Durarara!!

This anime is... for lack of a better term, the most freaking amazing thing I've ever seen. At first I was a bit worried, since I usually hate anime with the whole gang war theme and all, not to mention the first episode was a little bit slow, as well as the whole 'headless rider' seemed a bit silly. The characters (namely Izaya, Shizuo, Celty, Shinra... hell, all of the,) were what got me. Even the protagonist, who may seem like an average, boring male protagonist had some of his own secrets. But I'll explain in detail.

Story: Like I said, I had my doubts, but ... when it started actually revealing itself, the blend of the modern and fantastical and sci fi ended up blending perfectly. With the whole Dullahan concept, the mythology, in addition to the Slasher, plus the modern-ness of it being set in a big city, as well as the Namie plotline in the beginning... It may seem like those would clash a lot, but they really don't. There's a fair bit of action in it, but nothing overwhelming to make it be called an action anime for me. LOTS AND LOTS of plot twists, but it keeps you surprised even to the end, and keeps you interested in what's going to happen next. Not predictable.. at all.

Art: Not much to say, I really liked the animation of it. It's quite refreshing and smooth compared to the Naruto and the Bleach type of animation; it's different and the city was animated beautifully.

Music: I adored the music in this anime, although I felt that the soundtrack could be a bit more diverse. You'll hear the same themes and songs a lot, but so far (And I've rewatched this about 6 times) I still enjoy listening to the music. The openings and endings are epic as well.

Character: The most intriguing and amazing part of this anime, by far. It starts out with Mikado, who, though he may seem like the generic awkward male protagonist, has his own secrets that will shock you. His friend, Kida, is one of my favourites... he's adorable, first of all, although he also has lots of his own secrets and he'll surprise you... a lot. Anri gets kind of annoying since a lot of the plot is centered around her, but I actually did come to respect her once her character was really revealed. Izaya is my favourite, though. He pulls the strings with everyone... even in the beginning, he's introduced as a psycopath with no concern for other humans, although he loves them. His constant messing with peoples heads and being an awful person to everyone.. was just hilarious a lot of the time, especially since he does random adorable things like when he was walking next to Celty on her motorcycle and was all "Vroom Vroom! Vrrrrrroom!" But he also brings up psycological issues and concepts during the show, which actually make you think-- which is just amazing in an anime, and very rare usually. Shizuo I adored as well. He's mostly a comic relief character, since he's always being violent and hitting people with street signs even though he claims to hate violence.. yeahhh. Celty.. the other main female protagonist. I actually love her. Usually I hate female protagonists as a rule, but her character is complex without being overly tragic, and she's a genuinely good person without being all annoying and motivating. Shinra is just adorable with her, although he's does have his own faults and he isn't perfect. He's still adorable. That's it for major characters, but overall... they're just epic. Even though they may seem like stereotypes at first glance, none of them are what they seem. Even the minor characters provide just enough comic relief (and anime references) to keep the show happy, but still have a serious undertone.

The voice actors were all just amazing as well, they brought it to life beautifully.

Enjoyment: ...I've watched it 6 times within like, 3 weeks. I never got tired of the characters. Although it is a bit repetitive, the way it goes episode to episode explaining in detail what's going on from another perspective, that's one of my favourite parts about it; the way the story progresses from more than one perspective.

Overall: This is by far the best anime I've ever seen, I'd recommend it to anyone, no matter what their tastes are, since it has a bit of everything and an excellent cast of characters.

The world of anime never ceases to come up with new and fascinating series, original and interesting storylines, or iconic and highly memorable characters. There’s a reason why this form of entertainment (and art) has attained such widespread reach over the years, and I truly believe that its decisive power lies in the near unrestrained creativity present in each and every anime series, original video animation, and whatnot. This freedom of expression and imagination has become somewhat of a signature for the Japanese animation industry, acting as sort of an assurance that anime features plenty of exclusive elements and things you won’t get to see ... anywhere else. Sometimes that can be a bad thing (if you know what I’m saying), but let’s face it, most of the time that’s undeniably beneficial to both the creators and the viewers.

A recent anime series, entitled Durarara!!, is a perfect demonstration of what the Japanese animation industry is capable of and the benefits of its broader range of creativity. Stretching over twenty-four episodes (not taking into account any possible OVAs or specials), Durarara!! tells a wonderfully unique story set in the Ikebukuro district of Tokyo, Japan. Dealing with themes such as friendship, betrayal, gang wars, the urban lifestyle, identity and the lack thereof, consumerism, and even the supernatural, its storyline is beautifully complex, surprisingly comprehensive as a whole, and features several intertwining story arcs that blend together in an impressive manner.

Durarara!! starts off with the teenager Mikado Ryugamine and his arrival in Tokyo, where he is greeted by his childhood friend Masaomi Kida, who has lived in the city for several years now. Mikado has longed for a big city life ever since he was young, and was newly convinced by Masaomi to transfer to his current high school in Japan’s capital, Tokyo. During their childhood, the two have been best friends up until Masaomi moved away, and have kept in touch through the internet ever since then. As they finally meet again in one of the biggest cities in the world, Masaomi wastes little time with catching up and immediately proceeds to show the timid Mikado around Ikebukuro. However, Mikado, still overwhelmed by the intimidating urban lifestyle prevailing throughout Tokyo, is even more stunned after realizing just how many secrets and mysteries this city actually holds.

While Masaomi shows Mikado around the city, he also introduces him to a bunch of people, some friends of his, others not so much, something which can be seen as an act of setting up the exposition upon which the rest of the series will depend. Durarara!! features a lot of characters and every episode follows more than a single plotline, so it may take a while to become comfortable with the occasionally frantic pace and often perplexing storyline prevailing throughout the series, though once the first impressions settle in, it all becomes a very exciting and interesting ride, thanks to the various fascinating elements making up the story as the anime progresses.

As mentioned earlier on, Durarara!! is a series that is very rich in characters and story arcs. As far as the protagonist goes, Mikado Ryugamine would be the obvious pick, though under the surface, things are a little more complicated than that. The first few episodes definitely focus on Mikado for the most part, developing him as a lead character and also using him as a means of constructing the exposition of the series. Once things are in place, a great deal of characters that were previously introduced come into play and several story arcs begin to take shape. On one side, there’s the group of high school friends consisting of the above mentioned Mikado Ryugamine, his longtime buddy Masaomi Kida, and the voluptuous, introverted and often shy Anri Sonohara. There’s an interesting, though perhaps somewhat clichéd dynamic going on between the three of them, and the full extent of their common bond only emerges towards the finale.

Another set of characters come into focus a little further down the line, some of the more noteworthy consisting of Shizuo Heiwajima, a bodyguard wearing a bartender’s uniform and sunglasses who is widely known around Ikebukuro as the strongest man in the world, Izaya Orihara, a young and enigmatic information dealer who seems to manipulate other people for his own enjoyment—he’s also Shizuo’s sworn enemy, and last but definitely not least, a mysterious motorcyclist known as the black rider who is often seen driving around Ikebukuro for unknown reasons—rumours have it that the rider is actually headless, an allusion to the legend of the headless horseman. These are only but a few of all the characters appearing in the series, giving you sort of an idea of how expansive the world of Durarara!! is, even though the entire anime takes place in one common location: the Ikebukuro district of Tokyo.

As impressive as Durarara!! is on a narrative level, it also excels in the visual and sound departments. The art and animation of the series is thoroughly impressive, giving each particular character a unique appearance that contributes to making an impression on the viewer. The city of Tokyo is beautifully portrayed, and Ikebukuro is drawn in a way that gives it a special urban atmosphere, with particular attention given to the nightlife, which truly vibrates amidst the glow of streetlights and hidden secrets. Durarara!! features an art style that is a little different from the usual anime series, meaning that characters are a little more rich in detail, have a slightly different build and their specific facial traits are more accentuated. What that means is that it may take a while for some viewers to get used to this particular style, though ultimately, it fits the overall feeling of the series well.

The series is also complemented by solid voice acting and a very impressive and memorable soundtrack, constituting a vigorous and upbeat opening track during the first half of the show and a very evocative and somewhat melancholic one during the other half. Both songs work well and are especially catchy, never seeming to get old, even after twelve episodes have passed. Unfortunately, the two songs played during the ending sequence of the episodes are a little underwhelming and definitely do not measure up to the standards set by the ones playing during the introductory section, but that’s just a small complaint, because the music tracks are still quite fitting, meaning that the mood prevailing throughout the show is never ruined.

As good of an anime series as Durarara!! is, it still exhibits a fair amount of flaws and imperfections along the way. The narrative power and expansiveness of the show has proved to be its strongest suit, but it has also made way to a few inconsistencies in the flow of the story, as well as a couple of unresolved plot points that have garnered over the course of the series’ running time. The ending of Durarara!! feels pretty rushed, a common shortcoming among many other anime series, which will surely anger some viewers, especially considering the time the show spent on developing certain characters and plot elements. It definitely could have used one or two more episodes to properly conclude things, if you ask me. Here’s to hoping that a second season will be made in the future—however unlikely—that will sort out some of these unresolved issues.

Its rushed finale and partially unfinished storyline aside, Durarara!! is an excellent anime series that is unique enough and boasts plenty of originality so as to make it one of the best show of the year. It’s definitely the most well-written series in a significant amount of time, featuring thoroughly intriguing characters and engaging story arcs. The way everything intertwines and relates to each other during the course of the story is quite fascinating and it’s definitely interesting to see how things unfold in the end. Personally, seeing Durarara!! nail the look and feel of an urban lifestyle and depict the city of Tokyo in such a gorgeous way has sealed the deal for me, though I’m sure others will find plenty of diverse things to hold on to while on a ride through the mysterious Ikebukuro.

From the very get-go, even from the opening title sequence, you can easily notice one thing about Durarara, and that is that it was made by Ryohgo Narita, creator of Baccano. Everything about this show besides the setting is very reminiscent of Baccano, so inevitably, it will be compared to it. So, how does DRRR hold up compared to Narita's previous work?

Well, let's just get this out of the way now: No, it isn't as good as Baccano - but then, few anime are. If you're a Baccano fan, Durarara is definitely worth watching, and even if you aren't a Baccano fan, Durarara is still ... worth watching, although some of the references may be lost on you, seeing as how Baccano and Durarara take place in the same fictional universe. The main difference between the two is, perhaps bizarrely given their setting, Durarara is clearly the more mature of the two series. It opts for a darker, big city underworld chic as opposed to the vibrant 30's style of Baccano. A lot of it revolves around mystery, an element not present in its predecessor.

