First things first, I think that Andrew Cunningham’s post on this episode is a must-read, especially if you are interested in how this anime corresponds to the original novels. I am going to try as hard as I can to make this post not end up talking more about things other than Durarara than the show itself, lol.
Cover art by Yoshitoshi ABe!
I have here two novelists – first, Tatsuhiko Takimoto, best known for the light novel Welcome to the NHK, which spawned a manga and anime adaption, as well as Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge, which spawned a manga and live action movie adaption – second, Yuuya Satou, who has written a number of novels that are not known at all stateside but have won numerous awards. The novelists have similar styles, however, only one of them is not total shit.
Sakae Esuno‘s Future Diary (or Mirai Nikki as it is known in Japan and still know by most fans) is a psychological thriller that might be one of the best entry points into modern Japenese young adult fiction around. The first volume, which has recently been published in the US by Tokyopop, moves at an insane, whiplash-inducing pace that burns through plot elements, action scenes, character interaction, and emotional development so fast you might not even realize at first that any of it happened. However, whether you have just finished your first blast-through or are turning the pages again for a closer look, there’s no doubt that you’ll find something enticing in the pages of the Future Diary.
My Sword Is Unbelievably Dull 