#he inhabits my brain

[jays-cloud-zero]

Dazai Character Analysis

Okay so, this is basically a Dazai character analysis for before his mafia days so buckle up. These observations are from what I’ve noted in readings of official Light Novel translations, No Longer Human, Beast, and the base manga obviously, but head canons may worm their way in despite my trying to exclude them.

Alright, so I think that logically this should proceed from a chronological standpoint, so I’ll discuss the time before Dazai and Chuuya: Age 15 first, which, while isn’t explicitly stated, allows a lot to be learnt about his character. Let’s start with the fact that in Fifteen it is said Dazai is not an orphan, shall we? He has been established as a suicidal character from before his first canon appearance aged around 13-14, therefore an event before he joined the mafia is primarily the cause of this mindset. This doesn’t really highlight a brilliant childhood, although knowing he was indeed homeless for a time prior to meeting Mori does create another potential reason for this behavior and philosophy. However, this knowledge of the fact he was homeless also just goes to show that while he did have a family Dazai would rather live on the streets than with them. I’m assuming that Dazai did have a living family due to the whole “he certainly isn’t an illegitimate child, or an orphan he picked up” thing in 15 when discussing his place in the mafia. Therefore his time on the streets doesn’t really set the scene for a loving family, does it? Thus, Dazai’s household must have been a place he either felt overlooked or trapped. An example that sticks out to me from No Longer Human is when Yozo feels he must pretend to be something that his family desires rather than what he himself wishes to be. In writing the gift he feels his father wants him to get, or acting rather silly for the women, he is essentially crushing his own personality and needs and stuffing them away. So Dazai obviously comes from a background that gave him trauma, most likely from his family. However, this most definitely isn’t the only trauma to come out from his time homeless. Particularly, his hatred of dogs which, in the light of the manga and wan, tends to be portrayed quite comedically. But considering his experiences within the slums it can be assumed that the literal stray dogs may be to blame for this. Packs are often known to become rabid or attack others for a chance to be fed, therefore its probable that Dazai encountered such packs and someone he was with or perhaps even himself were attacked while trying to feed themselves in less than humane conditions. Akutagawa also has this dislike of dogs, which correlates with this theory, as he is also from the Suribachi Slums (it also gives an interesting take on the title Bungo Stray Dogs, but that isn’t relevant here). Speaking of the slums, Dazai was invited into the Sheep, but declined which is quite interesting as the knowledge of ‘strength in numbers’ is known practically internationally. This may be linked to his biological family because as a boy trapped you probably wouldn’t want to chain yourself to another group of theoretically ‘helpless’ people.

