#bsd season 3 episode 12

[dazais-guardian-angel]

Chapter 110 is 13 pages long welcome to hell!!! so in a lot of ways this is just more fuel for a theory that I've had for a few weeks now, that's only gotten stronger with each recent season 5 episode, which is that the last episode of the season is gonna end on 110, and that Asagiri/Harukawa and Bones have been collaborating to make this happen, specifically because it's a major turning point that would be the only good place to end the season on.

When we started getting especially long chapters again (like from 25-35ish pages, with the exception of 107.5, the last two being some of the longest we've ever had), at first I just assumed that Asagiri/Harukawa got freed up from some other obligations they'd been having to cause the extremely short/half chapters, like promotional stuff for the anime/Beast movie, or working on light novels. But then 109 happened, with the "supposed" death of Dazai, and heavy emphasis at the end on how literally everyone is at their lowest point right now, and I got to thinking. 11 episodes is a strangely specific number for an anime season -- why not 12, or 13, or even 10, like you'd usually see? Why have we gotten suddenly gotten two 35 page chapters out of nowhere, that's almost unheard of at this point? They're both beautiful chapters, don't get me wrong (as always), and maybe A/H simply just didn't want to cut them in halves because they felt like the full emotional impact wouldn't hit/that there were no good cutoff points in them, but you can't deny that it's surprising, after all the shorter chapters we've been getting. Why has the anime been going at such insanely breakneck pacing for the most part ever since around the Sunday Tragedy chapters, even more so than it has in the past? So much so that it feels dangerously close to overtaking the manga?

Well, maybe, just maybe, it's because..... Asagiri decided a long time ago that whatever happens in 110 is the only point that feels "season finale"-worthy enough, in an arc that still isn't anywhere close to being completely wrapped up, and so both the manga and the anime have been specifically coordinated to reach that part within 2 and a half weeks of each other?

I've seen a lot of people now think season 5 will end with 109, and as much as my sadistic side would find that hilarious, I honestly don't think they'd do that and realistically don't want it to happen; it'd be so cruel to cliffhanger the anime for years like that, and just doesn't feel like a season cliffhanger BSD would do, a series that is ultimately hopeful and uplifting. Seasons 2 and 3 had a positive, conclusive ending; the only reasons seasons 1 and 4 didn't was because they're technically not really full seasons of their own, and are more like the first cour of another "season" that also came out that same year (seasons 1 and 2 both aired in 2016, so they're more like one big season, and seasons 4 and 5 have both aired this year, so they're also more like one big season, again taking into account how episodes 12 and 50 are not satisfying finales like episodes 24, 37, and hypothetically, 61, are). I really can't see season 5 ending with Dazai and Fukuzawa's supposed deaths, Sigma being unconscious and maybe close to death, Atsushi being vulnerable and limbless again, everyone we love still vampires, and the entire world being basically doomed; that's just too depressing and not like BSD at all. However, having said that, if it doesn't end there, there really isn't any good place to end the season before that, either, that feels in any way satisfying or like a finale at all. And so, to me, that only leaves after 109: chapter 110.

I think things are really gonna turn around next chapter. Like I said, everyone is at their lowest point right now, it cannot possibly get any worse, the framing of Dazai, Fukuzawa, and sskk at the end of 109 is telling us that; this is the time for the heroes to finally start winning again, with Aya being so close to pulling out the sword, and for all the thematic reasons other people have talked about to death that I don't need to go into here again. This upcoming chapter being so short again makes a part of me wary of 110 being "the one", so to speak, I won't lie, but at the same time, it's very possible that it needs to be that short because that's all the final episode of the season will be able to reasonably fit in, since it's already gonna be VERY close if they do make it all the way to 109. And at the end of the day, I don't doubt at all that Asagiri and Harukawa can make these the most monumental and game-changing mere 13 pages ever if they wanted to; a chapter does not at all need to be extremely long in order to be an important and impactful one, even if short ones we've gotten in the past haven't felt the most important.

An additional thought I've had, though this is much more crack territory than all this already is, is that since we know from Anime Expo that a Stormbringer movie at some point is highly likely (judging from Asagiri's reaction when someone brought it up), it's possible that chapter 110 and thus the final episode will involve the long-anticipated return of Verlaine and/or Adam, or at least some other major reference to Stormbringer, that would naturally and smoothly lead into a Stormbringer movie to explain things to people who haven't read the novel. It would make a lot of sense, especially since the s4 OP has the Old World sign behind Chuuya, which might be a hint that this has been in the works ever since seasons 4/5 were first in planning with Asagiri. We also know that Dazai and Chuuya's voice actors apparently struggled to record their lines together this season, which probably relates to 101 and possibly 109, but it could be 110 too.... I could be very wrong, as I'm no expert on this kind of thing, but I kinda doubt they would bring Chuuya's actor in for just the vampire growls, and Asagiri placing heavy emphasis on Chuuya's importance this season in that one interview gives me the impression that he's talking about much more than just 101/109. But that's the least solid evidence I have, that's just mostly based on vibes I get.

