#Maybe this is the Dazai arc where he finally lets go and leaves the planning/breaking of plans to Chuuya.

[caelanglang]

THIS ENTIRE POST AKDJDKJSJAJA I TOTALLY AGREE AAARRGHHFHF

But there’s also that point in stormbringer where Dazai was willing to change all the plans to make way for Chuuya’s choice. I think the moment he found out Chuuya was in the playing field, he already did change the plans. Maybe the drowning wasn’t even his initial plan but he just wanted to make sure Chuuya makes it through/snaps out of the brainwashing by getting an opportunity to talk to him (via the speakers).

I’m almost a hundred percent sure the speech contained some sort of code and a hidden apology with a lot of emotional factors that Dazai would never deliver under normal circumstances. I think that this is something—a nuance—that only Chuuya would get. Maybe it was indeed his farewell, but I’m pretty sure that he was confident Chuuya would survive the waters, he’s sorry he had to make him go through it. They’ve been partners for so long, dealing with tricky things like liquid is definitely something they had to find a solution for at least once during their partnership. So maybe this farewell is kinda symbolic too. That Dazai chooses to prioritize the ADA over the Port Mafia’s executive. I refer to PM’s executive bc that’s an entirely different thing as to Chuuya as his partner. If Dazai was still in the PM or working with the PM as his top priority, he would definitely deal with how to get Chuuya—an important asset to the mafia—back first. But that is not the case here. What Dazai’s actions meant was that he trusted Chuuya’s strength and personality, believing that he will make it through even if he himself is working towards a different goal.

Then again, I think Dazai’s always been flexible with planning. I have a whole theory that he began to plot for Sigma’s entrance exam as soon as he chose Sigma to be with him. (Something that Asagiri had been foreshadowing since the sky casino is ADA!Sigma so yes.) I love how you pointed out how Dazai’s plans rely on other people’s strength and choices so much. it shows his endless fascination in human life ngl. And Chuuya’s arrival at the prison being out of his expectations is so important. I think it’s something that will be putting him on the edge. It’s gonna be something he will change all of his plans for.

I believe that Dazai saves people since the very beginning. But he’s always been selective of who to save. He saves those who he somewhat sees himself in. A quote from No Longer Human says a lot about it which i think Asagiri adds into his character, “If ever I meet someone society has designated as an outcast, I invariably feel affection for him, an emotion which carries me away in melting tenderness.”

First, we had Chuuya being save from the Sheep’s exploitation. Then Dazai joined him on his journey of questioning his humanity/Stormbringer stuffs. We had Odasaku’s lonely and dangerous life as a special postman and former assassin being invited to the Mafia for protection. We have the Akutagawa siblings who have been seen as a meaningless and neglected existence in the slumps. All of which he brought into the PM, a place he thought was reasonable and ‘safe’ and enough to give a reason in living. Which I think just shows how twisted his perspective in life and its comforts already is at an early age. After moving to the ADA, I love how he immediately thought of pairing Akutagawa the moment he saw Atsushi. It makes me wonder if he ever thought of bringing Akutagawa into the light after experiencing it himself (which also involves my whole other theory how Beast AU is closely interconnected with the current canon events like—how did Dazai know Atsushi’s ability upon first encounter sjdjfjjsjs unless its a hidden feature of his ability to know if someone has an ability by mere touch—). Then we have Kyouka who just like him moved from the PM to the ADA.

Now we have Sigma who (1) is not truly human, which is something both Chuuya and him had experiences of (i think that’s a really important factor here!!) and (2) is a former criminal who has been used/treated as nothing important in their whole life (both like Odasaku, Kyouka, and Akutagawa respectively) and (3) longs for a home (like Atsushi and Kyouka). So really, Sigma fits the bill so well.

Wait, I’m going off tangents now skdjdjsjks but I truly believe the many of Dazai’s plans have the end goal of saving someone. I think the next steps of his plan heavily relies on Sigma’s and Chuuya’s Choices.

