Darker than black arty hey. Anime "Darker Than Black": characters

Series "Darker than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini"
Darker than Black

Darker than Black (Japanese) Darker than BLACK -黒の契約者- Yes:ka: Zan Burakku -Kuro no Keiyakusha-, Darker than black)- anime directed by Tensai Okamura with music by composer Yoko Kanno. After the success of the series in the magazine Asuka a manga of the same name began to appear. In 2009, the series received an animated sequel Darker Than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini, and in 2010 - a 4-episode OVA continuation, chronologically standing between the first and second seasons.

Plot

In the near future, ten years before the events described in the first season of the series, anomalous zones appear on Earth, later called the Gates of Heaven (zone in South America) and the Gates of Hell (zone in Japan). On their territory mysteriously people die, plants unknown to science grow, and ghosts appear. Governments organize evacuations, and the zones themselves are fenced off with a wall. A specialized institute for the study of the anomaly, Pandora, is being created at the UN. And everything would be fine, but the influence of the zone spread far beyond its borders. Contractors (counterparties) began to appear among people - people endowed with special abilities, but devoid of emotions and feelings. Each contractor has his own payment for the power given to him: someone is obliged to smoke constantly, someone is obliged to arrange pebbles in a certain way. The capabilities of the contractors were appreciated and, soon, many of them ended up working in the intelligence services, the yakuza or terrorist organizations.
Main character series - Hey. As part of a small group, he works for the mysterious “Organization.” While completing missions, Hei tries to find out what happened to him, his comrades and his sister five years ago.

Manga

Darker than Black

The events of the manga "Darker than Black", released in 2007, are connected with the girl Kana Shinou. While walking with her friends, she meets a man similar to her father, who was killed more than a year ago. Kana begins her investigation and soon comes across an organization called “Wiegenlied”. At the same time, Hei and Mao are interested in this same organization. When Wiegenlied agents try to kidnap Kana, they take her under their protection...

Darker than Black: Shikkoku no Hana

The new manga "Darker than Black: Shikkoku no Hana" started a few months before the premiere of the second season of the series. Unlike the first manga series, Darker than Black: Shikkoku no Hana is published not in the shoujo magazine Monthly Asuka, but in the male audience Young Gangan. The new manga is longer: the manga “Darker than Black” - 9 chapters, “Darker than Black: Shikkoku no Hana” - 33 chapters. The manga's author, Yuji Iwahara, also worked on the character designs for the original series.

Characters

Note: for a number of characters, despite the use Japanese version hieroglyph, Chinese reading and meaning are used. For example, the meaning of the character's name Hei is indeed "black", but is used Japanese character 黒 ( Kuro), which is read as Chinese 黑 ( hey).

Yoshimitsu Horai- Misaki Kirihara's boss. At the end of the first season, Misaki Kirihara is arrested for first-degree murder.

02. The star of the contract has fallen... (part 2).ass (UPLOAD SUBTITLES)

You know, every time a star falls, one of their lives ends.

A contractor has just died in this world.

Ten years ago, a fake sky hid the real stars from us.

Contractors are cold-blooded creatures with unheard-of strength.

The so-called dolls are bodies devoid of souls...

03. New star lit up in the morning sky... (part 1).ass (UPLOAD SUBTITLES)

The head of the column speaks. What happened to you?

What's happened?

Can you report, Tahara?

I don't know... I can't explain.

It's hard to hear. What's going on with you?

04. A new star lit up in the morning sky... (part 2).ass (LOAD SUBTITLES)

This new contractor is just showing off.

According to the astronomical department, the spectrum of its star contained the characteristics of a moratorium.

Fried until crispy, just like the bacon I had for breakfast.

Moratorium?

05. The trail of the crimson nightmare is lost in Eastern Europe... (part 1).ass (UPLOAD SUBTITLES)

I know how to keep my word.

I'm a businessman.

I like your business approach, Mr. Smith.

I'd like to get to the point.

06. The trail of the crimson nightmare is lost in Eastern Europe... (part 2).ass (UPLOAD SUBTITLES)

You were there when South America disappeared.

You, Amber, Pie - you were all there.

What happened?

Why are we the only ones left?

08. The fragrance of gardenia in the May rain... (part 2).ass (LOAD SUBTITLES)

List of employees for the last ten years.

I think ten years will be enough.

If we can find the spies, we will eventually find the contractor who is behind everything.

Where is Mao still unknown?