While the plot of Durarara is hard to sum up briefly, the premise revolves largely around Celty Sturluson, a Dullahan (read: Headless Horseman) who has lost her head, and come to Japan in search, posing as a biker. At the same time, highschool student Mikado Ryugamine is moving to Ikebokuro, after growing tired of his life in the countryside, and meets up with his internet buddy Masaomi Kida. Kida is quick to warn Mikado of the colour gangs that roam Ikebokuro, such as the Yellow Scarves and Blue Square, as well as the mysterious "DOLLARS", a gang claiming to be colourless. The two of them soon befriend a shy, withdrawn girl named Anri Sonohara. But as the plor develops, it becomes clear that none of these people are as simple as they seem.

One of the strengths of this show is the characters. Near enough every major character, and even some of the minor ones, are fascinating and distinctive characters. Celty is considered fearsome by many, though is immediately likeable and down to earth in person. Shizuo Heiwajima is an inhumanly strong man who hates violence, but is filled to the brim with unstoppable rage. Izaya Orihara is a crafty information broker who has a fondness for deranged chess motifs and knives. Shinra Kishitani is a quirky underground surgeon who has a loveably flirtatious fascination with Celty, and even minor characters like a gang of otaku who practise torture based on anime and manga add a comedic referential streak to the series, so if you're a fan of Spice and Wolf, Railgun, Dokuro-chan or Kino's Journey, expect a few giggles.

Whilst the show is initially good, it doesn't really pick up until around a third of the way in, when it begins to move into the fast-paced action that Baccano performed to wonderfully. For most of the middle third of the series, the show is absolutely on its peak, keeping you absolutely glued to your seat wondering what will happen next. It skillfully runs through plots of Celty's missing head, a mysterious slasher attacking people, the background of the wars between the colour gangs, a medical organisation performing human experimentation, and people controlling everything from behind the scenes...

But as great as all of this sounds, in the third act, everything begins to fall apart. Once the slasher arc is over, most of the other plot threads are abandoned, and everything winds up revolving around the a gang war, which is a considerably weaker plot thread than the others, and at it's worst devolves into soap opera drama caused entirely by foolish decisions that could easily have been avoided. This would've at least stood up strongly if it had kept skillfully using the other storylines, but the plot of Celty's head is completely and utterly ignored as a result of this massive plot tumour. All of this builds up to an anticlimactic and lacklustre ending that gives very little closure whatsoever. The upcoming specials are set to wrap this up, but I really don't consider that a valid excuse. The only way this would be forgiveable is if there was a second season, and by the way that the specials were announced, this seems unlikely.

(EDIT: Future seasons have rectified this dangling plot thread, but considering how much worse the later seasons were I still can't forgive it for this.)

Final Words: At it's best, absolutely fantastic. Shame it went to waste.

Animation/Graphics: 7/10
Story/Plot: 7/10
Music/Background: 8/10
Characters: 9/10

Overall: 7/10

For Fans Of: Baccano, Boogiepop Phantom.

In many ways, watching anime might be just like listening to music for me.
I have been taught to never have any prejudices and give an honest chance to everything that comes my way.
Obviously, when it's bad ten seconds into the song, you simply know it will stink the rest of the time and drop it. You rarely even regret it afterwards (let me stress the case is somewhat different with other forms of art, like literature, which is perceived somewhat slower and more methodical).
As for Durarara, and for my most beloved songs, novels, and other works, the key is an immediate impact and ... an impression that lingers.

Sure, what I have written so far only has to do with personal preferences.
But if I would want to convince you to watch Durarara disregarding my own taste (and I really want to convince people!), I wouldn't have a clue which aspects of this anime to present before you with persuasive intents, because I like it as a fully accomplished work of art in which there is good music, well-developed characters, snappy plot, etc.

Well aware that I am praising an anime which is yet to be completed (thus I feel reluctant to go into details such as animation and environments) I figured, why not simply say: try it and see for yourselves that I am right! Think about those moments as you hear a song for the first time and immediately know it will never leave you. This is exactly the same. This is like Death Note. Or Ergo Proxy. Or Tengen Toppa Gurenn Lagann. Clannad. Samurai Champloo.
And all other animes which grant you new and intellectually intense perspectives.

Still three episodes into it I can totally agree with the first reviewer — this will be, and most likely already is, one of the best animes for 2010.

I recently watched the popular show, Durarararararara!! and I have to say, it was quite enjoyable, with a few flaws/annoying parts. Durarara is a very unique show that contains a whole lot of different genres mixed together; romance, comedy, supernatural, mystery, and even some action here and there. I've never seen a show hop around all over the place, in terms of plot. In this review, I may blab nonsense, but I'll try to explain why I like Durarara.

In order for me to describe the plot, it would take forever because there's just so much happening in Durarara to a whole load of different main ... characters. So I'll sum it up using Mikado Ryugamine (mainest of the main characters, I think) as the focal point. Mikado Ryugamine longs for an escape from his dull everyday life and seeks something to make his young, short life stand out from the rest, resulting in him moving to Ikebukuro, a "crazy" to say the least city in Japan. He hopes life in one of Japan’s most trendy commercial and entertainment cities can satiate his thirst for excitement and a little danger. But soon he discovers Ikebukuro is more than up to the task. An inhumanly powerful bartender, a skilled underground informant, a mysterious motorcyclist dubbed the Black Rider, an aggressively enterprising Russian sushi chef, along with all sorts of gangs are the least threatening people when there are more sinister plots simmering just beneath the surface of this urban jungle.

There really was no general plot to the story, each episode the perspective changes, meaning that the episodes are told in 1st person, by various characters. Certainly there were moments when I wondered, "Where's the story headed?", but in the end it was all answered. Each episode had a specific parallel supernatural mystery that initially appears oblique, but in the end all the mysteries are cleverly intertwined with one another, leading up to a satisfying ending. Durarara has quite a few cleverly surprising revelations and twists that had skillful misdirection, which constantly keeps the viewer guessing. Yet when expectations are heightened, the series likes to pull back, lower the tension, and make the climax seem unimportant. A thing I liked about the series is that it recognizes the important role that internet chat rooms, online associations, cell phones, and text messaging have in teenagers’ social lives. Yet it also finds opportunities to tap into that adolescent pastime of discontent with the mundane everyday. I can't relate with the overall story, because it's so unrealistic, but I can definitely relate with the main character's feelings. With that said, there are also a few things I didn't like about Durarara:

- Bad pacing; some episodes (20+ min) were dedicated to unimportant characters, and not on main characters.
- Plot is supposed to be dark, and mature, but it came out to be too bright, and naive.
- A couple moments when viewers are left to think, "This doesn't even make sense..."
- Way too much narration
- Main Character was annoying, and not very heroic, though the anime tried to portray him as so in the end(personal thought).

Characters is where Durarara shined best. The great appeal of Durarara is its diverse and colorful mix of personalities of numerous characters. During each episode, there's strang conversations on a chat in the computer, about the developing plot. I'll explain the mainest 5 characters in detail, but there are many more interesting characters that are thoroughly developed in the anime.

Mikado Ryugamine, the mainest of main characters is a polite, soft spoken boy, whom at times can be quite childish and naive. At first he is scared of all the chaos happening in Ikebukuro, but as the series progresses, Mikado gradually becomes more and more assertive, and eventually becomes able to able to accept the chaos that life throws at him without attempting to run away. With that said, despite his kindness and naivety, Mikado is much more ruthless and manipulative than he appears to be and is very capable at using intimidation to reach his goals.

Masaomi Kida is Mikado's best [childhood] friend, and is a resident in Ikebukuro. He is one of the reasons Mikado moved to Ikebukuro, and while Mikado is in Ikebukuro, Masaomi acts like a big brother, protector. He is a rather cheerful boy (in public) and is always enthusiastic about picking-up girls, but seems to be a failure at it. As the series progresses, it is revealed that Masaomi's enthusiastic, happy-go-lucky demeanor is actually a mask of his true, much less secure self. He appears to agonize over major choices much more than any other character in the series, although he falls just short of being paralyzed by his fears. His background is explained in depth, and his true nature was a surprising twist in the plot.

Anri Sonohara is a introverted and quiet girl, whom Mikado falls in love with. As the series progresses, she retains her shy personality, though her interactions with Mikado and Masaomi serve to pull her out of her emotional shell and she becomes much more expressive and shows a caring side to those close to her. The friendship she develops with Mikado and Masaomi was a treat to watch, something I could sort of relate with. Another character that the plot uses as a crazy, surprising plot twist.

My favorite character, Izaya Orihara. Izaya is a powerful, skilled, and snake-like informant, who is actually much more than just an informant. He claims to love the human race, excluding Shizuo Heiwajima whom Izaya likes to start fights. He greatly enjoys putting people in miserable or chaotic situations in order to observe their reactions. He plays chess in a bizarre fashion and the undiscloed rules he plays seem to be a metaphor for the way he lives his life. Izaya throughout the anime seemed like a "god" figure, because he always helped/protected people, but in a manner that makes him seem like an evil "tester". Anyways, very enjoyable character to watch for.

Shizuo Heiwajima is renowned as the strongest man in Ikebukuro. Shizuo apparently doesn't really like violence and has misgivings about his own strength; unfortunately, he has a very short temper and when angered, his body "acts on its own" and he beats everyone up. Shizuo is a very funny character who uses violence to cancel out violence... or when he's just pissed off... or if he sees Izaya. Shizuo Vs Izaya was a constant battle throughout the anime that was really fun to watch.

Celty Sturluson is a Dullahan, an unseelie fairy from Ireland who came to Japan looking for her stolen head (yes, she's headless). Celty's personality is, ironically, one of the most normal and down to earth out of the entire cast. Celty was certainly a character I personally did not enjoy. Celty, a badass who starts off with mysterious potential ends up becoming a useless, weak, and headless babe (always one in an anime...) who falls in love with a scientist.

And that's just the start of it, the list goes on and on, showing how much in detail Durarara focused on "characters". There should be at least one character that the audience can relate to. So, if you're wondering why I wrote useless information in my review, it was to represent how diverse and strong the "characters" were in Durarara.

I thought the opening songs of Durarara were also unique and nice to listen to; I never skipped the openings while I watched the anime. The "jazz"iness in the anime certainly fit the mood of the anime throughout. The voicing was superb, each character's voice fitting their respective personalities. Izaya's voice, quiet yet manipulative and ominous, Shizuo's voice powerful, and deep, Mikado's voice, innocent and normal. The art was solid. The depiction of Ikebukuro is very accurate to the real city in real life actually. Each character had their own uniqueness. Overall very solid. The art style was certainly a bit different from the average anime though, in a sense that you have to watch the anime to understand.

Final Verdict: I like it, so I'd recommend others to watch it as well. Heh, thanks for reading!~

As I write, we're only about 7 episodes into "Durarara!!", but I'm already super pumped about this show. The creators have given me a lot of reasons to be satisfied so early into the series, and that's a mean feat considering how long it takes even some of the best anime to get up to speed.

