Psycho-Pass Anime Review

Psycho-Pass Season One
Saiko Pasu
Funimation
Complete Collection - 4 discs
550 mins - 22 episodes
$159.98 (2014) Blu-Ray
$64.98 (2014) Parts 1-2/ea.
ISBN 704400094309
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Katsuyuki Motohiro/Naoyoshi Shiotani
Studio - Production I.G

Synopsis: The year is 2113 and Japan has achieved a peaceful society through the use of an advanced technological system which predicts the probability of a person committing a crime through neural scanning.  The Sibyl System is unique and uses a crime coefficient to determine whether at any time a person will be likely to commit a serious crime.  Cymatic scanners are honeycombed throughout each city to read the 'Psycho-Pass' of citizens and detect latent criminals.  The Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Investigation Division is in charge of hunting down these latent criminals to remove them from active society.  A non-cloudy Psycho-Pass is a badge of honor in this society and proves an individual is highly stable.

Akane (driving) is a rookie Inspector with Public Safety
and her partner is Ginoza

The Sibyl system also performs aptitude tests and determines the vocational ability of citizens.  Some are graded to menial labor while others with exceedingly clear Psycho-Pass scores are given prestigious jobs.  In this way a new class system governed by a computer system has emerged.  When the Criminal Investigation Division hunts latent criminals they are armed with a special handgun called a Dominator.  These weapons are linked directly to the Sibyl System and are able to read the crime coefficients of anyone they are pointed at.  When they are pointed at someone with an unacceptably high coefficient score then the system arms them with an appropriate sanction response.  These range from stun to complete annihilation for those given an extreme sanction order.  This is a society where you are punished for crimes you may someday commit and lawfully killed if the your crime coefficient is high enough.

Akane is paired with the Enforcer Masaoka who was an experienced
detective before being labelled a latent criminal by the Sibyl System

Latent criminals are typically apprehended and sent to rehabilitation facilities where they are treated to reduce their crime coefficients and eventually rejoin society.  The success rate is not very high and many find their Psyco-Pass scores going even higher.  Some latent criminals are drafted by the Criminal Investigation Division to become Enforcers who assist Inspectors in apprehending more latent criminals.  The Enforcers are still incarcerated at PSB headquarters and only allowed to move in public under the supervision of an Inspector.  Both Inspectors and Enforcers can carry Dominators.

The Dominator is a variable handgun settings ranging from
incapacitation to complete cellular annihilation 

Akane Tsunemori is a rookie Inspector with an incredibly low and stable Psycho-Pass.  She scored so high on the aptitude placements that she could choose any profession and chose the Criminal Investigation Division.  Her naivete as a rookie is highly apparent, but she is determined to do a good job.  Working with Enforcers for the first time is a shock.  She's never been around latent criminals and society assigns a massive stigma to them.  She's surprised to find they are just like regular people yet have high crime coefficients.  She works with Unit One and struggles with the moral questions posed by trusting in the Sibyl System.  What if it's not perfect?  Can it be fooled?  These questions haunt Akane as she gains more experience investigating crimes and dealing with latent criminals.

From left - Shion, Kagari, Yayoi, Kogami, Akane, Ginoza, and Masaoka

Unit One is made up of:

• Akane Tsunemori - bright and shining new Inspector with an incredibly clear Psycho-Pass.  What will happen to her perfect mental state when exposed to latent criminals and those who have passed wholeheartedly to the dark side of human nature?
• Nobuchika Ginoza - senior Inspector to Akane and tasked with training her in dealing with the Enforcers and hunting latent criminals.  He treats the Enforcers as second class citizens and warns Akane to limit her association with them or risk clouding her Psycho-Pass.
• Shinya Kogami - intense, passionately driven and an adept detective.  He's obsessed with solving a particularly gruesome case from the past which caused his Psycho-Pass to become permanently clouded.  
• Tomomi Masaoka - an old school detective with skills to rival Kogami's and a prosthetic cyber-arm.  He's honest and becomes a mentor to Akane which makes her begin questioning the accuracy of the Sibyl System.  He describes the Enforcers as hunting dogs for the Inspectors.
• Shusei Kagari - a spirited young man who was determined to be a latent criminal at the age of 5.  He is good-natured and enjoys teasing Akane.  
• Yayoi Kunizuka - she is the calmest member of Unit One despite being a latent criminal.  
• Shion Karanomori - analyst and support for Unit One, she is also a latent criminal

