「相思相愛」 (Soushi Souai)
“Mutual Love”

Despite how much the story’s been leading us towards an ultimate Ikebukuro showdown involving Dollars, the Yellow Scarves, and the Slashers with Mikado, Masaomi, and Anri leading each of them, I was really hoping it wouldn’t come to that in Anri’s case. For the most part, she’s been the only character that’s portrayed as somewhat helpless and I was intrigued about her for that very reason. Evidently, that wouldn’t have made her the key character that she’s supposed to be, but hey, I like hearing Hanazawa Kana in those type of roles. As such, when Niekawa Haruna (Nakahara Mai) made her first vocal appearance in the series at Anri’s doorstep and later self-proclaimed herself as the Saika “mother” who’s giving birth to all the Slashers around the city, I was somewhat relieved that Anri wasn’t the root cause. Of course, that only served as a fake-out for the revelation that Anri is in fact the real Saika, who expresses her “love” for humanity through her children because she’s not able to herself.

Quite honestly, I find it bit jarring to have all of that explained in one go via Shinra this episode, so I figure all I really needed to take away from it is that we have a psychotic spirit of sorts that possessed Anri five years ago that resulted in the death of her parents, and now it’s spreading itself like a parasite across Ikebukuro after she’s suppressed it all this time. As a result, Haruna ends up being the one to misguide as from the very beginning with her creepy stalker-like obsession with Nasujima Takashi. You would think that he’d learn to stop sexually harassing girls after it netted him a crazy one in Haruna, but I guess his perversion did help tie in the whole Saika thing to Anri. Surprisingly enough, this Slashers arc also developed Shizuo’s character a bit further. I can’t say I’m totally convinced that having a swarm of deranged people wielding knives and saying they want to possess you for your strength is what it would take for someone to accept their inhuman-like ability, but I can’t really say I understand Shizuo’s mindset all that much either. 🙂

Anyway, I love the direction this is heading with the big cliffhanger showing Anri not bleeding from a wound, pulling out the real cursed blade, and revealing her own glowing red eyes, but I also got a good laugh out of Erika’s “boys love” remark about Izaya and Shizuo, as well as Izaya saying he would’ve dropped a meteor on Shizuo’s house long ago if he could predict Celty barging in to stop their fight. Humor aside, next week should be crazy fun to watch as Shizuo takes the entire swarm of Slashers head on.

 

Preview

59 Comments

  1. from what I watched, they followed the novel even the part of erika thinking shizuo likes izaya though it wasn’t exactly what happened in the novels, it was pretty good since I spoiled myself a lot.

    amado
  2. I also thought that there would be a showdown between the yellow scarves and the dollars and all.But what happened is better than what I hoped for.
    I laughed at the BL joke but a lot more at the meteor joke.At first when Anri blocked the blade I thought she was a cyborg and she was about to shoot a missile from her elbow to Haruna’s face lol.But then I saw her pulling the blade and went ooo shit.Aaaargh and then they cut Shizuo and saved the people-throwing action for next episode maaan I can’t wait I love this show.

    Rockmanshii
  3. This part:

    https://randomc.net/image/Durarara!!/Durarara!!%20-%2016%20-%20Large%2020.jpg

    I’d like to know what the creators mean by that…Nasujima Takashi…
    Was he there because he was sexually harassing her?
    Was he there because Anri was actually in some kind of relationship with him?
    Why did he showed up at that time? They leave the question open.

    If some has read the novel I’d like them to explain me this. I think that Anri is the mentally unestable type that might be willing to do anything or “depend” on anyone in order to find herself some piece, so it would not surprise me if the thing about her relation with the profesor and her seducing people could be true.

      1. Sorry, I tought you were kidding before. Thanks for clarifying that.

        Nevertheless, I still think that so far Anri hasn’t had the strongest personality, too weak-willed. Hope the story fix that in the future and gives her some determination.

  4. This show is so full of win, I can’t wait for the next episode. This episode in particular makes me want to read the novels, but I don’t want to spoil myself (…yet).

