Durarara!! (デュラララ!!, Dyurarara!!?)

Durarara!!

デュラララ!!
Genre Action, Supernatural, Comedy
Light novel
Written by Ryohgo Narita
Illustrated by Suzuhito Yasuda
Published by ASCII Media Works
Demographic Shōnen
Imprint Dengeki Bunko
Original run April 10, 2004 – ongoing
Volumes 8
Manga
Written by Ryohgo Narita
Illustrated by Akiyo Satorigi
Published by Square Enix
Demographic Shōnen
Magazine Monthly GFantasy
Original run April 18, 2009 – ongoing
Volumes 2
TV anime
Directed by Takahiro Omori
Studio Brain's Base
Licensed by Siren Visual
Aniplex of America
Beez Entertainment
Network CBC, MBS, TBS
Original run January 7, 2010 – June 24, 2010
Episodes 24 (List of episodes)
Anime and Manga Portal

Durarara!! (デュラララ!!, Dyurarara!!?) is a Japanese light novel series written by Ryohgo Narita, with illustrations by Suzuhito Yasuda. As of September 2010, eight volumes have been published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. A manga adaptation by Akiyo Satorigi started serialization in the shōnen manga magazine Monthly GFantasy on April 18, 2009. An anime adaptation began airing in Japan in January 2010.[1] The series is about a dullahan working as an underworld courier in Ikebukuro, Japan, an internet-based anonymous gang called Dollars, and the chaos that unfolds around the most dangerous people in Ikebukuro. A game based on the series for the PlayStation Portable was released on September 22, 2010.[2]


[edit] Plot
Mikado Ryūgamine is a young man who longs for the exciting life of the big city. At the invitation of his childhood friend Masaomi, he transfers to a school in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.

Masaomi warns him about people he doesn't want to cross in the city: a violent man dressed like a bartender, an information merchant, and a mysterious gang called "Dollars." And to top it off, Mikado witnesses an urban legend on his first day in the city: the "Black Rider," the supposedly headless driver of a black motorcycle.

The narrative follows all of the characters equally, showing how their lives intersect, creating a greater plotline from what each character knows about a common incident.

[edit] Characters
[edit] Main characters
Main article: List of characters in Durarara!!
Mikado Ryūgamine (竜ヶ峰 帝人, Ryūgamine Mikado?)
Voiced by: Toshiyuki Toyonaga (Japanese), Darrel Guilbeau (English)

A first year high school boy who moved to Ikebukuro with the encouragement of his best friend, Masaomi Kida. He moved in order to search for unusual beings and adventure. His greatest fear is having a normal life. Mikado tries hard to change his image but so far he has not had any luck, although he does get up enough courage to become the Class Representative along with Anri. Mikado has had moments where he speaks his mind, and Masaomi claims to admire this about him. He is the only remaining creator of the infamous Dollars. He seems to be infatuated with Anri Sonohara, but has never found a chance to tell her. Whenever he is close to confessing, she leaves. Mikado often gets advice from Izaya, particularly in relation to the Dollars and his need to seek out a life that isn't ordinary.
His online chat screenname is "Taro Tanaka" (田中太郎, Tanaka Tarō?).
Celty Sturluson (セルティ・ストゥルルソン, Seruti Sutururuson?)
Voiced by: Miyuki Sawashiro (Japanese), Kari Wahlgren (English)

The heroine of the series. Also known as "The Black Biker" or "The Headless Rider", she is a Dullahan from Ireland who came to Japan looking for her stolen head. Her motorcycle is actually a horse in disguise. She has no heart and perceives via unknown sensors that are not located on the head. The physical strength she possesses is above human, though not quite on par with Shizuo Heiwajima. She is also capable of manipulating a shadow-like, durable substance to form objects ranging from gloves to chariots at her will.
Celty lives with Shinra Kishitani, and the two are romantically involved. She works as an underground courier. She wears a helmet when she goes out and communicates via a PDA. She enjoys online chatting, television and DVDs. She is one of the minority who knows the creator of the Dollars and that Anri is in control of Saika. Over the course of the series, her relationship with Shinra intensifies; eventually, she says that she is in love with Shinra. She has a habit of punching Shinra in the stomach whenever he talks about his love for her. She tends to get mad when Shinra says she does not need her head. Despite being a supernatural creature, she is afraid of extraterrestrials and has developed a fear of traffic officers as they started pursuing her frequently. Her biggest fear, however, is that if her head is destroyed, the same may happen to her. She is a member of Dollars.
Her online chat screenname is "Setton" (セットン?).
[edit] Media
[edit] Light novel
The Durarara!! light novels are written by Ryohgo Narita and illustrated by Suzuhito Yasuda. The first novel was released in April 2004 under ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko imprint, and as of January 10, 2010, eight novels have been released.[3][4] A Chinese-language release in Taiwan and Hong Kong is published by the Taiwan branch of Kadokawa Media under their Fantastic Novels imprint.[5] Daewon C.I. licensed the Korean-language release of the series in South Korea and releases the novels under their Newtype Novels imprint.[6]

