“Contractors with supernatural powers wage secret war around mysterious Gates in dark sci-fi thriller.”
Darker than Black
Darker than BLACK -黒の契約者-
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Based on your preference for character-driven stories with layered emotional arcs, this title's exploration of identity and belonging would deeply resonate. The pacing mirrors series you've rated highly, and its thematic depth aligns with your appreciation for nuanced storytelling...
However, the slow initial episodes might test your patience given your history of dropping shows that don't hook you early. The art style shift in the middle arc could also be a concern...
Synopsis
Contractors with supernatural powers wage secret war around mysterious Gates in dark sci-fi thriller.
It has been 10 years since Heaven's Gate appeared in South America and Hell's Gate appeared in Japan, veiling the once familiar night sky with an oppressive skyscape. Their purposes unknown, these Gates are spaces in which the very laws of physics are ignored. With the appearance of the Gates emerged Contractors, who, in exchange for their humanity, are granted supernatural abilities. In the Japanese city surrounding Hell's Gate, Section 4 Chief Misaki Kirihara finds herself at odds with an infamous Contractor codenamed Hei. Called "Black Reaper" in the underground world, Hei, like his associates, undertakes missions for the mysterious and ruthless Syndicate while slowly peeling back the dark layers covering a nefarious plot that threatens the very existence of Contractors. From the mind of Tensai Okamura comes a sci-fi thriller taking the form of a subtle exposé on a war in which political positions and justice have no sway—a war waged exclusively in the shadows.
What people say
Community consensus
Derived from 163 sampled reviews
What 163 viewers settled on.
Mostly aligned
σ 1.67 · some divergence
4.8 pts
Recommenders 8.6 · others 3.8
↓ 0.01
Running avg · May 2007 → Jan 2026
- 8 “I recently finished watching the series. Unfortunately, I never was able to see episode 24, so this made episode 25 harder to understand. I was, however, intrigued by the idea of the Contracters....”
- 9 “This anime has a great action plot with twists. Hei is an awesome character, he is a kick-butt assassin with no mercy. The second season has a pretty good plot also plus the relationship that...”
- 9 “You really have to watch and pay attention closely to understand this story to the full. Although the first few episodes weren't captivating, afterwards you'll understand more about the ability of...”
Watch Order & Related
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- Format 25 × 24′ eps × min
- Total runtime 10h 00m all episodes
- Aired Apr 2007 – Sep 2007 Spring 2007
- Source Tv media type
- Rated R 17+ (violence & profanity)
- Ref. BS-1846 catalog
Produced by
- Aniplex Producer
- Square Enix Producer
- Mainichi Broadcasting System Producer
- Movic Producer
- Myrica Music Producer
- Fonishia Producer
Licensed by
- Funimation Licensor