Durarara!!’s title is on the one hand derived from the sound motorcycles make, but it is also a near homophone of Dulahan (the name of the headless horseman of Irish folklore) and of the Japanese pronunciation of ‘Dollars’. It’s one word, but it contains three distinct perspectives, no single one of them telling the whole story. That, my friends, is the underlying message in Durarara. Every character in the show is full of intricate angles not quite noticed by others, a story behind them of worthy of intrigue should anyone actually bother to look. Nothing exemplifies this better than the second episode of series, in which we are treated to a simple retelling of the first. Beginning decidedly unremarkably, that quickly changes when it becomes readily apparent that it’s being done from a wholly different point of view. In just that one episode, I was instantly enraptured by the show’s deranged attitude. Shown in a completely new light, that second episode completely changes ‘what actually happened’ in the first, and while watching every episode thereafter, the afterimage burned in here may just resurface with it’s poignant message.
Here we have a simple but powerful structure. We are first introduced to the major players of Ikebukuro, and handed the road map to the basic dynamics of its constituents. Slowly, bits and pieces of intel about the city’s underworld movements come together: The good-natured Celty searching for her lost head with the help of a coy underground Doctor, Shrina, their relationship a bit more than friends. Her working for Izaya, fancying himself the puppet-master behind the scenes, as he toys with other Ikebukero residents, and works with a secret organization, who hires such and such... I think you get the picture. Each of these characters’ perspectives adds just one more point of view, one more part of a vast cause and effect chain. Their own glimpse through the looking glass consistently proving inadequate to encompass the enormity of the unbelievably complex, rapidly unfolding events taking place in the disquiet district. Revelation after revelation, plot twist after plot twist deftly surge their way onto the scene, each spate of unexpected discoveries wetting an already rapacious anticipation for the next as every secret is revealed, every machination divulged. The plot of this show couldn’t be more gripping, it is almost as though not just one, but a hundred butterfly wings had flapped their wings. How any one character will be connected in this preposterous web is nothing more than a wild guess, and that is exactly what makes it so utterly captivating.
Simultaneously, deep within the anonymity of the world wide web, and cloaked behind thinly veiled online handles, many of the characters listen in on the innermost pulse of the underground, unbeknownst to them whether they are speaking to their closest friends or bitterest of enemies, in yet another infinitely multifaceted sphere. All interconnected, all anonymous, the ‘Dollars’ as well as the cast at large wear many masks and play countless roles in this estranged arrangement of white lies and false hopes. We can only observe as hostages in our seats as the enchanting cacophony begins.
While getting nestled within the show’s gripping embrace however, one might almost be tempted to overlook its last minute falterings. Still, I have to admit here, that the ending of the series left me with a bad taste. With loose ends tantalizingly left dangling for nearly every plot line of the series, the final moments were bitterly unsatisfying. Even the last few episodes clock in past the regular speed, and while creating added drama, convolutes the carefully built up larger picture. Even so, there is still much good to be said about the series.
The soundtrack consists of a techno inspired, haunting soundscape, abuzz with sparks of ecstatic beats and a low to high, relaxed then bursting in intensity opening song that perfectly echoes the crescendo course of the series.The vibrant, modern and altogether jazzy setting mixes well with a sharp but adolescent animation style, the character designs as memorable as they are playful, each imbued with their own edgy flair. Even our relatively plaintive trifecta of protagonists posses an air about them that is only more and more gratifyingly developed as the series progresses. Each of our burgeoning little proteges learns that they must inevitably deal with the consequences of their pasts, their guarded feelings still brewing within their hearts. Behind their everyday appearance, they cannot keep their secrets buried forever, as the tumultuous forces of Ikebukuro force their true identifies to surface. Without giving away too much, each character gets caught up in plot for deeply human reasons; protecting past lovers, fostering a sense of belonging, dealing with untamed angst, undoing past wrongs, or even dealing with mistrewn affection.. Every one of them forced to learn restraint in the face of the injustice, and we the audience can easily relate to all their actions.
Conclusion:
Sometimes, one should accept a bit of bad with the good, the burnt finish atop a delicious Creme Brulee. I truly loved Durarara!! and the lackluster finale didn’t stop me from indulging in it a second time just to revel in its ecstasy once more. Watching the characters, plot and entire city all reach total convergence in such a grand spectacle is, in a word, unmissable.