Maybe just like Dead Apple, he’s got something on his sleeves about the poison. But idk there are so many hidden factors (like Atsushi’s Dazai visions sndjjsa) and unrevealed surprises that makes reading this arc so fun. It’s selfish of me but I really hope the latest chapter caught his raw emotions. I want shocked Dazai, mr. Demon prodigy being expressive and not acting. Even if it’s just one of those panels being it. I’m sure he did something on the elevator already in preparation but still. I also want Chuuya to kick both his and Fydor’s scheming plans off the rail. Maybe this will also be Fydor’s arc in realizing that human’s ability to make changes is what makes the world run as it is. This arc is gonna be a humbling whoop in the butt for these geniuses i hope hhhhhhh

Chuuya’s autonomy is also so so important and I think you’ve said every thought I have for it! I love the way how you put it to words!! This arc is like a character exploration for all of them tbh methinks. Mostly on Dazai and Fyodor and Sigma though. And Chuuya is there to trigger most of those changes… I hope he get mad mad and break the normal dynamic!! THE LAST LINE YOU WROTE SLAPS OP!!

Chapter 105.5 Thoughts: Control, Manipulation and Partnership

Or, how Chuuya is actually the most qualified character to land a victory over Dostoevsky.

I just want to preface this with: I think Chuuya has woken from the brainwashing. We can't see his eyes, he's holding his hat again, and look at the progression of his face and expression from the last few chapters with him (these are in order btw from left to right).

I'm not completely sure how he did this, but I chalk a lot of it up to sheer stubborn determination on Chuuya's part, mostly because it's funny and he was clearly fighting back before Dazai's speech. However, I find it likely the speech did contain some kind of code - others have pointed out how "Goodbye!" might be a reference to the original author's last unfinished book and we know skk's codenames for things generally are based off their real counterparts' works so, maybe he'd already broken out of it, maybe there was something in there that gave him the final push - who knows at this point honestly? Either way, it means Chuuya had the capacity to break out of the vampire curse on his own and that's incredibly funny to me for many reasons but mostly:

Fyodor: "Bold of you to assume Chuuya's ability can't overcome flooding."

Dazai: "Bold of you to assume Chuuya's personality can't overcome brainwashing."

But really, this highlights something interesting here, both in what Chuuya's role is ultimately intended to be in this arc, and in the way Fyodor and Dazai manipulate and value others in very different ways.

I've said it before but it bears repeating: we already know that Fyodor is an excellent long-term planner, while Dazai is effectively able to counter him because Dazai shifts into thinking like his opponent. They're foil characters for a reason; they're both highly intelligent, manipulative, and willing to play the long game for the sake of winning against their opponent.

Thing is, I also stand by the idea that personality-wise, they're not similar at all - and that has serious implications for the people they are connected with. The build-up to the prison escape arc really highlights this. Some examples:

Chapter 46: Fyodor believes that all people are sinful and foolish and that his goal is to remove sin. Dazai believes that all people are sinful and foolish but asks what's so wrong with that.

Chapter 64: They decide to have a "super-happy chit-chat" about their problems. Dazai's solution to Fyodor's issue with his lazy subordinates is to get them to think lazing around is a bad thing so they will put in effort of their own. Fyodor's solution to Dazai being unable to woo the waitress is to isolate her from her job, house and family so that she can only rely on Dazai.

Chapter 77: Fyodor believes god is perfection and harmony, and thus that the people capable of change are the superior ones with most control. Dazai believes god is the accidental and illogical and believes it is the ordinary people who fight and live in that uncertainty who create the greatest change.

So, what's happening here? Fyodor's manipulation is shown to be very exacting and direct. He leaves no room for error and regards people on a hierarchy - God above all, himself as a servant of God's will, and the sinful and foolish humans he has little regard for. Dazai's manipulation involves manipulation of the situation, and is often indirect. It involves people coming to the conclusion he intends for them to on their own. And from his later dialogue with Sigma, we see he doesn't regard the world in that same kind of hierarchy.

