Durarara!! – 20
E Gawds! Can Izzy get more manipulative? Heck yes! =.=;
That little bit of recap about Masaomi in the beginning was crisp indeed. The narrator is Karisawa this time around and as I love her antics, this has been long timing coming. Warning for this episode is that be ready to get your mind f*cked with symbolism, satire, manipulative secrets and references. It was a moderately slow episode if Drrr! pacing is kept in mind; however, the characters are as weirdly crooked and interesting as ever.
As glimpsed in the preview, the episode starts at Russian sushi, where Dotachin gang and Masaomi gather to discuss the ever increasing strife between Dollars and Yellow Scarves. Masaomi wishes to talk to the leader of Dollars to clear things up, while Kadota adds up that both the parties have been injured by Slasher.
There’s definitely more than a chance for this pairing
Simon serves them Catechin’s tea and sermons that even hot flames could feel cold if the heart is made still. He can serve the hot mugs quite expertly, while everyone else has problems grabbing on.
Such scarred hands? Simon yo~ You sure have many past secrets!
President Kadota? He CAN pull it off with Karisawa and Yumasaki as double assistants!
Masaomi speculates that because of absence of any horizontal or even vertical hierarchy of Dollars, there might be smaller group of members beating up their own or rival gangs to increase the gang confusion. Kadota counters with the fact that Dollars is strictly uninterested in fame and money and they wouldn’t get any advantage from Slasher attacks to harm Yellow Scarves. Masaomi finally voices his doubt over personal vendetta of Blue Squares rather than Dollars. That is why he came to Kadota to know the identity of Dollars’ leader and Blue Squares members around.
Yumasaki breaks the chopsticks he had been cleaning and playing with, stating not to joke around because Blue Squares never existed; not to confuse delusions with reality. Karisawa chimes in quite matter-of-factly that his ex was wounded by nonexistent people just like Yumasaki lost his first, which makes them even. Just like he was mad at Blue Squares, some people thought the same thing about him speaking ill of Dollars.
If you just went, WTF?! Rest assured they have this rule about reality and fiction being equal, which makes any reality not needed as a delusion. During the development of the episode, Karisawa gets her two cents across about world being a myth and their belief of reality, which is their coping technique of making everything they dislike as fictional and nonexistent.
Their motto: Make a world out of moe, tsundere and BL. (The middle cover strangely looks like Shizaya!)
Btw, it was fun watching Taiga, Holo and Shana fight it out egged on by Yumasaki and Karisawa
Yumasaki quite pointedly adds that Blue Squares were the ones getting beat up while Kadota laments that he shouldn’t have been a part of what caused so much pain to Masaomi. However, Masaomi agrees that he was the one who froze and they saved Saki in his stead. Kadota advices him that he should consult his members to endorse his supposed communication with the Dollars leader because while he was away they changed.
As Masaomi does not have a complete hold on them; he can’t really trust them like he used to. Kadota tells him that he can talk to the person who knows the identity of the Dollars leader and later decide what to do but Slashers have no connection with Dollars whatsoever and they are not looking for a fight with Yellow Scarves period.
Masaomi retorts that he still calls Yellow Scarves his friend, yet he’s using them to avenge a friend that was badly hurt (Anri). Kadota warns that if he decides to make an enemy out of Dollars, then he would definitely get a fight, which would be unlike the level of kiddy fights he’s used to. He shouldn’t do something that he would regret later. Masaomi tells them about Celty’s involvement with the Slasher, meaning both of them working together. Also, the Black Biker attacked a Yellow Scarve member Horoda too. However, Yumasaki and Karisawa gossip that it doesn’t make much sense because the Black Biker and Shizuo were the ones who eradicated the Slashers. Kadota gives Masaomi Izaya’s contact for finding out the identity of Dollars’ leader.
Dennis interrupts them with a knife shot to stop scaring other customers, while Simon serves them their order of five Kremlin nigiri. Yumasaki and Karisawa fawn over the dangerous Chef and speculate about his past life as an instructor of martial arts in Russian army fighting the mafia. Manga hero or whatever, he could easily have ended any of their lives with that dangerous knife trick of his. Kadota tries to remember Horada (he sure is onto something because as notices before Horoda was one of Saki’s kidnappers from Blue Squares).
