Darker than Black

Synopsis

A decade following the appearance of Heaven's Gate in South America and Hell's Gate in Japan, an enigmatic celestial barrier continues to obscure the night sky, with the true nature of these phenomena remaining a mystery. These zones defy the laws of physics, and their emergence brought forth the Contractors, individuals who sacrifice pieces of their humanity in exchange for supernatural powers. In the Japanese city encircling Hell's Gate, Section 4 Chief Misaki Kirihara investigates a notorious Contractor named Hei, infamous in criminal circles as the "Black Reaper." Hei and his team execute missions for the ruthless and shadowy Syndicate while simultaneously peeling back the layers of a treacherous conspiracy that endangers the very existence of the Contractors. Created by Tensai Okamura, this science fiction thriller presents a subtle look at a covert war where political alliances and justice are powerless, depicting a conflict fought entirely in the shadows.

Background

Darker than Black was awarded Best Original Anime of The Year by GoGoplex, a popular magazine for teens. In the 2007 Japan Media Arts Festival, it was one of the jury's recommendations from the category "Animation Division/Long Animation." On January 21, 2016, it was announced that Funimation Entertainment, the North American distributor for the anime, no longer holds the license for this season.