#bsd season 4 episode 2

[anzadosara]

There are a few things that just won't leave my head, I had to write them down (my friends are going crazy the much I talk about these, I ran out of people.

me 24/7, me in school everyday ngl)

Okay first

Murakami's play in the Ranpo&Fukuzawa backstory (the script is written from the English subtitle of the anime, I don't have Untold Origins of the Detective Agency. I would appreciate anyone sharing more info)

Conclusion:

Ability Users are Fallen Angels

Assumption:

These fallen angels rejected their origins, decided to live as humans on earth.

True angels recieved the obligation to purge the rebellious, begun ommiting their existence.

[sskk-manifesto]

Rabid wet dog vampire man

[kyouka-supremacy]

BSD5 will have 11 eps, not 10!!! Feeling blessed (but disgruntled, since we usually get 12).

Awww thank you for the info!!!

[zukkaoru]

does bones realize there's still supposed to be one more episode in s5 after this week's or should someone remind them

[wow-an-unfunny-joke]

WAS NO ONE GONNA TELL ME THAT RANPO’S AUTISTIC????

[sukunaaaah]

the way dazai screams odasaku’s name is giving break up at kfc

[originalaccountname]

Have you too noticed how frequent fisheye lens shots are in bsd? Have you ever wondered how frequent they are? Then look no further than this

Bungou Stray Dogs s1-5 Fisheye Shot™ compilation!

Here, we will consider Fisheye Shots™ to be those shots that frame a character's face in a curved way for a few sustained seconds. We will not count shots where only the background was distorted, nor shots of rooms, objects, animals, or simply mid-action weirdness. If we included those, the counter would go way high (and whoever is stronger than me can deal with that)

Here are the totals!!!!

Season 1: 14!

Season 2: 10!

Dead Apple: 3!

Season 3: 14!

Season 4: 10!

Season 5: 6!

Total: 57

18 Atsushi // 3 Lucy // 2 Higuchi // 2 Dazai // 2 Akutagawa // 2 Yosano // 2 Old Boss // 2 Mushitarou // Kyouka // Q’s doll // Lovecraft // Orphanage director // Fitzgerald // Katsura // Rimbaud // Chuuya // Ace // Karma // Eckleburg // Buchanan // Tanizaki // Mori // Ivan Goncharov // Fyodor // evil secretary // unsuspecting theatre attendee // Ranpo // Kunikida // corrupted politician // Fukuchi // Tetchou

Over 61 episodes of ~23 minutes and one 90 minutes movie, or a runtime of just under 1500 minutes, that makes for one Fisheye Shot™ every 26 minutes of watching! The average amount of Fisheye Shot™ per episode is 0.93, but they only show in about half of the episodes (not counting the s4 opening and Dead Apple). Season 1 and season 3 carry the most (14), while season 5 is the weakest (6).

Here's to season 6 and more! 🥂

>Season 1 compilation< >Season 2 compilation< >Dead Apple< >Season 3 compilation< >Season 4 compilation< >Season 5 compilation< Fisheye Compilation tag

[sabh0]

What's your opinion on the anime? I find it pretty funny, but I can't say that I am not disappointed to see so many scenes missing.

For exemple, I wanted to see Dazai cry laugh at Chuuya's young mistress act, show that it was a joke shared by both of them, rather than one made to us at the expense of Chuuya. They took a genuinely funny moment and made me cringe SO hard for no reason T^T

God i could go on for hours about how Bones ruined this series. I'm obviously thankful we have an anime adaptation but. Well just compare bsd anime to jjk one or smth and yeah.

I will be complaining more under the cut,,

First the overall writing choices:

-Deleting or changing skk scenes to the point im not even shocked when ppl think these two actually somehow hate each other.

-The way they portrayed Sigma. They deleted half of his personality and backstory. And just speedrunned the Sky Casino arc like if seeing that place was giving them nightmares. No wonder he gets mischaracterized now.

-Tachihara's internal conflict about belonging to either Port Mafia or The Hunting Dogs? Bones never heard about it. It's not like IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PLOT POINT.