Dennis provides complimentary sushi to Masaomi for a smiling face rather than a sad one. Simon preaches to Masaomi that fighting is bad and he’s happy enough. He shouldn’t take others’ happiness. Mercy benefits all yet Masaomi is too far away to hear all this because he called Izaya to fix a meeting.
On the other hand, Izaya is very bored with not much work on his hands. Namie wants to punch him but it’s her wishful thinking of bonking her employer. While they talk about a missing handguns lost by Awakusu-Kai, he receives Masaomi’s call and invites him in his office.
On meeting him, he starts off with his formidable tricks to subdue Masaomi’s anger into frustration. As usual, Izaya puts many thoughts into Masaomi’s mind; like, he cares about Anri more than the gang itself and relating her slashing to what happened with Saki previously. He thought he loved Saki but it was not true love rather it was just infatuation. He finally tells him about Mikado’s secret of being Dollars’ leader and of course with more than a pinch of salt to rub it on his face: he was supposedly the cause of all Anri’s pain and still enjoying his peaceful, everyday life. Sadly, no reaction of Masaomi was shown.
In a brief chat session, Izaya announces that the Yellow Scarves and Dollars were at it again. He tells Mikado about how the Black Biker got together with the Slasher to attack Yellow Scarves. Celty diverts the conversation for Anri to a fake movie but Izaya gets his last words in that the General of Yellow Scarves was about to challenge the Dollars to a showdown. Yare yare~
Next day, Masaomi literally skips school and shows up briefly. He instructs his members that nobody is to directly attack any Dollars member. If the Slasher is part of them, he needed proof. Horoda interrupts the meeting a question about Dollars’ leader which Masaomi sidesteps. However, he would engage them head on if there’s a need.
Takeguchi gets hit by Yellow Scarves’ Horoda team, who attack him out of a rumour for being part of the Dollars. The episode ends with Masaomi informing Mikado of this, while scrutinizing him for any reaction; he goes to visit him in the hospital.
End Thoughts: Le sigh! More dorama! Izaya sure doesn’t pull any punches! Always pressurizes at the right time to make people act exactly as he wants them to. What really miffed me was the failed transition when Mikado’s secret was revealed. This was at par with he reveals of trio yet no cliffhanger, no reaction of Masaomi. It was as if that part was hurriedly animated. In the next episode, we can get one of those recaps where things are explained but this was no good.
What’s Masaomi thinking? He must have gone W00t?! But, it was clearly shown that Masaomi can be level headed if there’s a need of it like how he listened to Kadota’s advice and instructed his gang not to directly engage Dollars. However, his control is slipping from people like Horoda and his mini-gang that seems to cause more discord as time passes. He needs quick control on Horoda for sure.
Dotachin gang, can they get more awesome? I think there’s still space left for that. It was nice seeing them in their element relaxing yet totally on guard. Yumasaki is something else! So Gin-like scary. His two opposite sides of happy-go-lucky and I-kill-you are definitely formidable. Karisawa on the other is a cute and feisty combo! I loved her matter-of-fact tone and explanation of their symbolic reality and fiction. If only life was so easy and we could get rid of all the bad memories as if they never happened. Their enactment of the Yellow Scarves and Blue Squares was hilarious!
Why do I have a feeling that Simon has a very bloody past? Being a Russian, he could’ve been a part of the army or even mafia in his heydays. His partner Dennis sure gives the same vibes. Only circus people can throw a knife like that!
Masaomi’s reaction was the most lacking in this episode. He seemed to be pretty in control while talking to Mikado in school but something has definitely changed. I would give him a benefit of the doubt in distrusting the information provided by Izaya. I hope he learns from his past experience and doesn’t believe him fully. After all, he hates violence; he ran away from the gang to get away from the same. Also, this Horoda is up to now good and is simply a bully. What I want to know is that are they doing this for avenging Izumi (Blue Squares’ leader) or on someone else’s orders?
