English Dub Review: Bungo Stray Dogs “Dazai, Chuuya, Fifteen Years Old”

Let’s take a look into the past.

Overview (Spoilers Below)

This episode takes place in the past, with Mori being sent on a mission for the Port Mafia. It would seem the former leader of the Port Mafia has been resurrected, and considering the grim way that Mori took control of the Mafia by assassinating the previous head, this would mean bad news for Mori.

Dazai heads down to Suribachi, accompanied by Hoshi, where they encounter Chuuya, who is lord of that territory as “King of the Sheep,” though he dislikes that name. He takes on Hoshi and Dazai, holding nothing back and using his anti-gravity abilities to great effect. He puts Hoshi on the ropes, but Dazai is able to use his nullification ability to bring Chuuya to a standstill.

Chuuya gets captured and is brought to Mori, who explains a little bit more about why he’s here. He gives Chuuya an offer that he can’t refuse, blackmailing him into working for the Port Mafia. His partner is, of course, Dazai, who isn’t exactly thrilled about working with this upstart child. Their mission is to discover more about Arahabaki, who seems to have possessed the former Mafia leader.

They head out to investigate a bombing that has some relationship with Arahabaki, but is stopped by someone wielding a gun who holds them up. The episode ends with Chuuya getting ready to inflict some violence on this hapless interloper.

Our Take:

Bungo Stray Dogs has returned, opening with an episode that delves more into Dazai and Chuuya’s past. This is no mere flashback, however, but a side story that gives additional context to what’s going on in the present while still producing an entertaining episode in its own right. I was captured from start to finish, brought in by the pillars of quality storytelling that this episode adheres to. Great characters, excellent action, solid voice performances and writing that puts most other anime to shame. Not to mention, this episode offers a fun look at the beginning of Dazai and Chuuya’s relationship with each other.

This first episode, and this show, in general, does an excellent job of setting up interesting fights based off of combinations of abilities and characters facing off against each other. Similar to the series “Baccano”, there is chaotic friction between characters who seem almost incidental to each other. It’s exciting to see this kind of storytelling used, where the characters define what’s happening in the scene far more than the needs of the plot. The action scenes work as accessories of that plot and are designed to accentuate the character designs of the cast. The character designs, while a bit more subtle than most, are still well-made and interesting to look at. Each character has memorable differences between them that make them feel unique despite most of them having similar modes of dress.

There’s a maturity to this story that makes it far more compelling than other seasonal anime which focus on magical abilities. Bungo Stray Dogs likes to combine the eccentric and supernatural with the gritty reality of the criminal underworld. It’s a cocktail quite following in the footsteps of “Baccano” and “Durarara”, two works by Ryogo Narita that use this kind of “magical realism” to great effect. There’s certainly an art form in striking the balance between special abilities and realistic characters. Most anime tend to just go straight over the top with their insanity, alienating potential viewers in the process.

All of this, combined with the excellent production of the story, makes for a first episode of the season that’s a real treat to watch. This is a show that feels like an anime, and more like a movie told piecemeal. One feels that it has real respect for the viewer. If you’re already a fan, you’re going to have a good time with this, and if you’re new to the show, then this is absolutely something to catch up on.