Brynhildr in the Darkness

Brynhildr in the Darkness
Cover of the first manga volume
極黒のブリュンヒルデ (Gokukoku no Buryunhirude)
Genre	Dark fantasy Mystery Science fiction
Manga
Written by	Lynn Okamoto
Published by	Shueisha
Magazine	Weekly Young Jump
Demographic	Seinen
Original run	January 26, 2012 – March 31, 2016
Volumes	18
Anime television series
Directed by	Kenichi Imaizumi
Produced by	Hiroaki Tsunoda Shunsuke Nara Fumihiko Kimura Norihiro Itō
Written by	Yukinori Kitajima
Music by	Nao Tokisawa
Studio	Arms
Licensed by	AUS: Hanabee NA: Sentai Filmworks UK: Animatsu Entertainment
Original network	Tokyo MX, ytv, CTV, BS11, AT-X
English network	SEA: Animax Asia
Original run	April 6, 2014 – June 29, 2014
Episodes	13 + OVA
Novel
Brynhildr in the Darkness: The Moment
Written by	Makoto Narikami
Published by	Shueisha
Imprint	Jump J-Books
Demographic	Male
Published	April 18, 2014

Brynhildr in the Darkness (Japanese: 極黒のブリュンヒルデ, Hepburn: Gokukoku no Buryunhirude, lit. 'Extreme-Black Brynhildr') is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Lynn Okamoto. It was serialized in Shueisha's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Jump from January 2012 to March 2016. An anime television series adaptation by Arms aired between April and June 2014.

Plot

Ten years ago, Ryōta Murakami along with his childhood friend, Kuroneko set out to search for signs of alien life. Although Ryōta is skeptical about her theory, Kuroneko insists that aliens are real. During their search, a tragic accident occurs which gravely injures Ryōta and kills Kuroneko. Due to his strong memory, Ryōta cannot forget about Kuroneko. Since then, he has been continuously staring at the night sky in order to prove that aliens exist, and also to fulfill Kuroneko's dying wish.

Presently, Ryōta is a top student at his school and the sole member of the Astronomy Club. Until he gets the shock of his life when a new transfer student named "Neko Kuroha" arrives in his class. She bears a striking resemblance to Ryōta's dead childhood friend, although she dismisses the fact as a bluff. Ryōta later notices something amiss about Neko: First, when a student is miraculously saved after nearly drowning by a mysterious force; and later when Neko predicts that Ryōta will also die and displays superhuman strength when saving him. It is then revealed that Neko is a witch who escaped from an alien research lab.

Ryōta becomes a part of Neko's life, learning more about her dilemma and the hidden forces that exist in the universe. As he sinks deeper and deeper into a world of magic and artificially created witches, Ryōta must use any means necessary to preserve and shelter other escaped witches and allow them to live normally, despite knowing the scientists of the lab would kill any outsiders involved.

Characters

Astronomy Club

Ryouta Murakami (村上 良太, Murakami Ryōta)

Voiced by: Ryōta Ōsaka (Japanese); Blake Shepard (English)

A high school student with high intellect and photographic memory. Ryouta has his sights set on being a researcher for NASA due to a promise he made with his beloved childhood friend Kuroneko. He is president of the astronomy club and was the only remaining member before inviting Neko and the others. After meeting the magic-users, he decides to provide shelter for them at an old observatory despite knowing that their pursuers have orders to kill whoever comes in contact with them, usually coming up with plans to have their location concealed and live normally. All the while, he is constantly looking for ways to acquire more "Death Suppressants" (DR623G), drugs that are necessary to keep the magic-users alive; and prevent the Hatching process. After the Valkyria incident, Ryouta struggle in hopes for Neko to remember the times they spent together. According to Nanami, Ryouta was also a subject of Vingulf's experiments himself, and his photographic memory is linked to the Edda (a global latitude organ that stores unlimited information or consciousness he and Loki are linked with) was one of its effects, but for some reason was allowed to live a normal life. However, his lifespan was greatly shortened, and will soon die. When the Vingulf staff kidnaps Ryouta, he learns the truth about his origin. With the last of his time, Loki consumes Ryouta; in the process, Ryouta overtakes his consciousness and the merging of god powers then erases his manifestation. Ryouta's bodiless soul is left roaming the Earth, then Neko joins him inside the Edda to share their affections where a young girl approaches them, who appears to be Kazumi as a child.

Neko Kuroha (黒羽 寧子, Kuroha Neko)

Voiced by: Risa Taneda (Japanese); Jamie Marchi (English)

Neko is a B-rank magic-user with the ability of telekinesis, to destroy inorganic matter as far as 12 meters (39 ft). She has a striking resemblance to Ryouta's supposedly deceased childhood friend Kuroneko (クロネコ) and it is later proven that both are one and the same (a birthmark with the shape of three dots is on her upper left breast). Her research number is 7620. When Neko uses her powers, part of her memories are lost; Ryouta thus refrains from having her use them as much as possible. She joins the astronomy club as its vice-president. She loves to sing but does not do it in front of others without getting flustered. She aims to find out how many constellation there are in total.

Neko is actually a prototype Valkyria. When Neko's true power is awakened, she remembers who she really is; she regains full access to her SS-rank power. Sorcerian speculates Neko could be the Brynhildr, an entity that is being sought by the institute for a yet unknown purpose. This allows her to use the same type of abilities as Mako, as well as her ultimate ability to create a micro black hole which she used to defeat Mako's anti-matter but overexerted herself at the cost of losing all her memories, including recent ones. The new Neko is rather cold to Ryouta, due to her cluelessness. Following several adventures, Neko rediscovers her feelings when reading her former self's notebook. After Makina dragged her back to Vingulf, she was set to be offered to Loki until Ryouta re-pressed her top button harness then fully reformed. As the fight between Neko and Loki has gotten nowhere, Ryouta sacrifices himself to save her and the world from the total revolution. Three months later, Neko parts with the real world to dive into Edda so she can be with Ryouta forever.

