Darker than Black

Darker than Black

On MBS

2007–20092 seasons37 episodes25 min7.5 / 10

A dark, paranoid espionage thriller built on supernatural mystery and moral ambiguity, following an assassin navigating a world fundamentally altered by inexplicable phenomena.

Ten years ago, a mysterious spatial anomaly now known as "Heaven's Gate" appeared in South America, shortly followed by the opening of "Hell's Gate" in Tokyo altering the sky and wreaking havoc on the landscape. The real stars disappeared, replaced by false stars. During this time, people possessing various special abilities — called "Contractors" — emerged, each capable of different supernatural feats. Following the disastrous Heaven's War, the United States lost its dominant position as a superpower to a mysterious organization named the Syndicate. The story revolves around a Chinese contractor codenamed "Hei" as he undertakes various espionage and assassination missions in Tokyo.

Where to watch

Not available in United States — it streams in other countries.

Questions people ask

  • Is Darker than Black scary? Yes, very. More frightening than 97% of series.

  • Is Darker than Black sad? Yes, very. More sad than 91% of series.

  • Does Darker than Black leave you hopeful? Barely. Less hopeful than 88% of series.

  • Is Darker than Black violent? Yes. More violent than 85% of series.

  • Is Darker than Black easy watching? Barely. Less comforting than 75% of series.

These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

45/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Familiar shape, done well.

Rarity36

How unlike any other series this one feels

Surprise52

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love47

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Everything like Darker than Black, and what each one shares →

Like Darker than Black

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as Darker than Black

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like Darker than Black, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like Darker than Black, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like Darker than Black, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

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