Loved dearly by his audience but not as much by his peers, Dazai is an eccentric genius who works as a detective for the Armed Detective Agency. With the fifth season of the Bungou Stray Dogs anime currently airing, fans of this mysterious yet lovable character will no doubt be eager to see more of him.
Since the first season of the anime aired in 2016, Dazai has always had a mysterious element to his character. He was introduced as a man simply trying to end his own life; however, as the series went on, more layers of depth were added to his personality. Furthermore, Dazai often hides his true intentions, and is a rather complex individual, sparking curiosity from many who come across him, including viewers of the anime. Here are a few facts about the suicidal detective.
10 Dazai Is Named After A Real-life Japanese Author
Dazai is named after Japanese novelist Osamu Dazai. He lived in Japan during the early 1900s and cut his life short through a double suicide with his lover, Tomie Yamazaki. His most famous books include The Setting Sun, and No Longer Human, the latter of which is also referenced in the series.
Many other characters in the series are based on real people who once existed. Dazai’s persona, however, seems more heavily linked with his real-life counterpart, as they both share eccentric personalities and interests in suicide. In the anime, Dazai also particularly fantasizes about a complete lover's suicide, which, as you know, is how the real Osamu Dazai died.
9 Dazai’s Book, The Complete Suicide, Is Based On An Actual Book titled The Complete Manual Of Suicide
Dazai is usually seen carrying a book named The Complete Suicide. The book's contents involve a list of ways to end your own life in the most ideal way possible. Some of the methods that have been considered by Dazai so far include drowning, asphyxiation, poisoning, and many more.
In real life, there exists a book just like it named The Complete Manual of Suicide. It was written by Wataru Tsurumi and released in 1993. As the title implies, the book contains different methods of committing suicide. However, the author still encourages his readers to go on living.
8 Dazai Shares A Birthday With The Real-Life Osamu Dazai
Apart from sharing a name and other eccentricities with the real Osamu Dazai, Dazai’s birthday on the 19th of June is the same as his real-life counterpart. This makes them both Geminis, a fact that reflects in Dazai’s personality as Geminis are known for being playful, clever, and innovative.
The real Dazai, however, most likely did not have much room to exercise playful behavior as an adult. He was born in 1909 and died in 1948, a period that saw him witness two world wars, one of which had particularly devastating consequences for the Japanese.
7 Dazai Has The Japanese Voice Actor As Okabe Rintarou And Light Yagami
Dazai’s Japanese voice actor, Mamoru Miyano, is also famous for the playing roles of Light Yagami from Death Note and Okabe Rintarou from Steins;Gate. Light is a maniacal killer, while Okabe is a self-proclaimed mad scientist. Though the two have a lot more to their personalities than that, they are known for being melodramatic in some cases and have very interesting personalities.
Like Dazai, they are also quite intelligent, and Mamoru Miyano brings out their personalities through their voices brilliantly. He has also been cast in different roles that showcase his impressive range, such as Death the Kid from Soul Eater, Tatsumi Koutaro from Zombieland Saga, and Ling Yao from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
6 Dazai Dislikes Dogs
Dazai is not the biggest fan of dogs, which is another one of the similarities he shares with the real Osamu Dazai. In fact, while he was alive, Dazai wrote a short story titled Canis Familiaris, where he expressed in great detail the issues he has with dogs.
In the anime, Dazai has also shown in some way that he is not fond of the canine creatures. He was once seen towering over a seemingly docile Shiba Inu and exaggerating the situation to seem like it was looking for a fight. He also explained to Atsushi once that he finds it harder to deal with dogs than with humans.
5 Dazai’s Favorite Motto Is “Death Is A Part of Life”
According to the series’ second official guidebook, Shinkaroku, Dazai’s favorite motto is “Death is a part of life.” This quote applies to many things Dazai may have experienced throughout his life, which involve bloodshed, loss of loved ones, and a desire to end his own life.
It also emphasizes his largely nihilistic view on life, which he expressed through different quotes. One such quote saw him saying, “The moment you get your hands on something worth going after, you lose it. That's just how things are. There is nothing worth pursuing at the cost of prolonging a life of suffering.” This implies that he believes the natural order is to lose the things you treasure and that it is an inevitable outcome.
4 Dazai Is A Former Executive Of The Port Mafia
Though he currently works for the Armed Detective Agency, Dazai was originally affiliated with the Port Mafia, an underground criminal organization. He became the youngest executive in the Port Mafia’s history, and, at a point, contributed to half of its profits for two years.
He decided to leave the agency after hearing the last words of his treasured friend Sakunosuke Oda, who convinced him to use his talents to help people. From then on, Dazai went underground in order to fulfill his friend’s wish, and eventually landed himself a job at the Armed Detective Agency
3 Dazai Is A Terrible Driver
Dazai’s terrible aptitude for driving was first revealed in the novel, Bungo Stray Dogs: Osamu Dazai’s Entrance Exam. The book details the events which occurred after Dazai was introduced to the Armed Detective Agency and narrates his examination period that would determine if he was to be accepted. The story was told mainly from the perspective of Doppo Kunikida and has a total of eight chapters.
In the novel, Dazai often leaves the driving to Kunikida and is hardly ever seen driving himself. Even in situations where Kunikida did not drive, they were driven by an acquainted taxi driver, who ended up being related to the case they were trying to solve. Kunikida has also remarked in the anime that Dazai is a reckless driver.
2 Dazai’s Mysterious Past Is Yet To Be Explored In Full
Dazai joined the Port Mafia at age fourteen, but prior to that, the events of his childhood are unknown. As the series progresses, his intentions are given greater clarity, but the past that shaped him to be who he is now is still shrouded in mystery. This is no surprise as Dazai hardly ever opens up to anyone about his life, but what is clear just by observing his character is that he did not have a largely joyful past.
What is known about Dazai is that he was found and brought into the Port Mafia by Ogai Mori. He was also the sole witness of the assassination of the former Port Mafia leader and was told to help conceal the story. From then on, he continued to work for Mori as well as help realize the Port Mafia’s ambitions.
1 Dazai’s Ability Is Named After A Book By His Real-Life Counterpart
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Abilities in Bungo Stray Dogs have a wide range and different applications. They could aid in combat, formulating strategy, healing, and so on. Dazai’s ability is extremely unique, as it allows him to nullify the powers of anyone he comes into contact with. This gift of his has its roots in one of the real-life authors’ most famous books, “No Longer Human.”
The book was published a month after its author’s suicide and told the story of a man who hides his true self and constantly puts up a front in the face of others. This trait of his leads to the man having an unfulfilling life, which continues to go in a downward spiral until his eventual disappearance.