Mikado is the only one with the least information right now. Sometimes his gullibility is too overwhelming. He’s worried about what’s happening inside Dollars but no one even knows what his game plan is. I expect a lot from him and even Anri to stand tall against such visible and invisible adversaries. Of course, with only few more episodes left, things need to be wrapped up and fast!
Izaya is smexy, yet very sadistic and opportune bastard. That is all.
Preview shows more gang hits by Yellow Scarves’ Horoda, Anri, Mikado and Masaomi pondering what was happening around them while sadistic Izzy looks on in amusement. No Shizu-chan for next episode as well? Noooooo!!!
Countdown: W00t?! Only 4 more episodes to go?! We want season 2 announcements soon!
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].
POWUH: 600-699 and Romance Expert with 652 comments
yumasaki and karisawa are an awesome couple.
hey
heres a prologue of vol.4, no spoilers its only a prologue to interest you on the novel and is a sort of teaser(also has a hint about simon and dennis background): http://anni-fiesta.livejournal.com/32533.html
well enjoy reading it.
izaya has no idea what he’s dealing with, mikado is more than he seems
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
I totally agree, Yumasaki and Karisawa are something else! Love both of ’em!
I read the Prologue and you got me addicted! Oh man! That was supremely brilliant! I stand corrected that manga/novels are much better than anime/movies.
I would give the trio a benefit of the doubt against Izaya. He can’t be all that infallible! He is too narcissistic for his own good and when he’s all proud and gloating, he would be hit with a surprising turn of events. At least, I hope so!
POWUH: 600-699 and Romance Expert with 652 comments
yeah, the novels and manga are usually better since they dont have a limited number of pages/ep and are usually more detailed.
oh and can you delete my comment on top? its a mistake and is the same as this one except lacking.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Done deal! ^^;
POWUH: iLurker with 3 comments
hey guysss… no kaichou wa maid sama post this week?? :tantrum :wah :shock :sad2 :sad3 :sad5 :baww2: :baww:
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Awwwww! Gomen~! :11: Couldn’t keep up with the show this week due to too much RL. Will sum it up next week definitely. <3
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
thanks :aww: !!!!!!keep up the good work guysss !!!!!!!!!!! i love metanorn so much!! hahahaha
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
D’awwww! Arrigatou ne~ :7:
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 53 comments
I was pretty bored with this episode, but I can see how they are trying to show how Walker and Erika say just kick out all the crappy past stuff that didn’t have moe, tsundere, and BL, whereas Masaomi is chained to his past of heterosexual maybe-love.
Mikado is supposed to be some awesome leader, but he does less than any other major character on this show. At best he sends a few text messages and then calls it a day!
POWUH: 600-699 and Romance Expert with 652 comments
mikado is probably the most mysterious character in the story(later novels).
its hard for me to tell what is going in his mind ❓ :dot :wah :tantrum
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
well…… i think mikado’s mind is full of secrets and more……… I hope he appears more in the novel later……. :tantrum :sad4
but i think there is some strange past
Show ▼
POWUH: 600-699 and Romance Expert with 652 comments
yeah I kinda already read that…
thats what I meant on not getting whats going in his mind
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
@ Kabitzin, Your visit has made me go all :kyaa:! I would agree that the episode was very slow, if it weren’t for Yumasaki and Karisawa I would doom the studio to hell with laments of WTH were they doing?
I was disappointed with Mikado’s less screen time and not much of a plan of action coming from him but as amado and 美香　三斗 points out, it’s pretty tough to analyze him because he has a side that he hardly shows (like the epic scene where he proclaimed, ‘I have all the cards’).
@ amado, I feel the same frustration whenever it’s Mikado I’m trying to figure out. He would stutter and go ano, sono… but then end being totally bad ass!
@ 美香　三斗, Oh! What an awesome excerpt! Thanks for sharing. Tells a lot about what to expect from Mikado. I sure would love to see this side in season finale!
