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Bungou Stray Dogs’ Literary References and Book Abilities Explained

Curious about the literary references and book abilities in Bungou Stray Dogs? We got you covered!

Published: 25 Jan 2023 12:41 PM +00:00 Updated: 25 Jan 2023 12:41 PM +00:00

Table of Contents

The armed detective agency: a lesson in japanese literature, port mafia members and their book powers, what other authors do we encounter in bungou stray dogs.

One of the most beautiful elements of Bungou Stray Dogs is how great the detective anime is for bookworms. Almost every Bungou Stray Dogs character and ability is a literary reference . In line with that, here are the most prominent ones:

Almost every member of the Armed Detective Agency shares their name with a famous Japanese author. Moreover, their powers are inspired by their respective author's bodies of work.

Osamu Dazai

Osamu Dazai , by far the most beloved character, is based on well-known Japanese author Osamu Dazai (1909-1938) who committed suicide at the age of 39.

Dazai's ability to nullify the powers of others is based on one of the author's most bleak novels, No Longer Human.

The novel narrates the life of Ōba Yōzō, a man who struggles to express his true self to others. It follows his story from early childhood until his late twenties.

Atsushi Nakajima

Atsushi Nakajima, the main character of the series, is based on the writer of the same name (1909-1942) who was Dazai's contemporary.

Some of his most well-known works include The Moon Over the Mountain (1942) and Light, Wind, and Dreams (1943).

However, Nakajima's ability to turn into a tiger, known as "Beast Beneath the Moonlight" is taken from the work Tiger Poet, whereby a man turns into a tiger but maintains his intellect.

Ryonosuke Akutagawa

Ryonosuke Akutagawa (1892-1927) is another Japanese author that inspired a Bungou Stray Dogs character.

One of Akutagawa's most famous works is Rashomon, which was also adapted into a film by well-known director Akira Kurosawa.

Rashomon is the story of several people who all give a completely different account of an incident they witnessed.

The versatile nature of Akutagawa's power, "Rashomon," is likely a reference to that.

Doppo Kunikida

Doppo Kunikida, with his ability called "Lone Poet," is also based on a Japanese author and poet (1871-1908) who is counted among the founders of Japanese naturalism.

Kunikida's ability isn't directly named after one of the author's works but it seems to be more of a general inspiration.

Ranpo Edogawa

Ranpo Edogawa is based on a Japanese author whose real name was Tarō Hirai who used "Edogawa" as a pen name. He played a prominent role in establishing the mystery genre in Japan.

Ranpo doesn't have an ability other than extraordinary intelligence that allows him to solve cases with remarkable ease.

This talent makes him a fitting inspiration and homage to the famous mystery author.

Akiko Yosano

Moving on to a few female writers, Akiko Yosano is the pen name of an author who lived from 1878 –1942. Born as Shō Hō, she wasn't only a writer and a poet, but also an activist and proto-feminist.

Akiko's ability, "Thou Shalt Not Die," allows her to heal others but only if they are mortally wounded.

If they aren't, she might have to make them so herself. A look into author Yosano's life reveals the tragic true story behind this ability.

Yosano wrote the poem Thou Shalt Not Di e -- which was addressed to her younger brother -- during the height of the Russo-Japanese War.

The poem has been used as an anti-war protest which was highly controversial back in the day.

At a time in which dying for one's emperor was considered the highest honor in Japan, Yosano wrote this poem to urge her impulsive brother not to volunteer for a mission that would entail certain death.

Izumi Kyoka

Izumi Kyoka, one of the youngest recruits, might be a female character, but the Japanese novelist and kabuki playwright she and her power are based on is actually male!

Izumi Kyōka (1873-1939) preferred a certain flair of Romanticism in which supernatural elements were of key importance. In that, he differed from many of his naturalist contemporaries.

Izumi's ability, "Demon Snow," is based on Kyoka's play, Demon Lake (or Demon Pond according to other translations).

Jun'ichirō Tanizaki

Author Jun'ichirō Tanizaki (1886-1965) inspired the Bungou Stray Dogs character who bears the same name.

Tanizaki's ability, "Light Snow", is a reference to the author's play, The Makioka Sisters, which depicts the decline of a family's upper-middle-class lifestyle just before WWII.

Kenji Miyazawa

The inspiration for Kenji Miyazawa is the children's author and poet of the same name.

It makes sense that the agency's youngest member would be inspired by someone who wrote for children.

His power, "Do Not Be Defeated By the Rain," is based on Miyazawa's poem of the same title.

Katai Tayama

Former member Katai Tayama is based on the Japanese author of the same name, who was born Rokuya Tayama.

His ability, "Futon," and his love for his comfy quilt, (probably) come from Tayama's work, Futon.

Yukichi Fukuzawa

Last, but definitely not least, founding member Yukichi Fukuzawa is based on an author of the same name.

In his long life (compared to other authors in this article), Fukuzawa was not only an author but also a philosopher, teacher, and samurai!

His power, "All Men Are Equal," comes from An Encouragement of Learning , in which author Fukuzawa argues for equal opportunities in learning.

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Port Mafia is more unstable and chaotic than the Armed Detective Agency. They have had more members, though not all of them are alive.

Here are some of the most prominent literary references amongst their ranks:

Chuuya Nakahara

Chuuya Nakahara, one of the strongest Bungou Stray Dogs characters , is based on a poet of the same name.

Chuuya's ability, "Upon the Tainted Snow," is based on Nakahara's poem The Soiled Snow .

Author, poet, translator, and Japanese Army surgeon Mori Ogai (1862-1922) serves as the inspiration for the current Port Mafia leader.

"Vita Sexualis," Ogai's uncomfortably named power, takes its name from the author's erotic novel, Vita Sexualis.

Surprisingly, Koyo Ozaki, like Izumi, is based on a male short story writer and poet.

The character's power, "The Golden Monkey," is based on the author's work, The Usurer (which can also be translated more literally as Golden Monkey ).

Ryūrō Hirotsu

Ryūrō Hirotsu was inspired by a Meiji period writer of the same name (1861-1928) who played a key role in the development of the tragic novel.

His power, "Falling Camellia," pays homage to one of the author's works that has the same title.

Ichiyō Higuchi

One of the other female members of the Port Mafia, Ichiyō Higuchi, is based on the first professional female writer of modern literature who was born Natsuko Higuchi (1872 –1896).

Ichiyo's ability is unknown, but we bet that, if it's revealed, it will be based on her namesake author's work.

Yumeno Kyasaku

Yumeno's ability, "Togra Magra," is remarkably strong for someone so young.

The power pays homage to Yumeno Kyasaku's most well-known work, Dogura Magura, which set the foundation for the science fiction novel in Japan.

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A little later into Bungou Stray Dogs , we encounter the Guild, a group of gifted individuals from North America, who are all based on authors!

Their current leader, Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, is inspired by the well-known author of The Great Gatsby.

His ability, "The Great Fitzerald," which makes him stronger the more money he spends, is a nod to the famous novel about the death of the American Dream.

Accompanying him are (or in some cases were):

• Louisa May Alcott with the power "Little Women"
• Edgar Allan Poe, wielding "Black Cat in the Rue Morgue," a combination of two gothic short stories in one
• Herman Melville with "Moby Dick"
• Howard Philips Lovecraft with "Great Old Ones," a homage to the eldrich horrors penned by H.P. Lovecraft
• John Steinbeck wielding "The Grapes of Wrath"
• Lucy Maude Montgomery with "Anne of Abyssal Red," a reference to the Canadian author's red-haired heroine, Anne of Green Gables
• Margaret Mitchel with "Gone With the Wind"
• Mark Twain with "Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer," an homage to his two most well-known and beloved heroes
• Nathaniel Hawthorne with "The Scarlet Letter"

After the Guild, the Armed Detective Agency is also called to face other groups, including the Rats in the House of the Dead, and Decay of the Angel.

