Okay so I watched OVA and I do wonder who went where.
Old guy after getting a success in life started wasting it for many years or even decades he was just sitting while young one lived life to its fullest.
Hard to tell if young guy would not turn same as he was pretty smart but its not like it matters in the end. Its just as Decim said with life not being fair itself and as young guy said that life of people in unequal so they should not get judged with same measures. For example being old and young man are two very different things as life can turn you into almost completely different person than you were closer to start when you are at its finish.
At start Old guys wish before death was to eat a pickle and it seemed that he was on terms with death since long time ago while young guy wanted to live and didnt thought seriously what he wants to do before death as he was not ready for it. Sport is one of best ways if not the best to check persons character and its metaphor of life in a way as to become better at sport you will have to reflect on your mistakes and improve. Thats why authors picked this way to "judge" most likely.
Gramps was a winner in life so he was into not compromising and pretty egoistic still wanting to live on even at old age, still wasting days over and over while young guy had most of his life left to live and use and he was eager to do so. Yet old guy reflected on it thanks to billard match.
If they went anywhere then old guy went to hell and young guy into better place but its not how we can judge what happened and thats why I pretty much loved OVA and have even more thoughts on it…
I guess that in fact purpose of playing game was to reflect person on her/his life before getting reincarnated and getting another chance. Decim wished them both good luck in their future endeavors so it was hint that everything does not end for either of them.
So at same time I expect heaven or hell was all a lie and gramps asked Decim if he is right by thinking there is no heaven and hell. Old guy knew that there is non of it and that they will return to cycle so to say, thats why he was so calm and he smiled not "bcoz evil" but because he was happy that he will reincarnate, get chance to restart and have another life as a winner in life, this time not wasting it. Regret is better sign for future if reincarnated, no regrets is also sign that person didnt compromised on came to therms with his / her life.
Oh oh oh and strings are metaphor on how we are just going through life having just part of decision on how life will go for us as we are unable to move until we accept our lifes for what they are. Understanding that you dont have all of the control over life itself, decisions and you are just a human being with all faults humans do have sets you free, just as with strings being removed as young guy accepted things as hard as they were for him.
Some few thoughts just after finishing OVA like 15minutes ago, so what do you people think?
Sorry if I pulled down somebodys experience of future episodes with my awesome interpretation of OVA
Some extra thoughts:
-
there was a question on what happens if somebody will refuse playing game and there were shown puppets tied with strings that looked like dead bodies - so if somebody didnt played game they could not reflect on anything and they would not be able to improve their next lives if they gotten a chance for it and that way they become puppets tied with strings during their lives, living same line of life they lived before
-
avoiding becoming a puppet so to say was reason why old man smiled, learning his lesson and being happy that he will be able to not waste his next incarnation, even while not having same consciousness, his soul learned lesson
-
line form girl at ending kind of confirms what I wrote about billard being means to figure out something
-
Decim refuses answering any questions on result or anything he is being asked as giving answer would waste game by most likely somebody answers about game too soon