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STORY: 6/10
The biggest problem I have with the plot of Durarara!! is how slow it is to start, and how hard it is to get into it. I found myself extremely frustrated trying to get through the first five episodes, and not understanding a thing that was happening. The concept of it itself is just plain stupid, and would have people stay away, for the sole reason of how weird it sounds. A kid transfers schools, and a black biker. "Ooooooooh how scary." But the thing is - how many other shows make a bold leap by offering a unique plot like that? Not many, that's for sure. That is why I felt obliged to keep pushing. And boy, am I glad I did. The plot picks up quickly after that, and I found myself on the edge of my seat in excitement a couple times. The ending as well, was a great end to a great series, and left room for more seasons in case the main series was successful. The start cost a lot of points, but the plot of Durarara!! isn't as bad as it seems like.
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ART: 8/10
The art style in Durarara is pretty dang good. The scenery in the background is the main selling point, as it secretly makes the show look beautiful, as it is not TOO detailed so it clashes with the characters, but is just detailed enough to make the backround beautiful and the characters stand out. It's also very realistic, which I liked, it accurately depicts a modern day city. As for the animation, it isn't Madhouse or Ufotable, but, it is definitely good. The action scenes, or more specifically, when Izaya whips out his knife or when Shizuo swings around a traffic sign, are well done and make the scene more... epic. I don't have many complaints when it comes to the art of the series.
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SOUND: 6/10
"WOAH WOAH WOAH! SOUND?! SIX?! THIS GUY HAS NO IDEA WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT!" I don't blame you for reacting that way. I would have too. But... as awesome as the opening and ending themes are.... the actual soundtrack doesn't hold up. Well, lets start off with the opening themes. The first opening... IS AMAZING. I didn't skip it, not even once. It perfectly fits with the show giving it a gangster type feel, which is plain epic. The song gets a 9/10 from me, it's just great all around. The second opening... doesn't hold up. It's not bad, in fact I would call it good! It's just... such a step down from the first one that I skipped it every time, wishing the song had never changed. For endings, I was also impressed. I loved the first ending, in fact, it might be the only ending theme I've never skipped. It was so good that I was worried it might make me want the end of the episode to come faster... but it didn't. Just PERFECT! The second ending though... was a massive step down. It was standard, and before this review, I hadn't even listened to the whole thing once. As for the actual soundtrack, it was blended well with the anime and used right, to make the comedic scenes funnier, and the dramatic scenes more astounding. Still though, none of the soundtracks were good enough for me to want to hear them again after listening to them in the anime. Also, near the last couple of episodes, they began to be... repetitive. A minor problem, but still a problem.
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CHARACTER: 8/10
Bravo Narita, BRAVO! The characters of Durarara!! are PHENOMENAL! I loved almost every character, they're all so unique, and they all have their own secrets, even the seemingly bland protagonist was AMAZING! THIS is the reason Durarara!! is a must watch, and everyone needs to know! If I had one complaint, it would be that a few of their names are hard to remember, but WHO CARES! IZAYA! CELTY! SHIZUO! SIMON! KIDA! I LOVE THEM ALL!.... is what I would like to say. Still as an analyst, the characters of DRRR!! are great, but they aren't the best I've ever seen. If anything about them bothered me, it would be their designs, which can sometimes make them not stick out from the crowd of unidentified supporting characters. It's as if, every character is balanced, and there isn't one better than the other.
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OVERALL: 7/10
A seven might seem like a low score, but trust me, Durarara!! is worth it. It was a good anime, nothing groundbreaking, but, I would recommend it to most people, and most people will like it! Now, boot up a website and give it a try, and trust me, it won't just be a waste of time!
