Darker than BLACK – Gaiden 01
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Summary:
Sometime after the Tokyo Explosion incident, Hei had fought and defeated some Syndicate Contractors and had then fled with Yin to Okinawa. The two posed as newlyweds on their honeymoon, and Hei had tried to find a way out of the country. What began to bother him though was how Yin started acting on her own, including following him when he told her to stay put and arranging dinner for him at the inn. The two ended up not leaving by boat because of the ferry ticket lady’s warning about Yin getting seasick, and this led to Hei running into a woman at the hotel who looked exactly like Amber. Yin noticed this as well, and after seeing Hei talking with the woman and later feeling distant from him, Yin had made use of her observation spirit that night. Although Hei had woken up and stopped her from doing anything drastic, Yin saw enough to be able to say that the woman was not Amber but was indeed a Contractor. Yin had tried to suggest that he get out of there, however Hei had just hugged her and vowed not to leave her by herself.
The next day, as Hei was checking out of the inn, he heard from the manager that the person who looked like Amber was actually a man. Realizing that the woman he had seen was an illusion, Hei ran back to his room only to find Yin gone, and he subsequently got attacked by more Contractors. Hei survived and was able to track Yin down to an old building where he got attacked again, this time by the person who looked like Amber. This person’s ability was to control his opponent’s actions, but Hei was saved when this person suddenly turned the gun and shot himself in the head, with Yin’s observation spirit appearing behind him. Hei was then able to kill most of the rest of Yin’s captors and save her, and he told the remaining kidnapper to tell the Syndicate that he’d thwart whatever they conspired to do. Unbeknownst to him, the person who looked like Amber wasn’t dead and instead talked to a certain dog about Yin’s hastened evolution.
Preview
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I hate to say it, but this episode was everything I wanted the second series to be. There was tons of action, some hints of romance, and then some plot twists and more action. The battles at the beginning and end of the episode were nice, but I actually enjoyed the sweet HeiXYin moments in the middle the most. It’s largely because I loved the music they used for those scenes which made them feel almost CLANNAD-esque. It was of course also great to hear Yin have more lines here than she did in all of Ryuusei no Gemini, and we’re finally seeing the beginning of how she became Izanami. Speaking of which, the new antagonists for this arc are certainly interesting. Claude (that’s the name listed in the credits) has a very useful ability, and the whole Amber thing caught me off-guard. The dog with the female voice was kind of creepy too and is in I imagine a situation similar to Mao. There was also that kid who was with the kidnappers who Hei wanted to pass his message to the Syndicate. I’m surprised that Hei let him live, and I’d guess he’ll play another role later on.
What gets me even more excited about this story arc is watching the preview for the next DVD episode on the official website. I’ve never seen so much emotion in Yin – she’s almost delightfully evil – and I can’t wait for it to come out March 24th.
January 31, 2010 at 3:03 amshinka
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awesome!
January 31, 2010 at 3:06 amClick
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Looks like this is off to a good start =)
January 31, 2010 at 3:07 amdamian
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I hope someone subs this, it looks great.
January 31, 2010 at 3:14 amPw3age
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Must watch!
January 31, 2010 at 3:16 amshirokiryuu
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I can’t wait to see this! It looks pretty exciting!
January 31, 2010 at 3:20 amClick
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http://randomc.net/image/Darker%20than%20BLACK/Darker%20than%20BLACK%20-%20Gaiden%2001%20-%20Large%2020.jpg
It’s a trap!!!
http://randomc.net/image/Darker%20than%20BLACK/Darker%20than%20BLACK%20-%20Gaiden%2001%20-%20Large%2042.jpg
January 31, 2010 at 3:22 amkyonkun
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BSS might sub it. Still it is upcoming. no release date
Be waiting for it
January 31, 2010 at 3:23 amssj4jw
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This should have been worth 12 episodes and Gemini as the OVA side story.
January 31, 2010 at 3:24 amCHIBI
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BLEH. This anime went downhill after the OK 1rst season. 2nd season was horrid. Izanagi…wtF?
January 31, 2010 at 3:35 amGemini
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This episode alone was better than anything in Gemini. What could of been.. >.> Cant wait for the next episode.
January 31, 2010 at 3:48 amRay
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They just had to kill amber again, don’t they.
-_-b
January 31, 2010 at 3:59 amtreble89
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i had no idea this is coming, yeah, Darker Than Black!!!!
January 31, 2010 at 5:22 amviral
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BSS will sub it, but they can’t find a decent raw/DVDISO. They sub is propably finished, but they just can’t release it with shitty video.
