Highlights
- Bungo Stray Dogs introduces a colorful cast of characters based on authors and poets from around the world.
- The Order of the Clock Tower, led by Agatha Christie, is a powerful organization that plays a significant role in the series' alternate history.
- The Transcendents, a group of gifted individuals, including famous authors like Arthur Rimbaud and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, add mystery and excitement to the narrative.
Warning: This contains minor spoilers for Bungo Stray Dogs, now streaming on Crunchyroll.
One of the key draws to Bungo Stray Dogs is its colorful, theatrical, and admittedly amusing takes on authors and poets, whom author Kafka Asagiri has picked from around the globe. With anime and manga fans equally uncertain about the storyline going forward, there are many authors who could come into play soon, many of which have already been confirmed to exist.
When the series started, Western fans might have not connected as much with the author gimmick, seeing as how the majority of the cast was based on Japanese authors. As soon as the Guild appeared, the floodgates seemed to open for new exciting portrayals of characters from America, Europe, Russia, and beyond.
Dame Agatha Christie & The Order of the Clock Tower
Europe's often-alluded Order of the Clock Tower has been looming over the story for some time now. The group's status and power symbolize the extent of this series' alternate history in which the Gifted have truly shaped the modern world. With so much of the series isolated to Yokohama, Japan before the Decay of Angels arc, there wasn't much reason to worry about the world at large, but after Season 5's conclusion, that's undoubtedly going to change.
The Order is a secret military Agency operating out of Great Britain. Its operatives are even knighted, granting them the authority to guard the royal family and specifically the queen. In Bungo lore, legendary author Agatha Christie is the leader of the Order and though her ability is known to be called "And Then There Were None," nothing else is currently known about it.
She first appeared in the manga in passing in Chapter 12, but anime fans got a bit more of an imposing introduction in the 2018 film Dead Apple. As the movie approached its climax, and the fog looming over Yokohama threatened to engulf the world, she sent an aircraft with the intention of incinerating the city to prevent that from happening. It was a bold gesture that showed how far she was willing to go to protect her country.
It's amusing to note that, despite how much the world-building has subtly built up the Order as this intimidating force, their success rate in the lore hasn't been great. Apart from Christie, the only other members shown thus far are the two agents aboard the plane transporting the One Order to the airport in Season 5, but they were quickly killed off. Furthermore, the Order's operatives mentioned in Storm Bringer were apparently killed easily by Paul Verlaine.
Whether as an uneasy ally or a major antagonist, Agatha Christie's time in the spotlight has to be coming soon. Especially now that two agents have died during the events of Season 5, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Order decided to exert its authority. Plus, there's so much more about the Order and its expanded roster that is a mystery.
The Transcendents
Almost as mysterious as the Order, the Transcendents are a group of gifted who are first mentioned in the light novel Bungo Stray Dogs: 55 Minutes. Unlike the Order, of which only Agatha Christie is known, there are actually five members confirmed as of the time of writing, and one of them has already appeared in the anime: Arthur Rimbaud.
Rimbaud was a central character during the "15" arc of Season 3, revealed to have formerly been a spy from Europe. 55 Minutes reveals that the organization was sent by Europe into the Great War, though not much else is known about the group's objectives or accomplishments. Apart from Rimbaud, the other members are particularly exciting.
First off, the aforementioned French author Paul Verlaine, has already appeared in the novel Storm Bringer, which is likely to be adapted at some point in the near future. Next is the German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Les Misérables author Victor Hugo, and perhaps most excitingly, William Shakespeare. That's just a handful of what 55 Minutes described as a group comprising a few dozen ability users.
Who's Next?
For all fans know, the series could end without exploring all the characters named above, though characters who have briefly appeared, like Agatha Christie, are bound to be major players. But as for who will show up next, be it in the next season or a potential movie, the light novels give the safest guesses, as the stories need only get the green light for an adaptation.
H.G. Wells, the author of The Time Machine, is prominently featured in 55 Minutes with a notable twist to their portrayal and an ability that is exactly what you are thinking. Next, Storm Bringer, no doubt the most demanded adaptation, features Verlaine as well as another surprise cameo that will surely please fans of classic horror fiction.
Finally, there's Bungo Stray Dogs Gaiden, which is unique in that it features authors who are still alive, unlike most of the main series' authors who are long deceased. The author of the 2009 horror story Another, Ayatsuji Yukito, is the lead character, working alongside Mizuki Tsujimura (Lonely Castle in the Mirror) in pursuit of Kyogoku Natsuhiko (Ubume no Natsu).
The possibilities for author cameos are truly endless, and these are just the ones who have been confirmed to exist in the world of Bungo Stray Dogs. Looking at all the characters yet to make their debut is not only exciting, but it offers perspective into just how many unique factions exist within this story. With any luck, Asagiri will get the chance to explore each one, and surprise fans with a few unexpected appearances along the way.