Review of Durarara!!

I've started this anime multiple times but I couldn't get past the first few. I never had anything against it, in fact, I liked it but I just never felt like binging it and felt like I would just come back to it sometime then never did. It always seemed to linger back into my mind so finally I returned, getting past that fourth episode and I think part of my problem was that the episodes tie to each other, they're each a piece of a greater puzzle, it just took that long to realize that. The thing about this anime is that some thingsjust happen causing an event and that introduces the characters but then they take the time to work backwards and dive into each one in different perspectives, it's a questionable method but I can't exactly complain about the way it's done. It'll build itself up then starts to show you what it's really made of! Making the payoff just that much more exciting because you finally realize how the original events become relevant, there's a certain mystery to it.

The animation style reminds me of The World Ends with You, the overall vibe fits too (I guess it figures because Square Enix produced it).

Mikado can come off as a bit wimpy but I feel like he's the realest of the group, I still like him. Masaomi is funny and slick but I understand his later point of view. Anri is very interesting, I see a lot of potential in her character and I like the arc that she goes through. Celty is one of my favorites and probably the most iconic and synonamous with the series. Isaya has a certain point of view that I don't like but it is Isaya afterall so you're not supposed to like it. Shizuo is like Yakuza Kiwami come to life. Kadota is probably the MVP, every time he's on screen he's a boss. So the characters are pretty likable, they have their quirks, their flaws, and their weaknesses but as I mentioned, they're apart of a greater whole and all affect each other in one way or another which makes for a good dynamic.

The music is pretty fitting, but there are some that stick out from the rest that I added to my personal playlist including "The Sought-After Extraordinary" and "Bottled Angel".

I wouldn't call this a "starter" anime, if I'd have watched this back around the time I originally started it, I probably wouldn't have liked it but seeing the weirdness that goes on in anime through experience, you start to stop questioning so much, so in my current state, I like it. I'll give it 8s across the board. I think that any anime fan should give it a try, whenever I hear about anime, this is one of the staples.