Who Is The Best Character In Durarara Anime?
Who is the best character in Durarara? You be the judge! In this article, we will be discussing the strengths and weaknesses of each of the major characters.
Durarara!!’s beauty lies in its wide range of characters who have innovative backstories that you cannot get enough of.
The multi-dimensional characters lend to the storyline making the story binge-worthy and thoroughly enjoyable for seasoned anime lovers and new anime watchers.
Izaya Orihara is one such character who stands out in the series for his schemes and random ways of having fun.
An information broker who loves playing games (literally and figuratively), Izaya is anything but a simple person to decode.
This is what makes him the best character in Durarara!!. Love him or hate him, you just cannot ignore him. Neither can the other characters in the anime series. What makes him so irresistible? Let us find out.
- Related: Is Durarara Worth Watching?
Who Is The Best Character In Durarara?
Unpredictability and eccentricity
His unpredictability is part of the charm for some. We are never really sure of his next move and sometimes his intelligence and other qualities take us by surprise.
He claims to love every human being but his actions say otherwise. The unpredictability factor plays into his character and makes him an unforgettable person.
Izaya is the definition of eccentricity because he does some of the most illogical and eccentric things possible in Durarara!!.
He makes people, like the central protagonists in the series, trust him and then breaks their trust.
He does things like this because he knows he will get away with it all. And he does every single time. This confidence is perhaps what many love about his character.
Power of Manipulation
Izaya is a master manipulator from the time we see him onscreen and his influence just shows. He loves to toy with people’s emotions and his devil-may-care attitude exemplifies his antagonist nature.
He knows he is doing no good, but he does it anyway just for the pleasure of it all. He is somewhat of a sadist going by his character traits and that is why people love to hate him so much in the series.
But Izaya somehow has followers who listen to all the nonsense he says. Showing how frail human nature is.
Even Shinra believes there is some good in Izaya despite the former being a protagonist in Durarara!!. Izaya knows people, especially women, are trusting of him and he has no qualms about making them believe he is good.
Trouble Maker
Izaya is a total trouble maker who likes to put people in situations where there are bound to be conflicts.
But the funny thing is that he slips out from any trouble without much trouble! Even if he ends up in a conflict, he uses the power of his mind to get out of situations with ease and expertise.
He somehow always manages to emerge as a good guy. It only shows his expert manipulation skills.
Izaya loves chaos. Not when he is a part of it. But in a way whereby he can observe that chaos. He likes to observe others and how they will react under certain circumstances.
He has the innate sense to know and predict how people will behave which is exciting and scary at the same time. Perhaps it shows his deep understanding of the human psyche. Never underestimate Izaya!
Rivalry with Shizuo
Shizuo and Izaya are just two opposite ends of a pole because they despise each other from early on in the series and light novels.
The rivalry was present since they both were young. Shizuo is the strongest man in the town and while Izaya accepts this (unwillingly at first) he doesn’t try to match him in that way.
Izaya has the upper hand in scheming, manipulating, and using his brain for generally bad things.
Fans of the anime have loved all the confrontation scenes between the duo because they are quite entertaining, to say the least. We have Shizuo’s raw strength and then we have the brainy Izaya.
It is a duo we didn’t think we need but makes Durarara!! an even more interesting watch. While the last dual between the two could have been better, it was still good to see both face off.
Undeniable Intelligence
Izaya has charisma which is why people trust him blindly even though they don’t have reasons to. At one point or another, all characters trusted Izaya but later regretted their decision as he was never truly trustworthy.
He reveals his true self eventually and the mask of the so-called ‘good guy’ falls off. He doesn’t care though. No one can deny his intellect which is why he is so popular.
No matter how smart the other person in the room is, Izaya is always ahead. How? Only he can answer that question! We often see him playing variations of the checkers game which often has Chess and Shogi mixed in.
It is like he plots the chaos before he ensues it upon the naïve people of Ikebukuro. This makes him a mastermind plotter who doesn’t abide by the rules but likes to mess with them.
