First of all, Shizuoās character holds immense potential - much of which has not even been touched on insofar. His inner desire for peace and the way it contrasts his outward tendency to use violence when he encounters any problem or conflict is absolutely fascinating, and the dilemma that comes with wanting a quiet life and lacking the ability to regulate emotion (combined with superhuman strength) leaves SO much room for character exploration. Shizaya aside, Izaya and Shizuo have a very unique dynamic and they compliment one another so well that it would be a waste to throw that all away. I personally donāt like their final fight - it seems like lazy writing to me. Some may argue that it had to happen and a final fight was the logical conclusion of their rivalry, however this argument fails to consider the fact that neither Izaya nor Shizuo receive any valuable character development as a result of their fight. It is a lazy way of ācompletingā their respective character arcs (which are inherently intertwined), and doesnāt provide us with any nuance or insight into their character. Izayaās psyche has been explored in detail and he always seems to come across as the more āinterestingā or āmysteriousā one, I donāt personally believe this to be true however I canāt deny that he has received more substance in terms of the way that his psychology is explored throughout the series. This is definitely exacerbated by the fact that Izaya has received multiple spin off novels, therefore developing and exploring his character further. Shizuo certainly has complexities, and it wouldnāt be fair to say that he has been completely neglected, however I think thereās a lot that has been left unsaid, many questions unanswered, and a Gaiden would really help to flesh out his character a little more. Iām totally aware that what Iām about to say falls under the category of wishful thinking - however, Iād love to see Shizuo ans Izaya meet again. They have both grown since their fight, Izaya was able to accept that he lost because of his refusal to see Shizuo as human. Equally, Shizuo discusses the possibility of a friendship between him and Izaya with Celty, and although it is in retrospect, that is not something he would even dream of thinking years ago. They have developed and grown as people, and it would be truly fascinating to see a reunion between the two because, whether or not I think it will happen, i do believe that they could become friends or at least acquaintances. The seeds have been sewn, and while it is possible that Narita is utilising these attitudes as a means of character development alone, it still suggests that there is potential for a reunion. Unfortunately, I doubt that Narita has the balls to commit to a romantic narrative, especially since he has shown objective homophobia in the novels - it is likely that their reunion will be platonic. That is, if we get one at all. Shizuo holds a lot of anger at his strength, which manifests into a degree of self loathing because of his inability to control himself. The crux of his character arc is centred around the fact that he isnāt able to keep his anger to a manageable level. This is something that he needs to deal with before there is a possibility of opening up and truly letting others in. Learning to use his strength for good and channeling his anger in a constructive way is the development we need to see, but what we have been given so far is unsatisfactory. I donāt think that Shizuoās āflawsā must be totally corrected or addressed in order for his arc to be complete, since everyone is flawed to some degree (especially in Durarara) however it would be great to see him progress and develop in the areas that cause him the most pain. If we want to see a proper reunion between Izaya and Shizuo, Shizuo will need to mature in certain areas and gain more control over his abilities - else he will end up slipping back into his old ways. Thank you for listening to my insane ramblings once again but I just wanted to share some thoughts on why Iād love to see a Shizuo Gaiden
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