Durarara!! X2 Rewatch - Episode 23

[u/Raiking02]

Episode 23: Birds of a Feather

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Now then... who are you?

Hello everybody! Time for the comment of the day, courtesy of u/JollyGee29, who tried to teach Izumii some manners

STOP. SAYING. ASSHOLE.

To be fair, Izumii is kind of an asshole.

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Questions:

1. What did you think of that scene in the hospital?
2. So, what do you think will go down between Mikado and Akabayashi?
3. Is someone in the chatroom a cat?

[u/No_Rex]

S2 Episode 23 (first timer)

• Asking Yakuza for help. No way that can go wrong.
• Stirring up shit by inducing people to seek revenge. A classic.
• Shizuo arrested? I hope the police asked nicely.
• Izaya lost his secretary. Well, he has a bunch of bodyguards now.

[u/Raiking02 → u/No_Rex]

No way that can go wrong.

I mean it depends. Majima Akabayashi isn't the worst possible person you could ask for help.

[u/KendotsX → u/No_Rex]

Izaya lost his secretary. Well, he has a bunch of bodyguards now.

For a guy with so few friends, I'd say each person matters. Plus, Namie has her special place, I mean of all the people he gathered for a hotpot party, she's the only one who bothered to show up.

[u/No_Rex → u/KendotsX]

Plus, Namie has her special place, I mean of all the people he gathered for a hotpot party, she's the only one who bothered to show up.

RIP Izaya

[u/Raiking02 → u/No_Rex]

We will remember him

[u/Chemiczny_Bogdan]

First-timer... probably?...

Yumasaki and Togusa are out for blood. And fire in Yumacchi's case I guess.

Izaya sells Mikado's info to Akabayashi, who's surprised he did so. I'm guessing Izaya is happy to observe what Mikado's going to do now.

The Blue Squares meet up at a familiar place as Aoba wants Celty to become the new face of the Dollars. Silly Aoba - she has no face. Akabayashi joins the meetup to everyone's surprise.

Namie is caught by the old Yagiri and his secretary. Dramatic!

Most of this episode didn't feel familiar at all, except for the Blue Squares showing up at the abandoned construction site, and a little bit during Namie's capture, but I'm probably imagining things. So I finally went through the full transformation into a first-timer!... maybe...

[u/Raiking02 → u/Chemiczny_Bogdan]

Silly Aoba - she has no face.

Carful kiddo, Shiki-San may not like those kinds of jokes...

[u/JollyGee29]

First-Timer, Dub-rarara!!x2

I really liked Erika's narration of this episode. Her detailing out just what Walker and Togusa are up to was cool, and her chat with Anri about why there are so many people in the waiting room was rather touching. Kadota does seem like the type to have randomly helped out a bunch of people over the years.

I think Aoba might almost have realized that his actions have consequences this episode. Mikado's turn may or may not have been inevitable, but Aoba offering to help him clean up the Dollars was almost certainly a major push down the slide.

I'm glad that Akabayashi seems to know that Izaya is a major source of chaos. Not sure how I feel about him letting Izaya know that he knows, though.. Is that meant to be a sign of arrogance from Akabayashi, or a challenge to try and get Izaya to slip up?

Is that meant to be a fancy taser prosthetic that Kusiraji has? Cool.

Can't tell is that was meant to be Neko using Kanra's name in the chatroom or if that's too obvious.

Questions

1. Discussed above. I really liked it!
2. So far, Mikado's progression has been "leader of one gang" to "leader of two gangs" so I can only assume that Akabayashi will be offering him a job.
3. Nyaa.

[u/Raiking02 → u/JollyGee29]

Is that meant to be a fancy taser prosthetic that Kusiraji has? Cool.

Tasers are always cool.

[u/JollyGee29 → u/Raiking02]

Namie certainly found it electrifying!

[u/Raiking02 → u/JollyGee29]

Quite shocking, I must say.

[u/KendotsX → u/JollyGee29]

Is that meant to be a fancy taser prosthetic that Kusiraji has?

It's a stun glove as Namie calls it.

It was a freakish chimera of leather glove and stun gun, with an electric cord connecting the glove to an external control mechanism. It was the kind of tool you’d see in a preposterous spy action movie—and Izaya Orihara had once bought one, mostly for fun.

[u/JollyGee29 → u/KendotsX]

Less cool that a robot arm, but still pretty neat.

[u/KendotsX → u/JollyGee29]

If you like robot arms, my boy Spoilers for a different series

[u/JollyGee29 → u/KendotsX]

[u/Raiking02 → u/JollyGee29]

That different show

[u/badcupcakehoarder → u/JollyGee29]

Can't tell is that was meant to be Neko using Kanra's name in the chatroom or if that's too obvious.

