Durarara!!x2 Shou デュラララ!!×２承

2015 winter | Episodes: 12 | Score: 8.0 (257816)

Updated every Saturdays at 23:30 | Status: Finished Airing

Type: TV

Producers:Aniplex | Square Enix | Mainichi Broadcasting System | Movic | ASCII Media Works

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Synopsis

Although peace has finally returned to Ikebukuro, many of the odd occurrences have become common sights around the city. One such case is the police's constant pursuit of Celty Sturluson, the Headless Rider. Moreover, someone has placed a large bounty on her, igniting the motivation of gang members all over to begin searching for the supernatural creature as well. Meanwhile, Mikado Ryuugamine is approached by Aoba Kuronuma, a mysterious underclassman with unknown intentions, who reveals that he knows Mikado's true identity. But Ikebukuro's state of tranquility is short-lived, as a new threat appears in the form of a murderer who goes by the pseudonym "Hollywood," known for wearing a different mask each time they commit a crime. As the various events taking place prove to be connected yet again, Ikebukuro is thrown into another conflict that threatens to engulf the entire city in chaos. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Voice Actors

Ono, Daisuke

Fukuyama, Jun

Kamiya, Hiroshi

Toyonaga, Toshiyuki

Hanazawa, Kana

Sawashiro, Miyuki

News

Reviews

BabyGirl06301
09/23/2019, 07:50 AM
This season was better, but only because the story was worse. Okay, so, I've finished the second season of Durarara!! I kind of feel like I didn't watch much. Based on what we were left with in the first season, not a lot of it got brought back up during this second round. Here's the thing: I didn't like the first season. The structure of the storytelling was too damn choppy, and it distracted from the actually decent story itself. This season was the opposite. I appreciated that this season backed off the overly unique storytelling avenue of making you figure out 3/4 of thestory for yourself. I felt like I was able to have fun with the characters a lot more this season and enjoy the world they're a part of. However, the substance was just completely lost from the first season. Everything that was left as a loose end wasn't even touched in the x2 story. I was expecting some type of continuation or development, but it didn't happen. Speaking of development, that was also nowhere to be seen as far as the characters went. There was barely any of it at all in the original series, and that was another one of my pet peeves about it, but at least the story forced the characters to develop somewhat. This second season didn't even do that. It kind of tried to with one of the main characters, but it wasn't doing. Basically, everything felt kind of pointless. Though, again, I was able to enjoy this season more because it wasn't so abstract. I did come to realize that the shapelessness of the story is probably what drew people to the original series in the first place, but it went overboard then and I still stand by that after watching x2. If, in the future, I could get a taste of the interesting story bits from the first season while having that story be told in a way similar to the second season, I think I could really end up liking Durarara!! I guess we'll find out.
Quan_
02/13/2016, 08:59 AM
[Adapted From Original Blog Post] [Mini Review] The five year gap between Durarara's first season and Shou may in fact be its greatest weakness. It's rather abrupt seeing these characters after so long, brought to life by a new, rougher art-style and now entangled in a complicated web of relations with new characters we don't yet know; it all is a little alienating at first, especially when the first episodes of this new season are largely spent parading around the setting of Ikebukuro, a large deviation from the action-packed finale of season one. I can't hold that against Shou, however. Its job isn't easy. It needs torecover old fans of the franchise while attracting new ones, set the ground-work for a second season that will be spread over three cours, while still having a definite narrative of its own that has a beginning and end, and it had to accomplish all of this in just 12 episodes. When you look at it that way, it's actually quite amazing Shou turned out as well as it did. True, the beginning is slow and rather abrupt in its presentation, and while the writing is good, Durarara as a franchise has never held it accountable over fun action sequences and crazy characters. Sometimes I can't help but feel that Shou is simply adding things in order to make everything more complicated, because for all the setting-up it does for multiple characters arcs later on in !!x2, there are a few times it simply doesn't go anywhere, wasting precious time in a franchise whose pacing basically is already defined by being rushed and incoherent. That's when it becomes frustrating, and that's when I sincerely get angry at this show, because it's too caught up in its own insanity to actually concentrate on the bundle of things it has on its hands that are actually really interesting, a pit-fall its older cousin Baccano! was able to side-step with flying colors. But I know that's redundant and unfair. If there's anything Shou was able to do, it was to define Durarara!! as its own entity, one that promises to end up in a very awesome place indeed by the end of all three cours of !!x2. And speaking of which. What really redeems Shou in the end as its own entertaining narrative is the rather excellent last few episodes. When it actually has all the prerequisites of its own limited existence out of the way, Shou turns the excitement level up to 11, grabbing whatever plot-threads it needs and accelerates into an extremely satisfying ending, one that not only ends on several awesome but equally tortuous cliffhangers, but sets up the real narrative of !!x2, as the story of Mikado Ryūgamine and the crazy-ass city that surrounds him reveals its true colors and propels the hype level into levels yet uncharted. Shou is really good at what it sets out to do, and even if you don't like this cour for its bipolarity, you can't dispute that for Durarara!!x2, it's absolutely imperative. Final Verdict: 7/10 P.S: "Then why are you smiling?" For this review and others, feel free to check out my blog! (Link on profile)
For_Reign
11/14/2015, 09:59 AM
I can understand why some people were somewhat disappointed with this since not very much really happens. These 12 episodes focused mainly on the introduction of new characters and not much can be done in only 12 episodes, unlike the first season which had a complete 25 episodes to get things running. However, I believe things to get much more interesting in the following arc. I waited 5 long years for this, and I re-watched the first season before I watched this and personally, I am not disappointing. Though these 12 episodes are a little more laid-back than the usual I enjoyed it very muchand give it the same rating I gave the first season.
Tacas
10/04/2015, 07:04 AM
Not often are we presented with something truly unique. Most of the time, anime and all other works of entertainment are a compilation of different themes and tropes one has already seen somewhere else before. While Durarara is not necessarily an exception, it certainly tries to present its content in an uncommon approach, creating an incomparable atmosphere. Unlike most other anime, Durarara does not have a protagonist but instead consists of a large ensemble of characters. Regular anime concentrate on not more than four characters while this one focuses on at least eight. Durarara is not the only anime to have an ensemble cast – Baccanoand Fate/Zero come to mind – but not having a protagonist undeniably is a rare trait in anime. Of course, it is inevitable that there are characters who receive more development than others but the focus can be shifted to another member of the ensemble without a problem. Durarara is set in Ikebukuro and while there are other anime which take place in the same district of Tokyo, this show uses a different approach than the others: The viewer is shown multiple scenes which happen contemporarily and affect one another. The setting greatly supports this idea as Ikebukuro is a huge district with diverse locations. Consequently, Durarara's story has a high level of complexity one cannot follow effortlessly. This leads to an important aspect concerning the ensemble: Every character has to be written extremely well as they all receive considerable attention. Durarara has a multitude of characters, ranging from Shizuo, a grumpy person with super-human strength, to Celty, a headless motorcyclist, and Anri, a shy girl who holds a mysterious secret. As you can see, there are also supernatural beings present in Durarara but these does not affect its quality negatively. As a matter of fact, these abnormal occurrences enrich the story greatly and are quite creative as well. Unfortunately, in this anime's first season, the viewer is often presented with the few tiresome characters the show has while longing for scenes including, for example, Shizuo and his rival, Izaya. When there are scenes which include them or other compelling cast members, they are usually great but, sadly, the viewer has to endure other characters' scenes first. However, in this sequel, the focus is not only shifted to the more interesting members of the ensemble but some of the former hardly endurable characters receive a fair bit of characterisation as well. Moreover, Durarara!!x2 Shou introduces some new characters who either have a compelling backstory or provide very entertaining comic relief moments, which sometimes even affect the anime's main story. Additionally, the storytelling aspect has improved as well. In the first season, it sometimes seemed as though the anime does not know which path it wants to take. This is different in Shou as the story manages to focus on less things at once, which ultimately results in a much better experience. That being said, Durarara still is not completely satisfying. In the end, it feels like this part is supposed to build up a huge storyline which has yet to come. As such, Shou's story might not be perfect but it could lead to something amazing. Another change to the first season is the animation studio. Studio Shuka has animated this first part of the second season and it did an appreciable job. There are some weird animations sometimes but generally, there is nothing one could complain about. The background music has not changed from the original season and suites the anime's atmosphere magnificently. The same can be said about the opening and ending theme, even though those of the first season are slightly more fitting. In the end, I can only recommend the second season of Durarara to anybody who has watched the first one, as you will not understand anything if you have not done so. Shou is superior in basically every aspect and even if you did not like the first season but finished it, you might want to give this part a try. It might not be the best anime in existence but it certainly makes a huge effort in order to become something unique of high quality.
NeoKorean
07/09/2015, 12:13 AM
I'm a big fan of Durarara!! season 1, and absolutely loved the way the story was told. This anime is definitely my kind of thing. The characters, the plot, art style, and sound is all genuinely outstanding. I must say I'm enjoying Durarara!!x2 a lot more than 1. x2 will be aired in 3 cours (This being the first each consisting of 12 episodes). Durarara!! is one of those mischievous anime's' with a complex story that is told through a variation of characters in each episode. Each episode is smartly crafted into a puzzle like piece where it forces you to watch, and continue the animeinto the next episode in order to find out wtf was really going on. Certain people might find it exhausting to comprehend, but in the end you ultimately will understand it, since it's usually explained to you in the last part of the episode or next. STORY: 9/10 The story starts off I believe a couple months after the events of season 1. Everything has roughly stayed the same, and Ikebukuro is still a city that has millions of things happening in it at the same time. Each episode has various stories being told, with almost every character having an impact on what is exactly happening in that precise moment. All characters are part of the story and all of the events happening eventually converge. It might be a messy way of storytelling, but you will find out quickly if it's something you enjoy or hate. A variety of characters return, and a whole lot of new characters are also introduced adding to the joy of Ikebukuro. As shown in season 1 we see the clash of gang wars, as well as new gangs that pop up inside the city adding competition between gang members, and of course the Dollars are involved in every conceivable way. A lot of things that you've seen in the first Durarara is still present in season 2, and the only difference is the addition of new characters, a twisted storyline, and overall a large amount of color and flavor to add to it. ART: 10/10 Nothing extremely special here. The animation is beautiful, nothing bad about it in my opinion, and I find it hard to believe anyone having problems with it. The intro is amazing, and is now one of my favorite openings to an anime ever. The outro not so much, but it's like every other Durarara intro/outro. Each one introduces all the characters in the show (new ones included) doing their daily tasks in Ikebukuro. TBH I find no reason to criticize the art at all. SOUND: 9/10 The music to the intro/outro is very nice. The intro more so. I know all anime intros are suppose to be catchy, but this one nails it. Overall a lot of the music is recycled from season 1, which is fine. I see no reason to make a new OST for this anime. The music matches very well to what exactly happens, when events unfold. Overall I don't find any of the music memorable, and I don't envision myself listening to many of the songs from the OST (other than the intro songs). If you are planning to watch this Dubbed or Subbed. It doesn't really matter since both are very well done. I would actually lean toward the dub version though. This is one of the very few anime's that actually have a nice English dub, and the fact that both are airing simultaneously is a nice plus as well. CHARACTERS: 10/10 This is where Durarara really shines. The anime introduces a very large cast of characters. The best thing about it is that they all mesh together very well with what's going on as well. You never feel that any character is bland or left out for filler. Each character offers their own sense of uniqueness. This anime doesn't exactly have a protagonist, since all episodes showcase nearly all the characters with shared amount of screen time. I guess you could say that Mikado is the protagonist, but in my opinion he's my least favorite character. Mikado - He's the generic high schooler who's naive, oblivious to everything, and all around a pussy when it comes to when stuff is about to happen or IS happening. Anri - If you watched season 1 you know that she's the demon chick with the katana. She's alright, but overall I could care less about her, since she shares a very passive/innocent personality that can tick you off a bit. Shizuo - The badass guy in the bartender suit, who we all love. This guy is apparently the strongest person in Ikebukuro (Literally) and no one wants to trifle with this guy one bit. He returns with some pretty big parts in this anime. Izaya - My favorite character from the series, mainly because of his tricky personality. Izaya enjoys messing with people (mainly Shizuo) and he is the person who literally runs Ikebukuro. He's an information broker who fights with Shizuo often, and exchanges information for his own desires. I would describe him as a young intelligent underground boss of Ikebukuro. There're loads of other characters, but in all honesty just watch the anime and enjoy it yourself. OVERALL/ENJOYMENTS: 9/10 This is a very nice anime to watch to catch some laughs. Considering it's only a comedy like anime, which I don't really watch often. It does it well, and I see no reason why people would dislike it. I thoroughly enjoyed every single bit of it. I laughed and regarded this anime as a very clever one, which makes you think, and pay attention. I never found myself bored of watching it. The dialogue and characters kept it lively, and full of euphoria. I guess the only thing you can really say about this anime that could be bad is that there is never a feeling that people will actually die. None of the main characters are really killed off, although many of them want to kill each other and say they will ie. Shizuo/Izaya. They never really get around to it, and in the end everyone ends up fighting and surviving anyway. So you never have to worry about your main character dying, even though people still get hurt. They brush it off like a flesh wound. The suspense is non-existent, and its leaned toward a more comedic approach now, which I think was a smart decision.
BanjoTheBear
06/04/2015, 07:53 PM
(This has been adapted from my blog/reddit thread. Spoilers ahead!) When I was a teenager, one of the things I got to do through the good graces of my education was “shadow” a doctor at a local hospital. “Shadowing” derives its name from the act of following someone around everywhere, like a shadow, looking on as he or she does what needs doing for learning purposes. In this case, it was a series of medical professionals in the emergency center. There, I got to see quite a few things: a broken baby’s arm, a cranial injury, and other sick patients. But the most important experience Ihad from all this? I discovered what I didn’t want to do. I wasn’t fit to be someone in the field of medicine, because it wasn’t “for” me. In other words, I didn’t belong in this area, and finding this out as early as I did is something I always look back fondly on. Durarara!!x2 Shou plays with the idea of “finding where you belong,” with a small twist, presenting the audience with an alright offering and nothing more. STORY Shou takes place sometime after the events of the first season of Durarara. Ryuugamine and Sonohara are in school, Celty runs errands, and Ikebukuro continues to be the bustling city it’s always been. With murders, kidnappings, and turf wars abound this time around, the inhabitants of the town proceed through life aiming for smiles, not frowns. Shou finds itself in a rather awkward position. It’s a “split-cour” anime – a show whose season is essentially split into two. But it’s worse than this, because it’s technically a “split-split-cour.” The show’s content is divided into three separate pieces, meaning that this segment of the anime isn’t even the “set-up” for the conclusion. Shou is the set-up for the set-up for the conclusion. And it shows. Much of what goes on within the anime is entirely inconsequential for now. Nothing appears to hold any significance to anyone whatsoever, despite the anime focusing on three separate story arcs. The first with the actress, the second with the Russian blonde, and the third with the young daughter of a mafia boss; the only sense of purpose they provide is giving us a bunch of new characters to see or follow. The actual importance of these plot lines is lacking, but the anime, per usual, injects new people into the already busy city with ease. This development is both a boon and a detriment, though. On the one hand, these newer characters provide us the opportunity to witness what conflicts or issues they bring to the table that is Ikebukuro. On the other hand, due to the already massive size of the cast, it runs into an inherent problem: too many people for its own good. There are a lot of characters within Shou at this point (with even a brand new character being introduced literally right at the conclusion of the season). So adding more to the already extensive list forces the anime to divvy up its resources as best it can while leaving many known characters on the wayside. Main members Shinra and Sonohara, side members Namie and Emilia, and even the new recruits “Hollywood” and the Orihara twins are allowed less than a handful of opportunities to shine. They might have one small part or stretch of dialogue, but because the anime decided to put its attention towards other venues – Vorona, Akane, and Ryuugamine, specifically – this inevitably led to a disproportionate amount of focus for many of the characters. While Shou has a tough time juggling the people it is dealing with, it does present a rather nice thematic presence. This was brought up in the introduction, the idea of “finding where you belong.” But as was said there as well, there’s a slight twist: it’s not so much finding where you belong, but figuring out if you even want to be there in the first place. Ikebukuro is a city full of crazies, with each (known) resident having his or her own distinct personality. So what we see from “Hollywood,” Vorona, and Akane, the newcomers, is this very ideal. They don’t have a place to call their own. Whether that is because of their homicidal tendencies, their unending quest for the unknown, or the “betrayal” of their family, each finds herself in a rough spot, wondering if the city they now find themselves in will “accept” them for who they are. Ryuugamine goes through this same thought process; in fact, he’s the only one to second guess his position. Because in his reality, he’s the most “normal,” with this season showcasing his franticness, passiveness, and anxiety of being left behind in the place that he thought he knew as home. By the finale, it’s not fully known whether the decision he made was right or wrong. But at the minimum, Ryuugamine and the other girls did find their answer: Ikebukuro is the place for them. ANIMATION It’s difficult to describe the art for Shou, simply because of how boring it all comes off as being. It all blends together in its blues and greens, with the same skyscrapers, cafés, and restaurants marking it as any other busy town of the era. The regular residents, too, take on a persona devoid of detail or life, adding further to the art’s established stagnation. This all sounds pretty bad, until you realize that it’s supposed to be this way. While the locales often mesh together into sameness, they aren’t missing intricacy. Meaning, the backgrounds are detailed yet come off as “unappealing” to accentuate the ridiculous cast that traverse them. It’s simple, clever, and it works. Given the eccentric nature of the characters, their outward designs likewise match their inner selves. Veterans such as Celty with her yellow motorcycle helmet and jet-black, “leather” outfit and Shizuo’s tuxedo, ruffled hair, and purple shades make their return and are as nicely composed as always. The new additions see the same treatment; Rokujou’s fedora, fashion-sense, and constant bandages highlight him as the womanizer yet protector that he is. And Vorona’s orange-and-white tracksuit, light, long hair, and purple eyes make her stand out just enough among the rest of the cast without being overbearing. Actual animation is somewhere slightly above average. Surprisingly, there is a lot of action despite the show having a large amount of talking or side conversations. From a “friendly” brawl to a horse-drawn carriage, the events that take place, like the characters that act them out, are often unorthodox in nature and therefore present the anime ample chances to strut its stuff movement-wise. CHARACTERS Due to Shou’s already-discussed segmentation when it comes to the overall material it presents, much of what occurs with the characters isn’t development. Instead, it’s either reconfirmation of the characterization they were already given – this is mainly targeted towards the original cast – or it is important background information – perhaps obviously, for the newfound characters. So while they don’t undergo anything life changing, they do hold pretty intriguing parallels that make them more than just the weirdness they each portray. Akane is a seemingly shy little girl who has a loving family and wonderful friends. But thanks to the advent of the Internet and smart phones – and being like any other curious ten-or-so year old – she easily researches that her family isn’t just well-off; they’re feared because of the gang-like connections they maintain. Subsequently, Akane realizes that her friends are artificial, that they only praise or follow her to keep their own families safe from harm from Akane’s. Thus, with a family who lied and friends who weren’t true, Akane runs away, confiding in the dastardly Izaya. At this point, her trust issues are all over the place: she wants family and friends around her, but to her, everyone is “out to get her.” Meaning, when Izaya gives her a rather enticing proposition, she takes it. But her target couldn’t be more impossible to eliminate; not only is it Shizuo, but she’s literally just a kid. The two couldn’t be further apart…at least, at first glance. In essence, Shizuo mirrors Akane in many ways. Where Akane seeks to have others be there for her (again, she is a child) Shizuo pushes everyone else away every chance he gets. Akane received help from Shizuo’s rival – something that Shizuo would never do. One is physically strong but