Durarara!!: Difference between revisions

* [[Adaptation Expansion]]: To make this easy let's just say that episode 2, and {{spoiler|the events between Kida finds out that Mikado is the founder of the Dollars and Kida goes to the Yellow Scarves hideout alone are all anime-only.}}

* [[Adjusting Your Glasses]]: Anri and Shizuo do this on occasion.

* [[Alien Autopsy]]: In one episode, we see [[Headless Horseman|Celty]] watching a documentary on one of these in the background while Shinra speaks on the phone. Celty, as it turns out, [[Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?|is terrified of aliens]] (and given her experience with Dr. Kishitani probably autopsies too).

* [[All There in the Manual]]: Ignoring the [[Light Novels]], the Japanese DVDs come with written short stories.

* [[Anachronism Stew]]: Due to time discrepancies between light novels and anime releases, the series is peppered with small and amusing inconsistencies, mostly about the release dates of some gadgets and stuff. For note, IIRC, the official date of the events in light novels is 2002, which leads to:

** Izaya having an iPhone three years before its official release even in the US (2005).

** The dates on computer screens and cellphones make it clear that the ''anime'' is supposed to be set in 2010. His PC is obviously a brand name bought pre-assembled (and that sticker was on the box), but then, there are indications that this was while he still was in junior high. Looks like someone was having fun with the details.

* [[Anime Accent Absence]]: Averted. Even if the accent is ''wrong'', you can't say they didn't give all the foreigners an accent. They even went all the way and made a couple of tourist girls in episode 3, an entirely one-shot pair of characters, speak heavily accented, but otherwise perfect, Russian, complete with subtitles.

* [[Armor-Piercing Slap]]: {{spoiler|Anri}} delivers one to a [[Heroic BSOD|rather]] [[Et Tu, Brute?|paranoid]] {{spoiler|Masaomi}} after he interrogates her {{spoiler|from her reason for spying on the Yellow Scarves to how she's been "tricking" him and "sucking up to Mikado."}}

* [[Art Evolution]]: Hell yes. Suzuhito's earlier artwork for DRRR!!, while decent, was kind of awkward and a little stodgy. It has since developed and become much more fluid, with better colors and characterization in general. Compare the [http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_aSCM3tWAKX4/TKnse7zKT0I/AAAAAAAAAF0/pxoEtMt72lc/s1600/durarara.png volume one cover] to the cover of [http://i52.tinypic.com/ir5g1u.png the most recent volume ten].

** The three ganguros who bully Anri end up getting attacked {{spoiler|by the Slasher}} in Episode 13.

** Horada is such an arrogant [[Jerkass]] that ''no one'' ever sympathizes with him.

* [[Because You Were Nice to Me]]: How did Tom get on Shizuo's good side? By showing him some basic human decency.

** This is also part of the reason that {{spoiler|Izaya considers Shinra his only friend - because Shinra came right up and talked to [[Loners Are Freaks|him]] when no one else did. Oh, and Shinra also took a knife wound for Izaya once, but that's [[Sarcasm Mode|no big deal or anything]].}}

** Shizuo [[Hair-Trigger Temper|has about a million of them]], but Izaya's continued existence rises above them all.

** ''Do not'' scratch Togusa's van.

* [[Beware the Nice Ones]]: The more friendly someone is in this series, the more likely it is that they're a complete and utter freak. {{spoiler|Good ''god'', Mikado can switch on the niceness off and on at will intentionally to dominate other people's wills. The truly scary thing, that makes his flashes of coldness all the more scary, is when he's nice...he means it.}}

* [[Big Brother Bully]]: Ran Izumi and {{spoiler|Izaya Orihara}}. Said bullying seems to have had some serious effects on the targets -- ''especially'' for Ran's little brother, {{spoiler|Aoba}}.

* [[Bilingual Bonus]]: At the end of Episode 8, Celty speaks Irish (with a Japanese accent) She says: Tá me anseo, anseo (I am here, here).

** Also, Simon delivers a whole [["The Reason You Suck" Speech]] to Izaya in Russian in episode 24

* [[Bilingual Backfire]]: In one episode, Simon breaks from cheerfully advertising sushi to warn/threaten Izaya with a Russian proverb. Izaya immediately replies in Russian with another proverb.

