Durarara!!

A short series (24 episodes and 2 specials) with a plethora of characters each with their own interesting story to tell would seem too ambitious. Durarara!! not only surpasses that expectation but it is probably one of the best series in its genre.

Ryugamine Mikado decides to attend high school in Ikebukuro with the idea that he wants to experience more things. He meets his long-time friend Kida Masaomi, a lively young man who introduces him to several people and shows him amazing things including a headless rider, later revealed to be a Dullahan named Celty. Masaomi seems to be friends with everyone including the weird sort like Simon Brezhnev, Heiwajima Shizuo, and a suspicious guy named Orihara Izaya. Mikado and Masaomi later become friends with Sonohara Anri, a tough, mysterious girl.

Masaomi, Anri, and Mikado

Meanwhile, a group called Dollars is making a name for itself. There are rumors however that this gang is nonexistent even though some people claim there are a lot of members. Another gang, Yellow Scarves, comes into the picture when it openly challenges the Dollars. What's more, an individual dubbed Slasher is attacking several people and making a confusion of things, with rumors about its affiliation with Dollars.

Izaya and Shizuo

The series at first seems just an ordinary hodgepodge of stories of different people but everything comes together eventually because of three people; Mikao, Masaomi, and Anri. Each story is a mix of humor, action, and drama. The pace is slow at first as each important character is introduced, eventually picking up with the appearance of individuals who are intent to stir trouble for the rest. Admittedly it was hard to get into the series in the first few episodes but the characters were a good enough reason to keep watching. The characters are distinct and memorable although it wasn't easy at first to pinpoint which characters have huge roles to play later on as most of them seem to be less relevant with each episode.  That aside Durarara!! is certainly one of the best series I've watched.

Shinra and Celty

Rating: 9 out of 10