Darker Than Black Episode 26: Beneath the Fully Bloomed Cherry Blossoms
Synopsis — from MyAnimeList
A side-story of Darker than Black, also called Episode 26, that takes place during the events of Kuro no Keiyakusha. The Syndicate has another job for Hei and his team. This assignment involves the sought after possessions of a dead contractor, which are believed to have been buried beneath a cherry tree. Meanwhile, Misaki Kirihara and her team plan a trip to the Cherry Blossom festival.
Audience Consensus
Audience reaction to this OVA is split between those who appreciate it as a fun, lighthearted diversion with good production values, and those who find its simplistic, out-of-place humor and narrative irrelevance to be a significant detractor. While praised for maintaining the original series' quality in art and sound, its comedic tone and lack of plot contribution leave some viewers feeling disappointed that it missed an opportunity to better fit the show's established gravity.
Strengths
- Excellent and consistent art quality with detailed backgrounds and character designs, mirroring the main series.
- High-quality sound design and music that effectively sets the mood.
- Characters remain a strong point, with enjoyable interactions, especially for fans of the original series.
- Provides a good laugh and amusing diversion for fans missing the series.
- Smooth animation and voice acting on par with the main series.
Weaknesses
- Story is overly simplistic and lacks depth when viewed as a standalone piece.
- Completely irrelevant to the main plot, offering no resolution or new insight.
- Humor relies on cheap gags and clichés, feeling forced and out of place for the series' tone.
- Characters can feel stiff or out of character due to the comedic focus.
- Doesn't fit the gravity of the main series; a "What-If" scenario might have been more appropriate.
- Convenient plot devices tie events together too easily.
- Doesn't add to the mythos or expand on the main series' events.