 41 flavors of ice cream. Black☆Star, Tsubaki and the Thompson sisters have ice cream from Death Robbins while at a Death City fountain[5], while Jacqueline O'Lantern Dupré took Kim Diehl to 42 Ice Cream, only to be followed by Tsugumi Harudori and her meisters, as Kim owed them money for their earlier work cleaning the local pool.[6]
Deathsteraunt
A well-known French restaurant in Death City, famous for its good quality. Inside, it looks incredibly grand and posh. Joe Buttataki asked Marie Mjolnir on a date to the Deathsteraunt because she loves French cuisine. Unfortunately, Joe did not arrive for his date when Justin Law murdered him in a Death City alley.
Additional cafes and restaurants
Death City also hosts a number of additional European-style cafes, such as one which Akane took Tsugumi Harudori to discuss her goals in NOT classes.
Death Shipping Delivery Service
Ox working for Death Shipping
Main article: Death Shipping This delivery service in Death City serves numerous customers, including Deathbucks. Ox Ford worked for this company.
Death Records
A record shop that accepts part-time work from the DWMA students.
Drugstore
A drugstore that also accepts part-time work from the DWMA students.
Barbershop
Appearing only in the anime, the barbershop's marquee is decorated in white, blue, and red, with a barberpole of the same colors. The front window has a poster with Death on it. Inside, at least one chair is available, with a work-station including a mirror, bottles of hair treatment, a stool, and scissors and clippers.[7]
Fishmonger's
The fishmonger's shop is a favorite stop for Chupa♡Cabra's Blair, as the proprietor is attracted to her and often gives her free fish.
Flower Shop
Flower shop
Residents purchase flowers for peers, as when Tsugumi and her friends bought some for a recovering Eternal Feather.
Chupa♡Cabra's
Main article: Chupa♡Cabra's
The cabaret club run by the witches Risa and Arisa, and the cat Blair.
Basketball Court
The main characters sometimes turn up to the court to play basketball in their free time. The court is surrounded by trees and some walls with graffiti painted on them and has a few benches on the edge of the court.
Swimming Pool
To beat the heat, Death City has a swimming pool that features diving boards, and shallow and deep ends. The facility also includes a storage room (which tends to be left in the dark without sufficient lighting) and a locker room for visitors to change into swimming attire and store their belongings.
Ahead of summer, the pool's managers will hire DWMA students to assist in cleaning the pool.
Movie Theater
Appearing only in the anime, the movie theater appears to be a slightly weathered building, its neighborhood's alleys having trash and empty boxes in front of its entrance, and panels missing from its entrance's pillars. The building's marquee has a large star and damaged letters spelling "ROD SHOW."[7]
The theater has at least one screening room, which includes a stage in front of the screen, a star atop the marquee similar to the one on the marquee, and numerous rows of seat, which for one film starring Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, manages to fill all seats. The theater also seems to have garbage or seems to serve concessions, as theater attendees are able to throw refuge at any person who interrupts the movie.[7]
Dormitories
Main article: Death Weapon Meister Academy
The dormitories housing DWMA students.
Marketplace
The unnamed marketplace sells produce, drinks, furnishing, and other odds and ends, always lively during the day with customers.
Square
The square in Death City is not shown that often, but Black☆Star, Tsubaki, Liz and Patti are seen to eat their ice cream in the square, sitting by the fountain in the centre of it, which may mean that it is a hangout for some students. In the anime, Maka searches for Crona near one fountain.[8]
Death Pain Square
Similar to the marketplace, the location for the Death Bazaar includes wide spaces along stairways and near fountains, where Death City residents may sell their goods. Many DWMA students visit the bazaar, whether to buy new items or to sell unwanted items for money or to save space in their homes.
Death Festival Arenas
Main Article: Death Festival
Death Festival arena
Near the location of the Death Bazaar, the DWMA hosts a tournament every Halloween. This event is so popular that it draws out numerous spectators and vendors. The areas include a grassy arena and a colloseum.
Square of Liberty
Gathered around a statue of Columbia, resembling the Statue of Liberty, this square is where Shaula Gorgon and Meme Tatane kill Sid Barrett with that very same statue.
