Wakaranai

Rating:    

Well that was a much needed rush of emotion and excitement! Darker than Black season 2 is proving to be more then everything I hoped and nothing I feared. Where the first episode felt a bit awkward at times, this episode was a smooth operation, leaping into an action-packed thrillfest from the very start and never letting up. The characterisation is impeccable, the fight sequences truly impressive, and the plot is fast-moving and gripping. It’s kind of rare that a series can combine great action, a sense of fun, as well as characters and drama that is able to move you. I find Hei a lot more interesting in this new situation, and Suou is just utterly captivating - a perfect mix of cuteness and resilience. Having an ordinary girl caught up in the bizarre and disturbing world of contractors and supernatural espionage gives Darker than Black something new - a sense of danger, awe and shock. Suou can’t afford to be casual about these monsters, and through her perspective we see the contractors and their sponsors in a new light. With fantastic production values, both in terms of music and action, and a blend of action and drama that should hold almost universal appeal, Darker than Black looks set to be the show of the season.

✔ Hei is infinitely more interesting as a washed-up and dejected shadow of his former self. Moments of heroism and fleeting hints of honour fascinatingly betray his cold and ruined exterior. His stoic attitude in the first season was one of my major problems with the show - I just found it possible to engage with him.

✔ Suou is utterly charming and has a strong heart. Kana Hanazawa does an absolutely amazing job with this character. Not only is her voice really cute but Kana grants Suou real believability when she is standing up to Hei or overcoming despair to try an achieve something. Her braveness feels genuine rather than just the other half of a cliché two-sided anime heroine. She also makes the character truly empathetic. Perhaps because she is so likeable, you really can’t help but feel and fear for Suou when she is pulled into these dark situations.

✔ I revoke my previous comments about the animation quality not being all that.. It is all that. The contractor battles in this episode were fluidly animated and really well choreographed. There was plenty of animation to be had in the episode tool, with barely a quiet moment to be found. This definitely does not look like a cheap series!

✔ It doesn’t sound like one either. As expected, Yasushi Ishii (Hellsing composer) does an outstanding job with the music. His music as unique, textural and moody as ever, and it fits the show even better than I thought it would. The rock element underpinning the action moments is really awesome.

✘ I still hate everything about Nika. His precisely distributed freckles are creepy and his attitude just feels so cliché (quite the opposite of the other characters). Ugh.

● Suou’s flying squirrel has already started using Momo tactics. Seriously, it pretty much IS Momo (from Samurai Champloo)

● The OP is quite nice but nothing really special. There are some pretty cliché visuals included in it, but the fucking WIN of Suou’s massive gun makes up for it.

✔ Loved the scene at the start where Suou was hunting with her dad. Although it was pretty much straight out of Enemy at the Gates..

✔ Suou seeing Shion walking through the woods through her camera was really creepy. Such a well-done scene!

✔ Mina is pretty cool. She reminds me a hell of a lot of Yayoi from Kurenai. Her remuneration is kissing (guys?), which is kind of fun. Can’t say I’m opposed to comic relief or kissing in general (especially if she kisses a cute girl as a palette cleanser every time!).

✔ I swear you can make anything ten times more badass just by throwing in a bunch of old Russian guys in coats. It’s the ex-KGB look - does it for me every time.