mentally weak while the other is physically weak but mentally strong. And above all, they each have the same stalwart conviction to do whatever it takes to get what they want. “Opposites attract,” and it couldn’t be more on point for this strange duo. In an eerily relatable situation herself, Vorona is a Russian assassin given various tasks to undertake. But growing up, she was less active and brainier. This was caused by her father’s estrangement due to his mafia-based position. With her father away and nobody else around, she turned to books, obtaining all kinds of obscure facts, minute knowledge, and completely out-there tidbits of information. Burrowing herself in the pages of the novels, encyclopedias, and poems she read had two side-effects: a lifeless personality and a thirst for more. The former is simple enough to understand; there might be books on the psyche we have or the feelings we get, but learning to express or control said emotions is something no amount of words can properly teach. The latter is somewhat counterintuitive. While she may not look it, she knows more or less everything there is to know. So to her, her greatest pleasure is discovering that which is not known to her. And Ikebukuro is the place where she can investigate such outliers. But she can’t do it alone. When she isn’t killing others or being unintentionally impersonal, the only person she can rely on is Sloan. He does whatever she asks of him (usually driving the get-away vehicle), but he also does something a bit more sincere. And that’s simply asking her about whatever is contained in that noggin of hers. It’s a tiny gesture, but it means a lot; having so much “useless” knowledge stored away, who wouldn’t want to share that with somebody else? It’s for these reasons – always being there for her and actually getting who she is – that makes them the “partners in crime” that they’ve become. Looking at both Akane and Vorona, there is a theme that the anime works with. It’s not the loneliness or yakuza-esque settings, but the pairing that each creates. These two girls rely on someone else to help them because, as was brought up earlier, they are attempting to see if Ikebukuro is the place for them. The same applies to “Hollywood.” She leans on Kasuka fully to get her through her mental instability. In other words, the complement to the one requiring aide gives it. Other pairings can be found – Kadota and Rokujou, Celty and Shinra, and the Orihara twins, to name a few – but the most intriguing once again falls on Ryuugamine. He, too, is trying with all his might to figure out what to do. His pairing, though, isn’t Sonohara or Izaya, but rather Aoba. Ryuugamine’s coupling is special for a fascinating reason: his pairing is wrong. The audience is fully aware that Masaomi, his best friend, is the “match made in heaven.” But with Masaomi gone, he is forced to work with the oddball influencer, getting himself caught up in something he thought he was done with. While Masaomi may come to save the day eventually, for now, Ryuugamine’s pairing serves as a reminder that sometimes, particular pairings not only don’t work but can cause more harm than wanted. SOUND The opening theme is rough, but in a good way. The singer is coarse, the guitar is jamming, and the beat is contrarily slow when compared to the goings-on of the city it predates. It’s an okay piece that, if nothing else, does its job of getting the viewer ready for what’s about to go down. The ending theme, however, is pretty good. It’s somewhat unintelligible due to the reverb effects, but its fast pace and catchy beat make it a fun piece all-around that’s just as wacky as everything else Shou brings forth. The soundtrack is only notable for the screeching brass instrument that plays during tense moments and the dainty, off-kilter flute that, strangely, both does and doesn’t fit. Outside of other, mysterious mood-setters, many of the tracks only work to set the tone and nothing more. Voice acting is about average in overall performances. Special shout-outs are deserved for Hiroshi Kamiya as Izaya for his cocky portrayal and Toshiyuki Toyonaga as Ryuugamine for his broken-voiced way of speaking. ENJOYMENT I was not a fan of this iteration. Maybe it’s because of how downright annoying I find Izaya to be, how lame of a narrative arc Masaomi and Saki have, or how bored I found myself being with whatever it was trying to present. The disjointed storytelling is cool but nothing worthwhile, the cast isn’t relatable, and nothing really dramatic or comedic comes to fruition. It was a slow burn, from start to finish, with the flame never providing enough light to guide me down the path of entertainment. Durarara!!x2 Shou has a forgettable plot, a passing grade in its music, and very little in the form of happiness. However, its interesting characters and solid themes provide it with a platform that isn’t entirely brittle. Hopefully the continuations do more, for there is certainly room for improvement. SUMMARY Story: Fine, currently meaningless plot developments, the new characters are properly introduced but induce overabundance, and the theme of finding one’s place is explored nicely Animation: Good, purposeful yet boring art style, nice character designs, slightly above average actual animation Characters: Good, zero development, but new characters such as Akane, Vorona, and “Hollywood” work in tandem with Ryuugamine and others to exemplify the idea of pairings Sound: Fine, okay OP, good ED, moody soundtrack, average VA work Enjoyment: Bad, Izaya is beyond annoying, the characters are not relatable, and only very minor instances of fun were had Final Score: 5/10
eskimoseb
05/05/2015, 09:31 AM
Anime in particular seems to have a soft spot for eschewing logic. Don’t laugh, it’s true! Ever since I watched shows like Bakemonogatari or even Haruhi Suzumiya, I knew I was in for a bumpy ride. Now here comes a new contender for the throne of procedurally defying logic: Durarara X2 Shou. The original season had an approximately chronologically linear story, popping to different character’s viewpoints now and then. X2 has taken a leaf from Haruhi’s book though, so you can probably tell where this is going… (The storytelling this season which is about as scattered a baby’s abandoned jigsaw puzzle.) It’s been a while sinceseason 1 of DRRR first aired, but in the world of DRRR it’s business as usual. The cast is largely familiar, as is the wonderful setting of Ikebukuro. Depressed over losing contact with Masaomi Kida, Ryuugamine Mikado continues his student life with Anri Sonohara. Celty meanwhile continues her job as courier, although finds herself being dragged into deep, deep water with the arrival of a hit group from Russia. And yes, Shizuo and Izaya are still at each other’s throats, fear not! You’ll no doubt have already realised, but you’re really going to want to have watched the first season of Durarara before watching X2 (that said, I’ll keep spoilers of season 1 to an absolute minimum). Given X2’s limited 13 episode run-time, this cour opts wisely I think for the 1 overarching arc storyline. There are quite a few branches to this tree though. As ever, we firstly have the gang conflicts, because without them Ikebukuro just wouldn’t be Ikebukuro. The Dollars, Blue Squares and Toromaru are all at each other’s’ throats as they try to gain control of the district. We’ve also got some interesting mafia relations thrown into the mix as well. This mafia/gang warfare is pretty much the overriding storyline of X2, and nearly all the main characters are involved in some way in this story. Over the course of the series, these gangs slowly plunge Ikebukuro into complete madness – with Izaya pulling all the strings of course – and the dynamic between the gangs that the original season did so well to portray remains as exciting to watch in X2. The gangs aren’t the only players in X2. This time, Ikebukuro has some visitors from the distant Russia to stir up further trouble: the beautiful but deadly Varona and the philosophical Sloan. Of the new additions to DRRR’s already expansive cast, I thought these Russian hit-men were some of the best. Like us viewers (unless you happen to live in Ikebukuro…), these new additions are foreign spectators reluctant to intrude on a well-established ecosystem, so it’s interesting to see how they react to the madness that is DRRR. Varona however in particular took me by surprise. At first sight, with her good looks and revealing outfit I had her pegged as clichéd fanservice material. Varona quickly establishes herself as a power player of Ikebukuro, and her personal vendetta against Celty provide some of the real highlights of this season. Her expert combat skills matched with Celty’s fantastical powers set the stage for some of the best battles in DRRR. Now with these storylines, in theory these would and should have been sufficient to satisfy me for this season. What makes Durarara a more difficult recommendation than I would have hoped is the way it goes about portraying these stories. By the end of the season, you’ll have them figured out. Before that though, the structure and pacing of X2 is so fragmented that, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be scratching your head a few too many times. I don’t have a problem with a scattered storyline, Baccano is an example of how a disjointed story can be used to make the series’ conclusion all the more satisfying. X2 however seems to introduce a sense of confusion for the sake of confusion. Where am I? What’s coming next? These are the sorts of existential debates you’ll be having with yourself as you slog through another timeskip. I expect that, given DRRR’s five year absence, the producers were keen to fit in everyone’s favourite characters at every available opportunity, to reassure everyone they had everything under control. Instead, the story comes across as needlessly complex. I very much hope that X2 Ten and Ketsu can provide the much more streamlined storytelling that will do the fantastic characters and setting justice. At this point, I’d like to be able to say I’m done: X2 Shou had a few flaws but overall had things were pretty fine. There are a few more points worth covering though. The sticklers for animation in the audience should note that X2’s animation is embarrassingly lazy at some points. I’m not talking still frame lazy, I’m talking jittery motion and forgetting to animate every second still. Oh well, this is so they could pour more money into the other 2 cours isn’t it? The music on the other hand, which I had high hopes for after season 1, does not fail to deliver. The op and ed are both catchy as hell, and there’s the ever helpful last episode catchup worked into every op as was the case in the original season. The few foibles I have put aside, if you enjoyed Durarara you will still enjoy this series. I certainly did; Shou is setting things up nicely for the two remaining cours of season 2, Ten and Ketsu. Shou ends on a high note, and I’m confident the talented team behind DRRR can continue to deliver.
NoytroO
04/29/2015, 11:17 AM
12 episodes, 5 years after the first 24. Just waiting the next part now. I love the first season, it's by far my favorite anime. When I saw the first season(2014) I said "oh well nice, but there's some questions that I can't answer. And how can they do a second season... No no way." Then I realize I was wrong : a second season was announced since a long time ago. And I think that's why the first season is one of the best anime I ever saw, because it's a big introduction : you have a good knowledge of the characters, and about the story ofthe fabulous city : Ikkebukoro. Anyway. I was pretty... Anxious and reticent about this sequel. I thought they'll just take the same casting and make an other story, not really related with the first one. Of course it can be very good, but "c'est du rechauffer", so that's not very interesting. I can't realize how wrong I was before seeing Durarara!!x2 Shou. They just respect at 100%, no, more: 200%, the Durarara world. Even the added characters in this season are actually really in the same way of this world. Just pretty amazing. They keep all the things from the first part. Every thing. And that's why it's interesting. The story continue, and you want to know what's going on in this city. Why Izaya play with humans. Why Mikado create the dollars. You know some part of answer on these questions, but you can't said at 100% why. Some things become evidence when you see this season. Some others stay in suspend. And till the end, they keep you near the screen, with all your permanent questions. And at the end... You should say : "Okay, give me the next part, RIGHT NOW" Should you watch this anime ? No I shouldn't, you HAVE TO watch it. But of course, start from the beginning with the first season. And I think you pass through one of the best thriller anime if u don't watch it. Story : 10/10 Never see a better story like this one. There's no way to predict what's going to do in the next 5 episodes. And just when they put you in, you can realize how good realized it was. Characters : 10/10 We have everything. But in my mind, there are not typical anime characters you see habitually. They all have a hidden part that we know nothing about it. Art : 9/10 Great, simply. I like, but they are not impressive graphics. Sound : 9/10 Again, it's not something I never heard in my life, but it makes you in more and more, just that we needed. Ejoyement : 10/10 I just can see it like 10 times in a row I think, to really understand everything. Overall rating : 10. Every thing is said. I've never see an anime better than it. I was in since the beginning, and I'm still in.
greatyu
04/10/2015, 11:50 AM
Basically saying Orihara Izaya got jealous that everyone was invited to a hot pot party except for him and decided to ruin things up in Ikebukoro, seriously though that dude is enough to create World War Three. Story: This is a good sequel in my opinion. The main antagonist cooks up the whole story- it's his stage and his play, he himself is an actor and others also dances according to his wishes. Since this is a continuation there's nothing much to tell about the story or plot, but it was worth seeing how the underdogs and the mafia conspire within the deadly silent nightof this beautiful city. Even within the darkness- the people who live in it, have their emotional attachments and desires which of course proves that they are human. The main plot focuses on a child running away from home and it shows how unpredictable conflicts can occur from a one simple incident. Art: There were some changes from the previous season- some of the character designs have been changed and i think that is a valid add. Loved the landscape and scenic atmosphere no doubt the artists worked hard for them. DRRR is famous for the epic intro they give out in the opening and the animation of the ending was very creative. The ending sequence shows a vast image of characters being interconnected together which in my opinion is quite confirming their relationships upto an extent. Sound: The voice dubbing is superb as usual- it's really hard to think everytime for me that it's actually Daisuke Ono that is voicing Shizuo, along with the most recognized voice actors in anime history: Fukuyama Jun,Mamoru Miyano,Hanazawa Kana- they all did justice to their job,no complains there. The openings of DRRR has been superb this far. I liked the opening of this season it totally suited the atmosphere, the ending was quite fine and the OST's weren't that notable in my ears but they were unique and mysterious as required. Character: The most interesting concept of this anime are the characters, you don't get major sadistic directors like Orihara Izaya in every anime for sure. I liked the addition of the new characters- especially Wakaba and the Twins they are very entertaining. I loved that the producers of this anime added a child to get the reactions of the other characters that is one excellent plus point. And of course we can't forget the supernatural characters who made this anime a whole lot interesting and their relationships within the city and how they cope with it is a brilliant addition to the plot. Enjoyment: I'm sure everyone enjoyed this sequel- there were the required anticipation,excitement because of the plot twists. The only con is that there wasn't screen time given to Shizuo to beat up that "flea bag" which i regret every time that he misses the chance because the flea bag runs away from him. They added unique bits which are different in the previous season- so they achieved the quality of the anime wonderfully. I loved how the anime ended- loved it so much that i decided to give an 8 without thinking about other things. In a way "killing" is just a native thing in this anime, sometimes you wonder who's side you take and who's side the characters will take. Overall: I think one reason why this anime got successful as a sequel was that it gave the spotlight to the required characters and also to the newly introduced ones which is unbelievable and what most of the anime shows lack. This season totally deserves an 8/8 for all the epic moments and enjoyment and i would definitely pray for another season.
Flawfinder
04/03/2015, 11:40 AM
I think I'm over Ryogho Narita's style of storytelling. It was fun back when the "no main protagonist" schtick was fresh and I was a naive college student who ate up magical girl shows because they were dark and edgy, but I've seen so many pieces of fiction that have used that sort of style since and Narita ain't exactly Sion Sono when it comes to using that large cast gimmick. And yes, that style has always been a gimmick, but whilst Why Don't You Play In Hell? made the smart move of crafting an engaging narrative in order to push its wacky cast ofgangsters, cops, and students forward, Durarara (and Baccano for that matter) made the incredibly dumb move of trying to use that gimmick to create substance and it gets old really quickly. Especially when everybody is a badass and you have to sacrifice time spent on moving the plot forward in order to focus on personal hijinks that don't develop them in the least. Mind you, I'm not really sure why the fans would be impressed with this long-awaited sequel to one of 2010's biggest hits. In fact, I'd hesitate to call it a sequel. It has "intermission" stamped all over it moreso than Dragon Age II and a bunch of the characters introduced feel like last-minute DLC that somehow made it into the final cut. Also, despite the five-year long wait, it looks like it was rushed out into development with animation that looks worse than horse manure and editing that Ed Wood would bullshit on. Or to put it more succinctly in case you aren't getting what I'm saying, this new Durarara is an incompetent go-nowhere pile of boring. Whilst the first season of Durarara was no stranger to setting things up and not giving a good payoff in the end, it at least it had a sense of mystery and intrigue related to the city of Ikebukuro to the point that you could say it was a lesser version of Mad Men. This new installment, on the other hand, casts that intrigue out the window in order to focus solely on introducing more characters and making them do absolutely nothing to the point that it takes away the main reason anybody would ever watch Mad Men to begin with. So not only does the show not deliver a satisfying finale that's worth the buildup, but the buildup itself isn't even interesting to sit through. It's the Iron Man 2 to, well, Iron Man 1. The show starts off by reintroducing you to all the characters from the first season whilst introducing some new ones through Celty getting a bounty put on her head along with Kasuka (that emotionless actor who's also Shizuo's brother) having a romantic tryst with a serial killer named Hollywood, who is actually a famous actress that cameo'd in the first season. Considering the payoff is that the characters go on a wild car chase culminating in a fight against bikers, you'd think this would be interesting by default, but Durarara just doesn't follow the rules. On top of the fact that the setup to get to that point involves a lot of talking heads and irritating fourth wall-breaking narration that focus too much on the characters and not enough on the plot, the actual climax has zero tension due to the main characters being too overpowered compared to the competition along with the action choreography looking like crap. Worst yet, nothing really comes out of it other than setup for the next arc, something that Izaya says himself with assured smugness. But if you think the next arc will deliver on said setup, prepare for a letdown, because it's as much of a dragged-out mess as the Yellow Scarves arc. They try to distract from that fact by switching between all the different characters, but it doesn't work when none of them are given any sort of narrative propulsion whatsoever and the direction is about as troubled and uninspired as a drugged-out rockstar. Without spoiling too much, the main takeaway from the arc is that our "supposed main hero" Mikado is finally thrown into the middle of things, Izaya is not as all-powerful as the show makes him out to be, Shizuo is strong, Celty just moves plot points along without really affecting them, Masaomi does fuck all, and Chikage loves the ladies. There is very little character or situation change as is, but the eight episodes devoted to building up to it isn't fun either. The cast is so large and the show wants to devote time to giving them all moments and involving them in the final conflict that it causes the pacing to suffer massively. At one point, just as Anri is attacked by a mysterious intruder, the story grinds to a halt in order to devote half an episode into explaining the intruder's background despite the fact that she has little to do with what's going on. And it didn't even have the courtesy to follow-up on that cliffhanger in a satisfying way. A couple of badly animated fight moves and then everyone escapes to live hunky-dorry with knowledge of each other. Yawn. And trust me, you don't even want to get me started on how anticlimactic the actual payoff where everyone meets with each other is. There's one cool scene where Shizuo takes on a giant truck, but that's about it. The best scenes come in the last three minutes of follow-up (the other follow-up scenes are a Return of the Kings-style snorefest) but at that point, it's too little too late. And before people pull that "it's only the first cour" bullshit on me, let me remind you guys that no matter what label you slap on it, thirteen episodes is a lot to sit through. Hell, it's twice as long as your average movie, and if you can't deliver where other products have with far less time, than something is very wrong with you. I don't care if movies have much larger budgets or whatever. No matter what the format, you're supposed to start the story at the very beginning and only end it at the very end. This first third of the new Durarara had two distinct arcs and despite all the events that went on, the fact of the matter is that there was zero story progression whatsoever. I don't enjoy watching setup for the sake of setup. It wasn't fun in Shin Sekai Yori and it sure as hell ain't fun here. Not going to say the show doesn't have its moments. The part where Shizuo smiles for the first time in his life cracks me up. But whilst I plan on watching the next installment - if only because I have no life and thus have a lot of time on my hands - I recommend anyone who finishes this show, whether they like it or not, to watch Why Don't You Play In Hell? right afterwards. That movie is everything Durarara wanted to be, it pulled it off way better, and it did more in two hours than this series has done in thirty-six episodes. Thirty-eight if you include the bonus ones.
Lindle
04/02/2015, 10:36 AM