The sheer amount of awesome in this show boggles the brain. The characters are the baddest of asses and every single one, bar none, is interesting and complex. One of my favorite character introductions is in the first episode: a vending machine rockets through the air and we're told, "dudes, ... that's Shizuo, stay the hell away from him." And I probably would, but Shizuo is awesome. As is every other character in this remarkable cast.

The creators, who are also responsible for "Baccano!" (as by now you've heard), play with time in a similar way in this series. We may revisit the same moment from the perspectives of several different characters, but we're never lost, and it's certainly never like "oh, this shit again, I didn't care the first time and I don't want to see it again." We know just enough to orient us, but we still haven't seen quite enough and are left yet with mysteries.

The soundtrack is great, subtle when necessary, and the intro song is both an appropriately energetic introduction to the show and an awesome song in its own right.

Also, and sometimes most impressively, the art doesn't get in the way of the anime. The character designs are at once interesting to look at and the perfect vehicle for the story.

Watch this show.

"Just because I like humans doesn't mean I like you personally" -Izaya

Durarara is able to to keep you entertained for each entire episode. The art isn't so good as the colors are dull and the character's faces are often expressionless. On the other hand, both openings and endings were awesome.

Simply put, Durarara!! is a show that attempts anything and everything. It seeks ensemble-based drama with enough humorous peripheral characters to lighten its load (and some romances thrown in for good measure), and in its spare moments delves into the supernatural and attempts a meta-fictional perspective on 21st century Japanese culture. The series throws development after ... development at the audience, fascinating one with modernized takes on Irish folk tales, introducing a myriad of strange characters. Durarara!! is a frustrating show to watch, one whose core story is too light on weight to work and whose levity relies too much on the slapstick and obscure cultural references, and one whose most interesting aspects seem peripheral, with the stories of secondary characters and the framework of the show itself outdoing the rather bland leads in interest.

The musical score, meanwhile, was always a welcome listen, and the mix of free jazz, atmospheric vibraphone tracks, and piano pieces perfectly suited the show's quirky intent, with the pieces being well-placed if occasionally a bit repetitive. A show that frustrates is often one whose failings prove to still be interesting, and all things considered, most episodes of Durarara!! have at least one surprising quirk somewhere that makes them worth watching, even if the level of innovation is not sustained across the full episode. The series makes too many blunders for its story to leave much of a lasting impact, and its meandering moments becoming intolerably tedious at times, but the entirety, in spite of being unsatisfying, does have something of a distinct charm that keeps it slightly on the positive side of mediocrity.

Durarara!!, meanwhile, introduces as many sub-plots as it does characters, with several remaining unresolved at series' end and various cliffhangers and tantalizing pauses leaving one curious for more and subsequently dismayed at the lack of closure. Characters sometimes act illogically, with the villainous sometimes too-easily re-integrating themselves into society and the main trio being given back stories that, while obviously designed to dramatically and stunningly bring the various "clues" the series drops early on into a cohesive whole, seem uncharacteristic and tacked on as a way to generate personality without really giving them any really depth. The end result is a story that feels much less of a triumph than it could have been, and even a surprisingly effective ending never covers up the show's lack of answers, reliance on flimsy plot-twists to maintain interest, and tepid moments brought about when the creators lie uncomfortably between bullet points in a plot summary, the flow having temporarily vanished and the audience being left with the bare bones of a fascinating but awkwardly presented thesis.

My overall score is 8.
Please give me your feedback.

Before you click the "not helpful" tab, let me say something. I wrote this review at the start of the series, and made a bunch of predictions on how it will turn out, but I'm confident that I won't have to change any of the content in this review, even after the show ends. I'm as sure about the general structure and potential of this show as I possibly can be. (It's all here in this pamphlet *passes around*)

I've now seen 10 episodes, and I could see how this was destined to go (not where, the two are different). It becomes very apparent that this ... series is formulated much like Baccano!. Which makes sense, since they share a common maker. Let me start by saying, if you want to find out about the story, read the synopsis, my job is to tell you what you can expect to come from the story.

But enough with the chit chat, what can I tell you about Durarara?

Now, giving a review after 10 episodes is hardly a review, what am I reviewing? All I can, that's what!

Here is what I can say about Durarara, it's all in the style, in the opening, and in the way the show is played out.

The openings in anime are often used as some sort of extra bit of animation, often just put together for purpose of killing a couple minutes before the show starts. Durarara is different. Every character is highlighted, and each (again, this is insight from having seen Baccano) will play an integral part to the plot. And if you watch the opening, you'll see there's a lot of characters introduced there, and it's somewhat difficult to follow. The purpose is not to introduce you to these chracters, but to have you reflect on what events are happening in the opening, after watching the show. Which is incredibly interesting and enveloping. You can take in everything about the show from the opening, but it's done in such a way there's no way to understand until it's been introduced. And this perhaps, is one of Durarara's greatest strengths.

It's all in the style. And it's style is like Baccano!'s only in the sense that, it involves a myriad of characters, each interesting and intriguing, whose stories are all interwoven into each others. Again, I am basing all my assumptions of this on my viewing of Baccano!, but I'd be willing to wager that each character's story will be introduced seperately, with the chronology of the events somewhat a mystery at first, rising to crescendo and then climaxing at the end in a fantastic accomplishment of plot and storytelling.

The artwork is fairly dark, which is seems to suck you in. An interesting point is that all the background people are simple shades of grey. The city is dark, full of night life, but carrying a sense of anticipation, excitement, amusement, and danger. Things feel very realistic, and at the same time, there's something going on behind the scenes that teases us with an element of our usual anime supernaturality. The same could be said about the story.

The only other thing I can say about the show at this point is the music. Durarara's soundtrack has already wowed me with it's elegant subtlety. The bass guitar plucking each note in scenes of tension. Each scene's mood is completely set by the background music, flowing beautifully, and establishing a mood.

Overall, I can say Durarara is a tapestry being woven, where we are to inspect each section as an individual, and only at the end, evaluate it as a whole. And when this event occurs, we will see how each individual thread conforms to create an impressive and awe-inspiring image, which will be worth gazing at again and again, noticing subtle nuances with each new glance.

And that, is Durarara. It is an cognitive, psychological excursion beyond our normal realm of understanding. I appreciate that I have told you very little as to who is in the show, but understand a show isn't about who, it's about what "who" does, and what is going on around "who." And I've told you all I can about that. I'll once again say, this is all a prediction, one I feel very confident in, but a prediction nonetheless. I've based it off of work from the author previously. It might not turn out that way, but just like with a series of books, you can know whether or not you'll enjoy the next few by whether you'd enjoyed the first.

To describe “Durarara!!” as atypical or multi-faceted would be a severe understatement by any measure. Narita’s creation is a rarity in that it is a show whose characters and the universe in which they inhabit are totally homogeneous – the characters are the universe and vice versa. Durarara is a piece of metafiction that primarily explores youth culture in Japan although much of its revelations and developments are relatable or can be extrapolated into the Western world. What is particularly impressive is that all this social commentary comes slickly packaged in a character drama whose comedy, romance, supernatural conceptions and eclectic cast can be appreciated ... even if one were to ignore the underlying purpose of them all.

However, if you’re willing to commit to Durarara, you will find there is an inexplicably larger amount of satisfaction to derive from than those who decide not to. I say this because Durarara is an incredibly complex story as it comprises of a large ensemble cast, all of whom play fundamental roles in the story which itself is told in a non-linear fashion. The storytelling is done in such a way that different parts of the story are experienced through the perspectives of a diverse set of characters which ranges from insatiable high-schoolers to eccentric Russian sushi chefs and a mythical motorcyclist. Throughout the show, viewers will be exposed to seemingly tangential subplots but as one would expect, they do all coalesce and are components of the story. Durarara's brilliance lies partly in this artistically inventive mode of storytelling which enables the show to carry a sophisticated narrative without feeling overbearing or convoluted because each episode or sequence is being narrated by new key characters that are still being introduced far down the story line which keeps each episode fresh and fascinating.

Within the space of 24 episodes, an enormous quantity of information is being relayed to the viewers and Durarara excels at juggling all its characters and subplots, giving the right amount of focus for all our characters. But it is precisely because the story is so hectic that it requires your full attention because all the supposedly “irrelevant” subplots and interactions are all elements that will be drawn upon much later on even into the second season. It is crucial to note that the notion of “seasons” is a purely economic one – the story doesn't suddenly “conclude” in the first season. Durarara is a singular piece of fiction based on light novels and whilst the show has arcs, the relevance of the show’s arcs do not stop when the respective arc ends. Despite this, its ending does feel wholesome and it deftly executes the conclusion in such a manner that it could very well stand alone as an individual work.

The fundamental essence of Durarara is that of a supernatural Ikebukuro where the story is set. Indeed, Ikebukuro is the only one thing that connects all our characters and their plots. The series’ presentation of modern society and youth can be seen by both its aesthetics, conceptions and the inclusion of the Internet. These exist to explore a whole host of ideas such as but not limited to: the notion of identity, especially in a world of anonymity, reality (or at least the perception of) and power and its various forms. But it does so by elegantly weaving this into the story rather than shoving these themes down your throat. Durarara vastly distinguishes itself from the rest by creating a consistently engaging fictional universe that emulates reality, where all these aspects exist and can be further delved into, instead of the usual attempts that feel artificial because it is evident that every creation of the story exists solely to explore a specific theme, sacrificing realism and preventing any semblance of transcendence from a work of fiction. I feel Durarara does transcend; it understands that there is no “main character” in real life as we are all individuals living our own lives and in an increasingly connected world, there are bound to be overlaps. And if you have a cast like the one Narita has created, then you have one hell of a story.

A show’s universe is never complete without complementary audio-visuals. The soundtrack is a quirky, snappy and a primarily light-hearted score produced by a combination of piano and jazz instruments. It no doubt helps to construct Durarara's version of Ikebukuro and is unique although nothing too special, in my opinion. Conversely, I must mention that the OPs are outstanding and both OPS are of my personal favourites. Visually, the show is nothing too spectacular. The background and setting emulate much of real life Ikebukuro and the colour palette is wonderfully vibrant to match. The character designs are wholly distinct for each one and cement each character’s idiosyncrasies and general traits - the abundance of Durarara artwork in the anime community acts as a testament to how beloved the character designs are.

Ultimately, Durarara is a multi-dimensional, fast-paced and innovative drama which successfully blends mystery, the supernatural, comedy, romance and social commentary. I feel that there is something for most people in this show with its diverse cast and multitude of subplots although much of the entertainment can be missed if you look for quick satisfaction. In which case, it may not be for you because the show definitely takes its time to explore itself and its many themes. If any of the aforementioned descriptions do appeal to you or you’re simply looking for a distinct experience that encompasses a wide range of genres, then much like one of our characters, you may look to relocate yourself in this electrifying world that is Ikebukuro.

