Line #75 Headscratchers/DURARARA


1	New entries on the bottom.
2
3	[[foldercontrol]]
4
5	[[folder:Title]]
6
7	* Not really a Just Bugs Me so much as a quick question: What exactly does the titles mean? Baccano is Italian for "ruckus or commotion," so I assume this is something similar.
8	** It's a play on "dullahan" - with "r" and "l" being basically the same sound in Japanese, "Durarara" could also be read as "Dullalala."
9	** Word of God says it's just a nonsense word that the author came up with it on the spot.
10	** Just to clarify things a little: ''DRRR!!'' '''should''' be the proper romanized title, given that Narita decided the title the last minute after hearing someone flip through the pages of a book. Since symbols (letters) are made out of ''sounds'' in Japan, it would sound like デュラララ (lit. ''durarara''). In the west, however, it should be romanized as ''drr''[rrr]. It's even written as such in the second opening credits where all of the names are spelled in English. Durarara, however, is decidedly catchier and easier to say.
11	** In addition to the word 'dullahan', it also sounds like the sound a motorcycle makes.
12	** It's also one syllable from 'dara dara', meaning 'no use' or 'not doing anything', which is [[spoiler: the origin for the name 'Dollars.']]
13
14	[[/folder]]
15
16	[[folder:Izaya's Motive]]
17
18	* So let me get this straight. Izaya's plan to cause [[spoiler: Ragnarok]] requires him to start a [[spoiler: gang-war around Celty's head]]. Am I the only one who thinks that it makes no goddamn sense whatsoever? I mean, why can't he just take it to some war-torn areas or something? If [[spoiler: Ragnarok]] occurs just because of some [[spoiler: gang-war]] I really don't understand why it didn't happen before.
19	** My guess is that he would have restricted access (even with Izaya's agility, I don't think even he can just waltz in a place already at war) so he would need to start a war in an area he's already standing on.
20	** He does note that if worst comes to worst, he plans to just take it to a battlefield. But the point of starting [[spoiler:Ragnarok]] is to "start a war that only I can win," hopefully earning him a spot [[spoiler:in Valhalla]]. He's not sure it will work, but (as seen lower on this page), he's fine with the alternative.
21	** Yup, Izaya doesn't have that much authority outside of the city, since his information network is just limited to that one place. He's only god inside the city, and just a 'normal' person outside.
22
23	[[/folder]]
24
25	[[folder:Damn You Muscle Memory]]
26
27	* When Celty rescued [[spoiler: Sonohara]] from Yellow Scarves, one of them throws an iron bar to them and [[spoiler: Anri cuts them in half, effectively revealing her status as the Slasher, causing much trouble]]. Why couldn't she just block it with her arm like she did few episodes ago? Did she really have to risk revealing her identity like that?
28	** In the novel, the narrative says that she did it without thinking. That is, by reflex.
29	** Oh, really? Summoning a blade is more instinctive than just blocking it with her arm?! Reflex does not work that way.
30	** Well, considering [[EmpathicWeapon what the sword in question is...]]
31	** Remember a few episodes back when she was attacked by a [[spoiler: fake host of Saika]]? She managed to block it with her arm, you know.
32	** Yeah, but consider this: as much as Anri says that she doesn't understand love, it's obvious that she has affection for various people, Celty being among them. Those times she blocked with her arm, Anri herself was the only one threatened, and she doesn't think she's worth anything, so her reaction was a sensible defense. When the bar is thrown at her and Celty, she registers it as an attack against someone she has a connection with, and she overcompensates.
33
34	[[/folder]]
35
36	[[folder:Avoiding Izaya]]
37
38	* Why do Kida and Mikado keep talking to Izaya at all? Don't they realize that asking and getting help from him pretty much equals drinking sea-water?
39	** As manipulative as Izaya is, he's still the most resourceful person to talk to. Come to think of it, I don't recall him lying to people face-to-face. What he does online doesn't count.
40	** It also kinda helps he's basically the Durarara equivalent to [[{{Literature/Slayers}} Xellos]]. True, he can be a backstabbing troll, but as long as you and he have a mutual gain to exploit by your association, he can be a very valuable ally, so much you go out your way to keep him as such, even knowing his ChronicBackstabbingDisorder tendencies.