Once again, most key members are based on authors:

• Fyodor Dostoevsky, wielder of "Crime and Punishment"
• Alexander Pushkin with "A Feast in Time of Plague"
• Bram Stoker with a yet-unnamed, infection-like ability as you would expect from the author of Dracula
• Nikolai Gogol with "The Overcoat"

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First airing in Spring 2016, the action-packed detective anime , the adaptation of Kafka Asagiri's Bungo Stray Dogs quickly became a beloved title among anime fans. Spawning three seasons, with a fourth arriving sometime in 2022, the show's characters and interesting storyline with several supernatural elements are its biggest draw.

What fans eventually pick up on as they watch Bungo Stray Dogs is that the characters and various other elements of the series are based heavily on literature and literary figures, particularly those from Japan. So, what are some of Bungo Stray Dogs' most interesting literary references? Here are five that are particularly interesting, especially in the way that they are applied to the Bungo Stray Universe.

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Akiko Yosano

In the series, Akiko Yosano is the Armed Detective Agency's resident physician. She has the rare ability called "Thou Shalt Not Die", which enables her to heal people's injuries. She was a physician for the military during the Great War. Her ability, despite being incredibly powerful, only activates when the target has sustained injuries that place them on the brink of death. As a result, Yosano's personality is also slightly sadistic, as she has to critically injure some of her patients before being able to treat them, something from which she tends to derive much enjoyment. Listed among Yosano's dislikes are weak men and chauvinists, which is part of the reference to the real-life Akiko Yosano, a Japanese author and pioneering feminist. In reality, Akiko Yosano was an incredibly influential yet controversial figure in post-classical Japanese literature.

Using traditional tanka poetry as the vehicle for her writing, Yosano opened up a path for women who'd follow through her unique expression of femininity at the time, placing women as complete agents in her writing. Her writing effectively created a new image of womanhood in Japan, especially through the collection of tanka poems titled Midaregami (Tangled Hair) , which ushered in a new opportunity for Japanese women to imagine, experience and express new representations of female sexuality and the female body. She also had controversial views concerning the primacy of motherhood in representations of the female experience and in womanhood, views which were ahead of her time, especially those concerning the financial independence of women. Her poem titled Kimi Shinitamou koto nakare (Thou Shalt Not Die) was directed at her younger brother who'd been enlisted in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), and this poem is where the character's special ability gets its name. The poem was made into a song and considered to be a form of anti-war protest, which lends itself towards the character's history of having been a doctor during a time of war.

Atsushi Nakajima

The first character introduced in Bungo Stray Dogs is Atsushi Nakajima, an 18-year-old who was unfortunate enough to be kicked out of the orphanage where he lived due to his age, in a time when people were claiming to have suffered attacks from a tiger that roams the streets at night. The tiger turns out to be none other than Atsushi himself, who would transform into a white tiger at night and wake up in the morning with no recollection of what had happened.

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Named after the Japanese author Atsushi Nakajima, the character's transformation into a tiger is inspired by Nakajima's short story, "The Moon Over the Mountain", in which a man hears about a man-eating tiger roaming the area and encounters it, only to find out that the tiger is an old friend of his who underwent a transformation. In the first episode of Bungo Stray Dogs , Atsushi has a flashback to when he was kicked out of the orphanage and told that a "good-for-nothing" like him wasn't needed. Despite having grown up there, Atsushi is left to fend for himself, without a cent to his name. This indicates that the orphanage staff may have mistreated him, which is consistent with the early life of author Atsushi Nakajima, who had a tumultuous life living with his father and not one, but two abusive stepmothers in his lifetime.

Edogawa Ranpo

Edogawa Ranpo is the pen name of the Japanese author Tarō Hirai, who is best known for his influential contribution to the advancement of Japanese mystery and thriller fiction. In Bungo Stray Dogs , Ranpo Edogawa is a super detective whose ability, Super Deduction, enables him to find out the truth behind a crime and find crucial information within seconds. It is later revealed that the ability Super Deduction doesn't actually exist, and Ranpo is simply solving crimes at break-neck speed through the power of his intelligence alone.

In real life, Tarō Hirai admired western authors, particularly Edgar Allan Poe from whom he derived the pen name "Edogawa Ranpo", and others like Sir Conan Doyle. Interestingly, it is also from Edogawa's reverence of Conan Doyle that the Case Closed protagonist, Shinichi Kudō, derives his new identity: Conan Edogawa ; a combination of the names of Shinichi's favourite mystery authors and biggest influences.

Osamu Dazai

In the series, Osamu Dazai is the enigmatic main character and detective who solves the mystery behind the appearances of the supernatural tiger that was terrorizing the city. His eccentric personality and consistent pursuit of the eternal respite that is death are a parody of the author Osamu Dazai's precarious relationship with life. In reality, Dazai was a troubled author who attempted to take his own life on several occasions, with one notable failure being a double-suicide with a young woman named Shimeko Tanabe, whom he'd met at a bar. Tanabe died, but Dazai survived, going on to survive several more suicide attempts before ending his life in a double-drowning together with his wife at the time, Tomie Yamazaki. This successful attempt is the possible inspiration behind the character's debut in the series, in which he is saved from drowning by Atsushi Nakajima, whose real-life counterpart ironically died of a series of asthma attacks during a period of being bedridden due to pneumonia, an illness characterized by fluid accumulation in the lungs.

In Bungo Stray Dogs, Dazai's ability is known as "No Longer Human" ( Ningen Shikkaku ), which nullifies any ability it comes into contact with. The ability is named after author Osamu Dazai's apparent semi-autobiographical magnum opus, which remains the second-best-selling novel in Japan to this day. In Japanese, word "shikkaku" refers to a kind of degradation of the subject the effect of which is akin to disqualification, the removal of the qualities that are the subject. The word is written, "失格", with the characters for "loss" and "quality" (in the sense of "characteristic"). " Ningen Shikkaku " [人間失格] can therefore also be understood to be "disqualification from humanity", lending itself to the ability's quality of nullification, as well as Dazai's sense of self-loathing.

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Initially published in 2014, “Bungo Stray Dogs” is an ongoing manga series following Nakajima Atsushi, a homeless orphan in Japan. After getting kicked out of yet another orphanage and on the brink of starvation, he accidentally stops the suicide of Detective Osamu Dazai. Upon learning that Atsushi can transform into a white tiger, Dazai recruits him into the Armed Detective Agency (ADA), a team of people with similar supernatural abilities. Finally part of a family, Atsushi and the rest of the ADA use their abilities to fight crime around Yokohama and meet other shapeshifters in the process.

That’s just a little background. However, this article will not be focusing on the story itself, nor the characters. What’s special about “Bungo Stray Dogs” is the characters’ names, as most, if not all, characters are named after famous authors and poets. The abilities of the characters usually correspond with the literary styles or works of the person they are named after. Even the manga’s title, “Bungo Stray Dogs,” incorporates literature: The word “bungo” translates to “literary ” in English. 

By referencing these various literary figures and works, “Bungo Stray Dogs” exposes its fans, specifically those from the West, to works of literature and authors they may never have heard of otherwise. Many of the main characters are named after Japanese authors and poets, so most western audience members may have trouble recognizing their names and influences. However, the series also introduces characters named after more well-known western figures: Edgar Allan Poe, Francis Fitzgerald and H.P. Lovecraft, for example. Once fans recognized that the characters were named after authors, they were quickly inspired to look into their various works. This sparked a popular trend on TikTok in which fans bought the works of referenced authors. Many of these books have been integrated into fandom conversations. Author names are not the only literary reference within “Bungo Stray Dogs,” as some of its characters are based on figures from these novels or even the novels’ authors themselves. In this way, reading the works of the authors can help shed light on both the manga and its characters.

