What can you say about an anime series in which the most interesting character is a talking cat? In this initial five-episode offering, the cat is Mao, a “contractor” who lost his human body and took up occupancy in a feline's. Contractors are assassins and spies who possess powerful psychic abilities derived from the Hell's Gate, a special type of force field that appeared over Tokyo, replacing the real stars in the sky with fake stars. Confused? You are not alone. In these opening episodes, the focus is on Mao the cat and a blind girl named Yin, who go about their contractor work in a merciless, effective, emotion-free manner, and Hei, a youthful contractor in Japan under the guise of being a Chinese exchange student. If Darker Than Black is narratively disorienting, it boasts style to spare—handsome visuals that keep the viewer's attention even when the storyline derails into utter inanity (such as the episode with the girl who can create spontaneous combustion in inanimate objects). Presented on a dual-language disc, rated TV-MA, DVD extras include audio commentary, cast auditions, and production artwork. Given the eye-catching animation and the hope that the story will find its place in future volumes, this should be considered a strong optional purchase. [Note: Darker Than Black, Vol. 2 is also newly available, with Vol. 3 slated for release on Mar. 10.] Aud: P. (P. Hall)
Darker Than Black, Vol. 1
(2007) 120 min. DVD: $29.98. Funimation (avail. from most distributors). ISBN: 1-4210-1226-X. Volume 24, Issue 2
Darker Than Black, Vol. 1
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