Darker than Black is a popular anime series that aired in 2007. It tells the story of Contractors, individuals who have gained superhuman abilities in exchange for their emotions and morals. The anime follows the missions of Hei, a Contractor known as the “Black Reaper” who works as an assassin.
Darker than Black has an intricate and complex storyline with many mysteries. Naturally, fans are curious about the backstories of the characters and the world before the events shown in the anime. This leads to the question – is there a prequel to Darker than Black that explores the past?
About Darker than Black
Let’s first go over some key details about the Darker than Black anime:
– It was produced by Bones studio and directed by Tensai Okamura
– The 25 episode series aired in 2007
– It is set in a fictional futuristic world where the appearance of the “Hell’s Gate” in Tokyo changed the laws of physics and led to the emergence of Contractors
– The story follows Hei and his associates in their various espionage and assassination missions
– It has a gritty, dark tone with a good balance of action, mystery, and drama
– The anime was very well-received and popular, though the second season in 2009 was more polarizing
Is there an official prequel?
So is there an official prequel to Darker than Black that was produced by the same studio and creative team?
The answer is no. As of 2023, there has not been a prequel series, OVA, or film created for Darker than Black. The only animated installments set in this fictional world are the two seasons of the anime from 2007 and 2009.
Bones studio and the creators have not yet revisited the Darker than Black universe to produce any prequel content that explores the backstories of the characters or world. So unfortunately for fans, an official prequel does not exist currently.
Light novels and manga
While there is no anime prequel, there are some Darker than Black light novels and manga that provide some additional backstory:
– Darker than Black: The Black Contractor – A 3 volume manga series that shows some of Hei’s early missions as a Contractor before the main story.
– Darker than Black: Shikkoku no Hana – A light novel that focuses on Hei’s background and childhood after the Hell’s Gate incident.
– Darker than Black: Décâcle – A light novel about Hei and his associates activities between the two seasons of the anime.
These published works shed some light on Hei and the Darker than Black world before the anime storyline. However, they were not written or illustrated by the anime team. The manga and novels ultimately serve as spin-offs and side stories rather than a full-fledged prequel.
Why no official prequel exists
There are a few possible reasons why Bones studio and the original creators have not produced an official prequel anime to Darker than Black:
– They wanted to maintain some mystery around the universe and characters’ pasts. A prequel could eliminates some of the intrigue.
– The costs and challenges of reassembling the cast and creative team many years later.
– Concerns that a prequel may not live up to fan expectations and dampen enthusiasm for the franchise.
– The anime’s ratings declined in the second season, so the creators may have felt the demand wasn’t strong enough for a prequel or new installment.
– The creators may have wanted to focus their efforts on new projects rather than revisiting a previous franchise.
Overall the lack of an official prequel likely comes down to budget constraints, scheduling difficulties, artistic reasons, or not enough perceived financial incentive. For now fans will have to rely on the light novels and manga for extra Darker than Black backstory.
Fan theories on past events
In the absence of an official prequel, Darker than Black fans have come up with their own theories and assumptions about events preceding the anime storyline, often extrapolating from hints in the show:
– The Heaven’s War – Fans speculate this was a major conflict between numerous nations, contractors, and other factions immediately following the Hell’s Gate incident. The aftermath led to the cautious peace we see in the anime.
– Hei losing his sister – It’s hinted Hei’s sister Bai was also turned into a contractor and may have died at some point prior to the show, likely related to the Heaven’s War.
– Hei and Bai’s childhood – One popular theory is that they lived peacefully in China until contractors emerged and were trained from a young age to be assassins.
– Yin’s origins – Fans have guessed that her contractor powers may have been forcefully activated at a facility while she was a child test subject.
– The Syndicate’s early actions – Some believe they rapidly seized influence globally during the post-Hell’s Gate chaos.
While intriguing, these theories are speculative and not confirmed. The true events of the Darker than Black universe prior to the anime remain a mystery.
Conclusion
In summary:
– There is currently no official animated prequel to Darker than Black produced by the original creators.
– Light novels and manga like Darker than Black: Shikkoku no Hana provide some additional backstory.
– The lack of a prequel anime likely comes down to budget, scheduling, creative reasons, or insufficient perceived demand.
– Fans have filled the void by speculating about possible events preceding the anime storyline, but these theories are unconfirmed.
– For now the early history of the Darker than Black world and Hei’s past remains a mystery leaving room for imagination.
– There is still hope that someday Bones studio could revisit the franchise and produce an official prequel anime or new installment for fans.
