Have you ever wondered how famous literature authors would look like if they were to be anime characters? Bungo Stray Dogs is an anime that explores such a scenario. Its entertaining and comedic story follows a special group of individuals (whose names are based on famous authors) with unique abilities that are named after literature titles.

Synopsis

Atsushi Nakajima has been kicked out of the orphanage he was living at because of some mysterious events that seem to happen around him. Wondering how he will survive in the outside world, he wanders around, starving. As he sits by the riverbank, he saves a rather suicidal and eccentric man from drowning, by the name of Osamu Dazai, who happens to be working for a firm of supernatural investigators. As Dazai and his partner Doppo Kunikida are investing a case that seems to be related to Atsushi, he helps them resolve the mystery and is later forced to join their Agency. Thus, Atsushi gets to work on several weird and unusual cases, surrounded by his new co-workers and their unique abilities.

Plot & Story

From the first episodes of Bungo Stray Dogs, the plot establishes a blend between action, mystery, superpowers, and comedy. The focus of the show is mainly on Atsushi, where we get to learn a bit more about his past and his ability, ‘Beast beneath the Moonlight’. As he joins the Armed Detective Agency, we are slowly introduced to the rest of its members through different cases that many enemies; Dazai: the funny and intelligent suicidal maniac; Kunikida: the angry perfectionist ex-math teacher; Ranpo: the non-gifted amazing detective; Tanizaki: the ‘illusionist’ with the obsessive sister; Dr. Yosano: the medic who injures her patients in order to save them; and Kenji: the insanely strong and carefree country boy. This is where the Port Mafia comes into play, the most powerful organization of Yokohama’s underworld that seems to be after Atsushi and his powers, since there is a great bounty for his head in the black market. Atsushi gets to deal with many of the Port Mafia agents, with his main enemy becoming Akutagawa, a mysterious member of Port Mafia who seems to have a history with Dazai and who seems to despise Atsushi with all his heart. After dealing with a lot of dangerous cases, another organization comes into the spotlight by the name of The Guild, who were initially the ones that placed the bounty on Atsushi and who try to buy/ruin the Agency in order to get their hands on their very-hard-to-acquire legal license of operations.

Bungo Stray Dogs started as a very promising series but unfortunately failed to deliver on all of its aspects. Although the characters have unique personalities and talents (from materializing things by writing them in a notebook to a power called Rashoumon that devours time and space) and highly entertaining comedy (Dazai eating mushrooms and tying up Atsushi thinking that he is a rainbow pill bug), the mystery part of the show lacked in many cases. Despite the last few episodes where we actually get to see how Dazai is associated with the Port Mafia, the new threat that came into town and the ‘declaration of war’ by the Leader of the Port Mafia, I can’t really say that the previous cases had much intensity in them.

Art & Music

Studio Bones excels when it comes to animating anything related to supernatural elements, and Bungo Stray Dogs didn’t disappoint. It was well executed with amazing action scenes: great fluidity and consistent quality in the design. But what really won me over was the exquisite art style of the characters: their costumes, hair, eyes, expressions (the comic chibi effects) were brilliantly done.

The voice acting was spectacular but I honestly expected nothing less from seiyuus like Mamoru Miyano, Yoshimasa Hosoya, Hiroshi Kamiya, and Yu Shimamura. Music-wise the anime had some nice jazzy tunes in its soundtrack that made some tracks stand out from the rest. The song ‘Trash Candy’ performed by Granrodeo was very fitting for the powerful and beautifully animated opening of the series.

Themes & Trivia

What does ‘Bungo’ mean? It is a Japanese written language established during the Heian period, circa 900–1200 CE, and was commonly used until circa 1900. The transliteration of Japanese 文語 (ぶんご) ‘writing language’.

Learn more about the characters’ names and abilities: If you would like to read more in depth about the authors and their famous works, you should read Japanese Culture in Anime: Bungo Stray Dogs. It introduces some of those Japanese literary masters whose names are used by the members of the Armed Detective Agency.

Comments

Even though Bungo Stray Dogs is not the best anime story I’ve seen, there is still so much charm to it. For some reason, I can’t help but be attracted to it: the lovable, well-designed characters and the amazing voice acting really won me over. The plot might be lacking at some points, but it doesn’t fail to amuse me. I am kind of intrigued and scared to see what the Port Mafia Leader’s power actually does because its name ‘Vita Sexualis’ is an erotic novel published in 1909 by Mori Ogai… Will he arouse people do death or what?

Those who desire death have an equal desire to die.

Plus:

Great character design

Good animation

Nice music and soundtrack

A variety of wonderful quotes from most of the characters

Minus:

Atsushi’s constant emo moments and flashbacks

Bungo Stray Dogs is an amusing show for anyone that enjoys good visuals, superpowers, some fun gags, and detective work as well as some action involving underground gangs. With its new season beginning soon, it’s a great opportunity for fans to re-watch it or for those who are clueless about it, to discover its fun and unique world.

Bungo Stray Dogs

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