Unit One is sent to investigate a series of murders at a drone factory
which is completely cut off from the outside world

Several new and disturbing crime trends have recently started and Unit One is very busy investigating them.  They include popular online avatars being taken over by a mysterious killer, a copycat serial killer with links to the case Kogami is still trying to solve, and the appearance of a technology which may be able to fool even the Sibyl System.  Who is Makishima and what are his links to these seemingly unrelated crimes?  Akane, Kogami, and the entire Unit One will be put to the ultimate test to determine whether the Sibyl System is truly foolproof.

Kogami fires his Dominator

Pros: Interesting premise based on psychological profiling to regulate society, great characters and their interactions, opening/ending theme songs are really good, animation quality is top notch, some major plot twists which build up to the first season ending, Makishima is a worthy opponent (loved all the literature quotes and references), the relationship between Tsunemori and Kogami is powerful, Tsunemori's trials and character development are strong by the end of the series, there's a second season

Akane talks with virtual celebrity Spooky Boogie

Cons: Only 22 episodes (typical TV series is 24 to 26), currently only an over-priced complete collection ('limited edition') available (this should change as an economical box set is released in the near future), ending was a bit too philosophical

Akane, Shion, and Yayoi discuss a case

Mike Tells It Straight: I'd heard good things online about Psycho-Pass and decided to check it out (definitely not buying the over-priced, limited edition complete collection that's out right now).  It was a great mix of sci-fi and crime detective stories.  The animation was good, soundtrack was excellent (opening/ending themes plus background music during episodes), mix of characters was interesting, and storyline progressed to a decent conclusion.  There were quite a few plot twists thrown in there which kept me guessing and I dug the philosophical topics the series presented.

Who is the enigmatic Makishima?

The premise of having a society run by a supercomputer that judges people on potential outcomes was novel.  Akane seemed like a weak character when she started out as a rookie, but really picked it up by the end of the series.  She gets put through the wringer big time.  The antagonist, Makishima, is a worthy foe and he was a great character (loved the literature quotes and references he mentioned).  The varying crimes Unit One investigated were curious and used a two-episode style (introduce the crime in the first episode and then resolve it in the second).  The second half of  the series focuses on the Sibyl System and apprehending Makishima.

The sudden appearance of this group of helmeted thugs spells disaster

It's a dark show at times with serial killers and gory deaths (the Dominators can literally blow people apart).  I thought the guns were a bit gimmicky, but they served a distinct purpose to the plot.  The characters were good although practically no development happened outside of Akane.  The pacing is great and I liked the moral questions posed (judging criminals before they have even committed a crime).  Some good suspense and drama with a distinct conclusion.  I heartily recommend this show and it's well done.  Sure, there's plenty to nit-pick with the plot and the ending could have been handled better, but I found the series engaging.  Looking forward to checking out the second season when it's released.

Is Akane truly cut out to be an Inspector?

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Death Note Anime Review

Death Note
Desu Noto
Viz Video
Complete Collection - 9 discs
850 mins. - 37 episodes
$44.98 (2014)
$24.98 (2013-14) Parts 1-2/ea.
$69.98 (2008-09) Parts 1-2/ea.
$39.98 (2008-09) Vol. 6-9/ea. Limited
$24.98 (2008-09) Vol. 6-9/ea.
$49.99 (2008) Vol. 5 Limited
$34.99 (2008) Vol. 5
$39.98 (2007-08) Vol. 1-4/ea. Limited
$24.98 (2007-08) Vol. 1-4/ea.
$29.98 (2007) Vol. 1 w/graphic novel
$24.98 (2007) Vol. 1 w/calendar
ISBN 782009243595
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Tetsuro Araki
Studio - Madhouse

