[Internal screaming]
It’s that time again, folks. A new Durarara!! arc deserves a new review because it is my favourite and I have no self-control when it comes to raving about this franchise. Yippeeeeeee!
Tension is building in the streets of Ikebukuro following the violent climax of the demon sword slasher Saika Arc. Anri, recovering from her injuries, is visited in hospital by her two chums Mikado and Masaomi. Masaomi, unaware that Saika and Anri are one and the same, vows to find the culprit and bring them down. He is dragged back into his role as leader of the Yellow Scarves gang, a small army of bloodthirsty youths also seeking revenge on the Dollars for their supposed involvement in Saika’s attack.
The first volume of this arc contains a lot of backstory delving into Masaomi’s troubled past, his guilt over the hospitalisation of his girlfriend Saki, and his reluctance and anxiety to be pulled back into the Yellow Scarves. It is the first rumble of thunder before they clash with the Dollars and Saika’s children. Whilst it is fairly quiet in terms of standard, zany Durarara!! action, it is paced beautifully and explores Masaomi’s worries and rage with such youthful passion. It is a truly gripping introduction to a new DRRR!! story. We’ve previously seen Masaomi as a joker – a self-declared heart-throb who rarely takes life seriously but appears to be a true friend to Mikado and Anri. Now, his comedy routines are shown to be little more than superficial acts of bravado to mask his guilt and reluctance to lead. His teenage tearaway antics might be souped-up in true Durarara!! style, but I imagine his disguised vulnerability and suffocating responsibility will resonate with a lot of readers.
And what of Celty? My dearest darling cutie patootie Celty. Celty finds herself frightened off the streets by a proper 80’s-style manly-man police officer who declares fairies and ghosts don’t scare him one little bit. What a knob. But Celty makes a pig’s ear of the situation and trembles in terror for the rest of the first volume, traumatised by her first real run-in with authority. Oh, and Shinra’s father turns up and he is a very strange man and that is all I will say about him.
Ryohgo Narita’s world continues to evolve and his arcs become ever more strongly written. His characters are as vibrant and ridiculous and touchingly human as ever. Akiyo Satorigi deserves special mention, here. I think I’ve mentioned my admiration for her art in the last two reviews, but it seems like she’s really in the zone with the Yellow Scarves Arc. I don’t know if it’s just because I’ve missed reading about these characters, but she seems to have found the best ways to represent them. I can’t express how wonderful it is that you can tell what Celty’s facial expression would be if she had a head simply by the way Satorigi zooms in on her helmet or how she draws the background behind. I think Satorigi has definitely settled into this project and she makes it her own and it’s fantastic. Yes.
I love this story. I love these characters. I love Durarara!! so much. If you haven’t already delved into this series, you need to get on it. It’s awesome. Thank you, Yen Press.
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