    TehJawknee
  5. This episode is just too awesome!! I love the scene when Anri is pulling out the real saika, she looks like she’s about to kick some ass!! can’t wait for the next episode!! XD

    puri
  6. some info on what’s izaya’s position
    nothing major about this spoiler since the anime will cover vol.1-3 for now.
    Show Spoiler ▼

    amado
  7. ew, yandere… do not want…..and, i on the other hand was pretty statisfy with the fact that anri is the original saika :/ probably just because i dont want her to turn derange

    N0216332
  8. Durarara!! has been slowing down a bit with the last fewe episodes but then it popped up again with an episode full of so much win. I was really glad they fit in the Erika being a fujoshi and the “If I could have planned for Celty randomly appearing here, I’d have dropped a meteor on your house already.” line, and Anri being the original Saika was revealed very well.

    Also, from the looks of it, Saika probably possessed her parents and then they tried to kill her with it, which resulted in Anri possessing the sword and killing them instead. Maybe Anri keeps her emotions to a minimum to keep Saika from taking over, and that’s why she could hold it in?

    akani
  9. Saika reminds me of the Higurashi series, being possessed by a foreign source (in this case a sword) and duking it out on others due to uncontrollable emotions.

    How the sword managed to get to Anri’s hands is yet another mystery. I doubt it’ll be as concidental as her finding it from the rubbish bin since the previous owners were Shingen and Izaya after all. (Then again, why weren’t they possessed by it when they used it on Celty…hmmm…)

    Yyi
    1. I guess Saika can “love” most people but obviously there are some others whom she can’t.
      Anri doesn’t seem to be particularly possessed or ruled by Saika probably because she can’t love anybody. She can’t love Saika and Saika can’t make her feel she needs to love someone else, in Saika’s way or not. She seems like just living with Saika, sorta like sharing an apartment with someone.
      Shingen, with his mad scientist type personality, could be one of them too. Saika might have had no way to make him her lover.

      DC/AC
  10. I definitely loved Kana Hanazawa’s badass Anri. With Tenshi and Black Rock Shooter, being part blade seems to be a common theme.

    And who better to play Haruna than Mai Nakahara, who can play that deranged psychotic with a knife just so well (see: Ryuugu Rena).

    1. funny you mention that:
      Show Spoiler ▼

      amado
  11. Well although I manage to avoid most of the spoilers, seeing the only slasher using a sword uptil now back in EP5 kinda ruined the big reveal for me, that and I was hoping Anri would be the new Rrailtracer type person.

    I guess I understand why Haruna was following Nasujima and not attacking him now, but why does Anri feel the need to keep rescuing him? Wonder how Anri and Celty will get along if she finds out that she willing tried to “decapatate” her before?

    Anyone think Izaya and Saika would make a great pair? They have so much in common, she’s definitely better than that knife he has now.

    Firefly
    1. It’s funny how you mention that. At first I thought Izaya had Saika since they both love humans, but then it also kinda makes sense if Anri has it. Seeing Izaya wield Saika would be very cool though, because if he did have it it could have been a possible reason for his personality.

      akani
    2. funny you should mention that
      Show Spoiler ▼

      its just a teaser

      amado
  12. I knew it! Anri’s a Contractor! And her renumeration is to spill her enemy’s blood! XD

    Erika is so effin adorable, haha. Not surprising she’d be into yaio and shipping Shizuo X Izaya together!

    Ruzen
  13. Still not sure whats happening with Mikado’s best friend whose name oddly escapes me at the moment. What I mean is, that girl he visit’s in the hospital who has some sort of relation with Izaya.

    BrownSound
  14. So who thinks the obvious? I’m not reading the novels but when the “head” of the Yellow Scarves says, “Don’t get involved with Izaya”…. isn’t that just stating the obvious? Like classmates wondering who started the Dollars, while the founder stood right next to them and said nothing.

    Izaya has to be the head of the Yellow Scarves… it would also tie into his plans for the head and dreams of Valhalla.

    U238Willy

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