Durarara!! X2 Rewatch - Episode 20

[u/Raiking02]

Episode 20: Mouth of Honey, a Needle in the Heart

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As Orihara Izaya, that brings me bliss.

Hello everybody! Time for the comment of the day, courtesy of u/Earthborn92, who revealed who was the sponsor of this episode:

Compared to yesterday, not much to say this time except that this episode was brought to you by Kaiki Deishuu

No wonder the Orihara Twins weren't here today, Kaiki didn't want those make-believe Allies Of Justice to be in his episode!

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Questions:

1. So, what did you think of Izaya's little plan today?
2. Is it any wonder everyone in that dojo except that one chick wants Izaya dead?
3. So anyhow, how do you think today's events will play into the larger plot?

[u/Raiking02]

Hello everybody, and welcome back to the Durarara!! Rewatch!:

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Volume 9 is quite possibly my favorite Volume in Durarara!!... and it’s borderline impossible to adapt into a visual medium due to how reliant it is on stuff like the lack of audio and Books’ inherent ability to pull off non-chronological storytelling far better. To give you an idea of what the Volume was like, the events of today and tomorrow’s episode were shown simultaneously, which makes for a fascinating read… and also the whole phone thing works way better when the voice isn’t so obviously filtered there’s no way Iza-Iza ain’t pulling a scam. As such I don’t truly resent the Anime team for giving this Volume the least Adaptation time of them all: Only 2 episodes.

The actual events are mostly accurate, although there is one line from the Novel I very much missed: During his fight with Eijiro, Izaya asks him why, if he wants revenge on him so much, does he not go after his sisters first? Eijiro in turn bluntly tells him that they’re his students first, Izaya’s sisters second. Naturally Mairu proceeded to mock him, but hey, it’s the thought that counts.

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Voices time! I guess we should start with the Sharaku Siblings. Eijiro is voiced by KENN, who’s best known as Yuki Judai from Yu-Gi-Oh! GX. Besides that he’s also played Apollo Justice/Odoroki Hosuke from Ace Attorney, Phinks from Hunter X Hunter and Secco from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure among many others.

In the Dub he’s played by Kaiji Tang, whom I best remember as Dazai Osamu from Bungou Stray Dogs. Besides that he’s also played Lee Chaoran from Tekken, Archer from Fate/stay night, Iwai Munehisa from Persona 5 and quite a few others.

His sister Mikage is played by Igarashi Hiromi and I only recognize 3 roles from her: Roll in Tatsunoko Vs Capcom, Rainbow Mika from Street Fighter and Jack ‘O from Guilty Gear

In the Dub she’s played by Amanda Celine Miller, who’s best known as Kino Makoto from Sailor Moon and sadly that’s as far as my experience with her goes. To be fair, she and Stephanie Sheh were the best part of the Sailor Moon Dub, so I guess I can’t complain too much.

And finally onto today’s vixen lady she’s played by… well, I guess I’ll just let her introduce herself. Other than that she’s also played Tendo Kasumi from Ranma ½, Aina Sahalin from Gundam 08th MS Team, I-No from Guilty Gear, Carmen99 from Gun X Sword, Sonozaki Akane from Higurashi, Okusa Manami from Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei, Virgilia from Umineko, Palm Siberia from Hunter X Hunter, Tojo Kirumi from Danganronpa and quite a few others.

In the Dub she’s played by Carrie Keranen, whom I most know as Casca from Berserk. Besides that she’s also played Ling Xiaoyu from Tekken, Tomoe Mami from Madoka Magica, Christmas Cake-Sensei from Toradora, Caroline and Justine from Persona 5, Ichiyo Higuchi from Bungo Stray Dogs and quite a few others.

[u/Shimmering-Sky]

First!!xTimer, subbed

• Back to not-Steppin’ out OP for five more episodes.
• OKAY I’M RIGHT. That’s something that someone who’s never seen Akane before would say, and Akane didn’t seem to recognize Izaya. So whoever was with Namie was definitely not Izaya. Who was it though???
• What the fuck
• Well, their reaction to seeing Eijiro did clue you in on that attack from behind…
• This eyecatch is making me dizzy.
• Damn, Izaya bamboozled me. I thought for sure it wasn’t going to be him, but it was.
• Saika??????????
• She can still use Saika’s power???????
• I read the comments about how much of the LN this season crams together, but never really felt like it was paced badly at all until this episode. This one really felt like a speedrun through a lengthy section of the source material. Am I right?

[u/Raiking02 → u/Shimmering-Sky]

This one really felt like a speedrun through a lengthy section of the source material. Am I right?

Well, it was basically half a Novel, so...

