Highlights
- Bungo Stray Dogs has plenty of unadapted material from the light novels, including stories set in-between seasons and featuring entirely new characters, offering exciting possibilities for future adaptations.
- The recent season finale sets up a new battle with a mysterious villain and hints at the introduction of The Order of the Clock Tower, potentially leading to a confrontation against a powerful British organization.
- Speculation arises about the format of the next part, with a potential film adaptation being suggested as a way to conclude the current arc, given the ambiguous time jump in the finale and the success of previous Bungo Stray Dogs films.
When an anime catches up to its source material, it's either the start of a grueling hiatus or the far more risky endeavor of creating an anime-original storyline, neither of which is ideal. Yet, in the case of Bungo Stray Dogs, it's hard to feel too sad about its forthcoming hiatus, not just because it left off on such a satisfying note, but because there is so much to adapt to fill that gap.
Season 5 concluded on September 20 with Episode 61, "Twilight Goodbye," which went into uncharted territory after the prior episode had adapted up to the latest chapter in the manga. There was a satisfying conclusion, but also a tantalizing cliffhanger of what was to come that flashed ahead to a battle of epic proportions, somehow only two hours in the future.
The Unadapted Works
Previously, we've covered all the light novels, eight of which are written by series author Kafka Asagiri. Of these, four have been adapted directly into the anime, leaving four that haven't been adapted to animation. Even if it will take years for enough material to be written for a sixth season, there is plenty of material to keep audiences entertained until then.
55 Minutes is set in-between the end of Season 2 and the cannibalism arc, and follows the Agency on a mission to Standard Island, a man-made island seen in Season 5. The story involves time travel and a race to stop a weapon from destroying all of Yokohama. While the book is fairly short, it could make quite an exciting feature film depending on how it's adapted.
Typically, these novels involve some of the main characters from the main story, but Bungo Stray Dogs Gaiden is unique in that it's headlined by entirely new characters. Interestingly, these characters are authors who are still living unlike most of the authors the characters are based on. One of the characters, Mizuki Tsujimura, even made a cameo in the film Dead Apple, though many viewers likely had no idea who she was, as the novel hasn't been localized.
The last two novels of Asagiri's technically have been adapted, just not into animation. BEAST received a live-action TV movie while Storm Bringer received a stage play that was broadcast online. Even though they've technically been adapted, it would be a shame not to see these two stories given the anime treatment at Studio Bones.
At the very least, Storm Bringer feels like an essential adaptation. There is a large emphasis on Chuuya and his past, with the story offering closure for plot threads that appeared during the prologue arc in Season 3 (another novel adaptation). It's also one of the most beloved of the novels among fans.
Whether these stories are adapted into feature films, short OVAs, or an anthology season of side stories, Bungo Stray Dogs is in a great position to make the wait for Season 6 very bearable. As for the main storyline, it's hard to know for certain where exactly it's going, but the tease of what's to come from the finale certainly paints quite a vivid picture.
Season 6
This following touches on major spoilers from Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5!In Episode 61, Aya manages to free the sword from Bram's body, allowing him to regain control of his vampires, not only averting catastrophe but helping Dazai defeat Fyodor. Fukuzawa and Fukuchi battle before they're both pulled into Poe's novel, where they reminisce as Fukuchi reveals his true intentions. He orchestrated a terror attack to push humanity toward a world without war, entrusting Fukuzawa with the One Order.
While Asagiri is heavily involved in Bones' production, fans won't know for certain if the season finale has deviated from the manga until the next chapter comes out. Assuming it is canon though, the battle at the airport is far from over and a mysterious figure will attack within the next two hours in-universe.
They wield the Amenogozen like Fukuchi did, but they also bear his facial scars. Interestingly enough, a recent piece of art by series illustrator Sango Harukawa showed all the Decay of Angels members, and Fukuchi wore a similar mask. It's interesting to note that fans have stated that Asagiri - who never shows their face - once wore a similar mask during an interview.
Speculation has run wild regarding this villain's identity. Some have joked that it's Asagiri himself injected into the story, while others have considered that it could be Fukuchi's reanimated corpse, brought back by another villain. Another theory is that this villain is some amalgamation of all the Hunting Dogs. Fukuchi's younger appearance could be the result of Teruko's power, while the metal legs and flight capability could be the result of Tachihara's ability, and so on.
Beyond the mystery antagonist floating in the sky, Season 6 could likely see the formal introduction of The Order of the Clock Tower into the story. The British organization has been alluded to for years and even made a cameo in Dead Apple when Agatha Christie sent a Gifted incinerator to annihilate Yokohama.
With the One Order now in the hands of the Agency, and the narrative seemingly turning its aim towards averting the world from war, a new fight against a rival organization feels likely. A tool like the One Order, now freed from its confines, would be highly sought after. It would be like the battle against the Guild from Season 2 all over again, but this time against an even greater foe, and one that stands at the highest echelons of power in Britain.
Could The Next Part Be A Film?
A particular line by Akutagawa during the finale sticks out. "We're concluding this story started by Fukuchi Ouchi." Maybe it's just Akutagawa being overconfident, but it sounds very final. Given how Season 5 played around with time, the span between the final scene of Episode 61 and the "two hours later" could be an entire other season for all fans know. That seems like too much time spent in one place.
However, if the next part of the anime was, say, a feature film, then suddenly 2 hours seems like the perfect amount of time to finish the Decay of Angels arc. After how gorgeous Dead Apple was, even with its few flaws, a new film in this series has the potential to be even better, especially if it advances the main story.
Despite being in a historically precarious position for an anime adaptation, Bungo Stray Dogs is going to be just fine. There is a backlog of great stories waiting to be adapted, and if the show's popularity and Bones' passion for creating it is proof of anything, then the anime won't be gone for very long.
Bungo Stray Dogs is available to stream on Crunchyroll.