For anybody trying to decide on whether or not they should watch Durarara, do yourself a favor and watch it. This anime is easily one of the best I've ever seen. The story starts off a little slow with a shy and timid boy named Mikado moving to new city in Japan who has high hope to start a new life. from there the story takes off. The anime stays pretty consistent with presenting new information and ideas, and easily keeps your attention. As far as story goes it is one of the most well thought out, complex, developed, and mature plots I've ever had ... the pleasure of watching. When I say mature I don't mean that there are breasts bouncing around everywhere or anything else ecchi like that, but mature as in you have to have some type of common sense to keep up with whats going on, which is another thing I love about this anime.It is not the type of story where everything is laid out on silver platter for you. 10/10

Within the very first seconds of this anime you know that the illustrators took pride in what they were doing. Every scene is intricately drawn to keep the audience entertained, whether you may be looking at a vibrant and colorful vending machine flying across the sky, or a dark and mysterious alleyway waiting for you to make the mistake of deciding to take the shortcut home.9/10

If you are experienced when it comes to watching and anime you know that the soundtracks in the anime can make or break it. Fortunately for Durarara they knew exactly what they were doing. For an anime to have such a wide variety of genres they spread it out extremely well to compliment every scene needing an extra push of anxiety, calmness, happiness, or anger. Durarara isn't the type of anime to leave you crying at the sound of some beautiful soundtrack but you will definitely catch yourself at the edge of your seat while yelling something to a character attempting to do something that could potentially lead to their demise. This anime features genres everywhere from Rock all the way to Classical or Pop so you don't need to worry about getting bored with the soundtracks although you will be able to associate some of the soundtracks with a certain type of scene. -Every time I started an episodes I would always listened to the opening at least twice just because I liked it so much :)-. 10/10

From the beginning of this anime you are constantly given new information about every character, whether it may be told to you straight forward or something you discover on your own by untwisting the plot. What I am trying to say is that you immediately start to form some type of relationship and, or bond with every character in the show. There is constantly new character development so you don't have to worry about getting bored with one character. Another thing I like about this anime is that you are given the opportunity to see things in another characters eyes besides the protagonist. This is a very great technique to give the audience a chance to get to know a character because you are seeing exactly how they think instead of just seeing the main character perception on that person. Every character in the anime played an important and irreplaceable role. They all add their own little spin to the plot which keeps you interested in how the story may change once you learn something new about a character. 10/10

As far as enjoyment goes just try to stop watching this anime in the middle of a big part of one of the charter's arch. I can tell you that I stayed up until 3am even though I knew I had to get up at 6:40am simply because I did not have it in me to call it quits. Every episodes leaves you wanting more so if you are worried about not being able to get through this anime you should be more worried about stopping once you've started. 10/10

Overall this anime is nothing short of a master piece. There is only one thing that I really wanted to happen that didn't. If you are looking for a serious anime but you want to laugh I wholeheartedly encourage you to give this one a try. 10/10 Thanks for reading guys ^__^ (by the way this is my first review)

Tk


SPOILER BELOW














When I said there was only one thing that didn't happen that I wanted to happen it was Mikado and Anri not getting together. His excuse was that he wanted to wait for Kida to come back to try and make a move even though Kida got back with his old girlfriend and left. -__-

Ikebukuro is one crazy ass town set in one crazy ass country that produced one crazy ass series of novels that now has a crazy ass anime adaptation, now replace "crazy ass" with "entertaining".

STORY: Durarara (Or DRRR, which by the way sounds like an insult to someone when they make a stupid or obvious statement) can be described as two things: crazy and entertaining, and entertaining and crazy. Durarara is as crazy as it is entertaining, I mean what other anime has gang wars, superhuman people, super natural elements, and enough characters pushed up into like several clown cars, packed up like sardines, that start ... to break the hinges and screws start flying off... I can name one other but anyway, Durarara is the adaptation of light novels created by Ryohgo Narita, the creator of another crazy ass series named Baccano (Which there is only one other series I can compare that one too).

But seriously, I must applaud this novel writer, who now has two well loved series under his belt that both received great anime adaptations, that's right I'll say it right now, Durarara is a great anime, great as in entertaining, with an early competent story and a huge cast of wonderful and unique characters.
The story is about... mostly everyone! Just about all the characters receive a good bit of devoted screen time and get to narrate an episode, and you should be intimidated by what I mean by "everyone" as Durarara just has too many to write about in one review, so I'll just write about the most interesting ones, and the "main" characters, as the third half focuses entirely on those certain set of "main" characters.

The story isn't really straight forward but mostly character driven, the entire anime can be summed up into three parts: The first 1/3 is the slow start, building up the characters and establishing many elements of the series, the second 1/3 is pay off of the start up, fantastic and fun moments are all found here folks with a lot of the more interesting characters featured the most, and then finally the last 1/3, the umm, lamest part of the anime...

The first third of the anime is spend mostly introducing characters and establishing bits of story elements for the latter part of the anime with Mikado, the seemingly main character of Durarara and his friends Kida, his childhood friend, and Anri, a well endowed girl with a quite interesting back story. It's pretty slow to say the least, but it's all worth it later on.
The second third of the anime is the real meat of the entire anime, with the build up from earlier episodes, but the real reason is because the majority of the focus is on the more interesting characters like Celty, the headless Dullahan from Ireland who drives a black motorcycle around the city, Shizuo Heiwajima, the one guy in the dangerous city full of many dangerous people that you don't want to mess with, and other characters related to them in some fashion.

However, the last third of the anime is where I wouldn't mind to say there's no point on continuing further, unless you're a completest or have been enjoying the show to this point and want to continue. The story quickly shifts from being creative unique character driven story to a very lame teen drama involving gangs, with the focus being the most bland group of characters of the entire anime (Like Mikado and Kida), with the villain having the charisma of a random background character (And looks and starts out like one too).
I would consider calling this part of Durarara, DRRR, as it's sort of an insult to be stripped of all the greatest parts by the end of the anime, sure the other characters do have their moments (Like Shizuo tearing shit up), and bad moments too (Shizuo learns that he too be taken out by simple measures just like everyone else, and of course, the teen drama), but there is still worth while parts (A certain a**hole gets whats coming to him, and damn is it satisfying).

Though it's a shame Durarara mostly ends on a low note rather than a high one, but it blows it's load early on, and it might be a good idea to pretend it's only like 13 or 16 episodes like it's predecessor adaptation.

ANIMATION: Very unique and stylish, with character designs by Suzuhito Yasuda (The original artist for the novels and creator of manga series Yozakura Quartet). Apparently the original creator of Durarara wants consistency that even the studio that made Baccano, Brains Base, is also the one behind the production.
The animation is great, and the character designs are diverse enough to compliment their personalities and quirks (Of course a headless girl wouldn't need a detailed personality to stand out from the crowd), but most of them look rather generic, and the later part of the anime looks noticeably lower budget.

SOUND: With both a japanese and english voice over for Durarara available, I would recommend going your preference language to listen to since both languages are fine, however, I would give a more slight nod to the japanese voice over simply because the setting is Japan, and the english dub voice actors tend to be stumped by a japanese word when it would appear in dialogue, overall both have their stellar performances that only each language provides.
The theme music are great, especially the first opening, but as the later part of anime becomes blander, so does the theme music.
The background music is mostly loud jazz music, that seems out of place at times.

OVERALL:
The Good:
+ A unique and great character driven story.
+ Diverse cast of interesting characters.
+ Both japanese and english voice overs are equally great.

The Bad:
- The last third of the anime is disappointing, with too much focus on the bland characters.
- The technical side also suffers at the later end of the anime.

As an added bonus, Durarara also has many cameos of several different anime thrown about, so be sure to pay attention to the back grounds and what figures and manga you'll see.

The anime has a series of tags and I would add 'psychological' to better describe some scenes. The story immediately caughts your attention by the way it's told, not by the content itself. Narita, the original creator and the rest of the team, in this regard used some cool classic tricks seen on many "best seller" books. Not only that, but overall the 'sound guys' managed to capture every scene with the right OST, making this an anime very easy to marathon.

Monologues? Check.

Its quality can vary, sometimes it feels brilliant, by giving insight to what the characters are thinking or to give a better ... understanding of them. The problem lies in the action, sometimes it's just missing by plot constraints, which gives the (now and then) long monologues an important task. They must keep the viewer hooked. Doesn't always work, as not every single line of dialogue is great. So be aware, you can have the feeling it's just there to fill blank spaces (maybe to reach those 24 eps mark).

Reverse chronology? Check.

An old trick but reliable. Many times the episodes starts showing the third act (final scene; climax), then going back to the first act (the setup act). This arouses the viewers attention, as you now are hooked to watch until you can comprehend that final scene.
Some times, to exploit and empathize some important moment in the overall comprehension of the story, the first act (setup) is also traded with the second (development) and vice-versa.

I'll describe the feeling as seeing a Houdini's trick. Admiration and confusion will be felt at the beginning, then you'll slowly understand what you're watching as the trick is revealed.

Narrative? Check.

This show has a considerable number of characters. Not all have the same importance to the story, but there's at least one ep, where we will be presented with a certain point of view, where their opinion will be given on whatever is going on. It's not perfect as sometimes you can feel a little bittersweat about some of them, especially in the second half of the plot. It's there where you'll notice some flaws in some characters design.

OST? Check.

The sound is what I would call the perfect 'accompanist'. It's just a series of spot on instrumental beats that follows the visual and the plot, and that's it. Don't expect epic tracks to be played, a beautiful voice singing as an epic kick throws someone of. The show already has a lot going on, intricate ways of story telling, different characters (points of view) are shown all the time, lots of suspense, etc. Having those kinds of songs would just get in the way and divert your attention from the suspense. In this regard, I'll consider this anime OST not perfect or a masterpiece but the best 'accompanist' I've seen, as it just sets the right mood.

I'll not mention openings and edings, as that to me is only relevant if used in the actual scenes, not just at start and end.

Some quick regards for the animation. It's well made and executed well; not overwhelming, but it also doesn't go unnoticed. Kuddos for some details, like making the spectators who not intervene in the course of action/ or are not important to the plot go grey! Barely any visible mistakes in the animation.

Is it perfect? No. I already hinted that it's not a masterpiece, especially at the beginning: "caughts your attention by the way it's told, not by the content itself". I'll not compare this show to Bacanno like most do, because I want to focus in one important story aspect, so forgive the next comparison. Anime like Shinsekai Yori or Shingeki no Kyojin have one thing in common, whether you agree it's well executed or not... Both start of with a very compelling plot or story that immediately hooks you. This show doesn't.

