Summary
TheBungou Stray Dogsanime series explores the life of Atsushi as he learns to master his supernatural tiger powers and joins the Armed Detective Agency. On joining the agency, Atsushi meets various individuals with powers like him, and they all strive to protect the peace of Yokohama City.
Despite the limited members of the Detective Agency, it can go toe to toewith the Port Mafia, a dangerous gang of outlaws that operate in the night. While Atsushi is now part of the agency and has bonded with its members, he does not know the true origins of the agency or the strife from which it originated.
The Role Of The Armed Detective Agency In The Series
Many would wonder why the Armed Detective Agency is so pivotal to theBungou Stray Dogsseries. Apart from being the Agency where the main character of the series is portrayed, the Armed Detective Agency has proven itself to be the only Agency not working under the government but striving to ensure peace in Yokohama City without doing illegal transactions such as the buying and selling of weapons like the Port Mafia.
The role of the Armed Detective Agency in the series is to take on jobs that are considered too dangerous for the metropolitan police or cannot be taken to the police for various reasons. Most of the cases taken to the Armed Detective Agency are often of supernatural origin, and sothe members of the agencyneed to be able to at least protect themselves, whether it bewith their wits, supernatural abilities, or both.
Exploring The Untold Origins Of The Armed Detective Agency
Bungou Stray Dogshas a degree of depth to it, as seen with the explanation of the Armed Detective Agency’s past and true origin. As it could easily cause civil unrest, setting up an agency filled with humans who have supernatural abilities and are allowed to legally investigate various cases and solve them is not something the government would willingly allow to be established. And so this poses the question: How did the leader of the Detective Agency, Yukichi Fukuzawa, manage to establish the agency?
Unlike what many may think, the Detective Agency did not just spring up and become what it now is overnight. The story begins over a decade ago, before the current events of the anime and manga series, when Yukichi Fukuzawa was only a professional bodyguard and Edogawa Ranpo was an arrogant young lad.
As a bodyguard, Fukuzawa has a company CEO for a client; however, she is killed in her office. Determined to find the killer, Fukuzawa heads to her office, where he finds the secretary arranging ‘clues’ that could expose the perpetrator. Meanwhile, the suspected killer is tied up next door. As Fukuzawa and the secretary are engaged in a conversation,a young Edogawa Ranpopromptly walks in, steps all over the ‘clues,’ and wonders why Fukuzawa refuses to detain the real killer—the secretary. Everyone is left astounded, and Ranpo quickly gives his deduction, after which the secretary is revealed to be the killer.
Believing Ranpo to be special, Fukuzawa treats him to red bean porridge, where Ranpo rants about his bewilderment with adults as they see the truth and refuse to voice it out. Hearing this, Fukuzawa figures that Ranpo is special and has him join him for a job. The next job is to apprehend a killer who sent a death threat to a theater. However, on getting to the theater, Ranpo quickly deduces that it’s not a threat but an announcement, and the theater does not truly trust Fukuzawa and is only using him as a front. Ranpo is once again bewildered by adults playing ‘dumb,’ and Fukuzawa tells him that he has a gift to see everything in one glance, and the world is simply filled with foolish children who do not see things as he does.
Seeing things in a different light, Ranpo then sees himself asthe world’s greatest detectivewho must protect the stupid children of the world who do not see the truth. Coming to a realization, Ranpo solves all the loose ends of the case, and Fukuzawa disarms the perpetrators.
Later on, the case is closed, and Ranpo becomes attached to Fukuzawa. They then solve various odd jobs together before eventually becoming renowned for their skills. Later, Fukuzawa seeks out Soseki Natsume to help him acquire a skilled business permit. With Ranpo at the front, Fukuzawa sets out to use his (Ranpo’s) deductive abilities alongside his (Fukuzawa’s) combat experience to establish the Armed Detective Agency.
The Current Armed Detective Agency
After the establishment of the Detective Agency, many long years have passed, with individuals such as Akiko Yosano, Doppo Kunikida, andOsamu Dazaijoining the agency. With new individuals and more capable hands, the Detective Agency continually grows stronger and more capable of defeating its adversaries as well as protecting the peace of Yokohama City. All thanks to the fateful meeting between Edogawa Ranpo and Yukichi Fukuzawa.
Bungou Stray Dogsis available to stream onCrunchyroll.
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