-Akutagawa's whole character in the anime is just 'edgy and angry and bad grr'. In the manga he had some 'kind' or even seelf-reflection moments that were ommited in the anime. Like where he realizes defeating Atsushi didn't satisfy him (ship fight, season 1). Or when he gives files about the orphanage Director to Atsushi and says he won't fight him today because he lost someone impirtant to him. Sskk vs Fukuchi fight?? No scene where Sskk r helping each other walk. Instead we get Akutagwa just pushing Atsushi away. Won't even start on that last smile that looked more like another angry expression.

-THE WAY THEY CHANGED "DAZAI'S ENTRANCE EXAM" INTO SOME CURRENT TIMELINE EPISODES. IT MAKES ME SO ANGRY LIKE. THIS NOVEL WAS SO GOOD. Showing both Dazai and Kunikida's characters and partnership so well. But no. Let's just??? Put Atsushi there. Let's delete the fact this thing happened 2 years ago. And let's delete everything that was actually important about it, too.

-also some changes in the Dark Era arc. Like. Lord. Dazai is so much more emotional in the novel. His expressions r described so well. But the anime either shows him from the back at those moments (him finding out Oda was almost killed by a sniper in Ango's room) or just deletes/changes the thing (Oda dying. This scene is so emotional in the novel. From the description u can tell Dazai was crying/on the verge of it as Odasaku died. But in the anime he looks calm and then we get a far aeay frame and he just. Gets up and that's it yeah.) They also deleted the scene of him visiting Oda's grave.

-The way they rushed seasons 4 and 5. Just to give us an episode that goes further than the manga and has the shittiest writing ever when it comes to skk's plan revelation (im so angry about this u guys have no idea. I sincerely believe that if this episode never came out, the manga would go differently bc there's no way that Asagiri who wrote things like Stormbringer suddenly thought that some dollar store vampire make up will fool a guy who's centuries old and literally lived next to vampires. But well!! Seems like these two speeches Dazai gave weren't important at all and now we can just forget about them yippiee)

I could definitely mention WAYY more examples of that but this is already long af. Like guys. I know u cant fit everything in an animated show. It takes time to make it and all but. Bro. The character's in the anime r so shallow compared to their original versions.

.

Now onto the artstyle of the anime.

Lord. U know? It was actually pretty in the first 2 seasons. The official arts at the time were also really nice to look at.

No idea what happened later. Why did Bones suddenly decide that those ugly turtle smiles r gonna become the main thing in the character design. Why so many fisheyes. Atp sometimes i look at the official art and i go oh lord even i could fix it. It really feels like they draw some characters ugly on purpose now (Chuuya being the main victim for unknown reasons).

Tho i must say they have their moments even now. Some last episodes of season 5 weren't really bad, especially the Meursault part (love them for animating Dazai and Sigma dancing so well. And for that 101 animation. And maybe for the heartattack they gave me with 109 and Chuuya shooting Dazai so many times.)

.

On some other things, i really like the music! Bsd openings and endings never miss,,,

[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 🥂🫡

[selfaware-bungou-stray-dogs]

I js realized that I forgot to ask some questions 😭😭

Anywayz-

By 🌙,

Questionz!!1!!1:

1. Can the bsd cast become self aware in later chapters? Also when did they/what chapter/episode become self aware?

2. So the port mafia will still have a port mafia irl?

3. So if GL doesn't want to live longer will the bsd cast still live on? Though if they want to live longer will they also live on?

4. What if GL wants to go into Bsd Yokohama? Can they like explore there? Also can they only go to Bsd Yokohama or can they go to other places too? (Like: the airport, Where Agatha Christie office is, etc.)

