Movies / Animé and Toons

Durarara!! Part 3

By Chris Zimmerman
May 21, 2011 - 18:03

In my two reviews of Durarara!! I gushed over the series’ frenzied characters and compulsively watchable plot. As the final DVD made its way into my Blu-ray player, I couldn’t help but feel a tad depressed that the fun and ambiguity of the series was coming to an end. Still, it was a hell of a ride and as expected, nothing was spared in its final stretch.

When we last left the residents of Ikebukuro, all the supernatural shenanigans plaguing the city were seemingly dealt with and from the rubble emerged a gang war that threatened to tear the city asunder. Best buds Mikado and Masaomi were revealed to be the leaders of rival gangs, the Dollars and the Yellow Scarves respectively. Manipulating the two groups is Izaya, all for the sake of creating a war only he can walk away the victor.

Up till this point, every character had been given their chance in the spotlight but one remained noticeably underutilized and that was Masaomi. While the series conveyed him as a tail chasing, wide-eyed youth who was seemingly ignorant of the activities his friends involved themselves in, this set wastes little time in pulling back the veil and revealing a deeply troubled character who’s newly revealed persona shakes the foundations of the city.

Before long, both friends are at each other’s throats and the Celty, Shizuo, and the rest are pulled into the conflict. What ensues is gripping drama at its finest, with an ending that is impossible to guess at. The action quotient also spikes this time around as the gang war spreads throughout all corners of Ikebukuro.
Durarara!! screams “cool”. It’s sense of style and mystique make it thrill to watch. The series has the rare ability to play outlandish one moment and serious the next without losing anything in between. As far as releases go, this is a series that demands your attention.

The third release comes courtesy of Aniplex and is similar to the previous two. The picture is crisp and colors are bright. Aniplex’s quality is top notch and a positive sign moving forward as the company looks to cement itself in the American DVD market. Sadly though, the only extras featured here are clean opening and closing music, the norm for anime.

If you haven’t seen Durarara!! then you’re missing out on an extraordinary show. After having viewed the series in its entirety, it’ place among my perennial favorites has been cemented. The characters are infectious, the story compelling, and the action takes viewers hurdling through one thrill after the next. Everything just clicks. Buy the series, watch it, then sit back and enjoy it over again. It’s that good.

A+

Last Updated: November 29, 2025 - 16:51