#and this is why yosano's arc and also ranpo's arc are just so....

[note-boom]

See here. BSD is a story about how all of our characters were once children. How the scars and wounds and secrets of their past will always haunt them to the present. We see it with Chuuya, Yosano, Ranpo, even Odasaku briefly, Atsushi, Tachihara, Akutagawa, Kyouka and Kenji right now, even Kouyou just a little bit. They've all overcome it or they've allowed it to consume them. And yet that brief glimpse into a past where they were young and scarred shows us once again just how human they are...every criminal, ever person, was once a child wounded by or protected from the world and doesn't that count for something even if it doesn't excuse the atrocities they commit today?

[asofspades]

I've seen a lot of people trying to get into the BSD light Novels and quite frankly you can read them in order but I do have a recommendation about the order I think makes more sense chronologically regarding the story.

So:

1. LN 3. The Untold Origins of the Armed Detective Agency.

2. LN 1. Osamu Dazai's Entrance Exam.

These two take place prior to the beginning of the main timeline and are actually a great way of understanding Ranpo and the partnership between Dazai and Kunikida (also recommend LN 1 to anime only watchers because they mixed the first chapters of the manga with Dazai's entrance exam which takes place 2 years prior to the manga and they royally screwed up on Kunikida's characterisation by doing that)

3. LN 7. Dazai, Chuuya, Age Fifteen

(the manga was good but I feel like you might understand Dazai and Chūya's dynamic and the difference of their relationship to both Mori and the Mafia once you read this)

4. LN 8. Stormbringer

(you might actually understand Chūya as a character after you read this one, dives a bit deeper into his relationship with Dazai, explains who Verlaine actually is and talks about stuff that's mentioned afterwards in the manga, like singularities)

5. LN 9. The Day I Picked up Dazai side A

(this happens at some point between LN 7 and LN 2, and helps you understand Dazai and Oda's relationship prior to reading LN 2, how Oda ended up in the Mafia and also a bit more dive into Dazai's character)

6. LN 2. Osamu Dazai and The Dark Era

(better than shown in the anime, allows you to see how Oda sees Dazai since it's written from his pov, a good dive into Dazai's character while in the mafia and why he actually left )

Once you finish The Guild arc

7. LN 4. 55 Minutes

8. LN 5. Dead Apple

(so, the first one is a bit crazy but actually dives a lot into Atsushi's character, explains weird phenomena in BSD regarding singularities and how Dazai isn't affected by certain abilities even without touch, how Yosano can actually use her ability on Dazai and I find it quite interesting, HG Wells is an interesting character as well)

(Dead Apple is entertaining and dives once again into characters and their abilities but also explains weird singularities again, also the bond between Dazai and Chūya, it also gets a bit weird towards the end in regards to things happening that might be hard to understand but the rest is easier to understand than in the movie adaptation)

9. LN 9. The Day I Picked up Dazai side B

(it's set in the alternate universe of LN 6. Beast and a great point to understand Dazai's actions and motivations in said light novel)

10. LN 6. Beast

(it should come with a warning that it's going to ruin your mental health for a while, an alternate universe of BSD, brings in the Book so you might one to read this during/after the cannibalism arc because it kind of explains a bit what the book does or how it kind of works, definitely needs a bit more explaining but it is good info before starting with the vampirism arc and all that stuff, the book is important and there's talk about singularities again. It's also cool to see how the same characters adapt to a different lifestyle, Akutagawa in the ADA, Atsushi in the PM, kyouka in the PM but with Atsushi, Dazai if he stayed in the PM, the ending will fully rip your heart out if the rest of the novel hasn't done it before that and I really recommend the manga adaptation of it because the art style is *chef's kiss* and heart wrenching)

Done with my rant now, you can still read them in their publishing order this is just my recommendation. Also, LN 9 is not out on paper yet and I think we only have fan translations online but it is definitely worth it, @popopretty has a really good translation of it.

And LN 7 is getting a manga adaptation which is also looking really good so you can check it out.

LN 5 has a manga adaptation as well as being a film and this one is not written by Asagiri but is still canon so you have that.

[snows-2am-thoughts]

PM and ADA deal Theory

Hey guys, friendly reminder that Mori is likely still gonna ask for someone from the ADA to join the PM. It honestly hurts my soul to think that the ADA will lose someone this soon after all the shit in this arc went down but Mori isn’t one to care about that kind of stuff. 

SEASON FIVE SPOILERS

This is about 1.7k words so be warned

I know a lot of people are sold on the theory that it’ll probably be Tanizaki since Asagiri is big on foreshadowing and Tanizaki does have a homicidal side but I don’t think he’d let himself be put in a position to where his sister might be in danger or get a target on her back. He’d probably run away or kill the people in question before that happened. Not to mention since his run in with Akutagawa and the black lizard that he sort of hates most if not all of the mafia members. He was so ready to go to war with the PM to defend the agency and someone like this would be super hard to control, deal with the ADA or not.

Mori isn’t stupid, in fact he’s very calculating and very cunning and who are his biggest obsessions? He’s always so focused on Dazai and Yosano but both of these are off limits in his eyes. Yosano is off limits because of the terms of the deal with Fukuzawa and Dazai is off because Mori wants him to come back on his own. Now we have Kyouka, Atsushi, Kenji, Ranpo  and Kunikida left to choose from. 

Kunikida is off the table I think because he’s a child bombing away from just completely breaking. There is a part of me that believes Mori could pick Kunikida solely to break him and watch Fukuzawa and Dazai suffer but Mori is also the type of boss that doesn’t want to waste powerful allies if he doesn’t need to. I mean, he’s literally letting Tachihara choose his loyalties, he’ll probably still get punished severely but Mori isn’t one to just waste men unless it’s for good reason or worth the risks. Also Kunikida is Fukuzawa’s successor and something tells me that Mori doesn’t wanna deal with the strict moral types. 

Ranpo is definitely off the table. Fukuzawa would go batshit if Mori picked him. He just lost his childhood best friend. Do you think he’s gonna let Mori take his son next? No he will not. Also Ranpo would blatantly refuse to work with him. He’s smart enough to survive but Ranpo is disinterested in most things and Fukuzawa is really the only one who can make him do something. I don’t think Mori would want to deal with that either. 

Now we have Atsushi, Kenji and Kyouka. Mori usually chooses children to take under his wing because they’re easy to manipulate and easy to mold into his ideal subordinates. However Kyouka was already in the mafia once and Kouyou even used up her slight favor with Mori to let her leave the mafia with no consequences. I don’t think he’d want to deal with the hassle of internal conflict since Kouyou would be pissed if he took Kyouka away from the light that she enjoys so much. However much Kouyou wants to deny that she can’t help Kyouka anymore, she’s only human and she’s very much attached to the Kyouka who shares a similar past and ability. 

Kenji’s situation is kind of hard to determine. As stated, Mori does prefer to mold and manipulate children rather than adults but Kenji is kind of an oddity among humans. Not because of his ability but because of his personality. He’s very much a “you fuck around and find out” type of guy is willing to believe the best in people despite what they may do or have done. I don’t see many reasons why Mori wouldn’t choose him other than there are better options than Kenji. Sure Kenji is super powerful with a very useful gift but there are other members that would fit his goals better. 

Now Atsushi, he’s the biggest contender for the mafia recruit in my mind for a few reasons. Now we saw in the series that there were gonna be three main villains (The Guild, the Decay of Angels and the Order of the Clock Tower) and now we have finished out with two of them. This means that we’re possibly getting into the last major arc or two of the main plot of the story and there are still so many unanswered questions about Atsushi. 

Atsushi was deemed the envy of all ability users by Fyodor which was why Shibusawa originally held an interest in him. My question is why Fyodor was interested enough in Atsushi to know of him and what is their connection that Fyodor was even able to know of him. Fyodor is a genius but the orphanage headmaster said that he was a randomly dumped toddler and he lived most of his life in a cage in the orphanage. This in itself is fishy but I’ll get to that in a second. Moreover, Atsushi’s ability seems like it just resists almost all other abilities with the ability to cut through space itself and high regeneration abilities that causes most wounds to go away instantly when he’s in his full tiger form, most other abilities don’t affect him when he’s fully a tiger. 

Who is called the most powerful ability user? Natsume is, and he is able to turn into a cat. Seeing the pattern here? When did the headmaster die? When he was trying to find Atsushi and talk to him again. It’s very suspicious timing and I wholeheartedly believe that he was silenced by someone who didn’t want Atsushi knowing something important about himself. And then we have the seven billion bounty that was put on his head because of his ability. I don’t think that it’s a coincidence that Fitzgerald, who wanted to find The Book, wanted the tiger so badly that he was willing to spend that much. 

