So ends the anticipated second season of Darker than Black, at 12 episodes. The series was really good, though it wasn’t what I had initially thought it would be (early promotional art/summaries made it seem like Hei and Yin would be the main protagonists). And like the first season, I’m having some trouble figuring out the ending…
I felt episode 12 ended very abruptly, but maybe that’s just because I didn’t understand everything. I’m really bad with following politics-heavy anime, where you have to keep track of different factions, who’s part of which faction, what the many acronyms stand for, what each faction’s goal is, etc,.
I think I at least understood the conflict involving the new characters, Shion and Suou. Shion’s main goal was to use his contractor copy ability to the fullest and, with the help of the Doll and ME Systems, create an artificial Earth. His father was helping him, and the reason they faked their deaths was in order for Suou to go off on her own and see if her artificial memories would last. In the end, when Izanami kills Suou and July, Shion uses the last of his powers to transport them to his artificial Earth, where they can live as normal human beings without any memory of their previous life.
The main thing I don’t understand in Darker than Black 2 is the conflict with Hei and Yin. In the first season, Yin was a Doll, but suddenly, in the second season, she’s dubbed “Izanami” and has this power to kill contractors. I’m not clear why/how she was killing contractors, what happened between her and Hei, whether she part of Shion’s plan, and who/what Izanagi was (Apparently there are upcoming DVD-only episodes that may explain some of these things).
I also don’t know what that Yin lookalike in the coffin was.
As far as a conclusion for the series, as I stated above, we know what happens to Suou and July, and Misaki’s group seems to be continuing their work (is Mao now their partner?) But in final scene, we see Hei, carrying Yin (I think), walking off into the distance. Seems Hei is still very much alive, but as for what he and Yin are going to do from here on is left up to our interpretation…or perhaps a third season?
Even though some of it left me a bit confused, I thoroughly enjoyed Darker than Black’s second season. Like the first season it had good animation, suspenseful action, solid characters, and an intricate, sci-fi-laden plot. If anybody can help me out with my above questions about the series, I’d appreciate it =)
Credit for screencaps goes to Random Curiosity.
Awesome review Yumeka!!!
I’ve watched the season finale too and I agree that it ended quite soon. Now we’re all left with more questions than answers. I mean, did Hei REALLY kill Yin? (Hopefully NO) Who’s the Yin-look-a-like? and What happened to Hazuki?
=The first question really MUST be answered ‘coz a lot of fans are confused w/ HOW that can even happen. Did Hei get his powers back and used it against Yin?
=The second question is quite the enigma since apparently Yin (boy version) has the ability to rip the spectre (souls) of normal human beings like Mr. Smith.
=The third question is a personal one since I’m also a fan of Hazuki-kun… seeing as how Genma got what was coming to him, I can only assume that she might make an appearance on the next season…
=As for Suou, her ending is bittersweet ‘coz she got the normal life she deserved but lost the man she loved. But at least July is happy (finally)…:)
=Overall, the DTB 2 ending is begging for a Season 3… since the upcoming OVA would only show how Hei and Yin lived and got separated… HeiXYin forever!!!
@ Akura
Yeah, I’m wondering if Yin is really dead or not. The series was ambiguous about a lot of things, especially Yin. Hopefully the DVD episodes and/or a season 3 will clear things up.
I really thought it was a giant reset button that in many ways made it possible for them to possibly continue the series (thought it would be in a very strange fashion, imo). Oh and the doll that looks like Yin is suppose to be the new Izanami/whatever… all part of the reset :P
@ Paranoia675
Well, it definitely was a reset ending for Suou and July (but in their case, their world gets reset for the better). For Hei, it ended the same as the first season – he has this big adventure, then runs off with Yin and no one knows where he is…until next season! So for him and perhaps the other characters, it was more of a return to the status quo.
So that Doll is the next Izanami? I’m still trying to figure out what Izanami and Izanagi are.
i hope there will be a third season..i REALLY hope so…
there are still plenty of questions left to be answered especially about Yin…
if it ends like this,then it will make me hate Darker Than Black mangaka really much…
~ReaLLy LoVes YIN~
i also hope that Yin is still alive and the she will become the main character in season 3. Through out the series Yin does not has much screen time than other character, she deserves more than that.
Despite being only a supporting character she still has awesome number of fans and that will be the main reason why BONES should focuses more on if there is S3 (which is likely to happen IMHO).
I just want more of Yin x Hei..==
Hey there, I occasionally found this here and I really wanted to give my points of view to this fairly… interesting ending :P
About the Izanagi/Izanami-theme:
I think those were just code-names made up by Amber in those Memories of the Future; that if those two meet, the world will drastically change.
Yin was said to be Izanami fairly early into the show, but until the final episode everyone thought that Hei was the Izanagi foretold by Amber. But yea, as it turned it, t’was Shion, in fact, which added to the “Oh noez!” effect :D
Who wants to know what their meaning is, just need to ask Wikipedia.
Mysteries about Yin:
Well, those are quite complicated. First of all, we don’t know why and how exactly Yin is able to control the powers of the contractors, forcing them to kill themselves. But it was said to be the “evolution of dolls” in the series, so it might mean, that if a doll opens their heart to a person, their powers also dramatically increase (like how July was right in the middle of this evolution by beginning to make his very own decisions). Yin happened to change since the first season and this looks like the outcome of this metamorphosis. The first OVA at least hints into this direction, tho I won’t spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen it^^
How they got separated will be shown in the other OVA’s
About the boy-girl-Yin-lookalike-thing:
Who knows? Looks like a possibly new incarnation of Yin, after her (apparent) death.
Since this ending begs for a third season, we might have to wait a long, long time, till we get to know more
So long, just my two cents
Cya
p.s.: Hei is such a womanizer :D
@ BubblDee
Thanks for the info. I think the OVA should answer my questions. Just have to wait until it finishes =)
Just finished watching the second series (did it all in two days). They boy at the end from the coffin, is hei/yins son. Amber tells cop girl (rubish with names) that yins pregnancy is drawing near (or something along those lines).
Havent watched the OVA’s yet so may be explained in there..
fantastic series, feel a bit love sick now.
my site http://www.liveanime.org :D