Darker than Black (DTB) Report!
Well, finally I moved up my lazy butt to write a report about a new anime series I finished to watch recentely. I mean "Darker than Black".
I spent around two weeks watching it with Spanish subs, and I what I have to say is it's an odd series.
Here goes the first opening...
*Darker Than Black- Full Report"
Lately I've noticed a clear evolution in anime. It's pretty obvious if you take a look at the later Slayers series (for example) and you compare them with newest series such like "FullMetal Alchemist", "Blood+", "DeathNote", etc... It seems there aren't pink haired characters anymore, their features are more realistic (in spite they still being manga-like), there are real nations such like England, France, Russia or China, and not only Japan or States. And overall, there is an air or "cinic parody" about many matters, even certain intromission in politics and such... I can tell later manga series have certain resemblances with Spanish tebeos (comics) which always have been quite critic and realistic with society. Even it shows a parody of a very popular manga-anime; on this case, it's a fake anime called "Morice no Vara", which is a clear parody of "Versalles no Vara" turned into a bishonen story. Go figures...
DTB is, indeed, a good sample of those animes from the newest generations.
It also is an odd series. For the start, the approach to the story is different. It's 25 episodies + 1OVA (which is a gang story, really), instead the usual 26 episodies. It also is told by mini-stories that ranged over two episodies, except for episodie 23, that is just single. Those short stories are the main character's missions and they are related between them, but you can follow the story without seeing one or two of them.
The ambient also is realistic; as usual, Japan is the main focus, but the characters are from many nations and the "big event" happened in Brazil, which makes the series is aware of the rest of the world. And that's good. It also has many hints about real world, but I guess it's because publicity; for example, along the series, you can see many logos about Nifty and PizzaHut (really!) which is because those companies sponsored the series. It makes it realistic (I guess Tokyo will have tons of those posters around), but it's kinda annoying to see so many publicity around.
The story is hard to follow, though. I really need to watch the series again. The air is serious, too, but it has many gag scennes and events.
Well, the series are about certain kind of humans called "Contractors" and "Dolls", which have interesting powers; in return for using them, they have to pay certain cost, doing something that don't use to be pleasing for them. For example, November11, who can manipulate water and turn it into ice and such, has to smoke cigarretes after using his powers... something he really hates. Amber, another contractor, becomes younger and younger after using her "Stoping the time flow" powers, etc, etc.. I find it's a nice touch because I never saw a series where the character with powers has to pay for using them.
Dolls, on the other hand, are different. They have interesting powers, such like watching the distances throw certain objects, such like glasses (which makes them the perfect spies), but they seem to lack of will or any desire, and they just follow orders.
After watching the series, I don't find clear why they have such powers. Apparentely, they made a contract with a "Meteorit?" in order to gain those powers; every of them is tied up with a false star on the night sky, so if one of them is killed or something, that start just disapear. In return for using their powers, they have to pay for those and they become quite amoral, therefore they only act due their personal interes, and not because some moral sense. As a result, they're the perfect secret agents, and many govermnets hire them in order to gain power.
This is the main premise, but the story is more messy than just that. It seems all contractors work for The Organitation, a dark political entity that seems to control *everything* in the end, along the greater part of humanity remains ignorant of this. In fact, the story starts when the main character (who happen to be Chinesse, go figures) starts a new mission in Japan, playing the role of "I'm just a studient". Mostly of the story involves his missions, the affairs with his gang, and certain Division police that is chasing them, but doesn't get closer enough.
In the end, everything seems to belong to a "big plan", but as I told, I need to watch the series again.
Please, don't give them up because I didn't caught all the sense. The series are enjoyable by themselves, and they also have tons of funny moments. It also has certain soft romance on going, such like Yin/Hei... Amber/Hei.... Kirahara/Hei... which, frankly, I give a damn because it's too soft and I dont' see anything really clear, in spite Y/H is very popular among Japanese fans, and K/H is among western fans. Hei's aren't the only ones,of course.