Questionz 4 ya:

1. Do you also post on AO3?

2. Btw wdym people ain't interested at you? Ngl I am interested onto knowing more Abt u!

Opinionz/feedbacks?:

I read your new post "Reading chapters from 105-117" and "Few words" they are so good! It literally put me into a good mood after the chapter- and Kunikida...erm- anyways- Your grammar/english improved!!! Atleast I think so-

I also saw your new blog and ASKQUWNPVIPQHDPQNS I didn't read genshin lore much but your post in the blog made me more interested than the other genshin stories lol

1. Yes, they can. They can become self-aware after multiple appearances in manga/anime. For example, right now, Agatha Christie isn't self-aware, despite appearing in official media two times. And Bram became self-aware later, then other characters.

Most of the characters became self-aware after Episode 37 (Last episode of Season 3) and somewhere during Skyfall chapters. (74-77)

2. Yes. They want to "rebuild" the Port Mafia. But more in a way of shady protectors.

3. If GL won't live on, BSD Cast will choose to grew old and gray. At the end only Lovecraft, Bram and Fyodor will remain.

4. Yes, they can explore. Right now, they can visit all Yokohama locations (including airport), Meursault, Sky Casino, Bram's Castle (if it wasn't destroyed). In a future, after Agata became self-aware, GL can visit her office.

1. I have an AO3 account, but I don't post anything from BSD Self-Aware AU on it. I only post AU related fics only in this blog.

2. Well, thanks. Hm... I guess, I can share some little facts about me.

- I like cats.

- I like cinnamon.

- I have known about BSD for a few years, but wasn't interested in getting into the manga or anime. And then I saw screenshots with Fyodor Dostoevsky (one of my most favorite authors in real life).

- My dumbest reason for pulling the character in Genshin - Neuvillette was voiced by Ray Chase. I didn't care, how strong Neuvillette is. Moreover, I wasn't looking at posts or guides that were created during his first banner. I didn't even do his trial run or watched his demo.

- I like doing Color by Number paintings.

_________

I am so happy, that you liked the last two fics. And it makes me even more happy, that you think, that my English and grammar improved. I will try to improve them further.

_________

Glad, that you found interest in Tired Creator AU. Hope, you will enjoy next posts.

I already have some ideas for the next post.

[need-a-name-101]

Hehehe helloo!

What anime have you watched?

Haha hii!

I am in the middle of a lot of anime.

1) cowboy bebop: It was the first anime I ever watched and I love it. I see the criticism that may come forth but I love it. (Also watched the movie, loved it too)

2) jujitsu kaisen: it’s my favourite anime right now. It has the entire doomed by the narrative trope, it hurts. I love it. ( including jjk0)

3) Currently watching Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. I am enjoying it a lot.

4) Also watching Bleach and I say this as praise, it’s the most mid anime of all time. Like idk that just fits.

5)Also watching Spy x Family. IT’S SO CUTE!!!!

6) Lycoris Recoil: it had good action and a great story line.

7) Windbreaker also good. Not a lot of opinions on it.

8) Also watching Bungo Stray Dogs it is also one of my favourite of all time. I am in season four right now.

9) BSD: Bad Apple : I feel like it deserves to be talked about separately because damn. I loved this movie. ( MILD SPOILER AHEAD)

And my favourite scene is when Chuya goes to wake up Dazai and just punches him, then proceeds to lay in his lap until the fog goes away.

10) also watching Phycho-Pass but I don’t know if it’s worth it because I have been bored by the first two episodes.

[theinsomniacnerd]

DAZAI THEORY!!!!!

So, seeing that my theories have been getting some attention, here's another one!!

So, Bungo Stray dogs season 5 started and ended all in the month of September of 2023. After that, they said aren't getting any more content UNTIL 2026. That was enough time for me to think of a bunch of theories like:

Will Sigma join the Armed Detective Agency now that the Decay Of Angels are defeated?

Will Poe also join due to the Guild disbanding and him constantly helping out Ranpo?

If Aya grew up, would she join the Armed Detective Agency?

What will Bram, Nikolai and the rest of the Hunting Dogs do now since Fukichi and Fyodor are dead?

Is Tachihara alive, a vampire or dead?

But the one I want to talk about right now is our loveable and heavily simped over suicidal maniac,

Osamu Dazai.