POWUH: 600-699 and Romance Expert with 652 comments
you can read the full version of it here:
http://anni-fiesta.livejournal.com/20980.html
it tells more…
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
amado, thanks for the link. Now, I’m just waiting for the finale so that I can go to anni-fiesta and gorge on the awesome summaries and excerpts available! ^^;
POWUH: iLurker with 7 comments
Walker was pretty much awesome.
POWUH: iLurker with 7 comments
will you be getting the Venus to Jesus album from Arakawa Under the Bridge?
It’s so sweet X3
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
*nods* It’s so sweet! Have uploaded it now. Thanks for the recommend! ^^;
POWUH: Novice (36-50) with 42 comments
this episode is boring because shizu-chan’s not around again!! LOL 😉
POWUH: iLurker with 10 comments
http://www.onemanga.com/Durarara/12/24/
The manga confirms he’ll be in, next week.
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
There was also only one shot of Celty. It was probably good to get all of this stuff with Masaomi out of the way. It clears the way for more action in the final episodes. Also, I doubt we will get a chance to spend this much time with Kadota and his gang again. As Kyokai notes, there are only 4 episodes left, so there isn’t going to be much time available for the side characters. Unfortunately that includes Simon, too. :sniff: I feel like I’m saying goodbye to good friends.
POWUH: iLurker with 10 comments
Simon, Masaomi and Kadota are gonna be stealing the show in this arc’s finale, don’t worry.
POWUH: iLurker with 10 comments
Masaomi, Simon and Kadota are gonna be stealing the show in this arc’s finale, don’t worry. On the other hand it looks like the second season half will pass by without even a cameo of Kasuka, even though he’s in the opening credits.
POWUH: Novice (36-50) with 37 comments
kasuka showed up in ep 7
POWUH: iLurker with 10 comments
Which would be the first half, before he showed u in the credits.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
@ nagi, I agree! If it weren’t for the Dotachin gang, I would have dozed off!
@ Roger, Shizuo’s entry in next episode would be great. Is that spoiler? I banking on the Trio coming together or something. I was expecting more of Kasuka this season but I hope he and even Kinnosuke show up in remaining episodes to justify their presence in end credits.
@Joojoobees, I feel the same! T_T It’s been such a great haul with an awesome array of characters and plot twists that always keep us hanging. For a while now, I haven’t come across such an addictive anime. Would definitely miss this and looking forward to lots of action and W00ts in the remaining episodes! ^^;
@ edru, barely though, a bit of Shizuo’s past and handing him bartender outfits. Sure, he’s a celebrity but is that it? I would like to see more as Roger points out.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 77 comments
shizu-chan and shinra are nowhere to be found in this ep :baww: lately shizu-chan hasn’t appearing much
but anyway great ep as always *thumbs up* durarara never fails entertain me, izaya is like the mastermind now, huh? GO IZAYA!
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Awww~ *hands out special cookie* After Shizu-chan bamboozled all the Slasher children along with punching the lights of pervy-teacher, I guess he was given some rest time. He sure has a bigger role to play so I’m just waiting and watching. ^^;
Izzy sure gets all the evil points for being the evil informant nudging everyone to a big showdown. Only 2 epis left if you include the released RAW. Oh well, will enjoy the most from the remaining epis!
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 371 comments
Masaomi did have a reaction. In fact, from what I’ve read (it didn’t go into too much detail after Izaya revealed it to him so just speculating) he was shocked and in denial about it. It just wasn’t done well (or AT ALL) in the anime. Given how they’re under time constraint, I guess I can understand why but still, I felt it ruined the episode a little and the part where those Yellow Scarves members beat up what’s-his-name made it even worse. 🙁
However, I guess there’s a good thing in him knowing that Mikado is the leader of the rival gang which assures him that at least, majority of the Dollars members had nothing to do with the Slasher who attacked Anri and if he knows his best friend, he can trust that Mikado won’t do something so stupid as to get people involved in violent fights. It’s the Yellow Scarves that want territory in ‘Bukuro. Most of the Dollars members are just part of something that started online.
