English Dub Review: Bungo Stray Dogs “A Perfect Murder and Murderer (Part 2)”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
The last page of the manuscript received by Poe appears to have been a photocopy. Ranpo seems to know why, but there are still more mysteries surrounding the death of the author.

Our Take:
Last week gave us a head-scratching case that has puzzled everyone, even the kid detective. This was due to the member of the Rats, Mushitaro Oguri, who used his “Perfect Crime” ability to erase any evidence leading to him. He thought he could get away with his latest crime, but lucky for us, Ranpo encounters Mushitaro at the right place at the right time. For Mushitaro, on the other hand, it’s the opposite.
The second part of “A Perfect Murder and Murderer” occurs where part one left off, with Ranpo hitching a ride with Mushitaro, much to the latter’s discomfort. Ranpo has also figured out that Mushitaro is the perpetrator responsible for murdering the author and stealing their manuscript. However, due to the manuscript being a photocopy of the real thing, the mystery began to unravel into something far more intriguing than they usually thought.
This is where the episode’s second half shines compared to the first half. The first half features one humorous moment that gave me a chuckle: Poe’s cell phone freaking everyone out. However, I would say the second half is better for a few reasons. One is that it showcases Poe’s ability that transports Mushitaro into the crime scene from the manuscript. It provides an easier way to trap Mushitaro after failing to arrest him due to no evidence, but it also benefits from the solid animation work regarding its grim setting.
The second reason is the twist. While Mushitaro did indeed murder the author, it was because the author told him to kill him to make his novel more popular. The author wanted a real-life murder to match the narrative of his book. This almost hearkens back to the season’s second episode, “The Day Is a Dream, The Night is Real”, in which the actor faked his brutal death to immerse the experience. Both episodes reflect on the difference between fiction and reality and the consequences of pushing the limits of the two.
Overall, the second part of “A Perfect Murder and Murderer” caps off the two-parter with an engaging conclusion to its “perfect” murder case. Regarding its animation representing Poe’s powers and a well-executed twist, the episode is a step up from the previous episodes that also see a different side of the psychotic murderer. Unfortunately, it might also be the last time we see Mushitaro as he has possibly met his end thanks to the arrival of the Decay of Angels.