Characters, parodies, action, everything of those are enjoyable. Besides, it also has a neat animation that takes care of little details, such like the water flow, for example. I recomend it, both, anime and OVA. The manga, which can be found at here, seems to be the typical manga done after a series become popular. I haven't read too much about it, either.
*Characters*
DTB is pretty eclectic about its characters. As I told previously, later anime series tend to be realistic and you can see it on the characters; their features are realistic, therefore you can even identificate the nationality of some characters, even if they're under manga conventions. It also lacks of a "starring" character, even if there is a main character... I mean, every character has his/her own chance to shine, to being useful in some way, and basically, having a story. You can follow the story about the main character, but you also can put an eye of the rest of the cast, which is good... or a least I find it good since I use to fix my eyes on minor characters.
Now, let's take a look to the main people here...
*Hei aka Ling-kun, aka "the Black Shinnigami"
He's the main character, and he's chinesse... or at least, he looks far more oriental people than Japanese people in comon animes, which tend to be amusing since Japanese characters in anime aren't anything but Japanese. Oh, well... Ling has all the cliche conventions of chinesse characters in anime.
He's somehow, unusual. On certain way, he's dark, used to kill and has many things to regret. For other side, he can be really quiet and a good companion, although he never allow others to get closer to him. His story isn't very clear, at least for me; sometimes he seems to be looking for his sister, Bai, which he has deep inside him or something, because he got his powers from her (this means to control electricity). In the end, the only reasons to him for keeping moving up are just personal.
What I find more amusing of him is how different he can be acording with the role he's playing: he can be clumspy, shy, common, or very dark. Sometimes it's hard to figure him out.
*Yin, aka Kirshi:
She belongs to Hei's gang, and works along him, Mao and Huang. She belongs to the other kind of contratist, the Dolls, so apparentely she lacks of will and just follow orders and uses water to focus her powers. As far I've seen, she's pretty popular in Japanese fandom, but wester fand don't seem to like her that much, although they don't hate her, either... which is good.
Yin is in fact, from Finland, and she has the usual conventions of north people in anime: blue-light blonde hair and red eyes, pretty much alike Asgard characters in Saint Seiya. Yin is different from usual dolls, indeed she has will, and likes "Morice no Vara" anime, but those are so subtly than you hardly can tell how much will she has. Yin also likes or seems to have feelings for Hei, in her own odd way. As a result of popularity, the couple is very popular in Japanese fandom, but not among western fans. I don't mind, though.
*Mao, the black cat.
Perhaps my favorite character. He's a contratist that was able to change his body with animals'... but due some accident, he lost his human body and his mind is enclosed in a black cats' one. It allows him to move around without being took seriously, but he's in fact, very smart. What I like about him the most is his crud humor sense, as well the fact he plays the cat-role when he wants to play dumb. It also makes he hates when cats are in the season of mating. He seems to be very popular among female cats, which is a pain for him.
Mao works with Hei's gang, and he likes the umpredectible ways of Hei, but in the end, he's a loyal companion.
*Huang
The only truth human in Hei's gang, and a sweeter character than he seems to be. Huang's only sin is to be "ugly" (as he, himself, admit in anime) because it makes him to have a serious lack of fans, in spite of his humanity. Huang is harsh and cinic, but he likes his companions. He also is one of the rare humans that is aware of contratist existence because he learned it by himself, therefore he's really afraid of the Organitation. In certain way, I pity him.
*Misaki Kirihara.
The Section-Chief of the Foreign Affairs Division 4. And yes, she's the typical police woman that is investingating what the heck is happening and get's too closer to Hei and his gang. She's serious, good worker, good friend, have strong convictions, etc... As far I've seen, she's the most popular female character among western fans, and many of them like to pair her with Hei. I'm not so sure how seriously you can take that fact, but since I don't mind romance in this series, I don't care.
Now, even if she's an enyojable character... I find her to be pretty closer to the typical policewoman cliche. I'd like something on her to make any difference.
*November11 aka Jack Simon.