After 5 years, Durarara finally graces our screens again. The results are hit and miss. The first of three scheduled Durarara series, x2 Shou is divided into two arcs. The first of them is a simple 4-episode story pieced together from multiple perspectives. The story itself isn't all that impressive, but it is improved by its use of multiple perspectives. However, the real point of this arc is to introduce the new characters, and because of the arc's laid-back nature it's extremely fun to just watch the characters intersect and interact. Durarara's most noteworthy feature has always been its huge cast of memorable characters, and x2 Shoufollows suit by introducing a lot more. With the entire first arc dedicated to this, some excellent standouts emerge, most notably Mairu and Kururi Orihara, Izaya's younger twin sisters, who steal the show for their entire duration onscreen. However, while some of the new characters are excellent, the sheer excess of them is Durarara x2 Shou's biggest problem. Once the second arc gets into full swing, we're treated to a plot built around remnant factions of the Blue Squares, a new gang called Torumaru, multiple corporations, several Yakuza factions with links to said corporations, a serial killer, a pair of Russian assassins, and a young girl with a tazer, along with all the previously established Dollars from the previous season. This arc lasts 8 episodes - there are as many groups of characters involved as there are episodes in this story arc. Durarara has always utilized this kind of chaotic clusterfuck well, but in this instance it bit off more than it could chew. Because of that, it can be a struggle at times to remember which characters are involved with which other characters, and why. It also results in a very unfocused story. There are several smaller stories that all tie into the bigger picture, but the most important part of the story revolves around a small faction of the Blue Squares emerging within another gang and trying to take it over from within, and them inciting an all-out war with another gang, while their leader tries to stop it, and realizes that the gang's own structure has worked against him, creating a situation where he is powerless to control his own creation. This entire situation is deliberately set off by a manipulative genius to serve his own ends. If that sounds familiar to you, it's because that's exactly what the last arc of Durarara's first season was about. I always considered the Yellow Scarves arc of Durarara season 1 to be its weakest, so a rehash of that arc, in theory, should have been a bad idea. However, the Torumaru arc has proven itself to be a big improvement, despite sharing the same structure. This time around, it revolves around a better set of characters (despite an unfortunate lack of Izaya), and has replaced teenage angst and irritating misunderstandings with crazy Russian assassins and HILARIOUS misunderstandings. However, it does still feel a bit redundant. The ending, however, single-handedly justifies the entire season. The final episode begins with several minutes of Shizuo at his best. It then follows it up with three shocking and dramatic twists that promise great things for the upcoming season. While I won't go into too much detail on said twists for spoiler reasons, the best of the three makes use of everything that has happened to Mikado in the last eight episodes, and results in his characterization finally taking a brilliant new direction. All three twists leave the series ending on a fantastic cliffhanger, which I think says it all about this season: it's transitionary. Its main purpose is to introduce new elements to build onto the first season, and prepare them for the excellent third season it promises. (EDIT: The third season was most definitely not excellent.) As such, we're just lucky that three new installments have all been confirmed, as x2 Shou would have been a bit of a waste otherwise. This series has been on a very low budget - the first series occasionally had some awkward or cheap animation, but it was only sporadic. x2 Shou has constant off-model shots and horribly animated fight scenes, along with a case of Noodle People the like of which is rarely seen outside of Clamp series. Hopefully, the BD sales from this season will result in an increased budget for x2 Ten and x2 Ketsu. Final Words: Even on a bad day, Durarara is still a very entertaining show, and this holds great promise for subsequent seasons. Story/Plot: 7/10 Characters: 7/10 Animation/Art: 3/10 Music: 8/10 Acting (JP): 7/10 Overall: 7/10 For Fans Of: Baccano!, Mekaku City Actors
BlobbertMcN
04/01/2015, 04:55 AM
Durarara!!x2 Shou - or should it be called DRRR S2 P1? Either way, this was an anime I was very VERY excited for. And now at the conclusion, I am still VERY excited for the next two parts. This second season did not disappoint me, sure there were some changes, but nothing that bothered me very much at all. But - to talk about why I liked this first part of season two, I'll certainly have to mention season one. So SPOILER WARNING for the first season of DRRR (though I'll try not to spoil anything for season two). Let me break it down: ~STORY~ This iswhat will determine whether you love or hate DRRR. Much like the first season, DRRR excels in non-linear, unfocused storytelling. Non-linear means that the story jumps back and forth chronologically between events to show a different perspective of the event; and unfocused means that there isn't a single story happening, rather multiple different story-lines happening simultaneously - occasionally intersecting and affecting the other stories. Because of my opening bit, you can probably tell that this form of storytelling is something I LOVE. And no other series I know comes close to the execution that DRRR has, except for its predecessor "Baccano!". DRRR S2 has a bit of an edge over its predecessor since it is a sequel - meaning that it doesn't have to spend time introducing the characters. This solves a problem that the original DRRR had, that the opening episodes were a little slow. But as for the content of the story? Maybe because it is being split between 3 parts that I felt as if S2 is less substantial than the original, a lot of new elements are introduced, but not much is done with them. But I also have to give credit where credit is due: I like the direction it's heading - even if some of it was unexpected, and the lead in for part 2 has definitely got me excited. I can't say more than that, else I enter spoiler territory, but if Season 1's gang war was the big finale confrontation - I feel as if by the end of part 3, there will be something spectacular to look forward to! ~ART~ I've seen some people complaining about the art - and really it doesn't bother me at all. It's been 5 years, and it's a new studio; If the art is a little sharper than the original, that's fine, hell, even expected. The overall look is much the same, and props to the new studio being able to capture the original atmosphere. If it the art really turns you off so much, you are watching DRRR for the wrong reason. ~SOUND~ I don't often talk about the openings and endings of anime in reviews, rather I talk about the background music. However, for DRRR S2 P1, I'll make an exception: They nailed it. As soon as I heard the opening I quite literally shouted for joy, before I even saw anything the opening made me know I was watching DRRR. Same type of music, same style animation, even the great instrumental section with a quick recap. The ending also looks and sounds almost exactly like the original. Now for the rest of it: Yes. Just Yes. The original DRRR soundtrack is an interesting soundtrack - it is not a soundtrack that you would necessarily listen to by itself (though I went to Tokyo and listened to it in Shibuya, and man it just felt right), but it is PERFECT for creating the atmosphere that the anime desires. Sometimes is relaxing, sometimes it's crazy, and sometimes it's just plain weird - but hey, that's just how the Ikebukuro of DRRR is. Season 2 pretty much has the same soundtrack, with a couple of extra songs added. So yeah, nice work. ~CHARACTER~ Have you ever been separated from someone for a time, then after you see them again they're almost exactly the same as when you left them? That's how I felt watching DRRR S2 P1. So, for the majority of characters from the original series, just assume they're as quirky and lovable as they were originally. HOWEVER, there are a couple of exceptions. First off: Celty... In season 1, she had a cute scared side that showed up around that police officer, but I felt like she was just a bit TOO nervous and emotional in season 2. I mean, maybe it's character development from S1 - she did become a much friendlier person, falling in love and all that - but it sometimes seems just a bit too much. Also, Masaomi... he's kinda boring in S2 so far (I feel like he'll play a larger role in parts 2 and 3), but once again it feels like the character development from S1 just slightly overdone. Oh and Mikado... not really something wrong, but I'm certainly interested in where his character is going - though they could have played his development in this new season just a little bit more gradual, to me it kind of came off as a bit jumpy. As for the new characters? They all seem to blend well with the setting and existing cast, though it is a bit of an overload. DRRR's cast is big, and I feel like it has now doubled, and so many of them seem important that it's a bit much keeping track of them all, and who is important in what storyline. Though... Izaya's sisters... They're interesting and all, but... I feel as if they don't serve a purpose in this season. Once again, because it's being broken up into 3 parts, it's hard to judge whether they're there for no specific reason, or because they'll play an important role in the later parts. I mean, this is DRRR, the kind-hearted black-russian-sushi-seller doesn't play more than a comic relief role until the last episode where he punches Izaya in the face (Season 1 I'm talking about). So who knows what all these supporting characters will do!? ~ENJOYMENT~ While I recognise Season 1 and Season 2 as not being perfect anime, I certainly enjoyed them a great deal. I was always keen to see the latest episode and at no point did I ever think "this is boring" or anything along those lines. Certainly, many of the elements that may divide an audience appeal to me, but that's why I enjoyed it so much~ ~OVERALL~ It's so strange having a sequel of something come out 5 years later, especially in anime. Normally when an anime is successful, a sequel is soon broadcast on the horizon. So, with that in mind, despite my excitement I was worried that DRRR season 2 may lose what made DRRR special. Yes, there are some changes, and indeed it is not yet fully complete, with many loose ends waiting to be tied up in later parts - but I can certainly say with confidence, this is a sequel that, overall, manages to capture the charm of the original. It is the mark of an enjoyable anime that it leaves you wanting more, and oh yes I certainly want more! I can't wait for part 2 in July! Toodles~
_Lucy_
03/31/2015, 01:27 PM
Dyurara two Dyurara you two really is not the same! A little sad. No, I will not talk about anime sink. I will say that the continuation of much weaker and in many ways already looks like a very different anime. Maybe it's just my impression of course, but Dyurara2 become banal entertainment at a time, unlike the first season. Stout entertainment but only once. I have not watched the second season ongoingom and waited. Before you start, I specifically decided to revise the first season (which is amazing replays brought more fun than the first). I wanted to get the full pleasure of watching continue. Instead, get theaftertaste of disappointment for themselves branded as Dyuraru2 disappointing season. What's wrong? Try to understand: The first season of the most atmospheric anime ever watching me. From the first minutes of viewing room begins to be filled with this melancholy spleen metropolis, mysterious, restrained lust for adventure, uncertainty Ikibukuryi who play faded colors at dusk of Tokyo. Soon even get the feeling that you are there and he can feel it all. But Dyurara2 lost a huge chunk of the atmosphere. Her broken, mended, nalepili Latok and again broke into pieces, gluing what comes to hand, but the loss is too obvious, too obvious. In this blame and a change of pace, rhythm of the narrative, especially in the first half, to the benefit of the second authors came to their senses and slightly reduced pace. Although this is not much help. In the first season, authors often come back a little bit back in time, but do it slowly and thoroughly (often in the next episode), and most importantly began to narrate from the point of view of another character, constantly in the known facts of the past, or simply weaving new emotions, shades of the story. It replaced immediately hurried, the impression that glued hastily flashbacks. Worse, these flashbacks tearing pace of the narrative sometimes banal and forget about all the main line of the story now. A couple of times so in general is unclear Tipo actions in the past or now. Atmosphere separate blow was the fact that most of the key events occurred during the day, hell even oupeninge sunset gave way to dawn. Have thrown a bunch of new characters that are adequate only dream and at the same time no one is sympathy. The devil take it, appeared fanservis! (Albeit small). Moreover there were corpses. Damn the entire first season in spite of the seriousness of the mixtures there was no corpse, and then pack appeared. For an idea of how much spoiled the atmosphere of the Raven with his presence and his prehistory even do not want to remember. And in the end, I ask you! Where the unforgettable cry Heyvadzimy "IDZAYA!" - Followed by the promise of a lamppost / car / or something ???? No (... a sad. No, I certainly understand that ranobe like anime as it should evolve and grow, but why take golivudskih manners do: more abruptly, furious, epic in an arithmetic progression through the atmosphere, characters and plot? None of the new character does not come to taste, completely crazy, maniacs and moral monsters. But Izano all but disappeared, Masaomi removed, Mikado do not like the aisles, so whipping boy. Why at all involved? If the first Dyurara, although there appeared multiple loops with a single solid line of the narrative, the second with an accuracy so vice versa. Maybe it's certainly someone and liking, but not me. All of these maniacs, hired killers, corpses, kidnappings, car chases, fighting Mighty yakuza action, but not mystical daily (though it can be seen in the tags). From all the above-described I have a rhetorical question: So what now tells us Dyurara? In conclusion: send Dyuraru2 in the category of good-quality action games at once (under the pseudonym of a disappointing season), with great hope to the fact that the second half will be much better Dyurary2.
Stark700
03/31/2015, 09:28 AM
It’s been a long damn time. 5 years. That’s over 1800 days since the first season of Durarara. When the second season was announced, I was both ecstatic and surprised. Regardless though, this would of happened someday as the light novel has much to cover. I also have to admit that getting back into the series isn’t so easy. There are a lot of characters in this world where anything is possible. It was also announced that the Durarara sequel will be divided into 3 split cours. This review covers the first of those 3 cours. The second cour (Durarara!! X2 Ten) begins in Summerwhile the final cour titled Durarara!! X2 Ketsu is to air in the beginning of 2016. For a bit of recap, the series takes place in Ikebukuro where many abnormal events takes place in this seemingly normal city. The way Durarara!! X2 Shou operates involves many characters and events together that are intertwined. As such, expect the narrative and perspective of the season to follow their stories. The first few episodes reintroduces you the feel of Durarara again with the wild fun of the show. This cour covers several arcs that details various events that is immaculately engineered. The first few episodes already sets up an arc for a wild frenzy taste when the audience is introduced to mysterious murders. Dubbed the ‘Hollywood murders’, the season involves a variety of characters you may already be familiar with. Infamous headless hunter Celty returns as well in a cat-and-mouse game thanks to the Yadogiri Shinning Corporation. Then, there’s also Mikado, Izaya, Shizuo, Anri, Shrina, Aoba, and most of the others returning to reprise their roles. For the Hollywood Murders arc, the series dubs it more about plot transition rather than background enforcement. We don’t find out too much about the culprit’s background but we do learn about their motives. Unfortunately, the first arc feels rushed. What is refreshing though is that it introduces some forgotten characters such as the Orihara sisters. Honestly, a show like this is packaged with characters. And from that package, there’s all sorts of personalities. I guess the Orihara sisters would fit a bit into the bizarre type because of their relationship. In fact, the show offers a lot of relationships. It’s about connection and building up events that relates one another. If there’s one thing that Durarara dynamically shines, it’s the chemistry. Almost every character relationship in the series has its moments. It tempers with feelings and emotions to bring out the best of each other with relationships. As the series goes on, we learn more about some of the new faces introduced in this show. Having an established cast is important but also introducing fresh new ones can also be refreshing. One such character named Rokujo Chikage brings in his gentlemanly charm into this season with his ladies’ man personality. His involvement in one of the arcs becomes intriguing as we see different sides of him; especially when women are involved. Then, there’s also a cute girl named Akane that gets introduced this season. Rather, there’s actually an entire arc that focuses on her that all started because of the manipulative schemes of Izaya from the backgrounds. It’s a misunderstanding that turns into a frenzy as Akane seems to want to hunt down a certain someone that Izaya dubbed as a dangerous man. (oh the irony) But besides that, the arc also focuses some interesting points involving gang wars and a potential new rival for Celty. Rather, I could label her more as an assassin when we see how reckless this woman named Vorona really is. Interestingly enough, the show dedicates time to focus on her background including her lonely childhood. There’s also a certain similarity and contrast between her and another character from Ryogo Narita’s other work, Baccano that stands here. Mikado, the primary protagonist from the previous and current season also gets quite a decent amount of spotlight. A show like Durarara never neglects his face especially with his responsibilities being in part of Dollars. The story gets more complex as Mikado realizes the complications he gets himself in with others that challenges Dollars. It escalates to a climax when gangs becomes involved in a war that pits each other. It’s time like this when Durarara really spices up the fun while effectively getting to its plot’s climatic point. By pitting certain prominent figures in a rivalry between gangs, you get an entertaining revolution. That’s what really makes Durarara enjoyable to watch as you anticipate what may happen next. Plot twists, difficult decisions, and concrete story transitions. You get the picture. It’s almost addictive to think about it…. As addictive the show can be for anticipating events, it’s also quite relaxing when it takes time for a breather. I don’t mean the Dollars chat room though because there’s all sort of chatter there. But for a talky show like Durarara, there’s a good degree of comedic moments that all happens over the course of this season. From Shizuo’s priceless reactions to Shrina and Celty’s relationship, Durarara knows what it needs to craft comedy. This can also be emphasized in conversational format with characters like Izaya. If you remember how manipulative he was during season 1, then you’ll definitely want to get the full scoop on what he’s up to this season. It’s not only the comedy that brings in entertainment though because action also takes place. Whether it’s the gang battles or the Shizuo’s fierceness, this season never forgets to show the potential of our characters. All that aside, it takes a lot of focus to understand everything especially with the characters. Almost every episode of this season is busy with events going on. Getting lost will end up no good and this is something that can be frustrating at times. I have to admit though, the art and visuals suffers a bit with this season. Apparently, a new studio called ‘Shuka’ is in charge with producing this sequel. Durarara!! X2 Shou is apparently their first work and it doesn’t make an impression in the first half. Some particular episodes are off balance with the coordination of the visual quality while other frames are lazy. Luckily, the second half does get better with smoother backgrounds and in general, better quality with its artwork. Character designs remains generally the same with our returning cast. New characters such as Vorona and Rokujo brings style to the show with their looks. And while the series isn’t entirely dedicated to action scenes, it does make it noticeable during some of the gang battles. Celty’s infamous “Shooter” also makes its appearance decorated with peculiarity. From a technical perspective, soundtrack is performed on a strong standard. The OP and ED songs for this season not only has style but retains its upbeat. There’s also a very distinctive range of character voice mannerism that all makes a good impression. The OST also is fluid that flows well responding appropriately depending on the scenario. I expected nothing less when it comes to soundtrack with this season. 12 episodes. That’s how many it takes to cover the first cour. And although some arcs does feel a bit rushed, it’s highly entertaining. The seductive cast of characters will enthrall you to learn more about them for this season; whether they are new or old. The comedy is genuine with well-timed dialogues and reactive scenes. As a show that connects characters and stories together, Durarara!! X2 Shou is a solid example that knows understands such a mission. This is the 1/3 of Durarara’s sequel project that celebrates the franchise’s 10th anniversary. And I have to say, it’s off to a pretty damn good start.
connielas
03/31/2015, 12:18 AM
Technically, I've been waiting for this to happen --- a sequel to one of the most extraordinary anime I've come across with!Back in 2014, when they announced that Durarara!! will have a second season, my heart burst out of happiness. I got excited and updated myself every now and then for announcements and news about its release. The first season gave me a lot of jaw-dropping and amusement. Although it was really violent and quirky, the characters and the rearrangements of the plot kept me waiting for the next episode. I became addicted to it. It's more like my ice cream in anime style. I wrotea review of the first season five years ago after watching it and it definitely made me laugh. (you have to check it out to see) My writing style back then was pretty childish and humorous. The epitome of my thoughts before was less professional (it's not like I'm a professional right now). I've improved and I think I can actually say things in a less hackneyed way. Anyway, I'll give you a slight warning, in case you haven't noticed: THIS IS A REVIEW FOR THE SECOND SEASON, NOT THE FIRST ONE! WATCH THE FIRST SEASON BEFORE LAYING AN EYE ON THIS SIMPLE REVIEW. Durarara!! is known for its brilliant twist and turns in the story line. It starts off really convincing and complicated at the same time but in the latter parts of the episodes, the most convincing answers and spin-offs will leave you desiring for the next mysterious adventure in the streets of Ikebukuro. Well, Shou still has that magic in it. Even after five years, Aniplex produced the anime well, providing what audiences want. The unending fights, the bonds of the clans, the characters' perception about everything that happened in their lives and their future expectations. To give a bit of a clear background on the main plot without any spoilers being revealed, let me start with this: the Dollars were having a few conflicts with each other also, needless to say, they have new enemies to encounter. Shizuo and Izaya have yet again a tough situation in dealing with each other (well, we know who's fault that is and it starts with the letter "I") Mikado and Anri finds a new friend in their school, which will actually bring them horror. Celty accepts new jobs but the people of Tokyo fears her and so on. Oh, and Shizuo's brother will also get into action. New characters will also participate in the game of the urbanized, supernatural, comical, and rowdy places in Ikebukuro. Anwyay, the ending's fine but some of the characters will reach their developing stages; more so, we will find out how they will cope with their developments in Durarara!! Ten on July. I know the plot review's a bit long but I guess there is so much going on in this anime that my head is popping with idealistic critics about it. I just hope than in the 2nd part of Durarara!!, there will be answers for the ending ;). I give this a 10. The Art is still bland and simple as usual. I don't hate it, I just didn't get the hype of new anime shows today. I think their getting lazy with the animation but at least the fighting scenes are manifested correctly. The character design still fits and nothing really changed that much. The view of the city still has that dark aura in it. Brain's Base studios did not participate in this series so I guess some of the artworks were fabricated or so it is. 7 for art! Music sounds good. It still has the traditional themes like Anri's Seika background music and other memorable tunes from the previous season. I think they added new ones but I couldn't remember. I wish they made more sound effects to make things pop a little bit or to add a little change, right? The opening song clearly reminded me of the intro from the previous season. The voice is husky and the music was fast and electronic. For the ending song, they did it magnificently and the pacing of the lyrics is kind of fast. I loved how they redo the animation from the "Trust Me" ending by connecting the characters from one another, making a long line of character presentation. Both are catchy and fun to listen. Voice Actors were just exceptionally good. They did just well and