DURARARA!!

DESCRIPTION

CAST

NOVEL ActionDurarara!!
SPECIAL ActionDurarara!! Specials
ANIME ActionDurarara!!x2 Shou
ANIME ActionBaccano!

REVIEWS

• 

  aabir

  86/100
  My view on Durarara, albeit a bit outdated.

  If you are contemplating whether or not to watch Durarara!! or not, go ahead and watch it. Even if you don't like shounen, and even if you are a filthy 3D loving person. Durarara is about this kid called Mikado who is invited over by his friend Masaomi over to Ikebukuro to join him at his school, why Mikado will travel across the country for this is unknown, but Mikado is obviously shocked to see the city life in full swing and that's when the story breaks away into multiple facets and all of them move towards a single conclusion (like how Game of Thrones would be, if that 3D bastard would just write the two damn books already). Durarara is quite entertaining, no matter how you look at it, its got wholesome fun for whatever thing you like (unless you like loli, you won't find any here). Don't like Mikado and his constant whining? well, he isn't the main character anyways, just root for someone else. There is quite a bit of realism at the start, but its quickly dispelled by a vending machine getting thrown, this is a fantasy world and a world of true urban legends, just because it doesn't have big-breasted girls fighting with swords doesn't make it non-fantasy. That said, let's move onto the proper review.

  

  Artwork (18/20)
  The artwork is definitely quite good and the animation is also out of the world quality (or atleast it was, way back when in 2010), you will occasionally be surprised by the fluid animation on vehicles or particle effects, and it just makes it even better, the city of Ikebukuro is definitely a beauty, and you won't be disappointed.

  /

  There is one small problem though. The crowd. Its usually greyed out, but I guess its a small price to pay for quality artwork overall, eh?

  

  The fights are usually very well done.

  

  Music and Sound (18/20)
  The music is quite something, both OP01 (Uragiri no Yuuyake) and OP02 (Complicated) are very good. The ED is somewhat lacking, but music during scenes makes up for it. The sound effects on the other hand are not all that good. The sound is never really able to give that feeling of 'busy city' as it should, but I guess I can't have everything.

  Story (16/20)
  The story is presented in arcs, which usually follow the life/history of one out of the myriad of characters and tells us a little more about them. Every arc usually has tremendous character development which really brings a life of its own to some characters.
  The story starts out very slow at the start, but it picks up after it reaches around episode 9 and then hits full swing by episode 18 to bring a somewhat satisfactory end. "Why just a somewhat satisfactory end?" you ask. Because the end removes all hopes of a second season, that's why. And I would be lying if I said I didn't want another season of this awesomeness. The story does start getting a little stale as it approaches the end, there is definite tension in the air, and the tension just keeps up for too long, which could have been avoided, but hey, atleast it was all fun and no filler. The plot also has some holes, but I won't discuss them here due to spoiler issues. Durarara's rewatchability is also very low because the plot relies too much on keeping things hidden from the viewer. Once you already know the story once, it loses all its charm.

  Characters (17/20)

  

  I can't help but say that the character development was the best I have ever seen. Most characters end up being nowhere near what they used to be at the start of the series. That is not to say I liked them. I didn't. I guess I liked Izaya a bit, but other than him, I could never really get along with anyone, I never could cheer for one of them. As far as I was concerned, they were all a bunch of two-faced bitches (which is what made Durarara so entertaining in the first place, guess I am a hypocrite). Of course, other people's outlook may differ from mine.

  

  Enjoyment (17/20)
  Durarara! is definitely enjoyable, you will find yourself at your wits end by the mystery in it and you will scratch your head about it, and you will love it. That's the sort of series that durarara is. Admittedly, you might be bored by some parts, but you will grow fond of it over time.

  ---

  Final score - 18 + 18 +16 +17 +17 = 86/100
  Durarara is a masterpiece which somehow end up short due to some very silly mistakes, but believe it, you will be glad you picked it up. Do not think of my rating as a 86, but as 4 short of 90, and you will see how good Durarara really is. Its a must watch for everyone even if you do not like its genre.

  So, what the hell are you waiting for? Go watch it now.

  
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• 

  Struggler

  94/100
  In summary, _Durarara!!_ is one of my favorite shows that I've ever watched, everything about it is enthralling.

  I stumbled upon this show by seeing a random meme on reddit and fell down the rabbit hole that is this show. Normally I don't write lengthy reviews, but this show impressed me to much that I felt compelled to do so. This show has something for everyone: comedy, romance, thrill, mystery and even action. Taking place in Ikebukuro, downtown Tokyo, Durarara!! starts with longtime resident Masomi showing his friend Mikado around the city. Very quickly you're introduced to a barrage of characters each more interesting than the last, each having their own unique stories that are fully threshed out, leaving no loose ends at the end of the second arc of the show. A major element of this show would definitely be the many factions or gangs of Ikebukuro which are introduced as the show goes on. The first faction introduced is the decimated “Yellow Scarves,” a color gang who are still licking their wounds after a gang war with a gang named “Blue Square” nearly dissolved both parties involved. Shortly after the viewer is introduced to the so called “Dollars,” who are leaderless and wear no color to identify themselves as a gang. With no hierarchy and shrouded in mystery, the Dollars have enraptured the public eye, with many falsely claiming to be members or their leader. Lastly, the “Slasher” faction controlled by a mysterious character not revealed until far later in the show. Nearly all the characters belong to at least one of these three factions through the two arcs in the first season of the show.

  

  Animation: 9/10
  One of the few shows I've watched that does CGI right. Although not prevalent in the show, when the show does use CGI it blends well with the hand drawn elements and is not jarring to see.