He's a contratist from England, which surely you can figure out looking at his features. As I told previously, this series have certain odd resemblance with "Blood+", if you count the characters desing and their personalities. November11 is similar to Van Argiano somehow, but more serious. His power lays over water -like Yin does- but freezing it; and he's good with this.
He's seems to be rival of Hei, and he works along Kirihara, although he seems to be other mission, too. Kiriahara and him both, have an interesting relationship, although I don't find it romantic. November acid behaviour and such makes him to be charismatic. I'm surprised he hasn't too many fans.
*Gai Kurasawa aka Matsukichi Gai The private Detective.
He's just the opposite of Kirihara. Apparentely and old policeman recicled into detective. He also carries with cliche characteristics about detectivs back 1930 decade, even on his outfit. However, he's pretty much an humorous character because his childish and capricious character, his lack of luck in spite he thinks he's the best since the sliced bread, and his harhs relationship with his helper. He, however, ends up having a mayor role and is more serious than he seems to be.
*Kiko Kayanuma, the Detective's helper.
Yin's friend, besides the gang. AS stranger as it seems to be. She's the detective helper and has far more common sense than him... but she's an otaku. An otaku of "Morice no Vara" anime, crazy doujinshi collector, among others, so she has all the sterotypes of an anime fan: pink hair, odd clothes (which a strong resemblance to "Utena"'s) and crazy behaviour. She befriens Yin and introduces her into anine, as odd as it sounds. However, I find her interesting because her crazy behaviour doesn't stop her to be a good worker. I really admit that her cracks me up.
There are other many characters, too. Too many to be counted, and all them are interesting in some way. But what surprises me the most are their resemblances with characters from other animes, such like Misato from "Evangelion", Kiko has resemblances with Utena (and basically any magical girl character), Jack Simons is similar to Van Argiano, etc, etc... Coincidence? Parodies? Or just a cliche? I don't know, but asI said, later animes seem to be like that.
Finally, this is my favorite AMV about the series. It is made with fragments of the begining episodies (so it's safe, there aren't spoilers) and the song fits really well the scennes. "Eisblume" by Sudway to Sally (not Eisblumen) , in Germany. I love to listen cool songs in different languages than English or Spanish :p
HERE.
I spent around two weeks watching it with Spanish subs, and I what I have to say is it's an odd series.
Here goes the first opening...
Click to view*Darker Than Black- Full Report"
Lately I've noticed a clear evolution in anime. It's pretty obvious if you take a look at the later Slayers series (for example) and you compare them with newest series such like "FullMetal Alchemist", "Blood+", "DeathNote", etc... It seems there aren't pink haired characters anymore, their features are more realistic (in spite they still being manga-like), there are real nations such like England, France, Russia or China, and not only Japan or States. And overall, there is an air or "cinic parody" about many matters, even certain intromission in politics and such... I can tell later manga series have certain resemblances with Spanish tebeos (comics) which always have been quite critic and realistic with society. Even it shows a parody of a very popular manga-anime; on this case, it's a fake anime called "Morice no Vara", which is a clear parody of "Versalles no Vara" turned into a bishonen story. Go figures...
DTB is, indeed, a good sample of those animes from the newest generations.
It also is an odd series. For the start, the approach to the story is different. It's 25 episodies + 1OVA (which is a gang story, really), instead the usual 26 episodies. It also is told by mini-stories that ranged over two episodies, except for episodie 23, that is just single. Those short stories are the main character's missions and they are related between them, but you can follow the story without seeing one or two of them.
The ambient also is realistic; as usual, Japan is the main focus, but the characters are from many nations and the "big event" happened in Brazil, which makes the series is aware of the rest of the world. And that's good. It also has many hints about real world, but I guess it's because publicity; for example, along the series, you can see many logos about Nifty and PizzaHut (really!) which is because those companies sponsored the series. It makes it realistic (I guess Tokyo will have tons of those posters around), but it's kinda annoying to see so many publicity around.
The story is hard to follow, though. I really need to watch the series again. The air is serious, too, but it has many gag scennes and events.
