Phew, here we are. The last Durarara episode until the second part comes out in July. So what happens in this episode? A lot, even by Durarara standards. The sheer amount of things going on in this episode is crazy. So let’s just try to sum up the important points.
Important point number 1, Shizuo approaches Mikado and tells him that he quits the Dollars. He doesn’t want to be associated with people who would kidnap a girl. So uh, there’s that. He breaks the arm of the guy who did kidnap her, literally, you can see the bone. Then slams him into a chain linked fence. He gives Verona back her bike, but then Verona trying to gauge his strength, shoots a knife into his shoulder.
So he runs off after her, and notices that they have Akane in the back of the truck. So as he gives chase she tries shooting him, yeah, no. That doesn’t work. He uses a car as a shield, runs on buildings. Gets into the truck, gets stabbed three times in the back. Still saves Akane and walks away, like he wasn’t stabbed three times in the back. Why? Because he’s Shizuo Heiwajima, that’s just how he rolls.
He returns the little girl safely and with Shinra’s help, gets absolved of the charges of murder against him. Well, that’s what is up with Shizuo.
Now, let’s see who is up next? How about Mikado. After everything goes down and the fight is broken up. He chases after Chikage and goes to admit that he created the dollars. To take responsibility for what happened. However, while Chikage doesn’t think that he’s lying. He advises that Mikado let go of the dollars, that a good kid like him doesn’t need to be messed up in that kind of world.
The leader of the dollars he imagined, is a guy who would sit behind a computer screen and laugh as all his little pawns faught. [-cough- Izaya! -cough-]
However, this is the last thing that Mikado needed to hear. He’s afraid, not of losing control of the Dollars as they currently are but of being left behind by the city. So he goes back to the Blue Squares. He agrees to be their leader, of course, he wants to sign a contract. Aoba goes over to sign it as as he reaches out to what he realizes is a blank sheet of paper.
Mikado slams the pencil through Aoba’s hand, making it clear that they had to accept everything that came from him being leader. His rage at their inclusion of Anri in their little stunt included. As he removes the pencil from Aoba’s hand, the contract is made. That blood stained piece of paper serves as their contract.
Now, how about all the gang activity going on? What’s going on with that? Well a lot of things, but it’s a lot of Yakuza politics that I don’t really understand as of right now. I’m sure i’ll grasp onto it better later, but the important part is Verona is knocked out. Egor is back, Simon is involved and things are going down.
Nothing really happens with Anri or Celty this episode, they’re both in it but as fairly minor characters that help out in the bigger scenes. There is the part where Anri is felt up by Erika…it’s amusing but that’s about it. Hmmm, who else is there…oh yes, Izaya.
As we reach the end credits, we see him speaking on the phone. He hangs up and then he gets a phone call from an unknown number, he picks up and begins talking to the man. Who seems displeased that Izaya got Shizuo involved with all that trouble. It complicates his plans. He also tells him something important, he’s far too pretty. It makes him stand out, so hiding in the crowd isn’t an option.
He makes one request of him…to sleep for a while, and we see Izaya get stabbed.
-insert the cracking of knuckles and the ‘you hurt my Bae, now you must die’ face-
So, what is the name of the man that made his way onto my anime hit list faster than any other character? Yodogiri Jinnai, the minute season two starts up you’re a dead man! What do you mean I can’t animate myself into the series to murder him for hurting my baby? What do you mean Izaya deserves it!?
Bah, so, what did I think of the first arc of the new Durarara series? Well I loved it, it shared all the same things I loved about season 1. Interesting characters, fast paced action, layers within layers of plot. I can’t wait for the second cour to come out in summer. My only continued issues with this season are it’s opening and ending animations, which I find to just be trying to adhere to what they had for season 1.
Guys, the song isn’t ‘Trust me’ anymore, the ending doesn’t work.
Otherwise, the music is great. At times the animation got a little lazy, but the storytelling makes up for that completely. I love each of the new characters and there were even a few who showed up in this most recent episode that I can’t wait to know more about.
The highlights of this arc for me? Well, let’s see… all the lovey dovey moments between Celty and Shinra really got me, The scene where Shizuo pretends him and Izaya are friends, and the hot pot party? There were so many good things though, but those stand out as some of my favorite things.
It’s good to be back to the world of Durarara. First cour? 9/10, for slightly lazy animation from time to time. NOW IS IT JULY YET? I NEED TO KILL YODOGIRI!
Savage’s thoughts
I agree with Midnight pretty much entirely. This series, no all of Narita-san’s work, is endlessly interesting, complex, superb and crazy. This season added many fun, crazy, and above all unique characters into this wacky world. And its throwing so many new twists and turns all the time, making reveals, new connections, schemes and coincidences. I did notice some slight variation on the art style, though possibly it might be differences due to season 1 coming out a few years ago. Not much else to say other than this is a really great fun, wacky, amazing, crazy show, and I love it. I love it all, fro Shuhei and Ruri’s romance to SHizuo with Akane, to Varona, and especially the way they left off the ending (since I like Izaya without being….Midnight). It felt like getting the second book in a series with all that warm great feeling and soon Aniplex will rob me dry when it comes out on dvd.
My rating-9.5/10. The .5 is because, while the show is good as a whole, some episodes take time setting up pieces rather than knocking them down, which is necessary but less fun.
~Midnight