Most times when an anime gets two cours in a single year, they're treated as halves of the same season, but Bungo Stray Dogs is going all out, calling its next batch of 11 episodes "Season 5." It's not only bold but symbolically apt: five warring factions - one of which is a villainous group containing five members and the recurring use of the Roman numeral "V" means this season is planning to be a big one.
At the end of Season 4, the Armed Detective Agency seemed to go two steps forward and two steps back after their attempt at stopping the Decay of Angels backfired. However, while the world might think that they're terrorists, their rivals in the Port Mafia believe their innocence and might just be the key to helping them prove it and save Japan.
"As Friends We Hurt. As Friends We Kill"
Season 4 was the longest yet at 13 episodes, so the confirmation of an 11-episode order for the fifth leaves the impression that the fourth might have been originally meant to be 24 episodes. Still, in today's industry, any extra time to fine-tune the animation is appreciated and hopefully will yield good things to come, and there's a lot to anticipate.
As discussed back after the release of the second trailer, the long-awaited fight between Atsushi, Akutagawa, and Fukuchi is set to finally happen after its tease in the last opening. Meanwhile, the Hunting Dogs are still in hot pursuit of the Agency, who are on a tight schedule to stop the leader of the Decay of Angels, Kamui, from bringing about the demise of the state.
For as packed as last season was, this one seems like it's going to have even more to juggle, which is both exciting and mildly concerning. Both because this is technically the shortest season - albeit by one episode - and because of the reaction to the last season. Historically, Bungo has a great track record with its pacing, covering a lot of ground even in just one episode, but the current arc being adapted is denser than most, and it can be hard to find a good place to hit pause.
Case in point, Season 4 ended up abridging certain plot lines and cutting scenes, some of which were minor and others that held some genuine value. Fans are more eager than ever to see the story take its time and are hopeful that there won't be a novel adaptation at the start of the season like there usually is. As entertaining as they can be, there's little time to waste.
The Production Staff
The core creative team behind Bungo Stray Dogs hasn't changed much since Season 1, which is a major reason why the show has stayed so good for so long. Director Takuya Igarashi is at the top of his game and Bungo feels like a culmination of his best attributes. It would be very difficult to imagine it being the same without him, and likewise for screenwriter Youji Enokido (FLCL, Ouran High School Host Club).
Yukari Gotou continues to do a stellar job with the color design. Whether it's the glimmering beauty of Yokohama or the muted noir feel of the flashback arcs, this show is a joy to look at. Gotou seems to work solely with Bones, with her resume consisting mostly of Bungo, as well as Kekkai Sensen Season 1 and Sk8 the Infinity, two shows lauded for their colorful artwork. Both she and art director Yumiko Kondo are a blessing to this series.
On the topic of animation, there's something reassuring about having the lead character designer also serve as the animation director, a double role that Nobuhiro Arai excels in. It results in sakuga which can look gorgeous and expressive while remaining remarkably consistent, rarely going off-model with the characters. This consistency is something that shows praised for their animation can struggle with at times.
Bungo isn't necessarily popular for its animation so much as its artwork, but the animation shouldn't be underestimated. This show's fight scenes are underrated, and the animation has only gotten better over time. It might be one of the prettiest shows that Studio Bones has produced, and Arai's take on Sango Harukawa's original character designs look gorgeous whether static or in motion.
Audiences should pay special mind to the work of Yuu Yoshiyama. We've discussed his work before in previous coverage of Bungo, but their animation lends a lot to this series. Most of their work has been on Season 4, with a bit of work on the last episodes of Season 3 prior. Their style of animation channels is classic Kaneda-style animation, where the key poses are bold and pronounced, At times, the animation can look like an old GAINAX series.
While there was certainly action last season, there has yet to be another season-ending boss fight like in 2 or 3. After seeing what the team could accomplish back at the start of the year, fans should be very excited about the big fight against Fukuchi. This is a packed summer for action, between Jujutsu Kaisen, Mushoku Tensei, and Bleach, but Bones should not be underestimated.
Bungo Stray Dogs' new season brings big expectations, but only because the fourth season felt like such a tease. After seven years of great stories and even better characters, it feels like the "true" conflict of the series is in full force, and it's going to be a while before it's over. I think I speak for the fans though when I say we are thoroughly prepared for the ride.