Now, look at the way Fyodor picks an item and Dazai picks a person when starting the game. Look at the way Fyodor refers to Chuuya respectfully but brainwashes him entirely and mocks Dazai for not being worthy of "using" his ability. Look at the way Dazai is a complete ass to Chuuya but ultimately lets him make his own choices (begging people to take note of that moment in Stormbringer where Dazai cuts himself off to correct his referring to Corruption as Arahabaki's true power to Chuuya's true power).

So, the actual strength Dazai has over Dostoevsky then, is not really his strength at all, it's the strength of others and their choice and willpower to act in the way they believe is best. It's the only means of getting a leg up on Dostoevsky, otherwise they will continue to go around and around in circles forever.

And Chuuya is the best candidate for finally throwing Fyodor off his game.

Firstly, let's just establish something: no matter how mad he is at Dazai, he's not going to side with Fyodor, not willingly. Fyodor threatened the Mafia in the Cannibalism arc by attacking Mori, first of all. I doubt he's forgiven him for that. Secondly, Fyodor embodies everything Chuuya can't stand about Dazai, at the very least, younger Dazai - the manipulation, the lack of consideration and connection with others, the callousness and lack of regard for life.

Well, perhaps he's not quite as irritating. +1 point for Dostoevsky I guess?

But lastly, it is more advantageous for Chuuya at this point to help fight against Fyodor, especially since most of the Mafia has been vampirized by his organization. Helping the Agency stop the terrorist plot will help the Mafia by extension by undoing that. And we know from Stormbringer that no matter how much Chuuya is personally hurt, he considers taking out the threat to his people a higher priority. Always.

(You could make the argument that he was told whatever Teruko told Atsushi and decided to join, but not only do I find this wildly out of character, but if that was the case then there would've been no reason to brainwash him.)

That said, I don't think this was preemptive "Dazai's master plan #3057", and in fact, I stand by the idea that Dazai had no idea Chuuya was going to be in the prison. It is very, very important to me that for the rest of this arc, no matter what Chuuya does, that his actions are his own. Not Fyodor's, not Dazai's, but his. And not just because I hate that he's being controlled right now and that freedom of choice has always been important for Chuuya.

But because it makes narrative sense.

The vampires are a bit silly, yes, but they represent the way Fyodor and Fukuchi think - humanity will commit atrocities. They cannot be trusted to make their own decisions. They want to make a world that is free by... mind-controlling people so their plans work without a hitch. In short, they choose, on behalf of others, to sacrifice human autonomy for peace. So, if we are going to turn this arc around, we need to have characters breaking out of that control and thinking for themselves, in spite of the uncertainty of the outcome.

We already see this with Atsushi in the last chapter! He finally takes initiative and makes that choice to leave the room when he doesn't exactly know what the right thing to do is. And this is also why I don't think Teruko is wholly convinced by the DoA either - she lets him go. She gives him the freedom to choose what he does with that information.

Another one of the focus characters here is Sigma. Sigma is a guy who has no past, whose humanity is questioned, who keeps being used by organizations for his valuable ability, who has no home but desperately wants one... oh wait. Remind you of anyone's younger self? This could go one of two ways: Chuuya fails to assert his autonomy, leaving Sigma to learn from that failure, or, Chuuya succeeds in asserting his autonomy, leaving Sigma to learn from his success.

I think it, by necessity, has to be the latter. Sigma's at a tipping point right now, and I think seeing someone try to assert their freedom only to fail would damage him greatly. And I think it's a waste of Chuuya's character honestly.

Chuuya needs to assert his autonomy in this arc. Not just for thematic reasons but because I can think of no one else who can effectively break the "super-genius stalemate".

