I've had this topic on my tab list for quite a while now because I wanted to talk about the blockbusters I've seen in 2025. I know, hear me out.
In the past year, with the addition of the MCU, the Disney remakes, french comedies nobody cares about, they were three films that stood out : The Wild Robot, Mickey 17 and Tron : Ares. The latter two have a huge problem with lore and atmosphere, which makes Tye Wild Robot shine in comparison (it's my movie of the year tbh)
Movies have become generally longer and longer, but it really devolves into mindless exposition and mindless action. Even disregarding the lack of artistic risks taken by the directors (looking at you : Tron), you rarely get that establishing shot that makes the universe breathe, gives the worldbuilding a soul, makes you want to connect (or not) to this setting and this characters.
And this is why, during the course of November, I watched my favorite anime of all time : Darker Than Black (season 1 only). Because I used to remember that half the series is worldbuilding and that said worldbuilding is opaque and/or blurry by design. So I was wondering if upon rewatch it wouldn't be a bit too much.
What I found was a series overflowing with emotion. It presents a core so complex but smashes it in the everyday life of people affected, and when those people inevitably get hurt, you feel for them. You feel with them. Every single secondary characters, but also the leads, who are defiant to the world that is being set up around them, which creates a discomfort that vibrate with the state of the world being presented to you.
I would recommend every single anime fan to watch Darker Than Black season 1 a watch, between the story and the visuals and the soundtrack, it's definitely a must.
(And then you can toss season 2 in the trash because somehow it features a whole lot of lolicon :/)