Durarara!! (1st season) generic discussion thread

[June 1983]

I absolutely adored episode 2. I love the headless biker. [post28] Also, I found out her scientist helper is voiced by Jun Fukuyama!

[-Sho-]

Just watch ep 2 :

As usual , we recognize Baccano's style , the interactions for each characters .
So , it was about Magenta's life . Yeah , it's sad and true . Her Mom doesn't want to destroy the family . But still his Dad is a jackass . And , suicide won't resolve anything .

It seems that Izaya will be the top characters here .
I don't have a fav yet .

Ahah they used our new cellphone generation XD

And the message "Because the world isn't as cruel as you take it to be" was well-found

Op is nice but Ed is thoses typical Boys Band Jap vers meh .

[OceanBlue]

Aww, Rio's character design and this episode made me wish she was a major character, but she doesn't even show up in the ED.

This was a really well done episode, but I wish they'd focused on someone else. Preferably a major character.

[Lacrimosa]

Here are some scans I found.. sorry if any have already been posted. oAo;

[DragoonKain3]

Originally Posted by shiroth

There's a difference between reused footage, and scenes shown from the first episode.

toh-may-toh, to-muh-toh, same difference. Having around 3 mins of it is way too much (~8:30-~10:00 and ~11:30-~12:30, plus some reused stuff when the vending machine was thrown in the air), as that's already 1/8ths of the show already. That's your typical OP+ED combined.

Don't get me wrong, Durarara is a great show, but doesn't mean I'm going to turn a blind eye towards their faults.

[Terrestrial Dream]

Originally Posted by DragoonKain3

toh-may-toh, to-muh-toh, same difference. Having around 3 mins of it is way too much (~8:30-~10:00 and ~11:30-~12:30, plus some reused stuff when the vending machine was thrown in the air), as that's already 1/8ths of the show already. That's your typical OP+ED combined.

Don't get me wrong, Durarara is a great show, but doesn't mean I'm going to turn a blind eye towards their faults.

They might have been repeating scene but did you forget the narration that gave Rio's thought during that moment? Those were crucial details that made this episode great, without it I felt that the scenes toward the end would lose more meaning. I am actually impressed how they used the recurring scenes well.

[Sol Falling]

lol. That last moment as Izaya said 'Magenta-san' really highlighted how banal her thoughts/drama really was. 'Magenta'. I am a great fan of purple myself, amythest being my birthstone (not that I care at all for that arbitrary bullshit, but amythest is so pretty I'll live with it). Nonetheless, the arrogance of identifying herself by that handle speaks volumes of how petty a person she was.

It's unfortunate. I am a bit bewildered, actually. Her quiet words, her shock, her fear and relief at being saved. Rio was damned cute (don't care for her present hairstyle though. Past Rio looked better). I am unhappy she jumped off that building. I am unhappy she was saved. At the moment of her hesitation, there were two forces: the primal recoil from pain and destruction; the despairing question of to whence she had to return. She decided the latter won. But I have to think: if the mere realization that people weren't all selfish and self-interested was what made it all worth it to her, then truly once more: what a petty person.

Maybe Izaya was satisfied that she ended up jumping. But he called her boring for following his plan. Was that real satisfaction as he watched her falling? However interesting he might be, I would hate him if it was. "Neither kind enough to save someone who wants to die" is not a justification. He knew she didn't. He showed her that fear. It was only his malice that pushed her over, leaving her in the darkness of the roof of a building of death. If she had curled up then, quiet, lost, unsure; unmovable, with only her fear of death standing in front of her, then I would have fallen in love with her (well, philosophically, I guess. Again, her hair.). But as for Izaya, I honestly can't tell.

In the end, I don't really care for the episode's message. As for the production, though, it was perfect. You can complain about reused footage all you like, but in the end damn did that message get through. Ah, except for one thing though (on the production). Once or twice I was bothered by the third person narration. It was too omnicient, it felt cheap. Like who can really tell that much of another's story? I didn't like it.

One last thing, on Celty (I take it that's the rider's name): this episode made it obvious that she is a woman. lol, this is probably an offensive statement, but to be clear I mean that psychologically (the suited breasts made it clear last episode).

[DragoonKain3]

My point was that it doesn't matter what you call it, but 3 mins (out of 24, 12.5% of total) of things we just saw LAST EPISODE is just a sign of pure laziness. Or maybe lack of budget? The art style/animation being great and all, I guess they have to cut corners somewhere. Doesn't change the fact it's something that is NOT praiseworthy of.

The narration being great is ENTIRELY beside the point. And if you read my post before the one you quoted, you'd know I agree with you in that regard. Can't really say no to the lovely voices of Tomatsu and Sawashiro after all...

