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.
