Darker than Black Ryuuzei no Gemini

[Yamamaya]

So anybody here watching the second season of DTB?

It's looking pretty good so far. The adolescent characters actually work relatively well in this series and all the new contractors are pretty awesome.

[SPOILER]However, this series seems to be determined to kill off all of the female characters from season 1.[/SPOILER]

[Makachop^^128]

wow there's a second season! I had no idea, I'm watching it!

[minakichan]

NO DON'T START THE DISCUSSION I HAVEN'T SEEN IT YEEEEEEEET!!!

But Hobo!Hei <s>cracks me up</s> is awesome.

[Yamamaya]

NO DON'T START THE DISCUSSION I HAVEN'T SEEN IT YEEEEEEEET!!!

But Hobo!Hei <s>cracks me up</s> is awesome.

Go watch it nao.

It has Russians in it.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

It's okay, I'm getting annoyed with Hei's out-of-characterness and most of the new characters don't really cut it so far.
[spoiler]We don't know if Yin is dead yet though, I wouldn't say ALL. Though April dying that early really ticked me off.[/spoiler]

[blkmage]

I'll be catching up later this week.

As for Hei's seemingly being OOC, I believe it has to do with the fact that he's apparently all alone and has been on the run for the past few years and his (at the time) seeming innocuous statement at the end of the first season that the man that Kirihara knew as Li was dead. I don't know if it's been mentioned that there will be a four episode OVA (likely as an extra episode with each DVD volume) that goes through Hei's and Yin's adventures on the run during that time.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

That's pretty sweet about the OVA's, I'll love to see those.

And was the statement and the end of the first season in the OVA? That's the only episode I haven't seen.

[blkmage]

No, that's the end of the last episode, when Hei runs in to Kirihara.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

Huh. I guess I just missed that or something.

[blkmage]

So, I just got caught up with all of my shows from last week. On to episode 2 stuff.
[spoiler]They sure are introducing characters and then killing them off pretty quickly. It might be a habit or something from when they were writing episodically, but this whole meeting a random contractor and offing them right after thing doesn't work too well for me in the new structure.

I guess the first season was 12 episodes in a sense, but it really doesn't seem like much has happened yet. I wonder how far they can get or how much can happen in twelve episodes.

And all of that Hei OOC talk tricked me into thinking he'd be radically different. After watching episode 2, I can safely say that he's still the same, just angrier and sadder. I mean, he's still unwilling to kill innocents and he's still willing to kill contractors, just like he's always done. The only thing that's changed is that he doesn't pretend to be a quiet, unassuming exchange student who happens to be everywhere.[/spoiler]

[blkmage]

So, just in time for episode 3, which was pretty awesome.
[spoiler]Looks like Hei's lost his contractor powers. Of course, it's not like this really matters once we remember that he was the Black Reaper before he got his powers. More interesting is Suou's gained contractor power, spawning an anti-tank gun and origami renumeration. Also great is the fact that Mao is alive and (just as most people guessed) is in the sugar glider. And the final awesome thing? July joins the team as Suou's spotter! Yep, this is a pretty great setup.[/spoiler]

[Yamamaya]

Pretty sweet episode indeed.

[SPOILER]It was quite sad, in fact it reminded me of season 1 of DtB the way that poor Russian kid was cruely killed by Tanya. It appears Hei is going to be more of a supporting character in this series. Still, he was able to fare pretty well even without his powers. And Suo's anti tank gun is BA. [/SPOILER]

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

I just watched episode 3, and it's getting better, but it still hasn't hit the goodness of that the show hit during and after the "A Red Giant Shines Over Eastern Europe" arc. Lots of new theories now, as to what will happen.
[spoiler]I believe Hei's loss of power is due to the fact that Pai(Bai?) has seperated from his body now, causing the loss of his power. While I'm annoyed about this, this does make a chance of her becoming an actual character, so I'm not too mad yet.

I think(or desperately hope, whichever you prefer) that once they go to Hell's Gate Hei will gain a new power, or at least get his old one back, with a remuneration now. Hei as hobo-man who randomly kills of people AND without a power really, you know, isn't just the same.

Yin, I think, is going to fulfill the same role that Pai had in the first season, as the person that Hei is desperately searching for, and yeah. I hope I'm wrong on this though, because I want Yin to have a more active involvement, as she was one of the best reasons as to why the show was good.

