Durarara!! Vol. 1, created by Ryohgo Narita
If I could, I would climb through your computer screen like some sort of technological eldritch abomination and shove a copy of Ryohgo Narita’s Durarara!! manga into your trembling bosom and tell you, in my raspy ghost voice, to read it if you valued your comfortable existence. I love Durarara!! a lot, but rather than haunt your manga-related nightmares, I will instead make a totally unbiased and polite recommendation.
Self-control is key.
In a nutshell, Durarara!! links together the hectic lives of fourteen of Ikebukuro’s most dysfunctional citizens. It gives that feeling of zoning out of a casual conversation for a moment, and returning to a full-blown fist-fight. While clinging to the back of a speedboat. During an apocalyptic thunderstorm. On the surface of Jupiter.
We begin with our main protagonist, Mikado, arriving from his small town to the bustling city of Ikebukuro. Fresh into the train station, he immediately feels out of his depth and is constantly pushed around by commuters. Kida Masaomi, Mikado’s childhood friend and seasoned Ikebukuro-dweller, comes to his rescue and takes him on a tour of the city.
While walking, Kida lists some of the folk Mikado can expect to see (and meet later on), from hilariously eccentric double-act Yumasaki and Karisawa to the dangerous Shizuo and Izaya, and the mysterious ‘Dollars’ group that lingers in Ikebukuro’s underworld. Just as Mikado is tempted to catch the next train back to his hometown, his path is crossed by ‘The Black Rider’, also known as Celty, a headless horsewoman wearing a helmet with cat ears and riding the streets on her spectral motorcycle.
How awesome is that?!
And lo, he is compelled to stay, which is very understandable. The first volume sets the scene for a bizarre, tangled story of Irish mythology, urban legends, gang wars, and unconventional relationships.
Durarara!! is the kind of manga where every character is your favourite character (but I do have a incredibly soft spot for Celty). Even better is that they are designed from Narita’s light novels by manga artist Suzuhito Yasuda, author of my most favourite series Yozakura Quartet. The first volume concerns itself with establishing these quirky personalities but still begins to create a driving plot from the outset. Durarara!! is special because it takes a brave step in focusing on the ordinary struggles of extraordinary people rather than the opposite. Instead of gratuitous action and supernatural battles (Attack on Titan, I’m looking at you), Celty is often depicted happily typing away in online chatrooms. On the internet, no one knows you’re headless. It’s more about self-questioning and issues of identity and place that plague the internal monologues of Narita’s cast.
If you’ve seen the fantastic anime, the manga is well worth reading since it takes the time to elaborate on things like the twisted romance between Seiji Yagiri and Mika Harima. Akiyo Satorigi’s artwork lends itself to the action extremely well, and the mayhem is presented exactly as mayhem should be. Pick this little beauty up if you want something exciting, fun, and with an extremely memorable set of characters. If you do, I will sincerely applaud you for your excellent taste.
That was a neutral review, yes?
The important stuff:
• Yen Press on Twitter
• Ryohgo Narita on Twitter
• Durarara!! anime on Crunchyroll
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