Durarara!! X2

Zach Goodier

The sequel to the original Durarara!!, X2  is the return of one of our favorite shows to a (somewhat) peaceful state, but things quickly begin to pick up again as a biker gang from out of town starts raising hell, saying that the Dollars attacked them in their town and they want revenge. What ensues is more of the quirky, exciting action and character development we loved in the original, with Celty and Shinra trying to make a life for themselves, and Mikado having to struggle with the future of the Dollars, which he created.

Meet Varona, a Russian woman who is as smart and deadly as she is beautiful.

The story is as beautiful as the original. While there are a lot of characters to follow, and things bounce around a lot, it really is easy to tell characters apart because they all have their own unique personalities, so nobody ever really feels like “that other guy/gal there.” Much of the story is like the previous season, with Shizuo and Izaya being at each other’s throats, and everybody trying to make their way in the busy district of Ikebukoro. However, some themes are brought out that really challenge some of our characters, mainly Mikado.

Izaya is still as dangerous as ever.

The central story here is the story of the Dollars changing. Since their creation in season one, the Dollars have risen to dominance in Ikebukoro. Mikado soon faces the decision on how to proceed as he watches the Dollars spiral out of control, since they by nature have no leader. As they act without oversight and start to bring the wrath of other gangs down on them, Mikado and his friends must decide what to do about things, if anything. This seems fairly mundane on the surface, but it provides some great perspectives from various characters, who have their own principles, who decide what being in the Dollars means for them, and whether they feel they can stay in the gang, even as everything falls apart.

Some Dollars still remember the old days, and they still hold old grudges.

There are some new faces this season, such as the Chikage, the leader of the “Toramaru” biker gang, which is at war with the Dollars. Most everyone else is from last season, getting into new situations to keep things exciting, some favorites, like Anri, don’t get quite as much screen time as they did last season, or at least don’t get as much going on, but everyone still has moments to shine.

This is one catfight I'd want to stay far away from.

This show is just as good, if not better, than it was last season. X2 has fun, deep, and exciting characters, all part of an intricate web of influence, where one action by a character can be felt all over the city, as dominoes fall and hi-jinks ensues. This is what makes Durarara!! such a fun show. If you haven’t watched it, I would highly recommend watching it from the beginning, because it is such a rich and wonderful series, and this season is no exception. The music is also a standout, with some nice tunes both in the series proper and the openings and closings.

This is what death looks like before it strikes you... and everything around you.

It does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, but in a way that wraps up most of the current story, and sets us up for things to (hopefully) come down the road. I know Robert reviewed season one and felt it was a bit of a mess, but that’s what I love about this show: it is designed that way from the bottom up. This is a story about characters all living their own lives, trying to grow up and/or make lives for themselves, and life is messy. They key to understanding and enjoying this show comes from not looking at the series as a whole story, but at all the moments and characters struggling to make their way, in their own ways, creating episodes of their lives within the limited window we get to see through.

Good:

-Rich and entertaining characters.

-Fun and exciting, yet still a mature tone.

-A story that doesn’t let you look away for a second.

Bad:

-Can be tough to follow for casual viewers.

Scully Rating: 9 out of 10