Manga Monday – Durarara!! Yellow Scarves Arc
Created by Ryohgo Narita
Character design by Suzuhito Yasuda
Art by Akiyo Satorigi
Article by Mara Wood
Durarara!! introduces readers to a world of youth gangs, fantastical creatures, and dangerous encounters. Centering on a small group of middle school students, Durarara!! explores the odd inner workings of a twisted love story.
The cast of Durarara!! are thrust into a whole new story in the latest arc of the series. After the serial killings of the Saika arc, the teens of Ikebukuro are left to pick up the pieces of their lives. Kida is enraged at the violence that he and his friends suffered. Doing the only thing he knows how, Kida reluctantly gathers together his gang – The Yellow Scarves. With their growing presence in Ikebukuro, Kida hopes to get to the bottom of the increase of gang activity.
Within the first volume of the new arc, readers are immediately introduced to the idea of the gangs of Ikebukuro as pieces of a board game. Kanra, the leader of the Dollars gang, sinisterly begins to plot the downfall of the gangs of Ikebukuro. With the outright introduction of a man behind the curtains, things are about to get very intense among the gangs. For history nerds, the allusion to the Yellow Turban Rebellion through the Yellow Scarves gang should keep things in perspective.
Durarara!! Yellow Scarves Arc is not just about gang politics. Celty is the headless black rider, a woman in a black jumpsuit riding the streets on a motorcycle in search of her missing head. Celty is Dullahan, an Irish creature. Her addition to the Ikebukuro puts a unique fantasy twist on the lives of the teenagers.
This new arc of Durarara!! may be hard to jump in with, but it does offer a starting point for readers who are interested in the series. With a little summary reading of the previous two arcs, Durarara!! Yellow Scarves Arc can be understood by new readers. Between the intricate gang politics and fantasy weaved between, Durarara!! is a great manga for new readers. Check out the first two arcs from Yen Press and the brand-new Yellow Scarves Arc.