* [[Bishonen]] : [http://images.wikia.com/durarara/images/9/9f/Kasuka_Heiwajima_OP_2.png Kasuka], [http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/10100000/Shizuo-durarara-10104029-459-604.jpg Shizuo], [http://www.yesanime.com/image/products/11567_1.jpg Izaya], [http://images.wikia.com/durarara/images/5/55/Durarara!!_E04_03m_25s.jpg Shinra] , [http://images.wikia.com/durarara/images/a/ac/Mikado_Ryugamine_EP01_01.jpg Mikado], [http://www.animetrack.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Durarara-25-sub.jpg Kida], [http://images.wikia.com/durarara/images/1/14/Durarara_Kuronuma_Aoba_1_-Small_Wallpaper-.jpg Aoba], [http://images.wikia.com/durarara/images/f/f5/Durarara!!_E03_21m_17s.jpg Seiji], [http://static.zerochan.net/full/12/10/210512.jpg Tom], [http://i.imgur.com/THLru.jpg Walker], [http://static.zerochan.net/full/34/21/636084.jpg Chikage], [http://anime-online.tv/upload/pjs/c8f7fd2eee2cbc0f0bb3bd36af7f8cd8.jpg Ryo Takiguchi] and [http://i.imgur.com/50mEz.jpg Nasujima-sensei].

** Tons in episode 11. Mikado owns a Mindows 7 desktop computer that runs wbunte and uses it to visit the websites Yohoo! Japan.came, Amezon.shop, [[Image Boards|Niru Channel]], Yo!Tube, [[wikipedia:Mixi|Nixi,]] and NSM, among others.

*** That computer is a stew of [[Bland-Name Product|Bland Name Products]], let's see... It's supposed to be an NEC computer (possibly a [[Shout-Out]] to the PC-98), using a Phoenix Award BIOS and the motherboard itself is Energy Star compliant. The hard drives are a Seagate and a Maxtor (to the extent that they never bothered to change how their model numbers work), and to top it off, it has a Sony DVD drive.

** In episode 21, Kadota buys Mikado an energy drink called Red ''Snake''.

* [[Blatant Lies]]: Izaya.

{{quote|'''Akabayashi:''' ..."That computer thingy"...? Aozaki-san, what kind of era do you think you're living in?}}

* [[Butt Monkey]]: Nasujima-sensei seems to fall into one unfortunate mishap after another, and they only seem to get worse. He kind of had it coming though.

** Shogi = Yellow Scarves; Chess = Dollars; Reversi = Saika...

** And then '' {{spoiler|he sets the whole board on fire.}}''

* [[Clothing Damage]]: Shizuo can inflict the whole-body version with ''one punch''.

* [[Color Coded for Your Convenience]]: Mikado {{spoiler|and the Blue Squares}} = blue {{spoiler|and colorless}}, Masaomi {{spoiler|and the Yellow Scarves}} = yellow, Anri {{spoiler|and Saika's children}} = red. Also the idea behind the [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|color gangs]], gangs that identify themselves by wearing certain colors. The Dollars are an interesting take on this, as their color is ''colorless'' or "transparent".

** Both Shizuo's [[Unstoppable Rage|rampages]] and Walker/Erika's, ahem, [[Torture Technician|less savory pastimes]] are mostly played for laughs.

** [[Manipulative Bastard|Izaya's machinations]] as well, at least until about [[Kick the Dog|episode 18]].

* [[The Cuckoolander Was Right]]: So far, at least one of Erika and Yumasaki's elaborate wild-guessing theories has been right. (see WMG page for more details) ([[Word of God]] says that doesn't apply to Erika's BL fantasies, though. Sorry, Shizaya fangirls.)

** [[Word of God]] says they ''both'' have to think it for it to be true. Walker... [[Brain Bleach|isn't really fond]] of Shizaya.

* [[Day in The Limelight]]: Episode 6 for Kadota and his gang.

* [[Deadly Closing Credits]]: Volume six ends with {{spoiler|Izaya}} being stabbed by a rival and passing out before he can contact anyone for help. He lives, thanks to someone noticing the bleeding man on the street and calling the paramedics, but relying on formal medical care comes at a cost - is stabbing was reported on the news, which gave out both his name and the hospital he was recuperating at. Now any of his many, many enemies could watch that broadcast and head over to finish him off. He starts going a little stir crazy when this realization dawns on him. It happens to him again in volume ten. At this point, we have no idea if he is dead, alive, or possessed by Saika. Also, Kadota was rendered unconscious, and the other members are noticeably (and perhaps murderously) upset...

* [[Diagonal Cut]]: Performed by {{spoiler|Anri}} on ''a pair of gigantic warehouse doors''.

* [[Did Not Do the Research]]: In the anime Simon, who is Russian, speaks ([[Eloquent in My Native Tongue|broken]]) Japanese with an ''English'' accent. Russian Japanese sounds completely different. On the other hand, the anime also says that Simon is an American ex-pat who moved to Russia before then moving to Japan. Depending on how old he was before leaving the United States, perhaps he speaks everything with an English accent.

