“Darker than Black” is a Japanese anime series about assassins, contractors, and the gates that broke the world. It ran for 37 episodes across two seasons on MBS, TBS and their affiliated stations. The show was created and directed by Tensai Okamura, with animation by studio Bones. It follows a Chinese contractor named Hei as he works missions for the Syndicate in a Tokyo altered by a mysterious spatial anomaly.
The premise is simple. A spatial anomaly called Heaven’s Gate appeared in South America, followed quickly by Hell’s Gate in Tokyo. The sky changed, the landscape was wrecked, and people with special abilities emerged. They are called contractors, and their powers come with a price: they pay for each use with a piece of their humanity.
Trailer, via AnimaxAsia.
Hei and the Syndicate
Hei is the central character. He undertakes espionage and assassination missions in Tokyo on behalf of the Syndicate, a mysterious organization that rose to power after the Heaven’s War. The United States lost its superpower status during that conflict. Hei’s search for his missing sister Bai drives much of his actions.
Hei has a false civilian life. He is known as a shy student under the alias Li Shenshun, and he is assisted by Yin, an artificial human known as Doll, and Mao, a contractor trapped in a cat’s body and overseen by former police officer Huang. The show’s structure is episodic, with a villain-of-the-week format and a wide cast of characters, including a Japanese Public Security Bureau who oversee the activities of dangerous people with supernatural powers.
Contractors and the Gates
The world is the real star of “Darker than Black.” Ten years before the series, Heaven’s Gate appeared in South America. It was followed by Hell’s Gate in Tokyo, altering the sky and wreaking havoc on the landscape. The real stars disappeared, replaced by false stars.
Contractors are the people with special abilities. They are capable of supernatural feats, but their powers come at a cost. Each use of a contractor’s abilities costs a piece of their humanity. Contractors are kept secret from the public, working for nations and organizations as spies and assassins.
The Syndicate is the central power in this world. It rose to dominance after the Heaven’s War, which the United States lost. The show is built around Hei’s missions, but it also explores the larger political landscape. Contractors are trained and used by organizations around the world, and their battles for valuable objects and information drive the plot.
Balance Between Action and Drama
The show is a mix of espionage and action. Hei undertakes missions for the Syndicate, and the series tracks his progress through Tokyo’s altered streets. The show is not an action spectacle, but it has a sense of weight and consequence. Each mission matters, and the show makes that clear.
The series also has a dramatic side, thanks to Hei’s search for his missing sister. He believes a woman named Amber is responsible for her disappearance, and that belief drives much of his actions. The character of Amber, who leads Evening Primrose, a group of Contractors targeted by the Syndicate, is a recurring threat.
The show’s episodic structure means that each mission is its own story. That can be a blessing and a curse. The show moves quickly, but it also means that some characters and threads are left underdeveloped.
The Voice Cast
The voice cast gives the series its identity. Hidenobu Kiuchi voices Hei, and Kiyomi Asai voices July. Ikuya Sawaki voices both Mao and Petya, and Kana Hanazawa voices Pavlichenko Suou.
The anime was adapted into two manga series, serialized in Kadokawa Shoten’s Monthly Asuka and Square Enix’s Young Gangan, respectively. A sequel, “Darker than Black: Gemini of the Meteor,” followed, running for twelve episodes from October to December 2009.
In North America, the series was licensed by Funimation.
Animation and Style
The series was animated by Bones. The show is set in a Tokyo altered by the gates, and the art reflects that: the gates changed the sky and the landscape.
The series describes the gates as a powerful idea, but does not spend much time exploring them. The false stars that replaced the real ones are a detail, not a central part of the story. The show is more interested in the contractors and the Syndicate than in the world they live in.
The show also has a habit of introducing new threats and then moving on. The supporting cast, including Yin and Mao, are often underdeveloped. The villain-of-the-week format means that the show does not have much time to develop its characters, and that shows in the pacing.
Where It Falls Short
The show leans heavily on its premise. The gates are a powerful idea, but the show spends little time exploring them. The false stars that replaced the real ones are a detail, not a central part of the story. The show is more interested in the contractors and the Syndicate than in the world they live in.
The show also introduces new threats and then moves on quickly. The supporting cast, including Yin and Mao, are often underdeveloped. The villain-of-the-week format means that the show does not have much time to develop its characters, and that shows in the pacing.
The Verdict
“Darker than Black” is a competent, if uneven, series. It has a strong lead in Hei and a solid premise, but it never quite reaches the heights of its ideas. The show is at its best when it focuses on Hei’s missions, and at its worst when it loses focus on the larger political landscape.
The animation is clean, the premise is strong. But the episodic structure, the fragmented storytelling, and the underdeveloped supporting cast keep the show from greatness.
| Aspect | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Premise | Gates, contractors, Syndicate | Underdeveloped world-building |
| Character | Hei, Yin, Mao | Supporting cast underdeveloped |
| Animation | Clean, dark tone | Fragmented storytelling |
| Voice cast | Hidenobu Kiuchi, Kiyomi Asai, Ikuya Sawaki, Kana Hanazawa | Limited time per episode |
Key Facts
- Episodes: 37, across two seasons
- Network: MBS, TBS and affiliated stations
- Voice cast: Hidenobu Kiuchi (Hei), Kiyomi Asai (July), Ikuya Sawaki (Mao/Petya), Kana Hanazawa (Pavlichenko Suou)
“Darker than Black” is a show worth watching for fans of espionage anime. It has a strong lead, a solid premise, and a dark, compelling world. But it is not a perfect show. Its episodic structure and fragmented storytelling keep it from greatness.
The show is a product of its time, and it shows. It is a competent, if uneven, series, and it is worth your time if you are interested in the genre. But you should not expect a masterpiece.
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