What's Durarara then? It's your normal setting/plot that can get interesting because of the way it's told. Despite all the gimmicks I said previously, it doesn't change that fact! The team who worked on Durarara never had a compelling story, so they had to use every trick they could to make it stand out. I have no doubt, if it wasn't for them, Durarara would not be as good as it was, it would fall to average or fine.

Video: BD 720p
Audio: FLAC
Method : marathon 24eps
Overall evaluation: 7.8

This review is meant for the viewer who has already watched Baccano!, and who is contemplating watching Durarara!!. In the event that you’ve not watched Baccano!, I suggest you watch it first. After all, the two anime boast the same director, and (either consequently or not) are generally similar in the way the story unfolds, and to lesser extent, how the characters are developed and how the plot reaches full circle, AND the point is that Durarara!! is, in my opinion, a much inferior work (perhaps as a result, or not, of) being really meant for the younger at heart.

So, fellow Baccano fan, let me ... just say that I have never seen so many self-absorbed main characters in all my years of watching anime. And that sort of sums up this anime. Durarara!! ("DRRR") is basically a "self-absorbed" anime.

Shall I explain? Well, we are given lots on our viewer's plate, in the form of self-absorbed musings in this show: the multitude of one-dimensional side characters, the obligatory side-stories to explain the seemingly random existence of the side characters, the self-absorbed and trivial thoughts of the three main teenage characters, etc. The director obviously expects viewers to dig everything about the anime without a thought of whether each above-mentioned element is as good as the aggregate of them. But let's get something straight, Mr Director. Baccano! had some of these elements, yes, but it was fantastically done, as the whole work was simply built upon its excellent parts. DRRR, however, is not a Baccano.

Now perhaps the fact that the main characters in DRRR are teenagers has something to do with it. My thoughts are that DRRR might be perfect for you if you're around the age of 15-16, for the musings of the main teenage characters (and sad to say, for some of the adults as well) are of a maturity barely above that age. Some five minutes can go by with you, the viewer, subject to the vacuous rambling of the lead characters. If you're well over 20 yrs old like me, chances are, you would do well to give this anime a miss. Or else, when you reach say, episodes 20-22, you'll have all the angst, confusion and sheer immaturity that will send you stark raving mad.

But that is not to say that this anime is mediocre or a utter waste of time. Granted, DRRR is not a Baccano, even if there are throwaway references to the latter throughout the former. But still, Baccano fans can expect a fairly interesting plot at times, and one or two memorable characters (Celty is one of them). However, the magic of Baccano in its plot twists, developments and final resolution are sorely missed in DRRR. As I said, I have the feeling that DRRR is catered to a younger age group than Baccano was.

I found myself not easily attracted to the myriad of characters in DRRR, and I blame it on their character development. All the characters are simply too one-sided. After you're introduced to each character, and you see them in subsequent episodes, you unfortunately realize that that's exactly how they're like and will act throughout the show. And that is something a good anime normally tries to avoid. The fact is that, in DRRR, knowing exactly how a character will act spoils quite a lot of the enjoyment factor, especially when the character has his on-screen "emo" or self-absorbed times, and when this mental state of his or her spans more than a few episodes. When will the dragging about end? It's a real wet blanket for the viewer.

I'm not going to go on about the other critiques or the few thumbs-up that I have (god knows I'm willing), simply because that's not my intention, though. I just wanted to put out a humble warning to anyone who might view DRRR's high rating on MAL or the various praises sung of it as an indication of its suitability to everyone.

So that said, if you're interested in going behind the minds of the three main characters in this anime, all of whom are plainly immature, fairly ignorant and subject to teenage angst and hormonal changes, by all means give DRRR a try.

If you're not interested in the above, and you want to maintain your good impression of Baccano's director, give DRRR a miss.

Cheers.

Durarara!! or as I like to call it for fun DRRR!! is an interesting anime series. Putting a lot of emphasis into creating its characters and world were losing tons of time becomes a habit when watching the series. Capturing the chaos and mystery of the city in it’s version of Ikebukuro with soaring success. While the story being told is decent as a whole what makes it memorable and a great way to spend time are the characters themselves. No matter what flaws present themselves, the characters always manage to make it seem like those flaws don’t matter in the long run.

Mixed: Interesting story ... filled with questionable decisions

Durarara!! has a headless horseman, a girl with a demon sword that can possess people, a puppet master bent on creating chaos, gang leaders wanting gang warfare, and a person with superhuman strengths among its cast. You would think one of those characters would be the protagonist. Except that position is given to an average teen, Mikado Ryugamine, whose relevance and backstory is not given until episode eleven. Giving the other characters more than enough time to overshadow him. Despite that specific pitfall the story manages to fit in elements of teen drama without feeling inappropriate with everything else in the story. The focus on presenting Ikebukuro and Japanese youth culture through internet chat rooms, text messages, and technology in general lends itself to making the city more lively. Seeing characters talk about rumors, folklore, and their experiences make it feel like a real chaotic city. While Mikado is a weak point of interest compared to the other characters, him being in the central of the story makes sense. He is experiencing life in Ikebukuro for the first time interacting with a host of interesting characters and sometimes unknowingly being part of a bigger ordeal beyond his control. What also justifies Mikado as the lead is he’s experiencing and learning everything about Durarara!! version of Ikebukuro just like the viewer.

In every episode the narrative will rotate onto a different focused character. Shining the spotlight on the cast members when the opportunity presents itself. After the primary introduction in episode one the rest of series spends time exploring it cast. In a semi-non linear fashion it spends times on various characters each having their own conflict in a single episode like finding a kidnap friend for a single episode or looking for a missing head for the entire series. Eventually having the large cast interact with each other in various ways and form an engrossing narrative with a mystery at its heart. In the first half, the main draw is a mystery centering around the headless rider. The headless rider search of her head spans several decades trusting the viewing to piece together the information themselves. This headless rider storyline takes some unexpected directions that will keep viewers guessing on where it’ll go next.

It's biggest strength is in telling a series of smaller stories weaving them together into a larger story. All the events shown correlate with one another in some way expertly building up to a climax. Without action, it build up is very exciting, thanks in large to wanting to see how it’ll played out once all the elements are together. The smartest choice the series made regarding its writing was being more serious than splitting half of tone balancing comedy. While it filled with fun personalities to lighten up from the darker aspects of the anime. When it times to take something seriously there’s no need to worry about transitioning between tones. Handling it expertly by having jokes every now and then, but by not at making it an equal focus like its drama.

For an anime that has a cool cast of characters how it uses them is disappointing. At times dropping characters completely from the series, though even those characters manage to have a good moment. The only time this is ever a consistent problem is with police officer Kinnosuke Kuzuhara in the second half. He’s featured in the second opening of the anime misleading viewers he has a decent size role in the second half. The fact he doesn’t do much or receive much characterization is made more noticeable because of it.

From episode thirteen and onwards it builds up is allot more rewarding than the actual resolution to the storylines. The second half of Durarara!! spends lots of time jumping back and forth between timelines where it becomes unnecessary. A linear narrative framing device would have better suited the second half. It’s constantly jumping back to earlier episodes that instead of moving the story forward take steps backwards. Halting progress in certain episodes as literally nothing has happened to progress forward. The reason it does this is because the series is bad at foreshadowing. With the exception of Masaomi Kida past, revelations on characters come out of left fields. For example, there’s a large gang called the Dollars in that no one within it knows who started the gang. Once it gets revealed who started the gang it’s seem to be there to justified following a character for long as it has. It also is a disservice to the character when he’s given a just because motivation of sorts.

Another drawback in the second half is the mystery aspect is gone when the focus is put on the three leads. What exactly is keeping Mikado, Anri, and Masaomi separated is shown to the audience as a series of misunderstanding and indecisiveness. Also, laziness on the writer part for not having the characters talk to each other because of if they did the whole ordeal would have been dealt with quickly. Having them act on assumptions throughout the second half. Compare to earlier storylines, one of which deals with a character looking for her head. Misunderstandings as a source of conflict is less interesting in comparison and executed badly when the audience is show the source before the characters discover it. Making the halt in progress more obvious when waiting patiently for it to move forward.

The ending of the series doesn’t feel conclusive leaving dangling plot threads and fate of certain characters left in the open. In no way is the ending sequel bait as some character arcs (Celty arc being the best example) have satisfying growth by the end of the series. Where it feels inconclusive are with the lead characters. Just when the viewers learn about their past there’s a desire to see how the three will interact with one another once those kept secrets are revealed to everyone. Instead of showing that it simply tidy everything up as if the secrets the lead characters kept from each other wasn’t that big of a deal. It’s a thrilling ride that ends with a whimper instead of a bang.

Good: A layered cast

The story might have a weaker second half, but the cast of characters are able to escape the same pitfall of the story. For starter, not all characters presented will have a major role or even a recurring minor role in the long run. This is made up with the writing that manages to weave together an unlikely cast of character with all sorts of different background together to compliment each other nicely. There are personalities of all types of the love-to-hate jerk Izaya Orihara, the short fuse bartender Shizuo Heiwajima, passionate Otaku Walker and Erika, and many more.

The three leads are high school students and for the duration of the first half they are overshadowed by the supporting cast. Mikado Ryugamine is the new kid with average characteristics, Masaomi Kida the best friend with a hidden past, and Anri Sonohara the bespectacled timid girl. They receive partial characterization in the series that make them good character. When the series finally goes into their past, they become more interesting than how they presented at first sight. In Durarara!! there’s always allot more to the characters than what we initially know. This partial development does backfire when they are the focus in the second half and due lazy writing it creates a force conflict between them. These characters are compelling, but how their story was told brings down what could have been another good arc.

Celty Sturluson, the Headless Rider, is a stand out in the large cast. She goes to Japan in search of her head communicating with the locals through a PDA. Throughout the series she lives with scientist Shinra Kishitani whom she shares an interesting relationship with. It develops into something romantic that, crazy as it sound, but actually sweet in execution. Both characters are playful together as well as being show being able to talk through any issue like a real couple. Whenever Celty and Shinra are on screen the writing is at it's best.

Another memorable character is Shizuo Heiwajima. The shortfuse bartender with superhuman strength who hates to fight. His characteristic are a bit ironic since he does fight allot in the series leading being in the center of the most over the top moments in the anime. Usually tossing around any large object connected to the ground like a streetlight or vending machines like it weighs nothing. He has a rivalry with Izaya Orihara who's also another memorable character. Leading to the two clashing heads with Shizuo using his fists and Izaya using his head in their confrontations. This leads to more great moments.

There’s also a group of four friends who are always together consisting of Kyohei, Walker, Erika, and Kyohei. Kyohei is the leader of the group, especially after all four quitting the Blue Squares. Walker and Erika are passionate Otaku and manga reader and if you’ve a large chunk of anime you will know the references all which aren’t subtle. Like in the second opening one of the manga that’s shown in their collection is Sword Art Online, there’s also a poster for the short film Cencoroll hanging outside the theater, or two characters from Baccano making cameos which are only a few references. Lastly there is Saburo, who is the driver of the group and gets mad whenever his van is wrecked. The chemistry between these characters is gold acting like actual friends acting like goofballs even in serious situations.

