Durarara!! – 13

Nothing ever happens. Is that really Anri’s life or something different altogether?

After getting used to Uragiri by Theatre Brooke, the different tone of the OP surprised me: “Complication” by ROOKiEZ is PUNK’D.

I was a bit tensed when Izaya’s features seemed different (most probably due to the angle) and I was like what now? There’s a bunch of new characters: Saki Mikajima, Kasuka Heiwajima (Not really new, we know of him from Shizu-chan) Kinnosuke Kuzuhara and Shingen Kishitani, introduced as well but I calmed down when it all started with Simon welcoming customers for his Russian sushi joint.The news item running tells us that six months have already passed after the big Dollars meeting in the downtown of Ikebukro. After which many Slasher incidents have happened.

America has acquired the Headless Rider’s technology (Catch the X files music) LAWL!!!

It’s Anri’s turn to narrate and she speak above the hubbub of ‘Bukro, who are still not used to the many supernatural incidents happening around the city.

In school, Harima and Seiji are the embodiment of fake love. Oh man, talk about clingy! Ugh. Masomi laments seeing them all lovey dovey. Even after being kicked by Mikado in the last episode, he’s still at it, professing his love for Anri nonstop. He’s quite persistent on the fact that she’s erotic as well as cute. Mikado has other ideas but I think it’s because he doesn’t objectify her, neither does Masomi though, who understands the bad vibes coming from the pervert teacher, who lurks around Anri.

Someone give a good beating to this one!

Celty is now a bit more open whenever going out, even her bike is making more noise. Shizu-chan, Tom, Karisawa and Yumasaki notice the same thing. However, she soon gets followed by a troupe of cops, Kinnosuke in the lead. Anri chimes in that whenever Celty’s cornered uses her dark-matter power to overwhelm the audience and flees in confusion – that is how she always acts. This time however, it would be different because Kinnosuke starts with a little speech about whenever a superhero shows up in a manga/movie, cops are already dead but personally he wants to add:

Haah!? Biased, aren’t we? Obsessed Chaser.

Btw, no wonder, my ears perked up over this voice. The Seiyuu is Keiji Fujiwara – Maes Hughes from FMA/:B.

Celty goes back home and falls into the arms of Shinra (kinda becoming a pattern), being scared out of her mind. This was the first time a force pointblank engaged her. She tells Shinra, still shaking how it scared her that the police unit of 10 motorcycle and cars chased after her like one big monsters.

I loved her reaction of being arrogant and to refrain from being noisy hereon and repetitive gommennasai~ was simply adorable!

Of course, Shinra would be punched again for talking about being weak whenever in bed with him. Though, it seems his confidence has gone on overdrive lately. He asks her to pick his dad up, who’s in town. Celty is not so happy about it – who would be, when meeting a person who literally dissected them?

She finds Shinra’s dad already being picked on by three delinquents (seems like there is an over abundance of these in ‘Bukro). Shinra’s oyaji is definitely more cuckoo than his own son, wearing a full face mask to protect himself from pollution of the city – wearing the pure white of physician coat I might add – so, Shinra picked the habit from his dad. Playing her trick of overwhelming, delinquents run off seeing her black matter working.

Of course, oyaji would strike a pose and laugh manically over the power of adults! (What a geezer!)

Namie has joined forces with Izaya, it seems. What would this lead to? Izaya himself is quite busy and is around ‘bukro even more now as Simon witnesses. Fact, Izaya can speak Russian too! >.<

Coming back to Anri, Masomi challenges Mikado, whoever knows more about her would win. Anri has a monologue with herself that this was the first time ever she was friends with guys, actually friends with anyone because before this she was only making Harima Mika look good. But she’s OK with that as if she doesn’t feel anything at all.