Many online phenomena have come about due to fans of the series becoming more familiar with the authors that characters are named after. For example, some fans have created entire blogs — such as Japanese Literature and Bungo Stray Dog Tumblr Blog and BSD Die Hard Fan Tumblr Blog — connecting Japanese literature to the show, documenting old photos of authors and detailing notable encounters that authors have had with each other. The two blogs above are actually the ones I used to learn more about the authors referenced in BSD as well as the series as a whole. These blogs made it a lot easier to find information about the authors and their works because it was all centralized in one place.

For me, finding new books to read is often difficult because I am very picky and the process of looking is too strenuous. Often I just give up, but having access to blogs like these or to TikTok creators that talk about the books has made that process of choosing my next book a lot easier. The overall influence of social media, specifically TikTok, is what introduced me to this manga series and, in turn, to many works of classic literature I was newly inspired to read. My introduction to these works is mainly attributed to fans of the series who go out of their way to create content about it in the form of art, edits, blogs or even analyses. Apart from fan creations, the show also motivated fans to read the literary works of authors both new and old. There are even living authors, such as Japanese mystery writers Yukito Ayatsuji and Natsuhiko Kyogoku, who are seeing benefits from references in BSD.

But why is it so important that “Bungo Stray Dogs” inspires its fans to read the authors and works it references? I’ve always believed that consuming media from different parts of the world can help you understand the way things work in other places. Our points of view are limited in scope but can be widened if people decide to look into different works from throughout the world. On a more personal front, I think opening yourself to art from other cultures can expose you to media that can be just as relatable and life-altering as mainstream pop culture in your own country. “Bungo Stray Dogs” makes it easy to find new authors and new works, since you just have to look up a list of character names. It makes the process of finding new literature and authors simple and accessible for anyone curious enough to investigate. One example of a book I found because of this series was No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai, which I really love. It is probably one of the first pieces of media that I’ve ever felt represented in.

The manga is amazing in and of itself; however, what makes “Bungo Stray Dogs” even better is the wide range of literature it exposes you to.

Daily Arts Writer K. Rodriguez-Garcia can be reached at [email protected] .

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Exploring the literary themes in Bungou Stray Dogs

Bungou Stray Dogs weaves together a unique narrative that combines supernatural elements with the literary world. This thrilling and thought-provoking series not only captivates its audience with its dynamic characters and action-packed plot but also delves into various literary themes that enrich the storytelling. Let’s explore the literary themes in Bungou Stray Dogs.

Literary Etymology

One of the most distinctive aspects of BSD is how the characters are directly inspired by literary figures, mostly Japanese authors from the early 20th Century . For example, the main protagonist Nakajima Atsushi is named after Nakajima Atsushi, a Japanese writer known for his lyrical style. The ability user Edogawa Rampo is modelled after Edogawa Ranpo, the father of Japanese mystery fiction.

Table of Contents

The characters’ supernatural powers are also derived from the literary style of their author counterparts. Understanding the real-world literary origins enriches the experience of exploring the themes in BSD. Such etymological derivations could be witnessed throughout the series in several instances.

The Search for Identity and Purpose

A major theme in BSD is the search for identity and purpose, exemplified by characters like the orphan Atsushi trying to find his place in the world. Many ability users struggle with understanding their powers and using them, ultimately failing to realize a ‘ Purpose ‘ for them. The true essence of Bungou Stray Dogs lies in the intricacies of the characters woven within the story.

The characters’ literal search for self is a metaphor for the universal journey of self-discovery. BSD suggests that like the literary masters they’re based on, each person must find their own inner voice and morals. Through its characters, Bungou Stray Dogs challenges the notion of good versus evil and delves into the gray areas of morality.

Twisting the Classic Tropes

The clash between good and evil is central to the narrative as the Armed Detective Agency battles the Port Mafia and other villains. Every character confronts their moral alignment at some point, blurring the lines between hero and villain. Characters with conflicting personalities and traits are often thrown together to invoke an interesting dynamic.

The complex characterization examines how morality isn’t always black and white. The interplay between darkness and light questions traditional ideas of right versus wrong. It raises questions about the nature of justice and the lengths one is willing to go to achieve their goals, providing a thought-provoking commentary on society’s flaws and complexities.

With its literary inspirations, Bungou Stray Dogs weaves together themes of identity, morality, and belonging through the lives of its characters derived from authors of the past and other literary depictions. The overall theme of the series is perfectly encapsulated within the title of the series, which translates to ‘Literary Stray Dogs’.

While on one level a supernatural detective story, BSD also provides insight into the universal human condition that speaks to readers as profoundly as the works of the great masters. The series brings literature to life in modern anime form to explore profound questions of self-discovery, good versus evil, and what it means to find a family.

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The Real Authors of Bungo Stray Dogs

It's a conceit more common to straight mysteries and steampunk – plucking authors out of their times and places and plunking them down in a semi-modern world (or an alternative version of their own) to solve mysteries and fight crime. You see it all across the board – from Rémi Guérin and Guillaume Lapeyre's French comic City Hall , which pairs Amelia Earhart with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Jules Verne to fight crime in a steampunk London ruled by Mayor Malcolm X, to the more sedate Jane Austen mysteries by Stephanie Barron, one of many contemporary mystery series to turn great authors into detectives in their spare time. On the Japanese side we're much more likely to get reimaginings of famous characters than their authors, such as summer 2015's Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace , which took characters from Edogawa Rampo's works and updated them, or Kaori Yuki 's Ludwig Kakumei , which plays with characters from The Brothers Grimm , though there have been exceptions. One airing as of this writing is Bungo Stray Dogs , a series that takes great Japanese authors of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and recasts them as supernatural detective/crime fighters (or crime lords) in a world similar to our own. For Japanese viewers, most of them will be very familiar, but given the fact that most western readers aren't exposed to much beyond The Tale of Genji in terms of Japanese literature, figuring out the details behind the characters can become a little tricky. So let's take a look at some of the real people who inspired Kafka Asagiri and Sango Harukawa 's story and see who is who and what is what when it comes to remaking these writers.

I'll start with Akiko Yosano , partly because she's one of my personal favorites in terms of her works, but also because of how her anime counterpart plays with her real-life poetry. Born in 1878, she's one of the longer-lived authors in the show, passing away of a stroke at age 63 in 1942. Yosano was a writer of tanka poems, an ancient style of poetry typically translated into five lines in English, although no line breaks were typically present in the original Japanese, at least not in terms of how most European languages write poetry. She began publishing early, in high school, and her first collection of poetry came out in 1901. Midarigami , which is usually translated as Tangled Hair , although Disheveled Hair is a little closer to the true meaning, remains her most widely known work, although she also produced several other volumes and a new translation of The Tale of Genji . Yosano's work was far more sensual and sexual than most women poets at the time – she's largely credited with being the first female poet to use the word “breasts” in a sexual context – and it made a large impression on the writing world, particularly women. The title itself has a very sensual connotation – rather than meaning “tangled” as in “unbrushed and snarled,” midarigami is meant to evoke the image of a few stray hairs brushing the nape of a woman's neck as they escape from her neat up-do; her sexuality unable to be bound by propriety. This, along with her career of helping women writers to get their start in publishing and her passion for equal rights, is probably the biggest contributing factor to how Yosano is portrayed in the show. While she is clean-cut in appearance, with a slightly messy bob and a skirt that goes to her knees, she is also the show's version of the “sexy nurse” trope – her gift is “Thou Shalt Not Die,” a healing ability. The wispy quality of her hair is clearly a reference to Midarigami , and the use of the aforementioned trope is likely due to the sensual nature of her poetry . It isn't a perfect match, but it does evoke a modern version of the sexuality she has come to represent.

