Bungou Stray Dogs Episode 11 Discussion

Shimai_ni said:
Heiwajima Shizuo rip-off.

TiaDee said:
So the next episode is supposed to be the grand finale? Because it certainly doesn't feel that way.

Fai said:
I guess I'll have to split my post into two parts due to how the episode was presented.

First, an unsuitable profession for her

As the person in shadows describes it to Higuchi, Mafia is pretty much business with violence being the means to conduct them. Port Mafia is not some world-ending villain or alien threat. They are businessmen. The guys we have seen so far, including Akutagawa and Higuchi? They are cogs in the machine answering to higher powers who only care about profit.

The first half of the episode is all about humanizing those cogs and showcasing the humanity in them. Especially Akutagawa and Higuchi.

Ichyo Higuchi in real life was one of first important japanese female writers. She was born in a poor family with her father being pretty much a failure. She fell in love with classical japanese literature, yet her education proccess was awkward as it was quite uncommon for a "lowborn woman" to be studying, especially when most of her peers were from noble rich families. She was haunted by it constantly and only felt at peace when writing her diary(essentially talking to herself that way). She evnetually fell in love with her mentor, a love that he never returned to her, which led to her very frequently using unrequited love in her writings as a motif. After a lot of struggle she finaly got recognized as a writer and spent her last years of her life writing about problems and tragedies of japanese women. A lot of her works explore the "unimportant cogs in the machine" so to say.

Its not surprising that Higuchi in Bungou stray dogs is facing a similar dilemmas. She is someone who feels inferior in mafia and lacks respect from others. She can only be true to herself, being alone. In a way she is VERY similar to Akutagawa - looking for acknowledgement but being unable to appear vulnerable to anyone but herself . She joined mafia because of her admiration of Akutagawa so its no surprise she would put her life on the line to save her.

In a way I guess that is what impressed Black Lizard group in the first place - as Ryuro said they had no reason to respect her as superior. And they got that reason by seeing her suicidal dedication to her comrade. Not to mention that Hirotsu Ryuro's real life stories had that style of romantic tragedy, so the character most likely is a sucker for stuff like that.

Hell, the story we see being told in this first part, the story of Higuchi and Akutagawa? That might as well been written by real Higuchi since it has all of those elements - unrequited love, struggle with inferiority, being a woman who suffers, the struggle of the underdog to rise above. Its all there. Higuchi put all of herself into saving her mentor and in turn, not only the two found acknowledgement in each other, but she was also able to get her "break" in the mafia world - gaining acknowledgement and possibly respect of the other underdogs like her - the black lizard group.

Second an Ecstatic Detective Agency

Oh Miyazawa Kenji. The Japanese writer and Buddhist famous for his admiration of countryside and simplicity of life, as well as his children's stories. Even though he grew up in a rich family, his writing was strongly focused on the common folk. Its only fitting that someone like that would be depicted as a character embodying naivety and simplicity of living in the countryside.

Kenji of Bungou Stray Dogs is naive, simple countryside boy, who also carries the wisdom and strength of a sohei(budhist warrior monks). He wields a considerable power, but chose the peaceful approach, believing sincerity and innocence to be stronger than fist. He is the type of character who does not display anger or vengeance, but is still willing to use his power to right a wrong or punish the wicked.


Overall its interesting how this episode, in its two parts essentially characterizes characters on both sides of the current conflict.It makes sense since we know already that a third group is about to enter the fray and it is a great build up for the finale

Fai said:
Mid season finale before the break. Second cour after the break.

velvetprayer said:

I was waiting for that scene too! The same thing happened in ep 10. In the manga Dazai laughed when Chuuya did his girly impression but in the anime, it was silent. I have nothing against Bones for making slight changes but it feels like they're removing the punchline of the jokes :/

AivanK said:
Kyouka with a maid outfit looks so cute :3
Damn who thought that Kenji is so strong when gets hungry xD
That ending xD He is back!

Can't believe there is only 1 more episode, thank god we have a second season.

QcK_Dagger_HeaT said:

That is awesome indeed that we get a 2nd season. Kyouka is one of my favorite characters in this anime. The main character has also grown on me. This anime gets better every week

willardhwright said:



In Kuni's case, it isn't "some bullshit", it's the very way he view the world. Try to see it like Kiritsugu in fate/zero. If someone die tring to save Atsushi, then not only it's one more death but it's also one less people in the agency, which could cause even more death (even civilian ones) later. While it is debatable as a PoV, it isn't "right" or "wrong"; the idea of a necessary sacrifice in the long run exists. The question is whether this sacrifice is really "necessary" or not. But that's the very idea; Kunikida isn't "bad" or anything close in ANY way, but even the running gags about him are about how narrow-minded he is. There's no doubt that for him it was the best thing to do and he didn't like it either (hell, look at how he reacted when dazai killed the girl, Kuni wants to avoid people dying, period). nobody is saying that he is a genius. He does have his flaws, which is the point, humans are not perfect. But there's a difference between being wrong and not caring about a friend of you dying. Extremely Narrow-minded, yes. Just like port mafia where only Higuchi and one unit was interested in saving Aku. But that's it; it's not a matter of "good guys" or "bad guys", Kunikida just isn't able to live otherwise, without a "set of rules" for him to follow. The duty and the rules comes first, the feelings come afterward, but he definitely wanted to save him, that' obvious enough. And it even happen IRL; sometimes as a way to avoid responsabilities or because of a lack of self-confidence.

Rampo and Kuni were the only ones against saving Atsushi and the only one who needed to be "forced" to do it. The only difference is that they DIDN'T have to be forced to do it in the DA since the president cares more about his men than the mafia who are just businessmen. It's hard to say that they were forced to do it when their superior was ok with them to begin with. The only person that is "really questionnable" is Ramp but that's because for him he could just as well live surrounded by vegetables or dools, except for the president, and it would be the same. Kuni wanted to but didn't have the "balls" to go against the system, and the others wanted to anyway.

The gangsters did it because of Higuchi, who probably loves Aku. Who knows if black lizard would have done anything without her. Maybe, since "he respected his power", but maybe not, since he's not in a state where he can use it anyway. The main person concerned with this was Higuchi; the others tried to tell her not to go at the beginning too, rather than saying her that they'll go too. Sure, they did in the end, but only after someone else made the first step because of her personal feelings. Which isn't that different from the DA.
And once again that's the point, just because you are [x], it doesn't mean that you don't have any principles.

And the thing is, from the people we saw on the agency only Rampo was COMPLETELY "against" it (more like he didn't see the point of doing it). And that's it. and it's sure that you have less time to shine doing the rebel "against the laws" when "the laws" are on your side. It's more impressive when you see it from the Mafia because they really had to go against their orders (or rather their absence of orders). When it comes to the agency, it's a problem that didn't exist so of course it feels less impressive in a "rebellion againt the orders" PoV





Also I agree with others that this episode is a bit "less impressive" than the others, but it's definitely not bad and we cannot have a climax in every single ep. (the last shows that tried this ALSO were bashed anyway, so....). It's still good, not AS good as the last eps but what goes up must come down.

supereyedrops said:
I'm confused.

I thought Black Lizard won't come back on screen since they're defeated.

I thought they're sentenced to death or at least in prison.

xso111 said:

they were never captured.... the agency beat the crap out of them, but they didn't actually turned them over to the police(atleast from the looks of it)..... instead they just threw them out of the window.