Good: A catchy soundtrack and a voice cast to die for make up for inconsistent animation

Animation is done by studio Brain’s Base and it’s decent. Coloring in several episodes will have large crowds of people just painted gray or black and white. This makes no sense from a production standpoint given the insane amount of time it must have taken to create Ikebukuro. The backgrounds have to take into account all the effect for neon street signs, lighting of the city at night or day time, the different material of buildings, streets have to seemingly connect to one another, and other tiny details to sell the idea of its being a living, breathing city. With that much hard work put into connecting all the backgrounds to make Ikebukuro come to life, leaving background characters gray comes across as laziness. Whenever it does anything over the top it delivers those moments spectacularly. Though, in motion some character movements (like the first fight between Izaya facial expressions when he first fights Shizuo) will have some unintentionally hilarious awkward facial expressions.

Characters design varies; if it’s an important character they are stylized though not memorable. If they are part of the background than details are spared like fully coloring them to missing some line detail on limbs. Some animation in the second half will take a noticeable dip in quality when they matter the most. In episode 17 titled “Everything Changes”, Shizuo fights a large crowd of people scraping some details like not coloring the large crowds, or rawing a giant blob instead of individuals' bodies for a crowd. In general Durarara!! has this recurring problem with background characters lacking the same details as important character sparing details through its run. At first it comes across a neat stylistic choice and later feels like laziness.

Director Takahiro Omori makes handling a large cast seem natural. Despite some characters being under utilized Omori direction makes sure it’s never overwhelming to keep track off. While the story being told isn’t linear what events unfold in the episodes are. Omori uses a character to transit into another character to show their perspective in that specific moment or episode. No matter who he rotates the attention to he manages to have far greater success than failures in his direction.

Regardless what format you hear the audio in both cast offer a great list of voice actors. The Japanese voice cast offers Miyano Mamoru, Jun Fukuya, Miyuki Sawashiro, Hiroshi Kamiya, Daisuke Ono, Yuichi Nakamura, and the list goes on. This same rule applies to the English dub, which was produced by Bang Zoom! Entertainment and they basically gathered some of the most recognizable voice actors in anime dubbing. The English dub has a dream cast come true for anyone who watches English dubs regularly. It has the likes of Johnny Bosch Yong, Michelle Ruff, Bryce Papenbrook, Kari Wahlgren, Yuri Lowenthal, Crispin Freeman, Steve Blum, and Patrick Seitz to name a few. Quite a cast, regardless what version is heard.

Both cast have a similar issue of giving talented voice actors little material in the anime. Almost as if just gathering them up for name recognition. In the English dub, Stephanie Sheh plays Rio Kamichika who in only one episode has an important role. Her character fades away quickly after episode two. Another awesome voice actor who gets limited screen time is David Vincent who plays Seji Yagari. His performance is fine, but not varied in how to portray the character. Always having to sound concerned about his girlfriend. Cassandra Lee Morris, who plays Saki Mikajima gets to speak in very little in the anime. In the Japanese cast Keiju Fujiwara, Hochu Ostuka, Toru Okawa, Yuji Ueda, and you get the point.

The weakest link in the English dub is Darrel Guilbeau as Mikado Ryugamine. His performance is uneven and for a leading role. He easily gets overshadowed by his cast members whom deliver better performances. Darrel Guilbeau performance will take time to get used to before sounding natural in it. Toshiyuki Toyonaga who provides the Japanese voice for Mikado Ryugamine is good from the first episode. Bringing personality into an average character without sounding wooden in his portrayal of the everyguy lead. It’s a good performance that unlike Guilbeau, does not get overshadowed by his co-stars.

Kari Wahlgren has more line to deliver than Miyuki Sawashiro in the role of Celty. The way Celty talks to another character is through text on her PDA. Depending how and where you see the anime English subtitles might not appear (even on DVDs this happens) when Japanese text is displayed. This is remedied in the English dub by Kari Wahlgren reading those lines of Japanese text on her phone to the audience, though it will feel like something is missing without knowing that bit of information. Miyuki Sawashiro does equally well in portraying Celty giving her a mysterious aloof charm, warmth, and sisterly undercurrents of her character.

Bryce Papenbrook for the English dub and Mamoru Miyano in the Japanese cast both play Masaomi Kida. Aside from a couple word changes for Papenbrook dialogue (like saying boobilicous) both actors have unfettered energy and enthusiasm down. When it comes to performing the more dramatic scenes Miyano delivery is superior, though Papenbrook is not bad either.His comedic delivery is better than his dramatic voice work. Kana Kanzawa and Michelle Ruff, both play Anri with a timid low voice. Both actresses play the character similarly which, unlike the rest of the cast is difficult to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses. They both do a good job in the role. Crispin Freeman and Daisuke Ono both play Shizuo Heiwajima. Freeman goes more for a perpetually rougher, grittier feel, in his portrayal contrasting Daisuke Ono's is suave calmness into maniacal madman transitions is entertaining. Both performances portray the character differently, but both interpretations fit the character.

Johnny Yong Bosch and Hiroshi Kamiya play Izaya Orihara. Johnny Yong Bosch performance of Izaya is the definitive portrayal of Izaya. Hiroshi Kamiya is fine in the role, but Johnny Yong Bosch excessive smugness and hammy voice work serve Izaya far better. Unlike Kamiya, Johnny Yong Bosch is able to come across as a comical menace who can make you laugh and take him as a serious threat. Yuri Lowenthal and Jun Fukuyama both played Shinra Kishitani. Lowenthal performance is subtle and compose. It’s an unexpected performance with the contrast Fukuyama goes for the mad scientist route in his portrayal. Fukuyama performance is very fun in the over the top nature he acts, though Lowenthal comes across as a more likable Shinra because when he says something romantic towards Celty it sounds romantic instead of sounding insane.

There’s no wrong way to see Durarara!! since both English sub and English dub deliver the material in virtually the same way. Just a minor word or phrase changes to sound natural in their respective languages. However, the Japanese cast just barely etches out a victory as the superior audio track thanks to Toshiyuki Toyonaga in the leading role as Mikado Ryugamine. Darrel Guilbeau takes time to improve his performance before sounding natural in the role and taking a lot longer to become accustomed to hearing in a cast filled with great voice actors. Toshiyuki Toyonaga is strong from the beginning standing on his own. He provides Mikado a personality adding to the everyguy trait of Mikado. Unlike Darrel Guilbeau who starts out bland, Toshiyuki Toyonaga gets it right from episode one and is a smoother viewing experience. Whatever your preferences for viewing anime is both cast are good.

The first opening theme song, “Uragai no Yuuyake” (Sunset of Betrayal in English) by Theatre Brook is used in episode 1 - 12 is forgettable. It’s fit fine with the opening animation with light rock beats, though it’s nowhere near as memorable as it closing theme. Once the catchy R&B song with J-Pop lyrics, “Trust Me”, by Yuya Matsushita start playing in the outro it’ll be able to put anyone in good mood. The closing animation is a single image that’s pan down with color altering effects to show all the characters. Simple as it might be the track and the closing animation are oddly memorable. The fact there’s dozen of parodies of it first closing animation is a testament how memorable it is.

The second half of the anime has the opposite effect on the second opening (episode 13 - 24) and second closing tracks (episode 13 - 23). In the second half the opening track, “Complication”, by Rookiez is Punk’d is a far more memorable track building up excitement before the anime starts. It’s edgy sound combine with some vocals makes a good rock song that’s able to stand on its own even without having to see the anime. “Butterfly” by On/Off is an okay track that’s not as memorable as “Trust Me” by Yuya Matsushita. The most memorable thing about the track are it’s guitar chords at the end of the track which closes off things nicely. It’s unfortunately accompanied by an animated outro that tries to copy the closing animation of the first half, which is uncreative as it is forgettable.

The OST is composed by Makoto Yoshimori and it’s a fine soundtrack. Heavy in Jazz music it perfectly captures the mood of Ikebukuro from it thuggery environment to its more mysterious side giving off a cool and mysterious vibe. Combining Jazz with piano and violin melodies, industrial instrumental, orchestral, folklore music, and even random noises. Like inserting laughter in the middle of the track “Ikebukuro nishiguchi go mata-ro kostaten”. It’s diverse in genre and risking in composition culminating in a unique soundtrack with plenty of music of all types to offer.

Personal Enjoyment: Despite a lackluster second half I had a good time

It started out weak with it first episode doing nothing, but introducing many characters. Leading to mix feelings to how it might turn out in the long run. Episode two got rid off any and all concerns I might have had with the series. Showing it true strengths in providing an engrossing world and fantastic character moments. Another bonus for me was recognizing the character designer of the Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor series, Suzuhito Yasuda, also did the character designs for the anime in my second viewing of the series. For me personally, that added it a bit more charm to the series in being able to see more of Yasuda creations. Granted the series wasn’t smooth sailing for the entire run. Before reaching its final arc, it was starting to lose some steam which it never overcame. The ending did leave something to be desired on the story front by leaving dangling plot threads, but as a viewing experience I am completely satisfied. While the quality of the story takes a dip towards the end. The true draw of the series for me were the characters that kept me coming back episode after episode. No matter what character took focus I was more than happy to see the events unfold. Watching the series was enjoyable on so many level. Writing (and you possibly reading) this review, which turned out as long as it did not as fun.

Story: 2/3

Characters: 3/3

Production Values (animation, sound, etc.): 2/3

Personal Enjoyment: 1/1

Final Thoughts:

Durarara!! is an entertaining anime where the apparent flaws don’t ever seem to matter when viewing the anime. It’s so easy to get engrossed into the large cast of realize characters and the city of Ikebukuro that losing track of time becomes common in Durarara!!. In every area it has a strong point that stands out from the story that developed layered characters down to the memorable soundtrack that will be stuck in the viewer's head. It’s an anime that creates a world successfully that you will want to revisit it time and time again to see a different side of what makes Ikebukuro so special.

**SPOILER FREE REVIEW**

From its enigmatic characters, to its unhinged storyline, down to its eccentric name, Durarara!! is the definition of absurdity. Is that always a good thing? Certainly not. Is it a good thing in this case? Yes, it definitely is. This anime has everything you could ever want in a fast-paced, thrilling anime; epic plot twists, unique characters, and an exciting concept. Much like DRRR's spiritual predecessor, Baccano!, there is simply too much going on to give a good synopsis without spoilers. There are mythological figures, people with super-strength, gangsters, demonic possession, a seemingly omnipotent information broker waging psychological warfare, and much, much more. ... It's just downright insanity. Perfect? No. Fun? Yes.