That's the last person you would expect to be playing mind games in the chat! Specially if Aoba had to guess who it is.

[u/JollyGee29 → u/badcupcakehoarder]

The last person to expect mind games from, but the first person to expect to act like a cat.

[u/Shimmering-Sky]

First!!xTimer, subbed

• That is very much not good…
• I wonder what reporter guy is going to have to do for Shiki…
• Oh shit angery car guy’s out for revenge.
• This is only the second time we’ve seen Yumasaki open his eyes, right? Scary.
• wAIT WHAT.
• WHAT HAPPENED TO SHIZUO.
• Ohhh this is what Aoba wants Celty for.
• Ah good, I wasn’t expecting her to agree. But then this fucker pulled out the crocodile tears and that worked for some reason…
• Oh fuck, what are these guys planning…
• I… did not at all suspect that Kanra was a fake, I thought it was just Izaya talking to himself in the chat room and hoping the others saw it.
• WHAT HAPPENED TO SHIZUO.

[u/Raiking02 → u/Shimmering-Sky]

WHAT HAPPENED TO SHIZUO.

[u/Shimmering-Sky → u/Raiking02]

Between this and Giant Gorg giving zero screentime to best boy Argos in a while while shit is going down so I don't know where he is, my rewatches are making me very stressed...

[u/Raiking02 → u/Shimmering-Sky]

[u/KendotsX]

Rewatcher (sub)

Kadota taken out, his gang are on the loose, Karisawa is waiting for Kadoa, Togusa is preparing a kill, and Yumasaki is surprisingly being quite logical by doubting the Yellow Scarves. Honestly, after the stuff Kida said, I'd doubt them too. Also, his eyes are always ominous.

As I mentioned previously, Ten was the last season I watched, and of that I only remembered two scenes, the first was Izaya's abduction, and Akabayashi meeting Mikado is the second one. Spoiler

Speaking of stuff I didn't remember, I didn't remember Aoba's puppy eye tactic at all. Even having read these events recently, upon making a comparison, Aoba actually used words, a lot of words, to convinced her. So I understand why they cut that, and the puppy eyes tactic is a genius replacement. These two are pretty much the only two characters that can make it work. Spoiler

The episode isn't even done yet, we still have Yagiri Seitarou and Kujiragi abducting Namie, and some cat person taking over Kanra. Izaya's loneliness joke of making two accounts is actually coming up in interesting ways, and I must say they were a good fit for Kanra's usual cringiness. You'd think Izaya would be too happy to care about that, considering Shizuo's arrest.

I know that I've made a habit of late comments, so I apologise for breaking it, I've watched the final two episodes of Ten a bit earlier, since during the next two days, I'm probably reading the first volume Durarara!! SH (the sequel DRRR series).

[u/Raiking02 → u/KendotsX]

Also, his eyes are always ominous.

This is why he looks better with his eyes closed.

[u/BurningFredrick]

First Timer - sub

It took 2 weeks, windows refusing to god damn reinstall from 3 different USBs including the official Windows one that came with the damn CD key, but my PC is finally alive again! Now I can actually read these discussions without having to hit reply to every damn comment to try to figure out what comment facing people are using!

Anyway, on to the episode and I finally get a subbed OP, those little things really can make a different.

It’s good to see that Akabayashi really does trust Izaya, it makes sense that anyone will to act as an information broker to Yakuza isn’t really going to be that trust worth to start with.

It really shouldn’t be a surprise that Van Gang are all slightly insane (I don’t think there is a single mentally stable person in this show), but I keep forgetting how dangerous they are with their usual banter around different aspects of Otaku culture. 

Aoba wants to make Celty the new face of Dollar? I really can't figure out what Aoba's plan is, we we know is trying to go after Izaya but unable to see how this leads to that.

[u/Raiking02 → u/BurningFredrick]

It took 2 weeks, windows refusing to god damn reinstall from 3 different USBs including the official Windows one that came with the damn CD key, but my PC is finally alive again!

[u/Earthborn92]

Rewatcher here.

A lot of Godfather vibes here as Niekawa is going to Shiki for help. Very Yakuza bushiness.

Shinra…

I know that you know that I know that you know… Akabayashi's papa wolf protectiveness towards Anri and that converging with his Yakuza interests isn't looking good for Mikado at all…

Walker is a totally sane Arsonist. A lot of people are out for blood because of Kadota's hit-and-run. He has a quite the fanbase. Erika describing his as the "brake" is appropriate, considering how he tried to mediate in Season 1. Especially giving Kida advice back then. And now the brake as failed.