January 31, 2010 at 5:48 amMegas
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SWEET! Too bad its only 4 episodes. They could have gotten so far with this one compared to that weird shit in the 2nd season. Its kinda sad that Amber was eventually right when she said that in order for Hei to save all the contractors, he would end up alone – How many GD Ambers are there anyway, body-doubles or not.
January 31, 2010 at 6:19 amWilly
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Hei: just touch, it won’t bite
http://randomc.net/image/Darker%20than%20BLACK/Darker%20than%20BLACK%20-%20Gaiden%2001%20-%2026.jpg
Hei: see, told you it wouldn’t bite you, but I didn’t say it wouldn’t spit
http://randomc.net/image/Darker%20than%20BLACK/Darker%20than%20BLACK%20-%20Gaiden%2001%20-%2027.jpg
January 31, 2010 at 9:58 amlily
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I agree; this is so much better than the second season already. More Yin = more win.
January 31, 2010 at 10:47 amsigh
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Damn it all to hell, I want to watch this So Bad. BSS Subs hurry your asses up.
January 31, 2010 at 12:12 pmShimapan
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OMFG DtB
January 31, 2010 at 12:38 pmLiberta
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This totally caught me off guard O_O; I never new there was more Darker Than Black XD. There is only 4 ovas talkin about Hei’s past with Yin? :’(
January 31, 2010 at 12:38 pmLiberta
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*edit ‘knew’ god damn keyboard ><
January 31, 2010 at 1:37 pmblinx01
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In terms of subs the problem is there is no DVDISO or Blu-ray RAW available.
It will surely come evntually though but this does look a hell of alot better than season 2.
January 31, 2010 at 1:54 pmGil
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Where does “Gaiden” fit into in terms of timeline?
January 31, 2010 at 3:13 pmSteph.
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THIS IS THE REASON WHY THE SECOND SEASON WAS SUCH A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT. I’m so glad they gave us these OVA’s. I want to wait for ALL the episodes to air before I watch but… Ughhh I don’t know… Anyways, thanks for blogging Omni! :D
January 31, 2010 at 3:27 pmBROOKLYN otaku
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i’m confused, is this an alternate reality?? or continued from the last series??
January 31, 2010 at 3:47 pmPhuzyBuny
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Gaiden happens between the first and second season.
January 31, 2010 at 8:28 pmPhantom
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Hm. I haven’t watched the OVA yet, so I dunno if anything may contradict, but I have a personal theory about Yin.
So. Evolution, and two Yins at the end of the second season.
Evolution: Remember that contractor from the first season who could steal observation spirits? When he died, he realeased all of them. I think Yin may have absorbed them or gained a similiar power to that contractor, beacause after that episode Yin’s observation spirit seemed to have grown a lot stronger. For example, in Hell’s Gate, she was able to use the observation spirit without pain, something that only a large network of dolls can do. Her spirit also turned into a girl shape after that. In Season 2 ep. 12, we see Yin with a large numbus of spirits circulating around her, kinda like what happened when that contractor died. This may have been the begining of her evolution.
Now, two Yins: Everyone generally believes Yin to mean silver…however it could also be Yin as in YinYang, the Daoism symbol. Thats the first thing I thought when I saw two Yins, one in black and the other in white. In YinYang, white represents the female, good side, and black represents the male evil side. Therefore, I hypothesize that Hei either killed or seperated Yin from Izanami, leaving only Yang. And Yang could therefore be that Boy wearing a black suit in the epilogue of Ep. 12, who oddly looks like Yin.
This still doesn’t really explain what Izanagi has to do with it though…, but perhaps that a evil force still exists means a 3rd season or at least seomthing to conclude?
Anyway, I believe that this is what happened, ;)
And sorry for the huge write, I just had to get my thoughts out after watching that confusing 12th episode.
January 31, 2010 at 9:00 pmAuroraFlame
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March 24th!!! Gawh.
January 31, 2010 at 9:11 pmtiw
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@ Phantom: it is nice to see someone trying to make sense of this ^^
I assumed Yin meant silver, because she was named after her hair color which can seem silver-ish. I didn’t bother to try to make sense of things anymore. I feel like I was kind of rickrolled by DtB season 2. Sure, season 1 had it’s flaws too, but as a whole, it was okay. The Gaiden seem to be decent/good as well. However, season 2 *rant mode on*…
Spoilers of the end of s2
Show Spoiler ▼
January 31, 2010 at 9:11 pmmadamebin
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i.need.to.watch.it.NOW!!
damn working hrs ;(
January 31, 2010 at 9:18 pmPhantom
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Oh and I meant that Yang would bet the good Yin, and Yin would be left in the coffin, since Yin means dark and Yang means light in Chinese.
