| DNAngel #7: The Light Breaks |
|
|
| Saturday, 14 January 2006 | |
 I don't usually indulge in too much hyperbole. Anime series are usually "pretty good" or "enjoyable" at best, but for DNAngel I'll make an exception - this has been an excellent series, and one of those rare shows where you really don't want it to end. These final three episodes tie up the Freedert arc before moving on the real climax of the series - the final showdown between Dark & Krad...24 - Snow Falls in the Heart Just as Dark tries to 'acquire' the Wedge of Time he needs to save Daisuke, Krad takes over Hiwatari's body and uses the sword to attack his old adversary - and meets with pretty much instant success, running Dark through with the sword. It takes more than that to keep Dark down, but the intervention of Risa and Riku is a distraction he could do without. Fortunately, Hiwatari's able to regain control of himself and banish Krad, at least for now, and sets about helping Dark to release Daisuke from the Second Hand of Time's effect. Inside the world of the painting, meanwhile, Daisuke's efforts to save Freedert aren't meeting with much success...   25 - The Black Wings Christmas Eve approaches, and despite his family's suspicions Daisuke hasn't arranged to meet Riku on one of the most romantic evenings of the year. If fact, he hasn't even called her since school broke up for the Christmas break, while she's sitting by the 'phone just waiting to hear from him. Risa, meanwhile, is beginning to catch on to the possibility that Daisuke may be Dark, but her attempts to use her fortune telling to confirm it aren't telling her much other than that something disastrous is about to happen. Hiwatari and Daisuke's family suspect what's about to happen, but even they aren't prepared for the scale of the disaster that's unleashed when Hiwatari's father manages to revive the Hikari family's ultimate piece of artwork - the Black Wings...   26 - Eternal Dark As Daisuke heads for his showdown with Krad, he passes Riku & Risa heading the other way in the evacuation. Riku runs after him, determined to see him before whatever disaster is coming hits the town, but as they're talking a huge earthquake hits, and Daisuke is forced to use Dark's powers to save Riku. Meanwhile, Hiwatari's realised there's only one way to permanently destroy Krad: destroy his own body. There's also help from an unexpected source: Mio, determined to do some good to counter her previous actions, enlists Risa and Riku to help Hiwatari's father remember the good inside himself. Back in the Central Art Museum, Dark's battle with Krad looks set to end in defeat, but Mio's intervention changes the course of events again...     Daisuke's efforts to save Freedert meet with failure (although not before she's reunited with her beloved Elliot), and Daisuke's not happy about that - it's a failure that begins to weigh on him through some of the scenes leading up to the final confrontation. The Freedert arc was all very touching, and had the useful side effect of taking care of two more Hikari family artefacts, but apart from that I'm not sure what useful purpose it served in the grand scheme of things. The important stuff starts to come in episode 25, starting off with the history between Dark and Krad, and the Niwa and Hikari families. Dark is one half of the Black Wings, Krad is the other - bring them together and the results could be devastating, seal them both away and life will return to normal for both Daisuke and Hiwatari. The last time there was a chance for that to happen was 40 years previously - that resulted in a huge "natural" disaster, and Daisuke's grandfather is determined to at least minimise the casualties this time around. Mio's return was completely unexpected - she had been "hiding" in the pendant she'd given Riku, and uses the twins to help her intervene in the final scenes. Not only does she essentially save the day here, but she also becomes a likable character - the Mio that appears here is very different to the annoying, Japlish-spouting girl from earlier in the series, and it was good to see her redeem herself. This final story arc just grabbed me by the throat and didn't let go right up until the final scenes. There's some sadness there as Dark himself is essentially sealed away, and a lot of happiness as well as Daisuke and Riku get their moment in the spotlight - even Risa may well have found love, if the meaningful looks between her & Hiwatari are anything to go by. Throughout the series each new disc of DNAngel has gone into the player as soon as I've had the chance, and I'm only sorry now that it's over. If you only ever by one shoujo series, ever, make it this one. |