41
42	[[/folder]]
43
44	[[folder:Celty Talking]]
45
46	* I'm kind of shocked that no one has brought this up yet, because I'm halfway through the series, and it is killing me. Celty cannot talk; this is made very clear, and is indeed an early plot point, and her communication, though we the audience can hear it, is through her blackberry, typed out. Again, a big deal is made of this. So why, every once in a while, is it completely ignored?!? I've seen her "talk" at least twice without the blackberry anywhere near her, and at one point, she does make the effort to type out what she says, but Shinri's face is buried in the couch and he never looks at the screen, but he still responds. It's a cool aspect of the character, but why would they introduce that if they're just going to ignore it?!?!
47	** I never thought much about it; maybe the producers just discarded that aspect because it didn't have any plot relevence? I don't know.
48	** Shinra can ''guess her mood by "looking at her '''face'''''". [[ThePowerOfLove He's just that special]], he can probably guess what she wants to say without needing her to type it out. Although in the anime, sometimes we hear her voice but I took it to be her thoughts, it's not always clear that others can "hear" her.
49	** This has bugged me too. In episode 4, we see Shinra come in and talk to her while she's in the shower. She makes her text on the shower, but supposedly he can't see it because the door's not open wide. Later she is typing on the computer, but Shinra is on the desk next to her, he shouldn't be able to see it. It might be just animator laziness or to allow her to communicate better, but I like to think of it as one of her special powers being she can transcend her thoughts into someone else through text, that's why she still types even though no-one directly looks at it.
50	** Actually, although the door wasn't open very far, he was quite obviously peeking in a bit through it. I do like the idea of her using text as a means to insert her thoughts into others' minds. Like a reverse [[Literature/TheDresdenFiles Archive]].
51	** Later in the anime he states specifically that he can read her mind, because he's loved her 20 years. He's not being literal, but he can easily figure out what she means without having to look at what she's typed.
52	** In the anime when she rides down the building screaming everyone in the crowd can hear her and even comments about it. Perhaps when she is feeling an emotion strong enough she can transmit her thoughts into words. It works with Shinra easily because both of them love each other very much.
53	** I'm pretty sure that her screaming when coming down the building was special, and every time other than that it was because Shinra just knows her that well (such as, being able to guess exactly what she's going to say when she confronts him after that).
54
55	[[/folder]]
56
57	[[folder:Boy at the end of the OVA]]
58
59	* Why do people assume that the boy that Mikado helps at the very end of Durarara OVA 2 is [[spoiler: Aoba?]] He doesn't look anything like him in the novel and to top it all off [[spoiler:he already lives in Ikebukuro and wouldn't need anyone to show him around.]] Also [[spoiler:if it was Aoba, wouldn't he already know Mikado's name anyway since he's that type of person to get information on people he plans on using?]]
60	** First off, people who haven't read the light novels but have read spoilers don't know what Aoba looks like, just that he's important.
61	Second, if you were Aoba and saw Mikado in a train station would you just randomly reveal you know who he is?
62	(But yeah, considering that kids personality it is kind of weird if you know about Aoba's part)
63	[[/folder]]
64
65	[[folder:Izaya and Norse Mythology]]
66
67	* Izaya wants to start [[spoiler:Ragnarok]] so he can be taken away by a [[spoiler:Valkyrie]] so he won't have to fear [[spoiler:TheNothingAfterDeath.]] Ok, I'm no expert on [[spoiler:Norse mythology]], but going off memory, [[spoiler:Valkyrie only take brave souls who die in combat.]] Izaya is quite frankly a coward who is just good at hiding it. How does he expect to be taken off by a [[spoiler:Valkyrie?]]
68	** He don't really expect [[spoiler: to get to Valhalla]] -- he's not a warrior, but he's basically fine with it. He fears [[spoiler: nothingness after death]], and if his theories about [[spoiler: Ragnarok]] prove right, then even [[spoiler: ending up in Hel's realm]] won't scare him -- after all, it's still existence.
69	** If Izaya's supposed to be a coward, why doesn't he do a better job of avoiding the super-strong lunatic who tries to kill him on sight?
70	** Because he enjoys messing with Shizuo so much?
71	** Izaya holds the belief that only humans can kill monsters, so by killing Shizuo (a monster in his eyes) he thinks he might feel more human.