And after some reading, I think that Yin/Izanami sent the souls of the contractors she killed to the Earth copy. Because it was mentioned that something like ” Contractors who are made to commit suicide by Izanami are sent to Heaven.” The souls of those killed contractors would be sent to the new Earth, which would be like heaven to them since they would be able to live normal lives in a world with no gates or contractors.
January 31, 2010 at 9:38 pmSatoida
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It’s kinda nice to see this kind of face again:
http://randomc.net/image/Darker%20than%20BLACK/Darker%20than%20BLACK%20-%20Gaiden%2001%20-%20Large%2012.jpg
Rather than perpetually depressed Hei. =S
January 31, 2010 at 11:58 pmgeorge
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@BROOKLYN otaku: The OVA sets between 1st season and the 2nd season which is why we get to see Yin’s growing evolution in becoming Izanami.
February 1, 2010 at 12:57 amBunny
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@ Satoida: Haha, I know xD
I miss Hei and his dorky faces.
I still haven’t finished S2 and hearing that it was pure WTF-kery convinces me even less to do so.
But I REALLY want to see this OVA ;__;
February 1, 2010 at 2:15 amsenorita
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Hei is back!! cant wait to watch this one!!
February 1, 2010 at 5:10 amdiesIupitri
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The preview is awesome. Yin’s going evil bitch and Hei looks like a koneko-chan in comparison to her. Kinky, I like it~
February 1, 2010 at 5:26 amMistrDuck
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I would like to adapt a saying made for F/S N->DtB
Yin is always win
February 1, 2010 at 7:51 amsotandem
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Ryusei no Gemini left me flabbergasted. I really hate Bones idea of making Ryusei no Gemini come out first before this bridging OVA series. If Yin is really dead (in Ryusei no Gemini), which I hope it’s not, it’s just weird seeing Yin alive here again.
February 1, 2010 at 9:38 amraine
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Great episode. One OVA has Yin showing more emotion than the two seasons combined.
February 1, 2010 at 12:59 pmJLee
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I’ve been wondering how and why yin killed all those people in ryusei no gemini.
I just couldn’t imagine her doing so, voluntarily and unprovoked at least..
Glad to see it was just because of some hastened evolutionary shit…
And now I see why Hei feels that he was the one responsible for Yin changing like that….
February 1, 2010 at 5:23 pmShinjiro
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It’s always a pleasure to see Hei in pre-Gemini’s period. it’s even more so when I can see Hei and Yin together. After the Gemini series and the ongoing (4 episodes?) OVA, I’d really hope to get a REAL Season 2 of DTB and answers to questions raised from the Gemini’s ending.
BSS torrent is available now…Just in case, you didn’t know.
February 1, 2010 at 7:09 pmDe.Lazy.1
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Has anyone read the Darker Than Black manga: “Shikkoku no Hana”? Apparently, the story takes place a year after Darker Than Black, but I don’t know if it is its own story or it actually goes along with the anime story and if it does go along with the anime, where would it be in the time-line? Before Gaiden?
Just curious, props to anyone who clarifies this for me.
Anyway, back to the OVA. I have to agree with Omni on this one, the first episode alone was better than the enter 2nd season. I can’t wait to see more of Yin and speaking of Yin, doesn’t it seem that the creators thought the OVA is the perfect place to dress up Yin in an assortment of outfits? As always, Hei is one badass dude.
February 1, 2010 at 7:24 pmJinL
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Are they drawing Yin as a bit taller than S1 here?
@Phantom: Your theory makes a lot of sense to me at least. I wouldn’t be surprised if that really is the case.
February 1, 2010 at 8:22 pmApril
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Is that Junko Minagawa voicing the woman in the preview?
February 1, 2010 at 9:03 pmReiter
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Very sweet and tender moments between Hei and Yin this OVA ep, though the (fake) addition of Amber kinda threw me off too (illusion, booooo). Plus it was nice seeing Okinawa being presented with some authenticity; the music and food especially look spot on. Brings back fond memories when I was over there.
As for the preview on the Web site… man, evil Yin is just a scary sight to behold. Even Hei is freaked out, the Black Reaper!
Drawing Yin taller shouldn’t be so strange. I’d assume a few months have passed at least since the events of Season 1, so it’s not surprising Yin would have grown some (she is a teen, after all, doll or not).
February 1, 2010 at 9:45 pmZeroFive1
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@De.Lazy.1
Ryuusei no Gemini takes place two years after the the Tokyo incident. The manga takes place one year afterwards. I would assume the OVA is around 1.5 years afterwards.
The manga is standalone but is canon; it doesn’t really contradict anything in the main series.
