Within the universe of Durarara!!, members of the Dollars not only provide a haven for the alienated but at times actively seek to alter their surroundings, moving the internet gang from the realm of simple internet communities into that of social movements. Marxist suppositions regarding alienation found in the Manifesto of the Communist Party, the quintessential text for explaining revolutionary motivations, provide a useful contrast with which to analyze the modern-day forces which draw social divisions between the individuals within a given population. The fragmentation of individuals in traditional Marxist theory revolves around access the means of production, giving rise to two distinct parties: the proletariat and the bourgeoisie, also characterized as the working and ruling classes, respectively. The distinction between the two groups is remarkably clear-cut: those who own the means of production are members of the ruling class and those who must borrow temporary access are members of the working class (Tucker 474). The fact that one group dominates the means of production and thus restricts the livelihood of the other is an important consideration to keep in mind. Naturally, the proletariat's aim is the dissolution of the bourgeoisie's monopoly and hierarchical structure, while the bourgeoisie wishes to maintain its dominant position in the social hierarchy, drawing the two classes into conflict.
While this class-conflict model has traditionally commanded enormous respect in academia, scholars have debated the merits of its application to the modern setting. At times, the world of Durarara!! seems to adhere to Marx's and Engel's divisions between the haves and have-nots, but closer scrutiny reveals a new method of distinguishing populations. The characters of Durarara!!, specifically the members of the Dollars, exemplify a new approach, utilizing societal norms as the driving force between societal divisions. Social movement scholars refer to individuals who have been pushed away by societal norms as the "disaffected", an apt description for members of the Dollars (Edelman 289). Main characters within the universe display certain physical or personality quirks that serve to highlight their separate state of being from the so-called normal passerby. In Figure 1, Heiwajima Shizuo, a character notorious for his displays of superhuman strength when he is enraged, lifts a car over his head while trying to play the socially acceptable role of a gas station attendant.
(Figure 1: Ikebukuro-ers are terrorized by Heiwajima Shizuo's penchant for violence)
Omori deliberately exaggerates his penchant for violence and his destructive abilities, which are showcased numerous times throughout the series, in order to further emphasize the heightened degree of separation between Shizuo and society created by fear. This is apparent in the dialogue between extras during numerous episodes: "Sh-Shizuo! That's Heiwajima Shizuo!", they exclaim, generally with an air of panic ("Transcending Oneself"). Visual cues are provided as well; the extra characters, who are supposedly integrated into mainstream society through adherence to its norms, are deliberately left without color. Shizuo and the rest of the Dollars are purposely given multiple colors by Omori in order to further label them as members of the disaffected group. Societal norms hold no sway over members of the Dollars either by each member's individual choice or by circumstances outside their control.
Because they do not fit into the Marxist model of alienation, the disaffected members of the Dollars require a new type of mechanism in order to offset their sense of societal disconnect; as a result, they come to rely on the internet forum of the Dollars as their medium of interaction. Within this virtual space, the characters benefit from anonymity, which negates the individual quirks which explicitly separate them from the rest of Ikebukuro. Omori intends for the name "Dollars" itself to be understood as a Japanese pun on the English word "wanderers"; in an early episode, one of the characters, a schoolboy named Kida Masaomi, points out the likeliest origin of the group's moniker in a conversation with his friend Ryugamine Mikado: "Yeah, 'dollars' from 'one
(Figure 2: The Dollars website login screen)
dollars'", to which Mikado replies "What are 'wanderers'?" ("Opening"). Through this rather obvious pun, Omori intends for the Dollars to be understood as a space to serve those wandering aimlessly through society, represented by Ikebukuro, without the ability to form associations with others. Figure 2 shows the Dollars login screen. While the connection between the coin-shaped logo can be easily discerned, the symbolic value of the screen is far more important: it serves as a tangible cue for the viewer to understand that the characters are entering into the virtual space, coming under the veil of anonymity and thus removing the barriers of societal norms that hindered them in a physical setting. In this sense, the alienated characters cease being "wanderers" whenever they enter this virtual safe space.