Asagiri is a beast at foreshadowing and he doesn’t do anything for kicks, all of his moves are deliberate. There is something about Atsushi that we’re missing and I’m willing to bet that Mori, who was going to accept the bounty, wants to know what it is as much as we do. Atsushi’s strange ability, the holes in his past from before the orphanage, Fyodor and Shibusawa’s interest in him, his correlation to Natsume, his probable connections to locating the book and the fact that Dazai was coincidentally there to save him when he came to Yokohama? Yeah, there’s definitely something up with Atsushi and the poor kid doesn’t even realize it. 

So yes, I do think that Mori either a) wants to figure out Atsushi’s situation in relation to everything or b) he knows something and wants to exploit it out of him. My second point is that Mori wants to break Dazai down and build him up as the perfect PM boss. Mori is someone who manipulates and breaks from the sidelines then watches conflict and in the aftermath, glues the pieces of what once was back together in a collage of his own liking. He knows he can’t beat Dazai but he can make him suffer. Who is Dazai the closest to at the agency? Atsushi. 

Dazai always says, “Atsushi and the others” while making sure Atsushi makes it out alive in any situation that he is in. Dazai has a big soft spot for Atsushi, the kid he took in as a mentor and the kid who wholeheartedly believes without any hesitation that he is a good person. He brought his own chair and made a home in Dazai’s heart without his permission. Atsushi knows he was in the PM, knows he’s the reason for a lot of Akutagwa’s issues, knows about some of the atrocities he’s committed but still smiles genuinely at him. Of course he doesn’t know everything but Atsushi is probably Dazai’s biggest apologist (It’s not Akutagawa but that's for a different post). Atsushi is the personification of Oda’s last wish to Dazai and Mori definitely knows that he can hurt Dazai by hurting his beloved mentee.

Mori is also very aware of the new generation of soukoku. If he’s able to wrangle and manage Akutagawa (he’s alive shut up) a little more because Atsushi is his partner then all the more reason to choose him. Atsushi covers all the bases, a mysterious power that could make his organization that much more untouchable, mess with Dazai, mess with the agency and manage his own employees better. It doesn’t help that Atsushi’s mental state isn’t the best. He’s not a kid but he’s traumatized and doesn’t have the same development other 18 year olds do, and that can be just as easily to manipulate as a child. It would be difficult because Atsushi genuinely believes in Dazai with everything he is but every person is able to break and Mori is especially good at that. 

I know that Fukuzawa’s ability is the reason we don’t see any more late night weretiger situations but Atsushi has so much more control now than when he did at the beginning of the series. It’s also very much possible that Mori is looking for a degree of uncontrollable tiger to help him with his goals. It’s also been confirmed that pain can manage his transformations as seen with his collar in BSD BEAST. 

It also doesn’t help that Asagiri tends to go through the trauma route to have his characters develop and experiencing the “darkside” of Yokohama just may be what he thinks Atsushi needs to develop more. 

So yeah, I think Mori may choose Atsushi as the new PM member but don’t quote me on this if I’m wrong, it’ll be embarrassing. They also may just throw this plotline out the window since both sides suffered this past arc, they may find it illogical to go through with the deal when the truce between the PM and ADA is still sensitive but I doubt it. Mori isn’t one to care for those things. 

[zukkaoru]

More post-mersault Dazai hcs w/ the ADA and others? 🤞😭

hmm okay well obviously cane user dazai is very near and dear to me. but also..

because of how long kunikida was without his hands, after yosano heals him, he ends up with hand tremors. this, of course, is very hard to deal with considering his ability and his workaholic tendencies. he has to relearn how to do a lot of basic tasks while accounting for his tremors

shockingly (not really), dazai is the one who best knows how to aid kunikida in his recovery process. which is by just.. acting as if it's normal. the others tend to fall into the trap of over-correcting and being too concerned, while dazai doesn't treat him any differently than pre-doa arc

but really, dazai is just sort of treating kunikida how he wants everyone to treat him

overall, dazai gets less of the "too concerned" treatment mostly because he's significantly better at hiding/playing down his disability than kunikida is. which comes partly from just who dazai is and how he acts in general. but also because kunikida clearly uses his hands for everything; whereas dazai spends a lot of time lazing around and not standing up at work anyways, so he isn't putting much strain on his leg unless he's actively working a case

eventually, the ada do realize they can be a bit overbearing towards kunikida at times and back off, because while he might have trouble using his hands now, he is still fully capable of doing most things on his own

back to dazai. despite his issues with his leg, he still very much prefers to take the stairs whenever possible

(he'd die before admitting it, but for a while, he only really feels safe in an elevator if chuuya is nearby) (though, it does help if someone else is in the elevator with him)

he blames it on feeling claustrophobic in confined spaces after spending so much time trapped in a prison cell. ranpo and sigma know that's a lie, but they don't call him out on it

after being coaxed into it by yosano, kunikida, and chuuya, dazai starts going to physical therapy for his leg. yosano does very thorough research on physical therapists in yokohama and comes up with a list of possibilities for him. kunikida goes with him to his first appointment as moral support, which dazai obviously would never admit he wanted but he does very much appreciate it

chuuya, kunikida, and yosano take turns driving him to pt. it started out as a sort of accountability thing, to make sure he was actually going to the appointments, but dazai does actually like having someone there waiting for him to be done. even if he would absolutely never say it aloud.

once, when everyone else is busy, ranpo ends up going with him. they grumpily call it babysitting duty but when junichirou offers to go instead, they say "no no. it's fine. i'm already up out of my seat." dazai assumes they just want to skip out on work, but ranpo really just wanted to assure dazai made it to the appointment and was worried he would try to slip away from the others if they went with

eventually, once it's clear dazai is content to go to pt without strict accountability, the other ada members also start taking turns going with him to keep him company. dazai always says they don't have to and he's fine to go alone, but he doesn't argue hard enough to actually sway them out of it bc he does appreciate having someone go with him

dazai also starts spending more time at chuuya's place again, which he hasn't really done since their mafia days. but something shifted after meursault and chuuya lets him back in with minimal complaint. it's almost offputting, but dazai doesn't think too much about it at first

he just assumes that he'll spend a couple weeks breaking into chuuya's place, annoying them, and then he'll eventually get kicked out and that'll be that

it takes him way too long to realize that chuuya actually feels guilty about the leg injury. because chuuya will not say that and dazai won't straight up ask why chuuya is being nicer than normal because they're still so bad at communication. but they get there eventually and dazai is just. actually genuinely surprised that chuuya would feel guilty, especially when it's really not their fault - they're the reason it wasn't worse. and dazai deserved worse, especially from chuuya of all people

but chuuya, who also has to deal with chronic pain from their ability, sees dazai with his cane and going to pt knowing that it's not ever going to be enough to permanently fix it, and it's just a constant reminder that because they didn't slow the elevator just a little bit more, or they didn't make the splint just a little bit sturdier, or they didn't insist dazai lean on them for support while walking out of meursault, or any other number of tiny things chuuya could have done to help at the time, dazai is also going to be suffering chronic pain for the rest of his life. dazai, who notoriously hates pain, who doesn't want to be alive because he doesn't see the point of it, now also has to deal with persistent pain that will never go away

after they (gasp) actually talk about this a bit, things start to go back to normal, with the two of them bickering and arguing like always. chuuya still never kicks dazai out when he shows up, though

not to be too self-serving but. at some point, dazai orchestrates a situation in which chuuya and kunikida are forced to interact outside the contexts of their jobs. because maybe he kind of likes both of them and he also thinks that if they can both put aside the mafia/ada thing, they would also like each other (and they do <3)

dazai, chuuya, and kunikida all have problems with pushing themselves past their limits. dazai bc he isn't used to caring about/taking care of his body and chuuya & kunikida bc they're both workaholics. but the three of them help remind each other to take breaks when needed (even if they all sound hypocritical doing so)

especially once they move in together, they all help each other out on bad days with pain flare ups/etc.

ranpo is also very good at telling when dazai and kunikida are pushing themselves too hard and they are not afraid to snitch on them to yosano and/or chuuya. depending on which they deem would be more effective at the time

dazai and lucy have a very frenemies-like dynamic which is actually beneficial for them both bc they need someone they can snark at who is absolutely not afraid to dish it right back out at them. it starts with dazai complaining to lucy that she isn't as nice as the other cafe waitresses and lucy's like "not my fault i'm the only one who isn't won over by empty flirting. you're not even that pretty idk" and instead of actually getting offended dazai's just like YES. someone i can ARGUE WITH!

kunikida is annoyed by their dynamic until he realizes that they're both having fun and it's like some weird form of enrichment for them

dazai has trouble getting along with aya at first, because he really has no idea how to interact with young children. kyouka and kenji are old enough and mature enough that he can manage with them. but the children aya's age he's interacted with are.. elise and q. who he didn't have the most. um. nice and normal interactions with.