Which leads to the case of Horoda. There’s no way Masaomi is going to be able to control a former Blue Squares member. I do not know if he joined the Yellow Scarves out of revenge for the dismemberment of their old gang or if he plans to overtake Masaomi altogether or both but his “respect†for Masaomi is nothing but fake. And that’s already posing a great danger to his authority as leader so it’ll only be a matter of time before internal conflict of the Yellow Scarves start.
Yumacchi and Erika are <3333
I really loved her speech on how she distinguished reality and fiction (“make your own world with moe, tsundere, and BL!†FTW xDDD;;;) from each other. It has yet to sink into my mind cuz I rushed through it so it sounded pretty confusing but that’s a clear indication that she has left her past as Blue Squares member behind and started anew with Dollars, showing a stark contrast between Dotachin’s gang and Masaomi. In a way, I think they’re trying to hint at him to try and forgive himself already. Or at least let others help him cuz look at Masaomi. Nothing’s getting better with him trying to shoulder everything by himself. Baka Masaomi.
And if anyone was 2-D and awesomely insane, they would totally be part of Yumacchi’s desired harem. Yes they would. *creepy talk is creepy* 8DD;;;
MIKADOOOOO~~~~~!!!!!!!!!! ;____________________;
I miss my Mikapuu. I want to hug him so bad cuz dammit, it just ain’t fair he doesn’t know a thing of what’s going on.
Then again, the more I think about it, his “gullibility†might turn into something even more dangerous. Too many people, including Izaya especially, take his easy trust for granted so once Mikado’s effectiveness as the leader of Dollars begins to gain momentum again, nothing can stop him. And if it goes against what Izaya planned
which, he probably planned that as well, Izaya won’t be able to stop him either. It’s not a matter of information he gains. It’s a matter of who dares to mess with him and anyone close to him. You’ll see what I mean when we get a second season. And it is going to be so AWESOME, I won’t be able to sleep. *totally in love with Mikado atm* :/And finally, YEA, where is Shizu?! ;A;
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Xiao-chan, you said it! I was like WTH happened? I wanted some reaction from Masaomi but the studio made it a total dudder! What a waste, that scene!!! Poor Takeguchi too, he didn’t deserve his arm broken but of course how else Mikado and Masaomi both would get worked up over his injuries. >.>
I was pretty pissed with how things are fueling the gang war. Team Horoda harp on the weak, typical bullies, who would jet as soon as they face someone formidable (Cetly and shizu-chan for example). I would agree that they are working on some internal agenda against Yellow Scarves for either disbanding their group or generating discord for a big gang war. Horoda is definitely on the challenging mode by defying Shogun’s direct orders of not engaging directly with Dollars members. From preview it seems that this whole thing would only intensify.
Erika and Walker are simply awesome! Such a deadly torturing duo! Their concept of shooing off unpleasant memories/acts as fiction was just FTW! That whole commando action with chopsticks was great and Karisawa’s fingerpointing with deadpan expressions were just WIN~! The more I get to know about the Dotachin gang, the more I love ’em!
It’s really interesting to see how a chinese-whispers circle is happening around the trio: Anri knows about Masaomi, Masaomi knows about Mikado now it’s Mikado’s turn to either know about Masaomi/Anri. Being totally out of action, I would love to see him all worked up and determined to do something about the continuous deteriorating condition of the city he has come to like with all its flaws. I am looking forward to Mikado’s awesomeness and hopefully another season!
Don’t event get me started over Izaya, he’s sooo lovin’ all this. Sipping coffee and grinning to himself, seriously… If it weren’t for Hiroshi Kamiya, Izzy wouldn’t have turned out so awesomely evil! XD Keeping my fingers crossed for some Shizu-chan next epi~!
Btw, *special cookie* for you for awesome comments as always!
POWUH: iLurker with 2 comments
[…] Durarara!! – 20 […]
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
Fascinating! But you ought to check your comment plugin more carefully. You seem to be receiving some spam comments. I had the same issue myself. So nowadays I look at everything with extra care.
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
Hallo from Sweden! I have found your post on aol. Handy content! Angela S. King x