So basically, I think a lot of factors -- the unusual episode count, how close the anime is to catching up to the manga with three whole episodes left, the seemingly arbitrary recent chapter lengths, and the climactic events of 109 -- can tell us that 110 might be a very, VERY big deal. Again, there's of course no way this arc is anywhere near close to being finished, with so much left to address and resolve, but since it is currently incomplete in the manga, unlike the previously adapted arcs, if the anime was going to adapt it at all, they'd have to find a place that feels satisfying enough to end this season, knowing there won't be more anime for a long time after this, and so I think they specifically planned for that, from both Bones' and A/H's sides. 10 episodes might not have been enough to reach that point, but 12 or 13 might have been too many it wouldn't have been if Bones actually decided to slow down and let the story breathe the way it needs to, but this post isn't meant to criticize the anime, so maybe 11 was just right. And maybe Asagiri and Harukawa specifically pushed to make recent chapters longer than usual, in order to make sure that the manga reached the story content in 110 the monthly release right before season 5 was to end.

Is this just copium? Absolutely. Am I going to look like an absolute clown in two days when this post ages like milk? Probably. But the evidence is There, so let me just enjoy my delusions until Sunday, okay 🥂🫡

[originalaccountname]

BSD SEASON 4 : FISHEYE COMPILATION

Season 4 roundup!! Now up to episode 50, we've been at this for almost a full calendar year. This season had a very weak fisheye­™ count, with only 10 results, but one was in the opening, so really it's like we had one every week.

Without further ado:

TOTAL: 10

2 Mushitarou // 2 Yosano // 1 Fyodor // 1 Kunikida // 1 Ranpo // 1 evil secretary // 1 unsuspecting theatre attendee // 1 corrupted politician

(S1 total: 15.5 // S2 total: 13 // S3 total: 14)

Episodes featuring fisheye shots: 7/13 (s1: 8/12 // s2: 9/13 // s3: 9/12)

Average per episode (featured): 1.43 (s1: 1.94 // s2: 1.44 // s3: 1.56)

Average per episode (total): 0.77 (s1: 1.29 // s2: 1.00 // s3: 1.17)

>Season 1 compilation<

>Season 2 compilation<

>Dead Apple<

>Season 3 compilation<

Fisheye Compilation tag

[kohuaz]

short ramble but i can't be the only one who's going absolutely /crazy/ over the suspense for agatha christie's appearance, in bungou stray dogs right? (。_°)☆

(warning: spoilers, theories and my takes on her by the way !!)

i mean, she was introduced /so/ early on in the series (in the end of the third volume, chapter 12: rashōmon and the tiger) alongside dostoevsky and fitzgerald, in that order. fitzgerald was the first to make a proper appearance with the guild, before moving onto the currently on-going conflict with Fyodor and his many connections with numerous organisations, the rats in the house of the dead, the alliance with dazai and shibusawa during dead apple, the decay of angels, so on and so forth. it would only make sense that agatha comes next as the third, and potentially final, big antagonist of BSD.

so far, she's made minimal appearances, i've counted two times she was actually on screen, but each and every time she is /so/ cold with it. Just take a look at her first appearance, for instance:

quite clearly she's in a position of power and influence where talk of the pursuit of the book itself and a seven billion yen bounty tiger connected to it is hardly considered an 'adversary worth dirtying [her] handwear over.'

her second main appearance was in the dead apple movie and manga, chapter 14.2 while making a call to the special division for unusual powers (idk how to make scans and couldn't find any online past vol 3, sorry (シ_ _)シ):

HELLO?? essentially, 'my condolences for the current affairs and ongoings in your city (｡•́︿•̀｡), regardless, we'll be burning it down by sunrise d(^_^o)'

/clearly/ she's got a lot of influence in the world of abilities; especially considering how it's the order of the clock tower who was in possession of the one order—one of the three great calamities as a product of the great war, mind you—to be sent out to stop the vampire apocalypse in season 5. and agatha's a /dame/ in that organisation: a knight commander. she /has/ to be influential (｡ >艸<)

\\ another little note, and my personal speculation, but when ranpo stated at the meeting in episode 55 (season 5, episode 5): at the port in the sky, 3 minutes 24 seconds in:

‚The tyrant of Europe, the master of Gifted warfare, is still waiting.’

COULD RANPO MEAN AGATHA, BY CHANCE? /THAT/ IS A //CRAZY// TITLE. MASTER OF GIFTED WARFARE? IM SO EXCITED FOR AGATHA’S APPEARANCE !! \(≧▽≦)/ \\ now his wasn't explicitly stated to be agatha, but considering what we know of her now, i wouldn't doubt that it's her !! (>ᴗ•) !

‚If they were to fight, based on sheer numbers, peace would be restored in six months or so.’