72	[[/folder]]
73
74	[[folder:Saika Infecting People]]
75
76	* It's probably something I missed or something the novels can explain better, but how did Saika infect anybody else after Anri's trauma?
77	** It was one of the previously-created children.
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79	[[/folder]]
80
81	[[folder:Police After Celty]]
82
83	* Okay, maybe this was answered in the novels, but why are the police after Celty? The only laws she breaks is speeding (''maybe'') and driving with her lights off. Arrest her, sure, but send a cop known for causing massive collateral damage? And you can't say they think she's a killer, since they knew enough about her methods to not be scared by her shadow trick.
84	** What do you mean maybe? She drives around at ludicrous speed with no lights on or engines sounds at night. From a traffic cops perspective she is a menace on the highway.
85	** Yeah, but she doesn't actually cause any damage except when they set the crazy cop who always causes accidents after her. It just seems like overkill.
86	** I think that's the point - the traffic cop in question is crazy devoted to his job and, as far as he's concerned, bringing in a repeat offender who keeps breaking the laws he's bound to uphold is worth the overkill.
87	** I assume the cop wants to be the first person to arrest a headless urban legend that rides haphazardly with no lights, which sounds kinda cool.
88	** The said cop is outright explained to be a crazy CowboyCop who keeps getting into trouble over his antics. It seems that his superiors put him after Celty to keep him from causing more problems as a traffic cop.
89
90	[[/folder]]
91
92	[[folder:Celty's Helmet]]
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94	* Okay, about Celty's helmet. Mainly, how it stays on. Does it stay on by some weird peg system, or with crazy anime magic?
95	** The magic smoke that she creates can become at least partially solid, it probably expands to fill the helmet and keeps it firmly on her neck.
96
97	[[/folder]]
98
99	[[folder:Kida's Hair]]
100
101	* Anyone else think Kida's hair looks a bit ''too'' natural? Maybe it's because it matches his eyes and his eyebrows are thin, but he seems like a natural brunette though apparently he's a raven.
102	** Uh, he is naturally a brunette, he painted it blonde.
103
104	[[/folder]]
105
106	[[folder:Gangs]]
107
108	* I've recently began watching the series, but I'm not getting the whole "Gang" part of the series. I know a lot about gangs, but only western ones. Is it a Japan thing?
109	** Well to be fair the entire "gang war" in the later half of the series was anime-only, as it never occurred in the novel. The anime was strange for the way it treated the Dollars, which the novel avoids calling a gang.
110	** I'm pretty sure it was in the novels (at least from spoilers I've read) and I don't see what's not to get about the gang thing. The Yellow Scarves are a pretty textbook teenage gang, except for there being little evidence of poverty in their background, and the third StoryArc is largely about this traditional sort of street gang getting into a conflict with the Internet based gang Dollars (which Mikado modeled after RealLife street gangs, even though [[ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything they were never meant to do much of anything]] besides spread rumors about themselves).
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112	[[/folder]]
113
114	[[folder:Scythe]]
115
116	* While people are still on Celty, I know that she can manifest a 'scythe' out of her shadow and use it as a weapon, but does it kill or just incapacitate the victim? She's used it at least once in the anime on the QuirkyMiniBossSquad, and they're more or less ok, but still...
117	** I guess it's something of a hypnotic slash so anyone who gets cut with it falls asleep.
118	** The novels confirm that Celty can choose whether or not to kill with it. Because she's the nicest person in the show, she never uses it to kill.
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120	[[/folder]]
121
122	[[folder:Fireworks Kid]]
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124	* So...[[WhatHappenedToTheMouse whatever happened]] to the fireworks kid in episode 8?
125	** Anime-original. Wasn't even given a name. There are more important people whose fates are never brought up. So nobody cares.
126
127	[[/folder]]
128
129	[[folder:Kanji]]
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131	* I have a kanji-related question--just how close is "I broke a plate" and "I've been kidnapped" in Japanese, in regards to Kazutano's text message?
132	** 攫われた [sarawareta] (was kidnapped) and 皿割れた [sarawareta] (a plate broke).
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134	[[/folder]]
135
136	[[folder:Niekawa]]
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138	* When did Niekawa become infected with Saika? Since Anri wielded it, the only way she could have become a carrier is if Anri cut her, but why would she since she can control it? I'm assuming all the attacks by the Slasher were Niekawa, but were the Saika children in 16-17 all directly from her?