There's a much easier transition between reality and fiction for Edogawa Rampo , one of the authors a bit more known to western readers. While we only have a fraction of his works available in English translation, that's still a sizable chunk of his bibliography and substantially more than almost any other author represented by Bungo Stray Dogs . Born Tarō Hirai in 1894 and dying of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1964, his pen name is a tribute to the father of the mystery genre, Edgar Allen Poe, and Rampo himself is known as the grandfather of Japanese mystery. His works are divided between what one critic calls “tales of mystery” and “tales of imagination,” a reference to his short story collection Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination , and while Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace used both categories liberally, Bungo Stray Dogs ' seems more interested in his mysteries. References are thus far at least twofold for Rampo – his gift, “Super Deduction,” is a wink and nod to the detectives of early mystery novels in both English and Japanese, quirky men with limited social skills who had amazing detective skills that beggar belief, while a subgroup of the villains of the show, the Port Mafia, are named after one of Rampo's most famous bad guys, mysterious and sexy lady thief The Black Lizard. In the show, Rampo's character design seems to evoke another of his most famous characters, the boy detective Kobayashi, who first emerged in 1930. Rampo's outfit bears a definite air of a boy of the 20s and 30s, while his attitude is much more like Akechi Kogoro, the detective Kobayashi assisted. The twist on Rampo's gift is also a nod to his fictional detectives: while Akechi and Kobayashi solved many cases together, some of them really weird, none of them relied upon supernatural means of detection or by way of explanation; they were all very human crimes. So when we learn that Rampo's gift is actually all in his head and he's really just a spectacular detective, it seems to bring us back to that base tenet of true mystery fiction: a supernatural skill or explanation is the worst sort of cop out. (For more on Edogawa's works, check out this editorial.)

Like Edogawa Rampo, many of Kenji Miyazawa 's works have also been translated into English, but with children's literature still considered something of a stepchild to “real” literature, there hasn't been as much study of them as there could be. (Most great works of children's literature have been co-opted by adults for university classrooms rather than given to actual children to read.) Miyazawa is one of the sad cases of Bungo Stray Dogs – like more than half of the authors represented, he died young, of pneumonia at age 37 in 1933. His stories weren't highly regarded during his life, but he has found posthumous fame as both a poet and a children's author. More anime viewers are likely to know his tale Night on the Galactic Railroad as both a frequently referenced title and as having received an anime adaptation of its own, and its beautiful simplicity seems to be part of the inspiration behind Miyazawa's depiction in Bungo Stray Dogs . Miyazawa himself was from a rural area, and his anime counterpart plays that up, appearing like an anime version of Mark Twain 's Huck Finn, with overalls, a straw hat, and no shoes. While it is entirely possible that this is meant to evoke Twain's iconic child characters, it also serves as a reference to the hero of Night on the Galactic Railroad , a rural child living in poverty. Miyazawa's gift of superstrength, “Undefeated by the Rain,” again calls to mind the trials weathered by both the author and his characters – the gift can only be activated on an empty stomach, with its name proving that nothing can get him down, not poverty, not starvation, and not the whims of nature. Like real-life Kenji Miyazawa 's works, neglected during his lifetime, this character will survive and be recognized. (So far at least…)

On the opposite end of the spectrum from real-life Miyazawa, we have Jun'ichiro Tanizaki , an author nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Among scholars and fans of modernist fiction, which largely deals with a sense of cultural dislocation in a rejection of 19th century literary norms, Tanizaki is very well known, much in the same way that most people know who Virginia Woolf is, even if they haven't read her books. Before his death at age 79 in 1965, Tanizaki produced a substantial amount of work, from novels to essays to silent film scenarios. (“Scenario” is the term for a silent film script rather than just the idea behind one.) His books ran the gamut from overtly, and in some cases unsettingly, sexual to much calmer fare, with one of the standouts being 1924's Naomi . As a novel, Naomi explored questions of Westernization and whether or not East and West could find a meeting or melding point in terms of culture, a topic also explored by Pearl Buck in her novel East Wind, West Wind from 1930. The character of Naomi was said to have been inspired by Tanizaki's step-sister, which may explain why his fictional incarnation has been given a younger sister named Naomi who seems to have a romantic attachment to her brother. Not only does this make for a pretty funny reference to the novel, but it also nicely encapsulates some of the more uncomfortable themes in some of Tanizaki's works, while also managing to use one of the more popular anime tropes of recent years. (As a fun fact, the administrative assistant for the Armed Detective Agency we most often see, Haruno , is also named after a character in Naomi .) His gift, “Light Snow,” is a more sedate reference to his prowess as a writer, with its invocation not only creating snowfall but also projecting illusions onto it. We can see this as being a solid representation of his gift for writing vividly but gently, which is something I associate even with his more explicit works. Every author wants to be able to make you really visualize what they're describing, and Tanizaki had the talent to pull it off. “Light Snow” is a physical manifestation of his great literary skill, a deceptive quietness that pulls you into his world before you know it's even happening.

Not as famous in translation but more central to the plot of Bungo Stray Dogs is Doppo Kunikida , a romantic poet and naturalist novelist. Another of the tragic figures of real life, Kunikida died at age 36 of tuberculosis (sometimes called consumption), though not without leaving behind a decent amount of both poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. In fact, he's credited with basically inventing the Japanese form of naturalism, an off-shoot of realism that, simply put, bases its stories on the theory that you cannot escape the circumstances into which you were born. (The best example I can think of is Stephan Crane's Maggie: A Girl of the Streets .) Kunikida's story “Gen Oji” is considered his best example of his blending of romantic poetry (he loved William Wordsworth) and naturalism, and while his sensibility might not seem particularly unique today, it certainly was when the story was published in the late 1890s. Kunikida's life was eventful, marked by divorce, poverty, and social rebellion, including conversion to Christianity. Interestingly in the context of Bungo Stray Dogs , the only possible way for his protagonists to escape their allotted fates was to commit suicide, and while Kunikida himself never did his first wife's mother encouraged her to do so rather than marry him. How the idea of suicide conflicted with his new religion (Christianity considers suicide a sin) isn't entirely clear, but it makes for an interesting context within the show, particularly in terms of his in-show partner, Osamu Dazai . Speaking of the show, Kunikida's strict and serious nature reflects the naturalistic themes in his work, while his gift, “Doppo Poet,” grants him the ability to create physical manifestations of words. This may be a nod to the fact that naturalism is considered realistic fiction, the implication here being that his words are so real that they can, in fact, be turned into usable objects. In any event, he's clearly got the most practical ability of the bunch and the maturity not to abuse it.

Osamu Dazai , on the other hand, spends his time in the show bouncing between “humorous” suicide attempts and explaining things to our point-of-view character, Atsushi Nakajima. He's the most outwardly, or superficially, lighthearted character, which may leave a bad taste in some viewers' mouths when you consider the real-life author. The root of all of those suicide jokes is that Dazai tried multiple times to kill himself, beginning in 1929 at the age of twenty he attempted suicide via an overdose of a drug called Calmotine. It is largely thought that he was influenced by the suicide of his writing idol, Ryūnosuke Akutagawa , who killed himself via overdose in 1927, since the news of Akutagawa's death severely affected young Dazai. In 1930 Dazai again overdosed on Calmotine, this time with a woman, Atsumi (or Shimeko; sources disagree on her given name) Tanabe – he survived, but she did not. Five years later, he attempted to hang himself, and a year after that, having survived an addiction to morphine, he and his first wife Hatsuyo attempted double-suicide via sleeping pill overdose after he caught her cheating on him. This attempt also failed, and after surviving tuberculosis and alcoholism, he finally succeeded in killing himself in 1948 – he his lover Tomie Yamazaki committed double suicide by drowning themselves in the Tamagawa Canal.