I know this post will be a bit long but hear me out!!

Is Dazai going to re-join the Port Mafia? Think about it!!

In Season 2, episodes 1 thru 4 shows Dazai life in the Port when he was 18. When Odasaku is speaking to Mori about going after Mimic's leader, Mori says, "in four years, Dazai would have surpressed me and take the position of heaf of the Port Mafia." And if you do the very simple math: 18 + 4 = 22. Dazai right now currently is 22. But wait!! There is more.

Mori has asked Dazai not once! But twice to come back to the Mafia and even offered him back his position! We have also seen how many times in the ADA they leave out Dazai, even a clip on the Manga where it shows everyone and they say that everyone is here despite Dazai not being there. AND! It could be that Sigma could be his replacement. Think about it! Yosano is the healer, Kenji and Atsushi are the brute force, Tanazaki is the diversion, Kunikida will be the future President and Ranpo is the brains! And what is Dazai's role in all this? The pretty face?!

Now before some of you come after me saying "What about Dazai's promise to Odasaku about being good?!" Chill out, I've got my explanation for that. Dazai could rejoin the Port Mafia and become the boss but he could still be a good guy, just like Odasaku with the whole "I'm an agent in the Port Mafia but I don't kill" sort of thing.

And a few other things: Season 5 acted in a way as to how the Detective Agency would function without Dazai.

Dazai crimes somehow got leaked even though Ango told Mushitaro that he had deleted them all so Dazai could be free from his past life.

Mori is sitting down in his seat in season 1 but not in season 3.

Dazai also takes off the pendant he wears in the season 4 outro.

Well, that's all I have today! Tell me what other theories from BSD or from any other fandoms!

- sincerely me (yes, Dear Even Hansen, I'm a theater kid.)

[undergoing-mitosis]

OKAY EVERYONE WHO TOLD ME TO JUST WAIT FOR THE START OF SEASON 2 YOU ARE SO FUCKING RIGHT OH MY GOD

THE DARK ERA ARC OF BSD GOES SO FUCKING HARD I AM GOING FERAL I FINALLY SEE WHY EVERYONE LOVES THIS SHOW SO MUCH

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST

THIS IS THE ANGST I LIVE FOR

ARRRRRRRGHHFFVBCKXGKCKBKHDHDK I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT

you guys have managed to make me think about something other than death note for once are you proud guys are you proud

my thoughts so far below the cut 👇

so i have just finished episode 3 and AAAAAAAA

i have heard vague spoilers so i know of Oda's unfortunate fate but I AM NOT READY

WTF THEY FUCKIN BLEW UP THE KIDS IM SORRY???? LIKE I KNEW HE WAS GONNA BE DRIVEN TO BREAK HIS PACT BUT NOT LIKE THIS!!!! also the sound design of that entire section was *chef's kiss* like i was nearly crying i was not okay

and the metaphor of oda giving up on writing his book ughhhhh i love how they addressed the idea of becoming a murderer being irreversible and changing your entire life, in a world so filled with bloodshed that can easily fall through the cracks. my heart was absolutely breaking when he gave up on that dream. THEY FUCKIN DROVE MY BOY TO THIS POINT I CAN'T I WILL KILL THEM I WILL MURDER EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM FOR HURTING HIM okay im fine i promise

dazai's speech about how everything good gets wrenched away from him was fuckin heartbreaking. especially given that i know that things obv don't work out between him and chuuya. god someone needs to give my boy a hug he is too tragic

OH ALL OF THESE CHARACTERS ARE SO TRAUMATISED AND SO COMPLEX AND SO 3D AND I LITERALLY WANT TO SQUEEZE ALL OF THEM AND HUG THEM AND

oh yeah also i have not given up on my vision of mello in the bsd universe currently i am thinking of having all three of the successors as a power trio who decide to take on the world (i.e. yeah the port mafia) together cause they can. but im kinda stuck on what their abilities should be. anyways that was a sidetrack

BUT YES I LITERALLY CANNOT WAIT TO WATCH EPISODE 4 but alas sleep beckons. i will probably be back here screaming once i watch it haha

ARFJFVBGVCXHY HERE COMES THE BSD BRAINROT YIPPEE 🏃🏃🏃

if you got this far, thank you for reading my absolute brain splurge! have a cookie 🍪

[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.

