Bungou Stray Dogs

[Skull]

Can't believe it took me this long to make a thread about this series. Anyway, feel free to discuss the Manga/Anime/Light Novel series "Bungou Stray Dogs" here, where characters named after famous authors duke it out with superpowers named after the books they wrote. Please take care to keep anything that hasn't aired in the anime in spoiler tags please.

We've come to the end of the fantastic "Dark Era" arc in the anime. It's personally my favourite arc so far, I loved the characters and the focus on the Port Mafia. Was really not expecting to see a French author pop up, but he was pretty great as well. Odasaku is by far my favourite character of the lot.

Now we're returning to the present for the battle against The Guild which features American Authors coming into the fray. Gotta be honest, I'm not as hyped for them as antagonists. Still, I'm interested in how their abilities manifest.

What do y'all think about the series?

[GundamFSN]

I'll read/watch this sometime soon. The premise seems interesting as it is.

[Skull]

It certainly got my weeb animu self interested in classic Japanese literature more to the point that I bought up all the reprints of the books referenced with fancy new covers featuring the anime characters.

In particular I really enjoy a lot of the little details that the author puts in that references the real life authors and such.

[LJ3]

I was casually interested in the beginning, thought it a little strange with its hijinks, but I warmed up to it.

This Dark Era Arc is strong and cemented my interest. Definitely looking to buy and borrow Japanese literature now.

[Skull]

I hadn't realised this until recently but on the rare occasion we meet someone who isn't named after an author then they're typically named after a character in a related author's story. For example, "Elise" the girl under Mori's care is named after the love interest in "The Dancing Girl" (real life) Ougai Mori's first published work.

One thing I will say about the upcoming American authors is, for the life of me I don't know why the creators decided to put...

Character's Name

Dan Brown

of all people into the story. Not what I'd call a "Literary Master" though to be fair I haven't read the novel that's used to name their ability.

[GundamFSN]

The author could've went with Fitzgerald or Edgar or anybody...

[Skull]

The author could've went with Fitzgerald or Edgar or anybody...

Fitzgerald was actually revealed as the cliffhanger for the end of the first season though all we really know about him is the name of his ability, "The Great Gatsby".

I'm actually (mostly) pleased with the selection of American authors, though I really could've done with some Ernest Hemingway but we can't have everything I guess.

[LJ3]

Wow, that's some dumb shit. Smh

so it looks like WW2 or its equivalent happened in the timeline recently? Stray Dog society seems to me like it's a bit anachronistic; like it's the nineties but with some modern amenities but with style from different periods all over the place.

[Skull]

Anachronistic is probably the best description. I kinda like it, very stylistic.

[RoydGolden]

One thing I will say about the upcoming American authors is, for the life of me I don't know why the creators decided to put...

Character's Name

Dan Brown

of all people into the story. Not what I'd call a "Literary Master" though to be fair I haven't read the novel that's used to name their ability.

From what I've heard online, Dan was put in as a way to promote his RL counterpart's latest book released in Japan. As far as I can tell, he's more or less a joke character anyway...

[Mattias]

If you wanted to do a modern American author, I don't know how you couldn't do Steven King.

[bassgs435]

If you wanted to do a modern American author, I don't know how you couldn't do Steven King.

Spoiler:

I think it was less the Bungo writer wanting a modern american author, and more him hating Dan Brown's bullshit, and using his manga to mock it

[Skull]

Just caught up with the latest episodes and damn, at fisrt I was a little apprehensive about returning to the present but we've kicked off with a bang.

Atsushi jobbing to Golden Demon was expected as she's one of the executives. Kenji announcing his entrance with a thrown car reminds me of Shizuo Heiwajima. John Steinbeck and H.P Lovecraft crashing the party with reinforcements though, I wonder which of them used their ability to defeat both groups? Dazai being very ominous with his torture techniques. Mad bomber Kajii showing his Ability can be useful. And DAMN, that fight between Akutagawa vs Hawthorne - Amusing considering (real life's) Akutagawa's relationship with Christianity. RIP Margaret.

