Mikado Ryugamine moves to Ikebukuro at his friend’s invitation, and within minutes he is caught up in the city’s underworld. That is the engine of Durarara!!, and it still drives the show today. The anime takes Ryohgo Narita’s light novels and turns them into a sprawling, chaotic portrait of a city full of secrets, gangs, and a headless woman on a motorcycle.
The show premiered on January 8, 2010, across five networks: MBS, Gunma TV, Tokyo MX, BS11, and Tochigi TV. It ran for two seasons, 60 episodes in total, ending on March 26, 2016. The story follows Mikado as he tries to settle into Raira Academy alongside his childhood friend Masaomi Kida. What starts as a simple move to the big city quickly spirals into gang conflict, superhuman violence, and a legend that refuses to stay dead.
Trailer, via All the Anime.
Mikado’s Move to Ikebukuro
Mikado arrives in Ikebukuro hoping for excitement. Instead he gets Shizuo Heiwajima, the superhumanly strong man who can throw cars, and Izaya Orihara, the information broker who runs the city like a game board. Masaomi warns him about both early on, but Mikado keeps getting drawn in anyway.
Celty Sturluson, the headless courier, is the show’s most memorable character. She is a dullahan, a creature from Irish folklore, and she rides a black motorcycle that makes a strange sound like a horse. She is in Ikebukuro looking for her stolen head, and she works as an underworld courier along the way. Her relationship with Mikado is the heart of the show’s quieter arcs.
The Dollars and the Black Rider
The Dollars are the other major force in the story. They are an internet-based anonymous gang, and they are central to the chaos that unfolds. The show is built on multiple perspectives, switching between about eleven main characters, with the narrator giving his own opinion on the current situation in every episode.
The plot follows all of these characters equally, showing how their lives intersect and create a larger plot from each character’s knowledge about a common incident. The story is told from the perspective of approximately eleven of the main characters, with the perspective changing in every episode, sometimes even more often.
Voices Behind the Show
The voice cast brings the characters to life. Miyuki Sawashiro voices Celty Sturluson, and Toshiyuki Toyonaga voices Mikado Ryugamine. Mamoru Miyano voices Masaomi Kida, and Kana Hanazawa voices Anri Sonohara. Hiroshi Kamiya voices Izaya Orihara, and Daisuke Ono voices Shizuo Heiwajima. Jun Fukuyama voices Shinra Kishitani, and Misaki Kuno voices Akane Awakusu.
Each actor brings something distinct to their role, and the show’s success depends on that chemistry. The voices carry the weight of the show’s dense, fast-paced storytelling.
A City With a Large Underbelly
Ikebukuro is not a background in *Durarara!!. It is a character. The city has a large underbelly that is the medium for the majority of both the plot’s development and random violence throughout the series. The show is at its best when it lets the city breathe, letting its streets and its hidden corners become part of the action.
The show also keeps coming back to what makes its characters tick. The narrator gives his own opinion on the current situation, talking about what things make them tick and keep them going in Ikebukuro. This gives the show a warmth beneath its surface chaos.
The Two Seasons
The first season ran from January to June 2010, covering 24 episodes. The second season, titled Durarara!!×2, ran from January 2015 to March 2016, covering 36 episodes. The show kept its core cast and its central conflicts intact across both seasons, though the stakes grew higher as the story progressed.
The show’s pacing is uneven across its run. Some episodes are slow, others are fast, and the show rarely settles into a steady rhythm. That is part of its appeal, and part of its problem.
Where It Falls Short
Durarara!! is not perfect. Its pacing is uneven, and some episodes feel like filler. The show also relies heavily on its source material, which means that longtime fans may find themselves comparing the anime to the novels rather than standing on its own.
The show’s structure, with its constantly shifting perspectives, can also be hard to follow at times. New viewers may need to watch closely to keep track of who knows what and when. That is a fair trade for the show’s ambition, but it is a trade nonetheless.
A City Worth Returning To
Durarara!! remains a compelling look at a city full of secrets, gangs, and a headless woman on a motorcycle. It rewards patience and repeated viewings, and it leaves a lasting impression on anyone who stays with it until the end.
The show’s strengths are its characters, its world, and its willingness to let the chaos play out on its own terms. The weaknesses are its uneven pacing and its occasional dependence on its source material. Taken together, they add up to a show that is well worth watching, even if it is not without its flaws.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Premiere date | January 8, 2010 |
| Last airing date | March 26, 2016 |
| Networks | MBS, Gunma TV, Tokyo MX, BS11, Tochigi TV |
| Seasons | 2 |
| Total episodes | 60 |
| First season | 24 episodes, January–June 2010 |
| Second season | 36 episodes, January 2015–March 2016 |
Main Characters
- Mikado Ryugamine, voiced by Toshiyuki Toyonaga
- Masaomi Kida, voiced by Mamoru Miyano
- Anri Sonohara, voiced by Kana Hanazawa
- Izaya Orihara, voiced by Hiroshi Kamiya
- Shizuo Heiwajima, voiced by Daisuke Ono
- Shinra Kishitani, voiced by Jun Fukuyama
- Akane Awakusu, voiced by Misaki Kuno
- Celty Sturluson, voiced by Miyuki Sawashiro
The show is a product of its time, and it shows it. But the core of Durarara!! — Mikado’s move to Ikebukuro, the Dollars, the Black Rider, and the city itself — remains strong enough to carry the whole thing. It is a show that rewards attention, patience, and a willingness to get lost in its chaos.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.