[Terrestrial Dream]

Originally Posted by DragoonKain3

My point was that it doesn't matter what you call it, but 3 mins (out of 24, 12.5% of total) of things we just saw LAST EPISODE is just a sign of pure laziness. Or maybe lack of budget? The art style/animation being great and all, I guess they have to cut corners somewhere. Doesn't change the fact it's something that is NOT praiseworthy of.

The narration being great is ENTIRELY beside the point. And if you read my post before the one you quoted, you'd know I agree with you in that regard. Can't really say no to the lovely voices of Tomatsu and Sawashiro after all...

It is praiseworthy fact that they used those scenes very effectively. And you keep saying as if nothing important or meaningful happened in the repeating scenes. If those 3 mins were pure flashback then I would agree with you, but they weren't. Also how are the narration besides the point? They were part of the scenes and can't be ignored.
Also you keep talking about 1/8 and 12.5% to make it seem like it was a huge chunk. But those were very short moments and there were some new scenes between and also the fact that there were interval with new scenes, which didn't resulted in 3mins of pure repetition. Those were very short scenes and I saw plenty of animes with flashback like those, but yet I have never seen people complaining about it. So I don't see why those very short scenes should be complained.

[FlareKnight]

Might be crazy but not liking Izaya that much. Can certainly see what people might like about him, but really the guy just makes me mad to a degree. Made solid points, but really just doesn't really care about what his actions cause. Expect he sent the evidence of the affair to Rio just to start the whole process up. Certainly sharp enough to know what was going to happen and that she'd jump at the end there. Find it hard to like someone like that.

Still a pretty good episode and get some insight into that rider. Good to save the girl at the end since she was being used like that. Also gave an important message that helped turn things around. A pretty horrible experience overall, but at least Rio is still alive. Makes me curious though with that scientist. Should be interesting to see what happens there.

[Xacual]

Not really a big spoiler question and not really asking for identity, but I assume we will find out who the people in the chat conversations are, even if Mikado doesn't?

I guess I'm with FlareKnight in that, I also thought that it might have been Izaya that started the whole thing with the photos in the mail. Don't really like his character that much.

[coren]

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

Might be crazy but not liking Izaya that much. Can certainly see what people might like about him, but really the guy just makes me mad to a degree. Made solid points, but really just doesn't really care about what his actions cause. Expect he sent the evidence of the affair to Rio just to start the whole process up. Certainly sharp enough to know what was going to happen and that she'd jump at the end there. Find it hard to like someone like that.

I didn't like Izaya too much either.

Spoiler:

Driving a depressed teenager to suicide is surely horrible, but as an evil scheme it seems to lack a certain amount of grandeur.

[Solace]

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

Expect he sent the evidence of the affair to Rio just to start the whole process up.

The interesting thing about the pictures (at least the ones I saw) is that there's nothing implicating an affair. Close contact maybe but just meeting another woman isn't a crime. It could have been any number of reasons besides an affair that he was meeting with her. Heck that may even be why the mother never said anything after she saw them, she may have known all about it. When were those pictures taken, days, weeks, months, years possibly?

Rio never asked about the pictures or the implications in them to either of her parents. Sure it's a difficult topic to bring up but she assumed it was an affair when it could have easily been something else. It certainly didn't help that she was manipulated almost the entire time though by her sympathizer, but he wasn't wrong in his assessment of her.

Up until the end anyway...makes me wonder what the marks he scratched are for.

[Kunagisa]

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

Might be crazy but not liking Izaya that much. Can certainly see what people might like about him, but really the guy just makes me mad to a degree. Made solid points, but really just doesn't really care about what his actions cause. Expect he sent the evidence of the affair to Rio just to start the whole process up. Certainly sharp enough to know what was going to happen and that she'd jump at the end there. Find it hard to like someone like that.

Totally agree about hating the guy for his manipulative ways, BUT to be fair, I don't think he's the one that send those pictures. Just seems way too much effort and coincidence require to start that event.

Originally Posted by Solace

Up until the end anyway...makes me wonder what the marks he scratched are for.

Tally marks. When you reach five you have a 正, that's why I said the number is at 4.

[Sol Falling]

On Izaya possibly sending the affair photos in the first place. The thought didn't even occur to me, so I'd prefer if it weren't the case. It just seems kinda too h4x and ridiculous for Izaya to be behind absolutely everything. I guess I could see it being what the author intended, though, just to emphasize something about Izaya's character, since it does fit the whole 'informer' thing he's supposed to have. It would be really assholish though, to pick on a girl to that extent.

Whether I have any sympathy for Izaya at all is dependant on the hypothetical question I asked above: what if Rio hadn't jumped. I can take his grin at face value but for someone who was bored since she completely followed his plan and who professes to be interested in human behaviour, that would be pretty hypocritical. If rather than gaining some respect, interest, or even care for her he threw a hissy fit for her defying his expectations and not giving him what he wanted, then he would be no more than a self-important asshole getting drunk on an illusion of power. I'm gonna have to see how Izaya reacts to meeting someone/something he can't control, 'cause if he really is a lowlife bastard who enjoys screwing random people over to the point of killing them, then no amount of pretentious 'I am not kind () enough to save someone who wants to die' posturing (that, btw Mr. anonymous jackass, would be an example of real pretention ) could redeem him.