Considering this history, the decision to play off Dazai's suicidal urges as a joke can feel insensitive at best, and very tasteless at worst, especially since today we can look at his life story and understand that he was likely suffering from a mental illness. (Although coping with a difficult topic by making jokes is also a way we can view this.) The fact that his gift, “ No Longer Human ,” is a nullification power that stops others from utilizing their abilities, can also be seen as a reference to his quest to end his life alongside someone else (you'll notice that three of his attempts were “shinju,” double suicides, something he keeps trying to convince women to do with him in the show), as well as being the title of his best-known work, which details the downward spiral of its protagonist. While Bungo Stray Dogs ' incarnation of Dazai is delightful, it is also the most troubling in terms of how it spins his real story into its fictional one, no matter how understandable the choices may be on the surface.

The final author I'll discuss is our aforementioned point-of-view character in the show, Atsushi Nakajima . Another of the authors to die tragically young – pneumonia in 1942 at the age of 33 – Nakajima published relatively few works, although they were all well received. Something of an existentialist and a fan of both Robert Louis Stevenson (about whom he wrote a story) and Franz Kafka , author of the infamous work The Metamorphosis . If you've seen the show, you can probably guess where this is going – Nakajima's best known work, “Sangetsuki,” is considered his answer to Kafka 's novel, and features a man who transforms into a tiger. And what is Nakajima's gift in the show? Why, yes – he can transform into a tiger himself. This is one of the rare cases in Bungo Stray Dogs where the connection is so perfect, and I do have to wonder if it was the inspiration for the entire story. In any event, it is thanks to “Sangetsuki” that Nakajima's works have not been forgotten, as it is a common inclusion in Japanese textbooks. The story deals with inspiration and aspiration turning its hero to madness, which is a definite risk for the show's Atsushi as he tries to find his place in life after having been booted out of the orphanage he was living in and now having to find a way to assimilate into the Armed Detective Agency. When he first appears in the story, he can't control his gift, so he must learn to harness it and make it bend to his will. Admittedly this is more of a modern literary conceit, particularly when it comes to urban fantasy about werebeasts, but it does stay in line with Nakajima's existentialist themes, as well as his fascination between oral and written communication, which it could be argued are reactive and planned, respectively – which is what Atsushi is trying to make the switch between with his powers.

And there you have it – some of the real authors behind the characters of Bungo Stray Dogs . There are of course many more, and if you continue to look into them, you will find that many died young – Chuya Nakahara died at age 30 of cerebral meningitis, Ichiyō Higuchi at 24 and Motojiro Kajii at 31 of tuberculosis, and Ryūnosuke Akutagawa killed himself at age 35. Given these high numbers, I like to think that Bungo Stray Dogs exists as a chance at giving these too-soon departed authors a second shot at life, albeit a very different one. Whether or not this holds true, it does make for interesting background knowledge about the Armed Detectives and their rivals in the Port Mafia. We'd love to hear your thoughts about them in the forums.

this article has been modified since it was originally posted; see change history

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Japanese Literature and Bungou Stray Dogs — About BSD-Bibliophile

See, that’s what the app is perfect for..

Japanese Literature and Bungou Stray Dogs

📚Website: https://sites.google.com/view/bsd-bibliophileonlinelibrary/online-library 📚 Side Blog: @anne-bsd-bibliophile 📚

Welcome to my collection of Japanese literature quotes and facts! The authors and literary works I collect are all from the authors who inspired the manga and anime series Bungou Stray Dogs. All of the BSD art is done by the manga artist Harukawa35.

- Anne (BSD-Bibliophile)

About BSD-Bibliophile

Hello, I’m Anne and I’m the person who runs and updates this blog and the BSD-Bibliophile Online Library. 

                              ◇─◇──◇─────◇──◇─◇

When Bungou Stray Dogs first started airing, I watched the first episode after seeing the clip of Dazai being ticked off that Atsushi “interrupted his submersion.” I read somewhere that the characters in BSD are based on real life authors and was intrigued, so I bought No Longer Human . Then I bought another book and another, until I had a whole shelf full. 

I started this blog as a way to collect all the quotes I enjoy from Japanese literature. It was for me to find information and quotes online, so I decided to keep my own collection and the tag system on Tumblr seemed to work the best for what I had in mind. Eventually I had so many quotes I started to add them to my queue so they wouldn’t all post at once. I don’t really know how it happened, but I realized one day that I had a few hundred followers and I thought it might be fun to add images from the manga to make the quotes stand out and be more interesting for other people reading them.

Eventually I had a large collection of eBooks and PDFs that I had gathered from across the internet. Many of the stories and books I was looking for weren’t available to buy anymore and there was no other way of accessing many of those books and stories. Some I couldn’t even find online and had to borrow from libraries because there were only a few copies available through interlibrary loans. After downloading dozens of stories and scanning in some rare books I’d managed to get my hands on, I thought it would be easier to have everything organized on a website to make them more easily accessible. 

And that is when I put together the BSD-Bibliophile Online Library. I tried to compile every book, story, fact, quote, and picture I had gathered in one place. I hoped that anyone who visited the website would be able to use what I had gathered to start their own love of Japanese literature and find something they might be searching for. It would make me very happy if my website could help someone else find a story or author they could fall in love with.

Zodiac sign : Capricorn

Myers-Briggs Personality Type : INFJ

Favorite author: Dazai Osamu (most days), but it changes depending on my mood and current obsession

Favorite books :  No Longer Human by Dazai,  Kappa by Akutagawa, The Lake by Banana Yoshimoto,  Kafka on the Shore  by Haruki Murakami, and  Mo Dao Zu Shi  by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

Favorite genres : I-novel, short stories, fiction, sci-fi, mystery

Favorite anime: Bungou Stray Dogs, Hunter X Hunter, Soukyuu no Fafner, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, and Mo Dao Zu Shi

Favorite anime characters : Minashiro Soushi, Makabe Kazuki, Nakajima Atsushi, and Kaito

Hobbies : Reading (obviously), watching anime (also obvious), piano, traveling, cooking, and teaching.

Theme Song : “I am a Rock” by Simon and Garfunkel (according to my mom)

Character I am most like : Kikuhiko from Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu

Biggest fear : Failure

Beverage of choice : Dr. Pepper or green tea

Bungo Stray Dogs Manga Online

Bungo stray dogs.

Bungo Stray Dogs (Japanese: 文豪ストレイドッグス, Hepburn: Bungō Sutorei Doggusu, lit. “Literary Stray Dogs”) is a Japanese manga series written by Kafka Asagiri and illustrated by Sango Harukawa, which has been serialized in Kadokawa Shoten’s seinen manga magazine Young Ace since 2012.

All Chapters

• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 114
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 113
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 112
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 111.5
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 111
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 110.5
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 110
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 109
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 108
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 107.5
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 107
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 106
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 105.5
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 105
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 104
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 103
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 102
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 101
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 100.5
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 100
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 99
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 98
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 97
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 96
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 95
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 94
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 93
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 92
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 91
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 90
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 89
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 88
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 87
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 86
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 85
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 84
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 83
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 82
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 81
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 80
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 79
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 78.5
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 78
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 77
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 76
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 75
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 74
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 73
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 72
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 71
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 70
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 69
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 68
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 67
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 66
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 65
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 64
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 63
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 62
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 61
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 60
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 59
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 58
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 57
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 56
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 55
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 54.5
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 54
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 53
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 52
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 51
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 50.5
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 50
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 49
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 48
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 47
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 46.5
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 46
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 45
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 44
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 43
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 42.5
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 42
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 41
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 40
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 39
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 38
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 37.5
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 37
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 36
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 35
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 34
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 33.5
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 33
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 32
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 31
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 30
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 29.5
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 29
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 28
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 27
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 26
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 25
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 24.5
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 24
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 23
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 22
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 21
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 20
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 19
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 18
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 17
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 16
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 15
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 14
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 13
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 12
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 11
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 10
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 9
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 8
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 7
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 6
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 5
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 4.5
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 4
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 3
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 2
• Bungo Stray Dogs, Chapter 1

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Bungo Stray Dogs

Follows Atsushi Nakajima as he joins the Armed Detective Agency in battling the Port Mafia and other superhuman threats to public safety. Follows Atsushi Nakajima as he joins the Armed Detective Agency in battling the Port Mafia and other superhuman threats to public safety. Follows Atsushi Nakajima as he joins the Armed Detective Agency in battling the Port Mafia and other superhuman threats to public safety.