he's also wary of interacting with aya bc he knows kunikida cares about her and kunikida also wants a partner who is good with kids and if dazai reveals he cannot interact with kids to save his life, he'll ruin any chance he ever had with kunikida

eventually, he's forced into a situation where he has to actually have a one-on-one conversation with aya, and she's very snarky and mean to him at first and he's like "okay cool. good to know i was right about my negative skill level interacting with kids 👍"

so he makes some comment to aya about not being good with kids (sarcastic and rude, but it does hold truth to it) and aya just. stops. and is like hold on i thought you just didn't like me specifically.

anyway once they get past that misunderstanding, dazai finds he doesn't actually mind aya that much. though he's still not a fan of kids in general

for your consideration: mirror pronouns dazai

i do think it would also be a little funny if that ^ gender crisis is happening at the same time as chuuya having their own gender crisis. that #relatable moment when you and your supposed rival who you're sort-of-but-not-really living with and who you're sort-of-but-not-really dating both start questioning your gender at the same time, completely separate of the other and not even realizing that the other is having a similar crisis

okay anyway this is so long so i will end it here

basically i just think. dazai using a mobility aid would be a really fascinating way to visually show that he's learned he needs to depend on others for support (which is one of the big themes in bsd - the good guys win because they work together; fyodor failed because he refuses to trust anyone he can't completely manipulate)

+ dazai, who hates pain and has been suicidal since at least age fourteen, deciding that even with his disability and chronic pain, it's still worth it to keep pushing forward and surviving

you can also see some more of my post-doa ada thoughts in my post-doa fic series all lights turned off can be turned on and post-doa sigma in the 5+1 sigma fic i wrote for fem sigms week

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

Things I was happy about in the episode:

Pretty much everything actually. The Fukuchi 36 years reveal was rushed due to the pacing but it made sense and finally explained why the hell he would go about blowing up the world when he was so motivated by the horrors of war. It also leads itself into some interesting questions for later. But I'll list some other highlights:

The pretty flashbacks

Aya and Bram :) Also Bram getting his body back.

Whoever "that man" was that Fyodor mentioned. I am intrigued tell me more. Does this mean that Fyodor was projecting his feelings towards his rivalry with an ex onto Dazai. That would be so funny. (Also I wonder about his age still... how long ago are we talking?)

Dazai's strength explicitly being stated as the absolute trust he has in his allies, as opposed to Fyodor's need for complete control. <-I mean. We all knew but it's the confirmation that's nice.

Nikolai's conflicted emotions on Fyodor's death getting focus and attention - and Dazai not saying anything and just letting him feel whatever he's feeling. My poor jester lad.

Chuuya trying and failing to pull the fangs out of his mouth

Poor Teruko having to deliver the final blow

Semi-confirmed old man yaoi??? Like. The way that whole scene was framed between Teruko, Fukuchi, and Fukuzawa. Um.

Fukuchi's dying moments. Fukuzawa trying and failing to throw away One Order. The most emotional and devastated we've ever seen him. Ranpo knowing he can't throw it away. For all I was saying earlier, guys I'm so so glad he isn't dead.

Whatever that last bit was??? Are we changing the setting? Is this what happens after the other side of the Page is activated? Are we pulling in mythology? Sskk complete confidence and Atsushi smiling at Akutagawa? Hell yeah?????

Things I am not sure yet how to feel about:

Fyodor's apparent death. If he really did just die and won't be back in any capacity... it's kind of a let down. He. Barely did anything. But I feel like there's still going to be something. Like even if he's dead for good he'll still haunt the story in some way.

Hope they do something more with Teruko after this. Interesting to have her end things like that but. Please can we elaborate on her more. Other than just she had feelings for him. Please.

No involvement from Yosano or Kyouka or Kouyou. I get that it was already busy and crammed enough as is, so it wouldn't have worked to shoehorn them in at this point but. Please do something with them in the next arc.

Things I did not like:

...Chuuya wasn't really a vampire he was just wearing contacts and glue in fangs the entire time. 🙄

[pauli-writes]

warnings: mentions of oda’s death, mention of the orphanage, hurt comfort, dazai is being dazai

pairing: atsushi x reader (reader is oda’s younger sibling in this)

author’s note: i got sad thinking about oda :( timeline wise i imagined this to go in between the first arc and the guild arc just in case you were curious. i might make a part 2 of this cuz i like the premise

“reader!“ you looked up at the sound of the bell chiming and people entering the cafe. as usual it was some members of the detective agency upstairs. dazai was leading the pack, behind him doctor yosano and ranpo, and lastly atsushi. they looked pretty pleased with themselves, they must have just finished with a case.

“you all look chipper, did you finish a case?” you asked them with a friendly smile, starting to prepare a few baked treats for them (mainly ranpo) and freshly brewing some coffee.

“all thanks to me!” ranpo replied as they sat down in a booth. it made you smile hearing ranpo recount the events of the case with the occasional comment or correction from yosano and dazai. it also gave you enough time to finish their usual orders and put them on their table.

once you got to atsushi you noticed how silent he was and seemed to be avoiding looking at you directly. you furrowed your eyebrows and looked at dazai, who in turn just shrugged innocently, but you knew that he knew something like he always did. you turned to look at ranpo in hopes of getting something from him, but he was already munching away on the piece of cake you gave him. doctor yosano wasn’t much help either, idly drinking coffee without a care in the world.

you returned to the counter and cleaned a few glasses, listening to the agency having a few humerus exchanges and keeping an eye on the clock in the corner of the room. yosano and ranpo left after a while, but dazai and atsushi remained.

“oh, that reminds me. you have somewhere to be today, don’t you reader?” you looked up at the mention of your name and saw dazai looking at you with a knowing expression.

“if you already know, why are you asking me?”

“that’s no way to talk to the person who got you this job,” he replied, before sitting up straight and turning a bit more serious. it was a rare sight nowadays, and it usually wasn’t very good when it happened. “i know i promised i’d come with you, but something came up.”

you blinked in surprise, “you’re not coming? but today-“

“i’m sorry,” he wasn’t. he took another sip of coffee and turned to look at atsushi opposite to him, who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. “i have something more important to do. but atsushi here is free. i’m sure he’ll be happy to accompany you.”

both you and atsushi’s eyes widened at the moment, for very different reasons. you didn’t want to bother him with your problems, that besides the fact that dazai had that look on his face that meant that he was planning something, meanwhile atsushi simply didn’t want to intrude into your personal life, seemingly unaware of dazai’s ulterior motive.

“oh, i can go alone.“ you quickly said, busying yourself with cleaning the counter.

dazai however shook his head. “no way. it’s way too dangerous with the port mafia around. besides, i think it’s best if you have someone around for this.”

you looked down for a moment, dazai probably was right (like always). you lifted your head and looked at atsushi, wondering what he thought. he was anxiously fiddling with his hands, not really knowing what to do. this seemed more like a thing between you and dazai if he was being honest. he sensed your questioning gaze on him and jumped a little in his seat.

“oh, i don’t mind if you don’t,” he replied earnestly, “i finished all of my work today early so i have the time.”

you turned your gaze back at dazai, who only looked at you curiously, probably awaiting your next move. in the end you let out a sigh and nodded your head at the two men.

“okay, but just this once,” you said to atsushi softly, before looking at dazai with a hardened expression, “And you owe me.”

your shift ended a few minutes later, dazai left to attend to his very important thing he told nobody about, and you and atsushi set off to your desired destination.

on the way you stopped to get some flowers, and you made some pleasant small talk. it made you realise how little time you have actually spent with atsushi. he told you about his time at the agency and how he’s enjoying it so far (besides the countless near death experiences) and you told him about your life, which was very mundane and the only exciting thing was when the agency came down from work to eat and drink at the cafe.

you eventually reached your destination and upon seeing it, you expected atsushi to ask you why you were here, but he didn’t, which meant he knew why you were here. you walked up ahead and atsushi followed you silently, eventually you turned to face him.

“aren’t you going to ask me?”

his face turned red, “a-ask you what, reader?”

“why we bought the flowers and why we’re at a cemetery,” you explained slowly, making him turn even redder.

he laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck, “oh, yeah why is that?”

you only deadpanned at his reaction, “you’re a horrible actor.” you told him, before softening a little, “dazai told you.”

you continued you way down the rows and rows of graves, before walking up a small hill with a tree on top. atsushi continued to follow you and explained himself to you, his cheeks still a little red from being flustered.

“b-before we went to the cafe today dazai-san told me that you might be acting a bit moody, when i asked why that was he told me that it’s because today’s the anniversary of your brother’s death… b-but i didn’t know that he was going to make me come here with you, i suppose that’s just regular dazai-san for you…i’m sorry I didn’t say anything sooner.”

you let his words sink in and nodded, stopping at the sole grave at the top of the hill. you let out a deep breath. “it’s alright, atsushi. dazai was being dazai again… i know you were just trying to protect my feelings.”

atsushi let out a breath and relief as he heard you say that, his face returning to its normal colour. you smiled a little and handed him a flower from your bunch.

