I remember reading the
description for Durarara!! When it first came out and the description sadly
didn’t grab me at the time. Which is a shame seeing as I’ve missed out on that
awesome “I discovered this” feeling.
At some point while watching Baccano! I found out that Durarara!! came
from the same people. Then when a friend recommended it I couldn’t say no and
began watching.
In similar style to
Baccano!, it follows the stories of multiple characters, though in a more
linear fashion. It’s one of those shows where to start explaining the plot
would give too much away but here goes…
Durarara!! is set in
modern day Japan where Mikado has just arrived from the country. Bored of his
life out there he’s decided to move somewhere a little more interesting and
Ikebukuro certainly is that. There are stories about colour gangs, a supposed headless rider and a man that likes to throw vending machines.
My favourite thing
about Durarara!! is its originality. It never did anything that felt old or
over done and it always went in unexpected directions. Up until episode 12 at
least but I’ll come back to that. I had expected the headless rider to haunt the main characters throughout the show only for the character to end up being something else entirely.
Tonally Durarara!!
felt very different to Baccano! It has its fun moments too but isn’t afraid to
let its characters stop and think. In fact rather unusually the show changes
“narrator” every episode. Each character brings their own unique voice to
either their own story or someone else’s.
Then there are the
tiny moments that feel closer to some of Miyazaki’s work than anyone else’s. In
particular the girl with the "lost board". Through it we catch glimpses of what the people of Ikebukuro are looking for. From the simple to the almost philosophical.
To top it all off
there are the dashes of horror and the supernatural as well. The shadows created by the
headless rider are pretty to look at and the glowing red eyes of the Slasher
are adequately spooky.
For a show that
heavily features stories about “colour gangs” (that’s gangs that wear a
particular colour like yellow or blue) it’s fitting that they know how to use
their colour pallet. Watchers of anime may be familiar to the technique of
colouring background characters in a washed out grey to save on time and money.
Well Durarara!! is the first show I’ve seen use this technique as a part of the
storytelling, as an entire crowd of unidentifiable grey people suddenly find
their colour.
Durarara!! is an anime
that will capture you from episode 1 and you will soon be promising yourself
“just one more episode”. The characters are a mixed bunch and you’re bound to find a few in there you like. Each character carries their own little surprises
as the story unfolds and back stories are revealed, offering a new perspective on their personalities.
Where the first arc felt so original and new the second arc feels like something I’ve seen somewhere else. A ghost/ demon sword story and a gang fight with friendship drama. It just wasn’t what I signed up for. Not to mention a plot line that never really finds an ending despite the hints that it was heading that way.
For fans of the
show it might seem as if I’m being a little harsh. But let’s put it this way,
if the arcs were switched I think I probably would have given up on the show.
Which is unfortunate considering its incredible start.
I highly recommend
giving Durarara!! a watch if only for the first 12 episodes. And Baccano! fans,
be sure to be on the look out for all sorts of nods to your favourite show.
Additional note:
Durarara!! is based off of a light novel, the story of which extends past the
events of the anime so of course there is the chance that loose thread could be
tied together. However I still really hate it when shows dangle a plot thread
to get you watching only to have no pay off.
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