However, the pun also contains a second, more revealing purpose behind the group's naming that centers around the idea of being able to exchange currency. The creation and perpetuation of mainstream societal norms gives rise to numerous different subcultures, spaces in which individuals experiencing similar forms of alienation can associate with each other; the Dollars community differs from these in that the group has no single defining characteristic, encompassing all forms of alienation. Thus, all members of the community share an important commonality: a desire for a space of acceptance where the sharing of countercultural ideas will not lead to persecution. The Dollars satiates this desire to an extreme by foregoing any form of hierarchy and advocating that individuals continue to adhere to their own belief systems once integrated into the community. Indeed, the Dollars appeals to the alienated Ikebukuro-ers primarily because it lacks a status quo to which its members must conform. Kyohei Kadota, a member of the Dollars, notes that "since there's no top [to the Dollars' hierarchy], I don't feel like I've been placed under anyone" ("Run Around"). Members of the gang retain their own independent doctrines and beliefs but at the same time their virtual association as Dollars. This raises the question of whether or not the term "equal" may be used to describe the relationship among members of the group. Researchers contend that "'average citizens' do not exist" within the space of the internet due to inequalities in resource distribution among the population (Warf 161). However, use of physical-world privilege in a virtual setting assumes use of real-world identity in order to utilize those privileges. The anonymity inherent to the Dollars' internet identities negates any physical-world advantages members might possess; all one requires to enter the Dollars website is the password that all members share. The dual conditions of anonymity and freedom of ideology coupled with its internet medium distinguish the Dollars as a subculture vastly different from anything that might be achieved in the real world.
Surprisingly, the Dollars sometimes forego these privileges and clash directly with the mainstream social organizations in order to elicit some measure of change in the physical world, becoming a progressive movement in
(Figure 3: Members of the Dollars reveal themselves and gain color in the process, much to Yagiri Namie's chagrin)
the process. The most prevalent example of this phenomenon occurs with Ryugamine Mikado, the founder of the Dollars, as he call a gathering of his online companions to challenge, Yagiri Namie, an antagonist who serves as a representation of corporate greed in Japan. Prior to the scene, Mikado asks all the members of the Dollars to meet in front of Sunshine City, a public space in the physical world; when the antagonist refuses to give into his demands, he uses his cellular telephone in a dramatic fashion to send a text message to all the Dollars to reveal themselves and intimidate the enemy with numbers. Again, the extras characters are grey in color to indicate their status as normal, integrated members of society, non-participants in the Ikebukuro subculture. During Mikado's confrontation, however, the camera pans out to show the entire crowd changing from grey to gaining color as the Dollars reveal their identities, illustrated in Figure 3. In this instance, a remarkable event transpires: virtual associations formed in the Dollars' online community spill into the physical world. Moreover, ordinary, seemingly non-alienated citizens reveal themselves to be part of the movement; associations between the disaffected and the integrated are demonstrated to be impossible to form in the physical world because of the presence of societal norms, as evidenced by the disaffection the characters experience. Omori seems to comment on the apparent superiority of the virtual over the physical for forming associations.
Real-life similar flash mob protests paralleling Mikado's have been conducted against corporate Japan, the most high-profile of which denounced then-Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro's neoliberal policies and Japan's involvement in the war in Iraq (Hayashi 90). The protest organizers usurped public spaces in the pop-culture heart of Tokyo, Shibuya, with a combination of new media technologies in order to overcome the cultural and societal norms preached by the government. Utilizing "rave demos", spontaneous demonstrations of loud, raucous techno music, protestors "and other participants in rave demos...reject the geometry so admired by militarized right-wing organizations" (107). In a setting similar to the virtual space created by the Dollars, the protest organizers were able to overcome the government's constricting norms and give a voice to those who disagreed with Koizumi's actions. Another interesting case presents itself in China, where the government contends with the Telegraph protest, in which Chinese citizens silently protest oppressive government practices by walking in a predetermined location on Sundays at 2pm ; the organizers' purpose is to usurp public spaces, closely monitored by the government, for their own revolutionary purposes (Hsieh). In both instances, organizers utilize the internet to generate protest actions that spill over into the physical world, allowing the disaffected to participate in physical displays of discontent with social norms exclusive to the physical world. Mirroring the actions of the Chinese protestors, the Dollars transform from alienated refugees looking for a subculture to shelter them into a social movement capable of evoking alterations to the physical world through virtual action.
