On Wednesday, March 29, Bungo Stray Dogs aired the finale to its fourth season, "SKYFALL," and wasted no time confirming that a fifth season was on the way. After the darkest, most packed entry in the franchise yet, fans will be delighted to know that the wait for the next season will be considerably shorter than last time; it's coming this summer.
KADOKAWA announced the season will be airing in July 2023 with a new key visual and an 80-second trailer that promises something even grander than last season, with the conflict reaching a considerably global scale. The Armed Detective Agency is still being hunted as criminals, and things are looking to get far worse before they get better.
The Plot Thickens
In Season 4, the terrorist group The Decay of Angels framed the Agency by using a page from a powerful book capable of making anything written in it become reality. Labeled a terrorist group themselves, the Agency had to evade the Military Police's most powerful force, The Hunting Dogs. All the while, The Decay of Angels plans a global attack while the only people capable of stopping them are hunted like dogs.
The new season sees the Detective Agency attempting to clear its name, track down the page, and stop The Decay of Angels. However, the leader of the Decay of Angels - a masked man named Kamui - stands between them and their absolution, and the Agency has been made not just a target of Japan, but the world.
Fukuchi, the leader of The Hunting Dogs, is seen speaking before the United Nations about the threat facing the world after the events of the Sky Casino Arc. Kunikida is shown in the custody of the Hunting Dogs, just as Yosano is also in captivity, but Ranpo makes his grand return, intent on proving the Agency's innocence through a grand gesture, no doubt.
But most pleasing to fans' eyes is the long-overdue return of Akutagawa, who hasn't been seen since the end of Season 3 and was a no-show for the entirety of Season 4. It begs to question where he has been the whole time, and in his small appearance, he's not in his usual all-black attire. After the last season's opening teased him and Atsushi teaming up against Fukuchi, one can hope that wasn't just a creative addition to the opening, but a fight to come.
The Returning Staff
Director Takuya Igarashi is returning alongside screenwriter Youji Enokido and with music from composer Taku Iwasaki, which shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who has kept up with the series. It isn't quite Bungo Stray Dogs if it doesn't come from these artists and the staff at Bones Studio D, which has been exclusively dedicated to this series since it began in 2015.
Igarashi is renowned for his balance of drama and comedy to varying degrees, in shows such as Ouran High School Host Club, Soul Eater, and Star Driver. While Enokido is writing an adapted screenplay rather than an original story in Bungo's case, his skill shouldn't be overlooked as the writer of GAINAX classics like FLCL and Diebuster.
Studio Bones has often had a talent for visually consistent and aesthetically pleasing productions, and Bungo is no exception. The series has gradually raised the stakes of its animation over the years, and Season 4 was no exception, so it will be exciting to see where Season 5 takes the series next.
It's very rare that a sequel comes so soon after a season has concluded, but more accurately, it's rare that such a sequel would be dissociated as separate rather than just "Season 4 Part 2." Season 4 has been well-received, but also had its share of criticism among manga readers for rushing at points. With any luck, Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 will be the extra dose needed to satisfy all fans.