I think the characters' voices did not change. I just wish they did more music and not borrow the BGM from the first season, I give it an 8. Okay, let's get to the showcasing of characters. Starting with the Original Characters: Shizuo Heiwajima - one of my favorites in this series. Recap: the guy in a bartender suit, yellow hair, ultra strong, hot-headed (in a massive way), and loves his kid brother. In this part, he developed in a way that you guys would never expect him to be. However, Izaya still wants to play with him and of course, Shizuo would naturally kill that guy but never really succeeded. Kida Masaomi - recap: jolly, secretive, patient but he's like a kettle because once you make him mad, his anger will boil and blow up and he is also the Yellow Scarves head. You will only see him in a few episodes. He will show up every now and then but there seems to have a little progress in his personality. Mikado Ryugamine - recap: the most normal looking guy and possibly has the most boring personality ever, he is the founder of Dollars, remember?. But don't give up on him. The excitement is just getting better as he turn into a new leaf, everything will definitely change. Sonahara Anri - recap: big breasts, short and black hair, shy, soft-spoken ad wielder of Seika. There is not much going on with Anri although she still has her tail caught up with Celty, Izaya, a Russian woman and Mikado's mess. She is naturally a great woman and she will protect her friends no matter what. She is also facing a bit of a problem with Seika (her power). Celty Sturluson - recap: do we need one?! known as the headless or black biker; she's awesome, badass and a lover of Shinra. She is not human but I still love her for that. In the new season, she gets to meet a new doctor who is a friend of Shinra's dad and will studies her body and etc. She accepts new jobs in order to make money for Shinra. In the end, it will cause her mishaps and mayhem, here and there. Kadota - recap: the guy with the cap who's good at fighting, wearing a blue jacket. Well, he will soon have a valuable role in this season, dipping into a massive bloodbath and a one-on-one battle with a character. Heiwajime Kasuka - recap: Shizuo's kid brother, insane actor, emotionless bastard (not in a literal sense), and says minimal stuff. In this season, he meets a new girl which may or may not send him to trouble. Orihara Izaya - recap: sexy, scheme-y, and manipulative. The information broker is back! Badass as ever with his gadgets. Staring off into the monitor keeping himself entertained but most of the time, he is what every yellow haired guy wearing bartender suits hate. He still is if that's what you're asking We don't need recaps here so for the NEW characters: Varona - a Russian woman with blonde hair with a great backstory. She enters in the city to get things done and make things right. She is strong but she's human. She also has a job to do which is kind of related with Celty's. Aoba Kuronuma - Don't be fooled, this guy KNOWS things... He ruins everything. Orihara Sisters - Izaya despises them and he does not want to be near his sisters, let alone make them interfere with his plans. Anyway, these two have twisted personalities but they make a perfect team to make this anime more interesting and watchable. Rokujou, Chikage - nicknamed Rochi, a guy who protects and loves women. He is a leader in a bike gang. He is also a monster at combat but not as monstrous as Shizuo. Anyway, you'll know more if you watch the show. Hijiribe, Ruri - an actress that has a certain secret and issue that can be compared with what Anri has. She is also emotionless and will partake a catastrophic journey in facing her enemies. Awakusu, Akane- cute and innocent child who I think has also a personality that every little girl has. Naive, easy to fool, crybaby and well, childish. She is a daughter of a yakuza member or leader. She gets to face many challenges and truths in the latter part of the story. I guess that's all of the characters that were memorable for me. More or less, they give off a great atmosphere in this show. I give it a 9 because there was something missing that I need to see. Of course I enjoyed it! It was a pain to wait for 7 days for another episode to show up but I still love to watch each and every second of it. I really liked the cliffhanger ending knowing that in the next season it would produce the conclusion to those particular scenarios. Enjoyment and Overall, I give a 9. It is so fantastic. I'm speechless and my words cannot explain how happy I am that this became a reality (not the characters, the show itself). I can't wait for the sequel. Please watch this, you need it. You need a break from all the dramatic and simplicity of everyday life. Try a supernatural anime, try Durarara!! Also, watch the opening song, it will give the short replay of the previous episodes to remind you.
AbsarNaeem
03/29/2015, 09:42 AM
The sequel to Durarara, DX2 lives up and falls down in some aspects. But either way, I loved the show and the ending made me look forward to more (another sequel in July). Anyway, I'll try to keep this brief since the story isn't much explained in this sequel and I hope the sequel in July will clear up a lot of stuff. Story 7/10: If I were to summarize it, I would say it involves the Yakuza, some other gang members joining the Dollars, some assassination attempts, kidnapping and new enemies and friends. The sequel elevates to a new level of gang warfare. It's on a muchbigger scale and involves some big mafia groups. The Dollars are again in trouble and this time it's too big to control within Ikebukuro and it brings gangs from other towns to beat the Dollars up. One story is that of the Dollars getting beat up by a gang from another town. This one involves Mikado, Kadota, Anri and some new characters. Another story is about Celty, some Russian assassins, a kidnapped girl and the Yakuza. These both stories do intertwine as is expected of the Durarara series. At first, it may become a bit confusing with all the new names and groups but halfway down the series, you'll begin to understand what happened. Though some characters who play a key role in the series don't get much attention which may cause you to forget about them but it's still all okay considering it will get a sequel. Art 8/10: The art and animation just like the prequel, is the same. It's good. Not much to say about it since you know what's it like. Sound 8/10: The ending is "Never Say Never" by Three Lights Down Kings. The ending video is in the same style as it was in the prequels first ending "Trust Me". Anyway, the song is pretty good. As for the opening, I'm not that big a fan of it. Characters 8/10: Many new characters are introduced in the series but the downside is the insanely low screen time they get. The old characters still remain but some of them get less screen time since they are no longer in Ikebukuro (Kida Masaomi). The new characters include 3 juniors of Anri and Mikado, a new gang and their boss, the Yakuza (old and new), Russian assassins, a new superpowered character. Two of them are Izaya's little twin sisters who, in my opinion, are awesome. They are twins, but with opposite personalities. They have the same sort of combat/athletic skills like Izaya and can stand on their own in a tough situation. They are also pretty comedic and fun to watch. Not to mention really cute. But they get really less screen time which didn't make me happy. The other junior is Aoba who I won't explain much as it may spoil. But, in short terms, he's a junior who looks up to Mikado. Then comes Hijiribe Ruri, who is also insanely cute but gets less screen time. Again, won't go into details. Backstories of some new characters is told. Though it doesn't have much importance. As for romance, there are slight hints but it doesn't get much progress. Some of the new characters, though thought to be the main cast, aren't that important and the series pushes them to the sidelines after a few episodes. Only a few of the new characters really remain till the end of the sequel. But I hope the others get some mention in the sequel coming this July. Enjoyment 8/10: Really enjoyable. Even more so than the prequel. Maybe because it was a bit fast and had some new characters and more fights. Although most stuff took some time to understand but still it was enjoyable once you know who is who and which groups works for who. Overall, it's a pretty nice sequel. And the fact it gets another sequel is the only reason I refrained from scoring it any lower because no matter how you look at it, this story can't be explained in 12 episodes only. And a heads up, do remember the members and which group they belong to, especially for the Yakuza since that is important in understanding the story.
Keirik
03/28/2015, 12:36 PM
It's been five years. I've been ready, you've been ready, everyone's been ready. It's been five years, but only now are we finally making that return trip to Ikebukuro. Question is, is it still as fresh and special as it was the first time around? The answer is no. Strangely enough, however, I wasn't exactly disappointed. 2010's Durarara!! is pretty much my favourite anime of all time, so expectations for its long-overdue return were, to say the least, pretty gosh darn high. To put it briefly, x2 Shou is not as good as the original. The huge cast of characters returns (but not all of them are givenstuff to do), and it's added to with just about every passing episode. A common problem with big casts is that they're often poorly managed, and Shou is absolutely no exception to that. The worst example of this has to be Ruri Hijiribe, who shows up for a brief storyline in the first few episodes, only to never be seen again afterwards. Ruri's story ends up seeming completely pointless in the grand scheme of things, as do a lot of things and characters brought up this season. Shou seems to be mostly focused on buildup and introductions, which is both a good and a bad thing. Later arcs are where shit seriously starts to go down, and Shou lays down the groundwork for those. However, by the end of Shou, we are 36 episodes into the Durarara series. That should be waaaaaaaay past the buildup period. There's no shortage of things happening in Shou, but nothing is given a satisfying conclusion, since we're still in buildup mode. As a result, the whole season feels like it doesn't really matter. Many important characters also spend these 12 episodes not really doing much of anything, which gives the whole production a feeling of complacency. In terms of story, this is not a big "welcome back" after five long years of wait. The show actually tells us as much in its opening minutes. We're assured that not much is going to change. And it doesn't. Not yet, anyway. Shou fulfils its purpose as a buildup season just fine, but the problem is that it doesn't make for a compelling story of its own. There's a few great new additions, such as the fabulous Vorona, but the show's considerable faults can't all be carried on her petite Russian shoulders. Despite all of this, I can't say I was especially disappointed with Shou. Maybe I was overcome with such nostalgic glee that I was more than ready to look past its flaws, but I ended up enjoying the season more than a fair bit. Was the five year wait worth it? That remains to be seen. All in all, it's just good to have Durarara back. Also, the animation got worse.
TheOllie
03/28/2015, 12:31 PM
The first season of Durarara was great because of the characters and it was enjoyable. Just seeing how every event connects in the end. The second season was same. There were few more characters and it was thought out well how they were connected to the people in Ikekuburo. And it was enjoyable to see again how one event leads to another and how they connect in the end. I personally liked the characters the most. Characters like Izaya Orihara and Heiwajima Shizuo are my favorites. Every other character has also detailed personality and what kind of people they are. Also it was somehow amazing howeveryone knew the big shots in the city. And when outsider comes to Ikekuburo, he can make mistake like making Shizu-chan angry. My overall score for this anime is 10.0 because I really enjoyed it. And also the second chapter is coming out in July. That means... we are going to play the waiting game.
Blazestar
03/21/2015, 06:17 PM
Alright, let me make this straight. As a fan, the second season of Drrr!! could not be be a larger disappointment. This show went from pretty innovative to slightly above average to mediocre or even bad in this "action packed" 12-episode arc. Any constructive criticism is welcomed and appreciated via PM or comment. STORY (Premise 1/2, Execution 2/8) The story of Drrr!!, put it in a simple term, is all over the place, and I can safely say that nothing important has happened other than some introduction for some "interesting" characters. The only dramatic parts of this season is the beginning and ending, all the restare very mediocre progression that does nothing but introducing characters. The show starts rather promising, showing how everyone has changed from the first season. When every single one of us was expecting some true development between those characters, what actually happened was they intentionally used those "development" to flesh-out the new casts that nobody cares. Put it in other words, this entire season's purpose is to flesh out the new characters. That is it. Sure, one can argue that the MC and his BFF, as well as some of the other characters are getting some emotional breakdowns and choices that they need to make. The problem is, the show never explore anything that's actually going on with any of the characters. As a character driven story, when none of the characters are more than 1 dimensional archetypes, they is hardly a conflict to begin with. It seems like the creator finally understood the meaning of the term "gangs" since they FINALLY added some "real" street fights without anyone getting killed or seriously injured (not any of the "main" characters anyways). At the end of the day, I'm sure one can enjoy the way the story is told with all those fancy time-skip and time reroll, but after watching it, especially if you watch it one episode a week, you have the feeling that nothing ever happens. I'm just hoping the next two cours coming out later this year will make this miserable season worth it. MAKE SURE YOU MARATHON IT IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT. CHARACTERS (Design 2/2, development 1/8) As I mentioned above, several characters are introduced, but the original casts pretty much stood there not moving. The design is quite interesting. The Russian sushi finally has a purpose with the introduction of multiple russian soldiers and that book-biker, shizuo's brother's got a interesting action going and a girl from a real gang leader comes into play as well. Drrr!! has already suffered from the "enormous cast" problem toward the end of the previous season. In the new season, they amplifies the problem to a whole new level. Because there are only 12 episodes, and each has only 20 mins screen time, the fact that the show tries to focus on approximately 15 characters means none of those characters are getting more than 15 mins for their personal development. On top of that, the fact that every character receives 2 mins each episodes just slices each person's changes and development even further. Basically, nothing significant has happened. But, the fact that all the characters are somehow crumpled up somehow in this somewhat short timing can be entertaining. To me, it lacks the sense of progression the first season offered so I find myself very frustrated or even annoyed whenever I see characters act meaninglessly and without direction. GRAPHIC (Art 3/5, Animation 2/5) The art of Drrr!! can be summarized like this: If they can get away with 1 color, they would never use two; if they can get away with a straight line, they would never use a curve. I admit, this specific style is quite unique and interesting, it also somewhat fit the edgy-urban atmosphere. But other than that, it's nothing extraordinary. Oh god the animation. The animation is bad. In most none-combat scenes, we get about 5 frames per second when the character is moving, and no frame at all when he/her is not (that's about 90% of the time). In those "action" scenes, having all those cool CGI effect, it is obvious that the rendering quality is awful. Recycled scenes are used everywhere. Keep in mind the second season was not made by the animation team that animated the first season, and it turns out the quality drop is very apparent, sadly. It's 2015. This type of animation is not passable. Extremely unsmooth, pathetically poor. SOUND (OP 1.5/2, ED 2/2, OST 1.5/3 Voice 2/3) Nothing is really exceptional about the opening. Classic heavy metal that fits the theme. The ending tho was one of the most exciting/intriguing ed I've heard. The equal interval, high-pitched male lead gives a really refreshing tone to it, making me want to stick around and not just close it immediately. OST... is also very generic. It is fitting, but not really dynamic. My favorite track is the music played during the chat room scenes, which says a lot about how flat the music overall is. Rather disappointing. The dub is your standard dub, (so far only 2 episodes) nothing to expect, passable. The japanese tho, since barely anything good happens, it feels like the characters are just monologuing everything from their mouth in a unified tone... Overall, the music is alright. Best part of the show in fact. ENJOYMENT (5/10) First 3 episode, 9/10, second 3, 5/10, third 3, 2/10, last 3, 7/10. Personally I just felt nothing happened each week. It's been quite disappointing that I hyped about this show every Friday and ended up crying after watching those "nothing happens" episodes. um, I guess I was too disappointed about the lack of progression unlike the first season... OVERALLALL (5/10) This show is literally the definition of mediocrity. Everything it has is kinda bad, It is too good to be considered a trash show, but it's too bad to be considered good. With serious consideration, I harshly give it a 5, since it is just simply too mediocre. Hopefully this is just a preview for the next two arcs. (MAKE SURE YOU MARATHON IT. PLEASE. Since watching it once a week truly kills you. ) Peace.
ZephSilver
03/14/2015, 04:21 PM
Since first being introduced in 2010, Durarara!! has managed to garner a sizable fanbase and cult following among anime fans. Due to its relative success, it has quickly become one of the more recognizable titles to those that have been a part of the community for a decent amount of time. Also, the bizarre name choice does nothing but help in that regard as well. With that accumulated success coupled with the name recognition, it should be a no-brainer that a sequel was bound to be in the works. Now enter Durarara!!x2 Shou, the follow-up story to its predecessor. A show full of quirky characters,crazy hijinks..., and unfortunately the same noticeable problems that plagued the 1st season. The most prominent aspect of DRRR is by far its method of storytelling. Instead of focusing on a linear narrative and plot that goes from point A to point B, it takes on the more unique "vantage point" kind of structure. A structure that's uncommonly used and rightfully so, as it's inherently more difficult to pull off without becoming muddled and taxing. This ability to not only capture but adequately present this method of storytelling is something that DRRR deserves credit for. Very few anime titles dare to tackle this approach, one other famous case being Baccano!, but we'll talk about that later. The story, when boiled down to it, is about gang disputes in the city of Ikebukuro and all the people that are either directly or indirectly affected by it. Through the "vantage point" method mentioned, we see events slowly unfold from one of our many characters' point of view. At any given time, we as viewers are taken to a different 1st person point of view and see where they fall into the show's overarching story. Together, these collective of 1st person POVs help provide the platform for the main one to take form. Sounds fun right? Well here's where the REAL problem begins. You see, this unique method of storytelling is possibly the show's greatest strength and weakness as well. Because we are always switching between characters to piece together any given story slowly, it can often result in a very dragged out narrative, of which plot progression feels non-existent for long periods of time. And because of the constant back and forth between what POV shot we're following, the personalities themselves are never given enough time to reveal any further dimension. This forces the creative team to resort to personality quirks in place of actual character focus. May that be the smart guy with a sinister motive, the airhead genius professor, the short-tempered bartender, the plethora of one-note baddies, and the list goes on and on. All of the characters just comes across as just that, "characters." None of them ever getting the chance to feel like flesh and blood because the material at hand has simply robbed them of the opportunity. It feels like you're watching the writers just doodle in any archetype that comes to mind and pushing them onto the set to some silly kids stage performance. And for a show that depends heavily on the characters and their interactions to sell its narrative, this becomes a huge letdown. In fact, the city of Ikebukuro itself has more personality than the characters living in it. Even if that was the intention, when the narrative restricts you to following one person at a time, a growing sense of disinterest easily festers. Also back to the other topic at hand, the pacing, my God is it sluggish. A plot point that would typically be wrapped up in 1-3 episodes takes an ENTIRE season to unfold. Again this due to the unique storytelling since it takes a "beating around the bush" approach to everything. Every characters' perspective is needed to bring forth any kind of progression and given that 20+ characters are masquerading around the city at any given time, needless to say, it takes a lonnggg time before anything of great significance happens. This is made even worse by the excessive padding since scenes are stretched out longer than what's needed. Attempting a Tarantino-style narrative isn't the problem here, it's the show itself that's fumbling the formula. Not much can be said about the art and animation; they're pretty standard fare by today's standards. However, the animation was very inconsistent at times. It shouldn't be anything to take away from your experience, but for anyone paying close attention, it could become a glaring issue. The characters designs, on the other hand, are quite unique. Each given a specific appearance to match their personality. Many of which are easily recognizable when compared to the attempts made by other series. It has a particular trademark style that sets it apart in that regard. The soundtrack remains relativity the same as its prequel. It is another standout of DRRR, with music that ranges from various genres and samples. You can go from a booming jazz section to a soft piano ballad accompanied by a xylophone and flute. It gives everything a certain pizzazz; like the zaniness of the city itself captured in auditory form. Standout tracks being "The Sought-after Extraordinary," "Russian Bodyguard," "Stumbling Samba," just to name a few. It's a great stand-alone listen for those with time to spend. And now it's time to address the obligatory comparison whenever this title is brought up: Durarara!! In many ways, it can be said that if it wasn't for Baccano! Durarara!! wouldn't have seen the light of day. Seeing that both were animated by Brains Base, was created by the same person, and contain the same setup, from the gang feuds occurring in a big city to the intertwined storytelling, used to chronicle the tale. Almost everything you can find in Baccano you can easily find in Drrr, except for one thing; Baccano! was never dragged out to a snail pace. You see, that debate you may have or have not come across with people saying "Baccano! is better than DRRR" actually holds merit. Baccano did the same thing but never outstayed its welcome. It told an interesting story about immortals and gangs, got to the point, and ended, that's it, case closed. It's a prime example of a show that utilizes the same method of storytelling the right way. Now, if Drrr had followed suit and took the same "to the point" approach there wouldn't be an issue..., but here we are, 30+ episodes later. Durarararrarararararararara isn't necessarily a bad series by any means, but whenever I view it, I find myself wondering what the point of it all is. Quirky characters doing quirky shit. The only saving grace is the intertwined storytelling, and even then, that aspect has its issues. It's too flimsily handled for a show dealing with gang feuds and spreads itself far too thin to leave any impact. If we remove the kooky ever-changing storyline, what will be left is just another perpetual show no different from what's produced every year. With characters that lack dimension and a story that spreads itself too thin, DRRR definitely outstayed its welcome.

