The eerie, futuristic setting is detailed and frames the action nicely. Of particular note are the backgrounds of the city that Darker than Black takes place. The character designs are appealing and memorable, and the action scenes are top-notch. Cowboy Bebop felt joyously eclectic Darker than Black is tragically so.AnimationThis is one of the better animated series this year. Unfortunately, this never happens, and what we’re left with is a plot that is easy to admire but difficult to actually like. One gets the feeling that if Black had concentrated on something, anything, it would have done it impressively well. This is a shame, because in each of these half-hearted attempts, there are occasional moments of brilliance. The show tries almost everything – action, romance, comedy, tragedy, mystery and even some philosophy – but never seems to find the right combination to make things work. Instead, the story continues to waddle at its own uniquely awkward pace. In Black, I progressed more in the reluctant hope that the series might finally find its feet. In Cowboy Bebop, I eagerly pressed on to the next story arc, curious to see what the writers could possibly come up with next. Nonetheless, in spite of some extremely entertaining isolated moments, there was always something missing. While not particularly original, the cleverness with which the abilities are revealed and used never ceased to impress me. In particular, I loved the various superpowers that each of the characters had. Still, Black’s plot isn’t without its strengths. This feeling is all but missing in Darker than Black, and in its place is an uneven, somnambulant narrative that lurches and groans under its own weight, even as it delivers clever premises and interesting twists. There was a giddy, off-beat, almost poetic flow to the series, which was a major part of what made Cowboy Bebop such an entertaining work.

Sadly, Cowboy Bebop’s story might just have been one of a kind.

However, the same hodgepodge of genres and episodic story structure is here, as well as some other familiar themes and motifs (The Girl who Haunts the Hero's Past, the ephemeral nature of life, etc). Also, Darker than Black, true to its title, starts out somewhat moodier than Cowboy Bebop's beginning. The series' plot is, at least superficially, very different. To be sure, Black isn't a total carbon copy.

The problem, of course, is that Darker than Black is not Cowboy Bebop. There is such a noticeable similarity between the two series that comparing them is virtually unavoidable. StoryDarker than Black wants to be Cowboy Bebop so badly, it hurts.

Darker than black episodes