#I NEED ANSWERS ASAGIRI SENSEI

[dropswand]

Just read bsd 113, and I HAVE THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS.

Is fyodor immortal? Maybe his claims of being some sort of demon wasn't far off? Like it wasn't the full truth, him being forced or possessed, but him being some sort of demom was. If the book can exist, so can this. Or maybe it's like Supernatural, and how Cas possesses a man and demons takeover people fully and atuff. I don't know man!!

Next is when Fukuzawa imagines the agency and Dazai isn't there. Why? I'm just confused, like is he not a member in his mind, or is it because he's currently in jail and after all the shit he went through with the other members, its not immediately on his mind? I dont know. I swear we never got the impression that Fukuzawa never considered him a member before, so this is straight out of left field.

Also Fukuzawa crying after Teruko finally kills Fukuichi, which like finally, but also made me feel so upset for him. His reminiscing and everything killed me I swear, but Aya coming in and cheering while he's having a moment made me giggle. Bad timing, give him a moment kiddo.

I knew Sigma wasn't dead, just information overload or processing, so I wasn't too worried about that. I'm still not over Fyodor being around for centuries. Also I've felt like this for a while, but he's definitely not dead. Lol.

It's not sensical to kill him off with how little we know, and how much depth there is to yet be explained about him. Lowkey, I feel like if Dazai didn't die this time against him like at all, it's definitely going to be a much closer thing the next time they scuffle. And I'm a Dazai simp sooo.... 💀💀💀

Because Fyodor is definitely alive.

He's like immortal or something, probably has to do with some kind off religious spin off. Kind of like Hazbin Hotel and their spin off lore of religion and stuff.

Also my bet is Tanizaki being chosen to join the mafia. Literally the best, most suitable option. ALSO HE LITERALLY CAUGHT GIN, THE BEST ASSASSIN IN THE PM, OFF GUARD. And wasn't it said, they wanted someone good at assassinations or something, or am I recalling incorrectly. Its been a while... 😓

Ok, that's everthing I can think of rn, I'm going to sleep. Maybe ;)

[marvel-starwarsfangirl]

What is Mori waiting for?

A question that I ask myself a lot as this gigantic arc reaches its climax. So far, we’ve seen very little of the Mafia boss. He’s pretty much stayed put in his bunker the whole time. In the beginning, he did have a fairly big role: keeping the ADA members safe. Mori provided shelter for them and later reunited Tanizaki and Kenji with the others. He’s also one of the few people who always believed the ADA’s innocence. 

As of the right now, though, he’s been strangely absent. Minus Kouyo and Kajii (due to their absence), all of the PM members we’ve come to know and love have been turned. Mori has nothing left in terms of subordinates. He’s also very smart and a pragmatist. He’s not the type of recklessly throw himself into situations that he can’t win in. Is he that confident in the ADA’s ability to win?

Just how aware is he of the current situation? It’s possible he’s monitoring everything from the shadows. That is something he would do. 

Is he waiting for the most opportune moment to strike? Is he hoping that the ADA will solve this problem on their own? I hope we get to see what he’s up to soon because there’s no way someone as smart and self-interested as him would just sit around and do nothing. 

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

What kind of character development do you think Tanizaki could get?

Oooooo ok so other people have answered this far better than me but - have you seen any of those theories that Naomi is a creation of Light Snow and that the real Naomi has died? That Tanizaki may be selected to join the Port Mafia? That he may have been recruited by the Agency to stop him from showing up on the Mafia's radar?

I recommend looking through @tachiguin's blog for Tanizaki stuff; the analyses are supplemented by information and references to the real life Tanizaki-sensei's works and definitely worth a read if you're curious about him!

But really... Tanizaki has to get some kind of focus at some point. We know so little about him compared to the rest of the Agency. He's still a big question mark despite appearing at the very beginning. And... there's something really off about him.

His narration in the first part of Untold Origins has him basically repeating over and over what a normal guy he is. He does not remember his entrance exam because he blocked it out. He is one of the most comfortable with killing. His eyes go darker and more unstable than anyone in the Agency (even some in the Mafia). He cares little for morality if Naomi is in danger ("world-burn" anyone?) and in Beast, he is supportive of Akutagawa killing the people who took Gin, which shocks even Naomi herself. He puts his ability down as not useful in combat, only for it to repeatedly be shown to be invaluable for assassination. Ayatsuji, in a side story, considered him suspicious enough to capture and tie up (this was more for comedy... but still). Asagiri mentioned that he considers Tanizaki to be the member of the Agency that is "closest to evil". ...yikes.

Anyways, I definitely think we're setting up to reveal something about him. He's been there since the beginning, and even minor characters we thought we probably wouldn't get much elaboration on or would play a major role (Tachihara, for instance) did eventually get some background. The only characters in the Agency we really know nothing about are Tanizaki and Kunikida, though at least with Kunikida we have the Azure Messenger backstory... with Tanizaki we have literally nothing. I'm sure that's not unintentional.

Personally, I am hoping that whatever ends up happening, that we get more Naomi focus too, since she's actually so so cool. There's a post here about how Naomi actually has an inner voice and a definite consciousness, which has some fascinating implications for Light Snow if she really is a created construct. There's also her quick thinking (she's canonically very clever), and the fact that she has picked up little tricks and some strategic thinking from observing Dazai (someone on here brought up the possibility of her learning to do the handcuff snap he does and I have not known peace since. I need to see her do that so bad). She's also apparently something of a trusted figure for Fukuzawa and comfortable going and getting him when the Agency is waffling over whether or not to save Atsushi. She's openly annoyed by Fitzgerald which is really funny. Naomi is also super protective of Tanizaki and Haruno, she's sweet to Kyouka and playfully teasing yet supportive of Atsushi. If we ever get a focus on Tanizaki, I need that focus to split between the both of them. There's foundations to do some fascinating storytelling with each of these characters!

[linklethehistorian]

salutations mr linkle the hyrule historian tumblr can u direct me 2 the last anon that said ur wrong bc i think they're great n I wanna give them a kiss on the lips!!!! anyway was it not u that said the OFFICIAL!!!!!!! 15 translation was wrong n bad so i dont think the opinions of anyone who considers rimbaud a doormat n wrote the abomination that is cherish are valid

anyway anon if ur reading this ilove u pooks u me n bitch tree anon n bully anon should b poly or smth we'd make beautiful children

Hmmmmmmmmmm, well I don’t remember anybody saying I was wrong, honey. 🤔 Last anon just asked me a question about if I’d ever considered something, and I answered! 😊

Anyway I’d love love love love to help you two hook up bc that’s so sweet and I want to meet your future children so much! 🥺💕💕💕 I could be a part of a real life love story! 🥺💖💖💖💕💕💕💕💕 So cute!!! I don’t think Bully anon or Bitch Tree anon would be into it unfortunately at first, since they send me little hearts and cutesie things these days…. I’m sorry about that. 😔 Oh well! I’m sure when they hear your dedication to reach out to me they’ll still want to give you kissies somehow ‘cause they’re so dedicated to me too, just in a very loving way.

And yee! I did say the ‘official’ translation was bad! Thank you so much for remembering my words and sticking around my blog so long. 🥺💕 Anyway yeah, that unfortunately happens sometimes, and by sometimes, I mean a lot, ‘cause a) there are people out there who unironically think it’s okay to take creative liberties in translating because it’s their right as someone taking the time to do it (can’t be assed rn but if you search around this site enough, you’ll find an entire thread of translators talking about this), b), there are people who write for a lot of series they’re not into and therefore aren’t aware of all the context of previous novels, c) there are people who just slip up and make mistakes! Happens all the time unfortunately and most people don’t understand that if you misunderstand or change one thing it can change everything, and d) people who are tasked with translating 99% of the time never even talk to the people team of people who actually published the original, much less are in contact with the author themself! Mistranslations and drastic creative liberties happen a lot for example in the fandom I came from (The Legend of Zelda), which you can see a bit here! And if you still don’t believe me, you can go ask Dear old Author Neil Gaiman, who has even had some of the characters in his books turned from lovers to sisters and everything, a lot of the time completely without his knowledge until fans point it out to him! If you scroll his blog, I’m sure you’ll find those posts for yourself, assuming he doesn’t see an ask from you on if it happens. ‘Tis a sad thing, but Asagiri-sensei likely doesn’t even know when a mistranslation happens, much less do these people sit down and ask him things directly before doing their thing. He certainly doesn’t have involvement overseeing the process; that’s an unreasonable thing to ask of someone when it involves other languages they may or may not even be fluent in. And all the proof we need that it’s wrong is that the JP novel and the Stage Play (both things that Asagiri was directly, heavily involved in and/or directly penned the words of/material of the script for himself) both contradict it. If you’d like to take on that claim, since you’re implying I’m wrong, have at it! The burden of proof is on you, so, I look forward to seeing you send me the individual JP source lines of the Eng translations you want to take a crack at defending and a long wall of educational text explaining why each part of the English translation got it 1,000% right, directly in my in-box. If not, have a good day ‘cause I’m sorry, but I got limited time and other things to do right now, baby. 💕 I’ll eventually get to it myself some day, but right now I have other articles to finish first, art to make, and a fic to keep posting.

Speaking of which…OMG YOU READ CHERISH? 🥺💕💕💕💖💖💕💕💖💕💕💖💖😊💖💕🥺💕🥺💕💖💕💕🥺💕💖💕💕💕 That’s so sweet OMG OMG OMG! I’m glad you enjoy my beautiful ‘abomination’ enough to read and keep up with it! Don’t worry sweetie, the next chapter is on its way!

See this is why I love love love love love love love my ‘haters’ so fucking much, I adore y’all, I’d kill for y’all, OMG. You give me so much dedication and time, I know how much y’all adore me and I adore you right back! My beloved super fans. 💕💕💕💖💖💕💕💖💕💕💕💕🥺🥺🥺 Every ask I get and vague post I read makes my heart flutter, frfr, I’ve actually got an album I keep of screenshots of y’all’s posts to give me the motivation to keep doing what I do whenever I’m down. 🥺💖💖💕💕 This one goes in the collection for sure ahhhh 💖💖💕💕💕 I’m so important to people OMG IT’S SO CUTE AND SWEET

TAKE CARE OUT THERE ANON! PLS SEND ME MORE MESSAGES I LOVE THEM. I WAIT WITH BATED BREATH 💖💖💕💕💖💕💕💕💖💖

GOOD LUCK ON YOUR DATE!!! PLEASE MAKE BABIES WHO ARE ALSO OBSESSED WITH ME, I CAN’T WAIT 💕💕💕💖💖

[madraleen]

Bungo Stray Dogs - Kafka Asagiri/Sango Harukawa Vol. 18-19: Basically just praise for Harukawa-sensei in commentary format. (*anime spoilers and manga spoilers up to ch.114.5)

-BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS SIGMA ON THE COVER I LUFF HIM

-dazai, sigma, fyodor, why so pretty, guys?

-wait no, dazai can't have it right. sigma can't have learned of the Page from taneda since sigma WAS created with the page.

-fyodor looks so dreamy tho. if villain, why so pretty, man?

-fellas, is it gay to instantly create a code only you and your situationship can converse in, asking for dazai and fyod- errrr, asking for a friend. i kid, i kid, i don't ship them.

-CUT SIGMA SOME SLACK, TERUKO, HE'S ONLY THREE YEARS OLD :"(

-fyodor. my man. calm down with the pretty, you're distracting me

-always happy to see dazai unprepared for what he learns

-A PERSON WAS CREATED FROM NOTHING! BOOK-SAN'S CONSISTENCY MY ASS

-wait, "a piece of writing in the book" created sigma? so fukuchi or someone has access to the actual book, regardless of this one page? you speak in riddles, asagiri-sensei

-"can he even be called human?" dazai said, and immediately felt a connection to poor sigma

-SIGMA BABE, COME TO THE AGENCY (once we reinstate it)! WE WON'T HURT YOU! YOU CAN TRUST US! YES, THAT MEANIE DAZAI TOO, YOU CAN TRUST HIM!

-PROTECT SIGMA!

-i do like lucy

-gosh, it's all drawn so beautifully

-ooh nathaniel is still inside anne's room? oh cool, we'll see mitchell soon then. "soon." in the next... few... years...

-ango needs a long long vacation

-princess fyodor is so goddamn pretty. "i just sat here and prayed and those prayers were answered" - if this is a hint on how he communicates with the outside

-ah man. no one draws them like harukawa-sensei

-the way teruko slaps her knee when she laughs omg, what a cute detail. DAZAI DOES IT TOO, SO CUTE

-gosh i love tachihara. i say that about everyone, but have you met this cast

-every single character design is a gem, i can't

-SIGMA LIKES COOKIES, MY HEART

-THE CONTINUOUS DOUBLE PANEL OF JOUNO HALF-LIGHTER AND HALF-DARKER

-lmfao imaginary dazai is wearing his usual clothes in atsushi's vision and i was like "OMG YES HE DOESN'T LIVE IN THE WHITE FIT, I FORGORRR"

-the panel where gogol tells sigma they're going to kill dostoy and he holds his hat over sigma's head, chef's kiss, perfection, a masterpiece

-MUSHITAROU IS WITH POE OMG. POE IS AN HONORARY AGENCY MEMBER AT THIS POINT

-"why do people write? because inside that story you can see those you want to any time."

-ahaha the irony of ango disliking betrayal

-RANPO-SAN, YOUR CUTE LIL FACE, i missed you

-i love so much this line of thinking, that ranpo's saying 'no, i'm not asking you to believe we're pure and righteous, i'm asking you - wouldn't it be stupid if a master detective got caught like that?"

-ah man, yes, i've missed ranpo's lil face

-SOME OF THE AGENCY REUNITING, MY HEART <333. ATSUSHI LEAPING TO HUG KUNIKIDA, MY HEART! I MISS THEM! I MISS THEM ALL TOGETHER, I MISS THEM

-ranpo, i'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you only need "kenji and tanizaki" to be an agency again because technically dazai is with you since you're in contact with him. i will overlook the fact that he's not in any of all y'all's thoughts and i will not insult you by calling you a child of your own preposterous father figure and the lack of dazai in his thoughts. i will do that for you. this once. (i mean, technically they don't mention fukuzawa either, nor is he present in anne's room)

-the fukuchi panels hit differently with 20/20 hindsight.

-"fukuzawa's golden child" yes, fukuchi, that's our ranpo-san

-watching ranpo deduct who kamui is in real time with 20/20 hindsight is like watching a train wreck in slow motion.

-THE PANEL COMPOSITION, THE COLORING, I LOVE IT. YOU HEAR THE PANELS EVEN WHEN NO ONE IS SPEAKING, i can't describe it otherwise, you just HEAR the panels.

-i was about to scream at atsushi so hard for not including dazai in his agency image, but it's fine it's fine, dazai gets his own panel as he deserves. good boy atsushi. i always knew i loved you for a reason. wait. is that a good thing or a bad thing foreshadowing-wise? ...no no, i'll go with "good boy, atsushi, you know dazai deserves a panel of his own 'cause he's that special in general, and that special specifically for you."

-WILL atsushi's head grow back if you cut it off? uh... i don't want to find out, it's... let's not.

-atsushi: "i'm scared that i am alone." aku-kun: "you called?"

-AKU-KUN, MY LOVE! look at him, no one draws 'em like harukawa-sensei.

-LMFAO, "why do i look so flashy!?" SIGMA ARE YOU SERIOUS

-YOUR TWO-TONE HAIR IS NOT WEIRD, YOU'RE PERFECT

-SIGMA THE BAND FRONTMAN

-A FYODOR-NIKOLAI-SIGMA BAND

[gold-pavilion]

Shin soukoku and the philosophy of “meaning”

It’s a running theme that the team dubbed double black is always comprised of two very different but complementary members, from ability and skills to character and values. Shin soukoku, the new double black, isn’t the exception but actually the greatest exponent of that. 

Now, it’s also not unintentional that BSD’s characters and their viewpoints can sometimes represent different schools of existential thought, developing and clashing with others - it’s a theme that’s very central to BSD itself after all - and it’s precisely there, on that plane, where the opposition is built most strongly between Atsushi and Akutagawa.

I’ll explain each of their standpoints, and in a minute you’ll see exactly what I mean. 

Starting with Atsushi, his character arc sees him overcoming the idea he was raised under: that he needs to earn and justify his right to be alive, otherwise he’s a burden at best or pernicious at worst. And so, the need he displays to save others is both an act of empathy and a pathological need to be good for something, so that he can feel forgiven and justified. 

(Continuing under the cut due to length and plenty of imgs.)

This view has guided Atsushi from the start. It’s what pushed him to consider self-sacrifice as the only thing he could do during his ADA entrance test, what caused him to desperately want to save both the civilians during Kajii’s train hijack and Kyouka shortly after. It’s explained the most clearly in the following exchange with Akutagawa himself, during the Echo chapters:

But one thing is the ghost of the past behind Atsushi’s back, and another is his own thinking. Such ideas didn’t originate from him and they’re certainly not his own; in fact, Atsushi is fighting against them. 

Thanks to his own desire to live and the very healing effect of his time with the ADA, he’s quickly learned that no one can decide someone else’s worth or determine whether they have a right to live. That the worth in a person is inherent; a being doesn’t have to “be worthy”, it just has to be. It exists because it exists, not through virtue of being allowed by someone else. Existing, in itself, has worth, and anything more can be built up from there. That’s what he’s arrived at and what he wants to prove.

Akutagawa is aware of this viewpoint.

But Akutagawa refuses and opposes such a philosophy. He, on the other hand, has never seen or known worth in existence alone. Rather, his ideology is that a being doesn’t have worth, but must become worthy by virtue of being useful for something, being acknowledged for an achievement or use, and thus be given significance. To him, not everyone deserves their existence, not everyone gets that peace of mind. Not if they don’t win it first.

This is, of course, what his childhood in the slums and his education under Dazai taught him, what Dazai drilled into the deepest parts of him.

A being with no use is something worse than dead: it’s meaningless. It can be discarded, since it’s as good as nothing. So what he must do is earn his place and prove his significance. 

Even now, he must prove it.

In other words, we can summarize their standpoints this way: facing the question of “what makes it meaningful to be alive? What is meaning?”, Atsushi’s character as a whole represents the answer that “meaning is inherent to the self”, while Akutagawa’s says “meaning is determined externally to the self”.

When Atsushi and Akutagawa clash, it’s often a direct opposition between these two ideas. Akutagawa’s initial hate for Atsushi hinged on the frustration that someone like him, someone who didn’t prove to be strong enough and worthy enough, was being treated with humanity and given Dazai’s recognition. Likewise, Atsushi’s hate for Akutagawa was born from the latter’s disregard for life itself, for itself, which nullified his capacity for empathy.

Bearing this in mind, the following dialogues (taking place near the beginning, during Kyouka’s arc) become much clearer and more telling:

Akutagawa wanted her to have what he so desperately works for. Atsushi wanted her to be told what he so desperately needed too. Through their perspectives of Kyouka, they very much exposed their individual philosophies. And this first clash of values would shape their joint character arcs.

Of course, at the bottom of it all, what they both struggle with is the same: self-worth. And what they desire is also the same: to live meaningful lives. For Atsushi the answer is already at hand, what he must do is save lives and help people through the ADA, it’s what fulfills him and, little by little, eases the psychological ‘curse’ placed upon him by his deceased mentor. For Akutagawa, the answer is obtaining Dazai’s acknowledgement, being given worth by the only person he truly thinks can confer it to him, in order to feel that his life has been and is something of value. 

Though their search is similar, their answers are opposite and that’s what makes them two sides of the same coin, in a more profound way than anything else could. That’s what they are, as the current double black.

Or is it? Is that all?

After all, they didn’t simply stay as opposites and leave it at that, fighting each other without extending a single bridge between them. Akutagawa has shown time and time again that he understands Atsushi’s viewpoint, that he sees him. Atsushi sees him as well, and because of that, he’s set that unexpected bridge in order for Akutagawa to truly come closer and see things from his side of the divide. The constant friction of the two opposing forces erodes and begins to change them both.

Akutagawa, most of all, is still on a journey, tried and tested against Atsushi’s mostly defined arc. Through the rule of no killing, he’s gaining a new perspective on the value of life in general, and may yet see his own under a new light. Even now, he’s reconsidering what he’s proving and why.

In this setup of opposing philosophies something may yet change. This instance of soukoku, which has been built in a similar manner to the previous ones (that I believe have also had streaks of philosophical opposition written into them, but that’s thought and talk for another time) might result in something a tad different and be, in a way, more successful than their predecessors. 

But that’s the story Asagiri-sensei is still in process of telling us, so we’ll see what comes as we continue to read it.

For now, thanks for reading this! 

Manga credit: easygoingscans’s translation of BSD’s first arcs, dazaiscans’s translation of Portrait of a Father and the Echo chapters, and my translation for the recent Decay arc chapters.

[lowestechelonabomination]

so I've read SB and you know that scene at the end? where Chuuya finally became executive and he goes to see his parents and encounters Akutagawa and Higuchi on the way? yeah so uh. when did Higuchi join the mafia exactly?? like Chuuya is ~16 in that scene right? so Higuchi would be ~14? I mean her exact age isn't known but I assume she's around Akutagawa's age. so like. she was Akutagawa's driver even at 14? she's been around the mafia for that long? what even is her backstory? how did she get there? ASAGIRI-SENSEI I NEED ANSWERS

[kaus-quietis]

Cello Anon! Hello again ahahah~ First of all, I am glad you feel comfortable sharing all kinds of questions about the Conjurer here, I hope my blog is indeed a safe space that invites to character contemplation and embracing the beauty of complicated characters. My blog wasn’t always one dedicated to Fedya, but I guess since January 2022 it officially is... Rachmaninoff started it all, I tell you.

For those interested in the first part of our discussions, the link is here. I will copy the text of the rest of your ask below the cut and add my answers there too. I hope you and fellow BSD fans will enjoy this nice, calm talk, largely about Fedya of course.

Cello Anon: “Also, I am not too worried about Fedya dying in the June chapter (that is.. if we have a prison gang chapter,, maybe Asagiri-sensei would change pov again =_=) bc he says so confidently that Dazai can't kill him,,, so it'd be just cheap writing to kill him off the very next chapter lol…. What I am more worried is Dazai might try to force and glean information out of Fedya being pushed into a tight spot now,,, but I have full faith in him, he will wriggle out of the situation and again the Dazai vs Fedya will become a stalemate as always.”

Ngl I have the slight intuition that ch102 will be a flashback chapter or, like you suggest, one that switches the point-of-view. But intuition does not help us much in this talk, because literally anything could happen. Still, writing-wise, I don’t think Asagiri would fall into the trope of killing characters off for shock. This never happened so far (Akutagawa and the entirety of the Port Mafia don’t count, they’re still there, they exist, unlike Odasaku...). And also ngl when I’ve read Fedya saying “You can’t kill me”, my Devil May Cry 5 love triggered and I couldn’t unhear Dante’s crazy battle theme there lol

* I will never get over how cool it sounds especially when sloooowly approaching enemies and letting the build-up grow and grow like in the video until minute 1:00, because in the game, the better you play, the hotter the music gets mmmm. Honestly I am infatuated with the moments from minute 4:00 onwards. To understand what I mean by “You cannot kill me”, just listen till you reach rank S and beyond, the lyrics repeat partially at SSS. Even if other battle themes are cooler imo, like... I’m sorry but Vergil’s theme 💦💦💦 I still love fighting as Dante the most).

Now, Dazai forcing information out of Fedya is indeed a plausible (and in my opinion very likely to be true) explanation as to why press him to the point of killing him. But I suspect Fedya is an “all or nothing” type of person, like me, so things cannot take that turn, or if they will, he will bring hell itself with him.

Cello Anon: “Moreover, we still need to know what his ability is,,, I have read many theories about his ability but none of them scratch that particular itch for me lol. Oh and also, I saw you mention somewhere (I can't remember where) that he might have a long-ranged ability after all,,, seeing the bloody chaos he pulled in Ace's ship, I agree. Let me raise you one more-- this man SINGLEHANDEDLY killed all the guards in the 7th Agency prison as well! Even if, say, Ace's guards were caught offguard, there is no way the 7th Agency guards won't put up a fight and not try to protect their very valuable prisoner?? Maybe, I am overlooking something but I am leaning towards his ability having an additional long range feature….. Not like he needs his ability for his plans anyway. All he needs is a knife (I sometimes wonder if the fandom collectively forgets that Dead Apple exists bc wherever I turn, esp after the prison games started, all I can see is "Dazai at least spent some time in the PM while Fyodor is too weak and has no training at all!" The moves on this man doesn't seem like one without training???) and a gun and he is all set lol. I am amazed at how little he uses his ability and yet manages to be feared as the most dangerous man in BSD currently so much that Dazai wants to kill him off,, not even capture, straight up /kill/ hahaha”

Dear Cello Anon, did you notice how on my blog I never speculate on what Fedya’s ability, Crime and Punishment, actually is? Or how it works? My essay too, it is about Fedya’s personality, and thus it will not touch upon that kind of speculation. Do you know why that is so? It’s because I personally find it meaningless to speculate on his ability on my blog, precisely because it can be anything. I love reading posts who collect information, interpret it and deduce anything they can, and yet I myself refrain from doing so, and just await its reveal by Asagiri and Harukawa themselves. There are plenty of loose threads, one scarier than the other (like you pointed out, he killed the entirety of the Seventh Agency security guards in ch55 by himself, without a scratch, and that, together with “cleaning” the entirety of Ace’s ship in ch42, is not only impressive, but also frankly bonechilling. The post you are referring to is this one, in whose replies dear Alex (the post’s OP) wondered if Fedya has indeed a long-range attack too, as a possibility. While I love the idea, I neither support nor deny it. I simply do not hold any position in the “What is Fedya’s ability?” debate yet. I wait for more information. Lastly, it is indeed fascinating that Fedya used his ability extremely few times so far (or so it seems), and I love him for I admire this character for his strategical use of all resources he has at hand, be it ordinary means (classic stuff like information dealing, spreading false info, hacking, making deals, kidnapping with the purpose of obtaining info etc.), or just a handful of (seemingly disconnected) people. I will also talk extensively about Fedya’s methodology in my essay.

Cello Anon: “And hopefully we get to know his backstory on what actually made him start on this path and more (I bet something something to do with the Great War??) So yeah, he can't die now,,,, and as you say, he is too intelligent to die just like that. He carries a major part of the manga on his back so I won't accept his death without a satisfactory arc if he indeed has to /die/ after all T_T”

I am so excited to know his backstory too! Quite frankly, I will just lose my mind once it is revealed. Now, although Fedya’s age is not yet revealed (if he indeed has an age at all), if he is around Dazai’s or Kolya’s age (anything between 22 and 26, or even till 29 if we count in Shibusawa), then that means he was likely a child or a young teenager during the Great War, which in the BSD timeline took place 15 years ago, if I’m not mistaken. Yosano too (currently 25 like me), after all, was just a child when she took part in it, with Mori exploiting her ability to the point of breaking her spirit apart (ch65). I do talk a bit about the War and Fedya in a section where I speculate about something, but that one still needs to be fleshed out. We’ll see how it will turn out...

Cello Anon: “If this ask spoils a lot of your planned essay, you needn't answer it,,, your views about Fedya and mine seem a lot similar from what I can see :D --Cello Anon (I love this name <3) PS: I am starting to read Pandora Hearts bc of that one scene I saw on your blog and I really like it so far! PPS: I don't know which is the right blog to send you asks sorry! If you plan to answer this, you can answer on either, I will check it out no problem :)”

This was such a lovely interaction! Thank you for the asks, and for your enthusiasm <3 also I am SO happy to hear you started Pandora Hearts, it is indeed such a good, intricate story, with plenty of things to dwell on and all characters are simply superb! I hope you will enjoy the reading experience, as well as following MochiJun as her artstyle evolved and bloomed through the series. (Also yes, for BSD things like these, I much prefer receiving the ask on my main blog here <3) Have a peaceful Sunday~

[popopretty]

About commenting on Twitter

I have said this several times before but since it looks like my acc is getting noticed by more people recently, I want to take this chance to talk about the manners when commenting on author’s tweets. The reason I have to bring it up again is because I have noticed that the recent tweets from Asagiri-sensei have been filled with English comments that do not show proper manners. I do understand that Japanese culture is different and the way things are done here might sounds very strange to you. But I think we should at least respect that as we are benefiting from all the wonderful things they have created. I am gonna write down here some of my advices, coming from my experiences in interacting with the fandoms here for the last few years. I hope it might help. It does not apply only to BSD but to other fandoms too.

- Be relevant. If you don’t understand what they say, then better don’t comment. Don’t you find it irritating when people reply to your post with totally unrelated contents? If you have the needs to thank them for their work, there are always tweets they made especially for that. Go to those tweets and express your thanks.

- Write in simple English. If u ask me I actually would say, it’s better not to tweet in any other language than Japanese, unless you know for sure the person speaks English and are comfortable answering them. Simple phrases in Japanese like Thank you, Good morning, Take care etc. can easily be googled anywhere. If you still want to write English no matter what, keep it simple. Don’t use web slangs or references that only the international fandom would understand. Use that kind of English that will still be correct even if you throw it to the worst machine translator.

- Try not to mention the contents of the newest chapters/works etc in your tweet. I know I’m not in a position to say this since I like spoilers and I post them here all the time. But that is exactly why I want to separate my Twitter and Tumblr account. Twitter give you more exposure and things u write would be easily seen by people even if they want it or not. And Japanese people generally respect that. They never really discuss about spoilers in public, let alone under the author’s tweets. So please restrain from doing that.

- Be nice to the author. I guess this is just common sense. But its better not to go to the author’s tweet and be like why you did this and that. Cruelly speaking, I don’t think your opinions matter to them at all. They are free to do whatever they want with their stories so better accept that and be nice. You can do whatever you want on your own account, but dont do that when interacting with official accounts.

One more thing, this is not really related but It has happened so many times in the BSD fandom before so I just want to say something. Please be careful with what you share. If you do translation, please check it carefully before posting. If you use machine translation, put a disclaimer (but I dont recommend this at all except for very formal style of writing). If you are sharing things with no clear sources, please get your facts checked. This fandom is really nice but it is still suffering from misinformation sometimes. I know we all make mistakes but if we can be a little bit more careful then the numbers and seriousness of those mistakes will definitely go down and the fandom will be able to benefit from it.

That’s all I want to say. Thank you for reading.

[chazukekani]

Hi! Thank you so much for your stormbringer summary, I'm really grateful 😭. I'd tried to ask this earlier, but for some reason my sent question turned into blank space. Please, tell me, is Verlaine's ability name mentioned?

You are most welcome!

No, Verlaine's ability name was not mentioned. Meanwhile, I would like to take this opportunity to address some frequently asked questions about Verlaine.

1. Verlaine has the same ability as Chuuya. They are both created artificially, the former by French anti-government activists, while the latter by Japanese military. The reason why they are created because a human vessel is needed in order to have sufficient capability to control the self-contradicting ability: power amplifying ability, which allows the user himself to draw infinite power from their own ability. As there is a thesis about general ability: every ability has a limit, Verlaine and Chuuya's ability creates a paradox with this thesis, hence an ability singularity, an unlimited source of power, is created, and is beneficial to the military during the Great War.

2. Verlaine's ability name remains unknown, but the spell that he used in activating his ability is an excerpt from Rimbaud's poem called The Sister of Charity. It took me a while to find it because they didn't specifically state which poem it is in the novel, but it is notable that Asagiri-sensei chose the Japanese version of the poem which is translated by irl Nakahara Chuuya sensei himself.

3. Many people asked whether it is possible for Verlaine to appear in canon manga, and my answer is always positive. Tbh I think characters who haven't died in BSD light novels will have a high chance having a role in canon manga, or else they would be killed right away in novels as we all know light novels are basically slaughterhouse lol!

[marvel-starwarsfangirl]

BSD S5 Finale

Wow! OK, that was a ride for sure and I'm super excited for what's coming up. There are so many things to talk about so I'll list my main thoughts below.

I cried over Old Man Yaoi. I really wasn't a Fukuchi fan considering everything he'd done. But seeing Fukuzawa's grief and the pain both feel over their lost friendship truly hit my feels. I sobbed seeing them as kids and Fukuzawa holding his friend's dying body. The animation and music truly popped off. The emotions from Fukuzawa really drove it home. I am heartbroken.

YES! GOODBYE FYODOR! (sorry guys, he's pretty but he got on my nerves with everything that happened to Sigma and Dazai) (rip to all his fans)

I knew Dazai would be okay 😁 omg Chuuya was faking it the whole time?! I figured something was off when we never saw how he was turned. I find it so funny that Mori helped him put together the outfit. I can just imagine those two having a field day.

BRAM!!!! I love that he is whole once more. Now, he and Aya can start their little family and live happily ever after. Please let this happen Asagiri-sensei!

OMG the ending!!!! Anyone else noticed that "Fukuchi's" mask resembles the one from the new official art? Everyone is screwed once more.

Aku saying that he and Atsushi are enough to vanquish their new foe followed by Atsushi's smile really shows just how far they've come as partners. Shin Soukoku is winning y'all! We're winning!!!!

When the manga chapters come out, I hope we get some insight as to what's happening and how it's affecting our heroes. I also really hope they address how Yosano, Mori, and everyone else who we've barely seen are doing. Is Jouno alright? Is Tachihara alright? I need answers!

[pinkgirl94]

Bungou  Stray Dogs Questionnaire!

Rules: Complete all the questions you want, expand and explain your answers as much as you want, and have fun!

Tagged by: @datura-foxglove, @kirvanessa27

What ability would you have in the BSD universe? (What would it be called? What’s its purpose? How does it work?) I would like to have the paper manipulation called Page Turner. Either using pages from novels or other books, as long as there are words on them, I can make them as a weapon to attack or shield to protect.

If you could claim someone’s ability in BSD, whose ability would you want? Poe’s ability!  I’ve been wanting to feel what it’s like to experience in the world of my favorite books.

What group/organization would you join? (ex. Guild, Port Mafia, Armed Detectives’ Agency, Rats, etc.) Armed Detective Agency. I enjoy solving crimes & can see myself to get along with other members especially Atsushi.

Which BSD character do you identify with the most? Katai would be the one I identify the most. I’m an introvert person because I’m not a good conversation with other people. You can say I’m a woman with few words.

Who are your top five favorite BSD characters? (You can change the number) Atsushi, Dazai, Yosano, Akutagawa & Chuuya.

Are there any authors you’d want to bring into the BSD universe that hasn’t arrived yet? Or do you have OCs? Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson & Lewis Carroll. Asagiri-sensei, please make them appear. 😆

Favorite Scene(s)? Definitely Atsushi & Akutagawa’s fight scenes. It’s interesting how similar yet different they are. They argue physically & verbally because of their different opinions & morals. But they walk towards the same goal, gaining their worthy of living. The other characters also the same for finding their reason to live but both Atsushi & Akutagawa are a great example for me.

Favorite Quotes from the Authors/Characters? I pick the quotes from the authors only:  “You can hide memories, but you can’t erase the history that produced them. If nothing else, you need to remember that. You can’t erase history, or change it. It would be like destroying yourself.” -  ColorlessTsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami “We are all of us trainers of wild beasts, it is said, and the beasts in question are our own inner selves. In my case, the beast inside was my self-important sense of shame. That was my tiger, and it damaged me…” -  The Moon over the Mountain by Nakajima Atsushi “Two, probably. The first one is that people are all different. Even siblings. And the other one is that if you really want to know something, you have to be willing to pay the price.” - After Dark by Haruki Murakami

Who would you want to bring to life to be your best friend? Waifu/Husbando? Best Friend: Probably Atsushi or Tanizaki. I prefer normal friends to have a normal conversation & enjoy a normal life unlike the ‘others’. 😅 Waifu/Husbando: I don’t particularly have them.

How has Bungou Stray Dogs changed you as a person? Did you learn anything from it? I don’t see myself fully change but at a slow pace. The series made me return into reading after I stopped for so long. It also inspires me to study the authors & their lives. To read their views & opinions about living as humans, morals & more. Because of their stories, they made me understanding more what people are trying to live.

I’ll be tagging @bsd-bibliophile​, @blackandwhitemusician​, @aja154ever​, & @akai-koutei​.

[madraleen]

Bungo Stray Dogs - Kafka Asagiri/Sango Harukawa Volumes 7-8: “I like Dazai a normal amount,” she lied - A commentary (*anime spoilers)

-JINKO ATSUSHI AND DAZAI ON THE COVER, HERE WE GO

-THE COLORED PAGE OF DAZAI AND ATSUSHI, I LOVE THEM IT'S BEAUTIFUL

-it kind of amazes me that higuchi had to look at dazai's records to learn who he is. it amazes me that he isn't a local legend turned into ghost story for the newer mafia members

-could it actually be that cruelty "bores him, really"? current dazai isn't cruel. he's many things, but not cruel. could it be that he actually got so desensitized to it, that from cruel he turned to not cruel because it all became boring?

-i need to know, asagiri-sensei, did you sense that dazai would become so popular, did you hope, did you have a hunch. i had the same question on aot's levi, and i had it answered

-that's what i'll be saying if present timeline dazai gets transferred to the port mafia too: "why would mori-san, a paragon of rational logic..."

-DAZAI IS SO PRETTY, I CANNOT. i mean, erhm, yes, plot, interesting, very

-great job at drawing Q scary enough to justify dazai's "!" reaction. great job (i first wrote "dazai's shocked reaction," but "shock" feels too heavy of a word for dazai)

-i can just picture atsushi lamenting for all the clothes and shoes he destroys when he transforms

-okay no, that's decidedly an untainted eyes shocked dazai, when he realizes what "for his safety" meant. also my, what poofy hair for manga dazai <3. erhm, i mean, plot, yes, interesting, very (*i jest, i love the plot)

-but also, dazai's safety? really? what would anyone do to him in this situation? he'd cancel Q's and atsushi's abilities. nonsense, they just wanted him to not do that. great moment for atsushi though

-i mean, even the fact that you'd think of going so far as to "ponder the morality behind your[the agency's] plans" is progress for you, my dearest dazai

-THE BITCH SLAP, I LOVE THAT MOMENT

-"i have no right to whisk you away from your own past" that's such an interesting notion

-"stop feeling sorry for yourself. as long as you do, your life will be an unending nightmare."

-state of dazai's neck bandages: they're always there! always there!

-pff louisa is adorable

-genuinely, i'd like to see just a glimpse on what dazai has on chuuya, on kouyou, on everyone that's so terrified of his capacity to blackmail them/keep them quiet

-okay, but the spread of dazai pointing a gun at ango. iconic. ango's seen dazai for two seconds and he's already exhausted. dazai is tainted-eyed. all is well.

-i mean, ango having wiped your record clean is a Pretty Big Thing, dazai, you have to admit

-the walking whiplash that is dazai

-i think this is a great arc to show what exactly dazai does with information. how he makes educated guesses and plans, how he gets more info, how he reacts and adapts based on what he learns. later on, at least in the anime, after you've taken for granted that yeah okay dazai is a genius and probably has fifty plans hatching in secret, and with all the mind-fuckery going on, it's easy to forget that it's an actual process that he goes through, and it's very nicely laid-out in this comparatively more small-scale conflict

-man, i do love atsushi, he's so. SO! adorable, sweet, pure little flower, pinch-his-cheeks, feed him a cookie, pat his little head, protecc him.

-TAINTED EYES KYOUKA

-why is atsushi "the guide to this book," did we ever learn?

-DAZAI'S WIDE EYE WHEN HE SEES THE MARK ON KUNIKIDA! also, kunikida my man, what did you do to the poor trees, i didn't think you were like that

-i love the translator for translating "hohh?" as "hohh." you could have said "oh?" but you went with "hohh?"

-lucy calls atsushi "a poor lil stray cat," cat-theme, cat.

-lucy is an ada/pm shipper confirmed, and highly relatable

-CHUUUUUYA

-idk man, i think atsushi is a very compelling MC

-me: ffs, akutagawa, stop it with needing dazai's praise so desperately. also me, when dazai tells atsushi "you did really well": omg he praised us :") he said "really well" omg :') dazai omg :")

-dreamy princess dazai on the cover

-i see you fukuzawa, on the same spread with dazai. REMEMBER DAZAI, YOUR BLACK SHEEP SON, FUKUZAWA?! REMEMBER HIM?!

-dazai: "haaaaah... i can't muster the energy for anything..." relatable

-I AM SO IMPRESSED BY THE ALWAYS-THERE NECK BANDAGES EVEN IN THE TINIEST MOMENTS

-EIGHT YEARS AGO, LITTLE WHITTLE 14-YEAR-OLD DAZAI, HE'S SUCH A KIDDIE, LOOK AT HIS BIG EYES

-isn't it funny how it's basically because of atsushi's suggestion that the agency starts communicating with the port mafia and they start cooperating regularly? isn't it funny how our Sweet Summer Child MC did that

-pardon me, i don't like what i'm saying either, but why is mori-san so babydoll when talking to fukuzawa. he's extra smiley and sparkly

-see, see, dazai says it clearly to mori-san, "i don't want to team up with you either." PLEASE take tanizaki-kun!

-"twin dark"? double black is translated as twin dark in the manga? interesting.

-chuuya so fine

-WHAT IS THIS PAGE OF SMOL CHUUYA AND SMOL DAZAI LOOKING AT EACH OTHER AS THEY'RE BEING SEPARATED! WHAT IS THIS TINY Q WITH HIS SLIPPERS

-chuuya so smol :")

-"and there was only one doorknob" (*on dazai and chuuya both reaching out to open the door)

-you say you drank wine to celebrate that dazai left, chuuya, but all i'm hearing is "i got myself drunk 'cause i couldn't deal with it all"

-why does chuuya look so concerned that the curse hit our agency, what

-ah yes, my ship, walking bag of bandages/hat rack

-anime, manga, anywhere i see chuuya call dazai's name in concern, i just melt, i cannot. icannotcope

-chuuya "herding dog," mafia, dogs, my point.

-"and i hope your hat seizes your consciousness and kills you"??? that's creative.

-i almost said "chuuya is such a sweetheart," ffs. HE IS NOT, but you know what i mean. running to dazai, telling him he can't die in a place like this...

-is that a bare elbow i see? IS THAT A BARE ELBOW BEYOND THE CAST, NO BANDAGES?! dazai you minx

-CHUUYA'S SO SHORT COMPARED TO DAZAI, I CANNOT <3

-"TWIN DARK SIDEKICK"?! that's a low blow, dazai

-dazai's so starry-eyed at corruption

-is chuuya conscious through corruption? does he remember what he's supposed to do, does he remember what he's done after?

-DAZAI LEFT CHUUYA BEHIND AND WENT HOME?! JESUS CHRIST, DAZAI!!! ffs.

-is there anything more terrifying than having dazai bring you flowers and a fruit basket. you know nothing's good coming out of it

-so what we are saying is a) dazai and his tainted eyes either predicted the guild would attack ango or arranged the mystery vehicle attack for blackmail reasons, most likely the latter, which, fine, and b) that dazai fiddled with the airbag of the exact vehicle ango would take? what if he'd taken another vehicle? dazai, let's talk.

-WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU ERASED YOUR ENTRANCE EXAM FROM YOUR MEMORY, TANIZAKI, EXPLAIN! WHAT HAPPENED, HOW BAD WAS IT!

-"WIMPIEST IN THE WEST/WIMPIEST IN THE EAST" AHAHAHA

-"stagger," "cough," coughing blood, bring our boy aku-kun to yosano-san ffs (CAN she heal him? how much can she heal?)

-even though dazai and ranpo are both geniuses and both reach similar conclusions, their individual brand of genius just FEELS different. dazai's a strategist and a coordinator, ranpo is a puzzle-solver. it just tastes different, even though the result is the same-ish

-there's something so sweetly non-MC-heroic about atsushi telling dazai they should cancel the plan and find shelter when he learns the moby dick will drop on top of the agency. you think it's gonna destroy just the agency? the general populace doesn't even cross his mind on that instant, and it's so naively sweet

-atsushi's so strong, mentally. he struggles so much and he is so strong, fighting against himself, against his upbringing, and coming up on top. i'm sure he has no idea, but there is such strength in his choices and his actions

-okay, but hear me out. i want tanizaki to be the one to go to pm, no question about that, BUT. wouldn't it be interesting if atsushi was the one to go, and there was a repeat history of the new double black, only this time it would be atsushi dragging aku-kun towards the light kicking and screaming rather than two darklings enabling each other? an interesting thought. anyway, yes, please take tanizaki.

[lucifermeo]

Ooh, that's some interesting points about the place of the mafia in the narrative. I don't necessarily disagree, but I actually think the way the narrative frames the PM isn't all that negative. In the first arc, definitely, because it's the introductory arc so ADA is the good guys and PM is the bad guys. But I'd argue the way the audience becomes increasingly sympathetic to the PM isn't just purely because we are attached to their members but we are significantly helped along by the narrative too. In Cannibalism arc, the narrative goes as far as to justify the necessity of the mafia's existence via the Tripartite Pact. Which is wild if you think about it, because it's one thing to say criminals exist everywhere and some of those criminals are charismatic/sympathetic (as with most other stories), it's another thing to say we need them to exist to keep the order/safety/peace of the city. Of course, by the end of the series, Natsume-sensei's plan could still be proven to be wrong and the PM is an evil that shouldn't stand, but so far I actually haven't seen anything that hints at him being wrong.

Now, it is true the mafia isn't for everyone. If anything though, I've always thought Kyouka and Dazai are personal cases of people who doesn't fit the mafia, rather than a way to paint the broadstroke that the mafia isn't for anyone. Kyouka clearly because she doesn't want to do the job (kill people), and Dazai because he already struggles with feelings of alienation from humanity so a job that allows him to freely get rid people like chess pieces would make him worse (he still somewhat moves people like chess pieces now, but I imagine the fact their lives have meaning and are no longer so disposable acts as a grounding presence to him). A counter-point to them, though, would be Tachihara. It's interesting to contrast his behaviour upon finding out something sus about the ADA being terrorist/DoA compared to Jouno. Jouno's, an actual ex-criminal executive, first reaction is to tell the other HD members of Fukuchi's betrayal and he fully believed they would execute Fukuchi for justice. Tachihara, however, wholeheartedly embraced his identity as a mafioso and acted on Mori's behalf, and the narrative frames this and his bond with the Black Lizard as arguably a good thing. Arguably, of course, because he did die/got vampirised for it (and are we supposedly to conveniently forget Mori's role in the undead army fiasco), but then Jouno also died so it also could be Asagiri wanting to flex Fukuchi's OP-ness rather than a commentary on the wrongness of choosing the PM.

Back to Chuuya, after Stormbringer I actually thought he has outgrown, or at least made significant strides in his self-worth/humanity issues. Mori might have meant the information about his biological parents as a reward for his contribution, but I thought the point was that it doesn't matter anymore because Chuuya already believed himself human, pencil mark or parents or not. When he prioritised confronting Verlaine in the lab over killing N, it was mentioned that his eyes shoned as a person who have been shaped by countless encounters and bonds with other people (or something along the line), then once again when he and Adam knocked Verlaine unconcious we got him acknowledging Verlaine is human all along and Adam remarked again that Chuuya has found an answer for himself. He actually repeated this answer again to Guirve-mode Verlaine about having blessed to find people that loved/treasured him (rather than a place for himself). So I wouldn't say post-SB Chuuya has any delusions about how his humanity is based on contributing to the PM/Mori. And this is kind of a hot take from me, but after reading SB I'd say his unresolved character arc in the main manga is his tumultuous relationship with Dazai. (Yes, even without shipping goggles, because it is very notable most of his manga screentime is tied closely with Dazai, it was the reason he failed spectacularly in Cannibalism arc, and well, the current prison shenanigans.)

i don't even think i can articulate my reasons for this but i'm actually Not an ada!chuuya believer, not because i don't believe he can do fine in the ada but it just doesn't....feel right. sure the port mafia is fucked up but there's still this raw ride-or-die quality to them that just fits chuuya like a glove. like the ada members care a Lot about each other but it definitely isn't the same as the sort of intense feeling that got tachihara to betray the hunting dogs for the black lizard/port mafia?? or at least to me, because i was on the edge of my seat shaking screaming pumping my fist during that tachihara chapter while ada interactions like the ada reunion just give me sort of a...warm, comfortable feeling. i wouldn't say either feeling is necessarily superior to each other but we're talking about chuuya here. chuuya's ALL about intense feelings, all-or-nothing, no-holds-barred, and for anyone else maybe that's just a personality trait but for chuuya? that's what he stakes his whole humanity on. so yeah, i just don't see the ada as somewhere chuuya can get the most fulfillment(?)/his endgame.

actually even if chuuya ends up leaving the mafia for some reason (which i don't thing will happen but suppose mori would fuck around one time too many and start to find out) i feel he'd say fuck this bs and fake his death to retire to a remote village where nobody has ever heard of the word "ability users" rather than switching to the ada, who he barely even knows aside from like, dazai, and who he wouldn't be fucked to know more about anyway if you consider the emotional state he'd have to be in to leave the pm

[chazukekani]

Analysis - The Bird’s Cage

In my opinion, the chapters of Sunday Tragedy is going to explore the theme of ‘THINKING’. As Fyodor mentioned before: ‘People honestly, simply, wrongly assume “I think so myself”’ in Chapter 42. This is probably my favourite line so far, not because it is an inspiring and alerting quote to me personally, but also hint the morale of Fyodor and the DoA. For me, the Decay of Angels shares a same or similar set of belief or mortal, which allow them to conduct the terrorist plot afterwards, that’s why I think the issue of ‘independent thinking’ or ‘freedom’ is something that drive the DoA members together, and allow them to pursue their own utopia.

In Chapter 58.5, Gogol once said humans are as if birds, where ‘a bird born in a cage doesn’t notice that it’s a prisoner, without knowing that it’s crippled’. That’s why Gogol wishes to become a bird in the sky and fly freely. There is some details that worth mentioning is that, when Gogol first met Atsushi in the mansion, the bird is crippled inside a cage; yet when Gogol was ‘cut’ into two separate pieces, there is no birds in the cage anymore. It makes me wonder whether DEATH is the ultimate way to liberate people’s thinking afterall? I think we have to see how Asagiri-sensei interprets it.

-

My school teacher once asked my class what is a difference between computers and humans, and I still remembered that one of my classmates answered ‘consciousness’. Indeed, humans are proud of being able to think critically, and believe that our own views are always objective and accurate. . Yet, that is exactly the proud has blinded us, and it makes us unable to aware the cage that locked us. We always believe with our eyes, and perceive our experience as facts, and all the argument made on top of facts are definitely non-partisan, but can we actually prove things we witness as objective? We cannot. Therefore, this sentence expressed by Gogol is somehow echoing with Fyodor’s line that I mentioned above - ‘People honestly, simply, wrongly assume “I think so myself”’. No wonder Gogol thinks Fyodor is the one who can understand him.

Gogol’s statement above is somehow supported by the development of the plot. For example, when The Book is activated and defamed the Agency as terrorist, soldiers already perceived the ADA as the culprit by mere evidence and personal testimony.

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Although readers like us - who has God’s point of view towards the story - to think ‘that’s obvious that the ADA aren’t terrorist!!’, yet how many people is able to see through everything in the reality? Similar analogy can be spotted in [The Republic] by Plato (The Cave Analogy).

A little bit of context her, the Cave Analogy talks about there was once a group of people living in a cave back in the ancient times. The only source of light inside the cave was a torch of fire. People were tied on the wall of the cave by metal chains, so they could not turn their body. Those people could not see the torch, but only relying on others transporting objects through the central aisle of the cave. Thus, they could only observe the object through the projection via the torch, but never be able to see the actual object itself. Then on one day, a man managed to leave the cave. The man felt so sick under the dazzling sun, but he still to overcome the pain and adopted to it. When he went back to the cave, he wanted to share his experience to his friends who had never left the cave. Yet he found that the cave was all dark ,and people teased, laughed and feared his insane experience outside the cave. At last, Plato wrote that the man would be killed. (Extracted from the Book VII of The Republic)

Isn’t it similar? The people who stay inside cage/cave were indoctrinated with certain beliefs and doctrines, and never question them. Although we are able to witness the actual objects in reality, is it the truth? The same argument can be applied to my previous analysis on Ranpo. [quote] So it is quite ironic, but well-calculated for Asagiri to put forward Gogol’s point amid the arrest of the innocent Agency in order to portrait the dilemma of facts and truths.

Analysis - Chapter 79

For me, it is like a debate between ‘divine’ and ‘human nature’. Liberalists believe that humans are able to learn from experiences, and act rationally, and this fits with Dazai’s general perception towards humanity. So I think Kamui, along with the Decay of Angels, may see themselves as the executioner on behalf of God, and to bring ‘good deeds’, and to restore the order of the world. While Dazai’s belief of human nature, has to counter the war, and lead by Atsushi, in order to demonstrate the central message that needs to be conveyed by Asagiri Kafka.

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Another short point that worth mentioning is that, characters such as Dazai and Fyodor  supposed to be the one who stay outside the cage/cave (in terms their state of mind). When they are discussing plots in the prison, the security guards look horrify about Dazai and Fyodor’s conversation because they could not understand. It also echos with Plato’s description towards the man who get outside the cave, because the man was feared by his friends when he get back to the cave. Therefore, people who has outstanding ability and vision could be welcoming to others, like Dazai; and could not seemed as terrified to others as well, like Fyodor. I will illustrate the similarities and differences between them in the next analysis, but you can tell that the the storyline and character development are always connected and related with each other.

I think the ‘Cage Analogy’ will be crucial in illustrating the main morale of the Decay of Angeles. Since the Cannibalism Arc, we can see that humans’ weaknesses and fear has been manipulated on their hands. It is thus crucial for ADA to acknowledge and distinguish the truth and uphold their morale in order to counter the DoA. Perhaps DoA is portrayed as the villain nowadays, but given that Gogol has a direct conversation without protagonist - Atsushi - I believe that the competition between two organisations will change in the future.

[aja154ever]

Okay first of all how dare me.

Why did I even ask this first thing in the morning, now I'm reminded of the evil that Asagiri is. (but I loved sensei more bec of this)

Oh well, I don't need my heart anyway. Thank you for the beautiful answer. 😭😭😭

Pick: the canon universe where Oda dies but Dazai lives, or the AU where Oda lives but Dazai dies

fIRST Of AlL @aja154ever

Secondly, dear god.

Third…I’m gonna have to go with the universe where Dazai dies so Odasaku can live. It’s so fucking painfully in the most beautiful and tragic way; but fundamentally that’s what Dazai would want. He would want a world where Odasaku can live and thrive with his kids and write his novel. He wants a world where Odasaku could get the chance to grow old and not be so cruelly ripped away at the age of 23. 

Even if Dazai has to feel the pain of Odasaku so coldly telling him not to call him “Odasaku”, even if he has to live knowing the person that pulled him out of the darkness would never truly know the history they share; I think Dazai would have wanted it that way, being that Dazai can raise orphans and write and teach other people about being and good and doing the right thing.

Though I always hurt thinking about what if the situation was reversed. I don’t doubt it for a minute that Odasaku would give his life for Dazai to find happiness. And I don’t doubt it for a minutes Odasaku would be really mad that Dazai did something like that (if he found out what happened in the Beast AU).