To Loveru Darkness

To Love-Ru Darkness is a captivating, sci-fi-themed anime series broadcasted by the Anime Network in 2012. This is the third instalment in the series, following on from "To Love-Ru" and "Motto To Love-Ru", and deepening the character development and storyline that fans grew to love in the initial series.

Set in an intriguing blend of earthly high-school life and extraterrestrial happenings, our protagonist Rito Yuki continues to try to navigate his way through this topsy-turvy realm. The story sees the growth of Rito, a typical high school student, who becomes the object of attention of not just earth-born girls in his school but also other-worldly princesses and even interstellar assassins.

To Love-Ru Darkness focuses on the emotional exploration and development of the relationships from the previous series, layering in darker and more complex themes. As the title suggests, the 'darkness' theme implies more than just a metaphorical sense of the word, adding a hint of mystery to the plot. However, the series doesn't lose the humourous elements and risqué situations that the To Love-Ru series has a reputation for.

As Rito progresses, he is faced with increasingly complicated feelings, as he delves deeper into his feelings for both Haruna, his longtime crush, and Lala, the alien princess from Deviluke, who he is supposedly engaged to due to a series of unresolved circumstances from the previous series. In addition, the series introduces us to Momo, Lala’s younger sister, who believes Rito should form a harem with herself and all the women who have feelings for him, making the guessing game even more complicated.

What makes To Love-Ru Darkness interesting is how it addresses the relationships and personalities of the existing characters while introducing new characters, infusing energy within the storyline. Unexpected alliances, budding friendships, and unusual rivalries between both earth-born and alien characters add to the dynamism of this series.

The series showcases a rich array of characters, each portraying their unique personality traits, quirks, and histories, that adds to a lot of character development and depth in their narratives. Be it the high-schoolers learning to cope with their awkward adolescent feelings or the alien lifeforms grappling with their own set of laws, feudal hierarchies, and customs while adapting to the human world.

The show exemplifies a perfect balance between other-world adventure, all the thrills of high-school life, comedic misunderstandings, and intricate heartfelt emotions. It effortlessly maintains a thin line between serious storylines about relationships and an innocent, playful comedic relief, making the plots in each of its episodes engaging and enjoyable in equal measure.

The animation, sound design and character design are notably exceptional in this series. The creators effectively use color palettes, light effects, and detailed backgrounds to set the mood of each scene. The animation quality remains consistent and visually delightful through every episode. The character designs are both detailed and expressive, allowing for emotions to be explicitly expressed visually.

From the epic, sizzling battles to the heartwarming and sappy moments, the soundtracks and sound effects played a substantial role in enhancing the overall enjoyment of this anime. Moreover, the catchy theme song is something fans quickly fell in love with.

Lastly, one should appreciate the mature themes and the tactful way the series handles them. While the show is known for its fanservice elements, it treats the concept of love, friendship, lust, and relationships with the earnestness they deserve.

If you're a fan of the earlier installations of To Love-Ru, "To Love-Ru Darkness" will take you for a ride into deeper emotions and plotlines, making the series more heartfelt, dramatic and thrilling at the same time. Even for the first-time viewer, the brilliantly designed characters, combined with the engaging plot will be an enjoyable watch.