Durarara!!x2 Shou デュラララ!!×２承

2015 winter | Episodes: 12 | Score: 8.0 (257816)

Updated every Saturdays at 23:30 | Status: Finished Airing

Type: TV

Producers:Aniplex | Square Enix | Mainichi Broadcasting System | Movic | ASCII Media Works

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Synopsis

Voice Actors

Ono, Daisuke

Fukuyama, Jun

Kamiya, Hiroshi

Toyonaga, Toshiyuki

Hanazawa, Kana

Sawashiro, Miyuki

News

Reviews

BabyGirl06301
09/23/2019, 07:50 AM
This season was better, but only because the story was worse. Okay, so, I've finished the second season of Durarara!! I kind of feel like I didn't watch much. Based on what we were left with in the first season, not a lot of it got brought back up during this second round. Here's the thing: I didn't like the first season. The structure of the storytelling was too damn choppy, and it distracted from the actually decent story itself. This season was the opposite. I appreciated that this season backed off the overly unique storytelling avenue of making you figure out 3/4 of thestory for yourself. I felt like I was able to have fun with the characters a lot more this season and enjoy the world they're a part of. However, the substance was just completely lost from the first season. Everything that was left as a loose end wasn't even touched in the x2 story. I was expecting some type of continuation or development, but it didn't happen. Speaking of development, that was also nowhere to be seen as far as the characters went. There was barely any of it at all in the original series, and that was another one of my pet peeves about it, but at least the story forced the characters to develop somewhat. This second season didn't even do that. It kind of tried to with one of the main characters, but it wasn't doing. Basically, everything felt kind of pointless. Though, again, I was able to enjoy this season more because it wasn't so abstract. I did come to realize that the shapelessness of the story is probably what drew people to the original series in the first place, but it went overboard then and I still stand by that after watching x2. If, in the future, I could get a taste of the interesting story bits from the first season while having that story be told in a way similar to the second season, I think I could really end up liking Durarara!! I guess we'll find out.
Quan_
02/13/2016, 08:59 AM
[Adapted From Original Blog Post] [Mini Review] The five year gap between Durarara's first season and Shou may in fact be its greatest weakness. It's rather abrupt seeing these characters after so long, brought to life by a new, rougher art-style and now entangled in a complicated web of relations with new characters we don't yet know; it all is a little alienating at first, especially when the first episodes of this new season are largely spent parading around the setting of Ikebukuro, a large deviation from the action-packed finale of season one. I can't hold that against Shou, however. Its job isn't easy. It needs torecover old fans of the franchise while attracting new ones, set the ground-work for a second season that will be spread over three cours, while still having a definite narrative of its own that has a beginning and end, and it had to accomplish all of this in just 12 episodes. When you look at it that way, it's actually quite amazing Shou turned out as well as it did. True, the beginning is slow and rather abrupt in its presentation, and while the writing is good, Durarara as a franchise has never held it accountable over fun action sequences and crazy characters. Sometimes I can't help but feel that Shou is simply adding things in order to make everything more complicated, because for all the setting-up it does for multiple characters arcs later on in !!x2, there are a few times it simply doesn't go anywhere, wasting precious time in a franchise whose pacing basically is already defined by being rushed and incoherent. That's when it becomes frustrating, and that's when I sincerely get angry at this show, because it's too caught up in its own insanity to actually concentrate on the bundle of things it has on its hands that are actually really interesting, a pit-fall its older cousin Baccano! was able to side-step with flying colors. But I know that's redundant and unfair. If there's anything Shou was able to do, it was to define Durarara!! as its own entity, one that promises to end up in a very awesome place indeed by the end of all three cours of !!x2. And speaking of which. What really redeems Shou in the end as its own entertaining narrative is the rather excellent last few episodes. When it actually has all the prerequisites of its own limited existence out of the way, Shou turns the excitement level up to 11, grabbing whatever plot-threads it needs and accelerates into an extremely satisfying ending, one that not only ends on several awesome but equally tortuous cliffhangers, but sets up the real narrative of !!x2, as the story of Mikado Ryūgamine and the crazy-ass city that surrounds him reveals its true colors and propels the hype level into levels yet uncharted. Shou is really good at what it sets out to do, and even if you don't like this cour for its bipolarity, you can't dispute that for Durarara!!x2, it's absolutely imperative. Final Verdict: 7/10 P.S: "Then why are you smiling?" For this review and others, feel free to check out my blog! (Link on profile)
For_Reign
11/14/2015, 09:59 AM
I can understand why some people were somewhat disappointed with this since not very much really happens. These 12 episodes focused mainly on the introduction of new characters and not much can be done in only 12 episodes, unlike the first season which had a complete 25 episodes to get things running. However, I believe things to get much more interesting in the following arc. I waited 5 long years for this, and I re-watched the first season before I watched this and personally, I am not disappointing. Though these 12 episodes are a little more laid-back than the usual I enjoyed it very muchand give it the same rating I gave the first season.
Tacas
10/04/2015, 07:04 AM
Not often are we presented with something truly unique. Most of the time, anime and all other works of entertainment are a compilation of different themes and tropes one has already seen somewhere else before. While Durarara is not necessarily an exception, it certainly tries to present its content in an uncommon approach, creating an incomparable atmosphere. Unlike most other anime, Durarara does not have a protagonist but instead consists of a large ensemble of characters. Regular anime concentrate on not more than four characters while this one focuses on at least eight. Durarara is not the only anime to have an ensemble cast – Baccanoand Fate/Zero come to mind – but not having a protagonist undeniably is a rare trait in anime. Of course, it is inevitable that there are characters who receive more development than others but the focus can be shifted to another member of the ensemble without a problem. Durarara is set in Ikebukuro and while there are other anime which take place in the same district of Tokyo, this show uses a different approach than the others: The viewer is shown multiple scenes which happen contemporarily and affect one another. The setting greatly supports this idea as Ikebukuro is a huge district with diverse locations. Consequently, Durarara's story has a high level of complexity one cannot follow effortlessly. This leads to an important aspect concerning the ensemble: Every character has to be written extremely well as they all receive considerable attention. Durarara has a multitude of characters, ranging from Shizuo, a grumpy person with super-human strength, to Celty, a headless motorcyclist, and Anri, a shy girl who holds a mysterious secret. As you can see, there are also supernatural beings present in Durarara but these does not affect its quality negatively. As a matter of fact, these abnormal occurrences enrich the story greatly and are quite creative as well. Unfortunately, in this anime's first season, the viewer is often presented with the few tiresome characters the show has while longing for scenes including, for example, Shizuo and his rival, Izaya. When there are scenes which include them or other compelling cast members, they are usually great but, sadly, the viewer has to endure other characters' scenes first. However, in this sequel, the focus is not only shifted to the more interesting members of the ensemble but some of the former hardly endurable characters receive a fair bit of characterisation as well. Moreover, Durarara!!x2 Shou introduces some new characters who either have a compelling backstory or provide very entertaining comic relief moments, which sometimes even affect the anime's main story. Additionally, the storytelling aspect has improved as well. In the first season, it sometimes seemed as though the anime does not know which path it wants to take. This is different in Shou as the story manages to focus on less things at once, which ultimately results in a much better experience. That being said, Durarara still is not completely satisfying. In the end, it feels like this part is supposed to build up a huge storyline which has yet to come. As such, Shou's story might not be perfect but it could lead to something amazing. Another change to the first season is the animation studio. Studio Shuka has animated this first part of the second season and it did an appreciable job. There are some weird animations sometimes but generally, there is nothing one could complain about. The background music has not changed from the original season and suites the anime's atmosphere magnificently. The same can be said about the opening and ending theme, even though those of the first season are slightly more fitting. In the end, I can only recommend the second season of Durarara to anybody who has watched the first one, as you will not understand anything if you have not done so. Shou is superior in basically every aspect and even if you did not like the first season but finished it, you might want to give this part a try. It might not be the best anime in existence but it certainly makes a huge effort in order to become something unique of high quality.
NeoKorean
07/09/2015, 12:13 AM
I'm a big fan of Durarara!! season 1, and absolutely loved the way the story was told. This anime is definitely my kind of thing. The characters, the plot, art style, and sound is all genuinely outstanding. I must say I'm enjoying Durarara!!x2 a lot more than 1. x2 will be aired in 3 cours (This being the first each consisting of 12 episodes). Durarara!! is one of those mischievous anime's' with a complex story that is told through a variation of characters in each episode. Each episode is smartly crafted into a puzzle like piece where it forces you to watch, and continue the animeinto the next episode in order to find out wtf was really going on. Certain people might find it exhausting to comprehend, but in the end you ultimately will understand it, since it's usually explained to you in the last part of the episode or next. STORY: 9/10 The story starts off I believe a couple months after the events of season 1. Everything has roughly stayed the same, and Ikebukuro is still a city that has millions of things happening in it at the same time. Each episode has various stories being told, with almost every character having an impact on what is exactly happening in that precise moment. All characters are part of the story and all of the events happening eventually converge. It might be a messy way of storytelling, but you will find out quickly if it's something you enjoy or hate. A variety of characters return, and a whole lot of new characters are also introduced adding to the joy of Ikebukuro. As shown in season 1 we see the clash of gang wars, as well as new gangs that pop up inside the city adding competition between gang members, and of course the Dollars are involved in every conceivable way. A lot of things that you've seen in the first Durarara is still present in season 2, and the only difference is the addition of new characters, a twisted storyline, and overall a large amount of color and flavor to add to it. ART: 10/10 Nothing extremely special here. The animation is beautiful, nothing bad about it in my opinion, and I find it hard to believe anyone having problems with it. The intro is amazing, and is now one of my favorite openings to an anime ever. The outro not so much, but it's like every other Durarara intro/outro. Each one introduces all the characters in the show (new ones included) doing their daily tasks in Ikebukuro. TBH I find no reason to criticize the art at all. SOUND: 9/10 The music to the intro/outro is very nice. The intro more so. I know all anime intros are suppose to be catchy, but this one nails it. Overall a lot of the music is recycled from season 1, which is fine. I see no reason to make a new OST for this anime. The music matches very well to what exactly happens, when events unfold. Overall I don't find any of the music memorable, and I don't envision myself listening to many of the songs from the OST (other than the intro songs). If you are planning to watch this Dubbed or Subbed. It doesn't really matter since both are very well done. I would actually lean toward the dub version though. This is one of the very few anime's that actually have a nice English dub, and the fact that both are airing simultaneously is a nice plus as well. CHARACTERS: 10/10 This is where Durarara really shines. The anime introduces a very large cast of characters. The best thing about it is that they all mesh together very well with what's going on as well. You never feel that any character is bland or left out for filler. Each character offers their own sense of uniqueness. This anime doesn't exactly have a protagonist, since all episodes showcase nearly all the characters with shared amount of screen time. I guess you could say that Mikado is the protagonist, but in my opinion he's my least favorite character. Mikado - He's the generic high schooler who's naive, oblivious to everything, and all around a pussy when it comes to when stuff is about to happen or IS happening. Anri - If you watched season 1 you know that she's the demon chick with the katana. She's alright, but overall I could care less about her, since she shares a very passive/innocent personality that can tick you off a bit. Shizuo - The badass guy in the bartender suit, who we all love. This guy is apparently the strongest person in Ikebukuro (Literally) and no one wants to trifle with this guy one bit. He returns with some pretty big parts in this anime. Izaya - My favorite character from the series, mainly because of his tricky personality. Izaya enjoys messing with people (mainly Shizuo) and he is the person who literally runs Ikebukuro. He's an information broker who fights with Shizuo often, and exchanges information for his own desires. I would describe him as a young intelligent underground boss of Ikebukuro. There're loads of other characters, but in all honesty just watch the anime and enjoy it yourself. OVERALL/ENJOYMENTS: 9/10 This is a very nice anime to watch to catch some laughs. Considering it's only a comedy like anime, which I don't really watch often. It does it well, and I see no reason why people would dislike it. I thoroughly enjoyed every single bit of it. I laughed and regarded this anime as a very clever one, which makes you think, and pay attention. I never found myself bored of watching it. The dialogue and characters kept it lively, and full of euphoria. I guess the only thing you can really say about this anime that could be bad is that there is never a feeling that people will actually die. None of the main characters are really killed off, although many of them want to kill each other and say they will ie. Shizuo/Izaya. They never really get around to it, and in the end everyone ends up fighting and surviving anyway. So you never have to worry about your main character dying, even though people still get hurt. They brush it off like a flesh wound. The suspense is non-existent, and its leaned toward a more comedic approach now, which I think was a smart decision.
BanjoTheBear
06/04/2015, 07:53 PM
(This has been adapted from my blog/reddit thread. Spoilers ahead!) When I was a teenager, one of the things I got to do through the good graces of my education was “shadow” a doctor at a local hospital. “Shadowing” derives its name from the act of following someone around everywhere, like a shadow, looking on as he or she does what needs doing for learning purposes. In this case, it was a series of medical professionals in the emergency center. There, I got to see quite a few things: a broken baby’s arm, a cranial injury, and other sick patients. But the most important experience Ihad from all this? I discovered what I didn’t want to do. I wasn’t fit to be someone in the field of medicine, because it wasn’t “for” me. In other words, I didn’t belong in this area, and finding this out as early as I did is something I always look back fondly on. Durarara!!x2 Shou plays with the idea of “finding where you belong,” with a small twist, presenting the audience with an alright offering and nothing more. STORY Shou takes place sometime after the events of the first season of Durarara. Ryuugamine and Sonohara are in school, Celty runs errands, and Ikebukuro continues to be the bustling city it’s always been. With murders, kidnappings, and turf wars abound this time around, the inhabitants of the town proceed through life aiming for smiles, not frowns. Shou finds itself in a rather awkward position. It’s a “split-cour” anime – a show whose season is essentially split into two. But it’s worse than this, because it’s technically a “split-split-cour.” The show’s content is divided into three separate pieces, meaning that this segment of the anime isn’t even the “set-up” for the conclusion. Shou is the set-up for the set-up for the conclusion. And it shows. Much of what goes on within the anime is entirely inconsequential for now. Nothing appears to hold any significance to anyone whatsoever, despite the anime focusing on three separate story arcs. The first with the actress, the second with the Russian blonde, and the third with the young daughter of a mafia boss; the only sense of purpose they provide is giving us a bunch of new characters to see or follow. The actual importance of these plot lines is lacking, but the anime, per usual, injects new people into the already busy city with ease. This development is both a boon and a detriment, though. On the one hand, these newer characters provide us the opportunity to witness what conflicts or issues they bring to the table that is Ikebukuro. On the other hand, due to the already massive size of the cast, it runs into an inherent problem: too many people for its own good. There are a lot of characters within Shou at this point (with even a brand new character being introduced literally right at the conclusion of the season). So adding more to the already extensive list forces the anime to divvy up its resources as best it can while leaving many known characters on the wayside. Main members Shinra and Sonohara, side members Namie and Emilia, and even the new recruits “Hollywood” and the Orihara twins are allowed less than a handful of opportunities to shine. They might have one small part or stretch of dialogue, but because the anime decided to put its attention towards other venues – Vorona, Akane, and Ryuugamine, specifically – this inevitably led to a disproportionate amount of focus for many of the characters. While Shou has a tough time juggling the people it is dealing with, it does present a rather nice thematic presence. This was brought up in the introduction, the idea of “finding where you belong.” But as was said there as well, there’s a slight twist: it’s not so much finding where you belong, but figuring out if you even want to be there in the first place. Ikebukuro is a city full of crazies, with each (known) resident having his or her own distinct personality. So what we see from “Hollywood,” Vorona, and Akane, the newcomers, is this very ideal. They don’t have a place to call their own. Whether that is because of their homicidal tendencies, their unending quest for the unknown, or the “betrayal” of their family, each finds herself in a rough spot, wondering if the city they now find themselves in will “accept” them for who they are. Ryuugamine goes through this same thought process; in fact, he’s the only one to second guess his position. Because in his reality, he’s the most “normal,” with this season showcasing his franticness, passiveness, and anxiety of being left behind in the place that he thought he knew as home. By the finale, it’s not fully known whether the decision he made was right or wrong. But at the minimum, Ryuugamine and the other girls did find their answer: Ikebukuro is the place for them. ANIMATION It’s difficult to describe the art for Shou, simply because of how boring it all comes off as being. It all blends together in its blues and greens, with the same skyscrapers, cafés, and restaurants marking it as any other busy town of the era. The regular residents, too, take on a persona devoid of detail or life, adding further to the art’s established stagnation. This all sounds pretty bad, until you realize that it’s supposed to be this way. While the locales often mesh together into sameness, they aren’t missing intricacy. Meaning, the backgrounds are detailed yet come off as “unappealing” to accentuate the ridiculous cast that traverse them. It’s simple, clever, and it works. Given the eccentric nature of the characters, their outward designs likewise match their inner selves. Veterans such as Celty with her yellow motorcycle helmet and jet-black, “leather” outfit and Shizuo’s tuxedo, ruffled hair, and purple shades make their return and are as nicely composed as always. The new additions see the same treatment; Rokujou’s fedora, fashion-sense, and constant bandages highlight him as the womanizer yet protector that he is. And Vorona’s orange-and-white tracksuit, light, long hair, and purple eyes make her stand out just enough among the rest of the cast without being overbearing. Actual animation is somewhere slightly above average. Surprisingly, there is a lot of action despite the show having a large amount of talking or side conversations. From a “friendly” brawl to a horse-drawn carriage, the events that take place, like the characters that act them out, are often unorthodox in nature and therefore present the anime ample chances to strut its stuff movement-wise. CHARACTERS Due to Shou’s already-discussed segmentation when it comes to the overall material it presents, much of what occurs with the characters isn’t development. Instead, it’s either reconfirmation of the characterization they were already given – this is mainly targeted towards the original cast – or it is important background information – perhaps obviously, for the newfound characters. So while they don’t undergo anything life changing, they do hold pretty intriguing parallels that make them more than just the weirdness they each portray. Akane is a seemingly shy little girl who has a loving family and wonderful friends. But thanks to the advent of the Internet and smart phones – and being like any other curious ten-or-so year old – she easily researches that her family isn’t just well-off; they’re feared because of the gang-like connections they maintain. Subsequently, Akane realizes that her friends are artificial, that they only praise or follow her to keep their own families safe from harm from Akane’s. Thus, with a family who lied and friends who weren’t true, Akane runs away, confiding in the dastardly Izaya. At this point, her trust issues are all over the place: she wants family and friends around her, but to her, everyone is “out to get her.” Meaning, when Izaya gives her a rather enticing proposition, she takes it. But her target couldn’t be more impossible to eliminate; not only is it Shizuo, but she’s literally just a kid. The two couldn’t be further apart…at least, at first glance. In essence, Shizuo mirrors Akane in many ways. Where Akane seeks to have others be there for her (again, she is a child) Shizuo pushes everyone else away every chance he gets. Akane received help from Shizuo’s rival – something that Shizuo would never do. One is physically strong but mentally weak while the other is physically weak but mentally strong. And above all, they each have the same stalwart conviction to do whatever it takes to get what they want. “Opposites attract,” and it couldn’t be more on point for this strange duo. In an eerily relatable situation herself, Vorona is a Russian assassin given various tasks to undertake. But growing up, she was less active and brainier. This was caused by her father’s estrangement due to his mafia-based position. With her father away and nobody else around, she turned to books, obtaining all kinds of obscure facts, minute knowledge, and completely out-there tidbits of information. Burrowing herself in the pages of the novels, encyclopedias, and poems she read had two side-effects: a lifeless personality and a thirst for more. The former is simple enough to understand; there might be books on the psyche we have or the feelings we get, but learning to express or control said emotions is something no amount of words can properly teach. The latter is somewhat counterintuitive. While she may not look it, she knows more or less everything there is to know. So to her, her greatest pleasure is discovering that which is not known to her. And Ikebukuro is the place where she can investigate such outliers. But she can’t do it alone. When she isn’t killing others or being unintentionally impersonal, the only person she can rely on is Sloan. He does whatever she asks of him (usually driving the get-away vehicle), but he also does something a bit more sincere. And that’s simply asking her about whatever is contained in that noggin of hers. It’s a tiny gesture, but it means a lot; having so much “useless” knowledge stored away, who wouldn’t want to share that with somebody else? It’s for these reasons – always being there for her and actually getting who she is – that makes them the “partners in crime” that they’ve become. Looking at both Akane and Vorona, there is a theme that the anime works with. It’s not the loneliness or yakuza-esque settings, but the pairing that each creates. These two girls rely on someone else to help them because, as was brought up earlier, they are attempting to see if Ikebukuro is the place for them. The same applies to “Hollywood.” She leans on Kasuka fully to get her through her mental instability. In other words, the complement to the one requiring aide gives it. Other pairings can be found – Kadota and Rokujou, Celty and Shinra, and the Orihara twins, to name a few – but the most intriguing once again falls on Ryuugamine. He, too, is trying with all his might to figure out what to do. His pairing, though, isn’t Sonohara or Izaya, but rather Aoba. Ryuugamine’s coupling is special for a fascinating reason: his pairing is wrong. The audience is fully aware that Masaomi, his best friend, is the “match made in heaven.” But with Masaomi gone, he is forced to work with the oddball influencer, getting himself caught up in something he thought he was done with. While Masaomi may come to save the day eventually, for now, Ryuugamine’s pairing serves as a reminder that sometimes, particular pairings not only don’t work but can cause more harm than wanted. SOUND The opening theme is rough, but in a good way. The singer is coarse, the guitar is jamming, and the beat is contrarily slow when compared to the goings-on of the city it predates. It’s an okay piece that, if nothing else, does its job of getting the viewer ready for what’s about to go down. The ending theme, however, is pretty good. It’s somewhat unintelligible due to the reverb effects, but its fast pace and catchy beat make it a fun piece all-around that’s just as wacky as everything else Shou brings forth. The soundtrack is only notable for the screeching brass instrument that plays during tense moments and the dainty, off-kilter flute that, strangely, both does and doesn’t fit. Outside of other, mysterious mood-setters, many of the tracks only work to set the tone and nothing more. Voice acting is about average in overall performances. Special shout-outs are deserved for Hiroshi Kamiya as Izaya for his cocky portrayal and Toshiyuki Toyonaga as Ryuugamine for his broken-voiced way of speaking. ENJOYMENT I was not a fan of this iteration. Maybe it’s because of how downright annoying I find Izaya to be, how lame of a narrative arc Masaomi and Saki have, or how bored I found myself being with whatever it was trying to present. The disjointed storytelling is cool but nothing worthwhile, the cast isn’t relatable, and nothing really dramatic or comedic comes to fruition. It was a slow burn, from start to finish, with the flame never providing enough light to guide me down the path of entertainment. Durarara!!x2 Shou has a forgettable plot, a passing grade in its music, and very little in the form of happiness. However, its interesting characters and solid themes provide it with a platform that isn’t entirely brittle. Hopefully the continuations do more, for there is certainly room for improvement. SUMMARY Story: Fine, currently meaningless plot developments, the new characters are properly introduced but induce overabundance, and the theme of finding one’s place is explored nicely Animation: Good, purposeful yet boring art style, nice character designs, slightly above average actual animation Characters: Good, zero development, but new characters such as Akane, Vorona, and “Hollywood” work in tandem with Ryuugamine and others to exemplify the idea of pairings Sound: Fine, okay OP, good ED, moody soundtrack, average VA work Enjoyment: Bad, Izaya is beyond annoying, the characters are not relatable, and only very minor instances of fun were had Final Score: 5/10
eskimoseb
05/05/2015, 09:31 AM
Anime in particular seems to have a soft spot for eschewing logic. Don’t laugh, it’s true! Ever since I watched shows like Bakemonogatari or even Haruhi Suzumiya, I knew I was in for a bumpy ride. Now here comes a new contender for the throne of procedurally defying logic: Durarara X2 Shou. The original season had an approximately chronologically linear story, popping to different character’s viewpoints now and then. X2 has taken a leaf from Haruhi’s book though, so you can probably tell where this is going… (The storytelling this season which is about as scattered a baby’s abandoned jigsaw puzzle.) It’s been a while sinceseason 1 of DRRR first aired, but in the world of DRRR it’s business as usual. The cast is largely familiar, as is the wonderful setting of Ikebukuro. Depressed over losing contact with Masaomi Kida, Ryuugamine Mikado continues his student life with Anri Sonohara. Celty meanwhile continues her job as courier, although finds herself being dragged into deep, deep water with the arrival of a hit group from Russia. And yes, Shizuo and Izaya are still at each other’s throats, fear not! You’ll no doubt have already realised, but you’re really going to want to have watched the first season of Durarara before watching X2 (that said, I’ll keep spoilers of season 1 to an absolute minimum). Given X2’s limited 13 episode run-time, this cour opts wisely I think for the 1 overarching arc storyline. There are quite a few branches to this tree though. As ever, we firstly have the gang conflicts, because without them Ikebukuro just wouldn’t be Ikebukuro. The Dollars, Blue Squares and Toromaru are all at each other’s’ throats as they try to gain control of the district. We’ve also got some interesting mafia relations thrown into the mix as well. This mafia/gang warfare is pretty much the overriding storyline of X2, and nearly all the main characters are involved in some way in this story. Over the course of the series, these gangs slowly plunge Ikebukuro into complete madness – with Izaya pulling all the strings of course – and the dynamic between the gangs that the original season did so well to portray remains as exciting to watch in X2. The gangs aren’t the only players in X2. This time, Ikebukuro has some visitors from the distant Russia to stir up further trouble: the beautiful but deadly Varona and the philosophical Sloan. Of the new additions to DRRR’s already expansive cast, I thought these Russian hit-men were some of the best. Like us viewers (unless you happen to live in Ikebukuro…), these new additions are foreign spectators reluctant to intrude on a well-established ecosystem, so it’s interesting to see how they react to the madness that is DRRR. Varona however in particular took me by surprise. At first sight, with her good looks and revealing outfit I had her pegged as clichéd fanservice material. Varona quickly establishes herself as a power player of Ikebukuro, and her personal vendetta against Celty provide some of the real highlights of this season. Her expert combat skills matched with Celty’s fantastical powers set the stage for some of the best battles in DRRR. Now with these storylines, in theory these would and should have been sufficient to satisfy me for this season. What makes Durarara a more difficult recommendation than I would have hoped is the way it goes about portraying these stories. By the end of the season, you’ll have them figured out. Before that though, the structure and pacing of X2 is so fragmented that, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be scratching your head a few too many times. I don’t have a problem with a scattered storyline, Baccano is an example of how a disjointed story can be used to make the series’ conclusion all the more satisfying. X2 however seems to introduce a sense of confusion for the sake of confusion. Where am I? What’s coming next? These are the sorts of existential debates you’ll be having with yourself as you slog through another timeskip. I expect that, given DRRR’s five year absence, the producers were keen to fit in everyone’s favourite characters at every available opportunity, to reassure everyone they had everything under control. Instead, the story comes across as needlessly complex. I very much hope that X2 Ten and Ketsu can provide the much more streamlined storytelling that will do the fantastic characters and setting justice. At this point, I’d like to be able to say I’m done: X2 Shou had a few flaws but overall had things were pretty fine. There are a few more points worth covering though. The sticklers for animation in the audience should note that X2’s animation is embarrassingly lazy at some points. I’m not talking still frame lazy, I’m talking jittery motion and forgetting to animate every second still. Oh well, this is so they could pour more money into the other 2 cours isn’t it? The music on the other hand, which I had high hopes for after season 1, does not fail to deliver. The op and ed are both catchy as hell, and there’s the ever helpful last episode catchup worked into every op as was the case in the original season. The few foibles I have put aside, if you enjoyed Durarara you will still enjoy this series. I certainly did; Shou is setting things up nicely for the two remaining cours of season 2, Ten and Ketsu. Shou ends on a high note, and I’m confident the talented team behind DRRR can continue to deliver.
