[Categories: Anime Reviews]
Darker than Black 5
This episode begins with a lengthy pre-credits intro sequence that introduces a new character in the form of the very English-named(!) Jack Simon, who is trying to clinch a deal with some shady types and ends up getting the info he needs with the help of a Contractor and what appears to be another Doll. The subject of all this snooping around is Havoc, a Contractor who has been off the radar for some time - intriguingly known as being one of the ‘Lost’ - but whose knowledge (be it real or presumed) is in great demand.
I enjoyed the change of setting for this episode, not to mention the introduction of some new characters. Sadly with past experience taken into account I’m not expecting them to reappear any time soon after the next episode but it’s interesting to meet some new Contractors with their indvidual quirks and abilities. That particular side of things gives it a ‘monster of the week’ feel, not unlike Speed Grapher; only with decent animation and no gratuitous sexual content. Simon is interesting enough but I’m particularly looking forward to learning more about Havoc, whose demeanour and attitude is strange even by Contractor standards and is probably hiding significant information (a suspicion borne out by Hei’s interrogation in the last scene).
This episode strikes me as important because it shows the ‘Contractor phenomenon’, or whatever we’re supposed to think of it as, to be an international situation. Until now I thought they only operated in the area surrounding Hell’s Gate in Tokyo but the UK intelligence division seems to have Contractors of its own and presumably past dealings with them too; we even learn of a Heaven’s Gate that is located elsewhere, a considerable distance from the manifestations in Tokyo. This has serious implications, of course: an investigation into the likes of Havoc means working alongside (not to mention against!) other organisations that are outside of the country and its juristiction.
This is something that Kirihara learns to her cost, as she discovers first-hand that hunting down Contractors is much more complicated in a case such as this. I’m really warming to her character now: put it down to years of seeing strong female leads in Ghibli movies, but I appreciate a gutsy gal such as her bravely trying to work around others and getting her own job done. In this episode the worldview of Darker than Black opens up considerably, which gives the story a much greater breadth and depth; the second half of this story arc is probably going to be the most insightful so far.
Posted on May 15th, 2007 @ 8:15 pm
That was a really nice review! You have a beautiful Blog and a very good taste in Anime. I bookmarked your website
By the way, the 6th episode is out; I’ll be looking forward to see your review.