The true allure of DRRR is that all of its ridiculousness is not revealed in separate story arcs, which is how essentially every other anime chooses to tell more then one story; it is instead told all at the same time in one massive, confusing, wacky plot, and that's what makes DRRR so unique. There is a lot to keep track of and there is no main focus of the plot; there is simply a collection of smaller stories all intertwined with one another in the unbelievably alive setting of Ikebukuro, Japan. This unique style of storytelling is very appealing and that is the reason I enjoyed the plot so much despite its minor flaws. DRRR simply stands out from the crowd. However, it is worth noting that the first season left quite a few loose ends that season 2 needs to tie up, but that's just another reason why I am extremely excited for it. I can not wait to see where the storyline goes from here, and that isn't a feeling that just any anime can give to you. Honestly, I have trouble imagining a scenario where season 2 can top the absurdity of the first season, but at the very least it can tie up the loose ends.

While the plot is the most unique thing about DRRR, it is very much a character-driven show. It sports a huge cast (too many to go over), but most of them are very unique and well-written. My favorite thing about the characters in DRRR is that there is a lot more to all of them then you initially think. For instance; Mikado seems like a token, stereotypical male lead from the very start of the show (he's sort of the show's pseudo-protagonist for a while). However, it turns out there is a lot more to him that meets the eye, because he has a very shocking secret about him that changes his character completely, and he is not the only character with a shocking secret. The fan favorites, however, are definitely Izaya and Shizou, and rightfully so. Watching those two go at each other never gets old. I am firmly in the camp of Team Izaya thanks to his intoxicating personality and general badassery, but Shizou is pretty cool too. Unfortunately, shows that sport such a large cast of characters often have problems with character development, and DRRR is no major exception thus-far. There are too many characters to flesh out in the given amount of screen time and yet the show tries to treat every character equally, and what results is some significant issues with balance. This is forgivable though considering the show still has an entire 2nd season on the way, where it will have plenty of time to work on that.

As for aesthetics, they are slightly above average in my overall opinion. DRRR's animation is very fluent, but it's not that all that visually appealing if you ask me. The people in the background, for example, are not even colored in; they are left black and white (symbolism?). It doesn't really look good and the environments could really use a bit more detail. Great character designs though. The soundtrack, on the other hand, is great in nearly every way possible; the first opening is absolutely fantastic, as is the first ending. I'm not crazy about the second OP or the second ED, but the OST is solid as well (albeit a bit lacking in diversity). The voice acting is above average in both the sub and dub, so take your pick

If you are looking for something fun, unique, and just downright entertaining, I would highly recommend checking out Durarara!!. It's far from perfect, but I had a blast watching it. If you love plot twists, unique/lovable characters, and over-the-top fun, DRRR is the anime for you. I await the 2nd season with a lot of excitement.

Right from the very beginning, something about the title, or was it the caution tape artwork that grabbed my attention. It was bizarre to me at first, to be watching an anime that featured a different character in every episode but after I warmed up to it, this anime was undoubtedly enjoyable. It was entirely unique, and refreshing, and overall, an anime with brilliant potential, but left with loose ends.

Pros:
Durarara features simply AMAZING artwork, something fans would go crazy about. The characters each had distinct personalities, some that even we as the viewers can relate to. Light-hearted at times and even sometimes comical, the creators ... did a great job keeping tabs on all the characters. I watched attentively as each person filtered in, adding their own touch to this gang-oriented anime. Refreshing, cool, and overall a memorable anime.

Cons:
Story, Art, Soundtrack etc. were all avant-garde (as Shinra would say). However, the one thing that didn't quite satisfy me was the ending. Towards the later episodes, 22, 23, etc. I could feel the tension building up as each character's deepest secrets were revealed, one by one. Trust and friendship all hanging on the thinnest line. I was just waiting for that "WOW" moment that would blow me away leaving my mind to ponder the plot for days on end. But, i was greatly disappointed. I felt the anime concluded weakly, obviously the viewer could piece together all the facts, but I just didn't feel that there was a solid conclusion. Loose ends maybe?

For example: Izaya, although we all know he is Ikebukuro's mastermind, what was his ultimate motive? He claims he loves humans, but what of it? Didn't he do this all to awaken Celty's head? And what of Celty? She's a main character, obviously, but other than transporting messages and bringing one character to another, what did she really do? What was the point of having a Dullahan in the story? I felt that each character had so much potential, but in the end it just didn't blow me away.

Narita manages to catch lightning in a bottle twice...sort of.

Overview:

Durarara is the spiritual successor to Baccano and takes place in the same universe. Once again, the famous light novelist Ryohgo Narita uses the formula of having TONS of zany characters that all somehow tie together. Also like in Baccano, the story is told non-sequentially and from multiple perspectives. The question you're probably asking is, "If he was going to basically re-make Baccano, why not just continue Baccano where the first series left off?" The answer to that question is marketing. Baccano took place in the US during the Prohibition Era and played around with American ... cultural tropes and cliches. I believe the author stated that he created Baccano after binge watching The Godfather, Goodfellas, and The Untouchables back to back. If you asked Tarantino to direct a prohibition era Mafia movie, it WOULD be Baccano. Although it also has that magic and sorcery randomly thrown in...maybe Del Toro guest directed along with Tarantino. The point is still that Baccano feels about as American as John Cena eating a cheese burger while riding a bald eagle. Needless to say, it didn't do as well in Japan as it did overseas. Japan as a market is maybe the only country even more self centered than the United States. Narita therefore decided to reboot the series in Japan with Japanese characters in the hopes that it would sell better with domestic audiences. It did. Fortunately for American audience members like me, the series did so well in Japan that it was aired on Adult Swim to the widest possible US audience release and features possibly the most All-Star English voice acting cast of any dub I have ever seen!


Story and characters

The story takes place in Tokyo, where a shy student from the Japanese countryside moves in to go to high school. This student is named Mikado after the 1880s Gilbert and Sullivan musical, which takes place in Japan. Odd fact: despite the fact this old British musical isn't exactly respectful towards Japan and their culture, it is widely popular in the same way that Kazakhs have embraced the movie Borat and especially the fake Kazakh anthem. Mikado meets up with his old friend Masaomi and is given a tour around town. This is where we are first introduced to some of the other ridiculous characters. One character is the brutal bartender Shizuo. Shizuo has superhuman strength because he can't feel pain and is able to push his body beyond its normal limits, even if this damages his body. This is the same explanation as Guts' Berserker armor, which isn't just coincidence. Shizuo hilariously goes into fits of blind rage where he is unable to tell friend from foe. He has devoted his life to killing a pretty boy rival and must fight through endless waves of said rival's minions while screaming the rival's name like a lunatic. He also has a brother named Kasuka, which is spelled very similar to Caska, Guts' love interest from Berserk. What can top a comedic Guts ripoff? How about a headless Irish fairy that rides a motorcycle and fights with a giant grim reaper scythe? Even she isn't the character with the wackiest background. That distinction goes to Semyon Brezhnev. Semyon is the son of a Russian woman and a Black American man who sought political refugee in the Soviet Union during the 1960s...so basically Huey Newton?! He fought for Spetsnaz GRU during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and climbed the ranks due to his superhuman strength. After the USSR fell apart, he randomly moved to Japan and became a sushi chef because...reasons. Let's summarize this: the insinuated bastard son of the Black Panthers founder is a super powered Spetsnaz GRU operative that randomly works in Japan as a sushi chef! Wow! That's what happens when you use Mad Libs to write your character backgrounds. With each episode, we get to meet new characters, learn more background, and see exactly how all these crazy characters connect.

Sound and Art:

The art is fantastic and Narita's attention to detail and use of real world locations for background is back with a vengence. One aesthetic difference from Baccano is that Durarara cuts down a LOT on the gore factor. I suppose that allowed it to get a wider release. I don't mind because gore obviously can't by itself make an anime good and its absence here didn't really spoil anything. The soundtrack isn't as catchy as Baccano's but is pretty solid. The voice acting for the English dub as previously mentioned is spectacular. A few episodes in we get a Mexican standoff between Crispin Freeman, Johnny Young Bosch, and Patrick Seitz. Can you possibly ask for more than that!?

Overall:

You might be wondering why I didn't rate this higher, since I've praised its high production value and zany storytelling. The reason is at least in part because Durarara is a bit of a disappointment following Baccano. By taking place outside Japan and playing with another culture's tropes, Baccano offered a unique outsider's perspective of American pop culture that was rather fascinating to watch. Durarara is a return to Japanese self examination for a domestic Japanese audience, which we've seen in other anime...a LOT. Baccano actually had a unique edge going for it, and they squashed it for the sake of sales. That kind of sucks. Baccano also had a slightly better cast of characters and knew how to balance time between characters. No one fucking cares about Masaomi! He's a boring character that gets WAY too much screen time, while the crazy and fun characters are underutilized. At least Celty got some development, but Semyon is given this ludicrous background...only to get shafted in the anime vs. the original light novels and have maybe 4 minutes of screen time. That would be like in Baccano if Claire Stanfield had all of his scenes save for his introduction cut out, so we could watch Eve Genoard and her maid be boring for 3 whole episodes. That's just fucking cruel to the audience! I never watched an episode of Baccano and thought, "Ah shit, this episode revolves around that douche bag?!" Besides the first episode of Baccano, which just sets up the world, every single episode is an absolute blast. Durarara is FAR more hit and miss. Durarara is a fine series by itself and I really did enjoy it, but it still doesn't hold a candle to Baccano!

Story: Story? What’s that? It’s the damn Baccano! look-alike it doesn't need a damn story, but okay for the sake of writing a story, I will TRY to explain the things...simply put there are a lot of characters, bizarre characters and oh yea supernatural ones too...taking place in the Japanese town of Ikebukuro the anime follows the adventures of the different characters in short segments and how each of this segments overlap each other to form a much bigger plot. Yes the kind of plot which is too exciting for pulp fiction addicts like me....takes a cue from Baccano! But still I think it achieved ... its goals perfectly and this is Durarara!!

Animation: Nice art which does a great justice to animation well I particularly have no complaints about it since the style of the story-line compensates for everything else.

Music: This one’s predecessor, Baccano! had some awesome Jazz music so this one doesn't disappoint either...from my Favorite 1st opening (Blow up Loud!) to the occasional blues-jazz background music I loved it all...

Summary: Overall as I said before a must-watch for those who are fond of such crazy intertwining plots...the ride for the head through this anime is really something to cherish. Such an innovative idea in shaping up the story makes it one of the most loved story-lines for me. Having contrasting characters with a touch of comedy makes it just something one should not miss...Just one of the anime I hold in my highest regard and we are also getting a 2nd season for it soon, now don’t that make it more easy to understand the awesomeness of this anime?....so just go on and watch it...