• Kafka Asagiri
• Mamoru Miyano
• Yûto Uemura
• 43 User reviews
• 11 Critic reviews
• 7 wins & 26 nominations

Episodes 62

• Osamu Dazai

• Atsushi Nakajima

• Doppo Kunikida

• Atsushi Nakajima …

• Doppo Kunikida …
• Ryunosuke Akutagawa
• Akiko Yosano

• Rampo Edogawa

• Ryunosuke Akutagawa …

• Fyodor Dostoevsky …

• Akiko Yosano …

• Kyoka Izumi …

• Junichiro Tanaizaki …

• Ougai Mori …

• Chuya Nakahara …
• Junichiro Tanizaki

• Yukichi Fukuzawa
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia Sakunosuke Oda and Osamu Dazai and Ango Sakaguchi were grouped together as the Buraiha in real life and the relationship between the characters originates from this fact
• Connections Featured in The Late Show Con Karim Musa: Che pago a fare, se posso scaricare? (2016)
• Soundtracks Trash Candy Performed by Granrodeo

User reviews 43

• theavengers-35278
• Aug 16, 2020
• How many seasons does Bungo Stray Dogs have? Powered by Alexa
• November 8, 2018 (United States)
• Official site (Japan)
• Văn Hào Lưu Lạc
• Studio BONES
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 24 minutes

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Bungo Stray Dogs: 10 Best Abilities, Ranked

• Bungo Stray Dogs is an anime that blends literature and supernatural action, with characters whose powers are inspired by literary works.
• Each character's ability in Bungo Stray Dogs is tied to their personality and background, adding depth to the story.
• The abilities in Bungo Stray Dogs range from power nullification to healing, teleportation, transformation, and reality manipulation, making for fascinating dynamics in battles.

Bungo Stray Dogs is an enthralling anime by Studio Bones renowned for its unique blending of literature and supernatural action. Central to its narrative are strong characters gifted with abilities and special powers inspired by literary works or authors. These abilities, used for combat, strategy, or support, are tied to their users' personalities and backgrounds.

RELATED: Bungo Stray Dogs: Everything We Know About Season 5

They add to the character development and richness of the story. From Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human, a power nullifying other abilities, to Yosano Akiko's Thou Shalt Not Die, a healing ability, each power presents a fascinating dynamic. Let's dive into the top ten abilities from Bungo Stray Dogs.

The Overcoat

The Overcoat is Nikolai Gogol's transfer-type ability. Gogol manipulates spaces within a 30-meter vertical range with his cloak, connecting them to a pocket dimension. This allows him to manifest or transport matter, including weapons and explosives, facilitating surprise attacks, robberies, and kidnappings.

He can even make objects like revolvers appear remotely. He also applies this ability to living entities, such as manifesting his hand through his cloak for remote attacks. By wrapping himself in his cloak, Gogol can teleport, providing a strategic advantage in battle and evasive maneuvers.

The Great Fitzgerald

The Great Fitzgerald is the money ability of Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, who is the leader of The Guild. This power allows Fitzgerald to convert his wealth into physical strength and size. The more money he spends, the more powerful he becomes.

This ability allows him to perform extraordinary feats, such as incredible leaps or deadly blows, based on the amount he is willing to expend. However, it also presents a significant risk, as Fitzgerald can deplete his fortune if he uses his power recklessly.

Anne of Abyssal Red

Anne of Abyssal Red is the ability of Lucy Maud Montgomery. This power manifests as a phantom-like girl named Anne. Montgomery can control the size of Anne, making her grow to an enormous size. Anne is capable of phasing through physical matter and trapping people or objects within her body, which appears to be a different, distorted dimension.

RELATED: Most Powerful Women In Anime

The trapped victims are then subjected to a reality determined by Montgomery's imagination. Furthermore, the injuries sustained inside Anne's body carry over to the real world, making this ability both offensive and defensive.

Beast Beneath the Moonlight

Beast Beneath the Moonlight is the ability of the main protagonist, Atsushi Nakajima. Atsushi can transform into a white tiger, enhancing his strength, speed, and agility. While in his tiger form, he can deliver powerful attacks and endure significant damage.

His power also allows him to regenerate from injuries rapidly, making him incredibly resilient in battle. Initially, Atsushi has little control over this transformation, often triggering it in response to danger or stress. However, as the series progresses, he gains more control over his ability.

Rashoumon is the exceptional ability of Akutagawa Ryuunosuke. This power allows him to materialize a monstrous, shadowy beast from his coat. The beast can take different forms depending on Akutagawa's needs. It can transform into sharp, tendrils to attack, a protective barrier to defend, or even a form that aids movement or transportation.

The versatility of Rashoumon makes Akutagawa a deadly adversary. Moreover, Akutagawa's skill in manipulating this beast demonstrates his tactical insight and willingness to push his limits in battle, underscoring the dark aspects of his character.

Thou Shalt Not Die

Yosano Akiko's Thou Shalt Not Die is an incredibly strong healing ability. However, it comes with a grim prerequisite: Yosano can only heal someone if they are on the brink of death. This allows her to bring people back from deadly injuries by completely regenerating their bodies.

The process is rather gruesome, often causing intense pain to the person being healed. This ability is vital for the survival and resilience of the Armed Detective Agency, where Yosano serves as the primary doctor, often saving her teammates.

No Longer Human

No Longer Human is the special ability of Osamu Dazai. This ability gives Dazai the power to nullify any supernatural ability merely by touching it or its user. While this might seem defensive in nature, Dazai often uses it strategically to turn the tides in battles, making him a formidable adversary.

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The ability is especially effective against foes who heavily rely on their abilities, as it renders them powerless. The power levels the playing field in a world where supernatural abilities are prevalent, countering these otherwise unstoppable powers.

The Perfect Crime

The Perfect Crime is a strange ability possessed by Mushitarō that manipulates reality to eliminate crime evidence. Activating it releases invisible creatures from his body to alter and erase incriminating evidence. The abilities impeccable execution has earned Mushitarō the title of the infallible detective killer.

His ability, used in numerous cases, including protecting Doppo Kunikida after the Cannibalism event and obscuring the motivations behind Fyodor Dostoevsky's arrest, confounds even brilliant detectives due to the sudden absence of evidence. The concealed evidence resurfaces once Mushitarō withdraws his ability.

Upon the Tainted Sorrow

Chūya Nakahara has the most dangerous ability known as Upon the Tainted Sorrow, which enables him to control the gravity of any object or person he touches. This power allows Chūya to manipulate the direction and intensity of gravitational pull, altering it from its standard downward 1G force.

Primarily used offensively, Chūya weaponizes the surrounding environment by increasing the gravitational force of objects and launching them at enemies, causing immense damage. His power extends to stopping and repelling bullets, making it a powerful offensive and defensive ability.

Crime and Punishment

Crime and Punishment is the ability of Fyodor Dostoevsky, one of the main antagonists . It's a terrifyingly potent power that allows Dostoevsky to manipulate cause and effect, leading to lethal consequences. Specifically, anyone who comes into physical contact with him and intends to kill becomes subject to his control.

He can then control their outcomes, even causing instant death. This ability makes Dostoevsky virtually untouchable and highly dangerous. His power ties in well with his character, as Dostoevsky is a mastermind who stays several steps ahead of his adversaries.