RESTORING PEACE WHEN OVER /SIXTEEN/ NATIONAL MILITARIES OF VAMPIRES WIEDLING WEAPONS ARE THEIR ENEMY IS /INSANE/ Σ(･口･)

IM SO HYPED FOR AGATHA \\ SHE’S MORE MYSTERIOUS THAN FYODOR (੭ु ›ω‹ )੭ु⁾⁾♡

crime and punishment was such a plot twist and fyodor is probably the most /insane/ antagonist we've seen yet, so how is agatha going to trump this? we've already seen fitzgerald banded together with the agency in the fight against the decay of angels so maybe agatha will too \\ (though fitzgerald already had his 'fight the ada' arc so, maybe not (ᵕ—ᴗ—) (っ- ‸ - ς)) \\ but her plot twist must be /In.Sane/ (๑꒪���꒪)*

i know asagiri is about to cook with this one (๑>◡<๑) \\ thanks for reading my ramblings

[constellation-sys]

bsd ramblings (seasons 1, 2, and dead apple)

i would commit double suicide with dazai

why does everyone have a gyatt

kunikida x dazai??????

WHY ARE THE SIBLINGS SO WEIRDDDD

ranpo’s my scrungo

atsushi has trauma and is a furry

kunikida and endeavor sound really similar

dazai <33333

what the actual fuck is wrong with the doctor 

oh hey ginger

oh those bitches are homosexual 

the way they fight is so homoerotic 

“go to hell! i was being saracastic!” — chuuya to his boyfriend

dazai x chuuya

atsushi x akutagawa 

WHY IS EVERY SINGLE GUY IN BSD SO HOT

the animation has no right to be so good 

kenji is so silly. i love him

kenji loving cows is so real of him

i need more port mafia exec dazai

“he both fears death and is drawn to it” ME FR

DAZAI <33333333333333333333

i want to hold dazai. i need to ruffle his hair. i want to commit suicide with him, my last words being heard by him only. i want to drown with this man, the holy water bringing us both to the afterlife. we will both be free. 

chuuya is so silly

“come now, take me with you to the afterlife” DAZAI AJHDISBEUDBEUBD 

dazai is a disaster bi and i love him for that

i pledge allegiance to the flag of bungo stray dogs and to the fandom for which it stands. one nation under dazai, indivisible, with fanfic and fanart for all. 

dazai is down horrendous for oda. i don’t blame him

dazai my silly wet cat disaster bi husband <33333333333333333

akutagawa is so silly

WHY DID THE THEME SONG HAPPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EPISODE WTF

men <3

oda is my dad now bc i said so 

the kid’s name is shinji? evangelion reference?? 

“because odasaku’s my friend” NO HE AINT DAZAI. HE’S YOUR UNREQUITED CRUSH. 

“because i know my friend better than anyone” DAZAI’S LITTLE GASP OMFG IEBEKSHWJJDEBBE OMFG OMFG IM GONNA CRY DONT EVEN WINEUEHEJEJ (friend who got me into the show) YOU BITCH

“you’re a were-tiger, grow some were-balls” KUNIKIDA YOU DID NOT

ranpo is autistic

WHY THE HELL IS THE BOSS SO WEIRD ABT HIS KID WIHDJEBE OMFG

“i can’t hear the voice of god with you staring like that” — every catholic ever

nathanial hawthorn is a silly catholic

margaret basically being the daughter of a rich plantation owner in the 1800’s is so american 

ranpo my silly

chuuya <3

q and kyouka are my children

osamu dazai my silly little wet cat autistic depressed suicidal maniac disaster bisexual husband <3

WHY IS MARK FUCKING TWAIN SO FINE OMFG THIS SHOW

lovecraft is weird. i like it. he’s accurate. 

margaret x nathan?? 

chuuya and dazai are an old married couple. i love them so much. 

“god i hate you” — chuuya to his husband who he loves very much

“don’t worry, buddy. i’ve got you” — dazai to his lover

“i’d expect nothing from you, my worthy adversary” poe to his bf

WHY IS POE FINE SOEJDIHENSHDBE

ranpo is so silly 

dazai is a cool uncle to kyouka fuck you

akutagawa and atsushi are down bad for each other 

why is scott fitzgerald a crossbreed between a dilf and a twink

cmon you two kiss each other already

is akutagawa down bad for dazai or just looks up to him

WHY IS THE WIFE NAMED ZELDA?? IS SHE A PRINCESS OR WHAT

i am OBSESSED with this show

never have i ever watched an anime with a shit theme song. i love bsd’s intro so much

hehe moby dick

if kyouka dies i’m killing myself /hj

welp guess i’m dying 

akutagawa my silly <3

nvm not dying today. hey at least kyouka isn’t dead 

dazai is akutagawa’s father figure sorry not sorry 

lovecraft is so real for jumping in the sea 

POE IS HERE WIHEEIHEIEHEUDHEHD I LOVE POE 

RANPO KISS HIM RN KISS YOU TWO KISS 

“but i prefer the women in my life to be under 12” E X C U S E M E S I R 

RUSSIAN MAN???? 