* [[Different As Night and Day]]: Mairu and Kururi, {{spoiler|Izaya's younger twin sisters. Different from each other but also from their brother; they adore Shizuo and even tell him that they'd push Izaya in front of a [[Cruel and Unusual Death|dump truck]] if it made him happy. Though admittedly, it's more so that they can be introduced to Shizuo's handsome younger brother.}}

** Actually an [[Invoked Trope]] - in middle school they {{spoiler|flipped a coin to see who would have which "positive human" traits in order to please [[Big Brother Bully|their brother]]. Their goal was to "[[Insane Troll Logic|become the perfect human]]" as one, apparently.}}

* [[Dramatic Chase Opening]]: The anime episode "Anarchy" starts with Anri desperately running away from members of the Yellow Scarves gang and trying to hide in an alley.

* [[Dynamic Entry]]: Flying vending machines are Shizuo's special way of saying hello.

** It's telling that the only characters with ''anything'' resembling a healthy relationship are the mad scientist and the decapitated fairy.

*** And the two [[Ax Crazy]] otakus, can't forget that.

* [[Early-Bird Cameo]]: Many of the characters from later arcs of the novels (such as Kasuka or Saika) are introduced in the first arc of the anime

* [[Easy Amnesia]]: Celty, due to losing her head.

* [[Everyone Went to School Together]]: Shizuo and Shinra went to elementary and high school together, and Izaya was in the same class as Shinra in junior high. All three of them went to high school together, along with Kadota.

** With regards to {{spoiler|Anri}}, it's an odd case; most [[Evil Weapon|Evil]] [[Empathic Weapon|Empathic Weapons]] feed off of their host's emotions, but this particular host claims that she feeds off of the emotions of the blade, unable to experience love otherwise. They have a weird kind of codependent relationship.

* [[Excited Show Title]]

* [[Eye Scream]]: This almost happens to a thug {{spoiler|when Togusa hands him over to Walker and Erika for interrogation. They planned to solder a "contract mark" into his eye a la Ciel of ''[[Black Butler]]''. }}

** [[Yakuza|Ayakabashi]]'s backstory involves this: {{spoiler|When Anri's mother was posessed by Saika, she stabbed him in the eye. To resist infection from [[The Virus]], he immediately ripped it out of its socket.}}

* [[Fakeout Escape]]: Shingen fakes Celty out by sending the elevator to the bottom floor while he hides. He then tries to make a dramatic exit using the ''same'' elevator, and the scene cuts while he's still waiting for it to come back up.

* [[Fake Real Turn]]: {{spoiler|The Dollars}}.

* [[False Camera Effects]]: Shinra's video footage in episode 4.

** Naked woman? Okay. ''Headless'' naked woman? Er... Yeah, I can deal with that ([[Fetish Fuel|and more]]). ''Headless'' naked woman ''being vivisected'' by a ''four year old'' when ''the anesthesia doesn't work''? '''Do not want!!!'''

** Naked Shingen might also count. Shinra certainly thinks so, at least. He ''really'' hoped to [[Horny Scientist|peep on Celty then]]. His father's ass at such time is indeed a major disappointment.

* [[Fan Nickname]]:

** Shizuo -- Shizzy, The [[Badass|Gar]]tender

** Izaya -- [[Troll|Trollzaya]]. In Japan he is known as Uzaya from "uzai" which means annoying.

* [[Fantasy Kitchen Sink]]: Things confirmed to exist in the [[The Verse|Naritaverse]] include [[The Fair Folk]], [[Alchemy Is Magic|the Grand Panacea]], [[Our Homunculi Are Different|homunculi]], [[Eldritch Abomination|Eldritch Abominations]]<ref>both of the humanoid (Baccano) and the sentient black hole (Vamp) variety</ref>, [[Horny Devils|succubi]], [[Empathic Weapon|Empathic Weapons]], [[Our Vampires Are Different|vampires]], and [[Our Werewolves Are Different|werewolves]]<ref>Celty confirms the latter two's existence in volume 5</ref>

* [[Faux Fluency]]: If the English accent instead of the Russian one didn't tip you off, when you hear Simon trying to talk to some Russian tourists in Russian it becomes very clear that his voice actor has no experience with Russian at all. Neither do those of the tourists in question, {{spoiler|and Simon's later conversation with Izaya is no less painful on either end}}.

* [[First Name Ultimatum]]: '''"IIIIIIZAAAAAAYAAAAAA!"'''

* [[Flat What]]: Vorona, when she realizes that Shizuo just kicked a ''car'' at her (she's new -- she's allowed to be surprised). For bonus points, she lapses into Russian.

* [[Fluffy the Terrible]]: The headless, undead horse/motorcycle that Celty has? His name is Shooter.

{{quote|'''Celty:''' Even those two, who looks like people you'd see anywhere on an ordinary day, have secrets.}}

* [[Freaky Is Cool]]: Shinra and Mikado

* [[Freeze-Frame Bonus]]: In episode 6, in the beginning when the Otaku gang are chasing after the kidnappers, {{spoiler|you can see Kaztano cowering in the van for a brief moment.}}

* [[Friendship Moment]]: Turns out that {{spoiler|Izaya}} of all people really cares for {{spoiler|Shinra}} especially during flashbacks of what happened in middle school.