I keep hearing "Dazai knows Chuuya" in response to Fyodor calling their bond shallow, and that is absolutely true! But Chuuya also knows Dazai. Incredibly well. Odasaku knew Dazai's soul, but Chuuya knows Dazai's mind, knows his strategies and ways of thinking without even needing words. What's more, Chuuya has thrown off Dazai before and done what he didn't expect him to.

Which is nifty, because Dazai and Fyodor think a lot alike. Chuuya is in a unique position to thwart Dostoevsky because he may actually be able to predict him to a degree. Chuuya can absolutely land a victory against him, and it's excellent because it would be completely unexpected to Fyodor, who apparently thinks Chuuya's strength lies only in what his ability has to offer and not much else.

But listen. This also can't be skk's plan. I need Chuuya to sideline both of them. Both for the sweet, sweet catharsis of putting those two idiot geniuses in their places and also because I need Dazai to have screwed up. He wasn't wrong about people making their own choices in uncertainty. People need to assert their autonomy to create change. Dazai can't be wrong in this regard.

But with going ahead with the trap to drown Fyodor despite also having to drown Chuuya when he promised not to let him get killed... this needs to have been a mistake, otherwise the value of Dazai's emotional speech to him is diminished.

I want Dazai to try to laugh it off. I want him to say he always knew Chuuya would escape and then for Chuuya to deck him because "no, the fuck you didn't".

I really think Dazai hoped Chuuya would make it. Do remember that Chuuya was one of the first reasons young Dazai decided to try giving life a chance. The fact that he flashbacked to all his key memories with Chuuya says a lot. But his survival was no guarantee and it seemed very unlikely.

So, Chuuya is faced with the fact that Dazai nearly sacrificed him to kill Dostoevsky and save his new Agency friends.

And I hope he finally gets mad. I hope he finally expresses hurt on his own behalf for once. I hope they are forced to break their status quo that they have carefully maintained by not talking about anything ever. I hope they are pushed to uncomfortable places and that it is Chuuya who finally spurs this development.

Let Chuuya break the stalemate between Dazai and Dostoevsky. Let him shatter the status quo that him and Dazai have kept going for year after year.

Autonomous action in the face of uncertainty is necessary for change.

[akutagawaprize]

You'll talk someday about how the Port Mafia is portrayed? ( not the bightest bulbs in the chandelier huh. Not the most subtle either) im not trying to rush you, it bothers me too and im just curious. I like your analysis. Have a nice day

Haha all kidding aside, I’ve been meaning to talk about them for quite a while now. It’s just that I want the stuff I write to make sense, because usually they’re self-indulgent rambles. And this one won’t be an exception, especially since I have so many feelings about Port Mafia.

Usually it’s the protagonists who are outmatched, outgunned, outnumbered, or just generally outclassed. Through sheer force of will and nakama power perfect teamwork do they come out on top. Even then sacrifices have to be made. At the start, the Armed Detective Agency seemed like it will follow this mold, but soon we are introduced to their abilities.

On paper and in practice, the abilities of the members of ADA greatly complement each other. This means that even with few active operatives who can work on the field, they got all bases covered. If this were an MMO they’d have Atsushi and Kenji as tanks, Atsushi again and then Kunikida for DPS, Tanizaki going for Assistance/Crowd Control, Fukuzawa as Buffer, Dazai as Debuffer and of course, Yosano as their Healer. Not to mention Ranpo, the formidable brains behind their operations (with Dazai as backup, or even vice versa).

Now let’s take a look at the mafia. Not counting Odasaku, in their group who doesn’t have an offensive ability? Ace? Sure, but his ability only applies to his subordinates, and anyway he’s also dead. See the problem? Chuuya probably has the most versatile ability in the mafia right now, but it’s either he takes great pride in his prowess as a martial artist or he just can’t think of creative ways to take advantage of the fact that he can, well, manipulate gravity. There’s also Elise, who seems to be “programmed” to be able to do feats no ordinary human can, but we don’t know much about her. Outside of these two, the one who impresses is Kajii. His ability sounded like a joke sure, but he knows how to make use of it and in the right circumstances, can be that one member to watch out for. There’s also talks about another executive member or two. Whether one exists we don’t know, but I can only hope they’ll possess an ability that is a supportive one, or something gamechanging like mind reading or memory wipe.