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT DUDE HELL YEAH

IWJDUEBEHE DAZAI QUOTING ODA IEHRUEBEUDHWHDUENDJDJHE IM GONNA CRY AGAIN BYE—

DEAD APPLE IS AMAZING. I WATCHED IT ON 9ANIME. ONLY SUB THOUGH

READING THE TRANSLATOR STRUGGLE IS SO FUNNY. o7 TO THEM GOOD JOB.

[kyouka-supremacy]

Sorta continuation of this, here's some observations on how the bsd anime adaptation rate (average of number of chapters adapted per episode) changed every season:

Season 1: 10 plot episodes + 2 ln adaptation. Adapts up to chapter 16. Average of chapters adapted per episode: 1.60

Season 2: 8 plot episodes + 4 ln adaptation. Adapts chapters 17-37 (21 chapters). Average of chapters adapted per episode: 2.63 (+1.03)

Season 3: 9 plot episodes + 3 ln adaptation. Adapts chapters 38-39 & 41-53 (15 chapters). Average of chapters adapted per episode: 1.67 (-0.96)

Season 4: 10 plot episodes + 3 ln adaptation. Adapts chapters 54-77 (24 chapters). Average of chapters adapted per episode: 2.40 (+0.73)

※ I opted out of counting the Hitori Ayumi OVA this time around, reasoning that the factors that play into conditioning the season episodes adaptation rate wouldn't have influenced the OVA given its nature of stand-alone episode.

Seasons 1-3 adaptation rate: 27 plot episodes, 52 adapted chapters. Average of chapters adapted per episode: 1.93

Season 4 adaptation rate compared to the average of all the previous seasons: 2.40 (+0.47)

Seasons 1-4 overall adaptation rate: 37 plot episodes, 76 adapted chapters. Total average of chapters adapted per episode: 2.05

That being said, let's try to guess how season 5 might play out taking in the previous four seasons adaptation rate of 2.05 as standard. Here's the fun thing: if season 5 is just 12 / 13 episodes of plot adaptation, that would mean adapting up to chapter 102 / 104. Coincidentally, chapter 104 (fukufuku flashback) is also the furthest in the manga plot that was shown in the last season 5 trailer. Feel free to draw your own conclusions, but as of now a new light novel adaptation seems positively unlikely and a Stormbringer adpatation basically impossible to make fit.

[matchboxartist]

do you ever just enjoy a particular screencap but you cba to find it in the source material (looking at you danny motta reaction video bsd season 3 episodes 9-10 timestamp 3:12)

[rayshippouuchiha]

Hi Ray, I'm following BSD alongside with you and I'd like to know what's the last episode you're planing to watch on Wednesday? I know you said it would be the beginning of season 3, but I was wondering which episode of this season it would be exactly. I can't wait. Thank you (and thank to those that suggested this anime to you) for letting me discover a manga and anime (as well as a new favorite character: Dazai) that I'm really enjoying!

If all goes well I plan to watch the Dead Apple movie first and then episodes 1-12 of season 3.

And I'm so glad you've gotten into BSD's with me and that you're having a good time!!

[dourpeep]

WAAH okay I just finished the first ep of season 4 for bsd and I just OTL

I remembered something from the light novel that season 4 is opening with (book 3, The Untold Origins of the Detective Agency), so don't peek if you don't want to be spoiled for those who either haven't read and want to, or want to wait for the anime to release more episodes

BUT MAN I'm so sad remembering this, but seeing it happen and reading is just???? It hits different but in a good way (or as good as angst can get lmao)

but just seeing 14 yr old Ranpo versus 26 yr old Ranpo and realizing that he really hasn't changed-

He knew, when he was 14, that people didn't see what he saw and understood that his 'ability' was something that was unique to him due to his upbringing and parents (both brilliant people--his father specifically being an incredibly well-known detective- so really, it makes you wonder if this influenced his bragging but that's something for another time), but kept himself under the guise that people understood because...

If adults can't see what he can see, then how are they supposed to help him out when he's still a child? A child can't do everything themselves, so the idea that no one would be able to help him just makes his parent's death that much worse

And despite Fukuzawa not really knowing this straight out, it's interesting to see how he handles it

Not sure how to comfort a child whose essentially jaded with a lack of trust towards others and a continually decreasing will because he just keeps on getting beaten down? Oh easy, just tell him that the thing that's been giving him indirect woe is a skill. He only is being affected by his own brilliance because it's something that can't be helped. Give him a reason to be proud of it instead!

Uh but I'm getting carried away.