* [[Funny Background Event]]: Simon's increasingly ridiculous attempts to advertise Russian Sushi during a news broadcast in the second OVA. Culminating in him ''kidnapping'' the film crew, since they were trying to film Celty. Kasuka being Kasuka, he just went with it.

{{quote|'''Kadota:''' I can't believe they're still filming this.}}

** Simon, through no fault of his own, as well as most of the other immigrants who appear in the series

** The Russian tourists were fine, even spoke ''heavily'' accented though otherwise almost-perfect Russian.

** Discussed in volume 9 of the novels: Bacula and a new member of the chat-room theorize that some of their companions might be this. And that new member {{spoiler|passes for a girl, but seems to be Aoba}}.

* [[Glamour]]/CharmPerson: Not much attention is called to it, but Celty's head seems to have some kind of similar power; note that three of the known people who've seen the head (the unnamed portrait painter of episode 4, Namie and Seiji's uncle, and Seiji himself) became obsessed with the head the moment they first saw it. The portrait painter even saw Celty's whole body and her head, but still became obsessed with just the head; so much so that he says seeing it was the most important event of his life. He is also incapable of drawing the head or even describing its most basic details, feeling that each time he tries he fails to capture it properly. …He has spent years trying to successfully draw the head, and never once has.

* [[The Glomp]]: [http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/9036/mq392ws0ue.jpg Kida sure likes getting physical with Mikado]

** The Slashers/{{spoiler|Saika children}}. And it's not just some thing for the viewer's convenience; Kadota actually points out the red eyes.

** {{spoiler|An odd case occurs with Anri, in which her eyes turn red after she reveals she is Saika. However, she isn't physically violent at all, and while she talks ''very'' threateningly, she seems very calm, composed, and in control. In fact, she's not even quite evil...}}

* [[Gratuitous English]]: ROAR OUT LOUDER!/BLOW UP LOUDER! depending on which you prefer (the latter is correct, but most fans use the former due to misheard lyrics. It's also [[Rule of Funny|hilarious]]). Also see [[Ear Worm]].

** Kida's dialogue is full of [[Gratuitous English]], to the point that Mikado mutters, "I wish you'd just speak Japanese..."

* [[Gratuitous Russian]]: Courtesy of Izaya, Simon, and the tourists in ep. 3.

* [[The Greys]]: Don't actually exist in the [[The Verse|Naritaverse]] (...[[Fantasy Kitchen Sink|probably]]), but that doesn't stop Celty from being [[Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?|terrified of them]]

* [[Guile Hero]]: The members of the Dollars who aren't fighters fall into this category, though even some of them fall into this.

* [[Hair-Trigger Temper]]: Pretty much anything can set Shizuo off.

** Namie delivers one to Mikado. 'Course, {{spoiler|Mikado [[Shut UP, Hannibal|shuts her up]] when he reveals that he holds superiority in numbers.}}

** Izaya later gives one to {{spoiler|Kida}}, at which point Namie lampshades it:

* [["Hey You!" Haymaker]]: Mairu does this to a thug after he knocks her sister down in the second OVA. Only instead of punching him, she flip-kicks him in the face.

* [[Hit Me Dammit|Hit Me, Dammit!]]: Shinra and Celty [[My Fist Forgives You|finish their argument in the twelfth episode with a mutual example]]. [[Non-Action Guy|Shinra's]] punch is just hard enough to knock off Celty's helmet. [[Super Strength|Celty's]] [[Punched Across the Room|sends Shinra into the wall]].

* [[Hot Springs Episode]]: Lampshaded along with the Beach Party Episode, then handily averted by Celty

** This is mainly between [[Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass|Mikado]] and [[Keet|Masaomi]]. There's some between Mikado and Aoba as well.

** In the anime only, Izaya has a Shizuo-complex, according to Simon.

** Erika sees some between Chikage and Kadota, and Shizuo and Izaya.

* [[Hot for Student]]: One of the teachers at Mikado's school clearly has a thing for Anri, which naturally [[Squick|Squicks]] the hell out of her. The same guy is also ''dating'' one of his former students...{{spoiler|Or ''was''. She doesn't like that he's changed his preferences, [[Murder the Hypotenuse|so she gave Anri a visit and tried to kill her]].}}

* [[Hot Teacher]] : Takashi Nasujima. Despite the fact that he is lust driven to schoolgirls.

* [[Idiosyncratic Episode Naming]]: In the anime, they're four kanji long Chinese proverbs that have been adapted into Japanese. The second novel uses this as well; the third novel uses quotes from the dialogue.