09. Clean White dress, stained with girlish dreams and blood... (part 1).ass (LOAD SUBTITLES)

Richard Lau?

Do you really have information about contractors?

11. Time to regain what was lost inside the wall... (part 1).ass (UPLOAD SUBTITLES)

Do you believe in an urban legend?

The gate can give you back what you once lost.

But you'll have to pay for it.

I wonder how exactly?

12. Time to regain what was lost inside the wall... (part 2).ass (UPLOAD SUBTITLES)

Oh, the star has fallen!

Brother, I saw another meteor!

Next time, make a wish.

Yeah. The meteor is the light that escapes whenever God lifts the lid of the sky.

14. On a silver night the waves cannot stir my heart... (part 2).ass (LOAD SUBTITLES)

What happened, mom?

Airplane... Dad's airplane...

Now I have nothing to lose

15. Memories of betrayal - memories of Amber's smile...(part 1).ass (LOAD SUBTITLES)

Should I issue an invoice?

Yes please.

A person learns what true loneliness is not when he is alone in a room. And when the room is full of people, and one of them is a traitor.

They sign contracts. Walls are being built instead of bridges. And someone stole the moon and the heavens, replacing them with fake stars. This is how the gods of this world now shine from heaven. And when the stars are falling, you don’t really want to make a wish. After all, a wish made for the death of a fighter will most likely turn out to be gloomy.

By the way, there is no point in thinking about why this series at the same time wants to attach the “noir” label, and at the same time does not. In fact, Darker Than Black essentially covers almost everything genre diversity recent years, and naturally does not cope with anything separately. The stamps swell. That’s why I want to call it the loudest nonsense of all this time. However, when the familiar word “noir” flickers in your head, this flaw immediately fades into darkness. In the world where beautiful and insidious women rule the roost, where the hero merges with the antihero, and danger trivially hides in the shadows, everything exists - irony, romance, action, detective, drama, psychedelia and at the same time nothing of this No. Noir as matter. Color scheme star glow reflected in the surface of the lake.

It’s absurd, of course, but extremely interesting that young Li Shen Shun, an exchange student, is the most ordinary-looking guy. Timid, insecure, moonlighting wherever he can. Everyone simply adores him, not only for his outstanding collarbone line, but also for his gentle character. But all this is a mask. As soon as glances turn away from him, the colors drain from his face again. Because in fact he is the Black God of Death, as the cops called him. And without superpowers, he is more dangerous than many who have entered into a contract, but with supernatural power he is doubly scary. At night, he puts on a white mask with an ominous smile and destroys the same contract soldiers as himself in the city near the Gates of Hell almost the Strugatsky Zone no, the Tarkovsky Zone By the way, the smiling white mask still reminds a little of revolutionary V, but nothing else has anything in common between them .

Now you don’t even have to try to discover noir in its pure form, in any form. Noir has become extremely outdated since the post-war economy stabilized and the American people regained faith in a brighter future. And here is the result of the search for new bottoms of potential of this genre: Blade Runner, No Country for Old Men and Sin City. By the way, Darker Than Black has even less in common with noir than the aforementioned films.

And if there is a black cat hiding in a dark room, Tensai Okamura clearly does not want to turn on the light and check. With surprising enthusiasm, he imbues his series with noirish suspicion, legends and fatal lyricism. He asks riddles, but does not at all ask the audience to find their own answers. Riddles remain rhetorical. But damn charming. How to conclude a Contract? What happens if you don't pay the price? What exactly is the Gate? And why is the Wall needed? And too much has been said about this to consider these only metaphorical symbols.

One thing Tensai definitely succeeded in was regret. The Japanese have generally proven that they do not know how to regret correctly. This feeling results either in sky-high pathos speeches and landscapes with a soul-stirring melody, or in a black, cynical silent sliding of the camera. And in “Darker Than Black,” which is, in fact, a collection of short stories, each two episodes long, it is the most natural, canonical, even somewhat American.

Damn it, it’s a regret, here there is the same philosophical Zone that Tarkovsky once squeezed out of the Strugatskys. One has only to overcome the huge Wall, and there, on the empty streets, the contractors are looking for answers to the questions they ask themselves. They die alone. They save each other. They kill each other. And again they are looking for answers.