NoytroO
04/29/2015, 11:17 AM
12 episodes, 5 years after the first 24. Just waiting the next part now. I love the first season, it's by far my favorite anime. When I saw the first season(2014) I said "oh well nice, but there's some questions that I can't answer. And how can they do a second season... No no way." Then I realize I was wrong : a second season was announced since a long time ago. And I think that's why the first season is one of the best anime I ever saw, because it's a big introduction : you have a good knowledge of the characters, and about the story ofthe fabulous city : Ikkebukoro. Anyway. I was pretty... Anxious and reticent about this sequel. I thought they'll just take the same casting and make an other story, not really related with the first one. Of course it can be very good, but "c'est du rechauffer", so that's not very interesting. I can't realize how wrong I was before seeing Durarara!!x2 Shou. They just respect at 100%, no, more: 200%, the Durarara world. Even the added characters in this season are actually really in the same way of this world. Just pretty amazing. They keep all the things from the first part. Every thing. And that's why it's interesting. The story continue, and you want to know what's going on in this city. Why Izaya play with humans. Why Mikado create the dollars. You know some part of answer on these questions, but you can't said at 100% why. Some things become evidence when you see this season. Some others stay in suspend. And till the end, they keep you near the screen, with all your permanent questions. And at the end... You should say : "Okay, give me the next part, RIGHT NOW" Should you watch this anime ? No I shouldn't, you HAVE TO watch it. But of course, start from the beginning with the first season. And I think you pass through one of the best thriller anime if u don't watch it. Story : 10/10 Never see a better story like this one. There's no way to predict what's going to do in the next 5 episodes. And just when they put you in, you can realize how good realized it was. Characters : 10/10 We have everything. But in my mind, there are not typical anime characters you see habitually. They all have a hidden part that we know nothing about it. Art : 9/10 Great, simply. I like, but they are not impressive graphics. Sound : 9/10 Again, it's not something I never heard in my life, but it makes you in more and more, just that we needed. Ejoyement : 10/10 I just can see it like 10 times in a row I think, to really understand everything. Overall rating : 10. Every thing is said. I've never see an anime better than it. I was in since the beginning, and I'm still in.
greatyu
04/10/2015, 11:50 AM
Basically saying Orihara Izaya got jealous that everyone was invited to a hot pot party except for him and decided to ruin things up in Ikebukoro, seriously though that dude is enough to create World War Three. Story: This is a good sequel in my opinion. The main antagonist cooks up the whole story- it's his stage and his play, he himself is an actor and others also dances according to his wishes. Since this is a continuation there's nothing much to tell about the story or plot, but it was worth seeing how the underdogs and the mafia conspire within the deadly silent nightof this beautiful city. Even within the darkness- the people who live in it, have their emotional attachments and desires which of course proves that they are human. The main plot focuses on a child running away from home and it shows how unpredictable conflicts can occur from a one simple incident. Art: There were some changes from the previous season- some of the character designs have been changed and i think that is a valid add. Loved the landscape and scenic atmosphere no doubt the artists worked hard for them. DRRR is famous for the epic intro they give out in the opening and the animation of the ending was very creative. The ending sequence shows a vast image of characters being interconnected together which in my opinion is quite confirming their relationships upto an extent. Sound: The voice dubbing is superb as usual- it's really hard to think everytime for me that it's actually Daisuke Ono that is voicing Shizuo, along with the most recognized voice actors in anime history: Fukuyama Jun,Mamoru Miyano,Hanazawa Kana- they all did justice to their job,no complains there. The openings of DRRR has been superb this far. I liked the opening of this season it totally suited the atmosphere, the ending was quite fine and the OST's weren't that notable in my ears but they were unique and mysterious as required. Character: The most interesting concept of this anime are the characters, you don't get major sadistic directors like Orihara Izaya in every anime for sure. I liked the addition of the new characters- especially Wakaba and the Twins they are very entertaining. I loved that the producers of this anime added a child to get the reactions of the other characters that is one excellent plus point. And of course we can't forget the supernatural characters who made this anime a whole lot interesting and their relationships within the city and how they cope with it is a brilliant addition to the plot. Enjoyment: I'm sure everyone enjoyed this sequel- there were the required anticipation,excitement because of the plot twists. The only con is that there wasn't screen time given to Shizuo to beat up that "flea bag" which i regret every time that he misses the chance because the flea bag runs away from him. They added unique bits which are different in the previous season- so they achieved the quality of the anime wonderfully. I loved how the anime ended- loved it so much that i decided to give an 8 without thinking about other things. In a way "killing" is just a native thing in this anime, sometimes you wonder who's side you take and who's side the characters will take. Overall: I think one reason why this anime got successful as a sequel was that it gave the spotlight to the required characters and also to the newly introduced ones which is unbelievable and what most of the anime shows lack. This season totally deserves an 8/8 for all the epic moments and enjoyment and i would definitely pray for another season.
Flawfinder
04/03/2015, 11:40 AM
I think I'm over Ryogho Narita's style of storytelling. It was fun back when the "no main protagonist" schtick was fresh and I was a naive college student who ate up magical girl shows because they were dark and edgy, but I've seen so many pieces of fiction that have used that sort of style since and Narita ain't exactly Sion Sono when it comes to using that large cast gimmick. And yes, that style has always been a gimmick, but whilst Why Don't You Play In Hell? made the smart move of crafting an engaging narrative in order to push its wacky cast ofgangsters, cops, and students forward, Durarara (and Baccano for that matter) made the incredibly dumb move of trying to use that gimmick to create substance and it gets old really quickly. Especially when everybody is a badass and you have to sacrifice time spent on moving the plot forward in order to focus on personal hijinks that don't develop them in the least. Mind you, I'm not really sure why the fans would be impressed with this long-awaited sequel to one of 2010's biggest hits. In fact, I'd hesitate to call it a sequel. It has "intermission" stamped all over it moreso than Dragon Age II and a bunch of the characters introduced feel like last-minute DLC that somehow made it into the final cut. Also, despite the five-year long wait, it looks like it was rushed out into development with animation that looks worse than horse manure and editing that Ed Wood would bullshit on. Or to put it more succinctly in case you aren't getting what I'm saying, this new Durarara is an incompetent go-nowhere pile of boring. Whilst the first season of Durarara was no stranger to setting things up and not giving a good payoff in the end, it at least it had a sense of mystery and intrigue related to the city of Ikebukuro to the point that you could say it was a lesser version of Mad Men. This new installment, on the other hand, casts that intrigue out the window in order to focus solely on introducing more characters and making them do absolutely nothing to the point that it takes away the main reason anybody would ever watch Mad Men to begin with. So not only does the show not deliver a satisfying finale that's worth the buildup, but the buildup itself isn't even interesting to sit through. It's the Iron Man 2 to, well, Iron Man 1. The show starts off by reintroducing you to all the characters from the first season whilst introducing some new ones through Celty getting a bounty put on her head along with Kasuka (that emotionless actor who's also Shizuo's brother) having a romantic tryst with a serial killer named Hollywood, who is actually a famous actress that cameo'd in the first season. Considering the payoff is that the characters go on a wild car chase culminating in a fight against bikers, you'd think this would be interesting by default, but Durarara just doesn't follow the rules. On top of the fact that the setup to get to that point involves a lot of talking heads and irritating fourth wall-breaking narration that focus too much on the characters and not enough on the plot, the actual climax has zero tension due to the main characters being too overpowered compared to the competition along with the action choreography looking like crap. Worst yet, nothing really comes out of it other than setup for the next arc, something that Izaya says himself with assured smugness. But if you think the next arc will deliver on said setup, prepare for a letdown, because it's as much of a dragged-out mess as the Yellow Scarves arc. They try to distract from that fact by switching between all the different characters, but it doesn't work when none of them are given any sort of narrative propulsion whatsoever and the direction is about as troubled and uninspired as a drugged-out rockstar. Without spoiling too much, the main takeaway from the arc is that our "supposed main hero" Mikado is finally thrown into the middle of things, Izaya is not as all-powerful as the show makes him out to be, Shizuo is strong, Celty just moves plot points along without really affecting them, Masaomi does fuck all, and Chikage loves the ladies. There is very little character or situation change as is, but the eight episodes devoted to building up to it isn't fun either. The cast is so large and the show wants to devote time to giving them all moments and involving them in the final conflict that it causes the pacing to suffer massively. At one point, just as Anri is attacked by a mysterious intruder, the story grinds to a halt in order to devote half an episode into explaining the intruder's background despite the fact that she has little to do with what's going on. And it didn't even have the courtesy to follow-up on that cliffhanger in a satisfying way. A couple of badly animated fight moves and then everyone escapes to live hunky-dorry with knowledge of each other. Yawn. And trust me, you don't even want to get me started on how anticlimactic the actual payoff where everyone meets with each other is. There's one cool scene where Shizuo takes on a giant truck, but that's about it. The best scenes come in the last three minutes of follow-up (the other follow-up scenes are a Return of the Kings-style snorefest) but at that point, it's too little too late. And before people pull that "it's only the first cour" bullshit on me, let me remind you guys that no matter what label you slap on it, thirteen episodes is a lot to sit through. Hell, it's twice as long as your average movie, and if you can't deliver where other products have with far less time, than something is very wrong with you. I don't care if movies have much larger budgets or whatever. No matter what the format, you're supposed to start the story at the very beginning and only end it at the very end. This first third of the new Durarara had two distinct arcs and despite all the events that went on, the fact of the matter is that there was zero story progression whatsoever. I don't enjoy watching setup for the sake of setup. It wasn't fun in Shin Sekai Yori and it sure as hell ain't fun here. Not going to say the show doesn't have its moments. The part where Shizuo smiles for the first time in his life cracks me up. But whilst I plan on watching the next installment - if only because I have no life and thus have a lot of time on my hands - I recommend anyone who finishes this show, whether they like it or not, to watch Why Don't You Play In Hell? right afterwards. That movie is everything Durarara wanted to be, it pulled it off way better, and it did more in two hours than this series has done in thirty-six episodes. Thirty-eight if you include the bonus ones.
Lindle
04/02/2015, 10:36 AM
After 5 years, Durarara finally graces our screens again. The results are hit and miss. The first of three scheduled Durarara series, x2 Shou is divided into two arcs. The first of them is a simple 4-episode story pieced together from multiple perspectives. The story itself isn't all that impressive, but it is improved by its use of multiple perspectives. However, the real point of this arc is to introduce the new characters, and because of the arc's laid-back nature it's extremely fun to just watch the characters intersect and interact. Durarara's most noteworthy feature has always been its huge cast of memorable characters, and x2 Shoufollows suit by introducing a lot more. With the entire first arc dedicated to this, some excellent standouts emerge, most notably Mairu and Kururi Orihara, Izaya's younger twin sisters, who steal the show for their entire duration onscreen. However, while some of the new characters are excellent, the sheer excess of them is Durarara x2 Shou's biggest problem. Once the second arc gets into full swing, we're treated to a plot built around remnant factions of the Blue Squares, a new gang called Torumaru, multiple corporations, several Yakuza factions with links to said corporations, a serial killer, a pair of Russian assassins, and a young girl with a tazer, along with all the previously established Dollars from the previous season. This arc lasts 8 episodes - there are as many groups of characters involved as there are episodes in this story arc. Durarara has always utilized this kind of chaotic clusterfuck well, but in this instance it bit off more than it could chew. Because of that, it can be a struggle at times to remember which characters are involved with which other characters, and why. It also results in a very unfocused story. There are several smaller stories that all tie into the bigger picture, but the most important part of the story revolves around a small faction of the Blue Squares emerging within another gang and trying to take it over from within, and them inciting an all-out war with another gang, while their leader tries to stop it, and realizes that the gang's own structure has worked against him, creating a situation where he is powerless to control his own creation. This entire situation is deliberately set off by a manipulative genius to serve his own ends. If that sounds familiar to you, it's because that's exactly what the last arc of Durarara's first season was about. I always considered the Yellow Scarves arc of Durarara season 1 to be its weakest, so a rehash of that arc, in theory, should have been a bad idea. However, the Torumaru arc has proven itself to be a big improvement, despite sharing the same structure. This time around, it revolves around a better set of characters (despite an unfortunate lack of Izaya), and has replaced teenage angst and irritating misunderstandings with crazy Russian assassins and HILARIOUS misunderstandings. However, it does still feel a bit redundant. The ending, however, single-handedly justifies the entire season. The final episode begins with several minutes of Shizuo at his best. It then follows it up with three shocking and dramatic twists that promise great things for the upcoming season. While I won't go into too much detail on said twists for spoiler reasons, the best of the three makes use of everything that has happened to Mikado in the last eight episodes, and results in his characterization finally taking a brilliant new direction. All three twists leave the series ending on a fantastic cliffhanger, which I think says it all about this season: it's transitionary. Its main purpose is to introduce new elements to build onto the first season, and prepare them for the excellent third season it promises. (EDIT: The third season was most definitely not excellent.) As such, we're just lucky that three new installments have all been confirmed, as x2 Shou would have been a bit of a waste otherwise. This series has been on a very low budget - the first series occasionally had some awkward or cheap animation, but it was only sporadic. x2 Shou has constant off-model shots and horribly animated fight scenes, along with a case of Noodle People the like of which is rarely seen outside of Clamp series. Hopefully, the BD sales from this season will result in an increased budget for x2 Ten and x2 Ketsu. Final Words: Even on a bad day, Durarara is still a very entertaining show, and this holds great promise for subsequent seasons. Story/Plot: 7/10 Characters: 7/10 Animation/Art: 3/10 Music: 8/10 Acting (JP): 7/10 Overall: 7/10 For Fans Of: Baccano!, Mekaku City Actors
BlobbertMcN
04/01/2015, 04:55 AM
Durarara!!x2 Shou - or should it be called DRRR S2 P1? Either way, this was an anime I was very VERY excited for. And now at the conclusion, I am still VERY excited for the next two parts. This second season did not disappoint me, sure there were some changes, but nothing that bothered me very much at all. But - to talk about why I liked this first part of season two, I'll certainly have to mention season one. So SPOILER WARNING for the first season of DRRR (though I'll try not to spoil anything for season two). Let me break it down: ~STORY~ This iswhat will determine whether you love or hate DRRR. Much like the first season, DRRR excels in non-linear, unfocused storytelling. Non-linear means that the story jumps back and forth chronologically between events to show a different perspective of the event; and unfocused means that there isn't a single story happening, rather multiple different story-lines happening simultaneously - occasionally intersecting and affecting the other stories. Because of my opening bit, you can probably tell that this form of storytelling is something I LOVE. And no other series I know comes close to the execution that DRRR has, except for its predecessor "Baccano!". DRRR S2 has a bit of an edge over its predecessor since it is a sequel - meaning that it doesn't have to spend time introducing the characters. This solves a problem that the original DRRR had, that the opening episodes were a little slow. But as for the content of the story? Maybe because it is being split between 3 parts that I felt as if S2 is less substantial than the original, a lot of new elements are introduced, but not much is done with them. But I also have to give credit where credit is due: I like the direction it's heading - even if some of it was unexpected, and the lead in for part 2 has definitely got me excited. I can't say more than that, else I enter spoiler territory, but if Season 1's gang war was the big finale confrontation - I feel as if by the end of part 3, there will be something spectacular to look forward to! ~ART~ I've seen some people complaining about the art - and really it doesn't bother me at all. It's been 5 years, and it's a new studio; If the art is a little sharper than the original, that's fine, hell, even expected. The overall look is much the same, and props to the new studio being able to capture the original atmosphere. If it the art really turns you off so much, you are watching DRRR for the wrong reason. ~SOUND~ I don't often talk about the openings and endings of anime in reviews, rather I talk about the background music. However, for DRRR S2 P1, I'll make an exception: They nailed it. As soon as I heard the opening I quite literally shouted for joy, before I even saw anything the opening made me know I was watching DRRR. Same type of music, same style animation, even the great instrumental section with a quick recap. The ending also looks and sounds almost exactly like the original. Now for the rest of it: Yes. Just Yes. The original DRRR soundtrack is an interesting soundtrack - it is not a soundtrack that you would necessarily listen to by itself (though I went to Tokyo and listened to it in Shibuya, and man it just felt right), but it is PERFECT for creating the atmosphere that the anime desires. Sometimes is relaxing, sometimes it's crazy, and sometimes it's just plain weird - but hey, that's just how the Ikebukuro of DRRR is. Season 2 pretty much has the same soundtrack, with a couple of extra songs added. So yeah, nice work. ~CHARACTER~ Have you ever been separated from someone for a time, then after you see them again they're almost exactly the same as when you left them? That's how I felt watching DRRR S2 P1. So, for the majority of characters from the original series, just assume they're as quirky and lovable as they were originally. HOWEVER, there are a couple of exceptions. First off: Celty... In season 1, she had a cute scared side that showed up around that police officer, but I felt like she was just a bit TOO nervous and emotional in season 2. I mean, maybe it's character development from S1 - she did become a much friendlier person, falling in love and all that - but it sometimes seems just a bit too much. Also, Masaomi... he's kinda boring in S2 so far (I feel like he'll play a larger role in parts 2 and 3), but once again it feels like the character development from S1 just slightly overdone. Oh and Mikado... not really something wrong, but I'm certainly interested in where his character is going - though they could have played his development in this new season just a little bit more gradual, to me it kind of came off as a bit jumpy. As for the new characters? They all seem to blend well with the setting and existing cast, though it is a bit of an overload. DRRR's cast is big, and I feel like it has now doubled, and so many of them seem important that it's a bit much keeping track of them all, and who is important in what storyline. Though... Izaya's sisters... They're interesting and all, but... I feel as if they don't serve a purpose in this season. Once again, because it's being broken up into 3 parts, it's hard to judge whether they're there for no specific reason, or because they'll play an important role in the later parts. I mean, this is DRRR, the kind-hearted black-russian-sushi-seller doesn't play more than a comic relief role until the last episode where he punches Izaya in the face (Season 1 I'm talking about). So who knows what all these supporting characters will do!? ~ENJOYMENT~ While I recognise Season 1 and Season 2 as not being perfect anime, I certainly enjoyed them a great deal. I was always keen to see the latest episode and at no point did I ever think "this is boring" or anything along those lines. Certainly, many of the elements that may divide an audience appeal to me, but that's why I enjoyed it so much~ ~OVERALL~ It's so strange having a sequel of something come out 5 years later, especially in anime. Normally when an anime is successful, a sequel is soon broadcast on the horizon. So, with that in mind, despite my excitement I was worried that DRRR season 2 may lose what made DRRR special. Yes, there are some changes, and indeed it is not yet fully complete, with many loose ends waiting to be tied up in later parts - but I can certainly say with confidence, this is a sequel that, overall, manages to capture the charm of the original. It is the mark of an enjoyable anime that it leaves you wanting more, and oh yes I certainly want more! I can't wait for part 2 in July! Toodles~
_Lucy_
03/31/2015, 01:27 PM
Dyurara two Dyurara you two really is not the same! A little sad. No, I will not talk about anime sink. I will say that the continuation of much weaker and in many ways already looks like a very different anime. Maybe it's just my impression of course, but Dyurara2 become banal entertainment at a time, unlike the first season. Stout entertainment but only once. I have not watched the second season ongoingom and waited. Before you start, I specifically decided to revise the first season (which is amazing replays brought more fun than the first). I wanted to get the full pleasure of watching continue. Instead, get theaftertaste of disappointment for themselves branded as Dyuraru2 disappointing season. What's wrong? Try to understand: The first season of the most atmospheric anime ever watching me. From the first minutes of viewing room begins to be filled with this melancholy spleen metropolis, mysterious, restrained lust for adventure, uncertainty Ikibukuryi who play faded colors at dusk of Tokyo. Soon even get the feeling that you are there and he can feel it all. But Dyurara2 lost a huge chunk of the atmosphere. Her broken, mended, nalepili Latok and again broke into pieces, gluing what comes to hand, but the loss is too obvious, too obvious. In this blame and a change of pace, rhythm of the narrative, especially in the first half, to the benefit of the second authors came to their senses and slightly reduced pace. Although this is not much help. In the first season, authors often come back a little bit back in time, but do it slowly and thoroughly (often in the next episode), and most importantly began to narrate from the point of view of another character, constantly in the known facts of the past, or simply weaving new emotions, shades of the story. It replaced immediately hurried, the impression that glued hastily flashbacks. Worse, these flashbacks tearing pace of the narrative sometimes banal and forget about all the main line of the story now. A couple of times so in general is unclear Tipo actions in the past or now. Atmosphere separate blow was the fact that most of the key events occurred during the day, hell even oupeninge sunset gave way to dawn. Have thrown a bunch of new characters that are adequate only dream and at the same time no one is sympathy. The devil take it, appeared fanservis! (Albeit small). Moreover there were corpses. Damn the entire first season in spite of the seriousness of the mixtures there was no corpse, and then pack appeared. For an idea of how much spoiled the atmosphere of the Raven with his presence and his prehistory even do not want to remember. And in the end, I ask you! Where the unforgettable cry Heyvadzimy "IDZAYA!" - Followed by the promise of a lamppost / car / or something ???? No (... a sad. No, I certainly understand that ranobe like anime as it should evolve and grow, but why take golivudskih manners do: more abruptly, furious, epic in an arithmetic progression through the atmosphere, characters and plot? None of the new character does not come to taste, completely crazy, maniacs and moral monsters. But Izano all but disappeared, Masaomi removed, Mikado do not like the aisles, so whipping boy. Why at all involved? If the first Dyurara, although there appeared multiple loops with a single solid line of the narrative, the second with an accuracy so vice versa. Maybe it's certainly someone and liking, but not me. All of these maniacs, hired killers, corpses, kidnappings, car chases, fighting Mighty yakuza action, but not mystical daily (though it can be seen in the tags). From all the above-described I have a rhetorical question: So what now tells us Dyurara? In conclusion: send Dyuraru2 in the category of good-quality action games at once (under the pseudonym of a disappointing season), with great hope to the fact that the second half will be much better Dyurary2.
Stark700
03/31/2015, 09:28 AM