* [[Idol Singer]]: Ruri Hijiribe, who Togusa is obsessed with, and it's because of this that he is so upset when Kaztano is kidnapped; Kaztano regularly supplied him with front-row tickets to her concerts.

* [[I Just Want to Be Normal]]: Shizuo and {{spoiler|Anri}}. Celty's had her moments, too. As well as {{spoiler|Masaomi}}, who wanted to live a "normal life" without gangs, like his bro {{spoiler|Mikado}}.

* [[I'm a Humanitarian]]: Simon Brezhnev wants to assure you that his sushi has [[Suspiciously Specific Denial|absolutely no human meat in it,]] only 100% <s> fish</s> non-human ingredients. This is probably true, as Simon [[Gentle Giant|is a really nice guy,]] but that doesn't stop people from speculating, the fact that he has on two occasions threatened several yellow scarves who were mugging people that he'd turn them into sushi does not help. People behave when he's around, though, so that's something.

** Seiji's weapon of choice appears to be ''pens''. Would've been absolutely awesome except he was up against [[Overshadowed by Awesome|Shizuo]].

** {{spoiler|Mikado}} makes better use of said pen trick when he forces Aoba into signing a contract in blood -- [[Couldn't Find a Pen|quite literally]]. (It's not really improvised though - he clearly had brought it there for this very purpose.)

* [[I'm Standing Right Here]]: Walker and Erika have their "Is Celty a [[Tsundere]]?" argument ''in her own apartment.'' When Celty learns Shinra gave them the idea (and...''embellished'' certain aspects of their relationship), she decides she might as well live up the the archetype -- with extra tsuntsun. Strangling is involved.

{{quote|'''Erika:''' See? I told you she's a tsundere!}}

** [[Fridge Brilliance]] calls for that since Nebula has been around since the thirties, and considering it has ties with people such as [[Western Terrorist|Huey]] [[Mad Scientist|Laforet]], they may have changed their name.

* "Nebra" could also be a Japanese mispronunciation of the English "Nebula"

** Namie will take her indirect kisses with Seiji wherever she can get them, {{spoiler|even if she has to [[Les Yay|steal them off of his girlfriend]]}}.

** After hearing {{spoiler|Aoba}} say she's cuter than the bullies, {{spoiler|Kururi thanks him with a kiss}} and immediately after, {{spoiler|Mairu does the same, exclaiming that she finally got an indirect kiss}}

* [[Jerkass Dissonance]]: Izaya's the most popular character of the series despite pretty much being [[Image Boards|/b/]] in human form.

* [[Jigsaw Puzzle Plot]]: Naturally, considering it's by the same author behind ''[[Baccano]]''.

** {{spoiler|If one only watches the anime, it could be forgiven to wonder if Izaya's coat is made of [[Naruto|Uchiha-grade]] [[Plot Armor|Reinforced Comeuppance-proof Plotanium]]; his character in its entirety is basically screwing with anyone and everyone [[For the Evulz]] from start to finish, and his total karmic backlash in the entire series is a black eye and stern talking-to from Simon at the end--nothing to indicate he won't continue ruining the main characters' and everyone else's lives for his own amusement.}} However, if you read the novels, you'll see that {{spoiler|things have been catching up to him lately. He has been stabbed (book 6), put in a public hospital where any of his many, MANY enemies could easily find him(book 7), and kidnapped by a psycopathic [[Torture Technician]] (book 9). In volume ten, he gets attacked by a possessed Slon and saika. And currently, we have no idea if he's even dead or alive.}}

* [[Knife Nut]]: Izaya and the Slashers.

* [[Even Heroes Have Heroes]]: When Shinra is brought in to treat [[Idol Singer|Ruri]], he spends as much time begging for an autograph as he does actually treating her wounds.

* Leitmotif: Celty's got a subtle one in the anime, which seems to be built around the tune of "Danny Boy".

** Justified in Shizuo's case -- he literally ''does'' have a closet full of bartender suits. They were a gift from his brother.

** Shinra might be a walking [[Lampshade]] for this, as his white labcoat sticks out a ''lot'' and is occasionally mocked accordingly.

*** But that is justified in Shinra's mind. Shinra wears his lab coat, even while not working and has multiple white lab including a spare in a corner for after he [http://anni-fiesta.livejournal.com/40662.html rolls around on the floor] . When Shizuo asked him about this, Shinra explained he dresses this way by choice because he likes the color contrast between him and Celty as it is very lovey-dovey in his mind.