Synopsis: There exists a world set apart from ours.  It's filled with Shinigami - gods of death or perhaps they should be called demons.  They have lived for a very long time and they are very bored.  Each Shinigami possesses a notebook called a Death Note which has the power to kill any human whose name is written inside.  If a Shinigami accidentally drops their Death Note in the human world then whichever human picks it up will become the owner and have the power to kill humans.  The Shinigami named Ryuk manages to get his hands on a second Death Note and decides to drop it in the human world.  This is the story of what happens afterwards.

Ryuk in the Shinigami world

Light Yagami is an honor student and star tennis player.  He's the son of a high-ranking police officer and has even helped his Dad on a few cases.  Incredibly bright and terribly bored, Light is the perfect student, son, and potential boyfriend!  One day he finds a notebook on the ground with the words 'Death Note' written on the cover.  The notebook includes some additional writing which shocks Light:

Light doesn't know what to make of the notebook and considers the implications of it's 'rules'.  What if it's real and how can writing someone's name in a notebook possibly kill them?  He decides to test it out after seeing a news broadcast of a man has taken several children hostage and the police are trying to save them.  The news broadcast shows the man's name and face so Light has exactly what the Death Note specified.  

Light possesses the Death Note and begins using it

He writes the man's name...and the man dies.  The Death Note is real and suddenly a monstrous creature appears before his eyes.  The creature is a Shinigami (God of Death) named Ryuk who says he has dropped the Death Note in the human world for someone to pick up.  He is only visible to the Note's owner and not completely trustworthy.  Light takes all of this incredible information in stride and decides to use the Note as a way to cleanse the world of criminals and create a better world.  Naturally Light will be the God of this new world.

The mysterious and world-renowned detective L

Scores of criminals begin dying of heart attacks and the authorities take notice.  They call in a world-renowned and secretive detective calling himself L.  Despite being a genius savant, L has two things going for him - no one knows his real name and Light has never seen his face.  It seems Light has met his match and must deal with an intense man-hunt to find the mysterious killer who is breathing fear into the criminal underworld.  The public gets wind of the killings and people begin forming opinions.  The killer becomes known as "Kira" and crime rates drop.  It seems the killings are primarily located in Japan so L begins closing in on Light.

Ryuk is only visible to the Death Note owner and follows Light wherever he goes

Light's father gets drawn into the investigation to find Kira and even meets the mysterious L.  It becomes increasingly difficult for Light to hide the fact that he's Kira.  Things get sticky when a second Kira appears out of nowhere.  Will this second killer align with Light's plans for a new world?  The greater question is will L take down this copycat and learn the true secret of the Death Note?  With L and the investigative team (including his father) breathing down his neck, how far will Light go and who will he kill in order to achieve his 'greater world'?  The answer will surprise you.  

A second Death Note and Shinigami (Rem) appears!

Pros: Highly suspenseful and a gripping story, interesting characters (especially L), makes you seriously question your morals, nice animation and backgrounds, intense and slow buildup to final ending was masterful, L is a serious badass who can do almost anything perfectly

The hunt for Kira intensifies, from left: Light, Matsuda (standing), L,
and Light's Father

Cons: Second half of the series gets confusing and definitely not as strong as the first, it gets hard to tell which Death Note and Shinigami Eyes are at play, some very convenient plot twists in Kira or L's favor, creepy foot-rubbing scene between L and Light, L's constant eating of sweets (it gets a little pathological by the end)

Light manipulates Misa Amane who pledges her undying love for Kira

Mike Tells It Straight: Death Note is really a story about power corrupting otherwise good people and it forces the viewer to consider what they would do with the ability to become an anonymous executioner.  At first Light appears to be the perfect student and an exemplary son, but then he transforms into the vengeful god Kira who will remake society one criminal death at a time.  A fascinating premise which offers a lot of moral allegory to the information age.  Highly suspenseful with a ton of twists and turns as Light tries to stay one step ahead of the police and L.

L shows a sadistic side when he begins questioning suspects

The series is fairly long at 37 episodes while most anime series are only 26.  This allows the story to progress at its own pace and build up a lot of tension.  It follows the original manga series by Takeshi Obata very closely.  The characters develop over time and we get to know each one.  There are so many plot developments and contingencies to Light's planning that it gets confusing at times, but keeps the viewer guessing (and on their toes).  The tone of the series is very serious (people are dying after all), but we still get a few comedy relief moments (Matsuda was my favorite) which serve to lighten an otherwise dark show.

Ryuk loves apples and likens them to cigarettes and alcohol for Shinigami

It's a complex story and sometimes hard to follow.  Every eyecatch (an outro/intro scene bookending the commercial break at the middle of every episode) consists of another rule of the Death Note which adds to the complexity of the story.  The 'rules' make the story far richer to the viewers and more challenging for the writers.  Utterly fascinating was the intricate web of Death Note rules and how Light was able to work within them.  The first half of the story was brilliant as Light used his cunning intellect to stymie the police investigation while being so closely involved.

Light and L come to blows with Misa as witness after a particularly difficult day

The character of L was truly memorable and made a lasting impression.  He was built up to be uniquely intelligent and a mysterious detective with quirky personal traits.  Whatever it was it worked. He's socially awkward, sits weird, holds things weird, is constantly drinking coffee, and eats sweets non-stop (he needs the sugar to fuel his mental capacity).  Totally classic and an integral part to why the story worked.  The other two detectives we meet who are linked to L were not as impactful (these were Mello and Near).

Near is an unflinching detective with even less social skills than L

The whole Shinigami realm thing and Ryuk (plus the other Shinigami who show up like Rem) were a major stretch to the imagination, but I eventually got used to them.  Death Note was pretty darn popular and had two live-action spinoffs (plus a prequel starring L).  The portrayal of Ryuk with cheesy CGI doesn't sound very appealing.  It worked in the anime at least.

Mello is another detective, but he believes the ends justify the means
and is never without a chocolate bar

I have to say there's nothing out there like Death Note and it's a unique show.  Dark, suspenseful, and sprinkled with a few lighthearted moments.  I definitely suggest watching this series (not for young viewers or highly impressionable teenagers with access to firearms).  One thing to note is the first half of the series is pure gold, but the second half becomes a bit more questionable as the rules and Light's machinations become more cumbersome to the story.  It's still a wild ride and highly recommended.    

Light will stop at nothing and let no one stand in his way of creating a new world under Kira

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence Anime Movie Review

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
Inosensu
Dreamworks
Movie - 100 minutes - 1 disc
$39.98 (2009) Blu-Ray
$29.98 (2009) w/book
$19.98 (2009)
$26.98 (2005) w/Millennium Actress
$29.99 (2004)
ISBN 678149175721
Japanese Audio - English Subtitles
English Audio (Blu-Ray only)
Director - Mamoru Oshii
Studio - Production I.G/Studio Ghibli

Synopsis: The future of humankind in the year 2032 is the progression of technology and its affect on organic life.  Scientific advances have allowed complete transference of human consciousness into prosthetic, cyborg bodies.  More commonplace is the addition of cybernetic enhancements to natural bodies.  Society has leaped forward with access to boundless information over the net and crime has followed.  Special units have been developed by the governments in an attempt to control the infinitely devious forms of cyber-crime.  Can you hack a person's soul?

Your standard black market sex doll dressed up as a geisha

Public Security Section 9 investigates the most serious cyber-crimes and has access to the most advanced technology.  They were once led by Major Motoko Kusanagi, a full-body cyborg, but she went rogue after merging with a completely artificial intelligence called The Puppet Master.  The rest of the group remains intact and continues to operate.  Batou was the Major's second in command and was very close to her when she disappeared.  He's a stoic tough-guy with a soft side as seen only by his pet basset hound.  Batou continues to search for clues to the Major's activities.

Let's just say you don't want to buy a malfunctioning sex doll

Batou's is now partnered with Togusa, the most human member of Section 9 (least artificial enhancements), who is a family man and was recruited from the police force.  The two investigate a series of gruesome murders perpetrated by life-like sex dolls.  It seems the dolls have malfunctioned and killed their masters.  Now the two Section 9 detectives must unravel the mystery behind the killer dolls.  Is it possible the artificial intelligence programmed into the dolls has gained a life of its own?  Could the Major somehow be behind the evolution of the dolls?  When a faint ghost is discovered in the most recent killer doll's body all bets are off!

Batou and partner Togusa are called in to investigate the grisly murders

Pros: Great animation, exhaustively detailed CG for the time period, lush backgrounds, focuses on Batou who was a favorite of mine from the first film and the manga, more Section 9 characters show up, presents an interesting detective case in the form of the dolls' artificial sentience, a lot for action than the first film, return of the Major (sorta)

The case runs deeper as Batou and Togusa investigate the sex dolls

Cons: Original DVD versions didn't include an English dub, English subtitles include sound effects ("helicopter approaching"), CG effects don't mesh well with regular animation and are too stiff (reminded me of a 3D video game background), Batou is a less compelling main character than the Major from the first film, too many quotes in the dialogue, action for action's sake, indulgent for the director (too much basset hound)

Batou is a complete hardass until he comes home to pamper his basset hound

Mike Tells It Straight: The first Ghost in the Shell was a classic, iconic film which helped define anime for a generation.  Oshii created a cutting edge masterpiece with international appeal and cemented himself as a major director.  The movie was so good it influenced the creators of The Matrix franchise.  Although it deviated from the original manga by a great degree GitS the movie was a standalone experience with its own philosophical and haunting voice.  A sequel was welcome news for fans everywhere and especially with Oshii at the helm again.

These sex dolls bear a striking resemblance to a certain Major

Animation technology had advanced considerably by the time the sequel was in production.  Computer graphics evolved in leaps and bounds with entire backgrounds being rendered digitally.  Even figures could be rendered, but the technology still lacked an organic feel to the human eye.  Oshii went with a combination of the two processes by digitally rendering the backgrounds with seemingly hand-drawn characters.  Western animators would fully embrace the all-digital process (Toy Story, Shrek), but Japanese animators were slower to adopt all digital and make a point to keep character renderings 2D in appearance (which I personally agree).

Batou has a difficult time buying dog food at his usual store

This film is an intense mash-up of incredibly rendered digital backgrounds with traditional ('organic') characters.  The attention to detail is ridiculous and works fairly well until we get to scenes with actual movement (like cars driving down a city street) where the differences become fairly obvious.  The combination works particularly well during the scene where Batou has a shoot out in a convenience store.  The first film was on the cutting edge of animation technology and Oshii continues this trend in the sequel.  Despite the lush backgrounds I felt the CG elements awkwardly interacted with the 2D elements at times and distracted me from the story.  In a few scenes I felt like I was watching a video game with the 2D characters moving through a poorly rendered background.

The CG work in this film is incredible.  This particular parade scene is crazy!

Oshii makes a real case for animation as high level art with this film.  The story is an obvious progression of his viewpoint on society and technology's potential for change, but I felt his execution and particularly the script was a bit too much.  It's a long movie and has quite a few drawn out scenes.  The dialogue was rife with literary quotes which stifled any natural feel to the character interactions.  Try talking in quotes all day and see how long people take you seriously.

Batou and Togusa follow up a lead with an unsavory hacker

With the Major out of the way at the end of the first film, Oshii would shift focus to fan-favorite character Batou and explore deeper into the consequences of limitless advances to technology.  The stage was set for a repeat performance of the first film's success.  Even the composer returned for the sequel.  It was a no brainer, right?