“you can put one down too,” you told him softly. “normally dazai would join me for this, but you’ll do too,” atsushi gulped nervously, but nodded. together the two of you placed the flowers carefully on to his grave, a bitter sweet feeling in the air.

afterwards you two sat down by the tree, which was overlooking the rest of the graves on the cemetery as well as a small part of the ocean. it was nice a quiet and a small breeze was in the air, it was quite beautiful. you turned your head away from the sight and saw atsushi eyeing the grave with the new flowers on it.

“i still remember the last thing he said to me,” you spoke up, making him immediately snap his attention back to you. “It was ‘see you later’ I didn’t think too much about it at first but, looking back he probably knew he wasn’t going to make it back… he knew he was going to leave me, and he did it anyways…”

“i’m sure he wouldn’t have left you if there was another choice.” atsushi replied, trying to make you feel better. “he probably was trying to get the best possible out come for everyone.”

your hands subconsciously balled into fists as you avoided atsushi’s gaze and looked at the grave instead. “you don’t know him, you don’t even know what happened leading up to it. heck, i didn’t know what was going on until dazai told me days later…” you took a deep shaky breath, putting your face into your hands, as tears started to gather in the corners of your eyes. “i’m sorry. i didn’t mean that.”

atsushi was quick to put a comforting hand on your shoulder and give you soft pats. he actually didn’t know what he was suppose to do. growing up in the orphanage he never really had to comfort any other people besides himself, if you started fully crying right now he would start to panic. “i-it’s alright, you are right. i didn’t know him and i don’t know what happened…” he said sincerely, “a-and i have never lost someone i truly care about. i was always alone up until i met you and the agency. i couldn’t possible tell you anything to make you feel better and for that i’m sorry. but i am willing to listen if you need to vent…”

he saw how your body visibly relaxed and let out a quiet breath in relief. you turned to look at him again, a small grateful smile on your face. “thank you…”

he smiled back at you, “no problem.”

the two of you spent the remainder of the day by that tree, simply talking, something that humans surprisingly don’t do a lot anymore. talking to atsushi was nice, he was very considerate of your thoughts and feelings and listened intently. he wasn’t being pushy, or disinterested, he was simply enjoying spending time with you.

eventually the sun started to set and you got up, stretching your limbs. “well, i’d better go home it’s getting dark.”

atsushi followed your lead and also got back up on his feet. “I’ll walk you home.”

“you don’t have to do that,” you told him, “you’ve done more than enough today.”

he only smiled softly at you. “i know i don’t have to, but i want to.”

you smiled back at him and nodded, “…okay.”

[preludicrous]

why i believe the prison break storyline was also sigma's entrance exam

the long overdue post that i teased literal months before posting it (sorry i am a college student and quite overworked)

[ massive spoilers for the mersault arc of bsd, including s5e11 of the anime and recent manga chapters. ]

sigma is alive

first of all: sigma's not dead.

sigma's not dead because his character arc is nowhere near over, and from a writing perspective, it doesn't make sense to kill him without drawing that out to some kind of conclusion.

for someone who had a pretty major role in recent arcs, whose entire characterization in the story has been set up around a deep need for belonging and a "home" and people who don't want to "use" him, the plotline so far sure hasn't wrapped up his story in any satisfying way. as far as it appears right now, he just kind of... touched fyodor and died. is that really it for him?

especially after he finally starts to reject fyodor's manipulation, and finally makes choices for himself, like the choice to side with dazai?

no, i'm not convinced he's dead- bsd's very guilty of fake out deaths, and there is no reason for me to believe that sigma's actually dead when his arc is still clearly unfinished.

sigma joining the ADA makes sense

in the mersault arc, it is established that sigma wants to join the ADA. fyodor even says it point blank to him, and he doesn't deny it. he thinks about the ADA and how they're "not using dazai, and dazai isn't using them". they are a group of people who care about each other and take care of each other of their own agency, no pun intended.

as i mentioned above, sigma's entire character so far has been revolving around belonging and how he wishes to find a home. a home suited for a bizarre gifted like him with no past, who doesn't understand why he exists. in many respects, a lot of the agency members share similarities to sigma in the sense that they also didn't understand their place in the world.

atsushi's an orphan who was told he should just "die in a ditch somewhere".

dazai's an empty man who sees no purpose in existence.

ranpo was a genius surrounded by monsters, and he could never comprehend why the world was so illogical and strange.

the character whose backstory is the most similar to sigma is yosano. like sigma, she had a powerful gift. like sigma, she was used for that gift. mori took advantage of her healing to create an undead army against her will. the difference is that yosano despaired, while sigma is resentful - yosano isolated herself since there was no way for her to live without being used for her gift, while sigma is bitter regarding the unfair nature of the world that he is continually used.

in the end, yosano is found by the agency and ranpo. ranpo says this:

the ADA is a place where ability users are valued for their personhood, not their ability. for sigma and yosano, who have only ever been valued by others for their powerful abilities, the ADA is the only place they belong, the one place they can live freely as full people rather than just vessels for their abilities.

sigma wants to join. it's the perfect culmination of his arc. he'll finally have a home, a place to belong. in his first decision he makes of his own free will, he chooses to help the ADA. plus, his ability is information exchange, which couldn't be more perfect for detective work.

it ties up all the loose ends neatly.

sigma's entrance exam

so, if the title didn't make it clear, yeah. i'm pretty convinced that sigma's entrance exam was the mersault prison break. i mean, he clearly wants to join the agency, and dazai's compared him to like half of the members already.

the armed detective agency fandom wiki has some information on entrance exams. (i know, i know, not a primary source, but I don't have that much free time to go source hunting for a tumblr bsd theory...)

we also have a few example of entrance exams that we can use as a reference: namely atsushi's, kyouka's, and dazai's. from these, we can synthesize a few defining characteristics of entrance exams.

(i made a table because i'm a pretty visual person, and this is a good way for me to organize information!!! this is essentially an adapted affinity map for my fellow nerds out there)

some key elements of entrance exams administered by the ADA include:

a perceived (real or fake) threat: in atsushi's case, this was the "bomber"; in kyouka's case, the moby dick; in dazai's case, whoever was responsible for the disappearance and subsequent murder of the yokohama visitors.

the threat's victims involve civilians/innocent people: for atsushi, the terrorist had naomi as a hostage; in kyouka's case, the entirety of yokohama was in danger; in dazai's case, the kidnapping/murder victims were all civilians.

the ADA candidate MUST (is pushed/forced/pressured/required to) play a major role in the resolution of the threat: atsushi must neutralize the bomber; kyouka is the only one who can stop the moby dick; dazai plays a very large role in stopping the azure messenger.

(optional) sacrifice: atsushi jumped on a bomb; kyouka crashed her plane.

(optional) a way to ensure the candidate's safety: for atsushi, the fact that it wasn't a real bomb; for kyouka, fukuzawa's ability and demon snow.

the ADA candidate is kept in the dark: atsushi was NOT told they were completing an entrance exam, or that the ADA even had such a tradition. kyouka knew she was doing an entrance exam, but wasn't ever fully explained the stakes; i.e. nobody told her that after passing she would be able to free herself and control demon snow.

the entrance exam is administered by a more senior member: dazai or kunikida, with the approval of fukuzawa.

now consider if dazai were administering an entrance exam for sigma during the mersault prison break. let's see if the key elements are present:

the threat: fyodor

the victims: the entire world

the candidate's pivotal role: sigma must touch fyodor to learn fyodor's ability

the sacrifice: sigma risks his life and touches fyodor, despite having been told that fyodor's ability might also work through touch, i.e. he risks dying

the failsafe: n/a, as far as we know currently (i can see an argument for chuuya but i personally find that's a bit of a stretch)

the secret: sigma has not been told that this is an entrance exam (neither has the audience)

the examinator: dazai

pretty neat. at least, no inconsistencies - and, considering the bigger picture, it makes sense.

a lot of things in the mersault arc also make sense under this interpretation. why did dazai pick sigma instead of a more "useful" escape tool? for recruitment. why did dazai promise and insist upon saving sigma? for recruitment. why did dazai shove sigma off the elevator even though he knew chuuya would break their fall and they weren't going to die? for recruitment.

it feels like a much better ending for sigma than just being... dead.

screenshot compilation

conclusion

you're so right.

[rococo-sonata]

i'm brainrotted by both bsd and steven universe so i made a crossover au because there is so many similarities between the characters!!

(NO DAZAI DID NOT GET MPREG☠️ ATSUSHI ISN'T HIS SON)

SO!! in this universe, years after the gem war, when the situation seems to have calmed down for the earth and the revolution seems to have fallen into oblivion at homeworld, Dazai who no longer has a goal decides to finally commit su!cide. But when he dies, his gem doesn't shatter, the small ounce of desire to live that Dazai has left (among other stuff) gives birth to something entirely new, something between a gem and a being. in short Atsushi is a sort of reincarnation of Dazai who has his gem

Now let me explain why i choose those roles for them :3 i just finished the season 3 of bsd so i might get some stuff wrong.