Well, the series are about certain kind of humans called "Contractors" and "Dolls", which have interesting powers; in return for using them, they have to pay certain cost, doing something that don't use to be pleasing for them. For example, November11, who can manipulate water and turn it into ice and such, has to smoke cigarretes after using his powers... something he really hates. Amber, another contractor, becomes younger and younger after using her "Stoping the time flow" powers, etc, etc.. I find it's a nice touch because I never saw a series where the character with powers has to pay for using them.
Dolls, on the other hand, are different. They have interesting powers, such like watching the distances throw certain objects, such like glasses (which makes them the perfect spies), but they seem to lack of will or any desire, and they just follow orders.
After watching the series, I don't find clear why they have such powers. Apparentely, they made a contract with a "Meteorit?" in order to gain those powers; every of them is tied up with a false star on the night sky, so if one of them is killed or something, that start just disapear. In return for using their powers, they have to pay for those and they become quite amoral, therefore they only act due their personal interes, and not because some moral sense. As a result, they're the perfect secret agents, and many govermnets hire them in order to gain power.
This is the main premise, but the story is more messy than just that. It seems all contractors work for The Organitation, a dark political entity that seems to control *everything* in the end, along the greater part of humanity remains ignorant of this. In fact, the story starts when the main character (who happen to be Chinesse, go figures) starts a new mission in Japan, playing the role of "I'm just a studient". Mostly of the story involves his missions, the affairs with his gang, and certain Division police that is chasing them, but doesn't get closer enough.
In the end, everything seems to belong to a "big plan", but as I told, I need to watch the series again.
Please, don't give them up because I didn't caught all the sense. The series are enjoyable by themselves, and they also have tons of funny moments. It also has certain soft romance on going, such like Yin/Hei... Amber/Hei.... Kirahara/Hei... which, frankly, I give a damn because it's too soft and I dont' see anything really clear, in spite Y/H is very popular among Japanese fans, and K/H is among western fans. Hei's aren't the only ones,of course.
Characters, parodies, action, everything of those are enjoyable. Besides, it also has a neat animation that takes care of little details, such like the water flow, for example. I recomend it, both, anime and OVA. The manga, which can be found at here, seems to be the typical manga done after a series become popular. I haven't read too much about it, either.
*Characters*
DTB is pretty eclectic about its characters. As I told previously, later anime series tend to be realistic and you can see it on the characters; their features are realistic, therefore you can even identificate the nationality of some characters, even if they're under manga conventions. It also lacks of a "starring" character, even if there is a main character... I mean, every character has his/her own chance to shine, to being useful in some way, and basically, having a story. You can follow the story about the main character, but you also can put an eye of the rest of the cast, which is good... or a least I find it good since I use to fix my eyes on minor characters.
Now, let's take a look to the main people here...
*Hei aka Ling-kun, aka "the Black Shinnigami"
He's the main character, and he's chinesse... or at least, he looks far more oriental people than Japanese people in comon animes, which tend to be amusing since Japanese characters in anime aren't anything but Japanese. Oh, well... Ling has all the cliche conventions of chinesse characters in anime.
He's somehow, unusual. On certain way, he's dark, used to kill and has many things to regret. For other side, he can be really quiet and a good companion, although he never allow others to get closer to him. His story isn't very clear, at least for me; sometimes he seems to be looking for his sister, Bai, which he has deep inside him or something, because he got his powers from her (this means to control electricity). In the end, the only reasons to him for keeping moving up are just personal.
What I find more amusing of him is how different he can be acording with the role he's playing: he can be clumspy, shy, common, or very dark. Sometimes it's hard to figure him out.
*Yin, aka Kirshi:
She belongs to Hei's gang, and works along him, Mao and Huang. She belongs to the other kind of contratist, the Dolls, so apparentely she lacks of will and just follow orders and uses water to focus her powers. As far I've seen, she's pretty popular in Japanese fandom, but wester fand don't seem to like her that much, although they don't hate her, either... which is good.