Oshii has mastered the fish eye lens

Batou's personality in the movies is much different than in the manga and Standalone Complex television series where he's a bit of a clown, but Oshii makes him a stoic hardass.  He's just not as compelling or deep of an individual as the Major.  The DVD released by Dreamworks had no English dub which cut it off from a majority of fans of the first film.  Unless you're into foreign films with subtitles then the pre-2009 Innocence releases were not aimed at you.  Thank goodness someone finally added a dub to the Blu-Ray release.

Batou has commando training and he gets to use it!

Dreamworks even pissed off the hardcore anime fans who hate dubs by making the subtitles closed captioned = including sound effects.  My favorite is the very first subtitle in the movie - ("helicopter approaching").  Despite its flaws I thought GitS 2 was a beautifully rendered movie and the story was mildly compelling.  It dragged on forever with those damn quotes, but I got what Oshii was trying to say. Check out this movie if you liked the first film and want to see where Oshii's vision goes.  Definitely get the Blu-Ray version with English dub and crisper visuals.  Standalone Complex is much more interesting and I recommend watching both television series if you haven't already (they were both run on Cartoon Network several times).

Is that the Major?  Is she behind the malfunctioning sex dolls?

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Darker Than Black Season One Anime Review

Darker Than Black Season One
(Darker Than Black: The Black Contractor)
Funimation
Complete Collection - 4 discs
625 mins. - 26 episodes (25 + 1 OVA)
$49.98 (2011)
$69.98 (2010)
$29.98 (2008-2009) Vol. 1-6/ea.
$39.98 (2008) Vol. 1 Starter Set
ISBN 704400074592
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Tensai Okamura
Studio - Bones/Aniplex

Synopsis:  Ten years ago a section of Tokyo transformed into a horrifyingly unstable terrain where the laws of physics cannot be trusted and mysterious apparitions haunt the streets.  The site was dubbed Hell's Gate and a similar site manifested in South America was called Heaven's Gate.  When the Gates appeared the stars and moon were blocked out and replaced by a set of artificial stars.  These stars are linked to beings with strange powers called Contractors.  Each star represents one specific Contractor and glows brighter when their power is used.  In this way the activities of a Contractor can be monitored.  When the Contractor loses their life then the star falls from the sky.  A new star appears whenever another person gains powers.

Strange phenomena occur within the Gates

Contractors were once humans, but now follow a different set of rules.  They have incredible psychic powers including flight, power over the elements, body-switching, explosions and many more.  The power comes with a price as each 'contract' requires a 'payment' - something the Contractor is compelled to do after using their power.  The 'payments' are just as diverse as the powers of the Contractors.  They can include eating/drinking specific things, smoking, placing objects in a specific manner, self-inflicting pain on themselves/others, and many more.  A Contractor's 'payment' can be a curse or only a minor inconvenience, but the price must be paid or the Contractor will be adversely affected.

The mysterious Contractor assigned Messier Code BK-201
and codenamed 'The Black Reaper'

The governments of the world have kept the existence of Contractors a secret from the general public.  The Japanese government has surrounded Hell's Gate with a massive wall and a multi-national coalition called PANDORA (Physical Alteration Natural Deconstruction Organized Research Agency) studies the abnormal phenomena inside.  Contractors are completely rational beings and no longer capable of feeling regular human emotions.  They do not know loyalty or morals, but only a strong sense of self-preservation.  Many governments use Contractors as tools to perform espionage or assassinations.  Other groups calling themselves Syndicates also use Contractors, but operate secretly and often counter to government espionage agencies.

Unassuming foreign exchange student Li Shenshun arrives in Tokyo
around the same time BK-201 and the Black Reaper become active

In Tokyo the Public Security Bureau's Section 4 is charged with investigating crimes related to Contractors.  A mysterious, new Contractor nicknamed the Black Reaper has recently been sighted in Tokyo and seemingly involved in many covert ops.  Misaki Kirihara, the head of Section 4, has made it her personal mission to find the Reaper and bring him to justice.  An unassuming Chinese exchange student named Li rents a flat in Tokyo and works odd jobs to pay for school.  He is really the Contractor named Hei, 'The Black Reaper'.

