Release Year: 2014
Reading Year: WI2023
Currently Reading: Volume 8

Thoughts: There is something off about this arc. There is a different artist (Aogiri instead of Akiyo Satorigi), and that may have been all it takes. The art is gorgeous, modern, and honestly had me just staring at some of these pages. But, the soul of the series isn’t in this arc. It just feels like a regular story with characters that I am being told are powerful or interesting, rather just being all of those things. The charisma is gone. Without my buy-in about how cool these characters are, I lose interest.

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Release Year: 2011
Reading Year: WI2023
Currently Reading: Volume 8

Thoughts: For Durarara!!, short stories really work in this world. Saika builds on already intriguing and charismatic characters providing a short, fun story. I was delighted to hear from these characters again. I can’t explain why, but I find these characters so damn charismatic. They are just so cool and untouchable.

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Release Year: 2020
Reading Year: SU2023
Currently Reading: Volume 15

Thoughts: The thing about this series is that it feels soulless. It feels less like someone’s artistic creation and more so made of bits and pieces of what other manga do well. The results is something that doesn’t do anything outstanding, but has enough manga trope familiarity (without doing anything egregious) that really anyone can read this and find some level of enjoyment. I honestly feel like I am going to stop reading it, but then one small moment that feels genuine and authentic happens which keeps me hoping the next volume will be better.

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