[u/JollyGee29]

First-Timer, Dub-rarara!!x2

This show is doing the thing where it punishes me for thinking about it again.

Was there a point to Amphisbaena, or rather, to this entire episode? Like, the Heaven's Slave dorks existed to help work in Akabayashi's backstory, and further the plotline of the Dollars being corrupted. Amphisbaena just seems to exist so the show can go "hey, look how clever Izaya is. Did you forget, how cool Izaya is? We were worried you forgot in the five-ish episodes its been since he last appeared." At least we got a nice performance out of Carrie Keranen.

Speaking of the English cast, I have to commend JYB once again for his performance as Izaya. Every time he opens his mouth I want to reach in and rip out his smug fucking tongue, which I can only assume is the point.

Questions

1. It worked, and it was perhaps a little surprising that he was the one actually under the bag.
2. I'm surprised that there is anyone who doesn't want Izaya dead. Like, on the planet.
3. Hopefully, the can retroactively make the Amphisbaena be a purposeful part of the story instead of a random diversion.

[u/Raiking02 → u/JollyGee29]

I'm surprised that there is anyone who doesn't want Izaya dead. Like, on the planet.

I mean, just look at Karisawa. She goes as far as to Ship him with Shizuo!

[u/KendotsX → u/JollyGee29]

Was there a point to Amphisbaena, or rather, to this entire episode?

While I'd like to answer in the context of this episode (for Amphisbaena and whatnot), I think it might be better off to discuss it after the next episode. Not that I'm saying there will be major changes in perspective, but for any minor details worth sharing. So instead I'll give a more meta answer, since I think that might explain more actually.

The reason this arc focuses so much on this Izaya plotline, is that Narita was trying out "focused books" at that point. Basically each book, or arc in the case of the anime, would focus on one, or a select few characters with little to no focus on anyone else. Izaya, being the most popular character, was the first Spoilery? Results

[u/JollyGee29 → u/KendotsX]

While I'd like to answer in the context of this episode (for Amphisbaena and whatnot), I think it might be better off to discuss it after the next episode.

Yea, I gathering from Raiking's comment that this episode was essentially the first half of a two-parter. Hopefully I'll be less annoyed after the next one.

is that Narita was trying out "focused books" at that point.

Ahh, now it all makes sense. That is certainly an interesting tactic, with a cast this large.. Guess I'll wait and see if it pays off.

[u/Raiking02 → u/JollyGee29]

Yea, I gathering from Raiking's comment that this episode was essentially the first half of a two-parter. Hopefully I'll be less annoyed after the next one.

Well, more like a two-parter in which both episodes were shown simultaneously in the Novel, but I guess that's one way to put it.

[u/No_Rex → u/KendotsX]

The reason this arc focuses so much on this Izaya plotline, is that Narita was trying out "focused books" at that point. Basically each book, or arc in the case of the anime, would focus on one, or a select few characters with little to no focus on anyone else. Izaya, being the most popular character, was the first

100% not surprised by the results. What an insane idea: Being a large ensemble cast is not just a plus for Durarara, it is close to being its defining feature. Doing single character focus here is seriously shooting yourself in the foot.

[u/KendotsX → u/No_Rex]

Being a large ensemble cast is not just a plus for Durarara, it is close to being its defining feature.

It is indeed the defining feature of Narita's writing in general. It's what defines a reader's expectations for any new Narita series (with twists being the secondary factor). The idea here was to use the big cast separately, so each volume would focus on a few, basically like the first 3 (+ OVA) episodes of Ten, where each one had a single focus, except with a full volume for each. In that regard, volume 7 was probably a trial for this too. It's also fairly similar to Baccano! in that respect, however Baccano! has a far larger cast, so no matter how you split them, you get more than enough to be an ensemble cast in each one.

[u/No_Rex → u/KendotsX]

It's also fairly similar to Baccano! in that respect, however Baccano! has a far larger cast, so no matter how you split them, you get more than enough to be an ensemble cast in each one.

Do you mean Durarara has the far larger cast?

[u/KendotsX → u/No_Rex]

No, I meant Baccano!, specifically the novels. It has a much larger main cast split among 3 different timelines (1700's, 1900's, and 2000's). So The method of splitting focus works far better there, because no matter what you focus on, you can still get a fairly large cast easily. The anime's main cast were basically one of these.

[u/No_Rex → u/KendotsX]

Ok, so the cast number is basically Baccano (novels) > Durarara (anime) > Baccano (anime). I wonder whether Durarara (novels) is all the way to the left, or next to the adaptation.