February 1, 2010 at 11:06 pmShuffleness
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Now this is what I’am talking about!! Bones has redeemed himself (so far), it wasn’t as epic as I thought it would be (maybe because the length of the ep) but this first ep definitely made me remember why I became a fan of DTB.
February 1, 2010 at 11:13 pmkyuzo
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aww… poor babies. still whining about ryuusei no gemini. wah wah wah. sheess… give it up. it’s not the series’ fault that you never really understood what happened. it was titled dtb ryuusei no gemini for a reason you know.
nhoo… can’t believe we have to wait another month or so for the next one. ugh! i wish there was a bit more of the fight in the hotel between bk201 and that dark-ball-material-eating conjurer dude.
“There was also that kid who was with the kidnappers who Hei wanted to pass his message to the Syndicate. I’m surprised that Hei let him live, and I’d guess he’ll play another role later on.”
hei has never killed a doll, i think. that’s what that kid was.
February 1, 2010 at 11:29 pmPikapu
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remuneration for eating flower petals!?!? o______o;;
February 2, 2010 at 12:24 amBROOKLYN otaku
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awww, poor kid at the end…he wanted a hug too
February 2, 2010 at 1:43 ampedro1197
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Hey, its subbed at http://www.animesquish.org
February 2, 2010 at 2:05 amkoeix
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I saw J.C staff in the credits, wat did they do?
February 2, 2010 at 4:47 amSunburn
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Perfect set up episode. So everyone knows about Yin’s evolution and apparently its due to Hei. We get a new animal, but with a female voice and next stop Hong Kong! The lag between eps does suck, but it seems that it is totally going to be worth based off the first ep.
February 2, 2010 at 10:06 amWynne
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It’s just because we saw the 2nd season ending first that HeixYin moment is so great! ^.^
February 2, 2010 at 11:32 amblinx01
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@ koeix
Often with many shows, some work is outsourced to other animation studios to lessen the load. In this case it seems J.C. Staff were involved.
Not a huge shock since they’re a good studio and BONES kinda have their hands full with weekly episode of FMA, which naturally take highly priority than DVD/BD exclusive episodes.
Back on topic, quality episode. The combination of Hei and Yin made DTB what it is. That’s kinda why the second season didn’t live upto the original. Anyway, some really touching moments between the two, showing some good emotional progression from Yin. Also helped that the action was top notch and Hei was as badass as ever.
Can’t wait for the next OVA ep and if they do a season 3, I pray to god it’ll be in a similiar vain to this. :)
February 2, 2010 at 5:33 pmK
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I’m not sure if this is just the subbers, but Yin refers to her observation ghost as a “she.” It’s the part where Hei is warning her not to act on her own; that the place might not be safe. And Yin replies that it’s safe. But then she looks at her observation ghost and says “she says it’s safe too.”
I’m beginning to wonder if the ghost is separate from Yin? Maybe this explains how there’s two Yins at the GEmini finale: one is Yin, the other is her observation ghost?
February 2, 2010 at 9:32 pmMAS
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Lawl.
This episode _alone_ was by far better than DTB2 and probably even than DTB1 too.
February 3, 2010 at 1:46 amdmo
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My problem with Ryuusei no Gemini was that there weren’t enough idiots getting electrocuted by Hei.
This never gets old.
http://randomc.net/image/Darker%20than%20BLACK/Darker%20than%20BLACK%20-%20Gaiden%2001%20-%20Large%2005.jpg
February 3, 2010 at 5:18 amrobert
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this is crazy.it would of made more sense if darker than black was the second series.looking at that way it makes more sense…but im just glad that there more HEI,YIN
February 3, 2010 at 5:21 amrobert
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let me fix that darker than black gaiden was the second series instead of dtbgemini
February 3, 2010 at 9:00 pminvAZN
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This is how ya do it.
February 3, 2010 at 10:39 pmsherry
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awesome!! i had watched the anime n i’ll give 10/10!! more Hei n Yin moments!! darker than black series rocks!!! XD
February 5, 2010 at 9:45 pmKeiga
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Wow that was awesome. I agree that the whole second season would have been a lot better if it had been like this. The only bad thing is I know this is going to have a sad ending what with Yin becoming all evil and Hei becoming an alcoholic. :(
February 13, 2010 at 8:39 pmCL100100
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That was a good episode, lot’s of yin/hei moments, very cute. (especially yin who barely had an appearance in season2 More Yin plz!!!
February 17, 2010 at 7:45 amyoshi
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wowowowwo how much ovas are there? ive only found one?..
March 4, 2010 at 12:32 pmryomax
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Oh my, I just watched this today and I hecka liked it. Cant wait till the next episode and does anyone know the ending song? Been trying to figure it out but to no avail T__T