{{quote|'''Shinra''': Ah, that's because Celty always wears her black rider suit. If I'm dressed in the contrasting color, we'll be like light and shadow, won't we? On the surface, light and shadow are polar opposites, yet, like a pair of love birds they never appear without each other! In manga and movies, they always go the Dark Side this and the Dark Side that, but that's just the Dark Side being royally tsundere. You can say that being tsundere is another form of being possessive but I won't mind at all if Celty wants [http://anni-fiesta.livejournal.com/41477.html to possess me, haha! ]}}

** Izaya has a few of these.

* [[Let's You and Him Fight]]: {{spoiler|Aoba}} frames the Dollars for attacks against the Toramaru biker gang, thus provoking their leader Chikage into hunting down some of the more prominent Dollars members and having it out with Kadota. {{spoiler|They eventually team up to take down about twenty Izaya-controlled Dollars members together and rescue a couple of Chikage's girlfriends.}}

* [[Manipulative Bastard]]: One thing has managed to unite the various personalities and forces in Ikebukuro, and that is the desire to throw Izaya in front of a bus. Even Anri, the [[Technical Pacifist|person most averse to conflict in the entire series]], is tempted to {{spoiler|stab Izaya with Saika}} so he'll stop being such a [[Jerkass]]. And even {{spoiler|human-loving ''Saika''}} is ''disgusted'' by him.

* [[Match Cut]]: The opening; see also [[Signature Style]].

** Mikado Ryugamine roughly means "Emperor of the Dragon's Peak." {{spoiler|Which is rather apt since he's the leader of the Dollars.}}

** Parodied by Shizuo Heiwajima, meaning [[Irony|"Serene Man, Peaceful Island"]]... [[Double Subversion|Which then goes back to being meaningful]] once you realize he isn't named for [[The Berserker|what he is]] so much as for what he [[I Just Want to Be Normal|aspires to be be]].

** Izaya claims that the name "Dollars" (''Daraazu'') comes from the fact that nobody expected them to actually pull anything off at first; ''daradara'' means "sluggish".

* [[Memento MacGuffin]]: Shizuo's bartender suits were a present from his brother, which is why he continues to wear them despite being fired from the aforementioned job quite awhile ago. Damaging them, just like everything else, is one of his [[Berserk Button|Berserk Buttons]]

* [[Memetic Mutation]]: In-universe example: The Dollars.

** Besides Shizuo's endless supply of bartender suits, a number of the characters' alternate outfits worn on the CD covers (particularly [http://skycottontail.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/kida-front.jpg Kida's], [http://blog.animeinstrumentality.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Durarara-OST-Cover.jpg Izaya's] and [http://erunoportrait.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/largeanimepaperscans_c-sword-and-cornett_louise0-67__thisres__282056.jpg both of] [http://www.zerochan.net/325193 Shizuo's]) gained quite a bit of popularity from fans -- they even get [http://www.zerochan.net/Linda+Linda their] [http://www.zerochan.net/search?q=tsugaru own] [http://www.zerochan.net/Psychedelic+Dreams?q=psychedelic+dreams tags] for fanart and fanfic.

** Izaya's [[Fur and Loathing|coat]] has more or less reached this status now as well.

* [[Nipple-and-Dimed]]: Averted in the scene of Celty's autopsy since she does have visible nipples, but the context makes it [[Fan Disservice]].

** You can see the rise of her nipple if you look closely, there's just no colored areola...

** One girl in the opening is conspicuously unnamed. Also, there's a scar all around her neck and her skintones above and below it are different...

* [[Non-Indicative Name]]: Shizuo Heiwajima roughly translates into "Quiet Man-Peaceful Island". Yep, ''[[Large Ham|that]]'' [[Hair-Trigger Temper|Shizuo]].

* [[Noodle Implements]]: "I don't care what you do to him. Just don't use gasoline like you did that last time."

** There's occasionally reference to an incident where Izaya framed Shizuo for a crime. What crime that might be has never been elaborated upon.

** To say nothing about their high school days. Shinra was apparently doing a lot of damage control:

{{quote|'''Shinra:''' Oy Izaya! If you don't cut the heck out, I'll start telling people about that thing back in middle school!}}

** There are a number of times in the chatroom where Mairu (Mai) is ''about'' to say something before Kururi (Kyo) interrupts with the statement that whatever Mairu was typing was ''incredibly'' filthy and [[Not Safe for Work]] and assures everyone that she's already smacked her and forced her to delete it before anything was posted. Sometimes, Mai's posts are also automatically censored for containing words flagged as inappropriate - thus we of course never find out what the words in question were.

** Simon was too busy to listen to Shizuo's story, [[Car Fu|so Shizuo threw a motorcycle at his face]].

** In Vol.5 Vorona starts reading a book while Slon is {{spoiler|asking her questions about how cows grow, to why males have nipples and so forth, eventually she just stops providing answers to his constant queries}}

* [[Noodle People]]: Pretty much the entire cast is drawn this way.

* [[Now That's Using Your Teeth]]: Shizuo does this twice while fighting Izaya in the second OVA -- and bites the throwing knife in half afterwards.