[LJ3]

The Guild looks amazing

[Skull]

The Guild looks amazing

Indeed, and there's still a few we haven't seen.

Also I forgot to mention but the newly introduced Port Mafia executive, Kouyou Ozaki has some interesting connections with Kyouka. In real life the authors were both male and Kyouka was the student of Ozaki and tried to imitate his style as much as possible, presumably why they share the same power in BSD. There's a deeper connection involving Kyouka but that'll spoil something from the manga so I'll put it in tags.

Manga spoilers

At a young age Kyouka lost his mother gave him a love of literature and that caused him to travel to Tokyo and become the student of Ozaki. Of course in the manga we learn that Kyouka's mother was the true user of "Demon Snow" and transferred it to Kyouka upon her death which caused her to become a member of the Port Mafia and thus the student of Ozaki.

[RoydGolden]

Yeah, I've just watched about half of the latest episode tonight (what's with episodes coming out in chunks of two lately?) and it's awesome. Pretty much any character with more then a few seconds of screen-time ends up getting some ridiculously cool moments. Have to say, I'm really liking the Guild members thus far (well, mainly Nathaniel and Margaret). Despite being ostensibly villains, they seem at least as cool and likeable as the protagonists. It helps that we haven't really seen them do anything particularly evil so far.

[RoydGolden]

Hmm. Just finished the latest episode this morning. While the fights were really cool and all, I'm honestly starting to question the power-levels at work here. First, a handful of Guild members are introduced utterly crushing most of the heroes and a top-tier Port Mafia executive (so easily that the fight isn't even shown on-screen). Next time we see them, they're getting knocked around by Akutagawa. Given that these guys are supposed to be the hype-worthy new villains, having them job to a guy that's already been defeated by the heroes prior strikes me as a rather... questionable decision.

Though, given the focus on Akutagawa (especially in the Yaoi-tastic ending themes) it's pretty likely he'll end up redeemed and becoming a hero at some point or another. Otherwise, the continual focus on him (at the expense of the Guild) doesn't really make much sense now that he's no longer serving the role of Atsushi's rival. I mean, he is really cool and all so I definitely wouldn't mind if the show did more with him (and the last shot of the OP does look like it could imply some kind of Atsushi x Akutagawa team-up).

[Skull]

Hmm. Just finished the latest episode this morning. While the fights were really cool and all, I'm honestly starting to question the power-levels at work here. First, a handful of Guild members are introduced utterly crushing most of the heroes and a top-tier Port Mafia executive (so easily that the fight isn't even shown on-screen). Next time we see them, they're getting knocked around by Akutagawa. Given that these guys are supposed to be the hype-worthy new villains, having them job to a guy that's already been defeated by the heroes prior strikes me as a rather... questionable decision.

To put things into perspective, Atsushi was already badly wounded and wouldn't put up much of a fight while the phone Kyouka was using to summon Demon Snow had broken so she was out of the fight as well. So that makes 5 Guild executives versus Ozaki, Kunikida and Kenji (plus some no name mooks). On the other hand, when Akutagawa attacked Margaret and Hawthorne it was a surprise attack and he had wiped all of the mooks and critically injured Margaret leaving only Hawthorne left who put up a reasonable fight. I'd say the power levels were reasonable.

As for Akutagawa himself, he never really becomes a good guy he just occasionally fights someone morally worse than himself. It's a very gray world in BSD.

[Skull]

Oh Mah Swirls! I just caught up on the manga and the latest chapter 44, what a twist!

Things are heating up!

Manga spoilers duh

Fitzgerald actual survived and is now planning on building a newer better Guild. Steinbeck has other plans though and wishes to crush Fitzgerald. Its all happening with the American authors!

[Skull]

Episode 19 just dropped and man was it good!

Steinbeck's ability looks just as gross animated and Lovecraft's wasn't much better. Who falls asleep after getting shot in the back? "Q" was adorable for such a mass murderer. Ango returned briefly only to get rammed by a car, talk about karma.

And of course the best character Fitzgerald makes his entrance by curbstomping Atsushi. Good times.