Contractors, as sources say, are no longer people. They suppressed their emotions and became deceitful monsters who value their lives above all else. Dolls are mediums whose personality was destroyed and left only information important for existence. But here’s the irony: it seems that over time they will be able to become people faster than the people themselves. Rare glimpses of their humanity are more valuable than the most strong words masters And their payment for strength adds human colors to them and makes philosophers out of them. They don’t know why they sometimes smoke, or lay out stones, or fold the corners of all the wanderers in the book. From the outside, this is so similar to those meaningless habits that are so characteristic of real living people.

This is what we're talking about. Lee (Hei, Black God of Death, BK-201) is too humane even with his eternally bored face. Yin is too human, a doll with a vacant look in her lilac eyes. Yes even black cat, and she is human. By the way, how else can we separate people from non-humans in this case? After all, the light falls equally on everyone, and in the rain everyone gets wet at the same time quickly. Any comparisons seem artificial and far-fetched.

However, noir is what it is. He does not open the path of salvation for the heroes. Doesn't divide heroes into good and evil. He pulls the fools out of the crowd to throw them back into the darkness. Welcome to the rain and melancholy. Loneliness and theft. Fatal encounters and betrayals. It’s not even out of place for a parody character to reveal the secrets of existence and the future, and the most bitter disappointments turn into even more bitter deception. A musical melodies from Yoko Kanno evokes those same doomed notes of melancholy that once sounded in Cowboy Bebop. And excessive lyricism turns actions into echoes of other actions, causing the eyes to involuntarily be surprised at their own insight. It all looks like tinsel hung around inconspicuous and uninteresting things at first glance. Here, in some ways, Shinkaev’s passion for being alone begins to quietly whine, and from the general mass, from the dialogues and actions, pots, telescopes, and corners of rooms begin to quietly stand out. This nth secret bottom seems to completely unfold the romance of sad and leisurely confrontations between monsters and people and monsters with monsters, again turning it into a discordant and downtrodden, but therefore so ideal, regret. Regret is worse than the wildest hatred. Regret is sadder than the emptiest desire. Darker than the darkest thoughts. Darker than black.

Why do you think Lately Have superhero movies become so popular? In my opinion, there are two reasons: firstly, they are always equipped with colorful special effects - thanks to Hollywood and modern technologies. Secondly, they play a role pipe dreams about your own superpower. Who wouldn't want to throw lightning bolts or become invisible? How many things could be created! The anime industry is not lagging behind, and uses the heroic theme to its fullest potential. Recently, more and more superhero titles have been appearing. But this time I suggest you go back in time a little and take a look at a rather old title, in which a gloomy urban atmosphere and the presence of people endowed with superpowers are harmoniously intertwined. This review is dedicated to anime Darker than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha("Darker than black").

Brief information

Darker than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha- anime produced by the studio Bones in 2007. Consists of twenty-five episodes plus one Special episode. It is based original scenario. A manga was released based on the anime. A sequel appeared in 2009 - Darker than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini(it turned out to be much weaker than the first season), and in 2010, 4 OVA episodes appeared (goodness), describing the events that chronologically occurred between the first and second seasons. In this review, I only touch on Darker than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha, that is, the first season.

Ten years have passed since then... Now I can’t even remember what I was like nice city Tokyo without a giant wall in the center. No one knows what happened that day and what is hidden inside. Only people could think of building a giant wall and hiding the truth behind it. Be that as it may, unusual creatures began to appear all over the world. Creatures with unique abilities contractors, and passive mediums dolls — That's what they were officially called a week after the wall was built. Special government services are involved in monitoring and monitoring them. To ordinary people who encounter contractors have their memories erased. All information about the existence of people with unusual abilities strictly classified. But the rumors cannot be stopped. Monsters... Cruel killers... Society treats them with fear and disgust. But the most mysterious of them is considered to be someone BK-201. An elusive and deadly contractor - this is the main character Darker than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha.

Characters

Set of characters in Darker than Black perfectly staffed - it’s difficult to single out just one. All characters are in place and are used to convey specific ideas. Extra characters actually no. Main character, Hey(translated as “black”) is the Batman of Tokyo: a dark guy with a mysterious past and excellent fighting skills, fighting villains, while being able to turn into an ordinary friendly Chinese student with the unremarkable name of Lee. For all his strength, he does not look pretentious or worn out by life. Such a character is interesting to watch, and you look forward to the revelation of details about his past, which from a plot point of view is done very well. The details of Hay's life are not revealed all at once, but gradually throughout the season.