Just like Rose, Dazai's motivations is hard to understand. They are both morally grey characters, who are difficult to describe as just good or bad because their true intentions are unclear. They both have a past in which they caused pain to people around them, they both seek to change and be better persons . Both revolve around a dual identity, one good and one bad, but they are really just a mixture of the two. They make mistakes, they're selfish but at the same time they want to fight for something good. People expect a lot from them and see them as leaders or role models while they themselves are lost and depressed. And in the storyline of the two their story is told in reverse ^_^

Atsushi reminds me of Steven mainly bcs of the role he plays for Kyoka, helping her find herself and what she wants to do with her life. Just like Steven he is told his whole life to be a certain way, he spend his time trying to help others, forgetting that his feelings matter too

(in this universe Greg is the girl from the cafe, it's a bit useless but i find it funny to turn her into a rockstar)

Kunikida as Pearl is for me the one that makes the most sense. Pearl remains unable to grieve because she dedicated her life to serving Rose. Kunikida dedicates his life to achieving his ideals of a perfect justice and in which he saves everyone. When he fails he is unable to forgive himself and to mourn over the people he could not save. I think they're sm alike.. Just with their personalities, they're both strict nerdy caring devoted and kinda got a stick up their ass. But also with their stories and mindset. Kunikida is tragic lesbian coded. This one makes me so happy because they are both my favorite characters. Not that I like KuniDazai that much, i don't really ship it. but here it's more or less canon, they are like very very very close friends. Kunikida remains stuck for years over the fact that he couldn't save his """best friend""" and consider himself as responsible for his death.

Ranpo as Garnet because I think ranpo makes a good leader. Despite being immature he is capable of rationalizing and making decisions (like in the cannibalism arc) he is a sort of guide and is admired by the members of the agency, like garnet in the crystal gems, everyone relies on him. and especially his power to see the future looks like the super deduction

Yosano as Amethyst is really because I wanted her to have an important role and I didn't know who else to put in☠️ I find that she's a bit similar in the way they fight, they're both ruthless and really mature in a certain way

update : now that i saw Yosano backstory i'm glad i picked amethyst for her. they both fight to earn the right to live, because they think they're bad by nature (because of their past or their appearance) they want to defend the only place and peoples that accept them

this is my 2nd favorite!! it makes so much sense imo. the story of both lapis and kyoko revolves around being imprisoned/controlled and used as a weapon, being seen as a machine to destroy by nature. Lapis' mirror is kyoka's phone. They both seeks emancipationand becoming good people ^_^

i'm done for now but i have so many others idea that i love sm!! next will probably be akutagawa

[miaitzia]

Souheki In Dazai’s Entrance Exam

plz don't take this post too seriously.It's not some proper analysis, mostly just my thoughts about the interactions.A little bias because I hc they actually are very close.maybe i'll make a post about why I think so in the future.

“So, newbie. Uh…Dazai, was it? Where did you work prior to coming here?” “Hmm?” Ranpo’s expression has faded, his eyes peering into Dazai’s as if he is searching for something. “I didn’t really do anything after finishing school.Was just kinda around, you know?” A few seconds go by as Ranpo silently stares at Dazai.Finally… “Oh, that’s nice. Anyway, welcome to the agency.” And that’s it. He begins laying out the documents across the desk as if nothing happened. What was that just now?

So since LN1 is in Kunikida's pov.Notice how in this scene not only Ranpo is staring at Dazai,Dazai was ALSO looking back.IT WAS MUTUAL.They were both silently observing each other.i assume Dazai’s back was face Kunikida so that’s why we can’t see his expressions.

ok this part is just my pure delusion but i imagine Dazai was wearing his usual plastic smile(yk he still not used to interact with others )when answering Ranpo,but as time passed by,it has faded just like Ranpo’s.Then they just have some of the most intense staring contest.Imagine the tension in the room lol,no wonder Kunikida was so confused.I also believe Ranpo's response is some kind of his way to implicitly promise Dazai he won't expose him and wish him good luck on starting a new path. 

i think dazai was confident that no one will find out his past since they can’t use ability on him,and in those few seconds he realized Ranpo just figured it out(tbh maybe even more than that considered Ranpo have met oda the day he died and ada collaborate with special division sometimes he may have met Ango),thus he started to question if that’s actually his ability.

“Dazai, what was that about?” “Don’t ask me… By the way, what kind of skill user is Ranpo?” 

lol Kunikida was so clueless,he’s like you two just met what r you up to what’s with that silent intense staring.

“What?! Is there really a skill like that?!” It seems even Dazai can hardly believe it.”  “I dunno, it’s just hard to believe a skill like that actually exists.” He doesn’t appear convinced.

It's hilarious Dazai asked Kunikida what Ranpo’s ability is when the man himself is just right in front of him. 

“That’s what makes it so amazing! Listen to this. When Ranpo was thinking, I sneaked up behind him and pinched some of his hair.”

Dazai openly doubted if an ability like it would exist before Ranpo started deducing.So Ranpo may have been cautious and noticed Dazai was sneaking behind and testing it.But weirdly he didn’t seem to mind if Dazai would tell the others(yes i believe he had already knew he doesn't have one even before LN1)like that’s not one of his biggest secret.

Even if he didn't notice at that time,he surely would when he noticed Kunikida’s curious gaze next time they met.But he never said anything for yrs.Maybe he was just rather let others know than confronts it with Dazai.He didn't directly admit to Yosano in guild arc either.

Ranpo who never tells others Dazai’s past VS Dazai who shamelessly continually tells ada members Ranpo is abilityless will never not be funny to me.

But seriously Ranpo is so sweet he trust and respect Dazai from the very start, even knows his background he still completely accepted him, willing to give him a chance to be with the good side.i love souheki.

“He possesses tremendous deductive and observational skills that your average fictional detective could only dream of.” “That’s what impressed me. A skill would make this just another phenomenon, which wouldn’t even be surprising, let alone impressive. But Ranpo is utilizing his brain, something we all have, to reach these conclusions.” “That guy’s got some serious powers of deduction and observation! And even Ranpo himself seems to think he’s using a skill. Man, that is one amazing detective. I need to start applying myself more.”

Aside from genuine appreciation here,it may also because of his gratitude for Ranpo’s silence.

I love seeing Dazai simping over Ranpo.Like even in current arc he still praises him a lot.He's so fond of him🥲🥲🥲

[welivetodream]

Since Yosano is off-limits she won't be considered.

1. Dazai: it makes no narrative sense to make him join the Port Mafia again, when he left at his own accord. The reason he left and changed himself as a person was because of his promise to Oda and him getting back to the Mafia takes all the weight from that promise. We already have a BSD 15 manga that's about Dazai being in the Mafia and the skk shenanigans, we honestly don't need more. Mori seems like he wants Dazai back in the Mafia, in a keep your friends close and your enemies closer fashion. Dazai going back to the Mafia can be interesting, but it's not good for Dazai's character arc. (Still has a chance)

2. Atsushi: since he is the protagonist, it makes the most sense for him to get transferred. Just like how we saw the ins and outs of ADA, we get to see how the current Mafia works on the regular basis. It would be interesting to see his interactions with Mori. We definitely like SSKK team up, now they will be in the same team too (maybe that's why the last scene of S5 they are working together, the transfer already happened). I want Canon Atsushi and Chuuya to interact!!! Their dynamic in Wan gives me so much serotonin.

3. Kunikida: while he can be quite a good asset, his ideals are too important for him to actually do something against it for the PM. He is a bit like Oda in that respect, a Mafia member who won't kill.

4. Ranpo: doesn't have abilities but his smarts is what makes him stand out among the rest of the ADA. But the biggest value in him is that he is practically Fukuzawa's son, someone whom he cares for greatly. Making Ranpo transfer to PM would be a huge slap on the face for Fukuzawa.

5. Junichiro: is the most hinted to actually join the PM. He is also the only ADA member to openly say his abilities could suit the Mafia and he might transfer there if no one else does. It's clear he has quite the violent side to him and the instincts to kill. He could be an interesting addition to the PM, and it paves the way for Tanazaki's backstory. I also wonder if Naomi would join the PM too, or she would stay with the ADA opposing her brother or leave the agency to remain neutral.

6. Kenji: is a highly unlikely choice for the PM. He has a strong ability but his personality isn't simply suited for Mafia. Although it would be funny to watch Kenji change the Mafia's heart and have innocent fun.

7. Kyouka: another ex-mafia member. She is a good choice, as her ability is really strong and good for the mafia. But since she too left (kicked out); her going back doesn't add to her character. While it might seem like Kouyou can influence Mori to take Kyouka back, but she already has accepted that Kyouka should stay in the light and stay away from the Mafia lifestyle (Aku also wants Kyouka to be happy).