Don’t get me wrong! It is rather refreshing to see a team full of competent people, especially in their line of work where they’ll find themselves smack dab in the middle of dirty matters the police and the military would rather not handle. That they are well-rounded means it’s easy to imagine why the government would want their help, why they get the requests they do, and why they are favored to take on cases that will pit them against criminals/evildoers who have their own deadly abilities.

But at the same time, the agency members seem almost… overpowered. They have limits and restrictions, true, but these barely influence how they use their abilities. The times they get into action, the enemies have done absolutely nothing to counter them or anticipate their movements… which is a shame really! Heroes are only as good as the villains who oppose their ideologies and this time, Fyodor has Port Mafia beat in spades.

Imagine Chapter 47 with Tanizaki using Kunikida’s note (while he can materialize objects remotely we didn’t know if anybody else could activate it or if distance was gonna an issue, but this does not break previously established rules so it gets a pass) to materialize a switchblade. Wouldn’t it have been far more interesting if one of them saw the trap, retaliated, and then caught Tanizaki off-guard, causing him to use his illusion to play mind games, make them question each other, heck make them question their own senses. But we don’t see any of it, we just see Tanizaki tricking everyone and it’s frustrating to watch, especially since they are already aware of what Tanizaki can do and have taken no measures to ensure he won’t be able to pull the same trick twice.

You see this with Akutagawa and Chuuya too, both preferring brute strength over anything else. Would it have been too OOC to have a panel of Chuuya looking/glancing around, trying to eliminate any possibilities of a trap? I’m sure Ranpo would have succeeded in luring Chuuya regardless but no matter how hotblooded Chuuya is, he’s a mafia executive still! There should be an ounce of logic in that brain. If the one at the top is this hopeless, what about the others?

I wasn’t particularly affected by that scene in Episode 4/Chapter 5 where the ADA systematically wrecks Black Lizard and mops the floor with them because I knew they were the equivalent to Red Shirts despite being properly introduced and being called commanders of an elite fighting squad… Okay, okay, reading what I just typed and looking back, it does make you wonder whether the mafia’s full of jobbers like these guys or if the ones at the top are just much, much scarier. Akutagawa was beaten by an untrained and inexperienced Atsushi who had been with ADA in just, what, a month or two? Chuuya’s an executive who looks cool and has an ability that is even cooler, but stick him next to Dazai and he becomes a sheepdog who’s all bark and no bite. Let’s not forget how he can only activate the “true” form of his ability if Dazai’s there to cancel it or else his body will give up on him. Kouyou looks like she means business, but she goes soft for Kyouka. Despite saying she’d stay in the mafia to help run their organization, one couldn’t help but wonder based on her recent actions whether she’s having second thoughts. The Black Lizard… No comment. Higuchi… She’s a badass Muggle, but a Muggle nonetheless.

Mori? Now we’re talking. In episode 21/Chapter 30 we learn that the previous leader had gone delirious and started giving out illogical orders, resulting to confusion and punishing losses on the mafia’s side. Mori relieves the leader of his duty, with a young Dazai as the sole witness. Mori has ambitions, but the exchange also implies that if the leader hadn’t let things escalate to such a sorry state then Mori wouldn’t have needed to go that far. Remember, at the conclusion of the 3 Way War Arc, he gave Kouyou the option of staying or running away. He may be coolheaded, but he’s not coldblooded. All of the actions he takes are to ensure the continued survival of the mafia, which is why unless some other canon information comes out, I’ll choose to believe that until now Mori is wrestling with the idea of killing Dazai for good or letting him be. I won’t put it past Mori to think up of a plan to convince Dazai to go back willingly, even putting his life on the line. Just as he won’t kill Dazai, he’s sure Dazai won’t kill him because once that happens there will be no turning back. So as long as the chance of Dazai returning is not at 0%, Mori will keep Dazai alive until he is sure he won’t have any need for him in the future.

