Durarara!! Episode 01

Title: First Words 「開口一番」 (Kaikōichiban)

Japanese Date Aired: 8 January 2010

English Date Aired: 25 June 2011

Live viewing from Crunchyroll

Next Episode → 02

Narrated by Mikado Ryūgamine

Synopsis
Chatroom Taro Tanaka informs Setton of his arrival in Ikebukuro. Setton suggests they meet in person, to which Taro Tanaka agrees. Kanra suggests that all three of them meet, then proceeds to discuss the online suicide groups, in which people arrange to commit suicide together. Taro Tanaka says that there haven't been many suicide groups lately, to which Kanra mysteriously replies that maybe the bodies just haven't been found. He then goes on to talk about the headless rider, saying that Dotachin says it's a Shinigami. Taro Tanaka inquires about the identity of Dotachin, but Kanra ignores him. Later on, Taro Tanaka remarks that he saw the headless rider, and Setton informs him that she was there, too. Taro Tanaka thinks they may have passed each other on the street and not even known it, then asks Setton who Dotachin is.

Adapted From
Chapter 1 of the manga; Chapter 1/2 of the light novel

Referbacks
none, first episode

New Characters
In order of appearance (not including OP)
 * Mikado Ryūgamine
 * Masaomi Kida
 * Erika Karisawa
 * Walker Yumasaki
 * Kyohei Kadota
 * Saburo Togusa
 * Rio Kamichika(as Magenta/Mezenda)
 * Izaya Orihara (as Nakura)
 * Simon Brezhnev
 * Shizuo Heiwajima
 * Celty Sturluson (unnamed)

Unanswered Questions

 * Why is the motorcyclist's head not attached to its body?
 * What is the motorcyclist's weapon and what does it do?
 * Why does the motorcycle make such odd noises?

Cultural References

 * Cardboard cutout is reference to Spice and Wolf.
 * When Mikado and Masaomi are walking on Sunshine Street, a clip from Baccano! is played on the big screen, showing Jacuzzi Splot and Nice Holystone.