Darker Than Black (2007)

Action · Animation · Crime

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.

IMDb rating: 7.7 (13,572 votes)
Episode average: 7.7 matches the IMDb rating
Seasons: 2
Language: JA
Type: TV series

Rising trajectory: each season at least as good as the last. Rising Shows ranks whole shows by the shape of their rating trend rather than one average score, which is how you find a show that got better rather than a show that started well. See every Rising show in the explorer →

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Ratings refreshed Oct 3, 2026 · 2 seasons indexed

Cast

Seasons

Season 1 (2007)

7.48 avg 26 episodes 7.1 → 6.9 24 min avg

Bad finale

Season 1 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	The Star of a Contract Fell...: Part 1	7.1	220
2	The Fallen Star of a Contract Part 2	7.3	199
3	A New Star Shines in the Dawn Sky Part 1	7.1	185
4	A New Star Shines in the Dawn Sky Part 2	7.4	179
5	Red Giant over Eastern Europe Part 1	7.2	163
6	Red Giant over Eastern Europe Part 2	7.6	159
7	The Scent of Gardenias Lingers in the Summer Rain Part 1	7.1	156
8	The Scent of Gardenias Lingers in the Summer Rain Part 2	7.1	152
9	The White Dress, Stained with the Girl's Dreams and Blood Part 1	7.2	148
10	The White Dress, Stained with the Girl's Dreams and Blood Part 2	7.4	148
11	When One Takes Back What Was Lost Within the Wall Part 1	7.4	146
12	When One Takes Back What Was Lost Within the Wall Part 2	7.6	150
13	A Heart Unswaying on the Water's Surface Part 1	7.4	146
14	A Heart Unswaying on the Water's Surface Part 2	7.9	154
15	Memories of Betrayal in an Amber Smile Part 1	7.4	139
16	Memories of Betrayal in an Amber Smile Part 2	7.8	142
17	A Love Song Sung from a Trash Heap Part 1	7.1	138
18	A Love Song Sung from a Trash Heap Part 2	7.5	142
19	Dreaming Shallow, Uninebriated Part 1	7.6	136
20	Dreaming Shallow, Uninebriated Part 2	8.0	137
21	City Under Crackdown, Moist with Tears Part 1	7.4	131
22	City Under Crackdown, Moist with Tears Part 2	7.9	135
23	God is In His Heaven	8.1	136
24	Meteor Shower	8.1	146
25	Does the Reaper Dream of Darkness Darker than Black?	8.0	153
26	OVA: Beneath Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom	6.9	131

Season 2 (2009)

8.11 avg 16 episodes 7.8 → 9.0 25 min avg

Big finale

Season 2 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Black Cats Do Not Dream of Stars	7.8	102
2	Fallen Meteor	7.9	99
3	Vanishing in a Sea of Ice	7.9	92
4	The Ark Adrift on the Lake	7.7	92
5	Gunsmoke Blows, Life Flows	7.8	91
6	An Aroma Sweet, a Heart Bitter	7.9	89
7	The Doll Sings in the Winter Wind	7.9	91
8	Twinkling Sun on a Summer Day	7.9	90
9	They Met One Day, Unexpectedly	7.8	92
10	Your Smile on a False Street Corner	8.0	91
11	The Sea Floor Dries Up, and the Moon Grows Full	8.1	91
12	Ark of Stars	8.0	100
13	OVA: Gaiden Part 1	8.6	89
14	OVA: Gaiden Part 2	8.9	93
15	OVA: Gaiden Part 3	8.6	80
16	OVA: Gaiden Part 4	9.0	96

Darker Than Black (2007)

Cast

Seasons

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