Moving on, this is all rather awkward, but one glaring weakness of Port Mafia right now is just how damn good Mori is at his job. His absence leaves such a vacuum that everything is thrown out of order. There is no one to assume command the same way he can; the successor he’d groomed has long jumped ship. All other candidates for his replacement are woefully inadequate and ill-prepared. It’s a fate which calls to mind those great conquerors whose kingdoms fell into ruin not too long after they have passed away. Again, this is probably why Mori had invited Dazai back even if he was the one who chased him out in the first place.The thing is, no one has shown awareness of this. There has been no talk about any fear for the future, about what would happen post-Mori. The way the mafia acts, they think they’re invincible, that the halcyon days would never come to an end. Never mind that the ADA and maybe even the police had cornered them with their backs pressed against the wall a few couple times. To maf members, their strength and number are enough; sense, caution and tactics can come later. Ironic, considering these are things Mori presumably values and holds in high regards.

The Port Mafia has no unifying goal, so to speak. Of course, the ultimate point of the mafia is to make money, with violence as a currency they are willing to spend on those who won’t bow their heads. It’s a choice of lifestyle for those who enjoy crime and the taste of power… for those who find it easier to be dishonest… and maybe those who simply have nowhere else to go back to like that kid who became Ace’s collared subordinate. The mafia is their home, but unlike with the ADA, they didn’t join to make friends or play house. Again, most of them are probably motivated by money. That’s why when Mori was incapacitated, they didn’t have the same desperation as ADA, even with Hirotsu saying they are fighting to prove their worth by protecting their boss.

Finally, while the Port Mafia are heralded as “wardens of the night” and are comfortable in monitoring and participating in underground dealings and criminal activities in Yokohama, outside of their jurisdiction they hold little power. They have no ties to other organizations, no allies to back them up. ADA can count on the government for support for example. Add to that, Lucy and Poe from the Guild are practically unofficial members now. So how about the mafia? Is it possible that other port cities like Kobe and Nagasaki have their own mafia, and are affiliated with Yokohama’s Port Mafia? What about international ties? Knowing Mori, they should have built up a network of clients and freelancers, ones the executives or the mafia’s Intelligence Division could have called upon once it was clear Mori was in grave danger and that the enemy knows mostly everyone in their organization. Outside help, one which the enemy wouldn’t have suspected, would have gone a long, long way and would have at least messed up some of ADA’s plans.

In wanting to give the heroes some spotlight, Asagiri-san has forgotten that the mafia has just as much as stake as the agency, but are not fighting like it. They are old dogs who won’t learn new tricks, while ADA has this “adapt or die” mindset. They have smartly split up into two groups (or 3, if you count Ranpo by himself) to explore all the options that could save Fukuzawa’s life. It’s probably this difference in their way of thinking that for a “rival organization”, the mafia has become bland and underwhelming.

scanlation credit: Dazai Scans, Easy Going Scans

[akutagawaprize]

What do you think about the Cannibalism Arc?

Yes, I haven’t said anything about the new arc, have I?

Let’s see. 48.5 was short and not at all what I expected, but as a lot of people have no doubt already pointed out, it was a good chapter to get into the character’s heads even for just a bit. They each have their own reasons for fighting/not fighting, but what interested me the most was Kenji.

