UlasanAnime.com – It seems the predictability of character fates in Darker than Black is becoming a recurring theme, leading to a sense of diminishing impact.
The question arises: how many guest stars in Darker than Black actually survive their appearances? It appears to be a rather low number. We’ve seen characters like the Witch Hunter Robin, and the “smell girl,” both meeting their demise, though the source text humorously notes these as spoilers.
With the exception of more persistent guest stars like April, Amber, and Kiko, the trend suggests a grim outlook. Out of eight significant guest arcs (excluding the minor arcs involving the child who liked Amber and the doll trafficking), only two characters seem to have escaped the inevitable. This makes one wish they had a similar knack for predicting which “trap” would be sprung in shows like Simoun.
The predictability of death in Darker than Black is becoming so apparent that it’s losing its shock value. While the source text acknowledges that a 75% death rate isn’t an absolute certainty, there’s a significant degree of foregone conclusion.
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Episodes 19 and 20, which focused on Huang’s story, are highlighted as being wonderful. It’s noted as surprising how effective this was, considering Huang is a major character who receives relatively little development throughout the series. Furthermore, his character isn’t as inherently likable as Yin or Mao, making it a greater challenge to craft a compelling narrative around him.
The ending of episode 20 is particularly questioned, with the author expressing confusion and disappointment. Despite the quality of the preceding episodes, the conclusion is described as “sloppily dropped.”
Tensai Okamura, the creator, is characterized as someone who isn’t afraid to “kill-them-all.” This trait, while not entirely surprising given his past work, does contribute to the dulling of death’s impact within the show’s episodic structure. When each dispensable character only gets a couple of episodes to connect with the audience’s emotions, the stakes can feel lower.
Despite these criticisms regarding predictability and impact, the author expresses an eagerness for the future “slaughter” that lies ahead, indicating a continued engagement with the series’ darker elements.