Suoh has finally showed a bit of usefullness, and I'm finally not disappointed that she wasn't a two-episode character like, say, Havoc(Who should have become a supporting character, instead of being brutally murdered), and now she can. I still don't like her enough to accept the prospect of her replacing Hei though.

So Mao is back, and it just HAD to be in that stupid little squirrel. While Mao is a cool enough character I can deal with it, he better get back with in a black cat by the end of the show. It just doesn't have the same effect when he's a "cute" little squirrel rather than a black cat.

So July joining means the team is back together, with Suoh replacing poor Huang and July replacing Yin. While I'd still rather have Yin in her normal spot, July was sheer awesome with acting as Suoh's support. It's nice to see that the creator's decided to keep at least one of the characters from the last series the same.

Tanya killing the one kid actually nearly made the show's saving grace. When I first saw the opening and the fact that he was doing all this stuff, I was terrified that Tanya was going to turn good and the kids were all going to become a team and other assorted lameness. Tanya, however, is now a definitely a bad guy, and the kid is dead, so my fear of that is now gone. Tanya is pretty hot too, especially in that uniform XD.[/spoiler]

So, while I'm less afraid that the show will suck in comparison, it could go either way, mostly depending on how they treat Hei.

[Yamamaya]

Tanya is somewhat hot but I always preferred Amber from season 1.

Maybe it's because she reminds me of C.C from Code Geass.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

Well, to be honest, I think Yin looks the best of all of them, but I think Tanya is better than Amber.

Amber did kind of give me a C.C. vibe, but I think C.C. was a bit more interesting, and better-looking.

No opinions on my theories though?

[blkmage]

So episode 5 reaffirmed my belief that Hei doesn't need contractor powers to be awesome. After all, he wrecked stuff in South America without them well enough to earn him his reaper title. This is the Black Reaper that they were talking about. More specific episode stuff:
[spoiler]It looks like what we've been suspecting is true: Suou is an incomplete contractor. I am getting fairly annoyed that they're reusing the gun summon animation every time. Finally, the show isn't doing very much to move the plot forward in noticeable ways. I still get the feeling that this season won't accomplish much on the explanation front. I also expect that guy with a crush on Suou and his parent are going to die a horrible death pretty soon, since this show doesn't tend to like happy people very much.[/spoiler]

[blkmage]

Episode 6:
[spoiler]WELP, looks like Yin's back... and manages to kill a contractor? Why hasn't she done this before? Also, I feel like we should be getting some elaboration on what exactly dolls are. I mean, we have a fairly decent understanding of contractors, but dolls are still one giant enigma. And having reached the end of that little sideplot with the annoying dude, I am not quite sure what the point of that detour was.[/spoiler]

Also, I'd like to mention that the OP (Tsukiakari no Michishirube) has been growing on me, unlike stereopony's first song (DAREKA WOOOO~ from Gundamoo).

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

Oh my GOSHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Darker than Black is back in full awesomeness!! Odd enough, episode 6 was where I started to really love the first season also.

[spoiler]YAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And for emphasis, YAY!!! Hei has stopped drinking, my other favorite character is back, Suoh has become interesting, I've adjusted to Mao's new form, and July makes an amazing butler. Hei is Hei again!!! Yin is back!! The episode was great, it's begininng to touch on the point made by Amber about the Contractor's developing. Norio's mother showed that, as she actually showed care for her son, and maybe they'll start to develop them even more.

And blkmage, I think the point of "the annoying dude" was mostly to introduce his mother and begin to develop on the plot that Contractors are developing past the "Always rational choice" that Amber mentioned, and Wei and November 11th demonstrated.

And I can't wait to see them develop July some more like they did with Yin.

And did I mention that Yin is back? Because she is!!!!![/spoiler]

[Fish and Chips]

So after much stalling and wayward checking, I finally gave in and picked up Ryuuzei no Gemini, which despite my reservations has been fairly interesting so far (up to episode 3). The episodic structure of the previous season really annoyed me, especially as it started sucking after Red Star in Europe, but it seems Gemini is more plot-centric, and besides which actually has some decent antagonists right off the bat, so I'll stick with it.

It kind of bothers me that remunerations have become little more than a joke though. Except when they're not, but that was the same in the first season, so whatever.