Masomi runs off to hit on girls, while Mikado and Anri hang back. Mikado crushes after her and tells her to be careful because it seems a storm’s brewing and it might rain. Anri says goodbye to him near the fountain (I think it is the same one, where they first stopped after a long marathon of running from Izaya-Shizuo fight). Even knowing the two boys like her, she would have a blank answer if any of them actually ask her out. She still loves Harima and the two boys; she just can’t distinguish between friendship and love.

Masomi notices a lot of yellow scarves hanging around the street. A group even stops him and asks to rejoin them. He politely declines. It proves the fact that he was an important member or the gang leader of Yellow Scarves.

Mikado is chatting on Dollars site about the yellow appearing more prominently around the city. It’s quite clear that the conversation is between Mikado, Celty and Izaya. Izaya adds in that they have become more prominent than Dollars. Celty informs that Yellow scarves have been in Ikebukro for some time and Izaya tells him about a gang war after which they disbanded.Izaya playfully adds, ‘Bukro has sure become very dangerous lately! (As if it was not already) Celty advises about the Police being scary. They talk about the rumours going around the city – the Slasher incidents occurring and the fact that she’s part of Dollars (I haven’t spoiled myself yet about the identity of the Slasher but it’s quite clear that it’s not a he for sure!). The slashing is quite random but the victims are never killed. Some people are also confusing the katana and scythe of Celty. Izaya sends Mikado private messages that he should be careful of Yellow Scarves because they don’t like the fact that Dollars have taken over the city after them.

In a back alley, the three over-make-upped girls corner Anri, bullying her. According to them, she’s hogging all the attention and such a parasite. First Harima, then Ryugamine, Kida and even Nasujima (pervert teacher). Anri cowers unto herself, repeating, nothing happens – that is her everyday life. However, from the corner of her eye, she sees the Slasher looming over the three girls.

Back in the Dollars site, Izaya screams when SinSong signs in: She’s heeeeeerrrrrreeeee! They have banned this user but she keeps flogging the message board with spam (can’t control, not enough love, Love want person, want strong love, want mom, Mom and ad nauseum), using proxy connections.

The episode ends with Anri still cowering scared, while the Slasher slashes at the three girls. Nothing changes, that was her…

Conclusion:

This was a light yet scary episode – a very unusual combination – but nothing new for Durarara!! Awesome episode as usual. We get to know a bit more about Anri, where she plays around the tune of ‘nothing ever happens or changes, that is her life’. I don’t even know if this is a spoiler or not because it’s just me guessing, but still read only if you really want to Show ▼

I loved Celty, being scared is so human! Yeah, she’s not your normal supernatural being at all! I liked the fact that things can still rattle her. Also, how she obsessed over the phone gifted by Shinra, not getting damaged in the scuffle with delinquents.  Shinra’s father is just plain weird! His entry and presence in preview tells us to expect a lot more. If Celty hates him then I would definitely watch out for this one! Kinnosuke is another matter altogether. From few dialogues, you really can’t say anything about him but it’s a reason enough to be wary of him as the force has specially recruited him for the Headless Rider case.

The girl I thought was Masomi’s sister is not really his sister. Saki has a different second name thus, this could either be an old friend or she might actually have connections with the Yellow Scarves. How Izaya fits into all this? Well, he’s brewing something with the Yellow Scarves for sure. How else you can explain them cropping up everywhere in the city? His warning to Mikado was actually a clue to the kind of war he’s masterminding behind everyone’s back. I see a clear line of difference cropping up between the best friends Mikado and Masomi. Would Masomi take the lead of Yellow Scarves after knowing the truth about Mikado? Can they bury their differences? What about Anri, would she really figure things out and come out of her shell? Also, Kinnosuke is a problem for Celty, not to mention Shinra’s dad.

Expectation for next episode is more about Shinra’s oyaji, Saki and the Yellow Scarves.

As usual, there’s lot to think about and more. The thing I love about this series! ^^;

So, I leave you with the new ED: “Butterfly” by ON/OFF

I like the fact that they have continued with the connecting of characters similar to previous ‘Trust Me’ ED, gives a clue about character relation with each other.

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].