Darker Than Black (Episode 18)

The bus ride back to Kelantan is like taking a long haul flight. I’m feeling fatigued from the trip, feeling sleepy throughout the day. When I’m tired, I get cranky. It felt like jet lag somehow.

This episode is more entertaining compared to the previous one in the sense that it is more emotional. The writers were able to put in more emotion to the characters and literally to the doll. I mean the doll is smiling, suggesting the doll may not be as what many would think. The idea of the possibility for a doll to turn human-like is there. Well that’s good news for Hei in his loli-seeking love. What’s more is that the BGM for this episode is another job well done – a signature work of Yoko Kanno. Those jazzy tunes really fit the mood of the episode (towards the end) making this arc ended in perfect absolution. This episode also hinted that Hei really cares for Yin – that we know all too well but this time, Hitotsubashi had brought up the question and this tests Hei’s true feeling for Yin. Nothing naughty I hope.

Kenji is begging Hei for his help.

The episode began with Hitotsubashi awaken from his dream about his past by a phone call, confirming that the Nakazawa gang leader is dead. Meanwhile Kenji tried to reason himself with Hei, saying that he had fallen for the doll and wanted to make her happy. He also decided to flee Tokyo with her. Hei doubted it was impossible for him as Kenji knows nothing about dolls. At the club, Hitotsubashi had received the news about Kenji taking the doll away. He was furious about the timing of the events – happening right after they assassinated the leader. So he ordered his people to catch Kenji and the doll. Misaki and Kanami were shopping together in the mall when Misaki set sight to whom she thought to be BK201. Obviously this guy is Hei but Misaki didn’t know that BK201 is actually Hei. So when he turned around with lipstick-shaped taser pointed at him, Misaki was surprised to see that the guy is actually Li (Hei’s alias). Furthermore she caught him at a wrong time when Hei was shopping for women clothings (in this case, a bra). Even Kanami came in at the wrong time, seeing Misaki together with Li shopping for a bra. After making his purchase, Hei thanked Misaki before leaving them although Misaki was curious (natural detective instinct I suppose) about Hei.

Misaki and Kanami are shopaholics.

“Freeze!”

Hei returned to his apartment and gave the clothings he bought to Kenji, saying that it was for the doll as a disguise. Then he noticed that Yin was also in the room. He was surprised by this and rushed to her. Well actually Hei was worried that her presence might comprise the whole mission since Yin was there without any orders from Huang. Yin said to Hei that he had acted differently. Instead Hei asked Yin to change the clothes for the doll. Moving outside the room, Hei questioned Kenji is he is able to take care of the doll alone and asked him why the need for him to do so even though she is just a doll. Their conversation was interrupted when the Philippines girl (Eileen) whom he met the other day left her room for work. Kenji began to talk about the sacrifices one willing to do for the sake of others. Then the doll came with Yin, looking nicely dressed. Finally Hei agreed to send Kenji and the doll to the Shinjuku train station. Taking the fastest train, they rushed away from the counter after Hei spotted the yakuza on their tail. Hei gave Kenji some time to run as he intended to stall the yakuza behind. With Yin’s help, Hei managed to escape from the yakuza without even using his powers.

Dolls are not for cosplaying.

“Oops! Did we hit a cat?”

Kenji managed to run all the way to the parking lots but Hitotsubashi was waiting for him and crash hit him with a car. Both of them were taken away. Hei had also arrived but was a little too late. Apparently Mao was there witnessing everything. Mao advised Hei to make it a quit and let Kenji die. Having himself exposed, Mao also told Hei to disappear and further meddling into the matter will make him look like a traitor. However Mao have no intention to report this to Huang as he wanted to know what would happen next. Meanwhile the doll left her ghost for them to follow, telling Yin to come and save Kenji who is about to get killed. Hei decided to follow the trail despite being warned by Mao of a possibility for a trap. Back to Kenji, he was all battered up by Hitotsubashi and his thugs. Kenji insisted to risk his life to protect her. He wondered if Hitotsubashi also had something special at heart. The timing was perfect for Hei to save Kenji and it was all to easy for Hei as he uses his powers. Having Hitotsubashi on his knees, Kenji pointed a gun at him and ordered him to drive the car for him. On the way, the two reminiscence of the past when Kenji rode on the motorbike with him for the first time. Hitotsubashi ever told Kenji that to hold something special to your heart and protect it with all your might. But those were the days long gone and Kenji made his way to the train station safely with the doll.

Ghost of the pipe. Not exactly horrifying as you think.

“This bullet will lodge into your head.”

“Not unless I get it into you first.”

Days long gone.

Hei who was there (so fast?!) asked him why he’d let them go although the gun pointed at him had no bullet. Before Hei left, Hitotsubashi asked him if he too also have something dear for him to protect. He claimed to have none but he revealed that he used to have one a long time ago. Just about when Hitotsubashi left the station, a hitman came to him and shot him dead. Meanwhile inside the train, Kenji told the doll that she won’t necessary need to follow him. Instead she held his hand and smiled at him. This is a surprising outcome, having a doll smile – a true expression of emotion. The next day, Huang informed the team that Hitotsubashi is dead with Ooshita as the new leader. Indirectly their mission was terminated. At Misaki’s office, she received a surprising report of BK201’s presence around Shinjuku, nearby Misaki who was shopping then. Back at the apartment, Hei received a parcel from Kenji which contains kiritanpo (a traditional snack from Akita). Having so much, he shared it all with the rest of his neighbours in the apartment.

“This is boring. There is no other contractor to fight with.”

“BANG! You’re dead.”

ZOMG! This doll can smile. Yin should take lessons from her.

Next episode: Hate it or love it, the story about Huang is next. But honestly speaking, this may serve a great deal of explaining for Huang and hopefully more emotionally driven such as this episode.