** {{spoiler|Mikado is the leader of the Dollars.}}

** And {{spoiler|Kida was the leader of the Yellow Scarves.}}

* [[One Steve Limit]]: Averted with Tom Tanaka and Taro Tanaka, though the latter is just a chatroom handle. Justified in that "Taro Tanaka" is pretty much the Japanese "John Smith".

* [[Ordinary High School Student]]: Mikado, Kida, and Anri. {{spoiler|And yes, they're ''all'' hiding some pretty serious secrets or abilities -- even from each other.}}

* [[Otaku]]: Togusa, Walker and Erika

* [[The Other Darrin]]: {{spoiler|Isaac and Miria in the dub, played by Sam Riegel and Stephanie Sheh.}}

* [[Poisonous Friend]]: {{spoiler|Izaya}} to {{spoiler|Shinra.}} This is very evident {{spoiler|during their time in middle school. Hurt Shinra and ''you will regret it.''}}

* [[Poor Communication Kills]]: Well, since ''everyone'' is keeping secrets... Which counts as both a [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]] and [[Crowning Moment of Funny]].

* [[Precocious Crush]]: Shinra says that he's been attracted to Celty since the day that he met her. That would be when he was ''four''. Additionally, Shizuo had his own [[Precocious Crush]] on a [[Yamato Nadeshiko]]-ish shopkeeper when he was around ten or so. {{spoiler|Then he walked by her store one day, only to see a group of thugs assaulting her. She was seriously injured in his resulting psychotic episode, and Shizuo was too ashamed to see her ever again.}}

* [[Present Day Past]]: Pictures in Vol. 5 and 6 books show Izaya using what's pretty clearly an iPhone. In ''2003'' -- Six years before the device was available in Japan, and four years before its production was even ''announced.''

* [[Psychotic Love Triangle]]: The first three Yanderes mentioned above are in one.

* [[A Real Man Is a Killer]]: {{spoiler|"I'm asking you, Orihara Izaya: Can you actually kill people? With your own hands, can you kill them? Even with your switchblade you just stab randomly without aiming at anywhere fatal. You fool around, that's what you do. So when all's said and done...you got no tricks up your sleeves except for manipulating others. What a lowlife and coward you are. It makes me laugh. Haha."}}

* [[Redemption Failure]]: Throughout the first half, we see reference to the original leader of the [[Delinquents|Yellow Scarves]] abandoning the gang after a turf war went bad. Then, in part 2, {{spoiler|Masaomi Kida}} is revealed as that same original leader when he retakes control of the group to defend themselves from The Dollars and The Slasher. While he was never evil, per se, he treats it like an example of this.

{{quote|'''Kuzuhara''': ''I often think about how people like us tend to be weak foils in fiction that stars people like you. Whenever the psychic protagonist appeared, we'd always be lying in a pool of blood, just to emphasize the strength of the opponent. That's fine. That just goes to show how powerful people think we are. But I've always wanted to say one thing. If a monster or an evil [[Psychic Powers|psychic]] or an [[AI Is a Crapshoot|android]] or an evil [[Ninja]] really appears... There is just one thing that I'd like to say:'' '''''Don't underestimate the Traffic Police Force, monster!'''''}}

* [[Red String of Fate]]: Alluded in the ending theme, "Trust Me" ("We're connected by an invisible thread, so feel my warmth by your side").

* [[Satchel Switcheroo]]: The whole plot of [[Interquel|episode 12.5]].

* [[Scary Shiny Glasses]]: Shinra in the second OP

* [[Sempai-Kohai]]: This happens when Vorona starts hanging around with Shizuo and Tom, though a bit one-sided. Shizuo(who doesn't recognize her as the person who stabbed him earlier because she was wearing a helmet) decides, quite happily, that she gets to be his Kouhai. Vorona agrees, while plotting to destroy him.

{{quote|'''Shizuo:''' Well um...I switched too many jobs these couple of years...so it's really the first time I've ever had a kouhai.}}

** Also:

{{quote|'''Simon''': It's okay. Our sushi is made out of fish. No human, not even on half-price days! }}

* [[Swivel Chair Antics]]: Izaya, of course.

* [[Taking the Bullet]]: In vol. 9, {{spoiler|it's revealed that this is what ''really'' happened in Shinra and Izaya's no-longer-[[Noodle Incident]]. Izaya didn't stab him -- Shinra took a knife for him}}.

* [[Teens Are Short]]: Teenaged characters are almost universally shorter than adult characters, usually by at least 5 cm.

* [[Telephone Polearm]]: One of Shizuo's favorite weapons, right along with vending machines. Sometimes it's telephone poles, sometimes it's roadsigns or guardrails. Once he uprooted an entire ''tree'', roots and all, with a person in the tree.