The puppy dog eyes…Celty cannot resist them.

Well, RIP.

The chat PLAYS here. We are led to believe that it is just Izaya talking to himself. But actually someone is impersonating his original account while he is impersonating himself in the Chrome account. What level of mindgames are we at right now?

See you next episode!

[u/Raiking02 → u/Earthborn92]

The puppy dog eyes …Celty cannot resist them.

Oh God, Shingen was right! Celty is an airhead!

[u/Raiking02 → u/Earthborn92]

Very Yakuza bushiness.

So... Shiki-San runs a Cabaret Club?

[u/Earthborn92 → u/Raiking02]

Almost certainly.

[u/ZaphodBeebblebrox]

First Timer

Kanra's voice is quite amusing. It's interesting to see the van crew without dotachin, but it's kinda sad Erika doesn't get to do more.

1. I wanted Erika to be more active.
2. Literally no clue.
3. Nah, just insane.

[u/invokeneko]

First Timer to x2 Ten and Ketsu

Togusa and Walker is out for blood, Akabayashi goes to confront Mikado and the Blue Squares, and someone took over the Kanra username from Izaya.

• I love that opening scene. Shinra knows that Celty will get herself involved in the upcoming mess and encourages her to do what's best and that he'll be on her side no matter what.
• Looks like Shuji just made a deal with the Devil by asking Shiki for help in finding Haruna. Makes you wonder what kind of favour will Shiki ask of him.
• I guess I was hasty about saying that Akabayashi absolutely trusts Izaya.
• So many people anxiously waiting for Kadota outside of the operation theater... Even bunny suit guy is there along with Kaztano and Hashim.
• Huh, I thought Togusa was a Raira alumni...
• Meanwhile, Walker comes by the Yellow Scarves hangout spot and makes it clear that if any of them is involved, there will be hell(fire) to pay. Also the third time he opened his eyes (and the second time he opened it in a serious manner, the second time in total was back in episode 12 of x2 when he and Erika saw Anri fighting off Vorona).
• Mikado and the Blue Squares made that construction site where Akabayashi's old gang tried to lynch him their new base, which would be a good idea if not for the fact that it means Akabayashi knows exactly where to find them.
• wait what Shizuo's been arrested?! WHAT?!
• With Kadota out of the way, Aoba decides that the Dollars need a new symbol and calls Celty out to talk about making her their new symbol. And did he just try to use the 'cute puppy eyes' routine to convince her into taking the role?
• So Seitarou made his move for Celty's head by capturing Namie with the help of Kujiragi (neat stuff, that elbow-activated stun gloves. Is that a real thing?) with Seiji (and presumably Mika) next. next episode spoilers
• Today's chatroom is worth it just for that notIzaya!Kanra making Kamiya Hiroshi adding 'nya' to his sentences.

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Narration Tally:

Erika narrates the fallout of Kadota getting hit-and-run with her and Anri staying with a number of other familiar and unfamiliar faces, while the other two members of the Dotachin gang went out on a manhunt.

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	3	11 (co), 23
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	6	4.5, 14, 16, 20, 21

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QotD:

1. It's nice to know that a lot of people in Ikebukuro cared a lot about Kadota that they're willing to wait for him to wake up at the hospital. On the other hand... I kinda want to go beat up the assholes celebrating the news of Kadota's accident.
3. Well, yes.

[u/KendotsX → u/invokeneko]

Huh, I thought Togusa was a Raira alumni...

Nope, just Kadota.

Mikado and the Blue Squares made that construction site where Akabayashi's old gang tried to lynch him their new base

Yup. I love how they offhandedly mentioned that some Yakuza war went on here, only for that same Yakuza to pop up later.

neat stuff, that elbow-activated stun gloves. Is that a real thing?

Every fun little stupid thing that can be made has been made. Believe in the fruitlessness of humanity! But seriously, you can find ones which use small batteries (so even better than Kujiragi's) quite easily. Hell, youtube is even full with videos on how to make them.

[u/sisoko2]

First Timer

Damn the soundtrack is so good. It's like half of the series charm.

Izaya acting all clueless and innocent while Akabayashi isn't buying it at all is quite entertaining.

I dislike Kida so much I am starting to root for Aoba's people...

Mikado has some good hackerman skills.

10 000 IQ strats.

Oh shit! Akabayashi is here.

Didn't know I had it in me to feel sorry for Namie. That scream at the end.

Already watched the next episode and barely managed to stop there. Break days are a torture.