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Bungou Stray Dogs: 15 Characters With Names (& Abilities) Based On Real Novelists

Here are 15 Bungou Stray Dogs characters who are inspired by important literary figures, be it through their names or abilities.

Bungo Stray Dogs translates to "Literary Stray Dogs" and though the plot doesn’t revolve entirely around literature, almost every character, major and minor, are named after famous deceased authors and poets, with abilities relating to their literary styles and works.

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It’s an amazing and creative way to honor and bring attention to these writers as well as put a new twist on their lives and work. There are many more that can be explored, but here are 10 major Bungo Stray Dogs  characters whose names and abilities are tied to novelists.

Updated by Brianna Albert on September 9th, 2020:  Bungo Stray Dogs is one of the most popular anime in Japan, with two seasons and a movie to its name. Part of the popularity within Japan is how each character, big or minor, is named after either a famous poet or novelist during different periods of time.

This, of course, goes for the main character Atsushi Nakajima and Osamu Dazai, but it also extends to supporting characters and even antagonists. From their names down to their extraordinary abilities, there are a plethora of characters who are inspired by real-life counterpartsーand a broader explanation of who they were as people.

15 Ango Sakaguchi

Ango Sakaguchi is a character that is collectively hated by the  Bungo Stray Dogs  fandom, and with good reason. However, like all the other characters in the universe, he is based on the real-life novelist Ango Sakaguchi, whose real name was Heigo Sakaguchi, who wrote the book  Discourse On Decadence. 

This is the same name as his fictional counterparts' ability, which enables him to read the memories let of items such as money, the floor, or even weapons.

14 Sakunosuke Oda

Sakunosuke Oda had a big impact on Dazai. He is based on the real-life author Sakunosuke Oda who wrote contemporary novels.

Flawless  is a book written by him, as well as his fictional counterparts' ability that allowed him to see a few seconds into the future. The book was a short story that tells the tale of a woman who married an employee through a matchmaking service and cannot stop complaining about him.

13 Kenji Miyazawa

Kenji Miyazawa is a member of the Armed Detective Agency and has the ability "Be not Defeated by the Rain." He is based on the author Kenji Miyazawa who was a novelist and poet. His most famous poem is named  Ame ni mo makezu ,  which is also his ability in the series.

While it is his most famous poem, the author dismissed its value . The poem lives on as one of the most well-known poems in Japanese history.

12 Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was one of the first antagonists of the  Bungo Stray Dogs  series. Powerhungry and wealthy, he has the ability "The Great Fitzgerald," based on the book  The Great Gatsby. 

He is also based on the actual author. F. Scott Fitzgerald was an American novelist who wrote flamboyant characters and short stories. The characters are alike, down to the fact that the real-life version and fictional counterpart were married to a woman named Zelda.

11 Akiko Yosano

Akiko Yosano was a real-life feminist during a tumultuous era in Japan, and her fictional counterpart is a perfect fit for her character. Akiko has the ability "Thou Shalt Not Die," an ability that works only when someone is "half-dead" so she can heal them.

Akiko is also a feminist who hates male chauvinism, which is very alike to her real-life counterpart who was noted as one of the most controversial post-classical poets of Japan.

10 Yumeno Kyuusaku

Yumeno Kyuusaku, known as “Q,” is a member of the criminal organization, the Port Mafia. Q has an unspecified gender and although they are a child, Q has a sadistic personality. Q has the ability “Dogra Magra,” which is a mind control curse. Q curses his targets by bumping into them, causing them to inflict pain upon Q, which allows the curse to manifest.

The curse causes hallucinations, causing targets to attack everyone in sight indiscriminately. In reality, Sugiyama Taidou, better known by his pen name Yumeno Kyuusaku, was an early Showa period Japanese author. His most significant novel, Dogra Magra , is a famous example of Japanese avant-garde gothic literature and revolves around psychosis.

9 Ogai Mori

Ogai Mori is the leader of the Port Mafia. He is an excellent strategist but also has a cruel and merciless personality. His cruelty doesn’t come without reason though, he is always weighing the pros and cons of his choices so that the Port Mafia may flourish. His ability, “Vita Sexualis,” allows him to summon Elise, a young girl. Mori can manipulate Elise’s personality as well as her abilities.

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In reality, Lieutenant-General Mori Rintarō, known by his pen name Mori Ōgai, was one of the leading writers during the Meiji period. Vita Sexualis was an erotic novel he wrote that was banned shortly after its release due to its explicit content. The female lead in his famous short story, The Dancing Girl , is named Elise.

8 Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Fyodor Dostoyevsky is the leader of another criminal organization, the Rats in the House of the Dead. Fyodor is intelligent, manipulative, and all-around evil . His ability, “Crime and Punishment,” is complex. It’s hinted that it enables Fyodor to kill someone with one touch, however, the full extent of the ability's power and how it works have not been revealed.

In reality, Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky was a Russian novelist and philosopher. Mainly, his works explore human psychology in 19 th -century Russia, involving a variety of philosophical and religious themes. One of his most acclaimed works, Crime and Punishment , focuses on the moral and mental stability of a poor ex-student in Saint Petersburg who hatches a plan to kill a corrupt pawnbroker and steal her money.

7 Edogawa Ranpo

Ranpo is a member of the Armed Detective Agency and is known to be one of the best detectives in the world. Although Ranpo claims to have an ability he calls “Super Deduction,” he is actually just extraordinarily intelligent and doesn’t possess an ability. Ranpo denies this though and continues to believe that he is an ability user.

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In reality, Tarō Hirai, better known by his pseudonym Edogawa Ranpo, was a Japanese writer who was an integral part of the development of Japanese mystery fiction. Many of his novels involve a detective hero and he drew inspiration from Western mystery writers like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

6 Kyouka Izumi

Kyouka is the newest member of the Armed Detective Agency and previously worked for the Port Mafia. She always wears a kimono and though she is learning to be more in control, she still lacks empathy and will kill if she deems it necessary. She has the ability “ Demon Snow ,” which allows her to materialize a sword-wielding phantom known as Demon Snow.

In reality, Izumi Kyōka, whose real name was Kyoutarou Izumi, was a Japanese writer during the prewar period. His works include novels, short stories, and kabuki plays. He was superstitious, something that came through in his work as he was best known for supernatural tales.

5 Chuuya Nakahara

Chuuya is one of the five Executives of the Port Mafia and Dazai's former partner. He is an incredibly skilled martial artist and loves fighting. His basic ability, “For The Tainted Sorrow,” allows Chūya to manipulate the gravity of anything he touches. However, his true ability is “Corruption,” which permits him to further manipulate gravity, although he cannot control it.

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In reality, Chūya Nakahara was a Japanese poet during the early Showa period. There is a chant required to activate “Corruption” and it comes from a stanza in "Sheep Song," a poem by the real Chūya Nakahara.

4 Ryuunosuke Akutagawa

Akutagawa is a member of the Port Mafia and has the ability "Rashoumon." He is one of the most powerful and dangerous members of the Port Mafia. Akutagawa has a “Social Darwinist” view of the world, meaning he strongly feels that weak people should die and give way to the stronger ones, which feeds into his ruthless behavior.

In reality, Ryūnosuke Akutagawa was a Japanese writer during the Taishō period in Japan. He is known as “the Father of the Japanese short story.” One of his most famous short stories, Rashoumon, tells the tale of a meeting between a servant and an old woman in Rashōmon, a place where corpses were dumped.

3 Doppo Kunikida

Kunikida is a member of the Armed Detective Agency. He takes his job seriously, holding the reputation of the agency above all else. He values all human life, even that of criminals, and will do his best to avoid killing anyone. His ability, “Doppo Poet,” allows Kunikida to manifest objects written on the pages in his notebook. This ability has limitations and doesn’t work if an object is larger than the notebook.

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In reality, Doppo Kunikida was a Japanese novelist and poet during the Meiji period. He is considered to be one of the inventors of Japanese naturalism, though he also dabbled in the romance genre.

2 Osamu Dazai

Dazai is a member of the Armed Detective Agency but was formerly an Executive of the Port Mafia. He’s quick-witted and highly intelligent despite his lackadaisical demeanor. In the Port Mafia, Dazai was sadistic and cold, but joining the ADA brought out his happier side. That said, he still often tries and fails to commit suicide in ridiculous ways, often asking beautiful women to die with him.

Dazai's ability, “No Longer Human,” allows him to nullify the abilities of others by touching them. In reality, Osamu Dazai was one of the foremost fiction writers of 20th-century Japan. His novel, No Longer Human , is a modern-day classic in Japan and considered to be his masterpiece. He and his mistress, Tomie Yamazaki, committed suicide together.

1 Atsushi Nakajima

Though there are many important characters, Atsushi serves as the main protagonist of the anime and is a member of the Armed Detective Agency. Though Atsushi still struggles with low self-esteem due to his years of childhood abuse, joining the ADA gave him a major confidence boost. He wants to save everyone and hates death and killing.

Atsushi's ability, “Beast Beneath the Moonlight,” allows him to transform into a white tiger, which he learns to control and apply to different parts of his body. In reality, Atsushi Nakajima was a Japanese author most famous for his short story, Tiger Poet , where a man takes the form of a tiger, changing from animal to human states while maintaining his humanity and ability to speak.

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Hunting dogs BSD: Unleashing the Hunt with Literary Canines

Table of Contents

Table of contents

Introduction: a literary symphony of canine abilities, a literary reimagining, power of the dogs, atsushi nakajima: a tiger’s roar, osamu dazai: beneath the moonlight, ryuunosuke akutagawa: rashomon’s wrath, literary showdowns, organizations and ideals, humanity and the supernatural, the power of literature, literary legacy, conclusion: pages of power and intrigue, faqs (frequently asked questions).

Imagine a world where characters from classic literature come to life as supernatural beings with incredible powers. Enter the universe of “Bungo Stray Dogs” (BSD), a Japanese anime and manga series that blends the essence of famous literary figures with the intrigue of a detective agency. Embark with us on a journey into the realm of BSD. Firstly, you’ll discover a place where the concept of hunting dogs assumes an entirely different significance. Furthermore, you’ll witness the merging of literary prowess with supernatural capabilities.

Hunting Dogs BSD ( Bungo Stray Dogs) : Where Literature Meets Mystery

Dive in, first and foremost, to a domain where literary giants aren’t mere characters in books but are living, breathing entities with unparalleled skills. Additionally, in the BSD world, characters derive their names from renowned authors and their masterpieces, and they exhibit powers reminiscent of their literary legacies. Consequently, this exceptional fusion of literature and fantasy lays the groundwork for a complex storyline.

The Agency’s Canine Operatives: Literary Abilities Unleashed

First, envision characters harnessing abilities as profound as the words penned by their creators; this is the essence of BSD. Furthermore, figures such as Atsushi Nakajima, Osamu Dazai, and Ryuunosuke Akutagawa don’t merely function as agents of a detective agency. Instead, they tap into supernatural powers inspired by their namesakes’ literary contributions. As a result, with skills ranging from controlling gravity to wielding darkness, these ‘hunting dogs’ emerge as a formidable force.

Unleashing the White Tiger: Atsushi’s Gift

Picture a white tiger prowling through the forest – that’s Atsushi Nakajima, who possesses the ability to transform into a fierce, supernatural tiger. Named after the author of “No Longer Human,” Atsushi’s transformation grants him strength, agility, and an undeniable presence that mirrors the essence of his namesake’s work.

No Longer Human: Dazai’s Enigmatic Power

Firstly, picture a realm where shadows bend to your will; this encapsulates the strength of Osamu Dazai , a character endowed with the gift to control darkness. Drawing his name from the illustrious author, Dazai’s talent for commanding shadows not only adds a veil of enigma around him but also, consequently, mirrors the deep themes of introspection found in the literary works of his namesake.

Darkness and Light: Akutagawa’s Dual Nature

Picture a blade slashing through the air – that’s Ryuunosuke Akutagawa, armed with the power to control and manipulate shadows, much like his namesake’s short story “Rashomon.” Akutagawa’s character is a manifestation of duality, with his gift for darkness contrasting his yearning for light and recognition.

Clashes of Prose and Power: BSD’s Engaging Battles

Imagine literary disputes taking the form of intense battles – that’s the heart of BSD. As characters draw from the strengths of their namesakes’ literary creations, battles become nuanced expressions of literary themes and creative prowess. Each confrontation is a symphony of power and ideology, weaving literary references into dynamic action sequences.

Port Mafia and Armed Detective Agency: Clashing Worldviews

Imagine two ideologies locked in a battle of wits and power – that’s the conflict between the Port Mafia and the Armed Detective Agency in BSD. The opposing organizations, named after the respective literary works of famous authors, represent distinct worldviews that shape the narrative’s intrigue and dynamics.

Exploring Identity: The Struggle Within

Picture characters grappling with their dual nature – that’s the ongoing theme of humanity versus supernatural abilities in BSD. As characters embrace their namesakes’ legacies, they navigate the complexities of their identities. Addressing existential questions and embracing both their literary heritage and their newfound powers.

Transforming Words into Action: BSD’s Metaphorical Magic

Imagine literature as a source of magic – that’s the essence of BSD. The characters’ abilities and battles reflect the potency of words, the imagination, and the narratives that shape our world. BSD weaves a unique narrative where literary artistry transcends its traditional form and becomes a driving force of power and creativity.

Authors’ Influence: A Tribute to Literary Greatness

Picture a salute to literary brilliance – that’s the homage BSD pays to famous authors. By naming characters after literary giants and integrating their works into the narrative. The series honors the enduring impact of literature and invites audiences to explore the source material that inspired the characters’ names and abilities.

In the universe of Bungo Stray Dogs, the boundary between literature and fantasy dissolves. Revealing a captivating landscape where characters embody the creative brilliance of their namesakes. Just as literature transports us to new realms, BSD invites us to embrace a world where words transform into supernatural powers, and the hunt for mysteries becomes an intricate tapestry woven from the threads of imagination and literary legacy.

Q1: Is “Bungo Stray Dogs” based on actual literary works? A1: While “Bungo Stray Dogs” features characters named after famous authors and their literary creations, the series itself is an original work of fiction. The characters’ abilities and interactions draw inspiration from the themes and concepts found in their namesakes’ works.

Q2: How are the characters’ abilities related to their namesakes? A2: The characters’ abilities in “Bungo Stray Dogs” often mirror themes, concepts, or titles from the authors’ literary works. For example, Osamu Dazai’s ability to control darkness reflects the themes of introspection and shadow present in Dazai’s writing.

Q3: Can someone enjoy “Bungo Stray Dogs” without prior knowledge of the authors and their works? A3: Absolutely! While having familiarity with the authors and their works can enhance the experience by recognizing references, “Bungo Stray Dogs” is designed to be enjoyable even if you’re new to literary history. The series weaves its narrative in a way that both enthusiasts and newcomers can appreciate.

Q4: Are there deeper themes explored in “Bungo Stray Dogs” beyond the supernatural powers? A4: Yes, the series delves into themes of identity, humanity, camaraderie, and the struggle between light and darkness. Characters grapple with the complexity of their dual nature as literary figures and supernatural beings, adding depth and resonance to the narrative.

Q5: Are there other anime or manga that blend literary references and supernatural elements? A5: Yes, there are other series that incorporate literary themes and characters into their narratives. “Bungo Stray Dogs” stands out for its creative integration of famous authors’ works and its exploration of their impact on the characters’ abilities and dynamics.

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