139	** Niekawa was, to my knowledge, infected with Saika during the original slashing incidents five years ago. [[spoiler: Anri's mother wielded it before passing it on to Anri.]] Due to Saika being dormant, her feelings went out the window and she became a psuedo-mother of Saika. So, it's pretty likely that the Saika children are from her.
140	** Ah okay. I thought I remembered something about there being a slasher five years ago but wasn't sure.
141
142	[[/folder]]
143
144	[[folder:Orihara Parents]]
145
146	* Why does it say that the [[spoiler: Orihara]] parents were neglectful? Due to NoExportForYou, I haven't been able to read the entire series, but the fact that they're [[spoiler: traveling businessmen or something]] doesn't necessarily make them neglectful, unless I'm missing something. Of course, [[spoiler: Izaya said he came from a completely normal family]], so there's that too...though being [[spoiler: [[ConsummateLiar Izaya]]]] his ideas of normalcy might be a bit skewed.
147	** It's probably due to the fact that Mairu and Kururi do whatever crazy things they like and seem not to be under any kind of visible parental supervision. The same applies to their brother. Although it is not that unusual in the anime world.
148	** Where was it mentioned that his parents were neglectful again? It just seemed that, aside from Anri's, Shinra's and Haruna's, parents are [[InvisibleParents barely mentioned at all]].
149	*** They cut this line out in the anime, but in the light novel while being held captive by Earthworm, before she mentions Kururi and Mairu, Earthworm comments on how his parents aren't around much due to being involved in international trade. Not so much ''willfully'' neglectful as they are incredibly absent in their children's lives.
150	** There was an extra which was a letter from Izaya's father, Shirou Orihara, about Izaya and his sisters. It implies that both Izaya's parents have been unaware of all the fights Izaya has been involved with since Shinra got stabbed. Izaya's father, at the very least, seems slightly aware of Mairu and Kururi's peculiarities, but still believes Izaya is properly taking care of them. One last pretty major fact is that Shirou seems to be both ignorant of and indirectly responsible for Izaya's obsession with humans. He says that he wanted Izaya to 'love humans' after Izaya was reluctant to socialize as a child, and currently doesn't know the extent of Izaya's love. In short, Izaya's parents appear to be entirely ignorant of his true character and have probably been so since he attended middle school.
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152	[[/folder]]
153
154	[[folder:Izaya's school uniform]]
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156	* Why does Izaya's school uniform, which can be seen in the seventh episode, differ so much from standard Raijin uniforms (those worn by Shizuo and Shinra)? Kadota also is seen wearing something similar but Izaya's attire looks more or less like a short black jacket and simple black trousers combined with longer red shirt.
157	** Raijin/Raira is pretty slack when it comes to school attire. It's why Masaomi can pierce his ears and wear a hoodie instead of the standard shirt, and why Shizuo can exempt his tie. I'm pretty sure that Izaya wears his middle school uniform, and Kadota probably wears his middle school outfit as well. Two characters introduced in the fourth novel, Mairu and Kururi [[spoiler: Orihara]] also wear alternate uniforms: The former wears her middle school uniform and the latter, ''[[{{Fanservice}} her gym uniform]]''.
158
159	[[/folder]]
160
161	[[folder:Possession of Celty's Head]]
162
163	* How did Izaya get ahold of Celty's head? Namie should have been the last person to have it, so why would she have given it to him? Sure, he had dirt on her about the kidnapping/human guinea pigs thing, but seeing as how he was the one helping them pick their targets, he'd also be in loads of trouble if the truth came out.
164	** Namie gives Izaya Celty's head for protection when Celty and [[Literature/{{Baccano}} Nebula]] start searching for it; that's actually their first face-to-face meeting. When Izaya starts going on about Valhalla, she realizes what a huge mistake she's made.
165	** I find it more disturbing that Izaya having it is probably as safe as the head's gonna be.
166
167	[[/folder]]
168
169	[[folder:Seiji and Celty]]
170
171	* I know Seiji's {{Yandere}} and all that and [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow trying to impart sense on such a thing is truly the stuff of madness]] but... Seiji's looking for a particular head attached to a girl and happens across a headless woman. He's in love with a head and comes across a headless vaguely female-shaped body and is completely un-curious about how weird that is at all. [[LogicalFallacies I know the Yagiri family has a completely alien concept of logic and all]] but that is just a stunning lack of deductive reasoning there.