Kana Tachibana (橘 佳奈, Tachibana Kana)

Voiced by: Aya Suzaki (Japanese); Christina Stroup (English)

A C-rank magic-user who had an accident while being harnessed. Her magic is the ability to see the near future when someone is about to die. Her entire body is paralyzed aside from her left hand. Kana uses a keyboard that synthesizes her voice to communicate with the outside world. Her research number is 4010. Ryouta makes use of this to prepare in advance against those who pose a threat to Neko and the others. Kazumi states that Kana could move if she wanted to, but she refrains from doing so. It is later revealed that she silently vowed to protect Neko by retaining her power in foreseeing her death in the future that would be the reason for it. Kana poses as a mascot for the club. She is initially rude to Ryouta and the others, but she eventually warms up to them. She has to have her food in a liquid form to eat. After pushing the top button on her harness, Kana loses her foresight ability in exchange for the ability to move her body, though has low stamina. Kana subsequently becomes able to foresee in more detail whenever there's going to be a serious crisis. She grows close to Mina at the point she prefers her life over Ryouta's.

Kazumi Schlierenzauer (カズミ・シュリーレンツァウアー, Kazumi Shurīrentsauā)

Voiced by: M.A.O (Japanese); Emily Neves (English)

A B-rank magic-user specialized in computer hacking, gathering intel, and breaking encryption keys in mere seconds. Kazumi is half-Austrian but speaks Japanese with a Kansai dialect. Her research number is 2670. Like Neko, Kazumi hacks in to get into high school then joins the same class and club as Ryouta and Neko. Kazumi tends to do perverted things. She gets angry when someone compares her chest size or makes fun of it. Following the act of falsely confessing to Ryouta to avoid her impending death informed by Mizuka, Kazumi proved her feelings for Ryouta afterward and desires to bear a child with him as living proof of her existence. It is proven that Kazumi's ranking is not indicative of her true abilities, which surpasses that of a AAA-rank. Engaging Loki's genocide assault, Kazumi pushes her limits to hack and destroy Loki's genetic memory inside the Edda and spare Ryouta; it leaves him only act on instincts, and Kazumi melts in the process. However, Kazumi's life has somehow succeeded. She is named after an Austrian ski jumper, Gregor Schlierenzauer.

Kotori Takatori (鷹鳥 小鳥, Takatori Kotori)

Voiced by: Azusa Tadokoro (Japanese); Jessica Calvello (English)

Another B-rank magic-user capable of "teleportation", although it is more akin to swapping the location of targets, even resetting their kinetic energy. Her research number is 1107. Kotori's a klutzy but cheerful girl with good cooking skills and registers for the club. She was friends with another magic-user hacker named Chie, who died because she gave up her death suppressants to allow Kotori to live long enough to celebrate her birthday. The institute is after Kotori as their main objective, apparently being a person that could potentially destroy the world.

It is later discovered that she has two hidden abilities: The first allows her to dispel the magic of others using an entity known as the Grane.

The second, known as "Ain Soph Aur" (or "The Light That Rules Over Life"), can only be used when the consciousness inside her harness is released; it manifests as a light which is capable of instantly fusing the cells of all living things together once it fully covers the planet, destroying all life in the process. When this power is released, Kotori sacrifices herself via ejecting to save the world.

It is later revealed that Kotori is one of many containers for premature aliens. A clone Kotori sides with the astronomy club, and also dies protecting Ryouta and experiencing a nostalgic feeling. It is unproven that a Kotori lives in Edda based on a silhouette.

In a side story, Kotori's classmate, Hirano, was really fond of her and share lunches with her until her sudden transfer away. He asked Ryouta for her contact info, but he is unable to tell her due to his fear she will discover the truth behind Kotori's death.

Hatsuna Wakabayashi (若林 初菜, Wakabayashi Hatsuna)

Voiced by: Yumi Uchiyama (Japanese); Carolyn Johnson (English)

She is a fellow A-rank magic-user with a straightforward attitude who possesses the power of regeneration with the capability of restoring her body (or the body of others) from otherwise fatal injuries, though only within 5 minutes. Her regeneration is so effortlessly potent that she is able to regenerate from just her harness, meaning that she can only die if she does not take the medicine within the standard period of time, or if her eject button is pressed. When she tested Ryouta's loyalty, she immediately becomes infatuated with him. Hatsuna becomes an important key to the club members' survival. She later bonds with her classmate Takaya, but soon after, she hatches. After killing Takaya, who steps in to stop her, she is smashed by Makina, but luckily her Drasil survived the unavoidable death, saving Takaya's life as well.

Vingulf

The institute meaning "witch castle" is the Organization that unearthed aliens in Germany by gold miners and a Japanese geologist (Ryouta's great-grandfather) in 1910, but never made it a public discovery, instead began the top-secret research over it to sought God's destruction. In the conclusion during World War II, they moved to Japan and gained secluded authority. Sorcerian research no. A008; and Loki are kept in incubator chambers for the uprising fate of humankind.

Chisato Ichijiku (九 千怜, Ichijiku Chisato)

Voiced by: Hiroki Tōchi (Japanese); Adam Noble (English)

The chief professor in charge of the magic-user experiment. His mission is to capture the escapee magic-users, seeing the B-rank magic-users as failed specimens, and create the perfect alien no matter what the sacrifices are. In college, he was successful in engineering the digestive enzyme 'protease' which could be the source of the genetic melting. The higher-ups have him retrieve Kotori. He eventually learns that a high school boy is supporting the magic-users, but has yet to identify its Ryouta until Mako confirms Kotori's location. Chisato's younger sister Rena (九 怜奈, Ichijiku Rena) whom he only shows empathy to before her death. He implanted Rena's brain into Grane within Kotori's harness, only hoping to revive the Rena he knew, which is against the organization's intention. He later died from blocking the bullets for Mako.

Black Suit (黒服, Kurofuku, Man in Black)

Voiced by: Tatsuhisa Suzuki (Japanese); Ty Mahany (English)

A staff member at the research lab. He has an unknown backstory, but he used to feel really carefree for the magic-users. Chisato acknowledges him for his brilliance. Kurofuku gets fired when failed his last chance to capture the fugitive B-rank magic-users with Mizuka's foresight, and then he is a victim of an assassination attempt, but survives, although his brain had been greatly injured. He was abducted from a hospital by Mina. After months of recovery, he manages to locate the magic-users hideout, revealed to have abnormal strength to outmatch them before engaging by Takaya. When learning Nanami's forgiveness and Chisato's death, Kurofuku gives up his reasons and Miki invites him to Hexenjagd.

