Ryougo Narita's character, Izaya Orihara, gained popularity thanks in part to the anime adaptation of a series of books called Durarara. The first pages of light novels appeared back in 2004, being published by ASCII Media Works.
Unfortunately, the ranobe was only partially translated into Russian, as groups of enthusiasts did this for free. However, the full English version is posted on the Web, in which you can get acquainted with the original character of Orihara, which has undergone minor changes in television adaptation.
Character past
It is believed that Izaya Orihara, whose biography is almost not disclosed during the plot, grew up in a completely ordinary family, so one can only guess what exactly influenced the development of his personality. At the time of the story in the light novel, the guy appears already at the age of 25, but in the anime adaptation his character is two years younger, which does not make him less mature. At the same time, he is already a mafioso and the most sought-after informant of the city of Tokyo.
It is also known that Izaya studied at the same academy (the former Raijin High School) with other Durarara heroes - Shinra, Kadota, and Shizuo Heiwajima. With the last of them, Orihara did not get along right away, because of which conflicts between them constantly flared up throughout the plot, however, none of them had serious consequences.
As a “farewell gift”, Izaya framed Kheiwajima by hanging a series of crimes on which he was not guilty. Since then, the rivalry between the heroes has completely eliminated compromises, which is why a clash became inevitable if one of the characters appeared on the territory of another.
As the main antagonist of the series, Izaya Orihara is relevant to all major incidents in Ikebukuro. For example, in the war between the Blue Squares and Yellow Scarves factions, he played a major role, pitting gangs with each other through false reports and work on two sides.
This is due to the chaotic desire of Izaya to foment a major confrontation, during which he would emerge victorious and ascend to Valhalla. But, despite this, Orihara is an atheist, afraid of death and pain.
Nothing more specific about the character’s life is known, except for the fact that he has twin teenage sisters who are not docile.
Uneasy character
Orihara Izaya, whose quotes describe him with the utmost accuracy (“The past will overtake wherever you hide”, “I don’t think I can manage to fight. So we need to unleash a war in which only I can win”, “Truth and a little a little lies, a lie and a pinch of truth - what is worse? "," No one can live an entire life honestly "," It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either funny or boring ", etc.), the character is quite desperate, albeit moderately cautious. The guy claims that he is in love with all of humanity except Shizuo Heiwajima, but he feels this feeling for people as a class of objects, because his attachment often translates into ugly, ethical, actions.
Izaya often substitutes for the personalities that interested him, bringing down difficult and potentially dangerous situations on their heads. Moreover, it is not cruelty that drives them at all, but the desire to know all the facets of human nature.
Recalling a quote from the fourth volume of the ranobe, we can say that Izaya "was a man in every sense of the word." He possessed neither special restraint nor rationality; he was not inherent in special honesty or charisma. Orihara simply experienced an acute shortage of intrigue and knowledge about people, and also did not have the habit of changing his desires.
Other ranobe heroes speak of him as a dangerous, but real and truly frightening gift of persuasion.
Light Novel Appearance
Being a Japanese, Izaya Orihara, the art with which is presented below, is quite high and not badly complex, despite the thinness. Often in the lines of a novel the guy is called handsome: he is described as the owner of thin, sharp features with a moving expression of sharp eyes and shiny dark hair. In the clothes of the main antagonist, a certain originality slips, and special attention in the text is paid to the aura and the voice of Orihara - very clean and invigorating, as the author writes.
But even if at the beginning Izaya always provokes, if not sympathy, then at least some kind of interest, everyone who has felt his influence on himself, eventually disgusts the guy.
Special skills
Izaya Orihara has a wonderful memory that allows him to work as an informant. He is a skilled liar and an eloquent speaker, perfectly mastering his facial expressions and intonation of his voice, which facilitates crowd control along with knowledge of psychology. Due to it, the antagonist easily predicts the actions of others.
If you touch on the physical aspect, it is worth saying that Orihara is strong - he cleverly handles knives and has excellent control over his body, which allowed him to reach noticeable heights in parkour. However, Izai’s main weapon should be his ability to analyze and use the information received.
Conclusion
Although Orihara is not referred to as the main characters, he is the main antagonist of the series, without which many events would not have occurred. In fact, Izaya is the plot engine, invisibly watching from the shadows behind his pawns and correcting their actions.
This ambiguous guy is perhaps the most multifaceted character, which makes you think about what is happening not only in the novel, but also outside the book world. Without him, Durarara would have lost a significant part of its fascinating plot.