Durarara!! – 16

Shizu-chan loves Iza-Iza like in BL?! To all the fangirls: Eiye~! 😐

We return to the spotlighted alley (thanks to Kadota’s van headlights), where the possessed Shuji confessed his love for Shizu-chan, who in turn borrows the door of the same van to crush him against a corner wall. Togusa’s plea of who will pay for this is seemingly unheard. Shizu-chan’s not really happy with the situation and calmly declares that he’s going to Shinjiku to murder Izaya once and for all.

Celty escorts Anri back home, leaving Shuji for Dotachin gang to take care of. She also protectively transports the blade that caused all the mayhem back home. While retelling all that happened to Shinra, Celty informs him that like Mikado, Anri wasn’t surprised after seeing her headless form. He disagrees with her that Anri’s lack of surprise was not really youth but something else. When Celty tells him about Karisawa’s comment about Shizu-chan being in love with Iza-Iza like in BL, everyone including Celty screams a big NO, even if Shinra’s of the other opinion.

(Can I take Celty feeling sick over this BL connection as her dormant feelings for Shizu-chan? If only!)

Both of them talk calmly as if the case is closed and they are simply concluding the facts. So, wrong they are. So much more to happen. Anyhow, looking at the butcher knife (“Made in Japan, 2009” as previously posted) Shinra explains a bit more about Saika to Celty.

Saika’s nature is to love and after loving the person it possesses, it wants to spread it to humanity. Slashing for Saika is similar to what lovers do in order to strengthen their love for each other: talking, holding hands, embracing, etc. Slashing for Saika is something very intimate. Shaping her love and being a cursed blade is kind of anticlimactic and thus the blade slashes on and on, trying to shape the love it feels.

While Celty and Shinra talk, Anri is visited by Niekawa Haruna, the girl who caused the pervert teacher to break out in cold sweat. The almost-mad look in Haruna’s eyes should have been a warning for Anri not to open the door but she lets her in. Haruna asks if she knows why she was there. Anri replies that whatever rumours she heard about her and Nisujima-sensei were just that: rumours. Haruna doesn’t really listen and continues with her tale of how she loves him, like really loves him, forever and ever more. But, she was rejected. She doesn’t hate Takashi (Nisujima) because even if he hates her, she still loves him. However, she would never allow Takashi to like someone else.

Shinra and Celty along with Haruna and Anri are shown together, weaving a deadly tale about Saika. The eerie music played a good part in the dialogue delivery, especially of Haruna, who kept on with her dead stare and twisted distant looks, while Shinra and Celty chimed in here and there for adding background.

From facts, it’s known that Saika disappeared five years ago and has finally shown up now. Maybe it’s host was strong enough to suppress it for this long. The blade is still hungry for love and has supposedly reappeared with much spamming over many chat boards. Haruna explains that own work can’t be delegated to others and thus she has come to complete it herself. She thought her father would be a good substitute but even he failed. Anri assures that she doesn’t care about Nasujima-sensei but Haruna is adamant. Being love rivals, she would do what seems right to her. Even if she doesn’t love her, Saika will.

Celty remembers meeting the reporter before his possession. He was attacked in front of his own house. Hearing this, Shinra finally realizes that the butcher knife can’t be the real Saika. Thus, the real Saika is somewhere else, slashing people. Celty goes online to find multiple Slashers spamming boards and this gives Shinra idea of multiple Slasher being born from Saika whenever the blade slashes their body. The message is clear from Saika on boards: “I can love the town of ‘Bukro made by many men’s deeds. I’m waiting at South Ikebukro Park, Heiwajima Shizuo.”

Shinra gives the chat-log to Celty, who is apprehensive to see Shizuo. The man in question is standing outside Izaya’s apartment at Shinjiku to beat the crap out of him. Izaya is quite surprised to find him there. Their banter is quite typically filled with: Piss off, sarcastic laughter and Shut ups. Moreover, Shizuo clearly corners him about the Slasher incident happening around ‘Bukro that has 99% probability of Izaya to do something with. Of course, he would never believe the 1%:

Kamiya Hiroshi, Suteki! His voice gives life to the evil smexiness of Izaya!

Izaya quickly lures Shizu-chan outside for more space to play around with. I can bet, he doesn’t want him to enter the apartment that has Namie hiding or even Celty’s head. Shizu-chan is all business with a guardrail but Celty arrives in time before things get serious.

She shows him the chat log and Shizuo understands that he has to reach the park in question. Izaya takes a sigh of relief seeing him go and admits that Shizuo’s too smart for his good, the reason he hates him so much.

On the other hand, Haruna tells Anri that she has properly researched her background. How she depends on others (like Harima Mika from middle school) and her helplessness when her house was robbed and her parents killed in process. Haruna goes as below as saying that she has the habit of seducing every man possible and maybe she did the same with the thief even when she was in elementary school then. Her life has been of a parasite, always depending on others. Anri thinks that she should remain silent and give no response as she always did, feeling nothing. But she proclaims that depending on others is never easy. She questions Haruna of knowing how much a parasite has to sacrifice for the host not to run off? Haruna asks if that meant she sacrificed for Takashi? Anri replies negative, he’s not worth it.

