I need a new title for this blog. Any suggestions?
-----
Brain's Base, Takahiro Omori, and Ryohgo Narita, you have done it again. I adored Baccano!. It's one of my new favorite series of all time. Jacuzzi and Nice are one of my favorite pairings. Right now, I'm tempted to say Durarara!! is one of my favorites, but only a few weeks and a new series will test that. While DRRR doesn't have any new favorite pairings--something very odd for any "favorite" series of mine--it has one of my new favorite characters, Celty Sturlson.
My first impression was that Mikado and Kida were not the main characters, merely a way to introduce the series. They are the main characters, especially in the second half of the series. They aren't the strongest main characters at first because they have no apparent skills. Mikado never left his hometown before the start of the series. Kida spends the first episode showing Mikado around Ikebukuro and introducing him to all the characters. Durarara!! is very character-driven, moreseo than Baccano! DRRR is also chronological. It's less straightforward plot and more just people interacting with each other. Mikado, Kida, and Anri are seemingly ordinary high school students. Kadota, Walker, Erika, and Togusa can basically just be lumped into "those people with Kadota", because they always appear together. Shizuo Heiwajima is a bartender with super-human strength who really hates Izaya Orihara, a twisted information broker. Izaya is behind most events in the series. Our "main" character is Celty Sturlson, a dullahan. There's another bunch of people, Simon, Seiji, Harima, Namie, Shinra, but you'll meet them in the theme song.
Animation is superb, with extreme detail to the setting as far as I can tell, but I've never been to Ikebukuro. Character designs are distinctive, and I had no trouble telling people apart like I did in Baccano!. Celty's effects get a special mention. She has the power to manipulate a smoke-shadow-like substance at will, and black smoke stuff constantly comes out of her neck, all of which is animated well. She cannot speak, having no head, so communicates with a PDA. I am super excited to see Kari Walhgren play her in the dub, because Celty is just about the coolest character ever, and not just because she's a motorcycling headless Irish god of death. She lives with Shinra, a mildly eccentric underground doctor. They met when he was 4. Celty doesn't age. She's 200ish, and immortal-ish. Her wounds heal, and as we've established, she has no head. It is in Ikebukuro somewhere, and she's trying to find it. That's about all the plot we get. Mikado's just living in Ikebukuro. Izaya is up to something undefined until late in the series. He is also one of the most infuriating villains I've seen--infuriating in a good way. He's twisted, all-powerful, and has no redeeming qualities at all. He's nothing but villain.
The first half of the series (episodes 1-12) spends a lot of time developing characters and setting up for the second half, since there's no real plot right away. The first 7 or 8 episodes can drag because of that. While Celty's backstory is fascinating and unique, it's backstory. The second half of the series (episodes 13-24) hits you with all the things it hinted at in the first 12 episodes.
I watched DRRR subbed because that's all we've got so far.The dub will be released by Aniplex America around January 2011. Here's the English site, where you can check for more casting announcements. Mikado, Celty, and Shizuo are up, and respectively are Darrel Guibeau, Kari Wahlgren, and the very appropriately cast Crispin Freeman. Masaomi, Izaya, and Anri will be announced tomorrow. The entire series is subbed and legal on Crunchyroll, free in 360p. If you sign up for a paid account, you can watch in HD (720p).
Opening and ending themes beat Baccano! because "Trust Me" is my new favorite ending theme. I never even got through Baccano!'s ending theme. Second DRRR ending theme isn't as strong, but both opening themes really hit on the mood of the series, and have the familiar helpful character reminders. The first opening, "Uragiri no Yuuyake", is a little more classic rock and orients the series more towards the action side, while still staying a little mysterious--basically, Mikado's view of Ikebukuro. A fun, action-packed city that he knows nothing about. "Complication", the second theme, has a slightly melancholy feel to it, and is a little more mellow but driving pop-rock. The second half of the series matches that melancholy, as it strips our main trio of their innocence while the city wages war on itself. I didn't like "Complication" at first, but now that I do, I'm crazy about it.
Durarara!! is a fascinating series. I've never heard of a dullahan outside of anything but the headless horseman myth, let alone in modern Tokyo on a motorcycle. The early episodes of character development really drag the series down, and it took me a while to get through them, where it took me about a week to finish the last 10 episodes. Also, since there's so much time spent developing characters, it takes a while to like characters. Mikado seems pretty useless until about episode 10. Kida gets more points for knowing a lot of people, and for having Mamoru Miyano as a voice actor, but he takes a while, too. Celty and Shizuo are the only really strong main characters early on.
Rating: A
+ Unique! Celty is an awesome character. Animation, voice acting, opening and ending themes are all good. Everything ties together by the end of the series. Second half plot is awesome. All the characters turn out to be really cool. Did I mention it's unique?
-Character development takes a while. Early part of the series drags. Ending doesn't tie up all the loose ends. I hope there's some OVAs.
No comments:
Post a Comment