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- BirthdayNov 18, 2000
- LocationMidwest, USA
- JoinedApr 1, 2019
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May 17, 2020
I read this manga right after finishing the first season of Darker than Black, and I ended up not being a huge fan of it because it gave off a totally different vibe from the original series. The story was there, but I couldn't bring myself to be very invested in it. The characters were written pretty flatly—even ones that have already had plenty of time to be fleshed out in the anime. I wasn't a huge fan of the art, either; it doesn't resemble the original style in the slightest, and each panel is incredibly hard to follow, which is worrisome considering this is
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an adaptation of an action series....
Overall, if you're looking for more works set in the Darker than Black universe, you might wanna sit this one out. The plot, which I assume takes place during or before the first season, isn't crucial to your understanding of the series as a whole, doesn't provide any character development for the main cast, and DEFINITELY won't answer any of the burning questions left by the season one finale.
But if you're fantasy is to see BK-201 and November 11 duke it out as bishie boys? You're strangely in luck....
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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May 17, 2020
(I'm writing this review as someone who's seen season one of Darker than Black, as well as read both manga adaptations.)
This special had a decent start, but quickly went downhill and left a sour taste in my mouth by the end of it. The story was incredibly confusing and difficult to follow, and I even felt that they retconned some elements of the first season. Sound design took a nosedive, as well; the background music felt awkward in several scenes, and was even distracting at times. There were moments when the characters acted strangely for seemingly no reason, and it sometimes felt new ones were
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thrust into the narrative with little to no warning or explanation.
The only element I felt improved from season one was the animation. There were a few action scenes that really shone over the course of these four episodes, with some brilliant sakuga moments that I ended up rewinding to rewatch because of how gorgeous they are. The art style itself was on par with that of the original season, too.
Maybe if you put on the dub but mute your TV, you'll be maximizing your viewing experience... ?
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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May 16, 2020
Darker than Black has its own balance of gives and takes, but I feel it's a series that compensates itself well for its flaws, and is worth giving a shot.
The overall "plot" may suffer due to the show's quasi-episodic format, but the unique world that the writers create—and the way it is presented to the viewer—is still very alluring. You get thrown into this bizarre sci-fi landscape and learn more about it with each passing episode, drip by drip. I understand that for some, the lack of context Darker than Black initially provides can be frustrating; explanations are kept to an absolute minimum, and barely
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enough information about the world is given in the first episode to keep the viewer afloat. However, I find this to actually be one of the show's greatest strengths. Being able to piece together all the mysteries this foreign reality has to offer is a lot of fun, and a breath of fresh air from some series where backstory is literally spoon-fed to you. That being said, I found that the finale did leave many of my questions unanswered and wanting more. But the ride itself was, undoubtedly, something special.
The art, animation and sound design are all incredibly well done—definitely the quality you would expect from Bones. (In fact, I find the art style and shading reminiscent of FMA:B....) All of the action scenes are handled incredibly well, with smooth and fluid choreography, and the nonaction scenes don't suffer as compensation. Furthermore, the sound design and soundtrack hold up and benefit the scenes themselves. While nothing here is really so spectacular it redefines the industry, it certainly holds up to any standards a modern action anime faces.
The characters themselves might be the strongest element of the series. Admittedly, the shortness of each disjunct arc leaves many side characters feeling kind of one dimensional, but that doesn't necessarily mean they aren't well fleshed out within that dimension. And the central characters are strong enough to hold out on their own regardless. They don't get a TON of development, either, but they are still well written and benefit from the small snippets of backstory provided to help flesh them out. My favorite thing about them—especially with the main syndicate team—is their chemistry with each other. Their unique personalities and traits complement each other excellently; every interaction is thoroughly entertaining, comedically or otherwise. Would they have beneffited from a little more backstory? Perhaps. But again, this show tries to avoid spoon-feeding you as much as possible.
If you're still on the fence about Darker than Black, watch the first four episodes/two mini-arcs and see how you feel. Atmosphere, the action, and the MC are undoubtedly the show's strongest traits, and by then you'll have gotten a pretty good taste of all three. If you decide its not for you, you at least won't be dropping the show in the middle of a plot arc. But if you are a fan, rest assured you'll be able to enjoy plenty more where those came from (although the series' end WILL still leave you with a couple of burning questions, as well as cravings for Pizza Hut).
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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May 13, 2020
A lot of fun if you don't take it too seriously. Just don't be misled by how it's listed as a "26th episode" on some streaming sites—this has hardly anything to do with progression of the main plot of the parent series, and won't clear up any discrepencies from the finale.
In terms of quality, its at the same level as any of the other episodes, but with a more comedic tone. If you liked Darker than Black for its characters, than this is a fun look at them, and most likely worth the watch. But if you feel that you'll miss the more serious
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atmosphere from the rest of the series (or at least, season one) then you'll probably be fine sitting this one out. Or hey, just watch it anyway! It's only twenty minutes of your time, after all.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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May 11, 2020
This nineteen minute-long gem somehow managed to exceed all of my expectations of how appaling an anime could be. I don't think there's a single redeeming quality about this show, except for the fact its plot wasn't as pretentious as it could have been, and the girls were sexy. Not sure why they needed to include and name all five of them when only two were actually used in the story, though.
Overall, this show is great for making fun of, by yourself or with a few friends. Just make sure not to take it seriously on any level—otherwise, you'll give yourself brain damage, or at
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least a strong migraine.
Reviewer’s Rating: 1
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