It is said that talk of the devil and devil arrives. Similarly, it’s none other than the pervert teacher at the door, announcement of which saved Anri from further torment by Haruna. She goes all Harima-crazy seeing Takashi the door (what’s up with this series and stalker girls anyway?), while he runs away like a dog, tail between his legs. She leaves Anri behind for her Slasher children to take care of. 

Shizuo and Celty wait in the park and soon are welcomed by the many hundred children of Saika. Shinra assured Celty that the real mother would be part of the crowd. However, Anri’s bully speaks up to Shizuo with a mixture of admiration and reverence that he is the most wonderful, defeating a sister after all (referring to Shuji). They have striven hard to give words to their feelings. He should display his strength in front of everyone as no one can come to stop them, as everyone’s busy coping with more Slashers being born from others.

Interesting enough, after all this uproar Shizu-chan was able to keep his anger in check. He calmly asked the voice of the crowd, why they liked him so much? Slasher replies that they want his insane strength, like humans look for good genes. They would love him because no one else really wants him anyway, right?

Shizuo quite good naturedly laughs his head off. Celty apprehensively tells him to snap out of it but he assures her that he’s OK. Honestly, he was happy to hear that someone likes him because he always hated his strength that never let him fit. He can finally accept and like himself rather than trying to get rid of his power. I loved the way he said, “Chinamini! You are not my type at all, zen zen, mattakku! I hate you as much as I hate Izaya!” and went bonkers over the crowd. I cracked up too many times to remember.

At an alleyway, Haruna has cornered Takashi, repeating how he loved her by using her for money and then abandoned her after getting bored. It doesn’t matter to her because she forgave him as she loved him but it was not enough. That is when Saika started talking to her through her blood. Before she could slash him, Anri arrives to stop her. “Stop hurting people from that blade.”

Haruna maddeningly stares at her, wondering how she escaped her children. She mocks her by saying that she has never loved someone and that’s why she can never understand her. She took over Saika with the power of love. The first time the voice spoke to cut Takashi, she resisted but with time she understood. Together with Saika, she’s planning to make more children with whom they will love the humanity and control them all together. Talk about twisted!

When Haruna slashes at Anri, she stops it by blocking with her hand. She takes out the original Saika from her sleeve saying, “You are right, I can’t love because since that day I have been unable to. So, I depended on others just like you made children by cutting others, your Saika is a child as well. The original is right here.

“I can’t love so I depend on Saika who loves others, rather I am her parasite.”

Apparently, the ‘special’ thing of Anri is that she’s the mother of all Saika blades. She had suppressed Saika for five years but now it has finally unleashed itself on the general public of ‘Bukro. What of it now when many hundreds have already been taken over? Is this the start of the war or something more is awaited for?

Preview: More explanation of what the hell is going on with Anri and her past. Izaya’s continued planning and Shizu-chan in full action.

Conclusion: What a cliffhanger ending! Of course, as usual! One of the most epic episodes of this arc when everything comes together to make space of some more suspense! All my favorite characters were present so I was a very happy camper! Not to mention Karisawa’s scene that everyone wanted to see about Iza-Iza and Shizu-chan! I enjoy the BL connection that the canon quoted, not just the fangirls; veru amusing nonetheless.

At least, I’ve spoiled myself enough that I know what can go down with Anri but I would still look forward the explanation of how Haruna got a daughter of Saika. If the original is with Anri then how did this mass breakout happen? Did they cross paths somewhere? Also, what exactly happened to Anri’s parents? How did she come in possession of Saika. Was she also slashing, while Haruna was getting her minions around the city? Was it Anri, who attacked Celty in the beginning? So many questions, so little time and answers…

This episode was paced very carefully and made you sit on the edge of your seat so that all characters finish their little explanations to the big puzzle. What I like the most about this series that even with so many characters, everyone plays an important role in the overall plot. Of course, there are plenty of girls who are obsessed or supernatural beings. Not to mention Shizu-Izaya thrown in for fun. Who would not love this episode?!

I liked how Shizu-chan became possessive about “his town”. Even when the same town has been totally unfair to him, he is willing to stand up against the bad insurgence that may cause continued unrest in the city. It’s quite clear why Izaya hates Shizu-chan, because of his same strength to fight for what he thinks is right.

Shingen was lying low in this episode and also Saki and Masomi. It seems we will see the details of Masomi/Saki meeting after the Saika arc ends. Lots to look forward to in the next episode! Till then, Ja ne~

About Kyokai

The Boss lady of Metanorn, who makes it all happen. An animanga enthusiast, who watches/reads almost anything that strikes her fancy. Just beware of her Death Perception and always keep her happy. Regularly found at @KyokaiTM & #[email protected].