  

  Fights 9/10
  Durarara!! relies primarily on dialogue and dramatic irony to advance the show, so when fights do take place it's a pleasant relief to just see action. Each fight is well coreographed and while although most of the time short lived, it leaves a strong impression nonetheless.

  

  Characters 9.5/10
  Durarara!! hosts a plethura of characters, making it an ensemble cast type show. Often, the show switches between the views of the three central characters: Mikado, Masomi, and Anri, who all go to the same highschool and hangout together. In the background, you have characters that are sort of "urban legends" of Ikebukuro such as the "headless rider," Shizuo Heiwajima, and Izaya Orihara. Of the dozens of characters that compose this show, nearly all of them get tons of screen time and over half get fully threshed out with surprising turns and twists in their character development.
  Story 10/10
  The story of this show enthralled me from the very beginning of the first episode. From here on they'll be tons of spoilers so if you plan to watch please don't read on The many plot twists and shocking reveals leave the viewer in awe. From Mikado being the leader of the dollars as a way of alleviating his boring life. Anri being the real slasher all along after watching both her parents die in front of her to show herself she could love no one. Mikado being the leader of the infamous Yellow Scarves and in constant emotional agony because he abandoned his girl when she needed him most. The headless rider actually being a headless Dullahan, a mythical Celtic being who visits people on their deathbed and carries her head by her side, that is searching for her lost head and missing memories. To the simple reveal that Shizuo wears a bartender outfit because his brother gave it to him because he promised to keep a job. What all these reveals have in common is that they were all unexpected and fully threshed out. Nothing irritates me more than a story that's incomplete, never to have a conclusion. I can't think of a single arc of character development in this show that wasn't fully explored and resolved in a way that was both satisfying and entertaining.

  
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• 

  Takayanagi

  90/100
  A series with an amazing cast with their own amazing stories

  For this review I’ll be splitting it up into 5 categories, and rating each accordingly, these categories are: Story, Characters, Music, Art and Overall Enjoyment. ____Story (8/10):____ While at first glance the story of DRRR may seem like a simple gang war story, with high school students stuck in the middle, the story truly revolves around the characters and their secrets, and how these secrets affect their lives and the lives of the people around them. The 3 main characters, Mikado, Masaomi and Anri, while being best friends, all have parts of their lives that they hide from the others, which causes the friend group to slowly fall apart as they begin to focus primarily on their other lives away from each other. ____Characters (10/10):____ The characters in DRRR are the main aspect that stood out for me while watching the series. The cast of DRRR consists of many unique characters, all with their own problems and livelihoods, with no main character feeling underappreciated or overlooked. ____Masaomi Kida:____ My personal favourite character in DRRR is Masaomi, during the first half of the series, he is seen as an energetic and flirtatious young man, who is ecstatic when his best friend Mikado is finally able to move to move to Ikebukuro and attend the same school as him.

  However, throughout the second half of the series, Masaomi’s attitude drastically changes as he is reminded of his past actions as the leader of the Yellow Scarves, a gang that has reappeared after disappearing a few years before the events of the show. Masaomi uses his power in the gang to try to rally them into finding and killing the attacker of his love interest, Anri.

  Masaomi is a great example of good character development, because although he turns against his friends, by the final episode, he realises what he has become, and leaves Ikebukuro to find his own peace. ____Izaya Orihara:____ Seen as somewhat of an antagonist by the other characters, Izaya is obsessed with humans, and loves observing their reactions to certain situations. Izaya is often seen in his office, comparing the other characters to chess or shoji pieces on a board for his amusement. While he is clearly evil, Izaya is a great representation of an “Overlord” type character, who simply looks down on everyone around him and gets amusement over their struggles. ____Shizuo Heiwajima:____ Shizuo (or “Shizu-Chan” as referred to by Izaya) is well-known throughout Ikebukuro as the strongest man in the city, and is able to lift almost anything with his bare hands. Shizuo is seen by Izaya as his only threat (other than Simon) due to his immense power and unpredictable behaviour, leading to a rivalry between the two, with Shizuo often yelling out Izaya’s name in anger.

  Although, Shizuo has his own problems too, his relationship with his brother wasn’t the best as his brother had become a famous movie star, while Shizuo was constantly fired from his jobs due to his fiery attitude. This also lead to Shizuo hating his own power, and fighting in general however, he still believed that people like Izaya should be punished, and he is willing to do it.

  ____Music 9/10:____ Both Openings __Uragiri no Yuuyake (Theatre Brook)__ and __Complication (ROOKiEZ is PUNK'D)__are amazing starts to every episode, immediately getting the viewer excited with what’s next to come. A unique aspect of the openings in DRRR, which I haven’t seen in many other anime, is that they have a recap of previous plot points midway through the openings. While this may seem tedious, it is a great way to remind the watcher of things they need to know before viewing each episode. Both endings are also quite good, allowing the viewer to relax while preparing for the next episode. The OSTs throughout the series are amazing, perfectly setting the tone of each scene, with dramatic, funk-like music playing during dramatic moments or fight scenes, and softer music playing during emotional scenes. ____Artwork 8/10:____ DRRR, unlike a lot of anime, uses CGI in a few scenes to great effect without it looking bad. The overall art style of the series, while appearing simple-looking, is well defined and a pleasure to look at, with the occasional CGI mixing well with the hand-drawn art. ____Overall Enjoyment 9/10:____ DRRR was a thrill to watch, there were many surprising plot twists and other revelations that kept the series engaging and the way characters interacted with each other through fights or normal interactions kept the world of DRRR feeling realistic yet different to our own.
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