Among the other characters I found the most interesting Yin. Using the example of Yin in anime, the question of human essence. What makes a person human? Thinking? Soul? Actions? Can a doll endowed with thinking but devoid of emotions be called a person? A question that humanity is yet to face, but nothing prevents us from speculating about it now, right? Sooner or later, technology will reach a level where a humanoid robot can no longer be distinguished from a human, and then the question of ethics in relation to robots will arise. Can a person who destroys a humanoid robot be considered a murderer? What if this robot had emotions and could experience pain? Everything is not as simple as it looks at first glance... Well, okay, that was lyrical digression. Yin is at her best not in the first season, but in four OVA episodes that chronologically show the events between the first and second seasons - be sure to check them out. In addition to Yin, I would note one more girl - the inspector, who allows you to look at the problem of relations between contractors and ordinary people from an unusual point of view, which is very important for the full disclosure of the plot.

Plot

The Darker than Black storyline consists entirely of two-part arcs, dedicated to adventure Hay and his team. Was this plot structure justified? I think so. - this is one of those rare cases when I have no complaints about the plot. Throughout the series, the quality of storytelling is maintained, with no ups or downs. The lack of failures can be explained by the fact that the written script is not complex or excessively deep, and therefore it was not so easy to mess up in it, especially considering that no one pushed the writers into a time frame (twenty-five episodes is a lot). Is this the right approach? Who knows... Personally, I would prefer to watch a plot that is even in intensity, rather than constant ups and downs, when you are bored for ten minutes watching useless chatter, only to then get a minute of climax.

Studio Bones has long developed a special style of storytelling, which it tries to adhere to in most of its creations. Of course, Darker than Black was no exception. The style lies in the fact that, despite the general seriousness and gloom of the narrative, elements are unobtrusively introduced into it that slightly defuse the situation. These can be either characters added solely for comedic purposes, or some funny scenes or even episodes. You don’t have to look far for examples: this is absurdity like writing your own in toilets mobile phone, committed by Yato, which are adjacent to discussions about life and death; c - constant bickering between Edward, Winry and Alphonse, adjacent to one of the deepest philosophies that I have encountered in anime; and finally in Darker than Black- series in which the main characters are a private detective and his young assistant, or a set of little things like Hay's gluttony, adjacent to discussions about minorities with superpowers.

I am sure that someone will now grimace and say: “But because of such stupid moments, the atmosphere of tension suffers!” Even though these words make sense, I don’t agree with them. On the contrary, it is the comedic moments that make the psychological and dramatic scenes that follow have such a powerful effect. Firstly, due to the fact that comedic moments bring the characters closer, and subsequently the viewer empathizes with them more strongly. How stronger man laughs at first, the more he will empathize with the characters in the end. Secondly, Constantly watching the drama and psychology is very exhausting— it’s unlikely that anyone would want to be in constant tension for twenty-five episodes (and this is, no less, more than eight hours of real time), and comedy allows you to make up for it a little emotional resources . So I think the style used by the Bones studio is more than justified, which has already been proven in practice many times.

Even though the plot is somewhat superficial, it touches on some very interesting issues. First of all, it is the relationship between social minorities endowed with advantages and ordinary people. The problem is not new, and has been touched upon in many books and films (you don’t have to look far for an example - take the latest Marvel movies, the relationship between ghouls and people in or the relationship between magicians and ordinary people in Avatar: The Legend of Korra), however, it does not lose its relevance, because there is no clear answer. How should such relationships be regulated? Who should compromise? If one of the parties begins to take advantage of ( ordinary people– in quantity, contractors – with superpowers) when conditions are imposed, a conflict may arise in which innocent people will suffer. Darker than Black shows what happens if the minority and the majority cannot (or do not want) to come to an agreement. Another interest Ask, covered in latest episodes season, it sounds like this: “Is it worth sacrificing the minority to save the majority?” . Is it possible to hide behind good intentions when you agree to the murder of tens of thousands of people, many of whom are innocent people, in order to save millions of other lives? Once again a question that is not so easy to answer.

Panache

As strengths of drawing, I would highlight character design And implementation of battles. The characters look original - what is one dark-skinned female agent with blue hair and a fur coat on his shoulders. You won't meet two in Darker than Black similar characters, making them all easy to remember. Speaking about battles, I would like to note that the artists did not overload them visual effects, due to which maximum attention is paid to the abilities of contractors. It's a shame that Darker than Black doesn't have a lot of fight scenes or action. From weaknesses The drawings can be distinguished by rustic background images and the absence of non-standard angles. Because of this, the picture sometimes looks gray and lifeless. However, the advantages of drawing outweigh the disadvantages - the Bones studio did a great job. For 2007, the art is very good.