Section-Chief Misaki Kirihara and Detective Yuusuke Saito

Hei works for a Syndicate in a small group with three other individuals:

• Huang - a gruff older man who receives orders (i.e. missions) from the Syndicate and organizes the team's work.  He dislikes Contractors and considers them to be less than human
• Mao - a black cat who can talk and is really a body-switching Contractor only able to possess animals.  His original, human body has been lost
• Yin - an emotionless girl who is another Gate-related entity called a Doll.  She is a medium and can use water to send a spirit form for observational purposes.  Dolls are even less human than Contractors (although no 'payment' is required), essentially having no independent will and only acting on specific instructions

Huang, Yin, Hei, and Mao

Five years ago Heaven's Gate was the site of a massive conflict between Contractors and various governments before completely disappearing.  Hei's sister Pai disappeared in the conflict and he has made it his mission to find her.  He believes investigating Hell's Gate will give him clues to finding her, but dark secrets from his past and the Heaven's Gate conflict are slowly bubbling to the surface.  Why does he keep exhibiting remotely human emotions like compassion and sorrow when they should be beyond his caring?  Various espionage agencies like MI6, the CIA, and Public Security's Section 4 are increasingly present around the Gate.  What is the secret of the meteor fragments?  How does the infamous detective Gai Kurosawa fit into the picture?  Will Hei find his lost sister or will Misaki finally catch the deadly Black Reaper? 

Mao gets hassled by Li's landlady who hates cats

Pros: Great animation quality, nice action scenes, solid characters - especially Hei and Mao, the Contractors' powers and 'payments' are neat, awesome music put together by Yoko Kanno - the first opening theme (Howling by Abingdon Boys School) is now one of my all-time favorites  from an anime, story is perfect blend of suspense/action/comedy, very good dub, I liked how each mission/storyline lasted two episodes, high death count, some romance, this DVD set includes the OVA episode Beneath the Fully Bloomed Cherry Blossoms as the 26th episode (for you obsessive completists out there!)

Hei triggers his power during a fight

Cons: Plot was a bit confusing, certain characters are never fully explained, episodic nature can slow down overall story progression, no primary antagonist or foil, they switched the opening theme song from Howling to a different song halfway through the series

Yin tries on a smile

Mike Tells It Straight:  I kept thinking to myself as I watched Darker Than Black (aka DTB) - 'Why can't X-Men be this cool?  Mutants have superpowers, but it feels like the same stories are recycled over and over again.  Someone needs to break the status quo and bring something unexpected.'  DTB was a breath of fresh air among a cacophony of stale pop culture works.  It has a perfect mix of action, intrigue, comedy, and gravity like many other great, memorable shows.  I found myself looking forward to each new episode, but mostly it was the awesome opening theme song - Howling.  Seriously epic tune and put me in the ideal mood to enjoy DTB every time!

While being held by the Evening Primrose group, Mao worries
they've noticed he's not just a regular cat

The soundtrack was excellent thanks to Yoko Kanno - prolific anime soundtrack composer who worked on Macross Plus, Escaflowne, Cowboy Bebop, Wolf's Rain, and many more.  Visuals were top notch with two well-known studios working together - Bones (Wolf's Rain, Fullmetal Alchemist) and Aniplex (Fullmetal Alchemist, Blood+, Durarara!!).  Character designs were good and characterization definitely shined.  Hei was a cool customer, but he actually had a heart (contrary to how normal Contractors are supposed to behave).  I liked seeing the characters grow as the series progressed.

Hei takes a walk to get some ramen

I found the two-episode story arcs to be a nice change from other full-length series (i.e. 26-episodes) which tend to become episodic in the middle until the buildup to the series finale.  In DTB the first episode set up the story and players with resolution in the second episode.  Rinse and repeat for most of the series.  The only drawback - if you didn't like an arc then you were stuck with two episodes to trudge through.  Overall DTB was a great show and I recommend it highly.  It was serious, but had lots of humorous and touching moments to make you feel for the characters.  I'm looking forward to checking out the sequel.

"Just howling in the shadows!"

TO BUY and Recommendations: