#But wouldn’t it be funny if Dazai canonically looked an interviewer dead in the eye and went

[anti-dazai-blog]

I just remembered that interview where Asagiri answered Dazai's ideal marriage partner and the answer was, Dazai could "no matter the girl, shape her to suit his tastes." It was an Otomedia interview. The other two Dazai questions had answers just as bad

Thank you so much for citing the interview so precisely, thanks to that I was able to find it:

I don’t know why I thought I had a lot to say on this. It is what it is. At the moment my only reaction is “yeah that checks out.”

Question 1’s refusal to give a wedding gift is pretty on par with his general work habits (ie not doing any work ever)— if he could get out of putting in time/money/effort, he’s gonna. We already know that.

Question 2’s “shaping his partner to suit his tastes” is also pretty on brand. He makes his plans work with whoever will end up involved in them. He personally hands Akutagawa an inferiority complex on a silver platter and shapes his obsession with and desire to surpass Atsushi. Prior to Dazai’s repeated provocations, Akutagawa was entirely neutral on Atsushi—and Dazai was able to create an all-consuming obsession over the course of one or two conversations. Question 3’s “setting up up his partner to betray him” is just as canon as the former two responses— he set up Chuuya to seem like he betrayed the sheep.

so all in all, this interview isn’t telling us anything new— it is interesting to see how all of the typical Dazai-isms come through in the context of dating and relationships though, so thanks for sharing this interview with me, I’m glad I got the chance to read it