English Dub Review: Bungo Stray Dogs WAN “Episode 10”

OVERVIEW

Dazai makes Oden.

OUR TAKE

This episode was kind of about Dazai in a subtle way. His is a character that has always had a bit of darkness surrounded by a more positive demeanor, but sometimes that darkness leaks out at the most unexpected times. He’s probably in a more peaceful place by the time the series starts, and definitely so in this comedy series, but he’s always been a character with much more experience in the worst areas of this world but he takes it in stride, or at least puts on the façade that he does. It’s then interesting when people he knows end up meeting up and showing such different aspects of his life. Usually this is shown through Atsushi and Akutagawa, but in this case, Atsushi ends up meeting Chuuya, Dazai’s former rival and partner. Obviously they don’t get along but it’s interesting to see these two people from two distinct periods of Dazai’s life meeting and being at such odds. It’s the kind of interesting character interaction that I feel like this parody series could use more of. Or maybe they do it already a lot and I just don’t notice because I haven’t seen the first two seasons. All reasons are possible!

The last segment of this week is also extra notable. It’s a seemingly harmless fireworks festival, a common setting for easy going anime settings, especially for anime comedies, but it actually gives characters moments to just relax and be themselves in both funny and deep ways. Dazai, as the kinda sorta focus of the episode as stated, gets an interesting moment, noting that he hopes that he “goes out” like a firework, a subtle nod to him attempting suicide at the start of the series that Atsushi saves him from. Atsushi then tells him not to say those sorts of things, even as joke, showing his concern. Also, at the end of each of these episodes, we’ve seen Atsushi frolicking by the river during the credits during the afternoon, but here, we see him curled up in the dark, possibly showing some sort of despair a Dazai still seemingly wanting death after all this time, which I guess means those moments in the credits have been within Atsushi’s mind. Wow, this episode actually had something easy to talk about! But luckily we only have a couple episodes left so that I don’t have to keep stretching these things out any further!