Durarara!! has plenty of characters and each one is a good match to the others. Izaya stands out because of how he can be so many different things. Yet it somehow all makes sense.
Most of us may not agree with his ways, but that is what makes him such a fantastic primary antagonist in Durarara!!. If it wasn’t for him and other colorful characters, the show wouldn’t have had the following it does!
How were characters created in Durarara?
Durarara!! is an anime series known for its compelling characters and engaging narrative?
Each character within the world of Durarara!! was expertly crafted by the creators and writers in order to maintain the iconic style and bring a unique light to the characters.
It’s impossible to deny that when it comes to the characters of Durarara!!, there is something truly special about them. But, how were these characters created?
The creative process for the characters of Durarara!! starts with the concept or overall theme that the creators are looking to explore.
The producers start with a concept that they want to highlight and then begin constructing the characters around it.
For example, the idea of “heightening relationships between individuals” was the concept that the producers wanted to highlight in the first season which is why so many of the characters in Durarara!! have intertwined relationships with one another.
In terms of the character designs, each character of Durarara!! not only has a unique physical look but also a unique set of traits, quirks and personality traits.
This richly detailed approach to character makes each of the characters come alive and draws the audience in. The potential of a character is explored further in the casting of the voice actors who bring the characters to life with their voices.
The story is also essential when it comes to creating characters for Durarara!!. Instead of settling for shallow, one-dimensional characters, the creators of Durarara!! took the time to delve into each character’s arc, so that audiences could get to know them better.
Every character has their own story and connection to the world within Durarara!!, which really helps draw the viewers into their respective arcs and gives them an understanding of why these characters make the decisions they do.
Durarara!! offers a great example of how creative and impactful character designs can be, when the creators are able to capture the concept and the theme of the show, create engaging characters with compelling stories and arcs, and bring them to life with the perfect actors and voice performances.
With that combination of elements, Durarara!! was able to create a world filled with unique and endearing characters that ultimately made the series as popular and successful as it is today.
What is Durarara’s popularity poll?
Durarara is a popular anime series that has released three TV seasons, a prequel, and an online game. Typically, when an anime is as popular as this one, a fan poll or other type of rating system is created to determine which character is the most popular.
The Durarara popularity poll is an online survey that awards each character a score based on the responses of fans and viewers.
The Durarara popularity poll is taken by manga readers, anime watchers, as well as vocal fans of the show. Fans chose the character they felt was the best and rate them on a scale from one to ten.
While the top-rated character changes between each poll, the overall structure remains constant. The poll results are broken down into the following categories: overall standing, most popular male, most popular female, and most popular gang.
For the overall standing, there are many interesting choices. Shizuo Heiwajima is often the top-ranked character and is seen as an iconic anti-hero for the show.
Even though he has a short temper and a violent streak, he is also incredibly loyal and protective of his friends. Another high-ranking character is Izaya Orihara, who uses his wit and schemes to bring down his enemies.
He may be a manipulative mastermind, but his ability to outmaneuver his opponents has made him a fan favorite.
Rounding out the top three is the mysterious Celty Sturluson, the headless rider of legend. She commands a great presence and mystery that has resonated with fans.
The Durarara popularity poll also sees a variety of other characters placed on the list in different spots.
Depending on who the poll taker is and what they enjoy, they might end up cheering for someone like Anri Sonohara, Shizuo’s love interest, or Masaomi Kida, an old friend of Mikado’s.
Of course, different characters will be placed higher or lower in the poll depending on the people taking the survey.
In the end, perhaps the question “who is the best character in Durarara?” isn’t easily answered.
The Durarara popularity poll often provides insight into which characters have captured fans’ attention, but the answer is ultimately up to the person taking the poll.
Each character in the show has unique qualities and dynamics that make them a standout, and the fans’ appreciation for them is part of why the series is such a success.
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