Yuki Tsuchiya (土屋 邑貴, Tsuchiya Yuki)

A newly-appointed employee placed to work at the Vingulf research lab. Not suitable for the job, however, she finds sympathy with the aliens and magic-users. She teams with Kazumi and the astronomy club during their infiltration inside the institute.

Onodera (小野寺)

A woman who is Chisato's replacement and acquainted with the higher-ups. She has a sadistic and nearly bipolar personality and is also a magic-user with a harness just like that of Valkyria. It is shown that she can negate anti-matters. She has a shadowy objective when literally sending out magic-users that are about to hatch and ensure chaos. Onodera intends to use Valkyria to shape the world.

Makina (マキナ)

He is Ryouta's supposedly deceased younger brother and the prototype of Sorcerian (the ultimate hybrid of a male human and an alien chimera). His real name is Yuuta Murakami (村上 湧太, Murakami Yūta). Due to being imperfect, Makina's body melts if he stays too long in the outside world. His presence is more frightening than Valkyria and has a flawed behavior. He appears to have a massive ability to destroy and teleport far distant places and tries to take Neko for himself which infuriates Ryouta. Makina kills the President of the United States while holding a worldwide press conference before they announce the existence of aliens. He had the ambition to become Adam of the new world. Abusing the sudden revival of Sorcerian and losing interest in Neko, he gets devoured. Makina was instrumental to Vingulf's objectives, but after his death, it was revealed that a replacement for him was prepared in advance, and that replacement is no other than Ryouta himself.

Takachiho (高千穂)

The leader of Vingulf and Makina and Ryouta's father. The reason for the deception of his supposed death has not been revealed. He has harvested the Sorcerian, the source of all Drasils and the entire reason behind the organization's existence. It was completely conscious and aware since the beginning of Vingulf, and could easily leave at any time it wanted but it waited for a Valkyria to be brought to it first. Takachiho's determination is to revive Loki the gods feared, in order to destroy and recreate mankind. His two sons are born as hybrid alien humans for that purpose. He teaches Ryouta the belief in religions. Takachiho relatively says he cared for Ryouta, before getting killed by Loki.

Other Witches

Nanami Tokou (斗光 奈波, Tokō Nanami)

Voiced by: Manami Numakura (Japanese); Molly Searcy (English)

A unique AA-rank magic-user, Nanami's a soft-spoken girl with a taste for sugar. Her research number is 5210 and she possesses the ability to scan and modify people's memories. Ryouta's observation skills impresses her. After befriending Neko and the rest of the club, she melts from her harness being ejected but manages to implant her consciousness within Ryouta's memory; occasionally appearing whenever Ryouta's in a desperate situation or to share personal intel. Overtime, Nanami gains the ability to manifest tangible illusions before Ryouta, such as her appearance as Aphrodite; however, she reveals that her consciousness is actually occupying a huge part of his brain and could put his life at risk once he reaches maximum capacity. In order to prevent this (or at least delay the inevitable), Nanami instructs Ryouta to write down all he needs to know about locating Vingulf and rescuing Neko within a notebook for him to memorize later before deleting herself from his brain. Ryouta now only remembers Nanami by name, marking her true and complete death.

Aphrodite can be seen in the Edda realm.

Kikako (キカコ)

Voiced by: Yuu Hamagashira (Japanese); Cayla Coats (English)

An AA-rank magic-user titled as the "Bombardment Unit". Her research number is 5010 and magical power allows her to fire a destructive energy beam from her mouth, which she mainly uses as a weapon of assassination. Kotori defeats after tying her own hands to a pole and switching positions with Kikako. Afterwards, she is later taken back to the lab. Despite Kurofuku's assurances that having succeeded in her mission, she will be spared, she is warned that harsh punishment awaits her. She is subsequently violently interrogated regarding her encounter with Kotori.

Saori (沙織)

Voiced by: Sayuri Yahagi (Japanese); Kira Vincent-Davis (English)

An AA-rank hybrid magic-user with two types of magic: Being able to slice anything within a 3-meter radius around herself, and manipulating time by one minute; although it will cause her to hang up immediately. Her research number is 6001. She dies after failing to kill Neko, melting away after her harness is ejected.

Freya (フレイヤー)

An AAA-rank magic-user. She possesses the power of technopathy and has computer hacking skills akin to Kazumi, even being implied to be the most powerful in that regard. Chisato gave Freya a room full of video games in exchange for her cooperation and is now under the care of Yuki. Freya briefly engages in a battle against Kazumi.

Mizuka (瑞花)

Codenamed Skadi. The strongest AAA-rank magic-user. She possesses the power of foresight, much like Kana. The difference between their abilities though is that Mizuka sees the future via her dreams and can peer further then Kana as well as with an accuracy of 100%. However, much like that of Kana, Mizuka's body also suffered a massive penalty for this power and is unable to move nor hear. Mizuka bonds with Yuki. In a future dream, she gives Kazumi options as to which future she wishes to choose. Using the last of her power, she melts the moment she informs Kurofuku of Kotori's whereabouts. It is presumed that Mizuka predicted the entire series' events.

Rie (理依), Misaki (美咲), and Rurumi (るるみ)

The three magic-users that Onodera sends out to execute Kurofuku taking the precaution of the Valkyria Incident. Rie's magic is unknown, being killed before she could demonstrate it. Misaki's magic allows her to become invisible, but her power only affects herself and not other things like her clothing, so she needs to be naked in order for it to be effective. Rurumi's magic allows her to controls people via a voodoo doll.The trio meets Kana, shocked to see her not only alive but moving freely on her own as well, and stop Rurumi from killing her. When they infiltrate the hospital, Rurumi's harness unexpectedly hatches, and the resulting monster devours her body. Kana attempts to save Rie but gets both of her legs crushed. Believing the monster to be Rurumi, Rie allows it to devour her out of guilt. Misaki saves Kana and Kitsuka from the Drasil just before Initializer destroys the monster; Misaki's harness is then ejected having failed in the mission.