Casino
Casino
Appropriate for a city nicknamed "Death Vegas," Death City features a casino. Meme Tatane was lucky enough to win—and clean out the casino's holdings.[9]
Grissom Street
Near the Casino is Grissom Street, which in contrast to many parts of Death City seems to be a less refined area of the city. The neighborhood includes not only the Casino but also bars. On Grissom Street, one entrepreneur manages his souvenir cart, which was destroyed by Meme Tatane's attempt to run with its increased weight to exercise harder.[9] Grissom Street looks similar to the alley where Anya Hepburn was confronted by Traitor (Prototype 2) in the anime.[10]
Alleys
Death City has numerous alleys, many covered with graffiti and posters featuring Death and the Death Weapon Meister Academy to advertise the DWMA, announce challenge duels, and to post warnings. Some posters include images of the Moon.[11]
While characters such as Anya Hepburn, Kim Diehl, and Meme Tatane retreat to Death City's numerous alleys to avoid other people,[9][12][13] the alleys are the setting for dark and disturbing encounters. In one alley, Medusa Gorgon confronts Eruka and the oldest Mizune sister,[11] possesses Rachel Boyd, and meets with Crona. Justin also kills Joe Buttataki in one alley.
Airport
Death City has its own airport. This enables people from all over the world to travel to Death City or vice versa.[14]
Death Theatre
Near the grassy area for the Death Festival, this theatre has glass doors with a sign above featuring a skull.[15]
Additional Shops
Death City features a variety of shops catering to the varied interests of its residents, likely due to the number of students coming to the city from around the world. Shops include a glassblower shop.[16]
Trivia
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- While many were believed to have thought Death City was simply surrounded by a desert, this is may have always been incorrect. In one of the flashbacks when Death explained to Asura on why he changed his mask,[17] a background filled with grass and tree's can be seen in the background. This flashback was assumed to have taken place after Death sealed away Asura.
- Its appearance also seems to resemble the settings seen in Tim Burton and David Lynch films.
- Animal life in Death City is varied. Domesticated animals include dogs, cats, and even sloths[18] and messenger bats.[19] As Medusa Gorgon, Eruka Frog, the Mizune Family, and Kim Diehl are able to impersonate their animal familiars without raising suspicion, residents do not seem surprised to see snakes, frogs, mice, and tanuki in the city.[20] As well, non-domesticated bats and also birds are seen in the city.[21]
- Emergency services in Death City include paramedics.[22]
References
- ↑ Soul Eater Manga: Chapter 23
- ↑ Story section at anime's official website (Japanese). Retrieved on 2008-04-20.
- ↑ Soul Eater NOT! Volume 4.5, Page 38
- ↑ Soul Eater NOT! Volume 1; Chapter 1, page 33
- ↑ Soul Eater Manga: Chapter 64
- ↑ Soul Eater NOT! Manga: Chapter 9 (NOT!)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedEp32 - ↑ Soul Eater Anime: Episode 39
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Soul Eater NOT! Anime: Episode 9
- ↑ Soul Eater NOT! Anime: Episode 3 (NOT!)
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Soul Eater Manga: Episode 12
- ↑ Soul Eater NOT! Anime: Episode 4
- ↑ Soul Eater NOT! Anime: Episode 5
- ↑ Soul Eater Not! Episode 1
- ↑ Soul Eater NOT! Manga: Volume 5, Chapter 27, Yen Press English eBook, Page 60
- ↑ Soul Eater NOT! Manga: Chapter 6, Volume 2, Yen Press English translation, ebook, Page 187
- ↑ Fight of the Gods: Death City's Collapse Crisis?
- ↑ Soul Eater NOT! Episode 9
- ↑ Soul Eater NOT! Chapter 18
- ↑ Soul Eater Chapter 9, Chapter 29; 'Soul Eater NOT! Chapter 29
- ↑ Soul Eater Chapter 1, Chapter 6
- ↑ Soul Eater NOT! Manga: Chapter 15. Bystander: "Someone call the paramedics!"