Maybe Asagiri pulls another card and makes Fukuzawa transfer so he can complete his old man Yaoi arc with Mori, who knows? (/j)

[musicalmoritz]

Do you have any Kousano headcanons?

YAYYYYYY FINALLY A BSD SHIP ASK :D SAPPHIC BSD SPECIFICALLY YES :D

• Okay since BSD isn’t my current hyperfixation this might be tricky BUT I was hyperfixated on it for like half a year not too long ago so I still have loads of info stored up in my brain to be dumped out

• Their first time meeting was when Kouyou was held captive by the Agency during the Guild Arc. They had heard of each other prior to that and being from rival organizations, they went in expecting to be enemies

• Their first impression was a rough one, but there was an underlying thread of chemistry. They matched each other’s banter very well, despite being used to having the final word at their respective organizations. It was a welcomed change

• And they’re both raging lesbians so like…hot lady who is my enemy…many thoughts occur

• It’s very much an enemies AND lovers dynamic, they meet up for secret rendezvous and then fight each other during times of conflict

• The tragic part is that they both like each other, that’s why it’s become an ongoing thing. That’s why they start going on secret dates in disguise, although they both claim to not enjoy it

• In another life they would’ve been soulmates, but their conflicting ideologies and rival positions force them to be enemies (because I like to make things overly romantic, sue me)

• They have a lot of insignificant things in common- favorite desserts, favorite books, etc. Those are important, but they’re also similar personality-wise and with their backstories

• I imagine Yosano dates around a lot and this makes Kouyou insanely jealous. They aren’t official so she technically can’t have a problem with it but it still gets under her skin

• So Yosano’s like “hey if you want to be exclusive just say that, there are no rules to this secret relationship thing” but Kouyou is too stubborn to admit she likes Yosano that much

• Yosano initially takes a very “your trauma is not my business” approach to their differing jobs but as things get more serious she starts to develop a slight savior complex. She goes from being completely unattached to way too attached. She wants to show Kouyou the light the way Ranpo and Fukuzawa did for her

• Speaking of which, there’s only one person who knows about their situationship and that’s Ranpo. He figured it out himself and mentioned it casually to Yosano one day, nearly giving her a heart attack. She knew he would find out eventually but it was very sudden. At least she has someone to vent to when things get especially confusing

• Higuchi and Gin eventually find out too because they catch them at the same lesbian bar

• Pretty soon it becomes an open secret

• I like to imagine there’s a big moment of confrontation between the PM and Kouyou that goes down exactly like the “how long have you been fucking Nate Jacobs?” scene from Euphoria

• Kouyou addresses Yosano as “Doctor” in public and “Akiko” in private

• Kouyou likes to use her mafia money to send Yosano anonymous gifts on a whim. Yosano always knows who they’re from

• Yosano’s favorite physical trait of Kouyou’s is her hair, Kouyou likes Yosano’s sadistic smile

• Speaking of which, Yosano definitely appreciates having a relationship where they get to beat the shit out of each other on occasion. It keeps the spark alive

• But on dates or in settings that are generally more intimate, Yosano is a total gentleman. She def gives all her girls the princess treatment. Kouyou is used to being the one to spoil women so this makes her very flustered

• They had one big fight about Mori and ever since then they made a silent agreement never to bring him up. When things are tense he becomes an elephant in the room

• In traditional “ADA member has a PM-related secret” fashion, Kunikida was the last to find out about their relationship

• This is so completely random but they remind me of Kermit and Miss Piggy. Yosano is Kermit

• Kouyou pretends to be severely injured every time the PM and ADA team up so she has an excuse to see Yosano

• Yosano sends Kouyou pictures of particularly bad crime scenes or injuries at random to jump scare her

• Kouyou likes classical music and Yosano is a metalhead

That’s all I can think of for now, thank you for the ask!!

[deluluzai]

Oh shit I completely forgot about the PM exchange thing.. anyway so here are my thoughts???!

Ok so first of all, we can be delulu yknow?? Everything will be resolved somehow and no one is going to the PM! Everyone is happy. I mean doesn't Asagiri always pull the least expected thing??

Second of all: no one is happy let's break it down member by member

Yosano: she ain't going.

Kenji: ok yknow what? I think the PM could benefit from his powers, and innocent personality! But aside from that, Kenji isn't really focused on, so the chance of this might be low, but still, reasonable.

Tanizaki: OKAY I saw someone else say this and I AGREE! Ofc it's the same thing with Kenji, it would be random asf for him to be the big sacrifice but! Tanizaki managed to trick the PM a few times with his ability! So this would make a lot of sense! I think the chance of this is higher honestly.

Kyouka: Ufff, guys idk... I mean she was in the PM not too long ago and she's focused on a good amount... This would make sense, knowing that Atsushi can't just steal her away anymore but... for a loooot of time, in the beginning of BSD, it was a whole back and forth thing with Kyouka getting to the PM, then escaping, then getting back, then escaping. So not only would the series fall back to that again, the PM might've just given up. Still, I feel like this has a 50/50 chance of happening, depending which way Asagiri wants to go.

Kunikida: As much as I don't want it happening, it might just happen.. I can't really say much about this one. Kunikida is smart, organised and loyal to the ADA and would die for them. But then again, he wouldn't stray away from his ideals and go off killing people and torturing them. I don't think this has a high chance of happening, I mean there's still a reasonable chance, but, it would be hard to work with him yk?

Atsushi: honestly, aint no way. I mean yes, the first major thing in the series was about the PM trying to catch Atsushi for money! But then again the relationship with the PM (mainly Aku) changed drastically for him! The guild isn't offering money to the PM for atsushi anymore, and Aku and Atsushi work together anyway! And mainly since he's the main character, I don't think he's going to have his POVs in the PM, since I think the ADA is going to get more focused on, and his relationship with Aku. NOT TO MENTION the fact that Dazai would DEFINITELY get him out of there bc??? His mentor?? Going down on the same path as him? Also as Aku? Killing people and basically becoming the person he promised Oda not to be anymore?? Aint no way.

Ranpo: Yeah... i could see it. But then again I don't. Because yeah it's reasonable for the PM to choose him, and since Ranpo is being focused on a lot currently, and it would really impact his story - Ranpo is then again a smart-ass brat who wouldn't even use his "ability" in the PM, especially since it's more helpful for detective work and not mafia work. So I have no clue about this one honestly, It would be interesting character arc but how would that like... work?

And lastly..

Dazai: Ah god, I wrote him last bc I don't know what to say! I mean most people I've seen guessed it was him going. And honestly? Fucking reasonable! Like why WOULDNT Mori pick Dazai? Like yeaaah he's scared of him, but throughout the series he asked Dazai a lot of times if he would come back! It would make a lot of sense! Especially since Dazai became older and wiser. Honestly the only big thing that's holding be back from actually betting on Dazai is that... would asagiri really put him back there? Right now? I mean, look, guy was in jail this entire time, barely goes back to the agency and boom, back to the PM. I think Dazai is going to be again crucial for this new arc, especially in Atsushi's character! I think, writing wise, Dazai shouldn't go back. But then again it's the most logical thing! I have so many thoughts about this.

Or then again Asagiri could just pull the most craziest shit that none of us were expecting so-

[littencloud9]

Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before.....Thanks...

oh my god. an excuse to talk about my favs please never apologise for asking i love u. heres a list and also a song i assign them because i can LMFAO 🫶:

10. murashige yuzuki - skip and loafer

yuzuki means SO much to me. she is so so kind and has the biggest heart ever and is always looking out for the rest of the girls, and she’s so perceptive too. and the effort she puts into her art makes me sob. she’s the biggest supporter and i adore her friendship with the other girls 🥹💗

song: there she goes by sixpence none the richer. dw about it

-

9. mai - avatar the last airbender

she is SO me. oldest sister core. i adore how much she cares in the show even though it’s always masked by indifference or harsh words. her betrayal scene was FANTASTIC and she is so skilled and powerful i love her. also love her design it’s very cute!!

song: are you satisfied? by marina. i feel i dont need to explain this one

-

8. kyan reki - sk8 the infinity

holds him so gently. nothing bad should happen to him ever. he is the sweetest character and he is trying his damn BEST and his arc was incredibly done. super realistic. hurt my soul. him and miya are the most siblings to ever sibling. GIVE HIM PRAISE HE DESERVES THE WORLD

song: outdated by lyric. ps i LOVE lyric it’s my new obsession and her songs send me to heaven. highly recommend !! <3

-

7. shi qingxuan - tian guan ci fu

the genderqueer icon. the silliest babygirl. they are the light of my life and i smile every time they come on screen. them and xie lian are the funniest duo ever. and i love how cheeky they are no matter the situation, and that they’re so smart!!