It’s been a long damn time. 5 years. That’s over 1800 days since the first season of Durarara. When the second season was announced, I was both ecstatic and surprised. Regardless though, this would of happened someday as the light novel has much to cover. I also have to admit that getting back into the series isn’t so easy. There are a lot of characters in this world where anything is possible. It was also announced that the Durarara sequel will be divided into 3 split cours. This review covers the first of those 3 cours. The second cour (Durarara!! X2 Ten) begins in Summerwhile the final cour titled Durarara!! X2 Ketsu is to air in the beginning of 2016. For a bit of recap, the series takes place in Ikebukuro where many abnormal events takes place in this seemingly normal city. The way Durarara!! X2 Shou operates involves many characters and events together that are intertwined. As such, expect the narrative and perspective of the season to follow their stories. The first few episodes reintroduces you the feel of Durarara again with the wild fun of the show. This cour covers several arcs that details various events that is immaculately engineered. The first few episodes already sets up an arc for a wild frenzy taste when the audience is introduced to mysterious murders. Dubbed the ‘Hollywood murders’, the season involves a variety of characters you may already be familiar with. Infamous headless hunter Celty returns as well in a cat-and-mouse game thanks to the Yadogiri Shinning Corporation. Then, there’s also Mikado, Izaya, Shizuo, Anri, Shrina, Aoba, and most of the others returning to reprise their roles. For the Hollywood Murders arc, the series dubs it more about plot transition rather than background enforcement. We don’t find out too much about the culprit’s background but we do learn about their motives. Unfortunately, the first arc feels rushed. What is refreshing though is that it introduces some forgotten characters such as the Orihara sisters. Honestly, a show like this is packaged with characters. And from that package, there’s all sorts of personalities. I guess the Orihara sisters would fit a bit into the bizarre type because of their relationship. In fact, the show offers a lot of relationships. It’s about connection and building up events that relates one another. If there’s one thing that Durarara dynamically shines, it’s the chemistry. Almost every character relationship in the series has its moments. It tempers with feelings and emotions to bring out the best of each other with relationships. As the series goes on, we learn more about some of the new faces introduced in this show. Having an established cast is important but also introducing fresh new ones can also be refreshing. One such character named Rokujo Chikage brings in his gentlemanly charm into this season with his ladies’ man personality. His involvement in one of the arcs becomes intriguing as we see different sides of him; especially when women are involved. Then, there’s also a cute girl named Akane that gets introduced this season. Rather, there’s actually an entire arc that focuses on her that all started because of the manipulative schemes of Izaya from the backgrounds. It’s a misunderstanding that turns into a frenzy as Akane seems to want to hunt down a certain someone that Izaya dubbed as a dangerous man. (oh the irony) But besides that, the arc also focuses some interesting points involving gang wars and a potential new rival for Celty. Rather, I could label her more as an assassin when we see how reckless this woman named Vorona really is. Interestingly enough, the show dedicates time to focus on her background including her lonely childhood. There’s also a certain similarity and contrast between her and another character from Ryogo Narita’s other work, Baccano that stands here. Mikado, the primary protagonist from the previous and current season also gets quite a decent amount of spotlight. A show like Durarara never neglects his face especially with his responsibilities being in part of Dollars. The story gets more complex as Mikado realizes the complications he gets himself in with others that challenges Dollars. It escalates to a climax when gangs becomes involved in a war that pits each other. It’s time like this when Durarara really spices up the fun while effectively getting to its plot’s climatic point. By pitting certain prominent figures in a rivalry between gangs, you get an entertaining revolution. That’s what really makes Durarara enjoyable to watch as you anticipate what may happen next. Plot twists, difficult decisions, and concrete story transitions. You get the picture. It’s almost addictive to think about it…. As addictive the show can be for anticipating events, it’s also quite relaxing when it takes time for a breather. I don’t mean the Dollars chat room though because there’s all sort of chatter there. But for a talky show like Durarara, there’s a good degree of comedic moments that all happens over the course of this season. From Shizuo’s priceless reactions to Shrina and Celty’s relationship, Durarara knows what it needs to craft comedy. This can also be emphasized in conversational format with characters like Izaya. If you remember how manipulative he was during season 1, then you’ll definitely want to get the full scoop on what he’s up to this season. It’s not only the comedy that brings in entertainment though because action also takes place. Whether it’s the gang battles or the Shizuo’s fierceness, this season never forgets to show the potential of our characters. All that aside, it takes a lot of focus to understand everything especially with the characters. Almost every episode of this season is busy with events going on. Getting lost will end up no good and this is something that can be frustrating at times. I have to admit though, the art and visuals suffers a bit with this season. Apparently, a new studio called ‘Shuka’ is in charge with producing this sequel. Durarara!! X2 Shou is apparently their first work and it doesn’t make an impression in the first half. Some particular episodes are off balance with the coordination of the visual quality while other frames are lazy. Luckily, the second half does get better with smoother backgrounds and in general, better quality with its artwork. Character designs remains generally the same with our returning cast. New characters such as Vorona and Rokujo brings style to the show with their looks. And while the series isn’t entirely dedicated to action scenes, it does make it noticeable during some of the gang battles. Celty’s infamous “Shooter” also makes its appearance decorated with peculiarity. From a technical perspective, soundtrack is performed on a strong standard. The OP and ED songs for this season not only has style but retains its upbeat. There’s also a very distinctive range of character voice mannerism that all makes a good impression. The OST also is fluid that flows well responding appropriately depending on the scenario. I expected nothing less when it comes to soundtrack with this season. 12 episodes. That’s how many it takes to cover the first cour. And although some arcs does feel a bit rushed, it’s highly entertaining. The seductive cast of characters will enthrall you to learn more about them for this season; whether they are new or old. The comedy is genuine with well-timed dialogues and reactive scenes. As a show that connects characters and stories together, Durarara!! X2 Shou is a solid example that knows understands such a mission. This is the 1/3 of Durarara’s sequel project that celebrates the franchise’s 10th anniversary. And I have to say, it’s off to a pretty damn good start.
connielas
03/31/2015, 12:18 AM
Technically, I've been waiting for this to happen --- a sequel to one of the most extraordinary anime I've come across with!Back in 2014, when they announced that Durarara!! will have a second season, my heart burst out of happiness. I got excited and updated myself every now and then for announcements and news about its release. The first season gave me a lot of jaw-dropping and amusement. Although it was really violent and quirky, the characters and the rearrangements of the plot kept me waiting for the next episode. I became addicted to it. It's more like my ice cream in anime style. I wrotea review of the first season five years ago after watching it and it definitely made me laugh. (you have to check it out to see) My writing style back then was pretty childish and humorous. The epitome of my thoughts before was less professional (it's not like I'm a professional right now). I've improved and I think I can actually say things in a less hackneyed way. Anyway, I'll give you a slight warning, in case you haven't noticed: THIS IS A REVIEW FOR THE SECOND SEASON, NOT THE FIRST ONE! WATCH THE FIRST SEASON BEFORE LAYING AN EYE ON THIS SIMPLE REVIEW. Durarara!! is known for its brilliant twist and turns in the story line. It starts off really convincing and complicated at the same time but in the latter parts of the episodes, the most convincing answers and spin-offs will leave you desiring for the next mysterious adventure in the streets of Ikebukuro. Well, Shou still has that magic in it. Even after five years, Aniplex produced the anime well, providing what audiences want. The unending fights, the bonds of the clans, the characters' perception about everything that happened in their lives and their future expectations. To give a bit of a clear background on the main plot without any spoilers being revealed, let me start with this: the Dollars were having a few conflicts with each other also, needless to say, they have new enemies to encounter. Shizuo and Izaya have yet again a tough situation in dealing with each other (well, we know who's fault that is and it starts with the letter "I") Mikado and Anri finds a new friend in their school, which will actually bring them horror. Celty accepts new jobs but the people of Tokyo fears her and so on. Oh, and Shizuo's brother will also get into action. New characters will also participate in the game of the urbanized, supernatural, comical, and rowdy places in Ikebukuro. Anwyay, the ending's fine but some of the characters will reach their developing stages; more so, we will find out how they will cope with their developments in Durarara!! Ten on July. I know the plot review's a bit long but I guess there is so much going on in this anime that my head is popping with idealistic critics about it. I just hope than in the 2nd part of Durarara!!, there will be answers for the ending ;). I give this a 10. The Art is still bland and simple as usual. I don't hate it, I just didn't get the hype of new anime shows today. I think their getting lazy with the animation but at least the fighting scenes are manifested correctly. The character design still fits and nothing really changed that much. The view of the city still has that dark aura in it. Brain's Base studios did not participate in this series so I guess some of the artworks were fabricated or so it is. 7 for art! Music sounds good. It still has the traditional themes like Anri's Seika background music and other memorable tunes from the previous season. I think they added new ones but I couldn't remember. I wish they made more sound effects to make things pop a little bit or to add a little change, right? The opening song clearly reminded me of the intro from the previous season. The voice is husky and the music was fast and electronic. For the ending song, they did it magnificently and the pacing of the lyrics is kind of fast. I loved how they redo the animation from the "Trust Me" ending by connecting the characters from one another, making a long line of character presentation. Both are catchy and fun to listen. Voice Actors were just exceptionally good. They did just well and I think the characters' voices did not change. I just wish they did more music and not borrow the BGM from the first season, I give it an 8. Okay, let's get to the showcasing of characters. Starting with the Original Characters: Shizuo Heiwajima - one of my favorites in this series. Recap: the guy in a bartender suit, yellow hair, ultra strong, hot-headed (in a massive way), and loves his kid brother. In this part, he developed in a way that you guys would never expect him to be. However, Izaya still wants to play with him and of course, Shizuo would naturally kill that guy but never really succeeded. Kida Masaomi - recap: jolly, secretive, patient but he's like a kettle because once you make him mad, his anger will boil and blow up and he is also the Yellow Scarves head. You will only see him in a few episodes. He will show up every now and then but there seems to have a little progress in his personality. Mikado Ryugamine - recap: the most normal looking guy and possibly has the most boring personality ever, he is the founder of Dollars, remember?. But don't give up on him. The excitement is just getting better as he turn into a new leaf, everything will definitely change. Sonahara Anri - recap: big breasts, short and black hair, shy, soft-spoken ad wielder of Seika. There is not much going on with Anri although she still has her tail caught up with Celty, Izaya, a Russian woman and Mikado's mess. She is naturally a great woman and she will protect her friends no matter what. She is also facing a bit of a problem with Seika (her power). Celty Sturluson - recap: do we need one?! known as the headless or black biker; she's awesome, badass and a lover of Shinra. She is not human but I still love her for that. In the new season, she gets to meet a new doctor who is a friend of Shinra's dad and will studies her body and etc. She accepts new jobs in order to make money for Shinra. In the end, it will cause her mishaps and mayhem, here and there. Kadota - recap: the guy with the cap who's good at fighting, wearing a blue jacket. Well, he will soon have a valuable role in this season, dipping into a massive bloodbath and a one-on-one battle with a character. Heiwajime Kasuka - recap: Shizuo's kid brother, insane actor, emotionless bastard (not in a literal sense), and says minimal stuff. In this season, he meets a new girl which may or may not send him to trouble. Orihara Izaya - recap: sexy, scheme-y, and manipulative. The information broker is back! Badass as ever with his gadgets. Staring off into the monitor keeping himself entertained but most of the time, he is what every yellow haired guy wearing bartender suits hate. He still is if that's what you're asking We don't need recaps here so for the NEW characters: Varona - a Russian woman with blonde hair with a great backstory. She enters in the city to get things done and make things right. She is strong but she's human. She also has a job to do which is kind of related with Celty's. Aoba Kuronuma - Don't be fooled, this guy KNOWS things... He ruins everything. Orihara Sisters - Izaya despises them and he does not want to be near his sisters, let alone make them interfere with his plans. Anyway, these two have twisted personalities but they make a perfect team to make this anime more interesting and watchable. Rokujou, Chikage - nicknamed Rochi, a guy who protects and loves women. He is a leader in a bike gang. He is also a monster at combat but not as monstrous as Shizuo. Anyway, you'll know more if you watch the show. Hijiribe, Ruri - an actress that has a certain secret and issue that can be compared with what Anri has. She is also emotionless and will partake a catastrophic journey in facing her enemies. Awakusu, Akane- cute and innocent child who I think has also a personality that every little girl has. Naive, easy to fool, crybaby and well, childish. She is a daughter of a yakuza member or leader. She gets to face many challenges and truths in the latter part of the story. I guess that's all of the characters that were memorable for me. More or less, they give off a great atmosphere in this show. I give it a 9 because there was something missing that I need to see. Of course I enjoyed it! It was a pain to wait for 7 days for another episode to show up but I still love to watch each and every second of it. I really liked the cliffhanger ending knowing that in the next season it would produce the conclusion to those particular scenarios. Enjoyment and Overall, I give a 9. It is so fantastic. I'm speechless and my words cannot explain how happy I am that this became a reality (not the characters, the show itself). I can't wait for the sequel. Please watch this, you need it. You need a break from all the dramatic and simplicity of everyday life. Try a supernatural anime, try Durarara!! Also, watch the opening song, it will give the short replay of the previous episodes to remind you.
AbsarNaeem
03/29/2015, 09:42 AM
The sequel to Durarara, DX2 lives up and falls down in some aspects. But either way, I loved the show and the ending made me look forward to more (another sequel in July). Anyway, I'll try to keep this brief since the story isn't much explained in this sequel and I hope the sequel in July will clear up a lot of stuff. Story 7/10: If I were to summarize it, I would say it involves the Yakuza, some other gang members joining the Dollars, some assassination attempts, kidnapping and new enemies and friends. The sequel elevates to a new level of gang warfare. It's on a muchbigger scale and involves some big mafia groups. The Dollars are again in trouble and this time it's too big to control within Ikebukuro and it brings gangs from other towns to beat the Dollars up. One story is that of the Dollars getting beat up by a gang from another town. This one involves Mikado, Kadota, Anri and some new characters. Another story is about Celty, some Russian assassins, a kidnapped girl and the Yakuza. These both stories do intertwine as is expected of the Durarara series. At first, it may become a bit confusing with all the new names and groups but halfway down the series, you'll begin to understand what happened. Though some characters who play a key role in the series don't get much attention which may cause you to forget about them but it's still all okay considering it will get a sequel. Art 8/10: The art and animation just like the prequel, is the same. It's good. Not much to say about it since you know what's it like. Sound 8/10: The ending is "Never Say Never" by Three Lights Down Kings. The ending video is in the same style as it was in the prequels first ending "Trust Me". Anyway, the song is pretty good. As for the opening, I'm not that big a fan of it. Characters 8/10: Many new characters are introduced in the series but the downside is the insanely low screen time they get. The old characters still remain but some of them get less screen time since they are no longer in Ikebukuro (Kida Masaomi). The new characters include 3 juniors of Anri and Mikado, a new gang and their boss, the Yakuza (old and new), Russian assassins, a new superpowered character. Two of them are Izaya's little twin sisters who, in my opinion, are awesome. They are twins, but with opposite personalities. They have the same sort of combat/athletic skills like Izaya and can stand on their own in a tough situation. They are also pretty comedic and fun to watch. Not to mention really cute. But they get really less screen time which didn't make me happy. The other junior is Aoba who I won't explain much as it may spoil. But, in short terms, he's a junior who looks up to Mikado. Then comes Hijiribe Ruri, who is also insanely cute but gets less screen time. Again, won't go into details. Backstories of some new characters is told. Though it doesn't have much importance. As for romance, there are slight hints but it doesn't get much progress. Some of the new characters, though thought to be the main cast, aren't that important and the series pushes them to the sidelines after a few episodes. Only a few of the new characters really remain till the end of the sequel. But I hope the others get some mention in the sequel coming this July. Enjoyment 8/10: Really enjoyable. Even more so than the prequel. Maybe because it was a bit fast and had some new characters and more fights. Although most stuff took some time to understand but still it was enjoyable once you know who is who and which groups works for who. Overall, it's a pretty nice sequel. And the fact it gets another sequel is the only reason I refrained from scoring it any lower because no matter how you look at it, this story can't be explained in 12 episodes only. And a heads up, do remember the members and which group they belong to, especially for the Yakuza since that is important in understanding the story.
Keirik
03/28/2015, 12:36 PM
It's been five years. I've been ready, you've been ready, everyone's been ready. It's been five years, but only now are we finally making that return trip to Ikebukuro. Question is, is it still as fresh and special as it was the first time around? The answer is no. Strangely enough, however, I wasn't exactly disappointed. 2010's Durarara!! is pretty much my favourite anime of all time, so expectations for its long-overdue return were, to say the least, pretty gosh darn high. To put it briefly, x2 Shou is not as good as the original. The huge cast of characters returns (but not all of them are givenstuff to do), and it's added to with just about every passing episode. A common problem with big casts is that they're often poorly managed, and Shou is absolutely no exception to that. The worst example of this has to be Ruri Hijiribe, who shows up for a brief storyline in the first few episodes, only to never be seen again afterwards. Ruri's story ends up seeming completely pointless in the grand scheme of things, as do a lot of things and characters brought up this season. Shou seems to be mostly focused on buildup and introductions, which is both a good and a bad thing. Later arcs are where shit seriously starts to go down, and Shou lays down the groundwork for those. However, by the end of Shou, we are 36 episodes into the Durarara series. That should be waaaaaaaay past the buildup period. There's no shortage of things happening in Shou, but nothing is given a satisfying conclusion, since we're still in buildup mode. As a result, the whole season feels like it doesn't really matter. Many important characters also spend these 12 episodes not really doing much of anything, which gives the whole production a feeling of complacency. In terms of story, this is not a big "welcome back" after five long years of wait. The show actually tells us as much in its opening minutes. We're assured that not much is going to change. And it doesn't. Not yet, anyway. Shou fulfils its purpose as a buildup season just fine, but the problem is that it doesn't make for a compelling story of its own. There's a few great new additions, such as the fabulous Vorona, but the show's considerable faults can't all be carried on her petite Russian shoulders. Despite all of this, I can't say I was especially disappointed with Shou. Maybe I was overcome with such nostalgic glee that I was more than ready to look past its flaws, but I ended up enjoying the season more than a fair bit. Was the five year wait worth it? That remains to be seen. All in all, it's just good to have Durarara back. Also, the animation got worse.
TheOllie
03/28/2015, 12:31 PM
The first season of Durarara was great because of the characters and it was enjoyable. Just seeing how every event connects in the end. The second season was same. There were few more characters and it was thought out well how they were connected to the people in Ikekuburo. And it was enjoyable to see again how one event leads to another and how they connect in the end. I personally liked the characters the most. Characters like Izaya Orihara and Heiwajima Shizuo are my favorites. Every other character has also detailed personality and what kind of people they are. Also it was somehow amazing howeveryone knew the big shots in the city. And when outsider comes to Ikekuburo, he can make mistake like making Shizu-chan angry. My overall score for this anime is 10.0 because I really enjoyed it. And also the second chapter is coming out in July. That means... we are going to play the waiting game.
Blazestar
03/21/2015, 06:17 PM
Alright, let me make this straight. As a fan, the second season of Drrr!! could not be be a larger disappointment. This show went from pretty innovative to slightly above average to mediocre or even bad in this "action packed" 12-episode arc. Any constructive criticism is welcomed and appreciated via PM or comment. STORY (Premise 1/2, Execution 2/8) The story of Drrr!!, put it in a simple term, is all over the place, and I can safely say that nothing important has happened other than some introduction for some "interesting" characters. The only dramatic parts of this season is the beginning and ending, all the restare very mediocre progression that does nothing but introducing characters. The show starts rather promising, showing how everyone has changed from the first season. When every single one of us was expecting some true development between those characters, what actually happened was they intentionally used those "development" to flesh-out the new casts that nobody cares. Put it in other words, this entire season's purpose is to flesh out the new characters. That is it. Sure, one can argue that the MC and his BFF, as well as some of the other characters are getting some emotional breakdowns and choices that they need to make. The problem is, the show never explore anything that's actually going on with any of the characters. As a character driven story, when none of the characters are more than 1 dimensional archetypes, they is hardly a conflict to begin with. It seems like the creator finally understood the meaning of the term "gangs" since they FINALLY added some "real" street fights without anyone getting killed or seriously injured (not any of the "main" characters anyways). At the end of the day, I'm sure one can enjoy the way the story is told with all those fancy time-skip and time reroll, but after watching it, especially if you watch it one episode a week, you have the feeling that nothing ever happens. I'm just hoping the next two cours coming out later this year will make this miserable season worth it. MAKE SURE YOU MARATHON IT IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT. CHARACTERS (Design 2/2, development 1/8) As I mentioned above, several characters are introduced, but the original casts pretty much stood there not moving. The design is quite interesting. The Russian sushi finally has a purpose with the introduction of multiple russian soldiers and that book-biker, shizuo's brother's got a interesting action going and a girl from a real gang leader comes into play as well. Drrr!! has already suffered from the "enormous cast" problem toward the end of the previous season. In the new season, they amplifies the problem to a whole new level. Because there are only 12 episodes, and each has only 20 mins screen time, the fact that the show tries to focus on approximately 15 characters means none of those characters are getting more than 15 mins for their personal development. On top of that, the fact that every character receives 2 mins each episodes just slices each person's changes and development even further. Basically, nothing significant has happened. But, the fact that all the characters are somehow crumpled up somehow in this somewhat short timing can be entertaining. To me, it lacks the sense of progression the first season offered so I find myself very frustrated or even annoyed whenever I see characters act meaninglessly and without direction. GRAPHIC (Art 3/5, Animation 2/5) The art of Drrr!! can be summarized like this: If they can get away with 1 color, they would never use two; if they can get away with a straight line, they would never use a curve. I admit, this specific style is quite unique and interesting, it also somewhat fit the edgy-urban atmosphere. But other than that, it's nothing extraordinary. Oh god the animation. The animation is bad. In most none-combat scenes, we get about 5 frames per second when the character is moving, and no frame at all when he/her is not (that's about 90% of the time). In those "action" scenes, having all those cool CGI effect, it is obvious that the rendering quality is awful. Recycled scenes are used everywhere. Keep in mind the second season was not made by the animation team that animated the first season, and it turns out the quality drop is very apparent, sadly. It's 2015. This type of animation is not passable. Extremely unsmooth, pathetically poor. SOUND (OP 1.5/2, ED 2/2, OST 1.5/3 Voice 2/3) Nothing is really exceptional about the opening. Classic heavy metal that fits the theme. The ending tho was one of the most exciting/intriguing ed I've heard. The equal interval, high-pitched male lead gives a really refreshing tone to it, making me want to stick around and not just close it immediately. OST... is also very generic. It is fitting, but not really dynamic. My favorite track is the music played during the chat room scenes, which says a lot about how flat the music overall is. Rather disappointing. The dub is your standard dub, (so far only 2 episodes) nothing to expect, passable. The japanese tho, since barely anything good happens, it feels like the characters are just monologuing everything from their mouth in a unified tone... Overall, the music is alright. Best part of the show in fact. ENJOYMENT (5/10) First 3 episode, 9/10, second 3, 5/10, third 3, 2/10, last 3, 7/10. Personally I just felt nothing happened each week. It's been quite disappointing that I hyped about this show every Friday and ended up crying after watching those "nothing happens" episodes. um, I guess I was too disappointed about the lack of progression unlike the first season... OVERALLALL (5/10) This show is literally the definition of mediocrity. Everything it has is kinda bad, It is too good to be considered a trash show, but it's too bad to be considered good. With serious consideration, I harshly give it a 5, since it is just simply too mediocre. Hopefully this is just a preview for the next two arcs. (MAKE SURE YOU MARATHON IT. PLEASE. Since watching it once a week truly kills you. ) Peace.
ZephSilver
03/14/2015, 04:21 PM
Since first being introduced in 2010, Durarara!! has managed to garner a sizable fanbase and cult following among anime fans. Due to its relative success, it has quickly become one of the more recognizable titles to those that have been a part of the community for a decent amount of time. Also, the bizarre name choice does nothing but help in that regard as well. With that accumulated success coupled with the name recognition, it should be a no-brainer that a sequel was bound to be in the works. Now enter Durarara!!x2 Shou, the follow-up story to its predecessor. A show full of quirky characters,crazy hijinks..., and unfortunately the same noticeable problems that plagued the 1st season. The most prominent aspect of DRRR is by far its method of storytelling. Instead of focusing on a linear narrative and plot that goes from point A to point B, it takes on the more unique "vantage point" kind of structure. A structure that's uncommonly used and rightfully so, as it's inherently more difficult to pull off without becoming muddled and taxing. This ability to not only capture but adequately present this method of storytelling is something that DRRR deserves credit for. Very few anime titles dare to tackle this approach, one other famous case being Baccano!, but we'll talk about that later. The story, when boiled down to it, is about gang disputes in the city of Ikebukuro and all the people that are either directly or indirectly affected by it. Through the "vantage point" method mentioned, we see events slowly unfold from one of our many characters' point of view. At any given time, we as viewers are taken to a different 1st person point of view and see where they fall into the show's overarching story. Together, these collective of 1st person POVs help provide the platform for the main one to take form. Sounds fun right? Well here's where the REAL problem begins. You see, this unique method of storytelling is possibly the show's greatest strength and weakness as well. Because we are always switching between characters to piece together any given story slowly, it can often result in a very dragged out narrative, of which plot progression feels non-existent for long periods of time. And because of the constant back and forth between what POV shot we're following, the personalities themselves are never given enough time to reveal any further dimension. This forces the creative team to resort to personality quirks in place of actual character focus. May that be the smart guy with a sinister motive, the airhead genius professor, the short-tempered bartender, the plethora of one-note baddies, and the list goes on and on. All of the characters just comes across as just that, "characters." None of them ever getting the chance to feel like flesh and blood because the material at hand has simply robbed them of the opportunity. It feels like you're watching the writers just doodle in any archetype that comes to mind and pushing them onto the set to some silly kids stage performance. And for a show that depends heavily on the characters and their interactions to sell its narrative, this becomes a huge letdown. In fact, the city of Ikebukuro itself has more personality than the characters living in it. Even if that was the intention, when the narrative restricts you to following one person at a time, a growing sense of disinterest easily festers. Also back to the other topic at hand, the pacing, my God is it sluggish. A plot point that would typically be wrapped up in 1-3 episodes takes an ENTIRE season to unfold. Again this due to the unique storytelling since it takes a "beating around the bush" approach to everything. Every characters' perspective is needed to bring forth any kind of progression and given that 20+ characters are masquerading around the city at any given time, needless to say, it takes a lonnggg time before anything of great significance happens. This is made even worse by the excessive padding since scenes are stretched out longer than what's needed. Attempting a Tarantino-style narrative isn't the problem here, it's the show itself that's fumbling the formula. Not much can be said about the art and animation; they're pretty standard fare by today's standards. However, the animation was very inconsistent at times. It shouldn't be anything to take away from your experience, but for anyone paying close attention, it could become a glaring issue. The characters designs, on the other hand, are quite unique. Each given a specific appearance to match their personality. Many of which are easily recognizable when compared to the attempts made by other series. It has a particular trademark style that sets it apart in that regard. The soundtrack remains relativity the same as its prequel. It is another standout of DRRR, with music that ranges from various genres and samples. You can go from a booming jazz section to a soft piano ballad accompanied by a xylophone and flute. It gives everything a certain pizzazz; like the zaniness of the city itself captured in auditory form. Standout tracks being "The Sought-after Extraordinary," "Russian Bodyguard," "Stumbling Samba," just to name a few. It's a great stand-alone listen for those with time to spend. And now it's time to address the obligatory comparison whenever this title is brought up: Durarara!! In many ways, it can be said that if it wasn't for Baccano! Durarara!! wouldn't have seen the light of day. Seeing that both were animated by Brains Base, was created by the same person, and contain the same setup, from the gang feuds occurring in a big city to the intertwined storytelling, used to chronicle the tale. Almost everything you can find in Baccano you can easily find in Drrr, except for one thing; Baccano! was never dragged out to a snail pace. You see, that debate you may have or have not come across with people saying "Baccano! is better than DRRR" actually holds merit. Baccano did the same thing but never outstayed its welcome. It told an interesting story about immortals and gangs, got to the point, and ended, that's it, case closed. It's a prime example of a show that utilizes the same method of storytelling the right way. Now, if Drrr had followed suit and took the same "to the point" approach there wouldn't be an issue..., but here we are, 30+ episodes later. Durarararrarararararararara isn't necessarily a bad series by any means, but whenever I view it, I find myself wondering what the point of it all is. Quirky characters doing quirky shit. The only saving grace is the intertwined storytelling, and even then, that aspect has its issues. It's too flimsily handled for a show dealing with gang feuds and spreads itself far too thin to leave any impact. If we remove the kooky ever-changing storyline, what will be left is just another perpetual show no different from what's produced every year. With characters that lack dimension and a story that spreads itself too thin, DRRR definitely outstayed its welcome.