Music

First opening Howling performed Abingdon Boys School has long been included in my collection of the best openings. The most powerful guitar riff in best traditions Metallica is simply inimitable; not even the most expressive vocals spoiled it. Second opening Kakusei Heroism ~ The Hero without a Name~ performed An Cafe is also cool and dynamic, although it doesn’t sound as powerful as the first one. First ending Tsuki Akari performed Rie Fu unremarkable though female vocals not bad at it. Second ending Dreams performed HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR it turned out so-so. The background music varies greatly: powerful rock is replaced by elegant jazz, blues, and simple instrumental compositions. The music copes with conveying the required mood, and this is the main thing.

Ratings

Characters – 8.5. Quality main characters. Lots of original minor characters, adding variety and depth.

Plot – 9.0. An extremely smooth plot with virtually no ups and downs.

Drawing – 8.5. A very worthy drawing for its time. The character designs were especially good.

Music – 8.0. Excellent openings, ordinary endings. The background music pleasantly surprises with its variety of styles.

Conclusion

Darker than Black represents that rare case, when it is very difficult to find flaws in anime. Yes, it cannot boast of super-bright characters or an intricate multi-level plot, however average level each component is at a very high level. There is a dynamic, varied, albeit simple plot. There is an interesting problem. There are original and well-used characters. High-quality art and music – yes. And, most importantly, the anime uses the classic Bones atmosphere of tension, diluted from time to time with comedic inserts. For me personally Darker than Black gave me a lot of pleasure. Isn't that why we watch anime?

8.5/10

Rudean, special for site

P. S. I have a habit: when I watch anime, I always try to pay attention to Russian and english lettering, used in it. These could be signs on the streets, documents or signatures under photographs. In Darker than Black, apparently, the scriptwriters limited themselves to software translation. Just take a look.

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Review of the anime Darker than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha (“Darker than Black”) was last modified: September 9th, 2018 by Rudean

The characters in Darker Than Black are a mixture of so much different heroes that the viewer simply begins to feel dizzy, while the veterans just laugh at the neophytes’ attempts to understand the plot. Creation reveals completely new world, full of conflicting protagonists and distinctive storylines. Against the backdrop of all this there is a regular guy, who must either bring the world down at the feet of his own kind, or save it, dooming his kind to slow extinction. “Darker Than Black” is truly capable of not only awakening empathy, but also making readers or viewers literally cry their hearts out, and some plot points still remain closed even to fans.

Information about the author, some facts

The anime "Darker Than Black" is special. It was originally filmed as a series, and only after its success did the manga appear, which is now moving forward compared to the events of the TV version. The director is Tensai Okamura. The project was conceived as extremely serious, so the choice of seiyuu, voice actors, was carried out both for Hollywood movie. Premiere show took place on April 6, 2007. In total, the animated series “Darker Than Black” consists of 2 seasons, as well as a 4-episode OVA, chronologically located between the first and second seasons. The second part was criticized for the loss of plot sharpness, but overall the anime turned out to be successful. Viewers rated the series 7.8 out of 10, which is a pretty good result.

The target audience

At first, the anime "Darker Than Black" was aimed at teenagers. However, the series turned out to have a more mature audience, which is why the manga with the events of the second season was published in a more status magazine. Despite the abundance of battle scenes, the plot pleases with its thoughtfulness. The narrative about the world is presented in parts, the viewer does not have time to drown in the details. The setting is unique because it combines several subgenres, such as post-apocalypse, superpowers, the fight against terrorism and others.

The animated series "Darker Than Black" is hardly suitable for young audiences under 16 years old, since the scenes contain a lot of cruelty and blood. In addition, some of the questions posed by the plot require repeated viewing and very thoughtful thinking. Watching the series “Darker Than Black” with subtitles can significantly improve your impression of the characters. Some moments are simply lost due to different dubbing.

Plot Basics

Ten years before the events in the series, a catastrophe of unknown nature occurred on Earth. IN South America and Japan, two anomalous zones appeared - the Gates of Heaven and Hell, respectively. Inexplicable events occur in the contaminated area. Expeditions cannot reach the center, the plants that make their way into the affected area hardly resemble the usual flora, and no traces of animals were found. A specialized organization is being created at the UN to study and use the influence of the Gate called Pandora. Anomalies led to the fact that contractors began to appear among people - those who were lucky or unlucky to receive abilities. However, each such “superman” has lost his connections with society, and is also forced to “pay” with special actions or lack thereof.

