English Dub Review: Bungo Stray Dogs “The Day Is a Dream, The Night Is Real”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
During the play, Fukuzawa convinces Ranpo that he possesses a supernatural talent, but only if he wears a pair of glasses. When the leading actor dies, the two partners scramble to calm the audience and investigate the actor’s mysterious demise. What follows is a surprising revelation that only Ranpo knows.

Our Take:
The first episode of the show’s fourth season caught me by surprise when it decided to go down the prequel route for Fukuzawa. It made things easier for me to get attached to the show’s world-building without visiting the previous seasons. It also provided an intriguing start to Fukuzawa’s partnership with Ranpo regarding its neo-noir presentation. It was enough for me to see where the season goes, especially since the episode ended in the middle of their latest investigation.
The second episode picks up where we left off, with Fukuzawa and Ranpo attending the play, only for Ranpo to feel upset about being the only intelligent person in the world. Fukuzawa then tells Ranpo that his intelligence is part of his unique gift, and wearing a pair of glasses can activate this ability. But, of course, Fukuzawa also tells Ranpo he can tolerate people’s stupidity when he takes them off.
This part of the episode gives newcomers, including me, more insight into individuals with supernatural powers and how they’re looked down upon by society because of it. This is the case for Ranpo, who feels neglected due to his ability to see the truth before anyone else, making him an outcast. So Fukuzawa gave him a pair of glasses he bought from the trinket shop to boost Ranpo’s confidence. Unfortunately, Fukuzawa’s little “lie” also boosts Ranpo’s ignorance and egotistical nature.
The conversation then cuts itself short when the enticing part of the mystery begins, with the leading actor biting the bullet. In other words, he died. The suspicious man sitting next to Fukuzawa seemed to be the suspect responsible for the actor’s death, but as Ranpo suggested, he’s actually the victim of the actor’s actual goal. The actor faked his death to give his audience a unique experience, but when he looked at the people’s terrified faces, he realized that he was only doing it for himself.
The second episode cuts another murder mystery short due to Ranpo’s intellect. However, it compensates for it by effectively reflecting on the pros and cons of method acting regarding the leading actor’s agenda. Making an audience believe what they see is real can lead to some fulfilling rewards, but it can also pose a risk of traumatizing them for the sake of the experience. That alone is enough to make this episode decent, along with the chemistry between Fukuzawa and Ranpo and its smooth transition from black and white to color when Ranpo puts on the glasses.