Knowing that
Durarara!! is from the creators of
Baccano!, I had a very high expectation of Durarara!!. The magic of
Baccano! lies in its plot twists but this is sorely missed in
Durarara!!. In the end, though it's not as awesome as
Baccano! or as I had expected, it's still one of the best anime of 2010 so far.Anyway, according to
Narita sensei's twitter, the last DVD volume of
Durarara!! (volume 13) will include an extra episode (episode 25). It will be released on Feb 2011. Narita sensei commented that episode 25 will not be the story's finale, but a bonus epilogue. I can't wait to watch it! ^^
Story: (9/10) – Very GoodMikado has always longed for the excitement of the city life, and an invitation from a childhood friend, Masaomi, convinces him to move to Ikebukuro, Tokyo's downtown district. Witnessing the 'Black Rider' (an urban legend) on his first day in the city, his wishes already seem to have been granted. But as supernatural events begin to occur, ordinary citizens like himself, along with Ikebukuro's most colorful inhabitants, are mixed up in the commotion breaking out in their city.The storytelling is great! Everything may seem all over the place at first, but this is one of the charms of this series. The storytelling is mostly driven by characters and this allows us to see things from different perspectives.
Characters: (9/10) – Very GoodThere are so many characters that it's sometimes hard to tell who exactly are the main characters, but well, I don't think it matters all that much.
Some of the characters are great and well developed, while others are pretty bland.
Shizou- It amuses me every time he starts throwing (BIG) objects at people! He's the personification of violence, even though he hates violence. He's the coolest character in
Durarara!!.
Izaya - One of the most sadistic characters I've seen!
Celty - One of my favorite female anime characters. Though she's considered fearsome by many, she's actually very likable and thoughtful.
Art/Animation: (9/10) –
Very GoodThe last time I was in Tokyo, I stayed in Ikebukuro. I have actually been to some of the places shown in the anime!
It's impressive how they actually reenacted the actual city. It really brought back great memories and I want to go back to Japan soon!! I like the background art and I also think the character designs are pretty cool, though not exactly original.Music: (8/10) – GoodThe music is pretty good, and it has some great tracks for both the lighter and darker parts of the series.
Enjoyment: (9/10) – Very Good Frankly, I like the first two-third of the series better than the last third. I would have enjoyed it a lot more if not for the ending. The ending was slightly disappointing for me since everything worked out too well. There are still many unanswered issues so I hope there will be a second season soon.
Overall: (9/10) – Very Good If I haven't watch Baccano! before I watch Durarara!!, I might like Durarara!! a lot more. But having said that, I do feel that Durarara!! is a great series worth watching. 