Valkyria

Mako Fujisaki (藤崎 真子, Fujisaki Mako)

Voiced by: Mamiko Noto (Japanese); Carli Mosier (English)

One of the strongest hybrid magic-users ever known with an S-rank. She is known to be a next-generation magic-user with a very complex harness. Mako's power capability is very large, possessing a total of 8 different abilities, which include: Instantly dismembering anyone within her line of sight, detecting the presence of other witches, teleportation, and a regenerative-healing factor; however, her strongest power is being able to create and manipulate anti-matter which can destroy anything within a wide-range. Her remaining four abilities are unknown. She has a sociopathic personality with deep feelings towards Chisato due to saving her from genetic failure. Mako also claims to be Neko's older sister and is very protective towards her. After a gruesome fight with Neko, she was swallowed into Neko's micro black hole and all that was left is her harness. Ryouta then tramples on Mako's Drasil, eliminating her for good. She eventually finds herself with Chisato in the afterlife.

Hrist (フリスト)

An SS-rank magic-user that was created by Vingulf following Mako's death, and is said to be the strongest Valkyria in existence. Her real name is Eri (絵里). While being held in custody by Vingulf via crucifixion, she manages to awake her teleportation ability and runs away, just to be recaptured by Onodera and brought back to the lab.

Unlike Mako, she has a caring behavior, refusing to kill others even under coercion, but is ultimately forced to kill by Onodera when she starts ejecting witches in front of them, giving her the option of killing them instantly or watching them suffer an excruciating death, with the intention of awakening her true powers and turning her into an obedient killer.

After terrorizing a rally at the National Diet, Eri is taken by Takachiho to have Loki consume her to increase his proportions.

Hexenjagd

A resistance group meaning "witch hunt" that is built by scientists who defected from the Organization due to the threat that they posed to God himself. Hexenjagd is responsible for the magic-users' escapee.

Miki Neumayer (美樹=ノイマイアー, Miki Noimaiā)

Voiced by: Rina Satō (Japanese); Shelley Calene-Black (English)

Miki is the founder of Hexenjagd. She initially speaks to Ryouta via the device Neko gave him. She first appears with the objective of capturing Kotori in order to confront Chisato and destroy the Grane inside Kotori. Miki wears a nun's hood with a short dress and stockings. She announces that all of the magic-users must die. When Ryouta protests, Miki explains the truth about witches—that their soul now resides inside the alien called "Drasil" within their harness and that the drugs merely feed the life form, allowing the Drasil to grow until it eventually hatches and devours their human body. She tells them that they sympathize with their plight.

Miki offers the ingredients and protocol to create death-suppressant medicine in exchange for their assistance (just as Mizuka had foretold). Kazumi agrees to help find Kotori, but Miki promises that she will give them the formula for the drug after they destroy the Grane and that she will try to spare Kotori's life if possible. After Kotori's death, she fulfills her part of the bargain and gives Ryouta access to the formula, allowing Kogorou to provide the medicine to Neko and the others.

Initializer (イニシャライザー, Inisharaizā)

Voiced by: Junko Minagawa (Japanese); Meaghan Avocato (English)

He has the appearance of a little boy. His real name is unknown. Initializer has the ability to nullify all kinds of magic from a witch, but he has to know what magic a witch used before he could "initialize" them, and must consciously do so. However, he can only nullify a witch's magic for eight seconds, except during the three-day New moon. He also can destroy a hatched Drasil instantly. He appears to be a prototype of the same kind of being as Makina, who refers to him as "the old man with the defective body". In chapter 132, a "new type of Initializer" lives in the same room as Hrist; the new type neutralizes magic simply by being alive.

Akane (茜)

Voiced by: Yui Kondo (Japanese); Brittany Deans (English)

A former Vingulf researcher who got wounded during Neko's escaping attempt. She gave Neko a package and entrusted her the following mission: "Save the world from utter destruction and ruin." The package contains an alien's fertilized egg and a communication device. Neko later gave the alien sample and device to Ryouta.

Supporting characters

Kogorou Hashiratani (柱谷 小五郎, Hashiratani Kogorō)

Voiced by: Kentarō Itō (Japanese); Jay Hickman (English)

Ryouta's maternal uncle. Working as a scientist whom Ryouta entrusts to reproduce the medicine needed for the magic-users. He dislikes traveling long distances, rejecting invitations that include going overseas, and prefers to stay in his own town. He is doubtful of any supernatural phenomena unless Kana's foresight was proven or witnessing Nanami's death. Kogorou went to the same college with Chisato whom he admired. Then Kogorou gets captivated in examining the alien's fertilized egg that Ryouta had him look upon, and search for means to defend against Vingulf. The alien soon develops into an embryo. Sending a sample to America for some bait to learn the expectation of Vingulf's superiority, and then Kogorou deduces they are owned by a mysterious Dresden national government institute when examined the satellites' monitoring ranch through JAXA. He uses extreme methods in dealing with those who arrogantly want to take credit for the alien discovery.

Kitsuka Hatta (八田 結花, Hatta Kikka)

Voiced by: Mariko Honda (Japanese); Christina Kelly (English)

A middle-school student who lives next door to Ryouta that he tutors. Kitsuka has a crush on Ryouta that he is completely oblivious to. She later becomes classmates with Kana when she starts attending middle school and befriends her after learning of her secret. Kitsuka is afraid of swimming but gains courage thanks to Kana. Sometime later, Kitsuka is found to have been taken to Vingulf in means to be Ryouta's Eve of the new world.

Risa Kashiwagi (柏木 リサ, Kashiwagi Risa)

Voiced by: Kana Yūki (Japanese); Nancy Novotny (English)

Ryouta's classmate. She regularly expresses how intelligent Ryouta is, even though he usually was distant from females. Risa befriends Neko the day of her transfer originally due to saving her from drowning and invites her to karaoke. Risa later gets into a car accident, and Hatsuna heals her burned wounds. As the story proceeds, she realizes Neko's mysterious power.