Welcome to Ikebukuro. Let me show you around. Don't mind the occasional torn up sign posts or flying street signs. Or people, for that matter. Now walk these streets and take a gander at life in between the urban bustle. Now, I don't mean to presume but since you've come all this way, there's no doubt you've been looking for some good old-fashioned excitement. If that's the case, you're in the right place. Here in Ikebukuro, excitement's aplenty; you'll never want. In fact, there's also some gossip that's come in that you might find interesting. It's about the Black Rider. Ever heard of it? No? ... Well, I'll let you in on a secret. Most folks think she's a headless harbinger of death on a motorcycle. Well, the motorcycle bit's true. The headless part too. But she's pretty friendly, actually. Say “hi” for me if you happen to see her.

Durarara!! was produced by Brains Base, responsible for other works such as Spice and Wolf II, Natume's Book of Friends, Denpa Teki na Kanojo, and Baccano! Speaking of Baccano!, this show's an adaptation of a novel franchise of the same name by the creator of Baccano!, Ryohgo Narita. Character designs for both the text and anime format were done by Suzuhito Yasuda and Takahiro Kishida respectively. Script was done Toshizou Nimoto. Direction, by Takahiro Omori. From a visual standpoint, the setting's what you'd expect the entertainment district of a major metropolis would feel like given that eccentric anime touch. The backgrounds portray the city well, gleam and grit, and the animation is something to applaud. The fluidity of it may take from from the budget that would have otherwise been used to color in passersby, but it's nothing much to fret about, given how much people are usually strangers to each other in the city anyway. In fact, it's rather clever in how it's made the most of in the show in how much color, when applied, stand out in the sea of gray.

I'd be lying if all the crazy shit that happens in the show wasn't a blast to watch. The strength of the show, however, is undoubtedly its characters. For a show that features such an enormous cast of them, for most to have their own distinct personalities, some neurotic, always entertaining, is worthy of mention. For the majority to sport a good to great amount of depth... that's a remarkable feat. Now, I won't say this reasoning applies to every character, (one seems to exist solely for the ends of trolling people and modeling as a vent for fangirls-by-nature, yaoi included, to squee their throats out) but many of them are linked thematically. Whether it's in school, Ikebukuro, society in general, or the whole of humankind, many tread the border of alienation, between right to joy and left to despair. It's the utmost desire to be wanted, needed, appreciated, and loved in the most genuine of senses. It's the sought after initiative to feel for others in turn. In spite of past traumas. In spite of present hurt. What makes the difference between which direction, left or right, one gravitates to hinges on one's own capacity for genuineness as well: genuineness toward oneself and genuineness toward others. Only then can one belong. This is also why, in spite of criticisms about the show's more drama packed 2nd half, the show requires both clear skies and down casts for its theme to be true as well.

What else is genuine about this show is that it has flaws. Major conflicts yet to be satisfactorily resolved are set aside for other pressing developments to take to the fore. Characters that were significant in previous arcs become relegated to minor or cameo roles, while others take up major ones. As a result, the plot can feel unfocused at times. There's also the chance that prominent cast members and their spotlights of the successor arcs pale in comparison to the prominent cast members and their moments to shine of the previous arcs. This isn't to say those arcs are bad, because I quite enjoyed the story to the end. It's just frustrating to get attached to some people and then be forced to endure having them sidelined. The new people we are supposed to be attached to might not be as endearing as our previous favorites. In addition, some characters that were initially introduced with the impression of importance either disappear entirely later on or are added in as after thoughts toward the end. The new characters that appear in the show's 2nd half are guilty of that, though it's a common pitfall that many shows with a large character roster fall into. There were also some issues with how unnatural the new developments were revved up and maintained the story of later arcs. It's not like these happenings came out of nowhere. It's just bugged me how inelegant the foreshadow for these happenings was. A hint toward a development might be dropped and then be altogether forgotten by the show until a good few episodes in where it suddenly becomes convenient to reintroduce it to drive the plot (e.g. The Slasher's identity). Or a suggestion might be reiterated a number of times in a rather obnoxious manner (e.g. Masaomi Kida's past).

Both Durarara!!'s OPs happen to take a page from Baccano!'s OP mastery of character introductions. All the transitions to each are smooth, seamless, and radiate with a sense of energy and purpose. Both Durarara!!'s OPs happen to reflect the moods they happen to herald. OP1, “Uragiri no Yuuyake” or “Sunset of Betrayal” by Theater Brook introduces the viewer to the show's more static lighthearted exterior. OP2, “Complication” by ROOKiEZ is PUNK'D segue ways the viewer to it's more dynamic heavyhearted interior. They also sound superb out of context as well, electric guitars and drum set complementing the contemporary rock-tempered rasp of the male lead vocalists as they start the audience small with the rhythm before exploding with fiery flares of passion. If you weren't paying attention to the lyrics, you might have a hard time distinguishing it from certain tracks from American pop rock. Same thing can be said for ED1, “Trust me” by Yuya Matsushita, but with a boy band flair. I'm not too much into boy bands myself, but even I'll admit I found myself humming this song fairly often. It features the significant cast standing on top or clinging to each other in various poses. Something similar can be said for ED2, “Butterfly” by ON/OFF, though the poses this time around are horizontally grounded. Guitars and drums are very prevalent, and the voices are lower-pitched than its predecessor ED. Overall, it makes for a good song. It just pales in expressiveness by a fraction compared to the other music selections.

In spite of the negatives, the show's still a lot of fun, and it's nothing particularly mindless either. If you ever happen to find yourself strolling down Ikebukuro's cityscape (figuratively speaking), let me be the first to say this as your guide. Make yourself at home.

I give Durarara!! an 8 out of 10.

Durarara!! can best be described as an attempt to improve upon its earlier, sister series, Baccano! Both are based off of the original works of Narita Ryohgo, and directed by Omori Takahiro. I thoroughly enjoyed Baccano and as such, looked forward to watching another similar work utilizing the same story-telling method that made the previous series so refreshing to watch. To say that Durarara was not enjoyable would be a lie. While it retained a lot of the characteristics that made Baccano so great, there remained some items that left a lot to be desired.
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STORY (7) : Let me preface this first by ... saying, if you haven't watched Baccano yet, WATCH IT FIRST! If you're a sucker for cross-references or cameo appearances, your experience of Durarara will be that much better if you do (at least for me it did).

The story is fairly unique. It is told using a fragmented story-telling structure that utilizes different character perspectives to tell an overarching tale of the Ikebukuro underworld. This is a wonderful way to immerse viewers into the world, if done right. In my opinion, Brains Base kinda missed the mark on this one. There are several reasons for this:

1) There are too many 'fragments' that need to be pieced together. Baccano was successful because although there were numerous fragments, the 13 episode nature of the series meant that most of the 'wtf is happening' moments are quickly solved. Not to mention that there are always re-cuts that show you how the pieces exactly fit together, so you're never in the dark for too long. In Durarara's 24 episode case, I often found myself forgetting why something was happening not only because these fragments were too intertwined with other fragments, but because the resolutions to these fragments were so far apart from each other, despite the presence of several (less frequent) re-cuts to help re-orient viewers. An element in episode 8 may not be fully fleshed out until 6 or 7 episodes later, where I would often find myself asking, "how did this come about again?".

2) Solutions to conflicts are solved by -insert the omnipotent and omniscient Orihara plot device-. It was just a bit too convenient for my liking. Instead of having the story fragments come together independently and making the viewer go, "OH SHIT, SO THAT'S HOW IT WENT DOWN?", each arc/conflict was solved by a simple explanation (mostly Orihara) claiming that they caused X problem and knew that X person would do this.

Despite these issues, when you really wrap your head around how many characters were incorporated into the story and the unique blend of gangsters, supernatural occurrences, and folk-tales, its really hard not to give Brains Base an A for effort. I still thoroughly enjoyed many parts but not as much as I wanted to.

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ART (8) : Solid animation. Characters are consistent and the movement is smooth. Attention to detail is great. One peeve that I have though, are the cop-outs on the extras. I know it's hard to design hundreds of unimportant characters, but at least give them colour or something ): It's not game-breaking though, since everything else was very well-done.

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SOUND (8): Love the OPs and EDs. The first OP is just super memorable with that catchy drumline. OST was good, could stand for a BIT more variety. Some memorable tracks, most were just average. VA was well-done, no complaints in this department either, all-star lineup.

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CHARACTERS (6): Okay, it gets kinda ugly here. I found it extremely hard to grow attached to any of the main characters because for the most part, they're extremely pedestrian. The only characters that I invested myself in were (isn't it obvious?) Celty and Shizuo, mostly because their personalities and unique traits set themselves apart from the rest of the cast. Let's focus of the main triangle of Anri, Mikado and Masaomi for now:

The main focus of the story is based around the struggles of these three teenagers and the battles against their own personal demons and how it adversely affected their relationships with each other. Although Anri and Masaomi's backgrounds were fleshed out, I still can't wrap my head around Mikado's. To put it simply, he started off as a pushover, and concluded the story as a pushover, but not as much as he was before. For the duration of the series, Mikado demonstrates that he's powerless to do anything and rarely showed the initiative to change himself as opposed to Anri and Masaomi. Without any spoilers, the climax of the series involves a potential standoff between these three characters, and the resolution to it was rather...lackluster. It was extremely cliche and straightforward. Definitely leaves you craving for a more refined conflict at the end.

In fact, the story would have fared much better had it focused on what I thought, was an extremely intriguing character. I would of much rather have a series completely focused around Celty's quest for her missing head and the evolution of her struggles between her current self, and the self that she wants to be. Not to mention that Celty's problems were never really resolved at the end of the series, which brings me to my last issue with the characters.

The story introduces multiple characters, and aside from a quick background blurb about their motives, many of them are left to their own, many of which just disappear after a single appearance (ie. Kasuka's father). For example: Saki, the Yagiri siblings and the 'dotachin band of travellers' are present in various scenes with enough background given to make you think that they're bigger players in the story, they really don't do anything. They're all very lukewarm characters. I hate to keep bringing up Baccano, but I can remember at least 75% of the names from that anime and they were all excellently portrayed and had unique personalities. Aside from Celty and the badass Shizuo, I can't really say I remember any more than that.

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OVERALL ENJOYMENT (7) : There's a lot to like about this anime, even though my review may not reflect as such. Ultimately, Durarara took a step back from what was a superior anime in Baccano, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. When you try to implement a similar structure into a completely new setting with a more diverse cast of characters and storylines, it becomes a lot harder to duplicate your success. Even though it may be a step down in completeness, it still stands a step above other series in sheer scale of the story, which must be acknowledged. Durarara is an enjoyable watch, especially if you're a fan of mystery and drama. With three additional seasons recently announced to be in the works, we can expect some of the questions that remained at the end of this series to be answered in the near future.