[edit] Manga
A manga adaptation written by Narita and illustrated by Akiyo Satorigi first appeared in the May issue of Square Enix's Monthly GFantasy in April 2009 and became a regular series starting with the magazine's July issue released June 2009.[7][8] One tankōbon was published on December 26, 2009.[9]

[edit] Anime
See also: List of Durarara!! episodes
An anime adaption of the light novels was announced in the wraparound sleeve of the sixth volume of the light novel.[10] The anime is produced by Brain's Base and started airing on January 7, 2010 on MBS, TBS, and CBC. Crunchyroll is to simulcast the anime at 480p and 720p within 24 hours of its Japanese premiere. Other users can see the same episode in standard definition for free one week later.[11] The anime adapts the first three novels. The anime has been licensed by Beez Entertainment for European release.[12] At Anime Expo 2010, Aniplex of America confirmed that they have the license to Durarara!! and are planning to produce an English dub for a planned January 2011 release.[13] The English dub is currently in production at Bang Zoom! Entertainment.

Aniplex of America will release Durarara!! in three digipak, two-disc sets. Part one will be released on January 25, 2011, part two will be released on March 29, 2011, and part three will be released in May 2011. They will be exclusively sold at RightStuf.com and at Bandai Entertainment's The Store.[14]

[edit] Radio
A web radio show (デュラララ!!ラジオ 略して デュララジ!! , Dyurarara!!rajio Ryakushite Dyuraraji!!?) was aired on February 26, 2010 and is still airing. The hosts are Toshiyuki Toyonaga and Kana Hanazawa, the voices for Ryūgamine Mikado and Sonohara Anri respectively.

[edit] References
1.^ "Durarara, Fumihiko Sori's To Video Clips Streamed". Anime News Network. November 20, 2009. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-11-20/durarara-fumihiko-sori-to-video-clips-streamed. Retrieved November 27, 2009.
2.^ "PSPソフト『デュラララ!! 3way standoff』公式サイト" (in Japanese). Dengeki. 2010-04-10. http://d-game.dengeki.com/drrr/. Retrieved 2010-04-10.
3.^ "デュラララ!! (電撃文庫 (0917)) (文庫) [Durarara!! (Dengeki Bunko (0917)) (Paperback)]" (in Japanese). Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4840226466. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
4.^ "デュラララ!!×7 [Durarara!!x7]" (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. http://asciimw.jp/search/isbn/978-4-04-868276-3. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
5.^ "無頭騎士異聞錄 DuRaRaRa!! ×1 [Dullahan Tensei DuRaRaRa!! x1]" (in Chinese). Kadokawa Media. http://www.kadokawa.com.tw/details.asp?id=3017. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
6.^ "듀라라라!! 1" (in Korean). Daewon C.I.. http://www.dwci.co.kr/newtype/02newtype01_write.asp?p=1&seq=12297. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
7.^ "Monthly GFantasy May 2009 issue" (in Japanese). Square Enix. http://www.square-enix.co.jp/magazine/gfantasy/new/2009_05.html. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
8.^ "Monthly GFantasy July 2009 issue" (in Japanese). Square Enix. http://www.square-enix.co.jp/magazine/gfantasy/new/2009_07.html. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
9.^ "作家名別出版物一覧「さ」 [Publication by Artist - "Sa"]" (in Japanese). Square Enix. http://web.square-enix.co.jp/magazine/lineup-book/sakkabetu/sa.html. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
10.^ "Durarara!! Light Novels To Be Animated". Anime News Network. July 3, 2009. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-07-03/dhurarara-light-novels-to-be-animated. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
11.^ "Crunchyroll and Aniplex Bring Some Durarara!! Action". Anime News Network. January 6, 2010. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2010-01-06/crunchyroll-and-aniplex-bring-some-durarara-action. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
12.^ "Durarara, Vampire Knight, Eden of the East Licensed in the UK". Anime News Network. 2010-05-29. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-05-29/durarara-vampire-knight-eden-of-the-east-more-licensed-in-u.k.
13.^ "Aniplex of America Adds Durarara Anime". Anime News Network. 2010-07-03. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-07-03/aniplex-of-america-adds-durarara-anime.
14.^ "Aniplex, Bandai and Right Stuf Team Up For Durarara!! DVD Distribution". Anime News Network. 2010-10-08. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2010-10-08/aniplex-bandai-and-right-stuf-team-up-for-durarara-dvd-distribution.
[edit] External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Durarara!!

Official website (Japanese)
Durarara!! Official US Website (English)
Durarara!! (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
Durarara!! Anime Gallery
Durarara!! at Crunchyroll
デュラララ!!ラジオ 略して デュララジ!! (Web radio show) (Japanese)
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durarara!!"
Categories: Light novels | Manga series | Anime series | Action anime and manga | Anime of 2010 | Aniplex | Dengeki Bunko | Japan-exclusive video games | Manga of 2009 | PlayStation Portable games | Shōnen manga | 2010 video games | Supernatural anime and manga | PlayStation Portable-only games | Video games developed in Japan