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Fridge Brilliance

  • In Durarara!!, I first thought that Izaya saying that the Dollars were the Slasher was just him causing trouble, which it is in part, but in a way, he's right. Just as the Dollars are gray figures before they reveal themselves, so too are the various people who become possessed after being attacked by other Slashers. Also, reminiscent of Snow Crash is the similarity between memes/groups spread by the internet and divine possession.- Jordan
    • Don't forget that the Dollars overlap with all the other groups. There in fact are plenty of Dollars among the Slashers, even though the idea that the Dollars would have instigated the phenomenon is false.
    • Durarara!! and Baccano! are written by the same guy, animated by the same studio, and share a lot of stylistic similarities. Compare the opening themes: Anri Sonohara is in the same position as Chane Laforet (right before the "Previously on..." recap) and makes an almost identical slashing motion with her hand as Chane makes with her knife. Brilliant foreshadowing for Anri being Saika's host. — Neep
      • Also note that the two series have completely opposite central themes. In Baccano, love and friendship brought out the best in even the more morally impure characters, while Durarara has most of its characters become more deranged and evil due to forming romantic attachments (Shinra and Celty are the most normal and moral couple). Checking the Character pages for both of the series and comparing makes this fairly clear.
  • Celty's fear of aliens might seem a little random at first (particularly since she herself is a supernatural phenomenon), but consider this: Celty's most traumatic memory is when she was vivisected by Shingen while fully conscious. What habit does pop culture usually attribute to The Greys? Abducting people and vivisecting/experimenting on them. Worst yet, Celty knows that the world she lives in is a Fantasy Kitchen Sink, so she knows that little grey Mad Scientists are entirely plausible.
  • So, watching the first OP again, I noticed at the very end part (showing what all the characters are doing in the same area), you can see Seji texting Namie on his phone and Namie's texting back, directly behind him. It seems likely that Seji thinks his sister is still texting from their home and doesn't realize his sister is stalking him.
    • When you've got a Meaningful Name like "Mikado Ryugamine," and you're on the top at the ending song...let's just say that there's more to you than meets the eye.
    • Also that girl who didn't have any name in the opening credits? She didn't have a name because her name was already shown...She's Celty! Well, her head anyway, it's complicated. Now in the second ending, her name is shown. Actually, that's not Celty's head, that girl just having the same face (with the help of a certain doctor). Her name has been mention at least once in the anime.
    • See Faceless Masses for another instance.
    • Why does Celty Sturluson, a Dullahan from Celtic Mythology, have an Icelandic last name? Because Izaya just might be right about her being a valkyrie, that's why. Bonus to that: She has the same last name as the poet who is the author of Edda that is basically the source of the literary Norse Mythology - Valhalla, Valkyres and Ragnarok included. Might or might not be Meaningful Name in the end.
  • I just realized something, Anri claims that the only she can wield Saika without going insane is because she can't feel love right? Well, assuming that's true, Shinra's dad has also wielded Saika in the past, in order to cut off Celty's head. However, he actually is capable of feeling love, as evidenced by his status as a Papa Wolf (apparently the only reason he did that with the sword is because someone threatened his son's life). This means that he can pick up and use Saika without being driven insane and being controlled by it despite having an apparently undamaged capacity to love. This says a lot to me about how strong this person is mentally, and he just became a badass in my eyes.
    • That, or he's just insane enough not to be affected.
    • Or rather he IS affected, he's just smart/willful enough to channel the urges that Saika gives constructively. I.e. Saika wants him to cut people. What's his job? A surgeon! Which means he does cut people, to help them. Which colors his having Shinra help him with Celty's vivisection somewhat.
      • That does however have the implication that he could have been responsible for creating all the previous Saika children prior to the more recent Slasher incidents possibly including Niekawa. And all of it intentionally or unintentionally because of Saika. Which could very much be a case of Fridge Horror as well.
      • Or possibly, as a scientist who specializes in studying (and experimenting on) the supernatural, he was smart enough to have the blade used in a controlled circumstance in order to protect himself from possession.
  • Mikado is always pointing out Masaomi's bad jokes (and let's be honest, they kinda suck). But then consider that Mikado had a hand in naming Dollars based on daradara.
  • Izaya has mentioned that no matter how many times he stabs/slices Shizuo, his knife can't do much more than break his skin. When Vorona stabs Shizuo, that knife can't get in more than 5 mm. And yet Seiji manages to drive a pen all the way through his hand. Therefore, the pen is mightier than the... many, many knives.
    • Well, it has been stated that you can drive a machine tank over those pens without breaking them. Plus, hands have those bone thingies. They're built differently than say, Shizuo's abdomen, so the pen could have gone through those bones...uh. Yeah.
  • Why did Masaomi joke about polygamy? He's talking about Anri and Saki.