(honourable mention 1: lang qianqiu. he was here before sqx replaced him. his story shattered me into pieces and i hold him so dear to my heart)

song: girls and boys in school by neon trees. i am the biggest neon trees fan and i feel like the vibe fits. also any trashy 2000s pop song fits too. i think sqx would love kesha

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6. yosano akiko - bungo stray dogs

YOSANO I LOVE YOU 💗💗💗💗💗 the moment her backstory hit i was utterly fucking DESTROYED. her fight with kajii and her speech about how valuable human life is (which you wouldnt expect because her ability can ‘reverse’ death) was amazing, and then you get to know WHY she thinks that way with her backstory. and the way she was forced to become a weapon but unlearned that with the help of the agency. oh god. im on my knees. asagiri give me more yosano screentime i beg 🔪

(honourable mention 2: akutagawa. i didnt want to spam this list with bsd characters but just know that he hurts my soul and destroys me mentally)

song: history of man by maisie peters. again i feel i dont need to explain this

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5. mu qing - tian guan ci fu

he is SUCH a little fucking bitch (affectionate). admittedly hes here because hes pretty and sassy. genuinely my fav tgcf character and his attitude is funny. hes also dumb sometimes (with feng xin or xie lian) and i love how hes so embarrassed of affection. please give him more hugs i need to see this man blush. also hes in an 800 year old situationship and there is SO much to unpack there but it doesnt matter because i want to throw him in a blender NOW ‼️

song: best by gracie abrams. i was gonna put a sillier song but i think this fits him and his dumb situationship. get this guy to talk about his feelings

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4. edogawa ranpo - bungo stray dogs

!!!!!! RANPO! hes so me. hes been my fav since season 1 and then untold origins got adapted and i was shaken. holy shit. hes just a boy. he just needs love. he flaunts his brain and power as a direct response to how much he was shamed for it as a child. HIM AND FUKUZAWA. HIM AND YOSANO. im gonna sob. he seems so cocky and arrogant and then u realise hes desperately trying to be the smartest in the room because he knows how much the agency relies on him. hes trying to protect everyone. hes holding the weight of the entire agency on his shoulders. im squishing him I LOVE RANPO

song: mastermind by taylor swift. it was either that or mirrorball. but i think the bridge fits him especially well <3

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3. itadori yuuji - jujutsu kaisen

TOP 3!! ITADORI YUUJI THE MC THAT YOU ARE. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH 💞💞💞💞💞 hes pink and silly PLEASE take all his suffering away and give it to gege akutami. I LOVE HIM. he has undeniable willpower AND UNSHAKEABLE CHARACTER and he keeps getting up no matter how many times hes been beaten down. HE FIGHTS SO HARD FOR THE PEOPLE HE LOVES. he wants to save people. he blames himself so much for things that aren’t his fault and it makes me CRY holy shit. and the way he looks past appearances and sees people for who they are inside/their talents and positives. GREENEST FLAG. I LOVE YOU YUUJI. please please please give him back everyone he loves and give him a big hug. put him in a romance anime this jjk shit is NOT for him 😞

song: atlantis by seafret. it was that or not strong enough. both options hurt equally bad. I LOVE HIM ☹️

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2. cheng xiaoshi - link clink

HNGHHSHDHDHHSSJDHSHHSHSSHSHDHSHSHDHHS. CHENG XIAOSHI I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. none of you get it (ps PLEASE watch link click i want more lc friends 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏). he is the best thing of this show and the show is fantastic so thats saying something. HES SO DUMB BUT SO KIND AND AN AMAZING FIGHTER and his backstory omg i need to give him a hug. i love how determined he always is to give people a better life, to change their past for the better, even though hes heavily warned not to do that. and that he is ALWAYS fighting for others. and how understanding he is. his relationship with both lu guang and qiao ling are so precious. he has this warm aura around him that draws the other characters to him u know?? i am the biggest cxs stand i will defend him with my life. i cant say much more with spoilers so ill end here but I FUCKING LOVE HIM PLEASE WATCH LINK CLICK DO IT FOR HIM 🫶🫶🫶🫶

song: waiting room by phoebe bridgers. he knows he cant change anything but god fucking DAMN it does he wish he can. sobs forever

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1. fushiguro megumi - jujutsu kaisen

MEGUMI!!!!! i feel like we saw this coming. ill never shut up about him. megumi i love you. ill defend him with my LIFE. he is the biggest lover at his core and he is so determined to protect those he loves. and his whole thing about never reaching his full potential because he doesn’t believe in his power… ough. and how he loves his friends so much but wont show it. he’ll be like ‘i do NOT care about human earthworm’ and then watch all four movies. he is my son. and yeah as a manga reader ive been suffering for so long but WE HAVE HOPE NOW! megumi nation in megumi we trust 🙏 I LOVE HIM. his sass is also really funny. i love him have i mentioned that. im not even articulate anymore my brain is just HDHFJSBDJDHJD when i think of him. he makes me miserable. his relationships with tsumiki, gojo, toji etc are all so depressing in their own way. HE DOESNT DESERVE ANY OF THAT SHIT BTW GEGE GIVE HIM BACK HIS HAPPINESS. also wait i love how smart he is during battle and how he is so observant, and how he explains jujutsu stuff to people like yuuji who are new to it. HAVE I MENTIONED HOW KIND HE IS. HGDNAJDHSJD. my silly pining gay boy. i am hugging him so gently and making him the warmest soup ever. sorry for the rant MEGUMI THE CHARACTER EVER 💗💗💗🫶🫶🫶💞💞💞🩵🩵🩵

song: the alcott by the national ft taylor swift. this is ESPECIALLY solidified by this edit here that changed my life. LIVE LAUGH LOVE MEGUMI 2k24

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wow this is a long post. thank you SO much for the ask sorry for how incoherent this is i love my favs 🤍

[itsjustelian]

Has anyone else noticed that all of the ADA's enemy organizations lack a sense of unity? I was thinking about it last night, and only the ADA has members that all want the same end goal.

In this essay, I will... Just read under the cut, idk.

Organization by organization, I'll explain what I mean.

Armed Detective Agency:

Fukuzawa: Founded the Agency as a place to help Ranpo use his ability to save people

Ranpo: While only wanting to use his hyper-intelligence when it suits him, he'll also only use it if the end goal is helping people

Yosano: Wants a place in the world where nobody will use her ability as a weapon against other people. Also, has been spending all of her time in the ADA helping people.

Kunikida: Will live and die for his ideals, many of which revolve around helping people.

Dazai: Despite whatever ulterior motives the man has, his main reason for joining the agency was Oda telling him to "Be a good man and save people."

Tanizaki: He's a loose cannon right now, but for the sake of my argument he's doing it all to help his sister. That or he's the only exception because he's definitely going to join the Mafia.

Kenji: Can do no wrong and I don't think the kid has an 'I actively want to hurt people' bone in his body. Also, he helps people around Yokohama and they all like him. So, yeah he falls under our wants to help people category.

Atsushi: Wants to prove he's worthy of being alive by saving people.

Kyouka: After being stuck in the Mafia she's chosen to use her ability and skills to help people while working in The Agency.

Apologies for sounding like a broken record for that entire section. It gets more interesting I swear.

Port Mafia:

Mori: While he clearly cares about Yokohama as a place (made clear by his actions during The Guild arc) he also seems to be running the mafia for the power and safety (?) it brings him.

Chuuya: I could go on for a whole post on why Chuuya is still with the Mafia. But that's not what this post is about. In Stormbringer Chuuya finds his answer to the whole 'Am I human?" argument. So that can't be his main driving force. I think his main reason for doing what he's doing is that Chuuya is a social person. He enjoys having people around whom he can trust and who trust him. But, he also knows he doesn't want to be a leader, so an executive of the mafia is a safe and comfortable position for him. (He and Sigma would get along great with their whole desire for a home thing.)

Akutagawa: Is pretty clear, while loyal to the mafia his driving force is proving to Dazai that he's worth something, that he's grown stronger. Although now that he's gotten that I wonder what his main driving force (aside from fucking Atsushi up) is.

Tachihara: He's being put in the Mafia category because it's where he wants to be. Aside from being a double agent and all that Tachihara's driving force was getting revenge for his brother and the orders he was given. Even saying that "Orders make me who I am."

Kajii: I am almost 100% sure he only joined the mafia because they let him blow shit up with no repercussions.

I'm not doing every PM ability user, I'd be here for the rest of my life, so take these few.

The Guild:

Fitzgerald: Is looking for the book to bring his dead daughter back to life and save his wife.

Margaret: Trying to make money to restore her family's honor.

Steinbeck: Making money to send home to his family.

Twain: Wants an adventure (?) He went to write a book about it so I'm assuming that's what happened.

Lucy: Looking for a place where she'll be appreciated and seen as useful (Gods, why do so many people in this story just want a home.)

Lovecraft: Is only with The Guild because of a contract.