Yin is in fact, from Finland, and she has the usual conventions of north people in anime: blue-light blonde hair and red eyes, pretty much alike Asgard characters in Saint Seiya. Yin is different from usual dolls, indeed she has will, and likes "Morice no Vara" anime, but those are so subtly than you hardly can tell how much will she has. Yin also likes or seems to have feelings for Hei, in her own odd way. As a result of popularity, the couple is very popular in Japanese fandom, but not among western fans. I don't mind, though.
*Mao, the black cat.
Perhaps my favorite character. He's a contratist that was able to change his body with animals'... but due some accident, he lost his human body and his mind is enclosed in a black cats' one. It allows him to move around without being took seriously, but he's in fact, very smart. What I like about him the most is his crud humor sense, as well the fact he plays the cat-role when he wants to play dumb. It also makes he hates when cats are in the season of mating. He seems to be very popular among female cats, which is a pain for him.
Mao works with Hei's gang, and he likes the umpredectible ways of Hei, but in the end, he's a loyal companion.
*Huang
The only truth human in Hei's gang, and a sweeter character than he seems to be. Huang's only sin is to be "ugly" (as he, himself, admit in anime) because it makes him to have a serious lack of fans, in spite of his humanity. Huang is harsh and cinic, but he likes his companions. He also is one of the rare humans that is aware of contratist existence because he learned it by himself, therefore he's really afraid of the Organitation. In certain way, I pity him.
*Misaki Kirihara.
The Section-Chief of the Foreign Affairs Division 4. And yes, she's the typical police woman that is investingating what the heck is happening and get's too closer to Hei and his gang. She's serious, good worker, good friend, have strong convictions, etc... As far I've seen, she's the most popular female character among western fans, and many of them like to pair her with Hei. I'm not so sure how seriously you can take that fact, but since I don't mind romance in this series, I don't care.
Now, even if she's an enyojable character... I find her to be pretty closer to the typical policewoman cliche. I'd like something on her to make any difference.
*November11 aka Jack Simon.
He's a contratist from England, which surely you can figure out looking at his features. As I told previously, this series have certain odd resemblance with "Blood+", if you count the characters desing and their personalities. November11 is similar to Van Argiano somehow, but more serious. His power lays over water -like Yin does- but freezing it; and he's good with this.
He's seems to be rival of Hei, and he works along Kirihara, although he seems to be other mission, too. Kiriahara and him both, have an interesting relationship, although I don't find it romantic. November acid behaviour and such makes him to be charismatic. I'm surprised he hasn't too many fans.
*Gai Kurasawa aka Matsukichi Gai The private Detective.
He's just the opposite of Kirihara. Apparentely and old policeman recicled into detective. He also carries with cliche characteristics about detectivs back 1930 decade, even on his outfit. However, he's pretty much an humorous character because his childish and capricious character, his lack of luck in spite he thinks he's the best since the sliced bread, and his harhs relationship with his helper. He, however, ends up having a mayor role and is more serious than he seems to be.
*Kiko Kayanuma, the Detective's helper.
Yin's friend, besides the gang. AS stranger as it seems to be. She's the detective helper and has far more common sense than him... but she's an otaku. An otaku of "Morice no Vara" anime, crazy doujinshi collector, among others, so she has all the sterotypes of an anime fan: pink hair, odd clothes (which a strong resemblance to "Utena"'s) and crazy behaviour. She befriens Yin and introduces her into anine, as odd as it sounds. However, I find her interesting because her crazy behaviour doesn't stop her to be a good worker. I really admit that her cracks me up.
There are other many characters, too. Too many to be counted, and all them are interesting in some way. But what surprises me the most are their resemblances with characters from other animes, such like Misato from "Evangelion", Kiko has resemblances with Utena (and basically any magical girl character), Jack Simons is similar to Van Argiano, etc, etc... Coincidence? Parodies? Or just a cliche? I don't know, but asI said, later animes seem to be like that.
Finally, this is my favorite AMV about the series. It is made with fragments of the begining episodies (so it's safe, there aren't spoilers) and the song fits really well the scennes. "Eisblume" by Sudway to Sally (not Eisblumen) , in Germany. I love to listen cool songs in different languages than English or Spanish :p
HERE.