Masashi Takaya (高屋 雅史, Takaya Masashi)

Ryouta's classmate. Takaya was first introduced when visiting the Maid café that Neko, Kazumi, and Hatsuna were serving at. He dropped out of the first semester because there were rumors it was a violent incident. He is handsome, with aggressive behavior, but actually kind-hearted. After fighting some bullies, he learns of Hatsuna's secret. He becomes fond of Hatsuna, then confessed when heard of her foretold death. However, Hatsuna's excitement at the time accelerates her hatching and she ends up almost killing him, just to later save his life after she is restored. Despite having a kind heart, Takaya is proven to have no touch while dealing with others, because as soon as Hatsuna agrees to date him, he demands her to have sex with him instead, much to her chagrin. He supports the astronomy club afterward.

Mina Tachibana (橘 美奈, Tachibana Mina)

The long-lost older sister of Kana Tachibana, says was kidnapped ten years prior. She is a journalist that is personally investigating Vingulf and the 'number of children that went missing in hopes that she will be reunited with her sister.

Examining the vast damage Valkyria caused, she suspects the story the media gave, that the damage caused by bombs (despite no sign of nuclear radioactivity) is a cover-up. Meeting with her fellow male reporter, the man cautions about her intention to inspect and warns her of possible danger. They learn about Kurofuku whom they believe had connections with Vingulf is confined in a hospital. Realizing this is the lead she was looking for, Mina conspires to move Kurofuku out, which they succeeded. Depressed that Kurofuku vanishes, she silently resumes her search with little hope from a photo (Rurumi's hatching and Kana's appearance) taken at the hospital. Until Mina and Kana reunite when visiting the Maid café. As Mina shares memories of their late parents with Kana and how to have been kidnapped, similar to Neko's case, they take an expensive trip to Ishigaki Island along with Ryouta's class to make up for the long separation. Mina is killed by Makina, blocking the killing blow that was meant for Kana. She tearfully says goodbye to her sister.

Media

Manga

Main article: List of Brynhildr in the Darkness chapters

Written and illustrated by Lynn Okamoto, Brynhildr in the Darkness was serialized in Shueisha's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Jump from January 26, 2012, to March 31, 2016. Shueisha collected its 181 individual chapters in eighteen tankōbon volumes, released from May 18, 2012, to May 19, 2016.

Anime

An anime adaptation was announced on November 11, 2013. The anime is directed by Kenichi Imazumi at studio Arms, with Yukinori Kitajima acting as head writer and Hiroaki Kurasu as chief animation director and character designer. The series aired between April 6 and June 29, 2014, on Tokyo MX, and later on ytv, CTV, BS11 and AT-X. For episodes 1–9 the opening is "Brynhildr in the Darkness -Ver. Ejected-" by Nao Tokisawa. From episode 10 onwards, the opening is "Virtue and Vice" by Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas. The ending song is "Ichiban Boshi" by Risa Taneda, Aya Suzaki, M.A.O, and Azusa Tadokoro.