Herman: Loyalty to what The Guild was? Love for the Moby Dick?

Poe: Only joined because it meant he would get to see Ranpo again (we know what you are).

The Hunting Dogs:

Fukuchi: Is trying to dismantle the state and 'dethrone the angels'. And I'm pretty sure his reasoning is that the state is the only reason war happens, so if he removes the state war can't happen anymore. (nobody tell this man about civil wars he'd have to wipe out all life on earth.)

Teruko: Follows Fukuchi? I haven't analyzed her enough to know what her goals are, sorry.

Tecchou: Strives for justice in the world and puts it above everything else (except for Jouno in those five minutes.)

Jouno: Enjoys tormenting people and seeing them squirm but also wants to help the innocent and finds joy in that. (Gods Jouno, pick a side when you come back, okay? I had to open the Manga to figure you out.)

The Decay Of Angels:

Fyodor: Wants to destroy all ability users and cleanse the world of sin.

Gogol: Wishes to be free from the shackles of society's morals and is at the moment attempting to kill Fyodor to prove that point.

Sigma: They just want a home, somewhere to belong that can't be taken away from them. (Can Sigma get a happy ending, please? I love him very much.)

Bram: God only knows the man wants to sleep with his Spotify on and relax for once.

---

It's just fun that only the Agency has members that all want the same thing. Especially with some of the organizations having members that directly contradict each other. Gogol attempting to kill Fyodor. Bram actively not wanting to use his ability. Tecchou striving for justice that Fukuchi is actively destroying.

Maybe that's why everyone keeps losing to The Agency, they lack the unity that the ADA has. Or maybe I'm grasping at straws and this is dumb.

[lesbianyosano]

there's still like two weeks until the next chapter release and obv there's no guarantee whose pov we're going to get, but i feel the need to talk about how i think fukuzawa needs to die and why it may happen now, during his confrontation with fukuchi at the airport

first of all, his ability. like many other abilities it's a plot device, used specifically to enable atsushi and kyouka to use their abilities in a controled way. this obviously works when they first join the agency, helping them regain agency over their lives in some capacity and learn how to utilize them in safe way. but for either of them (but atsushi specifically) to have a full and satisfying character arc they need to be able to use their abilities without an external factor. fukuzawa won't be in their lives forever (regardless what happens on the airport) and it would be,, anticlimactic almost to leave them only kind of in control of their own powers. also, in both their cases gaining control over the abilities isn't just a matter of harnessing power, it's about self-acceptance and reconciliation with their past. atsushi needs to come to terms with the tiger living inside of him the same way kyouka needs to accept demon snow's involvement in her parents death. fukuzawa's death is the only thing that can force them into further character development in this sense

another thing is just how much asagiri went out of his way to establish kunikida as the next ada president. don't get me wrong, even if fukuzawa never dies in the manga those chapters will still hold up both as an excellent character study and a fun information to have, but looking at them from the current perspective it's a chekov's gun. we are told exactly why it's supposed to be kunikida and that he's backed by the other agency members. and to add to that, the cannibalism arc establishes his own doubts regarding being expected to be the leader and his issues with easily shutting down when in extreme stress. i've seen people say that this is proof he's not fit for the position and that it should be ranpo instead, but to me that's just establishing a character arc, showing a flaw he'd have to overcome

and i suppose in general, fukuzawa dying would have an enormous impact of the agency members as a whole. just ranpo and yosano would be put into an extreme situation, where the person they're incredibly close with, who gave them a safe place to be themselves is now gone and they have to navigate the world on their own. and we have no idea how much all men are equal impacts everyone's abilities. im thinking specifically about kenji here. we know the reason he followed fukuzawa was so that he could get his ability under control but how bad is it without his help? is light snow even more powerful than shown until now? are the limitations on yosano's and kunikida's abilities arbitrary?

and the last thing is, fukuzawa's death would play well into the over arching theme of the death of the status quo. nothing will be the same after this arc, even if cleared of the terrorism accusation the agency won't just go back to how it used to operate, likely having to regain public trust.

so yeah i hope he dies and i hope fukuchi dies alongside him. i love you old men yaoi <3

[sorcave]

Finished all the anime eps so far so here goes.

Kunikida is a man of ideals - a quality that he wastes no time asserting once he takes center stage as early as Season 1. He strives to live a life of virtue and has planned out every step of it in his notebook, from his dreams and aspirations to his love life and even just his daily schedule. It's a rigid structure to live, but one which Kunikida views as a guiding light to not only live his best life but to live in a way that benefits society and upholds justice.

So, naturally, this detail-oriented man with a diligent work ethic finds his sense of equilibrium frequently shaken by the eclectic oddballs comprising his friends and co-workers. Resultingly, he's not quite as stoic of a leader as Fukuzawa. For all his composure, he is prone to bursts of comical anger, most often directed at Dazai, whose mischievousness and carefree attitude are his antithesis.

It's no secret why Dazai is such a beloved character and the mesmeric core of the story. He's on the side of good, but his past and layered personality suggest a dark side that makes him extremely compelling. People love bad boys, but it's worth noting just how pivotal Kunikida is in making Dazai such an effective character. If there wasn't a straight-laced "good cop" bouncing off of Dazai's witty jabs, the banter wouldn't have the same charm.

In the pre-Chuuya Nakahara era of Bungo Stray Dogs, Kunikida was the perfect foil to Dazai, hence their being partnered up at various points in Season 1. Episodes 6 and 7 were adapted from the very first Bungo light novel, a story which originally was set two years before the series began. Instead, the anime places this story after Atsushi has joined, which works just as well and, in fact, significantly benefits Kunikida's character.

It's not difficult to see why Kunikida might slip under the radar for some fans when considering favorites among the cast. He's a Lawful Good character and the trouble with them is that they can be received as boring because they play by the rules and audiences like characters who break rules. After all, sometimes the audience wants to break the rules themselves, so it's cathartic, while also yielding a flawed protagonist that might be more relatable.

These are generalizations, of course, but one doesn't have to hate Kunikida or the Lawful Good archetype to demonstrate indifference based on such surface-level qualities. And make no mistake, it's only the surface-level qualities that set Kunikida even remotely apart from a large cast known for consistently bold introductions. If Kunikida is overlooked compared to the rest of them, then it stands to reason that he's lacking a certain something.

Finding out what is a conundrum because what makes a character someone's favorite can be anything from the biggest plot points to the most subtle moments. Ranpo's backstory in Season 4 made an already great character even better, same with Yosano that same season. All it takes is a single good episode to become obsessed with someone who, up until that point, might have been just another character. Lucky for Kunikida, he got two early on.

The Azure Messenger story is very much the defining tale of his character; one that challenges the ideals that define him, through the return of an old case that's come back to haunt him. It's a story that ends in tragedy and which leaves him furious and frustrated. Next to Season 2's Dark Era arc, it's one of the first dramatic moments where Bungo gets serious in a way that demands pause. Yet, despite not reaching a favorable conclusion, Kunikida stands firm.

Another thing that - again, on a surface level - can be frustrating about Lawful Good characters is how their conflicts can be rooted in their innate goodness. Thus, the villains, human nature, or even the universe at large, endeavor to tarnish it and "break" the hero. A less charitable interpretation of such a character might conclude that they lack a substantial flaw.

The trouble with this conclusion is that it sort of eschews the point of a character arc. If a more relatable, flawed character is compelling, it's because they are challenged to confront said flaws, either fixing them or giving in. In the same way, an idealistic character is useful because their conflicts challenge their propensity to be the kind of person that the audience should hypothetically strive to be.

Kunikida is a compelling character because he represents how hard it is to live up to ideals, and the importance of striving to despite the impossibility of never faltering. And it isn't a conclusion that he comes to without a struggle. The best part of the Azure Messenger case is how it affects him throughout the rest of the season. Despite his assertions, Kunikida becomes more jaded, which leads him to discourage Atsushi from trying to save Kyouka.

But Atsushi doesn't give up, and Kunikida noticeably has some of that faith in his ideals restored. One of the best creative choices the anime made was adapting the first light novel as they did. It allowed the climax of Season 1 to be even more impactful by giving Kunikida a complete arc, the drama of which would be echoed in future seasons.

Truth be told, the most pressing reason why Kunikida has faded from the discourse is his seeming lack of relevance since Season 3. Between the underrated Episode 25 and the Cannibalism arc, Kunikida cements his place as a leader. However, the death he witnesses in that same arc is a harrowing event that has yet to truly take hold and push his story forward.

There have been suggestions of an inner conflict, like in Kunikida's scenes with Jouno of the Hunting Dogs, but as of the end of Season 5, they haven't amounted to much. With any luck, Bungo Stray Dogs' next arc will have something exciting in store for him, because it would truly be a tragedy not to see this man's search for ideals end prematurely. Although I feel a lot of this is remedied once I read through the manga along with the light novels.