Anime Review ~ Durarara!!

It was a fine morning in Ikebukuro. A young small town lad descends the train in Ikebukuro station to meet his childhood friend. Seeking excitement and new adventures here in Ikebukuro as a change of scenery in his mundane small-town life. This young lad is up for a surprise when he get involved with Ikebukuro's many underground subculture - of the secret society known as The Dollars, the notorious gangster group calling themselves Yellow Scarves, a bartender with superhuman strength, a headless rider, a slasher who makes an appearance every now and then leaving marks on her victims but never killing them and a certain informant who plays with the lives of others. Here, he discovers what's he made of, what's really important to him and some real life lessons that changed him for the better.

~*Ryugamine Mikado*~

Very popular in his school and among otakus as having a name "that sounds like a protagonist's name in a manga". Mikado is a shy and reserved boy, often clueless about things around him. Don't let his poker face fool you, he is the cause of a major revolution in Ikebukuro. He is the young lad who arrived in Ikebukuro as a change of scenery and to meet with his childhood friend. 17 years old.

~*Kida Masaomi*~

A happy-go-lucky, easy-going and cheerful boy. His hobbies include trying to get girls to drink with him. He likes his classmate Sonohara Anri and cares deeply for his childhood friend, Ryugamine Mikado. He is the ringleader for the notorious gangster gang Yellow Scarves. 17 years old.

~*Sonohara Anri*~

Mikado's and Kida's classmate. Very popular in school for being very pretty and...having impressive chest. Her parents died when she was very young and actually witnessing them die hence rendering her apathetic. She is secretly loved by both her classmates but choosing Mikado in the end. She is revealed to be Saika, the slasher.

~*Izaya Orihara*~

A 23 year old Informant who likes to toy with the lives of others solely because he's bored. He claims to love humanity yet behind many troublesome events he is the mastermind. He has a fierce rivalry with Heiwajima Shizuo, whom I personally thinks he really admires than his claims of Shizuo being an annoying existence. He is also a member of The Dollars which is how he gets to scrape information about the outside world and Ikebukuro.

~*Shizuo Heiwajima*~

A bartender with super strength. He hates violence, really, just that everytime he's pissed off he breaks a building. Shizu-chan is actually a very private person who minds his own business but it's people who pisses him off. He has a reputation of being quite good looking "looks like a movie star" as he's often described as - so he's quite popular among women. He is a member of the Dollars.

~*Celty Sturlusson*~

A Dullahan from Ireland who got her head stolen by a visiting Japanese scientist. Hence, she truly is the urban legend in Ikebukuro that a headless rider rides a motorcycle that makes neighing sounds like a horse. She is now in Japan with a black-market doctor whom she lives with and working various jobs assigned to her at the same time finding clues about her stolen head. Celty is at least a 1000 years old and was once partner with Shizuo but broke up because of his violent temper. She fell in love with the black market doctor she's living with and a wedding seems to be in place. She's also a member of the Dollars.


Durarara!! is one such anime that has fantastic storyline that somehow brilliantly shows how each of the main characters lives are entwined, whether or not they realize it. It has amazing new-age soundtrack, natural dialogues that are rare for an anime and relatable characters. Each episodes highlights an event in the very happening Ikebukuro and how each characters contribute into making it happen.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Soundtrack: 10/10