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DNAngel

Review:

DNAngel Screenshot: The albino Ryo-Oki clone in the corner turns into a pair of wings. No, really.
The albino Ryo-Oki clone in the corner turns into a pair of wings. No, really.
DNAngel Screenshot: The class clown in his modern ring-toting form, all thanks to J.R.R. Tolkien.
The class clown in his modern ring-toting form, all thanks to J.R.R. Tolkien.
DNAngel is an excellent anime which is radically different than I was initially expecting. While it occasionally wanders in its focus, this just gives the series more to offer to general anime fans. With aspects of romantic comedy, mystery, and supernatural thriller, it's difficult not to find something to like about DNAngel. The animation in the first few episodes is so-so, but dramatically improves in quality; the soundtrack is beautiful and charming.
Daisuke Niwa is at the center of DNAngel's plot; the series opens with his family putting unusual tests of dexterity and physical prowess before him and engaging in occult rituals. Before sending him off to school, his mother tells him to be back before nightfall, or "something bad might happen." Returning from school, he finds his body transformed from his normal red-haired, 14 year old self to the 20 somethingish Phantom Thief, Dark. For generations, the men in his family have transformed at this age into Dark in order to steal famous, but cursed, local artworks. It is soon revealed that Dark is not only a different physical form, but an entirely separate personality which is called forth by the thought of Daiske Niwa's crush. The split personality leads to an unusual "love polygon" which is resolved in a way which is also quite unusual in anime.
Also present at school is a "boy genius" who holds a similar secret - he transforms, less than willingly, into the angelic but wicked Krad, and works with the local police in their attempts to capture and stop Dark forever. Those who are looking for a focal point in this character may be disappointed, especially if they're seeking something along the lines of Spiral; DNAngel is an entirely different great anime in which subtle but powerful magic rules the day. This leads to the focus clearly settling on the unusual relationship between Daisuke and Dark.

Rating: 4/5 - Great
Format: SERIES
Added to FanCruft: October 9th 2006
Last updated: Tue, February 20th 2007
[Buy DNAngel at Amazon]

A crying face, indicating angst A villainous character with a cape, indicating the presence of an evil overlord A flask, indicating experimental Mech A globe with wings and stylized hands playing a keyboard, indicating weirdness or the universe resetting A gun, indicating action
Angst: 6 Overlord: 0 Experimental: 6 Mech: 0 Weird: 3 Action: 7
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