  • Why Shinra was not averse to the idea of Shizuo and Izaya being in love with each other? Those two are his only friends. And they hate each other's guts. Shinra would probably prefer it was Belligerent Sexual Tension. Having your two only friends trying to kill each other all the time probably isn't a pleasant thing.
  • Re-watching the show, I noticed that early on, in the chat room sequences, the voice actors for the various chat users whose identities we don't yet know (like Setton), are voiced by generic actors. As the show goes on, and the audience has theoretically learned these characters identities (Setton is Celty), only then do those characters voice actors shift into doing their dialog.
  • After reading the Wikipedia page for dullahan, I just realized why Celty only speaks in that one scene: The way a dullahan kills people is by calling out their name. - Black Humor
  • Celty's bike doesn't have any headlights, a fact that is made mention of multiple times (she is even called out directly on it in season 2 episode 1). One might assume it is part of her being a shadow creature, or because it helps her be stealthy for her questionable deliveries. But remember Shooter, like his mistress, is also headless. So it is natural (if something of a pun) that his bike form lacks headlights.
  • Akane's bond with Shizuo makes more sense when you consider that they had something in common: They were both feared. In one episode of season 2, we see Akane crying over the realization that her family was of the Yakuza and that all of her so-called "friends" were actually terrified yes-men. Shizuo didn't have a lot of friends growing up because his great strength scared them away. In a way, this actually makes their friendship so much sweeter.
  • Supplementary materials state that Anri's favorite subject in school is P.E.; that's probably why she has Plot-Powered Stamina.
  • Isaac and Miria's voices sounding different in the dub is obviously due to different dubbing companies, but there actually is a plausible in-universe explanation—notice that Isaac seems to pronounce Miria's name differently than he does in Baccano!'s dub, with a slight rolled r. He's using the Japanese pronunciation. Isaac and Miria are speaking Japanese, just like all the other characters, we're just hearing it in English in the dub. Even better seeing as Isaac and Miria are confirmed to be able to speak Japanese in the light novels.
  • In the ending sequences, Izaya is usually smiling or smirking. However, in the final ending, Izaya is fighting Shizuo once again, but is no longer grinning. This can be taken as foreshadowing since in Ketsu, Izaya stops messing around with Shizuo and goes in to kill him. Their fights stop being a game for him and thus he is not smiling- he's taking it seriously.
  • Izaya and Shizuo appear to be complete foils to each other, being near exact opposites. However, both happen to nicely embody right and left brain thinking. Shizuo acts as the left hemisphere thinks- he does not think about metaphors or existence in general (even saying he beat up a guy who asked philosophical questions), he is impulsive, angry and doesn't usually think further than getting something done. The left hemisphere is supposedly made to concentrate on exact tasks and has a narrower version of reality than the right half. However, it is the part that specializes on the task at hand and thus can accomplish things. Izaya is very much like the right brain- he concentrates on things happening around him and contemplates things such as death and existence, and usually is handling many things at once. The right brain is the part that monitors things surrounding the task at hand, keeping the person aware of the happenings around them. It is more open to other views of reality, but is not meant to execute things itself- just as Izaya is stated to not be especially assertive and usually manipulates others into doing things.
  • In Ketsu, when Celty finally has her head back, despite being a terrible liar, manages to fool nearly everyone into believing she has forgotten them. The only person not convinced is Shinra, who has known and loved her for twenty years. So, how is it that she managed to lie so well despite Shinra still saying she's a bad at it? It's because she did have inconsistencies, certain parties just weren't around to point them out. When speaking with Izaya, she states she doesn't remember him at all and moves on, when she talks to Mikado, Mika and Seiji, she addresses them all by name. However, since Izaya was busy getting his ass handed to him when she was with everyone else, no one besides Shinra knew could tell.
    • Another reason why she pretended to have entirely forgotten Izaya could be that since he's had her head all that time and been playing mind games with everyone, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of being remembered.
  • We learn that Ran used to be up his little brother when they were younger and watching the opening credits I noticed the kanji in Aoba's name. "Ao" meaning blue and "kuro" meaning black, and it's established that Aoba doesn't like being referred to his previous family name, Izumii. So quite literally, Ran beat his brother until he was black and blue.

Fridge Horror

  • So uh, Nasujima-sensei, just why did you agree to visit Anri's house at midnight?
  • This is probably more suited for the trivia page but while rewatching Durarara with my sister, she spotted a Slasher stalking Shizuo in the background in episode 13, foreshadowing the fact that he's their main target.
  • So the Raira trio can all be associated with one of the three primary colors, yeah? Mikado = Blue, colorless for the Dollars, Masaomi = Yellow and the yellow scarves, and Anri = Red and the slasher. But for me, it always felt like there wasn't enough to Mikado being associated with the color blue, like there should be a little more to it. And then I realized that it wasn't just because it was the color most relatable to 'colorless' and a good contrast to the other two, but that it was brilliant foreshadowing early on for Mikado becoming a part of the Blue Squares.
