Oct 10, 2017
“Twisted passion accelerates disaster”
Revered and despised men have proclaimed that actions are right or wrong regardless of the consequences and that the motive from which an action is performed is vital to our few of its moral worth. If a young man is framed unmercifully by his fellow human, does he have the moral right to hurl a bulky vending machine at this person? Further yet, is it fair for him to openly disdain said person the first time they met merely based on intuition? This philosophical frivolity pervades the beaming city of Ikebukuro.
Brain Base studio has brought Ryohgo Narita’s action and supernatural light novel
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to life with some panache. Although over seven years old, and connected to its subsequent seasons, this piece can be savoured without having to yank the fridge open for dessert. Set in the city of Ikebukuro, normal, wild, and supernatural events occur, from a headless mythological entity roaming the streets on a shadow-robed motorbike to bland teenagers in search of thrills.
In between the mundane and the mystical, two gangs have made their mark on the city. At times petty disputes and charity descend into sinister feuds and greed. Amidst this constant-carnage, three teenagers attempt to settle into high school life and savour its output. Outside, however, their lives are hijacked by possibilities, the past, and the conspicuously strange. This cast experience and present the story from their point of views so we’re often treated to varying forms of narration depending on the character. This multi-faceted point of view extends to but isn’t limited to, a headless creature in search for its memories, a hip information broker who claims to love all humans, a doctor who gets a buzz from dissecting bodies, and even a bartender whose name means peace. Quite the cast? A lot to take in? Welcome to Durarara. This mixture may widen the audience’s potential bias and while some parts of the show may seem episodic, they are not. Things are connected and add up fairly smoothly. The primary adults in this season are interesting and engaging characters. Celty is a confused virtuous woman seeking answers but this does not subtract from her dogmatic heroism and courage which presents itself throughout. Shizuo is another star candidate. On the surface, he’s an inhumanly powerful man capable of inhuman feats, but his humanity is explored in subtle moments which make for an emotive yet enthralling knockout. The three younger stars are less enticing but they do experience more pronounced development. This cast is glamorized by sharp art direction and with its slick animation, this viewing makes for a pleasurable sight.
Perhaps the impact of this multi-view application is best demonstrated by a minor character who adopts a major role in the context of the arc midway through the story. This elucidates the importance of everyone in the city. Not just the exposed characters. The clever use of shading characters in grey that appear to not be the focus of attention may imply irrelevance, but that’s just one perspective. This appealing and deceiving artistic choice is more than just a metaphor, however. Durarara does squander too much screen time on its primary teenage trio; time which could have been spent on fringe characters such as Simon (an eccentric Russian chef). This may form a blockade for the audience to dive further. The trio are not bad characters (though not charismatic either) and their development in handled well, but it’s given too much scope and emphasis given the length of the entire series. The development should have been distributed in smaller segments throughout the subsequent seasons instead. Perhaps it’s this unwise use time of screen time that allows this season to stand alone. The conclusion covers many of the pressing matters too.
This season is a tantalising ride with many literal twist and turns. This strange story with its diverse and chaotic cast often elicits the following question among its audience: what is this series really about?
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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