Anyway-- then we see 26 yr old Ranpo now who, really, has known the entire time that his 'skill' isn't a skill, but instead accepted Fukuzawa's attempt at comfort those 12 years ago because now it's more the idea that...if it isn't a skill, then what is he useful for? Within a group of people so talented--not just due to their individual skill, but their combat abilities and all that--why is he so special that he is a part of them? And why would he be so deserving of everyone's praise if he's just...normal?

Long story short, I just mainly remembered Ranpo's deep insecurity that's rooted in his view of his own competence and the effect of the loss of his parents at an early age and I just wanna grab his cheeks and stretch

ALSO ALSO in season 4's first ep when he's trying to nab a bite of the actress' sweets and she eats it instead that was soiefhoih what a brat

[itsjustelian]

Every IRL Fitzgerald and Great Gatsby Reference in BSD

Because it's actually fucking absurd at this point.

1. Mr. Fizyboi and his ability are the two obvious references, so we'll throw those out to start with. His ability is a parody of the title The Great Gatsby.

2. Season 1 Episode 12 is named: "Borne Back Ceaselessly Into The Past," which is the last line of The Great Gatsby. The full quote being: "And so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

3. The ship at the beginning of the Guild arc is named Zelda, after the real Fitzgerald wife.

4. His actual wife in the series is named Zelda (who was also an author, and I'm just saying that if she doesn't have an ability, I'm gonna be a tad sad.)

5. T.J. Eckleburg (the inventor of the eyes of God) is the name on a billboard in The Great Gatsby for an optometrist by the name of T.J. Eckleburg.

Heh, he has glasses.

6. The Eyes of God, the program that can match and find any person as long as there is camera footage of them, is another (albeit roundabout) reference to Eckleburg. The billboard for the optometrist in the novel has two large eyes on it that the characters often mention as seemingly staring at everyone. They're high up and large, hence God.

7. His backstory mentions that he grew up poor and ended up wealthy. This matches both Fizgerald and Gatsby's pasts. Fizgerald not becoming wealthy until his first successful novel (This Side Of Paradise). And Gatsby not becoming wealthy until he dipped his toes into bootlegging.

8. "Old Sport." BSD Fiztgerald calls people this in the show, which is a direct take from The Great Gatsby as Gatsby calls Nick Carraway Old Sport.

