In a comparative analysis essay the writer must compare and contrast two works, whether they are essays, stories, movies or even songs. The point of a comparative analysis essay is to get a better understanding on each work. The writer must show the reader how these certain works relate to each other. The animated Television series Deadman Wonderland and the movie Gladiator both compare and contrast to each other very distinctively. The main story line and plot of these works are uncannily similar, although the story line seems to be quite generic where there is a hero who is betrayed and must retaliate. In Deadman Wonderland and Gladiator the main character plays the role of an unsuspecting hero who is betrayed by his own people and country, and then is captured. The captured hero must then fight other captives. The main character is forced to fight, kill, and suffer all the while making their way to the top of the ranks to earn their freedom. Even though their unexpected journeys seem perilous and quite deadly, these main characters seem to still make unlikely friendships. These friendships become very helpful in the long run, and are very vital to the success of the hero.

Deadman Wonderland is an animated television series made in Japan. This particular type of media is categorized under the genre Anime. Anime is actually considered an art form in Japan, so contrary to popular belief these shows are not just kid shows and are very well made. Because these cartoons are considered an art form, they are also made for audiences generally from children to what would be considered an R-rated show in America as rated by the Motion Picture of America. These animated series are often based off the Japanese comic book writing style known as manga. Deadman Wonderland is about a child named Ganta. Ganta, who is in middle school, is in class when all of a sudden a mysterious man murders the entire class. This man left Ganta alive, but framed Ganta for the murder of his entire class. After Ganta is convicted, he is sent to the prison called Deadman Wonderland as a member of death row. While in prison Ganta is determined to find the man who murdered his entire class, and exact his revenge. Due to a long, spanned out series of twisted events, before and after Ganta's conviction, he becomes fused with a red crystal. Ganta starts to develop the ability to manipulate his own blood to turn it into a weapon. Because Ganta obtains these abilities through the fusion with the mysterious red crystal, he is considered to be one of the prisons's "deadmen". The deadmen in this prison are forced to participate in brutal death matches of head on combat as a form of entertainment to anonymous spectators, who pay very large amounts of money to watch. 

Gladiator is a movie that tells the story of a roman general whose name is Maximus. Through a series of unfortunate events, a lot of drama, and jealousy Maximus and his family are sentenced to death. The main character Maximus Decimus Meridias is ucapable to save his family, because he is so far away from them that he cannot and would not be able to get home fast enough. Upon Maximus' arrival he comes to a burnt down house he would have used to own and his wife and son who were brutally tortured and murdered then put on display for Maximus' arrival. Maximus is so devastated by this sight that he has a completely broken will. Maximus then surrenders and is then placed into the gladiator games in the hopes that he will die in front of a large audience as part of humiliation. Maximus is then determined to win his freedom so that he may face the man who had his family slaughtered and take his rightful revenge. 

These two works are similar through the plot and main story line, the motivation for the hero to be free, and the friendships they make to help the hero triumph over evil. In Deadman Wonderland Ganta befriends a girl who is in prison but is odd and peculiar. The girls name is Shiro and even though she is trapped in prison with Ganta, she is so care free that she might as well not even be a prisoner. This is in comparison with the movie Gladiator because Maximus befriends his trainer and owner whose name is Proximo. Proximo is an ex-gladiator who earned his way to freedom. Because Proximo and Shiro are both characters that befriend the main character and have a good bit of prior knowledge to pass down to the hero as to how everything works in these places, these characters have similar relationships to the hero. In Deadman Wonderland the other unlikely friendship is that of a fellow deadman. Ganta's first fight is against a man named Senji. After Ganta wins this fight and after a good bit of dialogue, Ganta then befriends Senji and they become comrades. In Gladiator Maximus befriends a fellow gladiator named Juba. Because Senji and Juba are essentially in the same boat as the main character and they help their companions fight for their freedom, these companions are similar. The only difference between the two is that Juba did not start off as an enemy of the hero. The main story line of both Deadman Wonderland and Gladiator takes an unsuspecting person with special abilities and turns their lives and their worlds entirely upside down, from being on top of the world and fitting in with society to being made to look evil in front of all their peers. Even though their adventures seem completely out of the blue, it seems that out of everyone in their world, that one specific person in that one specific situation can and will manage to overcome the struggle in the end. In both of these works luck and fate are huge benefactors to these main characters. Because of the grizzly styled combat and fight scenes, the story line, the friendships, the motivation of the main characters, and the hardships they must endure by seeing friends, family, and loved ones die, these two works are similar.

Deadman Wonderland and Gladiator are also different in a multitude of ways. In Deadman Wonderland the hero is a child as opposed to a grown man who is already married with children. The fact that the child is the lead role in Deadman Wonderland would suggest that this animated television series' audience is meant for a younger age group, even though the violence and gore would suggest otherwise. This particular portrayal of the main character as a child in a more adulterated show is very unique and not as common in the United States. The hero in Gladiator plays as a generic younger, but not too young, male who is at the peak of his physical capability and skill, which is why Gladiator is only a movie because the main character has no room for improvement. Gladiator is opposed to Deadman Wonderland in this sense because the hero in Deadman Wonderland is a young boy who has just obtained his power, and because he must learn to use and develop his power over time, this offers more an easier route to playing out the story line for much longer than Gladiator. This is why Deadman Wonderland is a television series and not just a movie. Both of the works are works of fiction. Gladiator is more of a realistic fiction movie because it is based on real events, some real people, and offers a lot of historical background information during this time like how the coliseums were structured and used. Gladiator shows how gladiators were treated during this time, this movie also portrays the clothing and somewhat lifestyle of the people at this time. Gladiator shows that even so long ago humans were only interested in blood and violence as a form of ruthless entertainment. Deadman Wonderland is more of a fantasy fiction due to the fact that in this universe an enormous earthquake has destroyed and sunk three-fourths of Tokyo into the ocean, which is where this animated series takes place. Not only is the destroyed city the only reason Deadman Wonderland a fantasy fiction, but the super human capabilities of the deadmen makes for a better understanding as to just how off the wall this is from ordinary life. The final difference is the time periods. Deadman Wonderland is based in the modern era, while Gladiator is based somewhere around 300 A.D. 

Through comparing and contrasting these two works, there are many similarities and differences between these two works. The main story lines are both very similar and can give off a better understanding of each work on how the main character is feeling towards their predicament. Both of the works give a better understanding on the psychology of the main characters, and how the main characters are portrayed as evil but become the underdog that works towards justice. Even though both of these works are placed in different universes and different time frames, these works just go to show how justifiable the hero in each works psychological state is and that no matter what, good morals and beliefs will drive a human to overcome evil, because that is just how humans work, the good always wins. 

