Who Is The Love Interest In Durarara?
Wondering who is the love interest in Durarara? Check out this article to find out everything you need to know about the character and find out who is the love interest.
Durarara!! isn’t mainly focused on love interests and romance, but it showcases the love story between Mikado Ryuugamine and Anri Sonohara. The trials and tribulations of this relationship are realistic and show what true love is all about. Although it is not out in the open, we can still see their relationship go through phases just like in real life.
- Related: Who Is The Best Character In Durarara?
- Related: Is Durarara Worth Watching?
Who Is The Love Interest In Durarara?
Does Durarara anime have romance?
This is one of the questions that has been asked by passionate anime fans since the release of the original series in 2010.
Durarara continues to be a beloved anime as it has an unparalleled mix of supernatural action, thrilling edge-of-your-seat drama, and of course, relationships between characters.
So, does Durarara really have romance at its center? To answer that, we need to look more deeply into the story of the series. The story of Durarara is set in the city of Ikebukuro, where a series of strange events unfold.
The story follows an ensemble cast of characters as they battle it out with forces from within and outside the city.
The relationships between the characters in the show range from complex friendships and alliances to adversarial relationships.
But in the midst of all of this, there is also a definite element of romance. Throughout the series, Durarara does not explicitly focus on any one character’s love interest but instead shows a variety of intertwining relationships.
For example, one of the central relationships in the show is between Shizuo Heiwajima and Celty Sturluson.
The two have known each other since childhood and their relationship is a mixture of affection, admiration, and rivalry.
This relationship is ultimately what drives the plot of the series. Another example would be the relationship between Izaya Orihara and Mikado Ryuugamine.
The two had a love-hate relationship and often ended up in opposing sides in the various conflicts in the story.
Finally, the series also has its share of romantic moments, like when Shizuo plays the piano for Celty, or the time when Izaya showed his compassionate side to Mikado.
However, the love interests of the characters are ultimately not the main focus of the story, and even the romantic moments are few and far between.
That does not mean that Durarara does not have an element of romance, just that it is not at the center of the story.
So, in conclusion, when it comes to Durarara it is clear that the anime does have a degree of romance. While the story does not explicitly focus on any one individual’s love interest, there are several characters who have meaningful romantic relationships.
Some of these relationships play significant roles in the story, while some are more subtle and nuanced. Ultimately, whether you love or hate the series, you can’t deny that Durarara has a certain charm when it comes to romance.
How did They meet For The First Time?
Anri is shown to be a timid girl who isn’t keen on interacting with many people. Due to her traumatic past when her mother slits her own throat after killing her father who was trying to kill Anri, Anri becomes a recluse.
Mikado Ryuugamine meets Anri Sonohara at school as they are shown to be classmates. Both are class representatives and they have mutual respect for one another.
It doesn’t take them long to become friends after Mikado and Masaomi save her from bullies. She is thankful to them and they become friends and begin to hang out with each other.
From this time onward, we see Anri opening up to Mikado and Masaomi. She starts to come out of her shell after meeting these two and spending time with them at school. They make her feel welcome too which helps her become more confident.
When did They fall In Love?
From the beginning, it becomes apparent that Mikado has feelings for Anri even though he is not the best when it comes to expressing his true feelings to Anri.
He is shy and unable to gather the courage to say anything to her. He tries several times to become more than just friends with Anri but his plans fail every time.
Mikado and Anri get close to each other after Masaomi leaves the city. As Mikado and Anri keep each other company, they spend more time than ever before.
Everyone at school assumes the two are dating even though that is not the case at the time. They continue to insist that they are just friends which is true to a certain level.
Mikado eventually realizes that it is time that he stops trying to be anything more than a friend to Anri because he doesn’t want things to change when Masaomi gets back to the city.
How Anri Changes Mikado
Mikado feels weak when Anri saves his life twice with Saika and Mikado resolves that he will get stronger no matter what. Rather than these incidents being an inspiration to him, they make him feel somewhat useless.
This brings out the worst side of him where he starts being mean to people who know him, even Anri. Their relationship gets worse when Mikado breaks his promise to Anri about hiding their secrets until Masaomi’s return.
He gets rude and treats Anri badly especially concerning Saika as she had kept it a secret for a long time.
He even pushes her further away when he tells her he doesn’t need her opinions regarding Dollars. Eventually, when Masaomi returns, Anri tells him about the change in Mikado and how he has become a cold individual.
Masaomi and Anri then make it a point to ensure Mikado gets back to his usual nice self. In the light novels, we find out that Mikado and Anri have started to date which means their fights are resolved eventually, thankfully.
This is what happens in reality as not all romances are happy from start to finish.
Does Izaya Orihara have a love interest?
Izaya Orihara, the enigmatic anti-hero of the Japanese anime series Durarara!!, has become a much-loved character amongst its fans in the 7 years since its appearance in 2010.
But questions linger as to whether Izaya ultimately has a love interest in the most recent iteration of the series Durarara!! 2023.
The first thing to consider when looking at whether Izaya has a love interest is his own feelings.
Clearly, Izaya has little respect for human life, with his enjoyment of watching people from the shadows, manipulating their feelings and decisions for the mere thrill of it. To expect him to know what real love does, let alone feel it, is a stretch.
However, it can be argued that on some level, Izaya does appreciate the idea of love, considering he was kind to the few people whom he deemed important to him.
This can be seen in the way he often stepped in to protect Shizuo Heiwajima and Shinra Kishitani from harm, showing a kind of protective brotherly love.
It would appear that Izaya is perhaps the kind of person whose love is best expressed in his deeds and in how he looks out for those he deems important.
So even if he denies it, or never expresses it outwardly, perhaps the most significant love story in Durarara!! 2023 is the one between Izaya and Shinra – as she is the most important person in Izaya’s life.
At first, Izaya treated Shinra in much the same way as he did anyone else – playing mind games and delving into a person’s deepest insecurities – but over time he slowly started to show more genuine feelings for her.
Whether it’s through subtle glances, his reluctance to separate from her no matter the circumstance, or even his willingness to stop playing games and become emotionally honest with her, it’s clear that Izaya has some deep affection for her.
Ultimately, even though it’s never made explicit in the series, it does appear that Izaya does have a love interest.
Rather than being for one particular character, Izaya’s love is for the people around him, particularly Shinra, and that is something that will never change.
It is a fragile but special kind of love that can only be fully understood by understanding Izaya’s unique and complex character.
A Realistic Relationship
Mikado and Anri’s relationship doesn’t magically blossom. As friends, they go through a lot together but eventually come to appreciate and love one another.
Anri feels she will never be capable of loving someone and she tries her best to stay away from love but love finds a way.
She does eventually fall for Mikado and they begin a relationship that started by them being just friends.
Durarara!! shows how love can transform and make people better individuals even though it may take time as we see in the case of Mikado.
We are shown that both Mikado and Anri are fighting their inner demons. While Mikado follows the wrong path for too long and tries to commit suicide, he is saved by Celty.
When he finds out he is forgiven by his friends, he gets back to his usual self. He even saves Anri when she was about to be attacked showing his love for her is true. He ends up critically injured but survives.
Anri also has a lot going on but she doesn’t give up on Mikado because he is her friend at first and then her lover. The progression of their relationship isn’t over-the-top which makes it even better.
Durarara!! may not be known for its epic love stories, but it does have interesting couples and romances going on albeit in the background.
It showcases relationships in their real form and shows that no love is perfect. The romances have their ups and downs but true love wins in the end as is the case with Mikado and Anri who are imperfect alone but perfect together.
Also Read: