Darker Than Black: The Main Characters, Ranked From Worst To Best By Character Arc

There are many anime that are listed when talking about popular shonen series that will keep fans hooked for days to come. However, in this conversation, there’s always one particular title that is woefully ignored for all the wrong reasons — Darker than Black. Utilizing the unique concept of Contractors — people with unique powers who always have to fulfill a particular task for using their abilities — Darker than Black weaves a tale that is surprisingly plot-heavy and keeps fans hooked all the way up until the very end.

Of course, the plot and action of Darker than Black are just a few of its many draws — one can’t fail to bring up its brilliant characters as well, each of whom ends up being brilliant and notable in their own unique ways. Keeping this in mind, here are all the main characters of Darker than Black, ranked on the basis of their respective arcs.

10 Yusuke Saito

For someone who’s supposed to be a high-ranking police officer, it’s honestly surprising to see just how woefully incompetent Yusuke Saito really is.

There’s absolutely nothing useful that this person contributes throughout the series, with the feelings that he has towards his superior Misaki — who happens to be a way more competent officer in pretty much every department — being the only thing even remotely relevant about this character.

9 Kanami Ishizaki

Kanami is another character who’s connected to Misaki, and while she might be infinitely more compelling than Saito, there’s no denying the fact that she’s still quite unimportant when compared to some of the other characters in the series.

The fact that she’s tired of working at the Observatory and wants to go work for something that would actually interest her is one of the few interesting things about her character… although one has to admit that her dynamic with Misaki is also quite intriguing.

8 Mao

Initially serving as a human with the power to possess animals, Mao’s life ended up taking quite a drastic turn when his original body was destroyed, forcing him to inhabit the body of a cat — and, later on, a flying squirrel — for the majority of the show.

For someone who works for the Syndicate, it’s heartwarming to see the love and loyalty that Mao has for his friends, even going so far as to hide critical information in order to protect the people close to him.

7 Huang

Huang didn’t really endear himself to the audience during the initial stretch of Darker than Black, constantly reminding Hei and his friends about how much he hated working for them.

However, after witnessing Hei’s selfless acts and Yin crying — something that wasn’t to be expected from an emotionless Doll — Huang’s behavior ended up changing somewhat and he actually formed a bond with his teammates over time.

6 July

For someone who’s not really supposed to be emotional or invested in anything, it’s genuinely surprising to see just how much July was invested in the overall plot of Darker than Black.

From saving his friends to openly announcing his fondness for some of his Doll brethren, July is definitely an entertaining anomaly who lights up the screen whenever he’s featured in any scene, minor or otherwise.

5 Amber

A character whose powers as a Contractor are immensely powerful, it’s a shame that the price she had to pay for using her contract was so dire that she eventually ended up disappearing into nothingness as a result of de-aging.

That being said, there’s no denying how compelling Amber really is as a character, being one of the few Contractors who actually does what she wants, regardless of the logic — or, to be more accurate, the lack thereof — that governed her actions. She deeply cared about the people close to her, especially Hei, and never stopped being affectionate about him even after she was branded as a traitor in his eyes.

4 Misaki Kirihara

A police officer who is incredibly competent and ends up playing a focal role in the story of Darker than Black, Misaki’s character arc is easily a highlight of the show in many ways.

Her no-nonsense attitude towards her work is in complete opposites with the soft spot she has for Hei, which is part of the reason why her character is so incredibly compelling.

3 Yin

It’s a testament to the brilliant setup and writing of Darker than Black that even the emotionless Dolls of the show ends up having more personal stakes in the plot than one could’ve possibly expected. Yin is a great example of the same, serving as an excellent character who’s easily one of the most memorable characters on the entire show.

The fact that she developed the emotions to fall in love with Hei and even ended up shedding a tear for him is easily one of the most heartwarming things about the entire show.

2 Suou Pavlichenko

While her introduction in the second season of Darker than Black might be considered somewhat forced by many, Suou slowly warmed fans to her presence, to the point where she became a major highlight of the show.

The dynamic she shares with Hei and her twin brother makes up a major chunk of her character’s growth, which is fascinating to watch for a myriad of reasons.

1 Hei

The protagonist of Darker than Black is easily one of the best parts of the entire show, with Hei’s cool persona and irresistible charm being one of the many reasons why he’s one of the best characters in Darker than Black.

The massive appetite that he has coupled with his surprisingly emotional approach on the job makes him a character that is definitely worth sticking with to the very end of the series.