[zukkaoru]

These new blorbos you got here, they’re compelling. Should I give Bungo Stray Dogs a shot? Manga or anime?

YESSS okay so. i do really enjoy the bsd anime but the manga is (imo) significantly better. especially once you get to late season 4/season 5. the anime tends to,, sort of water down some characterizations. however the nice thing about the anime is that it includes adaptations of some of the light novels, whereas if you only read the manga, you would have to break at certain parts to read the light novels (specifically the dark era light novel i would say is most important to understanding the main storyline). something else the anime did that i. am not a fan of. is they changed the first light novel - dazai's entrance exam - so it takes place during the events of season 1 instead of two years prior when dazai first joined the agency, and they cut out a good half of it in order to cram it into two episodes

my Ideal recommended watching/reading order is:

bsd anime seasons 1-2 -> the dead apple movie -> bsd anime seasons 3-4 -> bsd manga, either from the beginning or from chapter ~71 to chapter 112 -> bsd anime season 5 -> bsd manga, chapter 113 onward

i also highly recommend reading dazai's entrance exam light novel at some point, but it doesn't matter when. as for the other light novels:

the dark era is adapted at the beginning of s2 (i have not finished reading the ln itself so i can't speak as to how good the adaptation is), fifteen is at the beginning of s3 (this one is mostly good, but some of the fun bits and little characterization moments esp with dazai are cut), ranpo's backstory in untold origins is at the beginning of s4 (i have not read this + i believe the untold origins light novel has more than just ranpo's backstory which was not adapted). the fifteen light novel also has a manga adaptation which i believe is either about to be finished or just recently finished updating. dead apple also has a manga, and was adapted into a movie. i have not read this light novel yet either.

the BEAST light novel is an alternate universe. i have only read the manga for it, but i definitely recommend. there's also a live action movie adaptation which i have not seen but i do not trust. wouldn't recommend watching that first from what i know of it.

light novels without adaptations: storm bringer is chuuya's backstory - i'm partway through this and it is widely regarded to be the most emotionally devastating of the light novels (with the exception of, perhaps, BEAST). 55 minutes i believe takes place sometime in the season 2-3 era? and focuses on atsushi & akutagawa (+ dazai & kunikida?) i haven't read this one yet but i've heard many good things. there's also gaiden which focuses on characters who aren't really present in the main bsd show/manga - one of the main characters works in the government and shows up at least in dead apple. i haven't read this one yet either so can't say much about it. the day i picked up dazai was just recently released, and i haven't read it so i can't say much about it either except i believe it focuses on oda & dazai and might be best understood if you've read BEAST first.

there's also BSD wan! which is a silly comedy vibe spin off. there's one season of it + a manga, but it's not required watching/reading and i don't believe it's considered canon to the main storyline. there are also several anthologies which also have little stories in them but are not necessarily considered canon to the main storyline, but i've heard those are hard to find translations for

tl;dr: the manga is overall better than the anime, but the anime is probably best to start with because it includes important information in the light novel adaptations. once you finish season 4, i would read at least chapters 71-112 of the manga before watching season 5

[bsd-rewatch]

Hello!! Tomorrow is time for a new episode, season 2 episode 8, Though the Mind May be Wrong. However, at exactly the same time (00:00 JST), the new bsd manga chapter is going to be released too. Since we know a lot of people who partecipate to the rewatch event are also likely to keep up with the manga, the overlapping may make it hard to conciliate the two things. Would you prefer the rewatch to be postponed to the day after, Thursday 4/4?

Thank you for your participation!! If you have any suggestion on the matter, do not hesitate to reach out. We will release a new announcement with the agreed rewatch day soon ฅ^oωo^ฅ