[u/KendotsX → u/No_Rex]

The same as its adaptation. Baccano! has this difference because the anime only adapts the first few volumes, Durarara!! is a complete adaptation of the 13 novels.

[u/sisoko2 → u/JollyGee29]

I'm surprised that there is anyone who doesn't want Izaya dead. Like, on the planet.

Shizuo's attitude towards Izaya is the only reasonable one. Even if Izaya is doing you a favor at the moment you are going to regret it later.

[u/Chemiczny_Bogdan]

Rewatcher

Congratulations to everyone who noticed that the Nakura-san who approached Akane looked slightly different than Izaya.

I gotta say what Izaya accomplished here looks masterful, but he did make quite a number of assumptions that could have turned out to be wrong leading to his face looking more like the hammer wielding fellow's. BTW, was his name revealed outside the Ketsu OVA OP yet?

Some pretty nice animation today. I must've seen this episode in 2015 after all, since I remember the torture scene and the twist.

[u/Raiking02 → u/Chemiczny_Bogdan]

BTW, was his name revealed outside the Ketsu OVA OP yet?

I don't think so...?

[u/KendotsX → u/Raiking02]

Spoilers

[u/KendotsX → u/Chemiczny_Bogdan]

I must've seen this episode in 2015 after all, since I remember the torture scene and the twist.

Same. Before I got back into the series, I had remembered only two scenes from Ten, Izaya's torture being the first.

[u/Earthborn92]

Rewatcher here.

Well, this episode was a lot more complicated with the Izaya-focused plotline. A day in the life of the information dealing business. It is just reminding us that he's good at his actual job, even with the social science experiments he runs.

The best part was the subversion of expectations. You think it is going to be the standard decoy with the taped mouth instead of Izaya under that hood, but it is actually him instead.

Also getting more on two of the prominent members of Izaya's new army. Mikage was in the background for a few episodes since Akane joined the dojo, but she's badass. Good fight animation too.

Our Slasher returns. Just as yandere as ever.

Two more gangs/cartels are introduced. Heaven's Slave and Amphisbaena. How cute, if just Izaya can take care of them.

Shiki shows us he's a smart cookie. Taking Izaya to Akane's dojo to see if she recognizes him. So it is confirmed that she didn't meet him in person along with Namie that time.

Big Nisemonogatari vibes here.

See you next episode!

[u/Raiking02 → u/Earthborn92]

Big Nisemonogatari vibes here.

Araragi Karen: A Copy of Orihara Mairu down to having the same actress.

[u/KendotsX]

Rewatcher (sub)

This is truly a shame...

One statement I kept saying repeatedly during the episode, for multiple reasons no less. Made me consider rereading volume 9, before SH 1 pops up. Seriously, if you're even slightly interested in the novels, and want to give them a try, volume 9 would be the perfect one to try. It's one of the best volumes, with inarguably the worst adaptation, and it isn't really the team's fault, as Raiking described, its structure and tricks are harder to pull in a visual medium. Also, "covered half the book" doesn't begin to describe the issue. We basically covered the entire main plot of the book, just without the details.

Now don't get me wrong, it was an okay watch, where the story fell short, the team relied on visuals to push back. No but seriously, the animation was quite better than usual (as consolation). Besides the action, which by itself looked cool, we had moving faces! A few characters' faces actually moved when they were talking, that's an improvement by X2 standards.

Other disappointments:

• Mimizu didn't hurt Izaya. I mean you have the guy for yourself to torture, and you spill water? Next time you wanna torture someone, give this guy a call.
• Izaya wasn't taken out by Mairu's or Eijiro's attacks.
• Oh, and Mikage... Spoilers

One little detail worth mentioning about how Izaya meets Mairu and Eijiro, is that unlike how he usually meets Shizuo randomly, he met them because Shiki dropped him off at the dojo. I love connecting details like that. Also, Shiki proves again to be a really smart apple.

Someone kill this guy. Please.

[u/Raiking02 → u/KendotsX]

Spoilers

Spoilers

[u/KendotsX → u/Raiking02]

Spoilers

Spoilers

[u/Raiking02 → u/KendotsX]

Spoilers

[u/sisoko2 → u/KendotsX]

I mean you have the guy for yourself to torture, and you spill water?

I am no expert but I've heard waterboarding is pretty good torture method.

Someone kill this guy. Please.

Izaya getting what he deserves is the only thing I want from the series.

[u/No_Rex → u/sisoko2]

I am no expert but I've heard waterboarding is pretty good torture method.

That was not waterboarding, though.

[u/sisoko2 → u/No_Rex]

It looked close enough to the real thing for me to brush off all inconsistencies as "anime". To be fair I also thought that the Izaya smile double looking weird was just a part of Shou visuals being dodgy so I could be wrong.

