Aug 24, 2024
Durarara was a decent watch, but unfortunately, the story didn't live up to its full potential. I found myself enjoying the first half quite a lot, especially when the narrative focused on its adult characters and an interesting blend of crime and supernatural elements.
In the first half of the show I really enjoyed being introduced to a wide cast of memorable characters. Their visual designs and distinct personalities vividly portrayed a lively yet dangerous city. The way the episodes were structured, with different storylines intersecting, was particularly interesting to watch. The design of the Headless Rider was really unique, and her story was definitely
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the highlight of the show. She truly deserved more screen time. Some may expect this show to be more action packed, but there is an element of slice of life here, which I personally didn’t mind at all. The mix of chaos and calmer moments worked well, and Makoto Yoshimori’s soundtrack added to that slice of life feel.
Unfortunately, Durarara suffers from a common issue in stories with a large cast of characters – when there are so many characters and points of view, some plotlines inevitably become less interesting than others, and sitting through them is going to be a chore. This is exactly how I felt in the second half; the characters were just not that interesting to watch. The main trio of high school students felt like an odd choice. Their stories are quite mature, while their age does not play a significant role. They all live alone and dropping out of school randomly is no problem at all. In fact, the high school scenes really detracted from the show. The majority of the show focuses on the dark side of Ikebukuro – the crime that lurks in the city and the supernatural. The addition of the classic “I want to be a normal high school student” trope just really diminished the quality of writing.
There could have been an interesting storyline about a high school student getting caught up with a local gang, showing a few bad choices in your youth can lead to terrible consequences later in life. But as mentioned earlier, the age of this character did not play a role in the story, which was definitely a missed opportunity. Also somehow adult gang members chose a high schooler to lead them? Which is such an odd choice here.
Another reason the second half was frustrating to watch is the way major conflicts were handled. A lot of it could’ve been solved by characters simply talking to each other. When everything is based off of a misunderstanding it gets really tiring to watch. It was also quite obvious who the “mastermind” behind all the conflicts was, but for plot convenience none of the characters seemed to connect the dots.
Despite these flaws in the second half of the show, I would still recommend Durarara. However, do not expect to be blown away by it, and just try to enjoy Durarara for what it is. You may find some plotlines interesting and some boring depending on your taste, but it's still worth giving a shot.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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