Episodes

No.	Title	Original air date
1	"While Waiting For You" Transliteration: "Kimi o Machinagara" (Japanese: きみを待ちながら)	April 6, 2014 (2014-04-06)
A boy named Ryōta Murakami and his female friend he calls Kuroneko have a close relationship. One day, Kuroneko insists that aliens really exist and attempts to show them to Ryōta. However, they slip off a dam and get seriously injured. Ryōta survives the accident, but the doctors claim that Kuroneko has died. Feeling regretful since then, Ryōta continued looking at the sky in hope of becoming a researcher for NASA to prove the existence of aliens as atonement for Kuroneko. Ten years later, Ryōta is now a top student in high school. Suddenly, a transfer student named Neko Kuroha enters his classroom. Surprisingly, she looks exactly like Kuroneko, however, she does not recognize Ryōta. During swimming class, while Ryōta remains concerned about Neko, a student almost drowns but is saved by a mysterious force. Ryōta goes to the observatory as the sole member of the astronomy club. Neko comes in to inform Ryōta that his death has been predicted, but he treats it as a bluff. As the two come to know each other, Ryōta becomes suspicious of her as she does not know her multiplication tables and possesses inhuman strength. Ignoring Neko's warning, Ryōta leaves for home without getting on the bus when a mudslide suddenly comes down on him. A boulder is about to crush him, Neko splits it with strange powers; saving Ryōta. Showing a harness attached to the nape of her neck, Neko reveals to him that she is a witch.
2	"Magician" Transliteration: "Mahōtsukai" (Japanese: 魔法使い)	April 13, 2014 (2014-04-13)
Lost in thought, Neko demands Ryōta to keep her witch identity a secret. In a flashback, Kuroneko waits for an ocean trip with Ryōta, but never got the chance. The next day, Neko is absent so Ryōta's homeroom teacher asks him to give Neko a pamphlet. Following the address, Ryōta witnesses several Self-Defense Force vehicles passing down from the mountain. He finds Neko, who is living in an abandoned village that serves as her hideout. Neko says she only transferred to prevent certain deaths. She explains how she and other witches experimented at a top-secret lab until they escaped when an accident occurred. Ryōta could not help but be interested in Neko and runs back and into the house that Neko is staying in. Entering, he finds a young girl, who Neko introduces as Kana Tachibana. It is revealed that she is unable to move or speak due to being paralyzed, though she can communicate with a small keyboard. Learning Kana's ability is foresight which allows her to see future deaths, Kana tells Neko that the lab security has captured a fellow witch, Kanade, who is shown to be executed back at the lab. As Ryōta leaves, Kana convinces Neko to go to school. Ryōta comes over again, with bread and sweets to give. He asks Neko if she would come on the school field trip taking place the next weekend.
3	"Death Suppressants" Transliteration: "Chinshizai" (Japanese: 鎮死剤)	April 20, 2014 (2014-04-20)
After being absent the previous day, Neko comes to school covered in bandages, surprising Ryōta. Running to the village, Ryōta finds Neko bleeding profusely on the floor. He takes her to the kitchen to take a pill called 'Death Suppressants', explaining that the witches will die if they are not taken within 30-35 hours every day. As Neko boils some water, the kitchen accidentally burns down along with the remaining pills. Worried about their survival, Ryōta manages to memorize the drug's identification code thanks to his photographic memory and deduces where the pills are manufactured. Letting Neko and Kana stay at the observatory, for the time being, Neko also explains her telekinesis magic. Looking up info on where a factory preserves the pills, they request another witch named Kazumi Schlierenzauer to use her power of computer-hacking, to shut down the factory's security system. The lab then traces "someone" searching for information on the drugs, and order an assassin witch, Saori, to move in. Forecasting Neko's death by Saori, Kana begs Neko not to go, however, Neko chooses to regardless as there are no more options for their future. Infiltrating the factory, Neko confronts Saori, while Ryōta looks for the pills. Reading a letter Neko wrote, Ryōta changes his mind and runs to help, with the forecast changing to where they both die. Ryōta finds them; he discovers Neko has Kuroneko's birthmark on her breast, proving the fact that she really is Kuroneko. He is about to approach Saori when she slices Neko to death. Thinking that hope is lost, Ryōta remembers Saori's second ability could change things around.
4	"Lost Memories" Transliteration: "Ushinawareta Kioku" (Japanese: 失われた記憶)	April 27, 2014 (2014-04-27)
Ryōta pierces Saori through the heart as she kills him. Knowing she will die from her wound if left untreated, she is forced to use her ability of time manipulation to go back to the time before Ryōta and Neko were killed, causing Saori to exhaust her magic. As a side effect of going back in time, Ryōta forgets the fact that Neko is Kuroneko. Saori is bound to a pipe, however, she tricks them into letting her go. Seeing her as useless, the lab triggers the beacon on her harness to eject, causing her entire body to melt. An amoeba-like creature moving across the floor revolts Ryōta, making him stomp on it. Hurrying back to the observatory after managing to get the pills, they find Kazumi there with Kana, both of which are only barely sustaining themselves. With the witches' lives secure for now, Neko goes with Ryōta and the class to the ocean, where Neko breaks into tears as though she wanted to see the view there for many years. Later, Neko gives Ryōta a communication device and a container with a fertilized alien egg, which were entrusted to her by Akane, a researcher who's responsible for the escaped witches. Ryōta bathes in a hot spring near the observatory when Kazumi and Neko come in, much to his embarrassment. Kazumi also uses her hacking skills to transfer into Ryōta's class, much as she did for Neko. Meanwhile, Chisato Ichijiku, the chief professor of the lab, is lectured by the higher-ups of the organization who stress the danger of having witches roam freely. Shortly afterward, another transfer student named Kotori Takatori arrives at the observatory and asks to join the astronomy club as well.
5	"Stargazing" Transliteration: "Tentai Kansoku" (Japanese: 天体観測)	May 4, 2014 (2014-05-04)
Registering for the club, Kotori gets acquainted with the others. With the club now having enough members, Ryōta amends that they should start an astronomical observation tomorrow night. Neko subconsciously breaks a table in jealousy after seeing Kazumi flirting with Ryōta. He learns from Kazumi that Neko loses part of her memory whenever she uses her magic, which explains the fact why she cannot remember anything from her childhood. That night, while going on a hike to the mountains, Neko remarks that she understands the constellations in the sky. Ryōta discovers Kotori's harness; at that moment, Kana foresees Neko's death again believing Kotori to be involved. Confronting Kotori on the pretext of her being a witch, the others reveal themselves taking Kotori by surprise. She displays her magic of teleportation then hung up, unsure if Kotori intends to kill them or not. Going back to stargazing, they are not excited at first, but as they see the Moon and Saturn's rings through the telescope, things go through a nice change of pace. The next day, they are contacted by another fellow witch, Shino, who is being chased by Kikako hunting them down near a lake where the forecast is taking place. Neko goes to help Shino despite Ryōta's rebuff with Kotori following her. Arriving at the lake, Kikako fires a powerful beam from her mouth, thus killing Shino.
6	"The Meaning of Her Smile" Transliteration: "Hohoemi no Riyū" (Japanese: 微笑の理由)	May 11, 2014 (2014-05-11)
