The first appearance of a villain can be everything when creating tension for an arc, though, in the case of Bungo Stray Dogs, it’s more like adding fuel to the already raging fire that is this season’s conflict. This week saw the first official appearance of the Hunting Dogs, the Military Police special unit that’s going to bring down the Agency no matter what, and they made quite an entrance.
Last week, the Agency took on a job despite Ranpo’s protests and ended up framed for the brutal murder of government employees, thanks to the reality-altering power of a single page from “The Book.” Now, the Agency is on the run, and all their goodwill has withered away, spelling doom for them unless they can prove their innocence.
A Single Page
Episode 43’s sudden twist was quite the mind-bending reveal, but this week illustrates the stolen page’s power in numerous ways, all of which are terrifying. It further sells how all-encompassing this power is, from the way it manifests new physical variables in the world like the security camera watching Ranpo, and how it creates new memories to fit the written narrative.
This week’s writing does an excellent job of covering its bases by explaining and showing - in detail - how perfect this setup has been, not content to rely on the conceit of the book’s power alone. Ranpo’s calm assessment of his own predicament contrasts the chaos of Kunikida and the rest, who are far in far more dire straits. It goes to show how far he’s come from the boy seen at the season’s start.
Every part of the Agency’s escape was great but Yosano especially stole the show. Her healing ability is the kind of thing that can excuse a lot of the physical torment the characters go through, but this week showed how versatile it can be as well. The Agency took a note from Ajin and dealt lethal damage to themselves so that the tranquilizers wouldn’t work, allowing Yosano to heal everyone for an ambush.
The Hunting Dogs
Ever since the first trailer for the season, the song that accompanied the arrival of the Hunting Dogs seemed like something of a theme: that lone guitar riff lives in Bungo fans’ heads rent-free. Their appearance is sudden and not telegraphed much besides Jouno’s arrest of Dazai in the previous episode. They quite literally crash into the series and their presence immediately changes the power dynamic.
The way the lyrics creep in as Okura and Suehiro crash as well heralds their arrival like the Four Horsemen, and they’re only four of five members, the fifth of which hasn’t been revealed yet. Suehiro slices through his entry capsule with a classic Kaneda-style burst and impact frame, while Okura announces her presence like the best hot-headed anime redheads: loudly.
Through the addition of new characters, previous seasons established that the Gifted exist around the world and have created powerful groups such as the Guild. Dead Apple even demonstrated how the Gifted are a big part of western governments, such as the man who was going to incinerate Yokohama. But the Hunting Dogs represent a higher tier of threat, emblematic of the power held by the upper echelons of the government.
Kunikida states how the Dogs have been “augmented,” but the exact details are obscure as yet. It suggests a transfer of power like what happened between Kyouka and her mother, meaning multiple powers, or something simpler like surgeries and scientific enhancements. When they use their signature abilities, it’s telegraphed much the same as any other character, but they also exhibit other superhuman qualities.
Especially in Jouno’s case, he’s able to catch bullets and seemingly teleport inside the Agency’s escape car for an unexpected attack. From his catching Kenji’s punch, it’s confirmed that regardless of power, they all have enhanced strength and speed, though it's unclear to what extent precisely.
Suehiro’s ability, “Plum Blossoms in the Snow,” is the only power the audience is truly privy to at the moment, and while Fukuchi and Okura’s powers are sure to be introduced soon, it’s Jouno’s that are truly curious. It’s been spoken of as if his ability is his heightened senses, but his actions suggest more.
The Ten-Year Orchard
There isn’t much to be optimistic about at this point in the season. The Agency and all of its associates have been labeled criminals and - like Tanizaki - the audience doesn’t even know for certain how normal employees of the agency like Naomi are being treated. However, Kenji’s allegory about the orchard displays a superhuman level of hope equal to his superhuman strength.
Kenji coming from quite a simple life makes him the perfect person to deliver this speech, and it's quite beautiful even if it seems naive. The characters resolve to push on, escape, clear their names, and rebuild their reputation, no matter how impossible it seems. And despite that optimism, the ending puts something of a sinister spin on the Agency's enduring spirit.
Jouno seems to discern from Kunikida’s pulse that something about these dire circumstances has him surprisingly calm. It’s as if he’s relieved to have fallen, and for his ideals to have been shattered, just as his pocketbook has been slashed in half. The idea that Kunikida subconsciously entertains some morbid desire to give up could make for quite an arc going forward, addressing the mounting trauma of events that have challenged his ideals.
But rather than end on that dour note or the threat of Yosano being killed, fans are treated once again to one of Bungo Stray Dogs’ impeccable cliffhangers. Luck Life’s ending themes always have the most romantic instrumentals and to hear the music creep in over Chuuya’s grand return is simply magnificent. It wouldn’t be Bungo if it didn’t leave viewers giddy with glee, waiting impatiently for the next episode.