[SuperKnuckles]

Yeah.... except he already committed a bunch of criminal acts to get that kind of experiment coming his way. Sure, the girl was at fault too for falling in so easily (like trusting a complete stranger online fully), but Izaya is clearly not some totally innocent bystander here. To me, he already deserves something coming to him.

It also seemed like the biker girl was only a slight provocation away from taking him out.

[Solace]

Originally Posted by stuopidget

Tally marks. When you reach five you have a 正, that's why I said the number is at 4.

Ah, that makes sense then.

[Kunagisa]

Originally Posted by Sol Falling

On Izaya possibly sending the affair photos in the first place. The thought didn't even occur to me, so I'd prefer if it weren't the case. It just seems kinda too h4x and ridiculous for Izaya to be behind absolutely everything. I guess I could see it being what the author intended, though, just to emphasize something about Izaya's character, since it does fit the whole 'informer' thing he's supposed to have. It would be really assholish though, to pick on a girl to that extent.

I agree with this (also lol @ informer with 56/55 unread emails, so lazy!). I tend to think Orihara's like a catalyst. He just speeds up reaction, but doesn't really get involved in it ... at least for this case. Rather he remains like this I can't say. As an informer, you have a liability to NOT lie, else you will not be trustworthy; you can obviously dance around the truths as much as you can.

Originally Posted by Sol Falling

Whether I have any sympathy for Izaya at all is dependant on the hypothetical question I asked above: what if Rio hadn't jumped. I can take his grin at face value but for someone who was bored since she completely followed his plan and who professes to be interested in human behaviour, that would be pretty hypocritical. If rather than gaining some respect, interest, or even care for her he threw a hissy fit for her defying his expectations and not giving him what he wanted, then he would be no more than a self-important asshole getting drunk on an illusion of power. I'm gonna have to see how Izaya reacts to meeting someone/something he can't control, 'cause if he really is a lowlife bastard who enjoys screwing random people over to the point of killing them, then no amount of pretentious 'I am not kind () enough to save someone who wants to die' posturing (that, btw Mr. anonymous jackass, would be an example of real pretention ) could redeem him.

To be honest, if he find someone he can't control. I would just think he'll either be more interested, or not care. I can't imagine him throwing a hissy fit ... that'll be a huge disappointment if he ever does that in the future.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by OceanBlue

Aww, Rio's character design and this episode made me wish she was a major character, but she doesn't even show up in the ED.

Yeah i really liked her design, plus her character in this episode. I still think she can be in this show even though she's not in the OP, though her story has kinda been and gone now. I don't see what role she can play now, apart from being a friend.

Originally Posted by Lacrimosa

Here are some scans I found.. sorry if any have already been posted. oAo;

Yeah they were, by me.

[monir]

Originally Posted by Solace

The interesting thing about the pictures (at least the ones I saw) is that there's nothing implicating an affair. Close contact maybe but just meeting another woman isn't a crime. It could have been any number of reasons besides an affair that he was meeting with her. Heck that may even be why the mother never said anything after she saw them, she may have known all about it. When were those pictures taken, days, weeks, months, years possibly?

Rio never asked about the pictures or the implications in them to either of her parents. Sure it's a difficult topic to bring up but she assumed it was an affair when it could have easily been something else. It certainly didn't help that she was manipulated almost the entire time though by her sympathizer, but he wasn't wrong in his assessment of her.

Up until the end anyway...makes me wonder what the marks he scratched are for.

Here is a devious outlook from a different angle which does suit the grim, sobering atmosphere: It's quite possible she is also having (or had) an affair of her own. Also, most hotel in Japan are for those romantic get away. An article surfaced couple of months ago about how Japan's hotel industry was unaffected by the lagging economy. He is having an affair alright.

I also liked the message where it says something along the line of, "the world isn't as difficult as you perceive it to be." Japan is on the top 3 in suicide rates. In 2009, they equaled the highest number of suicide in the last four decades. So I was very intrigued by the brief conversation between those two on the ledge of that roof. The dialogues were so rich that it was very difficult to take any kind of side. She was pityful and he was ruthless, but both of those outlook aren't without merit. So that lingering flashing text at the end of that miracle, "the world isn't as difficult as you preceive it to be" was just....... well, it hit the spot.

There should be more messages like these conveyed to the public in Japan.

This show, by far, the best that I've checked out from this new season. Sora no Wo to has breath-taking overall animation, but the story wasn't as engaging as of yet. This one was intriguing from the get go. This show reminds me of Baccano, but I'm sure it has been mentioned more than once over here.