172	** He's in love with the head. Even if he's just found the head's original body, if it doesn't have the head he's in love with attached to it, he doesn't care.
173
174	[[/folder]]
175
176	[[folder:Saburo left out]]
177
178	* Why does Saburo get left out in everything? I'm starting to really feel bad for the guy.
179	** Well, someone needs to be a butt monkey...
180	** But this isn't even about him being a ButtMonkey. He's a part of the van gang, but doesn't appear in nearly as many scenes as the others, he doesn't do much compared to the others, and the worst instance is in the van gang's introduction in the video game where not only does he not speak, you only know he's there in the scene when they cut to an art still and show his ''back'' in the corner. At this point, I consider him nothing more than an AdvertisedExtra.
181	** I just kind of figured he was there for some light-hearted humor. There's so much going on in this series, and what with all the characters with heavy, mysterious, or dark pasts and presents, it's just nice to have someone whom you can't be suspicious or weary of.
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183	[[/folder]]
184
185	[[folder:Takashi and Haruna]]
186
187	* What exactly was the extent of Takashi and Haruna's relationship? Haruna when in AxeCrazy [[spoiler: Saika]] mode says something about selling / money and also mentions that Takashi got bored of her easily.... I'm not sure... although I assume sex was involved....
188	** My understanding of the matter was that he basically pimped her. As in, passed her around for people to sleep with and kept the money. Could explain (a little) why she's so screwed up.
189
190	[[/folder]]
191
192	[[folder:Driving]]
193
194	* When rescuing Kazutuano (sp?), Togusa is outside of his van with Kazutuano, seeing if he's okay. When we cut to the van chasing the kidnappers, Togusa is driving the van. How can he be driving when he wasn't in the driver's seat two seconds ago?
195	** Probably an animation error
196	[[/folder]]
197
198	[[folder:Leader of the Dollars]]
199
200	* I was reading the light novels and I was confused about one thing: Mikado never told Kida he was the Dollars leader and really no one other than Namie and Izaya know that he's the leader, so who told Kida Mikado was the leader and when did he learn that he was? Mikado doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would easily slip up and give away his secrets. Also, why does the anime hide Boss!Kado so much? I want to see the darker side of him but they always show him as the pseudo-wimp he's not which is irritating.
201	** Izaya told him and we see Mikado's dark side later
202
203	[[/folder]]
204
205	[[folder:Parents]]
206
207	* Where exactly are Mikado's, Kida's, Izaya's and Shizuo's parents? It would be interesting to see what they're like and if they're as interesting as their children are.
208	** Well, Mikado is from a small town and moved to the city for school, so they're not supposed to be around. Izaya and Shizuo are adults, so they don't need to interact with their parents much, and Izaya in particular seems dismissive of his. Kida's are the only ones that it would make sense to see (you'd think they'd wonder why their son dropped out of school and ran off with a girl).
209	*** In Japan, students are permitted to drop out at 15 (their last year of junior high/US's freshman year), which is when the employment age is. While very unusual for a student not to finish their senior secondary education, considering Kida's personality, his parent's probably didn't question it so long as he got a job.
210	** Masaomi's parents are really lenient and don't seem to mind. We meet Mikado's parents at the end of volume 13, Izaya's parents are abroad and we never meet Shizuo's parents.
211	[[/folder]]
212
213	[[folder:Magenta's Suicide Attempt]]
214
215	* How could Magenta-chan lose a shoe when she jumped from the building? It's a leather boot! They're normally hard to remove and falling from that height isn't even pushing enough to lose an ankle-cut shoe.
216	** It's probably an animation error.
217
218	[[/folder]]
219
220	[[folder: Mika's return to school]]
221
222	* After The Dollars first meeting, Mika and Seiji return to school. Mika had plastic surgery and looks completely different to how she see used to. Did the school just accept a girl who says she's Mika Harima despite having a Caucasian appearance? Anri wasn't at the meeting, so she just accepts that it's Mika? Granted it wouldn't really shock her to learn Mika changed her appearance to look like someone Seiji liked. Or is this another reason why all the students stare at them?
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Context Headscratchers / DURARARA