Neko attempts to fight Kikako, but Ryōta presses her harness hanging up her magic not wanting Neko to waste her life. Neko distracts Kikako, while Kazumi hacks in to close off the area temporarily. Ryōta finds Kotori tying herself up to a pole. He commands her to switch with Kikako before she blasts Neko. Pressing her harness, Kikako is left defeated. Before evacuating the area, Kotori goes missing. They manage to locate her at a cottage seeing her bleeding from a lack of pills. She talks about her friend Chie who stopped taking the pills for Kotori's sake. Chie used the last of her time to enroll Kotori in school as her birthday present to enjoy much fun as possible. Kotori prepares to die for Chie. Ryōta and Neko share the pills and convince her to keep living as a member of the astronomy club. The club members play and eat outside on a hot day. Then Ryōta goes to meet his uncle Kogorō Hashiratani, a scientist whom Ryōta believes has the capability to reproduce the medicine. He demonstrates Neko's magic to prompt Kogorō.
7	"Fragment of Hope" Transliteration: "Kibō no Kakera" (Japanese: 希望のかけら)	May 18, 2014 (2014-05-18)
Detailing everything to Kogorō about the witches, he agrees to analyze the medicine's molecular structure and looks for a way to synthesize them. Unfortunately, it may take half to several years. Also, Ryōta has him look at the fertilized alien egg. The girls are glad to rely on Ryōta, with Kana stating that Ryōta likes Neko. Some classmates invite Neko to a karaoke house, though she gets flustered from singing in public. Ryōta tutors his next-door neighbor Kitsuka. The next day, Kotori tells Ryōta about rumors that the lab was founded hundred years ago by alien ruins and powerful aliens that could destroy humanity. Chisato reports to the higher-ups that after interrogating Kikako, their top priority is to capture #1107 and retrieve something known as the 'Grane'. Ryōta takes Kazumi to Akihabara to find equipment for the observatory's computer although she acts as if it's a date. He later takes out the communication device and turns it on, only for it to display an image of a map and a message in German. Kazumi translates the message, "Kill the witches now. Only then will we reveal the truth."
8	"The Last Lead" Transliteration: "Nokosareta Tegakari" (Japanese: 残された手がかり)	May 25, 2014 (2014-05-25)
The device has a password to input yet, making them anxious that the messenger are not allies, so Ryōta decides to go alone to the place where the map leads to. Two individuals wearing black overcoats appear at the spot where the device got activated. Later that night, Kazumi comes into Ryōta's house to narrow down the map's topography. Kazumi then starts asking Ryōta what he feels about Neko and strips herself naked while trying to get him to sleep with her. On Sunday, Ryōta arrives at a church indicated on the map, only to find it in ruins. He asks an old lady nearby about the church who states that it was unsuspectingly destroyed, however, there was no news coverage for it. Inspecting the church, Ryōta finds a German inscription on the walls. Suddenly, a police squad appears and seizes Ryōta without questioning. Fortunately, Neko makes it in time to destroy their cars and guns while Kotori teleports the mad chief of police to a tied-up tree somewhere. The girls tell Ryōta not to be so hard on himself and they should combine their strength together. Kogorō gets a call regarding the alien egg. Kana discusses Kazumi's perversion while the others were away. When they return, Ryōta brings intel of the German inscription with some words that were underlined in blood but is still unwilling to turn the device on at their current location. Meanwhile, the lab receives reports about #1107, #7620, and a high school boy (Ryōta) aiding them. Chisato's assistant, Kurofuku, goes to pinpoint their location with the witch, Nanami Tokō, making her appearance.
9	"False Memories" Transliteration: "Mozō no Kioku" (Japanese: 模造の記憶)	June 1, 2014 (2014-06-01)
Nanami demonstrates her ability to scan and modify people's memory and has Kurofuku buy her sweets for her cooperation. She found Ryōta when crossing with Kitsuka. Nanami manages to alter Kurofuku's memory of her existence for the time being. She wants to enjoy herself in the outside world more, and then later manipulates Kitsuka to lure Ryōta to her. Nanami scans Ryōta and learns of the observatory and the girls. Shocked that Nanami saw through him, Ryōta tries to convince Nanami that there is hope for her to live on her own. Disbelieving, Nanami erases Ryōta's memory and leaves. However, Ryōta appears unaffected due to his photographic memory and alerts the girls. They then make the decision to end the conflict peacefully with Nanami. After staying at a hotel, Nanami tries to socialize with people but does not how to make friends. Ryōta, Neko, and Kotori (all wearing sunglasses) find her at a park and try once more to befriend her. Neko takes off her glasses to persuade Nanami, but she alters Neko's memory to attack Ryōta and Kotori. When Neko remarks Nanami as a 'friend' she realizes her wrongdoing and undoes her magic. Nanami finally decides to go with them. Kurofuku eventually regains knowledge of what's really going on.
10	"Proof of Life" Transliteration: "Ikiteiru Akashi" (Japanese: 生きている証)	June 8, 2014 (2014-06-08)
Taking Nanami to the observatory, Kogorō, who is there, asks him to find a way to remove the beacon on Nanami's harness. Neko then talks about how important friends are and how painful it is to lose them. But before Kogorō can do anything, the beacon activates and Nanami melts to death. As she melts, she erases the girls' memories of her so that they would not have to suffer from her death, except Ryōta and Kogorō. Ryōta laments over her death when Nanami suddenly appears beside him saying that she inserted her consciousness within his mind. Sometime later, while studying for test finals next week, the club members think about whether should continue going to school or not since they only have three weeks' worth of pills left. Ryōta reminds them how they wanted to live as high school students and motivates them to a trip to the beach. In the evening, listening to Neko singing, he comforts her over the indirect kiss incident with Kazumi. He notices Neko does not remember the time she went to karaoke with friends. Fearing that she will forget about him, Ryōta embraces her. After the finals, the test results are out: Neko 1st, Ryōta 2nd, and Kazumi 3rd. They then head for the beach as a promise. Thinking of what they been through so far has made them happy with their lives. Elsewhere, Chisato takes the initiative to release Valkyria: an S-rank witch. In order to locate #1107, he has a team of A-rank witches to monitor her, who are all killed already by Valkyria.
11	"A Sudden Reunion" Transliteration: "Totsuzen no Saikai" (Japanese: 突然の再会)	June 15, 2014 (2014-06-15)
A police squad confronts Valkyria in an attempt to question her. This provokes her to unleash her antimatter magic which incinerates the mountain they were on. As this occurs, one of the witches, Hatsuna Wakabayashi, recovers from her wounds thanks to her regeneration ability and sneaks away from the police at the crime scene. Looking upon what happened, the girls tell Ryōta that Valkyria is an ultimate hybrid with eight different types of magic. Knowing that a fight with Valkyria is out of their league, they think of a strategy to avoid her. Hatsuna, who overheard Valkyria has detected witches at an observatory, goes searching for them. She finds the club members faking their deaths so as to protect themselves. Hatsuna is then welcomed to the astronomy club and goes to wash at the onsen. While there, the girls tell Hatsuna how reliable Ryōta is. Testing if he really is trustworthy, she pretends to be helplessly stuck on a radio tower and calls Ryōta to get her. She deliberately slips off and Ryōta grabs her. Refusing to let go, in spite of her regeneration power. Ryōta swings her back onto the tower but sends him falling to the ground. Luckily, Kotori saves him, at which point relieves Hatsuna. Touched by Ryōta's actions, Hatsuna bluntly confesses and kisses him in front of the others. This causes Neko to blast down the tower in jealousy. Later, Kogorō calls in Ryōta with a theory that the witches' melting condition is based on a digestive enzyme: protease. Using a thesis that he learned from a man (Chisato) in college, it's possible to shorten the time on producing the medicine, however, it will still take a month. Valkyria - whose real name is Mako Fujisaki - is sightseeing when Chisato appears before her. Revealing to have unrequited feelings for him, Chisato requests Mako to bring him to where #1107 is. Ryōta returns with the bittersweet news, although there is a possibility for one of the witches can survive, none of them are willing to sacrifice the others for it. Kotori carries some juices then accidentally spills them on Neko. Exposing her chest, Ryōta rediscovers the birthmark on her breast and that she actually is Kuroneko. Crying in tears of joy, Ryōta reconciles with Neko and declares that he will help fill in her empty memories. They spot a helicopter coming their way and before they can escape, Mako appears who to Ryōta looks identical to Neko (albeit with white hair).