Judging by the household items and cars, the chronology of the plot covers the 90s and zero years. Dimensions anomalous zones are hundreds of kilometers. Each Gate is surrounded by a high wall, with military personnel on duty at its border. The contractors themselves, due to their abilities, have a huge influence on the geopolitical situation in the world and are widely used by criminal and government organizations, representing, in fact, independent combat units with powerful potential for destruction or penetration.

Contractors and their classification

The characters in Darker Than Black have different abilities. As the narrative progresses, it turns out that certain powers are obtained with an eye to the events in the applicant’s past life, in fact, like the price. So, for example, before becoming a medium doll, Yin played the piano wonderfully, but when she received her powers, she lost her hearing, although during the course of the plot she demonstrated wonderful game. One of the main mysteries of the series lies in how the unknown Force chooses contractors. In addition, the world is waiting with trembling for the moment when the Gates of Hell will open. During a similar collapse in South America, there was a surge of terrifying power, the protagonist was there and saw everything.

The classification of contractors involves division into several “classes”, namely:

• Directly contractors. Previously, a person acquires such power under the influence of particles at the quantum level, and the power is not transferred to everyone. There are no obvious limits to abilities; the only limiter is pay. Almost always this is something that a person would never do in ordinary life. So, for example, in the second season, the contract girl Tanya gained control over insects (a phobia) and was forced to tear out her hair for using the ability (she was very worried about them during her life).
• Doll. A medium who senses other contractors. Some are able to grasp not only the shade of power, but also indicate the absolutely exact location. Instead of spies, they use "spirits", a substance or organisms of an unknown kind that move in a certain environment, for example, in the case of Yin, water.
• Moratorium. A very strong contractor who rarely controls his abilities. Presumably, those who, due to circumstances, have experienced a horrific tragedy become moratoriums. There is no charge for using force. The outburst occurs under the influence of strong emotions, the rest of the time they are often apathetic. After a certain period of time, periods of moratorium turn into dolls, less often - into contractors. In the first season, the protagonist meets a Moratorium girl with the terrifying power of fire, who survived a fire as a child.
• Regressors. Contractors who, due to a certain scenario, have lost their strength. It is unknown why this happens or how it can be provoked. Presumably the contractor will lose his power under the influence of the same particles, this is partly confirmed by the protagonist, who in fact uses his sister’s power, and not his own, after visiting the Gates of Heaven. However, loss is also possible if the contractor does not “pay”.

A contractor can gain the power of another, but exactly how this happens is unclear. The first season of "Darker Than Black" showed both the side that fights to eradicate people with superpowers and those who support them. However, help also requires payment, in in this case services for one or another structure.

Organizations involved in the narrative

Among the structures that are fighting to study the gates are both public and private. A short list can be presented as follows:

• Organization. Structure of unknown type. The main character of "Darker Than Black" together with his sister and friend Amber worked for this company. During the conflict in the Heaven's Gate area, many contractors died or went missing, including Pai. Amber survived and, unlike the main character, remembers what happened. The motives of the structure are mysterious, but it definitely does not want the destruction of the contractors.
• Pandora. The characters in "Darker Than Black" have extremely mixed opinions about this organization. It was conceived as an institute and research laboratory to study the effects of particles on people, but later became a paramilitary structure with its own operatives.
• YPRES. The structure is headed by Amber. Has an impressive staff of fighters with very strong abilities. The key task is to prevent the death of all contractors and the scenario that took place at the Gates of Heaven.
• MI6. Secret Service intelligence service that pursues its own goals and does not hesitate to use contractors. In fact, it strives, if not to destroy, then at least to completely curb superhumans, and has its agents in Japan.
• AII. An astronomical institute whose scientists study contractors. They are responsible for the installation of an “artificial sky”, the stars on which are a symbol of each person who has acquired his abilities. He has a staff of mediums who monitor the situation on the ground and cooperates with the police.

Most organizations do not hesitate to use contractors for their own purposes, including the destruction of their fellows.