9. He has a daughter in the show (although she's dead). And irl Fitzgerald had a single daughter named Frances.

~~~

Why does he have so many references? The Great Gatsby is a decent novel, yeah, but there are better American authors in the show.

I don't even think Atsushi has this many direct references to himself, and he's the main character.

(If I missed any plz tell me. I'll add them.)

[kermiethefroog]

Okay so I have been thinking a lot about Fyodor and where he shows up in the timeline of BSD right? I know that there is not a ton of info about him out there (generally speaking). I can't help but wonder how old is he???

(Potential spoilers for season 3 and more ahead)

This came to mind after watching the most recent episodes of the show (based on The Untold Origins light novel) which takes place 12 years before the main series. Fyodor appears briefly at the end of episode 3 before disappearing. Now, I haven't read the light novel, though I am curious if that same event still happened (apologies, I am just a resident manga reader). Regardless of whether it is original to the story or not, the fact that Fyodor looks exactly the same is so fascinating????

I'm pretty sure this event pre-dates Dazai joining the mafia? We also know that Fyodor looks about the same during the Dragon's Head Conflict (thanks to the Dead Apple movie). This was only 6 years prior to where the current timeline of the manga is at.

Now, the fact that he constantly looks the same might be connected to the process of adaptation (from light novel to visual media), but I like to think that maybe it's more intentional than that.

This isn't a totally serious post, and I didn't really have a goal with it, but it's just something I've been thinking about for a bit.

I think it would be interesting if his lack of aging had something to do with his ability (because we don't really know everything about it), and it would still be interesting if he was just old (lmao). If anyone else has any ideas, or knows more I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

[preludicrous]

intense fear over the bsd anime overtaking the manga

we are 6 episodes into season 5 and covered from chapter 78 to part of chapter 97, which is 18-ish chapters in 6 episodes so on average 3 chapters per episode

there are 12 chapters remaining before the manga catches up which is only enough to fill 4 episodes given the current pacing. assuming a 13 episode season (could be twelve, im not sure), we would be 3 episodes short

yet 3 episodes doesn't seem like remotely enough time for a stormbringer adaptation. bones isnt above filler, but in this current arc i just can't see them making filler work

what is bones on

[originalaccountname]

BSD SEASON 3 : FISHEYE COMPILATION

Welcome back for the third season wrap-up! A lot of honorable mentions this season, so they won't get featured in this post.

The criteria keep moving around as the fisheye sample number grows, but for this final count, I am only including those who stayed on screen for at least a few seconds and showed some deformation (the ones that "feel" like a fisheye lens) and are not only in the middle of an action scene.

Here come the winners after review!

TOTAL: 14

2 Atsushi // 2 Old Boss // 1 Rimbaud // 1 Chuuya // 1 Ace // 1 Karma // 1 Higuchi // 1 Eckleburg // 1 Buchanan // 1 Tanizaki // 1 Mori // 1 Ivan Goncharov

((S1 total: 15.5 // S2 total: 13))

Episodes featuring fisheye shots: 9/12 (s1: 8/12) (s2: 9/13)

Average per episode (featured): 1.56 (s1: 1.94) (s2: 1.44)

Average per episode (total): 1.17 (s1: 1.29) (s2: 1.00)

>Season 1 compilation<

>Season 2 compilation<

>Dead Apple<

Fisheye Compilation tag

[bamboowick]

Okay, so you know how we’re basically caught up with the manga in the anime? Like legitimately right behind the current chapters?

Because of BSD’s slow updates (being a monthly updating manga) and sometimes only having a like dozen pages in a chapter or a .5 chapter placeholder, it’s going to be a very long time before we get enough content for Season 6.

BUT!! I have a solution for this problem (so we don’t have to wait like 3 years or whatever long timeframe)

Start off Season 6 with Stormbringer.

It’s perfect. Half the season could be Stormbringer flashbacks since seasons are usually only around 12 episodes and there’s no way they can faithfully adapt Stormbringer in like 3-4 episodes. Heck, they could do more than half if they wanted. That depends on their pacing. But Bones likes to skip scenes sometimes so I wouldn’t hope for an exact replica of the light novel.

But if this were to happen, we wouldn’t have to wait so long for a next season and they’d probably have enough manga content to fill the last few episodes while they work on adapting Stormbringer.

Also I just really want to see Stormbringer adapted.

[d0stoevskysposts]

Dostoevsky’s Ability (BSD) Theory

Enjoy my Theory on what I think Fyodor’s ability is, it’s importance, + detailed analysis on chapter 105.5

As we see here, Nikolai is holding his hand—but wait, how did he not die? wasn’t that apart of Fyodor’s ability?

Yes, that is true… but there’s more to his ability than that, obviously.

“Yeah but, like what?”

I think there are many possibilities as to why this is true. Here’s what I think:

Fyodor is able to control who he kills by touch.

Fyodor can kill via his mind. (This kind of goes hand-in-hand with possibility number 1).

And lastly, all of the above.

Personally, I think that number 3 is the most likely possibility. I think that Fyodor can control who it is he kills, and that is when he activates his ability.

Sure yeah, that may be true—but even so, that does not explain what his ability EXACTLY is, and the purpose of it…

Allow me to answer that for you with more detail provided.

Manga Chapter: Bungou Stray Dogs, Chapter 53.

Anime: (Episode 12 in Season 3).

Crime And Punishment

Now, let’s dive straight into what his ability might be, shall we?

Let’s say that his ability is controlled by Fyodor.

He believes that crime is sinful, but yet he commits crimes himself—that is because he believes every ability user to be sinful, including him, too. But apparently to him, his way of murder is justified, because unlike everyone else—he kills for evil to be stopped, or rather, for evil to be punished, and to rid the world without sinful gifted ability users like himself. Therefore, those who defy him deserve to be punished with a taste of their own medicine—crime itself. Which, (according to his motives and all that he has stated so far), is assumed to be the existence of ability users themselves.

To sum it all up simply: Crime = Ability users themselves = Punish crime = And punish all ability users with an inevitable death.

