Unboxing [UK]: Durarara!! - Season 1: Collector's Edition (Blu-ray)

For this overview/unboxing, I once again managed to pick up the latest from All the Anime. This time is the re-release of Durarara!! but on Blu-ray with an English dub for the first time in the UK.

Note that this post has been updated (16th January 2016) to reflect the new blog format and add additional notes to the release.

Durarara!! is an supernatural comedy series set in the town of Ikebukuro of Japan, where strange things occur from a mysterious group called the Dollars, an invincible man of full impossible strength, a broker who can handle anything and a mysterious rider who rumours say has no head underneath the helmet. The show is based on the light novels of the same name and from the creator of Baccano! (another supernatural-like franchise but complex in terms of narrative and story, I've done an unboxing of the Aniplex standard release here).

The Collector's Edition set contains all 24 episodes and 2 specials in the first season with an English dub and original Japanese audio (with English subtitles). The specials (Episodes 12.5 and 25 respectively) are included in the right position (i.e. 12.5 is added between 12 and 13). The Collector's Edition also features a chipboard artbox with a digi-pack to hold the discs as well as four artcards. The discs have unlockable subtitles and despite being labelled Region B only, Siren Visual accidently made it Region A compatible, this has been fixed in the standard edition.

And because of Siren Visual they handled this release poorly. Not only are there no on-screen subtitles for the English dub (which is needed due to Russian conversations and mobile text/chat sequences) but the existing subtitles were not checked properly with many issues ranging from errors to mistiming. Thankfully Anime Limited put a lot of effort to actually sort out a new authoring that fixes all of these issues in the standard edition (customers who bought the collector's edition can ask for a replacement before March 2016).

Blu-ray Specs:
Languages: Japanese, English
Audio: LPCM 2.0 [Japanese], LPCM 2.0 [English]
Video: 1080p HD Native 16:9
Region: A B (discs weren't supposed to be region free, you can thank Siren Visual for that)
Subtitles: English [Japanese language]
Subtitles Locked: No
Discs: 4

Before Anime Limited stepped in to make their own authoring, there were no official release with a n on-screen subtitle track. From what I have heard Siren apparently wanted to use the Aniplex subs to make one but due to complications it couldn't happen. To get the release out quicker, Anime Limited used Siren's masters though they're originally set as two part releases (hence on Disc 3 & 4 there's Part 2 added in the menu). The subtitle issues were caused by Siren using the subtitle track from their PAL release which resulted in mistiming, missing lines and some mis-spellings for 1/3 of the series. They did fix the multiple lines of translations on the first half.

Plot Synposis:

In Tokyo's downtown district of Ikebukuro, amidst many strange rumors and warnings of anonymous gangs and dangerous occupants, one urban legend stands out above the rest—the existence of a headless "Black Rider" who is said to be seen driving a jet-black motorcycle through the city streets.

Ryuugamine Mikado has always longed for the excitement of the city life, and an invitation from a childhood friend convinces him to move to Tokyo. Witnessing the Black Rider on his first day in the city, his wishes already seem to have been granted. But as supernatural events begin to occur, ordinary citizens like himself, along with Ikebukuro's most colorful inhabitants, are mixed up in the commotion breaking out in their city.

Extra Content:

Durarara!! Specials - OVA Episodes 12.5 and 25

Textless Opening and Closings

Collector's Edition Artbox with digipack case

4 Artcards

Durarara!! Season 1 is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Anime Limited in the United Kingdom. It has also been licensed by Aniplex of America for Blu-ray.