Celty Sturlson Forum

It only happens really every couple of years, but every so often, I stumble upon an anime character that I just really, really dig. 
 
Not long after my contemplation of Durarara!! episodes 1-3, I watched episode 4, which discusses the one, the only, Celty Sturlson. (Alternate spelling: Selty Sturlson.) Celty is the "Headless Rider" of Shibuya who appears early on in the first episode-- a mysterious person (most people don't get close enough to realize she's a woman)  who works as a transporter, riding a kickass motorcycle around Tokyo and taking on what jobs she can find.  
 
A few spoilers about her history-- it's in her origin story in episode four, so it's spoilery, but not plot-spoilery. 
 
 
Celty is beyond badass-- hello? She can hit someone with her motorcycle...while she's RIDING it --and she's also quite possibly one of the most interesting female characters I've seen in ages. I was struck when she was petting a headless horse: "Wow, it's harder for horses to be cute without a head. Can a female anime character be sexy without a head?" --and more than that, the way she's written is simply superb.  She's not just weird for weirdness' sake-- she actually makes SENSE and it feels completely natural while actually being pretty different.  
 

Here, have some fanart.

Artist Credits (Left to Right)

Row 1: Amaisha, Kamome, Welter, Matilda, Mame no Hito, Nakoto
Row 2: Eiji, Hisukuro, Shintakuo Otoko, Hisashireiren, Chroah, Harano 
Row 3: nako, bipen, Hisaho, Aninya02, Nanamura, Aura 
Row 4:   (´☁｀), Otsunishikokko

And can I just say-- oh man, the FIGURES! If there are no seriously amazing figures of Celty, it will be a crime. A capital crime. Because let's face it, the head is the hardest thing to really get right, so if you remove that, it should be pretty easy to make good figures-- and if you want to make a higher-end one you can devote time to a lot of other details. Sweet jesus, I want a Celty figure right now. 
 
If you aren't watching Durarara!! already, you officially have my strong recommendation to do so. Celty and episode 4 just pushed me off the fence and right onto the Durarara!!-lovin' bandwagon.

I find it strange that a Women uses the term "my waifu".

It's a cool design, but I know that this is not the first time there has been a headless motorcycle rider. There was one on a TV show on SciFi years ago. It's killing me, because I can't remember the name of the series. I remember the helmet was so cool. It had this pumpkin design and SciFi gave it away in some contest.

@Sjohn87: Why's that? :D 
 
@FoxxFireArt: I can't find anything about it, so it can't have been that good a show ;)

@gia: 
OHH, I was just in the middle of typing a reply when I remembered the show. It was a single season run on SciFi about a team of writers and photographers that work on what is thought to be a tabloid news paper like the Globe or Inquirer. It turns out though that everything they write about is real. One of those stories was the headless biker. It was called "The Chronicle"(2001) Episode 8 "Bring Me the Head of Tucker Burns" (got to love the internet).

Hmm it's weird that her helmet is gold coloured since

Lol I feel the same way. I'd love a Celty figure xD
 
She somehow sort of reminds me of Metis from P3 FES. Don't know why.

@asian_pride: Black skintight body suit? ;)

@gia said:

" @asian_pride: Black skintight body suit? ;) "

Lol yeah I think that's it xD

@Lan:
Someone needs to read up on their Celtic mythology, lest you find this creature chasing you down to call your name. (When they stop and call a name that person dies) Like I said keep a little gold on you though and you should be safe, well at least from one trying to run you down.

Honestly; did the creators really need to add those helmet ears?
I find it dispels some of the interest.

@omo: I always tend to think that everything in Tokyo that isn't an otaku event takes place in Shibuya-- I blame this not just on The World Ends With You, but also on Super GALS! and on Hachiko. 
 
@Crocio: I dig the helmet, it's just cool-looking. Besides, just because Celty is a wacked-out fae/ghosty creature doesn't mean she can't have some sense of pizazz.

@John_Martone: Hey, it'll save money on duct tape and ballgags.

@Oneesama said:

"

@Lan: I don't think headless people are supposed to look hot or sexy, that's gotta be a rule or something.

@Crocio said:

" Honestly; did the creators really need to add those helmet ears? I find it dispels some of the interest. "

I dunno, I haven't gotten that far but I guess I like them. its not like she has massive dialog or such to help define her character. It helps keep her feminine, sympathetic, and approachable... Something that would be otherwise hard for a mute harbringer of doom. "

But that's exactly it, why is it so necessary to make such a feminine character; why not just a mute, bad-ass, harbinger of doom that is female?
It's irritating seeing this sexy, female main character type apply in situations as strange as a headless harbinger of doom.

@lanaswift said:

" @John_Martone: Hey, it'll save money on duct tape and ballgags. "

Oh Snap!