Distinctive features of a contractor

As mentioned above, the contractor loses his humanity and emotions. The same Tanya from “Darker than Black: Gemini and the Shooting Star” told her friend that she didn’t even remember how they confessed their love to her. At the same time, Yin proved that after acquiring abilities, feelings remain, but they are much more difficult to awaken. In addition, the contractor remembers his past life and the people in it. So, for example, after gaining strength, childhood memories, attachment to parents and even one’s own child are lost. The contractor's only connection with the past is his abilities and the payment for them. Otherwise, gaining strength allows you to think more soberly, maintain composure even in critical situation, easy to adapt and get used to new role. There are known cases where contractors became sadists or masochists.

Black Reaper

The main character of the anime "Darker than Black". Real name - Hei, star code - BK201. A mercenary, the details of life before becoming a contractor are unknown. A brunette with black eyes, in everyday life he prefers loose clothes, something simple and inexpressive. For the assignment, he tries on a black turtleneck, trousers, and a raincoat made of bulletproof fabric. He is fluent in using a double-edged knife and usually starts a fight by throwing a dagger at the enemy. There is a wire attached to the blade, which allows Hei to reach the enemy with his abilities and shock the enemy with electricity. First, the viewer is assured that his payment is food; the guy eats a lot. However, as it turned out later, he is not a contractor. He received his powers from his sister. Key abilities are managing electricity, generating it, changing the structure of matter. Prefers to introduce himself as the Black Reaper and wears a mask during missions. Trying to figure out what happened to his sister in South America and restore his memory.

Yin

Real name is Kirsi. Together with Mao and Hei, he is in the same group. Conducts reconnaissance and learns about new contractors. Her mother died shortly after a plane crash with her father on board, which was the impetus for becoming a doll. He has the rudiments of feelings, which is surprising. In fact, she is very attached to Hei, loves him and saves him at the end of the first season. Becomes the main target of Pandora and MI6 in the subsequent narrative. The details of Yin's transformation into Izanami are unknown. Presumably, her second incarnation is a contractor who can destroy the Gate, which will lead to the death of all those with power. In the form of Izanami, he turns to Hei and assures him that Yin was truly devoted to him. In the main photo of "Darker Than Black" used as a poster, Yin is holding Mao because she has become attached to the cat.

Mao

First impression - talking cat. In fact, he is a contractor whose ability allows him to inhabit animals. Lost his body as a result of an operation in Russia, while a member of the Organization. Helps Hay understand current situation and events near the Gates of Heaven. In the second season, he changed his habitat to a flying squirrel. It is unknown how exactly he survives on the streets. He is very afraid of losing himself; to avoid this, he saves his own consciousness on a dedicated server via a wireless interface. Sometimes he loses his memory. The characters in the anime "Darker Than Black" are all different interesting biography. For example, Mao's name was Ricardo, and he used to be quite an impressive man. He dreams of regaining his body; what his price will be is unknown.

Juan

A former policeman who now leads Hey's group and sends him on missions. He is not a contractor, but is a member of the “Organization” as a consultant and intermediary. Has access to the databases of his former colleagues. After Hei leaves the "Organization", he further fate unknown.

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Real name Qin. Heya's sister, one of the first and most powerful contractors. Participated in the conflict at Heaven's Gate. She looked like a slender brown-haired woman with blue eyes. The key ability is to control electricity and change the structure of matter. The fee for use is sleep. After it turned out that the war in South America was started with the goal of reducing the number of those with power and ultimately destroying the Gate, she used her power to create a kind of black hole, as a result of which she disappeared. Before that, she transferred part of her powers to Hei. Whether the protagonist of "Darker Than Black" or Amber, they both blame themselves for what happened, but believe that Qin's sacrifice was not in vain.

Amber

Its goal is to protect all contractors on Earth. He loves Hei from the moment when they were in the Organization. Later became known as a terrorist who undermines the foundations state power. She created her own structure, the task of which is to prevent the destruction of the Gate. Key ability is time manipulation. Payment - getting younger. Using the power too often will result in Amber's death, which is what happens at the end of Season 1. Her final outburst allowed Hei to stop the collapse.

Havoc

Member of Heya's group Latin America. Is a regressor. She regained her emotions and agrees to help the protagonist in finding his sister. Possessing strength, she was known as the most terrible and powerful contractor. The key ability is to create a vacuum. The price is to drink the blood of children. During the MI6 operation, she was killed by operative November 11. She does not regret at all that she lost her abilities, but she does not know exactly how this happened.