However, while the model of virtual association acts to protect members of the Dollars from societal norms, it also makes coordination of real-world activity difficult as it allows individuals to forgo creation of physical
(Figure 4: Celty and Mikado make peace over their earlier misunderstanding regarding Celty's head)
associations. In fact, Omori addresses the characters' lack of physical associations on more than one occasion through their interactions with each other in the physical world. Indeed, most members of the Dollars inadvertently impede each others' progress towards their goals throughout the course of the series. Celty Sturlson, a headless motorcycle courier who is also a member of the Dollars, often falls victim to other members of the group who mistake her intentions, believing her to be a monster out for blood. Celty's end goal is to reclaim her missing head. In Figure 4, Celty, having been foiled by a misguided Mikado in an attempt to finally reunite with head, finally acknowledges that she must rely on building an association with him in the physical world in order to gain his cooperation; thus, she shares her unbelievable past with him. Mikado's inner monologue regarding Celty's revelation indicates Omori's stance on the matter: "Normally, every part of [Celty's] story would be unbelievable. But, mysteriously enough, I believed every single word of it" ("The First and Only"). In this situation, Omori's desire is not to elevate virtual associations above physical associations in terms of effectiveness; rather, the director's message is that each type has its strengths. While virtual associations allow disaffected individuals to circumvent societal norms that would otherwise hinder the formation of associations, physical associations are important in fostering understanding among individuals. In terms of fulfilling the role of a social movement, the consequences of placing anonymity and virtual associations on a pedestal appear to hinder the Dollars' ability to efficiently execute any strategy.
Ultimately, once the virtual associations are revealed in the real world, the anonymity that protected the disaffected from persecution at the hands of societal norms disappears. For the Dollars, revelation of members' identities have a significant impact on the characters' lives in the physical world. For example, in Figure 5 Celty finds herself pursued by the police while trying to make her deliveries, and other members of the gang are attacked by rival factions looking to gain dominance over the previously hidden group ("A Sudden Turn").
(Figure 5: Celty is cornered by traffic cops, who are unafraid of her otherworldly nature and powers once she reveals herself as a member of the Dollars)
Of note is the camera angle Omori chooses, which leaves Celty cornered with no hope of escape. With the removal of its anonymity, the subculture that is the Dollars suddenly becomes a tangible target for those looking to gain power through enforcement of societal norms. Literature helps to explain this occurrence; The Coming Insurrection, a manifesto written by the Invisible Committee, states that "Visibility must be avoided...once we become visible our days will be numbered. Either we will be in a position to pulverize [the state's] reign in short order, or we'll be crushed in no time" (Invisible Committee 76). Clearly, the Dollars' removal of anonymity creates vulnerability because physical associations now exist whether they want them or not; society as a whole may now apply a standard born from societal norms to the disaffected, who have lost their hiding place.
Omori also contends that the veil of user anonymity derived from virtual associations is not always beneficial even when it does exist, as malcontents may usurp control of these virtually-run social communities for their own purposes. In Durarara!!, one such exemplar is Orihara Izaya, an information dealer and member of the Dollars who
(Figure 6: Orihara Izaya demeans Kamichika Rio's life choices and reveals human nature as petty, encouraging her to end her life)
copes with his disaffection from society by manipulating the actions surrounding other gang members. In one instance, he capitalizes on the self-destructive tendencies of a girl named Kamichika Rio, coaxing her to jump off the top of a building: "No matter what sort of worries you have, everyone's just a simple splotch. Splotches. No exceptions" ("Between Truth and Lies"). Izaya's demeaning behavior illustrates the risks to particularly vulnerable disaffected individuals who rely on "back places", communities where self-destructive behaviors are condoned as their mechanism for coping with their inabilities to adjust to mainstream society (Adler 40). As before, virtual actions result in some occurrence in the physical world; however, in this instance, the virtual association between Rio and Izaya almost leads to her physical demise, as shown in Figure 6. Of particular note in this scene is Izaya's dominant position over Rio. Both in the virtual world and now in reality, Izaya holds Rio's life in the palm of his hands. Throughout Durarara!!, Izaya encourages infighting, manipulates individuals and ultimately usurps the Dollars for his own purposes. Omori intends for Izaya to represent the dangers of allowing virtual associations to dictate one's actions in the real world, as the anonymity intrinsic to mediated relationships can be as much a hindrance, if not a danger, as it is an advantage.
