Wakaranai

Rating:    

Oh yeah, this series is really on a run with yet another riveting episode. While it doesn’t have the intelligent tone and story depth to pull itself into the upper echelons of the greatest anime TV series, it’s well in front of the pack in terms of entertainment value. In the first three episodes alone it’s probably racked up far more exciting moments than the entirety of its previous series. I almost feel like this show is wasted as a follow-up series because a lot of people won’t watch it because they haven’t seen the first season. The characters are universally more interesting than they were in the first season, and with the exception of the (now very) minor characters like Tanya and Nika, the new additions to the ‘cast’ are really fantastic. I’ll probably say this after every episode, but Suou has quickly established herself as the heart of the show, and she has transformed Darker than Black into something more tense and compellingly dramatic.

This was another action-packed episode as Suou and Hei continue to flee the pursuit of the Russian authorities and the syndicate, but during a large-scale show down in a train-yard they manage to turn the tables on their enemies when Suou undergoes a mysterious transformation into an anti-tank rifle wielding killing machine. This transformation and the trauma she’s witnessed in the last few days give her character a fascinating and complex morality. Her unquestioning compassion and respect for life is eroded by pangs of hatred directed towards the contractors who have upturned her life. I’m really glad she didn’t remain uncompromising in her naive stance against killing. A young girl saying things like “I’d rather die than kill someone” is believable but it’s an innocent luxury that simply can’t stay afloat in the dark and murky world of the contractors, a world in which she has ironically stepped into. It’s interesting trying to imagine how she feels about having become a contractor after maintaining such a hatred for them - it’s just one of the many quandaries that make up her character, and an example of what makes her so compelling.

The character development was really good, and slotted in perfectly amidst the lengthy action sequences - a combo that made for another wholly satisfying episode all-round. The action sequences themselves were very well executed. The animation is well and truly up to the task of pulling off these impressively elaborate and large scale action scenes. I have to say the action scenes are quite ambitious for a TV anime, they are well choreographed and well thought out, and their large scale echoes a Hollywood action film. A general lack of detail in the production annoys me from time to time, like a frequent lack of evident recoil with gunfire, and the complete lack of footprints in the snow. But it’s hard to care about that when train cars are exploding all over the place in a fracas of gunfire! And, to make up for it I appreciate the fact that the action scenes are properly coordinated in terms of time - ie characters can’t give exposition spiels while the villains keep themselves occupied off-screen. Although there were many players involved in this battle, you never got the sense that any of them are being ignored.

✔ This series hits all the right notes when it comes to fun and excitement, and at the same time it doesn’t let itself feel shallow. To compliment the action and riveting characters, there’s even a touch of humour and fanservice from time to time.

● If I was Tanya I’d be pretty damn unhappy with my contractor ability. Of all the super-powers you could obtain, she got “able to spawn a swarm of locusts”. I wouldn’t even call that a super-power, just a regular power. Lame. Although it was pretty freaky seeing Nika getting eaten alive by them.

✘ Thank God Nika is gone! I hated that guy! He was easily the least interesting character in the series. And the last impression I got of him before he died was “wow that guy really is an idiot!”. He already got screwed over by Tanya but he stubbornly follows her again. He died for a school crush - idiot!

✔ Kana Hanazawa is just superb in this role. She could well be my favourite seiyuu now. Suou’s impassioned and distressed rants at Hei could easily be annoying if another seiyuu had done it but she pulls it off to perfection. And her scream on top of the train really gave me chills.

✔ So now we’re already getting some new villains. Bad guys don’t really last too long in this series. More importantly, they’re a cute and creepy pair of twins. Speaking of Hollywood films, I guess it’s time for the shining. Still they were cute .. I wonder if they’ll make out like the twins in Shana? Twincest is best!

● Magical Rifle! Seriously that surprised me - the fact that she was able to summon it magically like that. It feels very mahou shoujo, especially with the glowy-naked moment. I was confused though - is her ability being able to summon the rifle, or is her ability a cross between summoning a gun and being able to use it. It’s kind of an odd contractor power. That doesn’t make it any less badass though! I was impressed with how they depicted her using the rifle. It looked really cool, and the sound effects were very good too.

✔ The music is just superb! I’ve pretty much forgotten what watching an anime with good music is like. I think the last soundtrack I really liked would be Akagi’s… I really can’t wait for the OSTs. I hope Yasushi Ishii does more after this!

♡ I forgot .. Misaki is actually pretty cute! I love her character design. Her hair-style suits her perfectly, and the glasses are a lovely accessory. Appreciated the brief glimpse of fanservice we got of her too. She seems to have good, mature taste in underwear!