Mori and Dazai as a duo are also quite fascinating, the mystery of how Mori picked up Dazai (ha-ha see what I did there?) leaves a lot up in the air, however what we do know is that an extremely young Dazai attempted suicide. Realistically it can be assumed that when the good doctor found him, he’d passed out and therefore was unaware of being moved to Mori’s clinic and so, when he woke up in an unfamiliar place, with a complete stranger and a traumatic background, Dazai probably started to freak the hell out. This helps to explain that panel from 15, where Dazai is strapped to the table with a mask on. No, it wasn’t some evil psycho experiment, it was just an aggressive child posing a threat to both himself and others therefore Mori sedated and restrained him which so happens to be a relatively common practice! I also feel that the ‘kinship’ Mori expresses in 15 may also have a part to play in why Dazai was taken into the mafia. The doctor most definitely has some form of trauma because no one just sees humans as pawns… but anyway, in seeing a child he could connect to he helped cultivate Dazai’s silly little genius brain and conditioned him a little in the process. Mori’s teaching method would have likely reflected how he himself was taught, and I feel like it would focus on the rules of the mafia (success = life type deal) since Mori was starting to plot to take over the underworld of Yokohama. I don’t think that Mori would have hurt Dazai directly, he does save lives for a living and hurting a suicidal child probably wouldn’t accomplish much, however he may have exploited a pet Dazai may have been attached to, I lean more towards a cat due to the nature of Catsume’s (Cat Natsume) interactions with Dazai and the fact he hates dogs. This whole idea of suffering at the hands of losing the war comes from Mori saying to Chuuya, “I am the pinnacle of this organization as well as its slave” in 15, it also reflects the fact that Dazai seemed to rise to the top of the mafia as Mori’s prodigy; he was being groomed to be a good leader if anything were to happen to Mori. It would also explain so much about Akutagawa’s ‘training’, as essentially, from the few snippets we’ve seen, Akutagawa was taught to be helpful to the mafia or die. Furthermore, it can be assumed that Mori and Dazai knew each other for at least a little while before the previous boss’ assassination both because of the familiarity Dazai had with the boss during their fight and the fact that no one just kidnaps a kid for a day to kill someone. Mori would have to at least trust Dazai wouldn’t spill the beans for a free tootsie roll, which requires trust to some extent. Mori teaching Dazai on the other hand comes from the fact that Dazai obviously didn’t go to school, he joined the mafia at 15 and was an executive by a maximum of 18, and despite people without educations still having intelligence in their own right, the level Dazai displays and the way he is always five steps ahead of everyone in the current manga timeline leads me to strongly believe he was given education through a more private and focused approach in planning, problem-solving and the like.  And that about brings me to the end of things I can think of to say about Dazai before canon, not sure if I’ll keep going past this point but we’ll see…

[time-to-nuke]

Reason I don't buy much merch is because hyperfix go BRRTT and i go from having about 12 70s-80s posters to solely wanting football merch all over my walls

[cracklewink]

some sketches of my guy

[sillybumblebee]

wip, but that's the vision i had yesterday night

[romans-empire]

I am first and foremost a Clover fan, evidently seen in how all of my long winded analysis posts are centered around them, so I find it funny that the most of the people that interact with me are Flowey enjoyers.

[eldritchenthusiast]

Noa doodles from the last little while :p

[st-rbiter]

solsunder emoji for all your blushy solsunder needs, a little breather between art fight attacks:)

gif by @giingersnapsblog ❤️

[habitual-creatures]

Does your brain also just throw funny cursed ideas at you randomly?

Song

Brain screamed because of song.

These two:

I wish I could animate.

The idea is too funky to me. I love it. But my brain and hands don't allow me to animate. 😭

IF YOU READ THE TAGS, PLEASE- DO YOU SEE MY VISION- IS MY BRAIN BEING STUPID OR DOES THIS MAKE SENSE AND IS COMEDIC???

[marbledpython]

oc moment amidst the psychonauts hell

[bottombaron]

btw i love that in Nandermo aus, where Nandor is a normal, good, human boyfriend - he's basically just Kayvan 🧡

[waitineedaname]

a svsss/hlvrai crossover au. is this anything.

[noirtek]

finishing statement i can’t get attached to fictional characters if i don’t hate them at least somewhat

[snippsie]

Besties!! (For now)

[talentforlying]

one of the most batshit things to think about from hellblazer is that constantine has been physically present to watch angels of god tear somebody apart, twice, not in human bodies but in their real biblical forms, and one of those times it was another angel they were ripping to pieces. how do you process that? what does it feel like, to be in the same space as the intention of slaughter in divine casing?

like no wonder he doesn't treat heaven differently than hell, no wonder he doesn't want their absolution, no wonder "i'm on the side of the angels" is such an ironic line for him. the forces of divinity in his world are just as monstrous as demons, and maybe even scarier, because what he remembers most about those moments he witnessed is the absolute apathy with which those angels acted.

[skyriderwednesday]

Hmmm... so if ASiS takes place in 1881, and I've said that Enola was nine the previous year...

Then evidently this version of Holmes and Watson meet when Sherlock is a few days shy of 24.

[nomaishuttle]

its impossible for you all to understand how much of my thoughts r in sweeney references. like there is one person on this earth who understand and its my sibling who is similarly inclined...