11.5	"Much Ado About Nothing" Transliteration: "Karasawagi" (Japanese: から騒ぎ)	September 24, 2014 (2014-09-24)
The episode starts after Hatsuna's confession; Ryōta goes looking for Neko because of the "sudden kiss", with Kazumi having a self-conscious jealous rage. Wanting to know who Ryōta likes, he confirms it's Kuroneko, though he refuses to say anything more. Kazumi gets persistent, and then accidentally trips down the hill with Ryōta holding onto her. She finds herself in the observatory with everyone else. When Hatsuna starts flirting with Ryōta, Kazumi remarks that Ryōta is too slow of responding to girls' feelings and begins a rivalry for marriage. Kana then foresight that if things get any worse the observatory will collapse above them, but Kazumi dismisses her. The competition begins with cooking in naked aprons, Kotori is successful, but Kazumi and Hatsuna's were totally inedible. Next round, a test to endure in the hot spring ends in a draw. Then last, is massaging Ryōta, Hatsuna went first, Kotori swaps her place, and then Neko but failed. Neko gets upset then her magic causes the big telescope to fall onto Kazumi crushing her. Suddenly, Kazumi wakes up to find Ryōta giving her mouth-to-mouth. Kazumi realizes she had been hallucinating the whole time after falling down the hill. Neko misunderstands Ryōta for kissing Kazumi, and the fight over Ryōta's affection continues.
12	"Witch Hunt" Transliteration: "Majogari" (Japanese: 魔女狩り)	June 22, 2014 (2014-06-22)
Mako and Chisato arrive at the observatory where they demand to hand over #1107 who's in fact—Kotori. Ryōta distracts them for Hatsuna to jump Mako from behind, but cannot figure out which button to push on Mako's complex harness to hang her up. Mako retaliates by slicing Hatsuna in half. Wanting an explanation of why they have to be killed, Chisato states the B-rank witches are irrelevant. He orders Mako to kill Neko, but Ryōta pushes her away and takes the hit from Mako's magic. Losing consciousness, Nanami appears in astral form to Ryōta divulging the fact that Neko used to be an S-rank witch stronger than Mako and that the only way to regain her powers is to press the top button of her harness. However, the method is highly risky, after which Ryōta dies. With the girls distressed and defenseless, Mako is about to finish them off, but then the mysterious group of black-clothed individuals arrives who neutralizes Mako's magic following the device's signal that Ryōta turned on earlier. Nonetheless, Chisato escapes using Mako's teleportation taking Kotori along with them. Hatsuna recuperates herself and using her ability to heal with Neko and Kazumi performing CPR, they revive Ryōta; Hatsuna melts in the process. Miki and the individuals introduce themselves as Hexenjagd, a group resisting the lab, stating the witches still have to die because the "Drasils" inside them - the witches' true form - will eventually hatch and devour their bodies, giving birth to monsters. Moreover, Kotori has an entity called the Grane that can destroy all humanity. Hexenjagd tried to capture Kotori once but failed, though it was during this incident that they lost their comrade (Akane) and led to the other witches being able to escape. Kotori awakens before Chisato calling her Rena. Rena was Chisato's younger sister who believed in the only life meaningful to him until she died of an unknown sickness. He tells Kotori how aliens were believed to be the creation of humans on Earth. His efforts to revive Rena's soul within Kotori's body ended in vain. Not giving up, despite the revelation, Kazumi hacks into the lab's database to locate Chisato's whereabouts near the lake and having Hexenjagd take them along. Kotori asks Chisato what he feels for Mako, though he answers that she is merely someone important for his plan. Suddenly, Kotori's harness gets activated and shoots a light called "Ain Soph Aur" into the Earth's atmosphere that begins covering the planet.
13	"Things to Protect" Transliteration: "Mamoritai Mono" (Japanese: 守リたいもの)	June 29, 2014 (2014-06-29)
The light covers the Earth with Hexenjagd just staying helpless, so Ryōta, Neko, and Kazumi go to rescue Kotori on their own. Neko and Kazumi knock Ryōta out - not wanting him to risk his life any longer. Chisato remarks Takachiho's aim is to use "Ain Soph Aur" to reset the Earth to a whole new era. Though his only intention is to revive Rena, Kotori responds to Chisato how she wants others to smile regardless of her life so she ejects her own harness, therefore canceling the light phenomenon. Mako slices Kazumi in half but spares Neko as she is her little sister. As Nanami guides Ryōta, he finds Kotori's melting body. Listening to her final words, she asks Ryōta to tell her big brother not to harm anyone, and that she was happy till the very end. He also hears over Kazumi, as she mutters of wishing to have kids with Ryōta. Mako recalls how Chisato saved her once when exposing himself to radiation. Chisato commands to have Neko ejected when Ryōta hits him aside, shouting out Kotori/Rena's words at him. Mako uses gravity manipulation on Ryōta and Neko. Then Kana quickly intervenes, who is now able to move when having her top button pressed for the cost of her forecast magic. Neko then presses her top button as well. Her full power is now awakened and her memory as Kuroneko - Ryōta's childhood friend - is restored. Neko forms a barrier to counter Mako. Hexenjagd neutralizes Mako's magic and then fire at her with their guns, but Chisato shields her from the bullets. With Chisato dead, Mako now believes the world is meaningless and attempts to unleash her antimatter magic. Neko kisses Ryōta, before using a micro black hole on Mako, which swallows her up for good. Ryōta grabs Neko from falling off a collapsing cliff. Neko seems to have overexerted herself and unfortunately loses all her memories again. Kogorō later calls, that they have miraculously obtained the formula needed to reproduce the pills for the witches. In the credits, they return to school, with Kotori's tombstone beside Chie's near the cottage they lived in. Kogorō, Hexenjagd, and the lab continuing their research on aliens. The astronomy club begins a fresh start on an astronomical observation with Kazumi restored thanks to Hatsuna. Ryōta lets Neko see the Summer Triangle in the sky through the telescope.

Reception

Critical reception of the anime of the series has mostly been negative with many reviewers comparing it to the 2004 series Elfen Lied, also created by Lynn Okamoto, and the many similarities between the two works. In reviews of the anime the story has been called "shoddy" and "incomplete" with none of the characters being particularly memorable or having much depth. In addition they have also noted the overuse of harem antics and cliches to the extent that the series often feels more like an ecchi harem comedy as opposed to a serious sci-fi/horror series.

External links

• Official manga website (in Japanese)
• Official anime website (in Japanese)
• Brynhildr in the Darkness (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia