DVD Review: Darker than Black: the Complete First Season

Darker than Black: the Complete First Season

(Funimation, 625 minutes)

http://www.funimation.com/darkerthanblack/

In the not too distant future, a distortion in Earth’s atmosphere finds Tokyo surrounded by the mysterious Hell’s gate, while South America plays home to a similar Heaven’s gate. From these formations come puzzling events such as the disappearance of the stars as well as the birth of the contractors, humans endowed with unique powers. In exchange for their powers, contractors must separate themselves from all emotional reasoning and pay a specific price.

BK201, aka Hei, is arguably the most infamous of this new breed, wielding electro kinesis in his work for a suspicious group known as the Syndicate, eliminating both humans and contractors alike. Unlike other contractors, BK201’s power requires no cost nor was he forced to forsake his emotions. While his loyalty to the group appears to be absolute, his true motives are a secret to all, as he uses their influence to search for his sister.

Darker than Black is an arc-based series from Studio Bones, comprised of many multi-part episodes that range in quality, focusing on the various assignments given to Hei and his cohorts. Assisted by a group of fellow syndicate members Mao, a contractor capable of transferring his mind into other animals, Yin, a doll with empathic abilities, and Huang, an untrusting human, Hei carries out every mission with deadly accuracy while fending off an intuitive detective, determined to uncover the secrets behind the syndicate.

Created by Tensai Okamura with animation provided by Studio Bones, and featuring music from famed composer Yoko Kanno, Darker than Black certainly would appear to have a lot going for it. The series was awarded Best Original Anime of the Year by GOGO Magazine before being snatched up for US distribution by Funimation.

The series is action centric as Hei and other contractors are pitted against one another, giving way to beautifully animated scenes in which one power clashes with another. There is a good deal of violence to be had but not enough to be considered gory or extreme. Studio Bones is known for their superb animation, making full use of it here, using visually arresting techniques to spotlight the extensive use of the contractor’s powers. The characters themselves sport more slick and refined designs while the Tokyo landscape is given a more naturalistic atmosphere.

Unfortunately, Darker than Black does suffer from its fair share of flaws, the most notable of which is the varying degree in quality of episodes from arc to arc. While none ever reach the level of mediocrity, there are more than a few that could have used more attention to detail. Also of issue is the nonexistent ending, in which none of the mysteries behind the gate or the contractors is explained, leaving the possibility for a second season, which only recently aired in Japan.

This release sports a healthy dose of bonus features, with cast and crew commentaries on select episodes as well as production artwork and even cast auditions. There is of course the usual slate of textless songs to be had. It goes without saying, the extras presented here are of much higher variety than most anime releases and are greatly appreciated.

All in all, grievances aside, Darker than Black is still an exceptional series. The intoxicating action sequences combined with the over arching mysteries running rampant make for an engaging viewing experience that is not to be missed. While the climax is not nearly as great as it should have been, it presents a satisfying end to Hei’s search for his sister, wrapping the main plot point of the first season. Consider this release highly recommended.

Darker than Black: the Complete First Season - A