** When Kida first shows Mikado around Ikebukuro, he warns him about three people (Shizuo, Simon and Izaya) that he should stay away from before assuring him that he'll probably never meet any of them anyways. Naturally, they both end up running into all three. At ''once''.

** Also, Kida's inner monologue in Episode 5 sure seems to hit home in recent episodes:

** Horada of the Yellow Scarves.

* [[Torture Technician|Torture Technicians]]: {{spoiler|Walker and Erika, who use their mountains of [[Light Novel|Light Novels]] as inspiration. Also, Mairu, with her trusty box of thumbtacks.}}

** ''Shizuo'' of all people manages this in Vol. 5 when a ten-year-old runaway confesses to him and Shinra that {{spoiler|she tried to kill him because Izaya told her that Shizuo was going to kill her father}}. Shizuo, against all expectations, simply smiles at her and assures her that it was all a misunderstanding which he will go about correcting immediately before leaving the room. When Tom meets him at the door and congratulates him for his uncharacteristic maturity in the situation, Shizuo simply says this and heads off to Izaya's place:

{{quote|'''Shizuo:''' Thank you, Tom. If it's okay, I have a favor to ask: ''If I get arrested for murder today, tell Mr. Manager to just go about things as if I were fired yesterday.''}}

* [[Twincest]]: Mairu and Kururi, {{spoiler|Izaya's younger sisters}}, who are both searching for Hanejima Yuuhei in the second OVA. They get along together ''really'' well, are very protective of each other, (and they even share a kiss at least twice (though the second time was {{spoiler|an [[Indirect Kiss]]... sort of}}).

* [[Two Guys and a Girl]]: Mikado, Kida, and Anri.

* [[Wimpification]]: Nearly every male character in the series gets subjected to this, but none more so than Izaya Orihara himself, who, in fanwork, transforms from an egotistical, [[Manipulative Bastard|manipulative]] [[Jerkass]], borderline sociopath to a slobbering wanton mess whose vocabulary consists mainly of ''ah''s, ''nn''s and ''Sh-Shi...Shizu-chan...'' with a tilde at the end of every sentence.

** Done in-universe, to - a gaiden written by Ryohga has Kadota's gang watching Izaya and Shizuo fight, while Erika talks over the brawl and transforms it into a yaoi in which Izaya bottoms, successfully squicking out the whole group as well as Celty. [[Hilarity Ensues]].

** Erika and Walker, being the two resident otaku, do this on occasion. However, the better in-universe example is the theme of episode 16: "Who is the strongest person in Ikebukuro?" Most people answer "The Headless Rider/ Celty", Simon, Izaya or Shizuo.

** Izaya has a few others on his list: {{spoiler|Mikado -- the head of Dollars, Kida -- former general of the Yellow Scarves, and Anri -- the possessor of the original Saika.}}

** Shuji directly asks Celty the "who would win in a fight?" question, which causes her to burst out laughing. It's Shizuo against an unkillable fae with the ability to give [[Dark Is Edgy|darkness physical form]] -- Of ''course'' [[Memetic Badass|Shizuo would win]].

* [[Urban Fantasy]]

** Isaac and Miria? {{spoiler|''They're Dollars''}}

** And the company that bought {{spoiler|Yagiri pharmacies, Nebula? Yes, the same company that built the Flying Pussyfoot.}}

* [[Voice of the Legion]]: Saika, when it finally gets voiced during the chatroom sequences.

* [[Voices Are Mental]]: Celty and {{spoiler|the girl with her head}} are played by different people at any rate. {{spoiler|Well, it only LOOKS like her head... }}]

** Slon

{{quote|'''Slon:''' I'm not moving an inch until I've solved the mystery of the male nipples! ''This is my war!''}}

** To a lesser extent, the aptly titled episode seventeen; "Everything Changes." So, what about those other gangs? Have we forgotten about them? Is the show ever going to bring them up again? Don't worry! It turns out that the yellow scarves are lead by none other than {{spoiler|Masaomi Kida, and it turns out he was a complete [[Stepford Smiler]] this entire time}}. Of course, it's 'to a lesser extent' because we got some foreshadowing on that part.

** Volume six has a few instances of this. So by this point, we learn Mikado's not all he appears, right? But he's still a lovable and nice guy. You know, {{spoiler|until he ''stabs Aoba with a freaking'' '''''pen''''' ''and a crazy look in his eye''. What makes it worse is that Aoba notes that that's probably ''nowhere near'' Mikado's true nature...}}

* [[Who Would Be Stupid Enough...?]]: Is the question Namie asks when Izaya puts up a fake "We've moved!" notice on his apartment door {{spoiler|with his "new" address being an undiscovered murder scene}}. The answer is, of course, [[Dumb Muscle|Shizuo]].

* [[Wife Husbandry]]: Shinra's ''really'' hoping for a gender-reversed example with Celty.