Based on the same-titled novel series by Ryohgo Narita, Durarara!! is a loud, crazy, utterly hypnotic explosion of anime overkill (everything about this series is excessive—starting with the dual exclamation points in the title). The wacky action begins when young Mikado Ryugamine enrolls at the Raira Academy in the Ikebukuro district of Tokyo, where he quickly discovers that higher education takes a backseat to bizarre happenings: the school bully hurls vending machines through the air during temper tantrums; a cranium-free biker known as the “Headless Rider” zooms around town; and a similarly noggin-less girl runs about searching for her missing body part (the mission to retrieve her lost head becomes something of an odyssey). And there's more: a mysterious gang called “Dollars” has everyone in a panic, while the students also put up with unwelcome attention from kidnappers, pedophilic teachers, and slashers. Although the series' animation is merely adequate, its over-the-top scripts and bizarre characters propel things along at breakneck speed—at no point is it possible to guess what's going to happen next, and the endless surprises make this a triumph for the genre. Compiling the first nine episodes from the 2010 season in a dual language, two-disc set, suitable for 13-up, this is highly recommended!! [Note: Durarara!! Part 02 is also newly available.] (P. Hall)
Durarara!! Part 01
(2010) 2 discs. 225 min. DVD: $49.98. Aniplex (avail. from www.aniplexusa.com). Volume 26, Issue 3
Durarara!! Part 01
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