We are led to believe that Kenji is this innocent and hopelessly simple boy through and through, but the absence of a sense of right and wrong gives one pause. His reason for fighting is simply because he wants to help his friends, even if meant murder. We don’t see any troubled expression too, just his usual smile. Come to think of it, even before this chapter, he wasn’t phased by the grisly details surrounding his investigations. Exploding cars, disfigured bodies… That’s pretty much the norm for him? Wait, what kind of place was his hometown anyway? Like St Mary Mead? I’m willing to bet if you placed him in the situation Kunikida was under a few chapters ago, he’d still be as nonchalant about it. Or maybe he’d be disappointed in himself, not because he failed to save all those innocent children, but because the incident would make the Agency members sad. That thought is… disturbing.

Moving on, there’s Mori and Yosano’s connection. I’m excited about this, and I’m all in for a possible past with Yosano almost joining Port Mafia before changing her mind the last minute and giving Mori the middle finger. Ranpo taking control is wonderful to see too, because all this time a lot of people were sure it was Ranpo who’d first break down but the reality of it was that it was Kunikida who is taking it so much harder.

Speaking of Fukuzawa and Kunikida, I think there is now a slim chance of Fukuzawa not making it, as opposed to my previous opinion that Asagiri would never kill anyone in the present timeline. The reason was because of the heavy foreshadowing in Ch. 40, plus the callback said chapter received in Ch 47.5. Mori’s death wouldn’t do anything much aside from Port Mafia probably self-destructing, but Fukuzawa’s? It can lead to many different directions, and it would firmly establish the BSD world as a world with consequences much more than all the other arcs preceding it.

As for Fyodor’s plan itself, it’s all coming along wonderfully. Fyodor’s goal is to obtain The Book™ so he could’ve chosen to just set his sights on ADA to get to Atsushi, but involving Port Mafia was an inspired move. This way, he creates chaos and confusion while removing a scenario where the two factions could form a temporary alliance against him, something neither Fitzgerald nor Alcott took into account when they went into the 3-Way War. And as Ranpo said, Fyodor is a cunning enough tactician to lay out intricate webs of false information leading to dead ends, discouraging both parties in catching the virus ability user. Add to that the time limit, leading to more frantic and more careless movements. This also means they don’t have the luxury of going over detailed plans to be the ones springing a trap. All this works out for Fyodor because his camp doesn’t have the numbers nor the power the Guild once possessed to combat ADA or Port Mafia head-on in their home turf. Looks like someone drilled it into their head the 36 Strategems.

With all this talk about Fyodor’s knife-sharp intelligence and unbelievable foresight, to me it seems strange he didn’t off Dazai (HEAD SHOT, HELLO??) when he had the chance. Obviously sparing Dazai’s life would bite back Fyodor at the climax of this arc, but I’ll just assume he would need Dazai later on so he only temporarily took him out of the game. Mori also opted to not kill Dazai even when he knew Dazai was 99% ready to leave the mafia. Could it be that Dazai is even more of a special snowflake than we thought he was? Oh Asagiri!

Other things: - Atsushi’s growth. If this happened at the start of the series, he would question Ranpo’s decision, but would most likely end up following the detective’s plans despite his misgivings. This chapter, we finally see him as a strongwilled, take-charge hero who listens to his own sense of right and wrong. It’s always nice to see some character development. - Tanizaki’s ability allows him to project illusions in a certain range of area around him. What are illusions? They conceal what is real. And what about Tanizaki? Can we say for certain his timid persona is his real self, or is it the illusion to hide a darker personality?- Katai: [hacker voice] I’m in.- People have been theorizing since Chapter 42 came out that Fyodor’s gonna force Chuuya to use Corruption. I like the idea, but I don’t remember Fyodor expressing any interest in Chuuya or his abilities, just Mori’s. At that time he was already making preparation. Sine Mori’s ability is a great secret, securing Ace’s list meant making sure there wouldn’t be any surprises that could ruin his plans. I suppose Chuuya using Corruption would be a good moment to bring Dazai back, but I’d rather we don’t go down this route because it seems predictable already.

scanlation credit: Dazai Scans