| DNAngel #5: Darkside of Love |
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| Monday, 07 November 2005 | |
 DNAngel takes a break from all things Dark (he
gets all of two lines in the whole disc, and isn't even on-screen for
them) to sort out Daisuke's love life. After pussy-footing around
his waning feelings for Risa and his growing love for Riku, it's
finally time for the two of them to get it together.
Awww. Only problem is, Mio's got her own plans for Daisuke, and
they don't involve a happy future...17 - A Summer Without Dark It's time for Daisuke's class trip - six days in the southern islands, far away from any need to be a Phantom Thief, and from Dark, who hasn't shown himself since breaking Risa's heart. Summer's also the time for romance, but while Saehara's busy trying to get Mio's attention, she's equally busy trying to get Daisuke's, or at least get her pendant around his neck. Hiwatari warns Daisuke to be careful around her - just what is she up to? Meanwhile, Daisuke realises that being around Risa just doesn't give him the same buzz that it used to, while Riku wonders just what's been bothering her sister. Later, Daisuke, Risa and Riku head to some nearby caves - but on the way back, some loose rock causes Riku to fall over a cliff...   18 - A Couple Under the Shooting Stars Daisuke jumps after Riku - the fall leaves them stranded in a part of the forest they don't know how to get out of, and Riku's unable to climb back up the way they came as she's injured an ankle. Daisuke eventually carries her back up piggy-back. The experience more than ever helps Riku to realise that she's fallen in love with Daisuke, and Daisuke's beginning to realise it too - but their feelings seem to be playing into the hands of Mio, who's still trying to find a way to get her pendant around Daisuke's neck. If the 'phonecalls she's been having are anything to go by, the results of that happening won't be good. Later, a misunderstanding has Riku running away in tears - when Daisuke goes after her to try and explain himself, he's finally able to confess his feelings...   19 - Beautiful Heroine Riku's working up to giving Daisuke the pendant that Mio had given her - every time she considers it, his father's Rutile gives off a reaction, and it's beginning to worry his dad. Riku and Daisuke still haven't gone public with their love, but Risa's beginning to figure it out. She's also beginning to work through her own feelings for Dark, after finding a letter her grandmother had once written to him and realising that her own feelings couldn't match Rika's. Meanwhile, Hiwatari tries to intervene in Mio's plan, but it seems she's beginning to have her own doubts about whether to follow through on it herself. Sadly, getting her pendant back from Riku is easier said than done...   20 - Because I Wanted to See You Hiwatari's father is beginning to lose patience with Mio's lack of progress, and gives her a magical crystal that will "persuade" Riku to give Daisuke the pendant. Mio's only too aware that her very existence is at stake if she doesn't do as she's told, but she's not prepared to sacrifice another life as the price for saving her own. Meanwhile, preparations for the class play continue, and Daisuke's still not at all sure about having to wear a dress and makeup. Later, Riku gives Daisuke Mio's pendant before Mio's able to find a way to stop her...   Talk about being left on a cliffhanger. It seems Mio's overwhelming desire for Riku and Daisuke not to complete the ritual with the pendant had some sort of effect - signified by the shattering of her crystal - but quite what that effect is will have to wait for the next volume. One good thing about Mio's change of heart is that it's toned her personality down a lot, and made her a lot more bearable than she originally was. On the downside, after some really good animation quality on the last disc, this one doesn't look quite so good, with the characters being a bit off-model in places. It's not something that completely jumps out at you, but it's noticeable. The "beautiful heroine" in episode 19 refers to poor Daisuke being picked as the female lead in the class play - with Hiwatari as his love interest. Now that should be interesting! It certainly seems as though the girls in the class - Riku included - would be quite happy to see some hot yaoi action. The play scenes are about as comic as these episodes get - while there's a good buzz that comes from seeing Riku and Daisuke finally get together, Mio's plan building up in the background acts as a dampener on the whole disk. It's all been very well put together to drag a reaction out of you, with out being too openly manipulative. DNAngel impresses me more with each passing disc (yes, I know it's apparently not as good as the manga, but I haven't read it to compare with yet). It'll be a long month until the next volume arrives... |
