Durarara!! 22 – I Mustn’t Run Away! … Next Episode

Kida calling is not enough to awaken Mikado from his self-pitying slumber . . .

I’m of two minds about this episode: On the one hand, at least something is finally happening. The Yellow Scarves were moving. Dollars was moving. Anri stands up for herself after receiving more help from Celty. Shizuo gets to kick a little ass (and receives some retaliation in return). After so much build-up, it seems as if events are finally moving somewhere.

On the other hand, there is just so much stupid in this episode. It’s understandable stupidity — hell, I was dumb as fuck when I was a teen — but stupidity nonetheless. Let’s make no bones about it: Mikado is really dumb in this episode. His logic seems clear: The Yellow Scarves are attacking Dollars; therefore, if Dollars does not exist anymore, then the Yellow Scarves will have nobody else to attack. But as has been pointed out in innumerable places, the Yellow Scarves are just looking to be violent. They have evolved beyond the play gang they were when Kida first formed the group. They’re a full-fledged gang now. They want blood, and they don’t care where they get it.

Really, the whole nature of their mission against Dollars points to this. How does one tell that a person is a member of Dollars? They are the colorless group. Really, all the Yellow Scarves can do is approach people they a) know are Dollars members from past scuffles, or b) assume that anyone who isn’t a self-identified member of the Yellow Scarves is a member of Dollars. Do they particularly care whether they are actually taking down Dollars members? As long as they believe they’re putting the squeeze on Dollars, that is good enough for Horada and crew.

That’s what is frustrating about Mikado’s decision to shut down Dollars. Mikado is being self-centered and focused on his own guilt, which is understandable . . . if not entirely excusable. However, his decision goes entirely against his experience as well. The audience knows that Dollars itself was not entirely responsible for saving Anri. There was luck involved with Shizuo being at the right place at the right time in the right frame of mind to beat the shit out of Horada’s group and rescue Anri. But does Mikado know this? Nope. All he can see is that Dollars worked together to save Anri . . . and then he takes away their main means of communication. Way to go.

(Although in another bit of stupidity, I’m not exactly sure what is stopping another enterprising member of Dollars from creating a new BBS for the group. Probably wouldn’t have too many members at first, but word of mouth would spread quickly, I’d imagine. Dollars is full of dummies.)

Then there’s Kida’s continued slide into dumbassery, but I’m actually a bit more inclined to be forgiving of him, just because I actually like this scene, even if Kida is being an idiot during it. The tension is actually boiling over, and the characters are getting the ugliness out of their systems so that they can go on and kick some ass later.

Look, Kida is being as dumb as Mikado during this scene. There is no denying that. Presented with an opportunity to clear the air with Anri, he kind of starts off in that direction . . . and then he accuses Anri of cockteasing Mikado. Wait, what? First off, she can’t cocktease Mikdao, because he’d actually need to have a cock for that to happen. Secondly, why the hell is he bringing this up instead of getting real answers? Landon’s view makes the most sense — Kida is just venting all the frustration that has built up from his lack of control, both with his gang and his friendships. Then he goes for a nice sulk around town while everything goes to shit around him. At least the preview for the next episode seems to indicate Kida grows a pair and gets back into the game by seeking help.

Luckily for Anri, she got most of the dumb idealism out of her system before this episode with the failure of her plan to stop the Yellow Scarves. She’s not perfect, by any means . . . when she knew her friend was the leader of the Yellow Scarves, it probably would have been best to speak up and clear up the confusion, even if it would have been incredibly difficult. But considering she is infiltrated by a freaking demon, it’s understandable why she would believe Kida and/or Mikado would be freaked out by that little revelation.

But at least Anri is moving (slowly) toward standing up for herself and being more open, with the help of her friends, of course. Because friendship is the most important thing in the history of ever, as anime has often taught us. Anri may have made mistakes, but there’s no reason she should stand and take that shit from Kida, especially since Kida led Mikado on and used Mikado to cure his loneliness just as much as Anri did. lol hypocrisy

But whatever. While there is some Grade A Dumbass in this episode, at least it is dumb that is directly leading somewhere, unlike the dumb in the past, what, three or four episodes?