I said "follows" because unlike many series out there, and much like Narita Ryougo's Baccano!, Durarara!! doesn't really have a set protagonist as such. This is most evident in the first half, where we were presented with VERY Baccano!-styled material, using an often non-linear approach, and multiple perspectives of a single event. Heck, we even ended up with a very cool cameo by Isaac and Miria, which would have pretty funny for those acquainted with the series.
One of the great things about Durarara!! was its range of characters. Everyone has a favourite. They (most) are interesting to watch and follow, and Durarara!! seldom succumbs to cliche. I think bonus points should go to Ise Mariya who voiced the stalker Harima Mika. She really got Mika’s voice and character down-pat. I don't think I need to talk about the otakus Erika and (especially) Walker. They’re always fun to watch.
However, like another series I JUST reviewed *cough Angel Beats! cough*, character developement also suffers. Earlier in the year I mentioned how this could turn out to be one of the main weaknesses in this series… and it did. Ideally there should have been more time dedicated to developing characters such as Shingen (Shinra’s father) who only appeared twice or thrice, and Officer Kinnosuke (who’s addition barely made a ripple).
A GOLDEN TURD should go to Shizuo’s brother Kasuka, who appeared in the 2nd half OP, yet never actually appeared IN the 2nd half. Heck, Isaac and Miria appeared more times in this series if you count the billboards and banners that appear in Ikebukuro. Besides that, the three ‘main’ characters in Durarara!! were probably the most boring/less interesting compared to the other ‘major’ characters. I never liked Kida, and I doubt I ever will.
While Durarara!! is of decent length (24 episodes), it just begs for more of what we saw in the first half. There's so many characters in this city, and Brains Base clearly couldn't give all of them their due. Soundtrack is pretty unusual, ranging from some Irish strings to some jazz. However it all fits well on the screen and it just goes to show what weird and wonderful things you’ll find in a big city. As mentioned before, the voice actors are all pretty cool. Kamiya Hiroshi was great as Izaya, and Kana Hanazawa was a cool and calm Anri
There’s not much else I can say about Durarara!!. The animation was great at the start, but started to get a little boring in the definitely more lacklustre 2nd half. The bouts of comedy were actually pretty damn good, and I had plenty of laughs watching the first half. Although it’s nowhere near legendary status, I give Durarara!! a solid thumbs up. Well done Brains Base for another good watch.