"I have to fold origami cranes."
"I can't walk for two years straight."

[blkmage]

Did you end up finishing the first season? There are some pretty wacky remunerations near the end in there.

[Fish and Chips]

I gave up on the first season shortly after episode 15, for reasons unrelated with remunerations.

What I meant is that most remunerations in Darker Than Black are increasingly lame, except for plot related reasons when they aren't. Every contractor pulls off ridiculous abilities (in a good sense) like summoning hoards of locusts, distorting time and space, and controlling the weather, for which they get away with paltry costs like revealing how magic tricks work, pulling off a strand of hair, etc....until suddenly you have someone who can't use their legs for two years. Or who drinks the blood of children. I just can't get my mind around how you have a guy who electrocutes people to death impulsively stacking their shoes upside down, while another guy has to break all his fingers repeatedly because he tried to levitate. The unevenness is simply astounding, and only ever seems to show up for plot related powers.

It's a gimmick, except when it's suddenly important. I dislike that.

[Yamamaya]

Well I finally got around to watching episode 5

[SPOILER]Nice to see Hei stop being such a jerk. Also the lolicon guy and his transvestite dad are becoming quite hilarious.[/SPOILER]

In response to Fish and Chips comment about remuneration, I actually find it quite a refreshing change of pace. The remuneration is completely random. For some it might be a bit of a gimmick but for others it might be something much more significant.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

In response to Fish and Chips comment about remuneration, I actually find it quite a refreshing change of pace. The remuneration is completely random. For some it might be a bit of a gimmick but for others it might be something much more significant.

My thoughts exactly.

[Yamamaya]

Watched episode 6

[SPOILER]Well it appears the lolicon is gonna be around for awhile. He's actually quite a funny character. Nice to see Hei back in character. I wonder if Yin is going to awaken. [/SPOILER]

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

[SPOILER]Well it appears the lolicon is gonna be around for awhile. He's actually quite a funny character. Nice to see Hei back in character. I wonder if Yin is going to awaken. [/SPOILER]

[spoiler]I thought she already had, given that she's killed someone and was watching Hei with her specter. Maybe I just misunderstood it though. Yin is back!!![/spoiler]

Sorry about that last part, I just got a bit excited.

[blkmage]

I feel like using an observation ghost isn't something that requires a doll to be physically awake for. I could be mistaken. Also nice touch with the ending there; recall that observation ghosts can only be seen by contractors.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

I'm fairly certain that a doll would need to be concious to use a specter, as they do conciously control them. I could be mistaken however.

Yeah, that was really touching, and really sad.

[Yamamaya]

[SPOILER] Another awesome contractor introduced and then killed instantly. It was nice to see some more interaction between July and Suo. And it appears somehow her father is still alive. Overall this was a pretty good episode although all of the different organizations are leaving me confused. [/SPOILER]

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

You LIKED him?! He was practically the definition of creeper.
[spoiler]I'm glad Hei demonstrated his awesomeness upon him. Awesome villains are like Shishio, sympathetic like Amber, lovable like the quirky miniboss squad of this show. He falls under the "Complete Monster" variety, but of the kind you want to be killed off.[/spoiler]

[Fish and Chips]

So I caught up on the entire series today, which I guess makes it permissable to say I'm officially enjoying it a lot more than the original series. I was just a bit disappointed by the hydrokinetic though: humans are around 70% water. Trying to take her hostage, Hei should have been toast. Ah, but that's just the critic in me speaking.

I must have quit watching the first season before they revealed Yin was some kind of all powerful mass-suicide doll.

In response to Fish and Chips comment about remuneration, I actually find it quite a refreshing change of pace. The remuneration is completely random. For some it might be a bit of a gimmick but for others it might be something much more significant.

Eh, allow me to rephrase my statement. I wouldn't mind if all remunerations were a joke, or if they were all serious. It's just that when most of them are jokes, the really serious ones tend to come off very jarring, and not in a good way. It's a minor complaint though, so don't think too much on it.

As for Ilya, I'm sort of with Yamamaya on this one. They kept him around just long enough to make you hate him then killed him off. I think it'd have worked better if they kept everything roughly the same, but saved all his background for the next episode, tell you only after the fact "BTW, this guy was bad news."