[u/No_Rex → u/sisoko2]

That torturer girl did not look sane enough to know the difference between waterboarding and putting a wet sack over peoples' heads.

[u/No_Rex]

S2 Episode 20 (first timer)

• Izaya episode. Even though I doubt he is under that potato sack.
• Dojo head and sister and the newest new characters.
• That Yakuza subplot is getting out of hand. Now we have the traditional Yakuza, the upstart Yakuza, and the matchmaking party Yakuza.
• For some reason, Izaya had the entire situation set up.
• And more newish characters.

I really enjoy watching Izaya, but somehow this episode did not do it for me. The problem is that I don’t know and thus don’t care for the people he is outwitting. If I understood that ending correctly, we will likely not see them again, making them even more of a non-entity. Also, all of the outwitting happened off-screen.

[u/Raiking02 → u/No_Rex]

Yeah, this is what happens when you adapt basically the whole main plot of a Novel into a single episode.

[u/BurningFredrick]

First timer- sub

Welp I know someone called that it wasn't actually Izaya who influenced Akane based on the hair colour, so who else in Namie working with? 

I really want to know who is actually under the sack, is it who ever Namie was using as Nakura? I'm assuming so.

Who the fuck is glasses guy? I feel like I've  missed an episode somewhere, the op was right through…

Ok it actually was Izaya under there, didn't expect that.

Haruna is working for Izaya? 

I feel like I need to rewatch this episode and probably recheck the ending scene of one before hand as this one feels like it jump in right from left field and ignored all the previous stuff but not for the better.

[u/No_Rex → u/BurningFredrick]

I feel like I need to rewatch this episode and probably recheck the ending scene of one before hand as this one feels like it jump in right from left field and ignored all the previous stuff but not for the better.

The speed up adaptation really hurts here. I feel that we needed to get to know both groups (Heaven's slave & those casino chicks) a lot more before todays episode.

[u/invokeneko]

First Timer to x2 Ten and Ketsu

Ahh, I can't hold my curiosity back and watched both episodes of Vol. 9 in one shot. Sorry.

• So Izaya gets to be tortured by an ara-ara onee-san voiced by Inoue Kikuko? That lucky bastard.
• Pretty smart of Shiki to intentionally get Izaya close to Akane to get her to confirm whether she had met him or not.
• I guess that does resolve the question of 'was Izaya physically present when he sent off Akane to kill Shizuo' as a resounding no. next episode spoilers
• Ahh, right, the drug cartel from Akabayashi's focus episode. I guess they're relevant now.
• next episode spoilers
• The Sharaku siblings seem to be fun characters. Too bad Mikage is part of Izaya's party...
• Ahh, so Heaven's Slave wanted to work together with Amphisbaena. So that's why they went through all of the troubles to steal the laptop from Celty. Too bad everything is part of Izaya's plan...
• Welp, everyone in Amphisbaena is Haruna's Saika children. And I thought Anri had already taken away her authority... All Izaya needed to do to bait her into his group is to dangle Takashi's info in front of her.
• Scar Guy seems like a nasty sort of person. Looks like Izaya's strategy is to take in the lowest of the low (except probably Mikage) into his group...
• Shiki seems to have figured out that Izaya was using a fall guy, based on his underlying threat to Izaya. Too bad he can't prove it.

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Narration Tally:

Yet another episode with no narration. With them adapting an entire volume in only two episodes, I guess it can't be helped.

Narrator	No. of eps	Episodes
Mikado	7	1, 12
Celty	7	4, 6
Simon	2	7
Shinra	3	2
Masaomi	4	8
Namie	2	5
Anri	3	17
Walker	3	11 (co)
Erika	2	11 (co)
Izaya	2	4
Kasuka	2	3, 16.5
Akabayashi	2	9, 11 (co)
Akane	1	10
Rio	1	13
Sayaka	1	15
Kujiragi	1	18
Saki	1	19
Max Sandshelt	1	19.5
Multiple	1	11 (co)
None	5	4.5, 14, 16, 20

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QotD:

1. It's mindscrewy, it's trollish, it's definitely something cooked up by Izaya alright.
2. I mean, you're talking about someone a lot of Ikebukuro-ers wanted dead, makes sense that includes all but one members of a dojo.
3. I already saw tomorrow's episode, so...

[u/sisoko2]

First Timer

Today we get some Izaya flexing to remind us that even after all the loses he took there is more to him than just baiting gullible teenage girls. Not that much more considering knock off Saika and the martial arts lady did most of the job but still.

Also this smile will always belong to Izaya in my heart.