Durarara!!x2 Shou デュラララ!!×２承

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'Durarara!! Gaiden!?' to Get Animated Special

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Durarara!!x2 Shou デュラララ!!×２承

North American Anime & Manga Releases for November

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Q2 2015 Anime & Manga Licenses [Update 5/30]

'Durarara!! Gaiden!?' to Get Animated Special

Q1 2015 Anime Licenses [Update 3/31]

Winter 2015 Simulcast List [Update 2/11]

Winter 2015 Preview

News Briefs for Nov 3 - 9

News Briefs for Sept 29 - Oct 5

Q4 2014 Anime Licenses [Update 12/25]

Second Season of 'Durarara!!' TV Anime Announced [Update 3/22]

Durarara!!x2 Shou デュラララ!!×２ 承

North American Anime & Manga Releases for November

North American Anime & Manga Releases for September

Q2 2015 Anime & Manga Licenses [Update 5/30]

'Durarara!! Gaiden!?' to Get Animated Special

Q1 2015 Anime Licenses [Update 3/31]

Winter 2015 Simulcast List [Update 2/11]

Winter 2015 Preview

News Briefs for Nov 3 - 9

News Briefs for Sept 29 - Oct 5

Q4 2014 Anime Licenses [Update 12/25]

Second Season of 'Durarara!!' TV Anime Announced [Update 3/22]

Durarara!!x2 Shou デュラララ!!×２ 承

North American Anime & Manga Releases for November

North American Anime & Manga Releases for September

Q2 2015 Anime & Manga Licenses [Update 5/30]

'Durarara!! Gaiden!?' to Get Animated Special

Q1 2015 Anime Licenses [Update 3/31]

Winter 2015 Simulcast List [Update 2/11]

Winter 2015 Preview

News Briefs for Nov 3 - 9

News Briefs for Sept 29 - Oct 5

Q4 2014 Anime Licenses [Update 12/25]

Second Season of 'Durarara!!' TV Anime Announced [Update 3/22]

Durarara!!x2 Shou デュラララ!!×２承

Durarara!!x2 Shou デュラララ!!×２承