Misaki Kirihara

A police lieutenant and Hay's girlfriend. At the same time, he is investigating the Reaper's murders, trying to determine his identity. A good-natured and calm girl. At one time, the protagonist often met with her, having fun. But later Hay realized that the policewoman lived in a completely different world, and gave up trying to make friends with her. Misaki searches for the protagonist throughout seasons 1 and 2 of the series. He believes that even contractors can be honest and worthy members of society.

Suo Pavlyuchenko

Daughter of Professor Pavlyuchenko and contractor. The main character of the anime "Darker Than Black: Gemini and the Shooting Star". She was experimented on by her father with the help of her brother. The goal was to create exact copy person. She is very attached to her brother, a good-natured and calm girl. He has a hard time accepting the fact that he is a contractor. Her strength is the summoning of a heavy rifle and ammunition for it. The fee is to do origami. At the end of Season 2, the characters in Darker Than Black face some tough choices. Her brother gave his life so that Suo could have own world, essentially creating a copy and giving it to the girl. Now lives ordinary life and goes to school. Her parents are alive and protecting their daughter.

Sion Pavlyuchenko

The key ability is to create a copy. The resulting replica differs from the original, albeit slightly. A contractor with huge potential. Fee - cannot walk for some time after using abilities. He entered into an agreement with Yin/Izanami in order to save his sister from the horrors of the whole world. In fact, he loves Suo very much and is ready to give up his life for her. He took part in the experiment of his own free will. The characters in season 2 of “Darker Than Black” turned out to be less charismatic, which is why the project was criticized. However, the twin tandem seems well thought out and interesting.

What happened at the end of season two?

Are the Darker Than Black characters dead? No, not really. The fact is that Izanami is a contractor who can fulfill any wishes. Her price, like anyone else who wants to use the power, is the souls that the girl absorbs. Sion sold himself in exchange for Izanami creating a separate world for Suoh and July, where they were happy. In addition, she asked what she could do for Hei, and he wished to stay with Yin. They were transported to yet another world, only for dolls and contractors, effectively opening the Gate. The main narrative is interrupted with Izanami's awakening, now the Organization must find and destroy this contractor, since the girl, in fact, possesses enormous power.

Possible sequel

On this moment There is no information on whether Darker Than Black season 3 will be released. Although original project received another episode in honor of the series' anniversary, there is no confirmed data on subsequent work. Most likely, the story of the characters in Darker Than Black is officially over. Despite the fact that fans of the project hardly want this. If we take into account the rumors, we can note the cyclical appearance of new “ducks” regarding the continuation of the original anime.

Darker Than Black, as mentioned above, is an original series. It's memorable, deep and a little sad. The opening of "Darker Than Black", or rather its first season, is all that is left for fans. However, everything is not so bad. Favorite anime You can watch it more than once with both voice acting and subtitles. “Darker Than Black” ultimately allows you to plunge into a completely different world, full of its own secrets and mysteries. The story is over, but fans still have many questions. Well, the open plot with Izanami gives hope for the emergence of a completely new project in the future.

Here is how it was. Izanami can grant wishes. Xion asked to take the souls of Suo and July and transfer them to the world he created so that they could live happily there.

Then Hay came. Yin asked him to kill himself. Instead, Hei made some kind of wish, something like “I want to be together with Yin.” His wish came true. He ended up with Yin, who was already separated from Izanami.

A yin-like girl with short hair was shown rising from the coffin. During this, the words were spoken: “So what about the one whose birth was spoken of in the prediction? How will this birth affect our world?” That is, in this case it is implied that this girl who rose from the coffin was Izanami, but not Yin. This is confirmed by the fact that that girl absorbed the souls of the people standing nearby.

Yin, as stated, is alive, but unconscious after being separated from Izanami, so to speak.

To solve all the problems, it was necessary to kill Yin and then Izanami would have died, but Hei did not do this. Izanami is alive and the new “Organization”, in which the well-known girl cop is a member, will have to deal with Izanami.

And Hei and Yin, separated from all these problems, are now together in an unknown place. But they are not dead. They are, so to speak, in a separate world created by Hei’s desire. Apparently this is a world for dolls and Contractors. Two dolls with yellow hair also entered there. Before entering, they said something like: “The gates have opened again, let’s go there, let’s go there.”

To understand this, you had to watch Ova. OVA is not a separate series. This is a plot that stands between seasons 1 and 2. And there we understand how Yin became part of Izanami. And then, after watching the ending, you can understand what kind of white Yin and black yin(White - Yin, black - Izanami).

Well, in general, the ending is clear in principle. You just need to think about it a little)