Bungo Stray Dogs

Episode 10

Was there anything so satisfying as watching Atsushi punch Akutagawa in the face this week? I'm not sure I can think of anything. It was even more fitting when it was revealed just what Akutagawa's grudge against the young weretiger is – jealousy, plain and simple. Back when Dazai was in the Port Mafia, a position he is only too happy to exploit this week, Akutagawa was his protégé, and it is clear that Dazai's defection left a sour taste in Akutagawa's mouth. Now having witnessed Atsushi's position as Dazai's newest street-kid-turned-agent (albeit for the other side), plus having been told that Atsushi is far more powerful than he is, Akutagawa's jealousy has driven him to seek the other's death. It's a revenge scheme worthy of the Rashomon name. The theme of men motivated by their own selfish interests to manipulate the truth can be seen in the characters' conflicting stories. Akutagawa is stuck inside his own version of events, which fully justify him not only killing Atsushi, but also his manipulation of Kyouka. He maintains that her gift is only good for murder, so by using her to kill people (or manipulating her Demon Snow, since she is forced to witness it without being able to control it herself), he is actually giving her life meaning. This is pretty disturbing logic, but it also points to Akutagawa believing that a person and their gift are one and the same – that Kyouka cannot exist as a separate entity without her Demon Snow. While Atsushi's tragic past (yes, it's back again this week) does lend some credence to that theory, he also disproves it once he learns to control his inner tiger. Perhaps he is stronger than Akutagawa because he has learned that control, while Akutagawa lives in the shadow of his Rashomon?

Dazai's defection from the Port Mafia seems to have had serious repercussions for others besides Akutagawa, as we see in his interactions with his former partner Chuuya. While Chuuya seems far less unbalanced than Akutagawa, it's still clear that he takes exception to Dazai's betrayal and seems to harbor some lingering affection for his previous teammate. At the very least, he has a greater understanding of what Dazai is capable of. When Dazai says that he's sent a letter to the heads of the group, which is clearly bigger than we'd previously been led to believe, Chuuya stops dead in his tracks. It's clear that Dazai knows things that could bring them all down. The question then becomes why Dazai hasn't actually revealed this knowledge. Would it take him down too? Do the two groups somehow need to coexist, and could that have something to do with the West mentioned by Chuuya? Because apparently that's where he's been until last episode – handling something in the nebulous West.

That brings me to another exciting moment this week – holy crap, was that F. Scott Fitzgerald at the end there? (And can I hope that his ability “The Great Gatsby,” involves spending obscene amounts of money on lavish parties?) Dazai seems suitably freaked out by whoever put the bounty on Atsushi, and from the quick cut over to Fitzgerald, that would seem to be him. If he scares Dazai that much, he must be fairly bad news, although it looks like he'll be steaming across the ocean for a bit longer, given that the preview for next week appears to be the happy adventures of Atsushi and Miyazawa. (I'm actually looking forward to that.) Regardless, Fitzgerald mentioned something about a “promised land” that seems like it could point to a new story arc or a bad joke about This Side of Paradise.

All in all, this is definitely one of the better episodes of Bungo Stray Dogs. It furthers the main plot of Atsushi's role within the Agency, develops Dazai's past and his relationship with the Port Mafia, saves the girl (who saves the boy), and directs us to a new threat. It also achieves a more stable mix of humor and serious action, and while Dazai and Chuuya look awkward in perspective during their dungeon scene, some of the action later on is very well done. The series may have finally gotten to where it needs to be, and things are definitely looking up on the whole.

Rating: B+

Bungo Stray Dogs is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.