As we can see here, the existence of ability users is simply a “crime”, to Fyodor. He describes them to be “sinful.” (Later on I will do some analysis’ on his actual character, and why I think he haves these beliefs, why he acts on them, despite being an ability user himself). Back to my main point, I do think that his ability allows him to kill whomever he wishes with a single touch.

(which is not entirely all that great because someone could shoot him down from a far distance, and there are plenty ways to kill someone without touching them).

In the photo provided here, it shows how Fyodor believes himself to be the “right hand of god.”

With this in mind, If he believes that to be true, then that should be enough to show his motives behind his killings.

He might believe that because he was born with this ability, only HE can be God’s right hand, because only HE can achieve a world without sin for God. Only HE can be God’s “servant.” Given that fact, of course he would strongly believe this to be evidently true. And of course, God would never want people to sin. If Fyodor carries through with God’s wishes, he believes that God will listen to him and allow him to commit murder if it means achieving his wishes. This only makes his ability even more suited for him as a character, which I personally am quite fond of.

Now, let us move on to the more recent chapters, shall we?

SPOILER WARNING FOR CHAPTER 105.5

SPOILER WARNING FOR CHAPTER 105.5

SPOILER WARNING FOR CHAPTER 105.5

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Manga Chapter 105.5

“Fyodor killing . . . with a gun? Why not use his ability? Wouldn’t that be much quicker?”

Assuming that Fyodor can control his ability and kill whenever he pleases as long as he is touching another person, why not use it?

I have thought of many possibilities.

He was trying to let Dazai and Sigma HEAR Cat Lady die. Since there was only an intercom microphone, and not like a visual screen or anything.

His ability requires too much thinking, and we all know that Fyodor wanted to be brief—since he was soaked and physically weakened.

He cannot use his ability if he cannot think about (or possibly visualize) killing someone. This kind of connects with possibility 2.

Every time he uses his ability, it may physically impact his body some way, and because Fyodor had to endure what Dazai put him through, (which was forcing him to avoid drowning), it was a big challenge for him and he was rather too weak to use his ability, if that makes sense. Again, this also connects with possibility 2 and 3, in a similar way.

All of the above, excluding number 4.

Just wanted to note that:

He is clearly touching her with his hand, pinning her down that way, so that clearly indicates he is able to control his ability with whomever he chooses. That is certain fact, for sure. Same goes for Nikolai.

I believe the most likely possibility is either number 5, or number 1 by itself.

Another little thing I noticed that doesn’t exactly have to do with “deciphering his ability”, but decided I want to mention it anyways.

Fyodor killing with a gun instead of his ability is rather ironic, and kind of funny considering that he didn’t even need the gun to kill, just his ability would have worked. That is kind of like a form of “mockery” to Dazai, doesn’t it?

Think of it as a conversation in that moment.

“I have killed this woman, but I used a gun instead of my ability, fully aware that you know I could have done it that way, but instead I chose to kill her like this instead. How does that make you feel, Dazai? I am laughing at your reaction to the sound of her death by my gun. I did it just so you could hear her scream cut off with a bullet jolting to her head.” ~Fyodor

“Why, you little. . !” ~Dazai

I mean, that itself practically screams just how cruel Fyodor can be.

And . . with simply such a small detail like that?

In a way, this detail is pretty small, and may be hard for many to truly decipher,—but I think the reasoning behind that small detail also made it one of the biggest details in contribution to Fyodor’s character as a whole. It really does speak a lot about him (but I am not going to go into full detail, since that is not the main reason why I made this post).

My Theoretical Postulation.

He seems to be big on “returning the favor”, no? Doesn’t this also go hand-in-hand with crime and punishment? In a sense, I think that it most certainly does.

Conceptually, this abstract idea of mine has always existed, but I could never quite put it into words until I saw chapter 105.5., showing more of Dostoevsky’s dark (and maybe even more desperate) side. He refers to himself in a religious-way once again, as we see many times, highlighting his very obvious beliefs that he is a “subordinate of God.”

He remarks that Dazai put him through a very stressful situation, considering that even though he finds that the trial suited him quite well, it unfortunately caused undeniable harm to his “very weak” physical body. Thus, because of what Dazai did, Fyodor says that he will “punish” Dazai by giving him “the same trial.” And it would appear that he does.

Now . . . doesn’t that kind of sound like a portrayed idea of “crime and punishment” itself?

To me, it undoubtedly does. I love analyzing a bunch of the little things and some of the bigger things so that I can connect them altogether, and fit them all into one big picture. It’s like putting together a complicated puzzle full of possibilities, meaning, and ideas.

Clearly, Dostoyevsky’s personality (and character in general) can be rather based mainly upon these abstract beliefs of his, and just about all of his actions revolve around that idea, does it not?

They all have to do with crime and punishment.

[note-boom]

can i just say i love your blog so much!! the bsd fandom is as alive as ever and your posts often came up on my recommended and i always loved seeing them, from your analytical takes to your tag rambles and (very very relatable) screaming and crying over the new episodes,, thank you so much for running such a fun blog, i hope you dont mind if i stick around!! i’m so excited to see how the rest of the new season pans out. oh i have a small question! how far into the manga do you think this season would reach?

Oh, well....

Thank you, OP. I....I don't know what to say except thank you and also what do you mean my posts come up in recs???? That's not good!!

But jokes asides, your message really brought a smile to my face and made my day!! Askdkfjdjs....I'm so bad with compliments but I REALLY REALLY appreciate it. Thank you for taking the time to write this thoughtful message! (And, please, people sticking around this here blog? Of course I don't mind!)

As for your question? Oh dear....

