Durarara!! Episode 03

"It's a city overflowing with strangers. They all come here looking for something, and they come to the city hoping to change something."

- Simon Brezhnev

"Rampant Evil" is the third episode of the Durarara!! anime.

Synopsis
At Raira Academy, Anri Sonohara and Mikado Ryuugamine volunteer to be class representatives. Mikado talks to Anri after class, but their conversation is cut short when Anri sees a teacher approaching. Outside after school, Mikado overhears rumors involving the Dollars and a recent string of slashing attacks. He and Masaomi Kida run into the van gang, who warn Mikado to stay away from the Dollars.

While searching the city for Mika Harima, Anri runs into a trio of girls who corner and harass her. Mikado witnesses the bullying and decides to help, when Izaya Orihara arrives and pushes Mikado in front of the bullies. Izaya smashes one girl's phone, and as her boyfriend Hiroshi takes a swing at him, Izaya shaves his head with his switchblade.

Masaomi introduces Mikado to Izaya after the bullies run away, but Izaya is hit by a flying trash before he can finish speaking. A man in a bartender uniform saunters over, and Izaya takes out his knife, preparing for a fight. Hiroshi returns with a group of thugs and surrounds them. When they see Shizuo Heiwajima, however, one thug panics and strikes him with a baseball bat. Shizuo beats them up until he is stopped by Simon Brezhnev, and in the chaos, Izaya escapes and Mikado and Anri run to a nearby park.

On another street, Seiji Yagiri finds the girl with the scar on her neck, proclaiming to have found his love. Later that night, Shizuo wonders why Izaya was in Ikebukuro, and Simon advertises fliers in front of Russia Sushi sporting a bruised and swollen face.

Chatroom

Setton and Kanra each warn TarouTanaka to stay away from the gang called the Dollars.

Trivia

 * When Simon is narrating the episode, his accent is American instead of Russian.

Character Debuts

 * Tom Tanaka
 * Ganguro Girls
 * Hiroshi

Cultural References

 * "Flame Haze" is is a reference to Shakugan no Shana.
 * Erika's quote "Pipiru piru piru" is from Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan.
 * Walker mentions that Suzy Yasuda is having a book signing and is carrying the first volume of Yozakura Quartet.
 * There are many posters referring to the series Baccano!, another work in the Naritaverse, and Hell Girl, another anime directed by Takahiro Omori.

Quotes
Simon: "Now and then, the city will give you a gift. These little presents contain big miracles. The very adventure you seek is now there before you, creating a host of new possibilities, and sometimes, the adventure never comes."