And the review marathon powers on!

Anri the Quiet One

Episode 3 of Durarara!! starts up on Simon who you’ll remember works out front of the Russian owned sushi restaraunt handing out flyers. Two girls speaking Russian ask him for directions, and though initially afraid of him, they come to realize he’s a gentle giant quickly. Simon acts as this episode’s narrator and the focus slides back to school where in Mikado’s class, class representatives are being elected. Only one girl volunteers for one of the positions, Anri Sonohara, the girl who tried to keep Seiji from leaving before, and she is left to find a partner for the job. She asks if anyone else wants to volunteer, and a long awkward pause draws out until Mikado locks eyes with her and steps up to help. Everyone’s surprised the new kid would volunteer, and Masaomi teases Mikado for volunteering just to be around Anri, but Mikado ignores it for the most part.

Is This How Flirting Is Really Done?

Masaomi gets the idea that they should go find some girls and drags Mikado around while futilly flirting with girls either unintersted or already involved with someone. Some of the girls simply ignore Masaomi and talk about another girl who’s dating a member of the Dollars gang. While this does little to dampen Masaomi’s spirits, Mikado becomes focused on learning what he can about the Dollars and when they pair meet up with Masaomi’s friends from the first episode, he’s told not to worry about it. At the same time, Anri is looking for a girl and ends up cornered by a group of older gals wearing enough makeup to keep Revlon in buisness for years to come. Masaomi and Mikado come upon this and stand aside until Yoko, one of the girls, calls on her boyfriend, an apparent Dollars member, to join in on dealing with Anri.

Fo Shizzle?

Mikado decides to do something, simply slip in, grab Anri and slide away cooly, but from out of nowhere Nakura shows up and decides to help by walking Mikado over and shoving him between the girls in a clumsy fashion to cut the tension and draw attention to himself. The girls write Nakura off as an old man, but Nakura retaliates by cutting one girl’s purse strap, then stomping her cell phone before becoming quickly bored of it, all this is done however without him seemingly moving. The girl’s boyfriend steps up next and takes a wild swing at Nakura, but is easily sidestepped and finds his head has been shaven almost perfectly bald by Nakura who again seemed to not even move.

Trouble With A Capital 'T'

The group thanks Nakura who we learn is really named Izaya Orihara (why they did this trick with the name in the other episode I assume is all some grand play of his, though I will start refering to him as Izaya from here on in) and the same guy Masaomi warned Mikado about in episode one. Also it’s revealed that Masaomi’s knowledge of Izaya is more personal than expected as the two have some kind of history, though it’s not gone into much depth as Orihara is suddenly smashed in the head by a projectile garbage bin! Orihara gets up and spots his attacker, Shizuo Heiwajima, the OTHER guy Mikado was warned about, who Izaya refers to as “Shizzy.”

I'M SICK OF YOUR SH--!!!

Izaya tells Shizuo to let it go, and that it’s old news that he blamed him for some crime, but Shizo won’t have it, and things escalate when Izaya pulls his weapon of choice, a pocketknife. Things get even worse when a group of Dollars, led by the one Izaya humiliated, show up and threaten to turn the two man street fight into a full blown pier-six brawl. One guy recognizes Shizuo, and the others are instantly intimidated. One of the Dollars loses his composure and smashes Shizuo over the back of the head with a chunk of wood drawing first blood. Big mistake. Shizuo tells the guy since he aimed for his head he clearly intended to kill him, and so he should have no problem with what Shizuo is about to do back. It’s almost quick enough to miss, but with one punch Shizuo knocks the gangster sky high, out of the fight, and out of his clothes.

Shizuo Makes The Incredible Hulk Look Like Barney The Dinosaur

Okay, Time Out!

The simple fight suddenly explodes into a slaughter as Shizuo grabs any of the gang members around and proceeds to beat the living hell out of them all, headbutting, kneeing, punching, kicking, dropkicking, and absolutely decimating the group. Izaya decides to use this opportunity to leave and makes a hasty retreat. Shizuo won’t let him escape again and uproots a massive vending machine which he hurls down the street as hard as he can when Simon jumps off a rooftop and stops the projectile with ease. Simon, having been in the area on a delivery, and knowing Shizuo’s temper, decided to interfere which infuriates Shizuo who throws another massive punch at Simon who catches it again with the utmost ease.

An Escape From The Self

Mikado sees Anri uncomfortable with all this, grabs her hand and takes her elsewhere. Here we catch glimpses of the aftermath of the fight; Anri thanking Mikado and running off as usual, Shizuo chatting with the Black Rider, Izaya skipping along a dark street pleased with the day, Seiji finding the girl with the neck scar from episode one, info that the gang involved in the fight weren’t even associated with the Dollars, and finally Simon, his face bandaged and bruised in the wake of his fight with Shizuo.

The episode’s action was amazing and make me look forward to the next which, in accordance with my “catch-up chart” is due tomorrow! Next part of the Double Header Marathon coming your way!!!

Sister! It's Been So Long!