  • Durarara!!. Saika "puts its children into the souls of those it cuts". It does this because it loves all humans and can only express that love through cutting, being a sword. Which means it's pretty much a rapist who can completely control its victims at any time. It sent a MOB of these children to do this to Shizuo. Interplay of Sex and Violence gone literally, horribly wrong. Now consider that, even when controlled, it can still telepathically relay these desires to the host, who is only immune as long as they're incapable of love...
  • Why did Seiji keep Celty's head in his house for so long? Considering the fact that he was in love with it then maybe he kept it as a masturbatory aid... Um, excuse me while I disinfect my brain. Ewww.
  • It is impossible for Anri to have a normal life because of Saika. She can't allow herself to love because she would succumb to Saika's influence if she did, which means she can never get past the trauma of being abused or watching her mother commit suicide. She could get married and have children, but sex would be a purely physical act, devoid of any emotion, nor could she bond to her children.
  • Volume 4 reveals that Walker makes a living as an ice sculptor. Ice sculptors often use chainsaws in their craft. This means that Walker almost certainly has a chainsaw and knows how to use it.
  • So Mikado, you planned to stab Aoba with the pen from the beginning but you also meant to wrap a bandage around his hand shortly afterward? This not only all but says the action was committed with preplanned malice, but also prompts the following question: HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE YOU DONE THAT TO IN THE PAST?!
  • Seeing Boss!Kado from Kida's perspective: You want to protect your best friend from gangs and freaks like Izaya, but not only has he already done the same things you did, he's also just as freaky as the man you hate and has been lying to you all this time. And he also sets someone on fire before your eyes and smiles while covered with blood. Is it possible Mikado thought of eliminating Kida if he got in his way? The DRRR wiki says Mikado sees EVERYTHING in his life as a tool for his amusement.
  • The second season of the anime illustrates one of the most frightening problems about anarchistic groups like the Dollars (or, for that matter, our own real life's Anonymous): with no one in charge and no rules, there's nobody who can put a stop to it if the group as a whole decides to go completely off the rails. Even the groups' own founders can't do anything except watch powerlessly as the people they inducted into it go on a rampage, get in a fight with the police, turn to terrorism or kidnapping or commit any number of other vile acts.
  • In the Manga of Durarara, you get to see Erika and Walker's interrogation of the kidnappers, and suffice to say that they are probably the most insane of the entire cast, and its surprising that they haven't killed anyone (that we have seen yet). And, if you think about it, the only reason that Walker and Erika are not serial killers is because Kadota is holding them back, or at least making them put their energy elsewhere.
  • Shizuo's rages. We're talking about a guy who can lift vending machines out of the ground with ease. And when he is having a particular bad tantrum, he tends to throw heavy objects into the street, which more than likely has either killed or injured random people.
  • Izaya has a frighteningly expansive knowledge of psychology. Suicide pacts aside, hearing him talk to you is enough to break you mentally, or make you think of ending your life (though they mostly get foiled, this doesn't include successful attempts that aren't shown). He's also got many characters and entire groups under his strings once or twice in the show, causing them to go to war with each other with them being none the wiser. His followers are so devoted to him that, "if he wanted them to die, they would probably have gone ahead and did it, even if they had doubts." His endgame plan even included goading Shizuo to kill him and prove that he is, indeed, a monster. And all of his depravity started because of love for someone else (Shinra incident, remember?) It's a damn good thing that Izaya's merely content with trolling the fuck out of people, because with his level of intelligence and influence, he could easily be the next Johan Liebert once he steps up his game.
    • To give a clear example; what happens if Izaya decides that humanity is no longer worthy of receiving love? Besides, after the events of Ketsu, once he recovers, just what place will he cause misery and suffering at next? Will the humiliation he received at the hands of his enemy cause him to really step up his game? Given that, on "A Sunset with Orihara Izaya", he manipulated a salaryman into killing his own co-worker...
    • While scarce details are available about his cult of personality, "...his fans had conflicts between students in several Ikebukuro high schools, leading to a protracted period of unrest." Can he be, or is he already the next Charles Manson? To think both of their followers tend to be traumatized young girls.
  • There are quite a lot of kids who want to be like Izaya. This includes Kuon Kotonami, who wants to protect Nozomi; Himari, who wants to destroy Izaya, and Haruto who admires him. At the very least, Izaya is against Haruto being like him, since Haruto would essentially be a monster. However, does anyone else see a problem with so many wannabe Izayas running around...?
    • Made worse when you realize while Kuon is fifteen, Himari and Haruto are elementary-school aged children.

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