From that opening theme, I fear (and hope) we'll get to volume 20. I'm not sure if they're going to stick to a 12 or 13 episode season or go for a 24/26 episode season. But the thing is, this is how they divided each season:

Season 1 - 12 episodes - 2 for the light novel - 16 manga chapters - 4 volumes

Season 2 - 12 episodes + 1 omake - 4 for the light novel - 22/24 chapters - 5 volumes

Season 3 - 12 episodes - 3 for the light novel roughly 18 chapters - 4 volumes

And there are currently 7 volumes and around 39 chapters till That Scene in the OP. So it's either that they were lying to us (pain) and we will get as far around Skyfall/Casino arc somehow, they're going to try and squeeze 7+ (because Bram made an appearance there) volumes into 12 episodes (at least 5 which have been used for Untold Origins and Perfect Crime), or we're going to get a mid season cliffhanger and a few months of waiting after 12 episodes so they can animate 12 more episodes.

But I am hoping we'll reach volume 20 and a bit beyond. Sure it'll kill me but it'll be a fun death?

[doctorweebmd]

I started watching bsd cause you post them and it an interesting show I got to the final season and it alright but I like the characters more than I care for the plot but it not bad sskk are soulmates

first of all YESSSSSSS AHHHH I FEEL SO HONERED I LURED YOU IN WELCOME WELCOME THE SOULMATISM IS CONTAGIOUS its the yingyanging. its the rivalry and narrative foilery. i am on my hands and knees LISTEN.

second of all, i wholeheartedly agree with you.

i've actually been thinking about this ask for a few days now - about why bsd feels so weak as a manga/show. i know you didn't ask for this lmao but... rant under cut.

the premise is any literature nerd's wetdream. a world where authors have magical powers, based on their previous works all in search of a blank novel that, when written in, changes the very fabric of reality. there is so much material to draw from, so much that can be done with this concept! but bsd, all in all, falls flat.

the seasons feel disjointed. there's many, MANY glaring plot holes. we know very little about the characters, their thoughts, their feelings, their fears or motivations. the times where the characters actually seem to shine, when we actually get to know them better, are the arcs based on the light novel. Fifteen, Dark Era and Untold Origins of the Detective Agency are all standout 3-episode arcs that add more to the story than the base anime. hell, there is a decent subset of fans that prefer the BEAST light novel alternate universe to original universe (...myself included.)

and honestly, I think that's the answer. asigiri is a short story writer. look at which authors he chooses to have as his main characters. short stories rely on concise narratives, character qualities only being disclosed by actions, and plots that force the readers to look beyond what is simply written. there's a lot we have to infer about the story and characters and thus become active participants in crafting the story itself.

for example, there was a Great War utilizing ability users. We know almost nothing about it, other than it happened 15 years ago. What occurred during this war is a major driving point for many characters motivations/traumas (and may also be the reason that so many of out current main characters are orphans.) Yet, with this in the background, there's a lot of things you can consider - is this why there are so few people with special abilities? were there more before? is that why you can only use your ability in public with a permit? do you have to register than you have an ability? are there people hiding because of their abilities? discriminated against? abused?

i doubt we'll ever know. that's also probably the point.

you can't expect trilogy-level continuity and world building in what, essentially, is a collection of short stories using re-appearing characters. not to say that it's bad, at ALL. but BSD (in my opinion) was meant to be more like a serialized Sherlock Holmes sort of story - just various adventures without any necessity for interconnections. of course, manga doesn't work like that, so we have 12 years of huh?! Asagiri what the HELL are you talking about?! why is there now a random creepy tower in Yokohama? Was Subarachi City there the whole time? Why the fuck are there prison-planes? HOW IS ATSUSHI RELATED TO THE BOOK THATS LITERALLY WHY EVERYONE IS TRYING TO KILL HIM ITS BEEN 12 YEARS THATS YOUR MAIN PLOT DRIVER CAN YOU TELL US ANYTHING. ANYTHING AT ALL. ABOTU THIS FUCKING THIng.

erhem.

it leaves so much unanswered, so much empty space, so few connecting links - and i think that's part of what stimulates the imagination so much. there's so much i need to fill in, so much that i want to see developed that it just HAVE to write for it.

that is in harsh contrast with my hero academia. horikoshi is a brilliant writer and artist and he only continues to get better. he introduced this world to us within the comforts of the shonen genre and decided to subvert each expectation. now that the series is ending, you see things come full circle. what are heroes? what are villains? who determines this? can someone that isn't born 'special' still make important changes in this world? what does it mean to be a victim? is there such a thing as being born evil? there are a lot of fantastic essayists and analysts that can break things down much better than me, but i'm saying all this because the plot is cohesive. the characters are consistent and have demonstrated stupendous growth. everything and everyONE from the story is making an appearance. its incredibly rewarding as a fan to see these 'lose' threads come together. horikoshi writes like a novelist - everything small in the beginning adds up to something grand in the end.

anyway, i say all this because: when i started writing for my hero academia, it was at the end of the 4th season. heroes rising was just coming out. we had JUST learned that izuku had more than one quirk. deku vs kacchan part 2 was, at that point, the most positive interaction izuku and katsuki had. we had NO idea what the future would look like for any of these kids. but we all that the inkling of something bigger, something GREATER. so many fandom favorites started around this time - because it sparked the imagination!

and, in all honestly, the way in which horikoshi is wrapping up this story is stupendous. there's nothing for me to fill in. it feels complete and resolved in a lot of ways. although i do miss writing for them, i'm satisfied with this outcome.

....this is an extremely extremely long way to say, ugh, i LOVE BSD, and it would be SO GOOD if it was good. alas. thank you for watching it i am truly sorry and/or blessed