Technology plays a pivotal role in the interactions of the Dollars and also illustrates some of the dangers that stem from extreme reliance on it. In some instances, characters within Durarara!! completely forgo traditional forms of association, choosing instead to focus solely on virtual associations. Though she eventually learns the error of her ways, Celty's early appearances are
(Figure 7: Celty's cellular telephone, her only means of communicating with others, as she cannot speak.)
rife with examples of this complete reliance on technology. Because she cannot speak, she must always carry her cellular telephone in order to use the text functions to communicate as shown in Figure 7. However, she takes this habit to an extreme in a later instance by instant messaging her roommate, a mob doctor named Shinra, from different rooms within the same apartment ("Beyond Truth and Lies"). One might interpret this action as a slight to Shinra, as Celty openly admits that she cannot stand his presence; however, Omori purposefully sets the two characters apart. Celty chooses to distance herself from Shinra for the same reason that Rio associates herself with a like-minded self-abuser, though he turns out to be the false Izaya: she believes that she can survive exclusively with virtual associations. As with Rio, Celty soon comes to the realization that she needs physical associations as well in order to achieve her goals.
Clearly, the characters of Durarara!! experience something special as they move through Ikebukuro. Despite their lack of adherence to society's expectations, they are able to go through their days because of their involvement in the Dollars. For these individuals, society now has two interconnected spheres. Omori's work illustrates the dual nature of associations as well as the increasing power of virtual associations over events in the physical world. In this way, a new social organization emerges, rooted in both physical and virtual reality, where the actions taken in can have an impact in the other. Thus, the question arises: can virtual associations provide a truly viable alternative route for physical associations? Perhaps not, but they can certainly aid the disaffected finding their way into a new mainstream society, one that they have the potential to redefine for themselves in ways never seen before.
WORKS CITED
Adler, Patricia et al. "The Cyber Worlds of Self-Injurers: Deviant Communities, Relationships and Selves. Symbolic Interaction 31.1 (2008): 33-56. Electronic.
Edelman, Marc. "Social Movements: Changing Paradigms and Forms of Politics." Annual Review of Anthropology 30 (2001): 285-317. Electronic.
Hayashi, Sharon and McKnight, Anne. "Good-bye Kitty, Hello War: The Tactics of Spectacle and New Youth Movements in Urban Japan." 13.1 (2005): 87-113. Electronic.
Hsieh, Vicki. "Sunday Strolls." Essay. University of California, Irvine. Electronic.
The Invisible Committee. The Coming Insurrection. Los Angeles: Semiotext, 2009. Electronic.
Tucker, Robert C. ed. The Marx-Engels Reader. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1978. Print.
Warf, Barney and Grimes, John. "Counterhegemonic Discourses and the Internet." Geographical Review 87.2 (1997): 259-274. Electronic.
"A Sudden Turn." Durarara!!. MBS. Tokyo. 8 April 3010. Television.
"Between Truth and Lies." Durarara!!. MBS. Tokyo. 14 Jan. 2010. Television.
"Opening." Durarara!!. MBS. Tokyo. 7 Jan. 2010. Television.
"Run Around." Durarara!!. MBS. Tokyo. 11 Feb. 2010. Television.
"The First and Only." Durarara!!. MBS. Tokyo. 11 March 2010. Television.
"Transcending Oneself." Durarara!!. MBS. Tokyo. 24 June 2010. Television.
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