When I started watching this series on Funimation's YouTube Channel I wasn't sure if I'd like it or not but by the time I'd watched half a dozen episodes I was hooked, indeed I liked it enough to buy the series on DVD; at no point while watching the remaining episodes did I regret my purchase.
The world of 'Darker than Black' is different to our own; two meteorites have struck Earth, one in South America and the other in Tokyo. Around the impact sites two areas knows as Heaven's Gate and Hell's Gate appeared. Fives years previously something happened in South America and Heaven's Gate disappeared along with the surrounding land; people are worried that the same will happen in Tokyo. The Gates aren't the only strange things; some people have become 'contractors', people with strange powers who kill each other and other people. There is however a price to pay, each time a contractor uses his power he must pay a price; one must smoke despite hating cigarettes, another must eat and one must break a finger. The story follows one of these; a Chinese student called Hei, he is part of an organisation called the Syndicate. He was somehow involved in the Heaven's Gate incident and the authorities fear that something similar will happen in Tokyo.
There is an interesting array of characters besides Hei; he frequently works with Yin, an enigmatic and apparently emotionless girl; Huang, the human member of the team and Mao who is trapped in the body of a cat. As well as the Syndicate there is a policewoman who is investigating the contractors and a group from MI6 whose motives are unknown at first. The series is not as dark as the series suggests but it is a lot of fun; combining mystery, action and a touch of humour in an entertaining way. The animation looks good with good character designs and flowing movement. While it isn't too violent there is some which is quite bloody making it unsuitable for younger viewers although I doubt it would appeal to them anyway.
The world of 'Darker than Black' is different to our own; two meteorites have struck Earth, one in South America and the other in Tokyo. Around the impact sites two areas knows as Heaven's Gate and Hell's Gate appeared. Fives years previously something happened in South America and Heaven's Gate disappeared along with the surrounding land; people are worried that the same will happen in Tokyo. The Gates aren't the only strange things; some people have become 'contractors', people with strange powers who kill each other and other people. There is however a price to pay, each time a contractor uses his power he must pay a price; one must smoke despite hating cigarettes, another must eat and one must break a finger. The story follows one of these; a Chinese student called Hei, he is part of an organisation called the Syndicate. He was somehow involved in the Heaven's Gate incident and the authorities fear that something similar will happen in Tokyo.
There is an interesting array of characters besides Hei; he frequently works with Yin, an enigmatic and apparently emotionless girl; Huang, the human member of the team and Mao who is trapped in the body of a cat. As well as the Syndicate there is a policewoman who is investigating the contractors and a group from MI6 whose motives are unknown at first. The series is not as dark as the series suggests but it is a lot of fun; combining mystery, action and a touch of humour in an entertaining way. The animation looks good with good character designs and flowing movement. While it isn't too violent there is some which is quite bloody making it unsuitable for younger viewers although I doubt it would appeal to them anyway.