10 Second Anime - Bungou Stray Dogs - Episode 30

The Armed Detective Agency seeks help in their investigation of the unknown organization which tried to attack Yokohama during the war with the Guild.

Episode 30 - "Slap the Stick & Addict"

Hmm.

Fun! This episode was fun! We're a third of the way through the season and we're finally back to seeing the cast of wacky, overpowered characters from the Armed Detective Agency. The first half, with the plot of some criminal interlopers who know nothing about Yokohama, was the show clearing its throat and cracking its knuckles. It's time to warm up and play. It was a great reintroduction to who the Armed Detectives are and why you don't mess with them.

The second half starts the plot back up connecting to the recent events and how the season ended three years ago. But first, let's throw in some romance, comedy, and character development. I was genuinely shocked and entertained at how the identity of Katai's "Nadeshiko" was revealed. Good job. The addition of Higuchi's character in the middle of this amusing chaos was the key to the comedy. I'm still rooting for you, Higuchi.

The episode titles usually refer to the manga chapter titles, which also reference something to do with the characters, the authors they are based on, or something about the plot. Slap the Stick covers the Detectives being protective about their home base cafe. I also hope it's a reference to the comedic violence at the end with inept gang and the reappearance of Lucy Maud Montgomery. Atsushi keeps building his harem.

The Addict covers Katai trying to meet his "Nadeshiko," but I wonder if the addict isn't Higuchi and her need for Akutagawa's acknowledgement. Man, that whole sequence in market with all the characters was pure entertainment. I smiled so big.

Eh?!

Akutagawa has a normal life? And he talks to beautiful ladies casually? And this beautiful lady picks up his dry cleaning? Akutagawa has dry cleaning? And that beautiful lady is Gin the assassin? And Gin is Akutagawa's little sister? Eeeeehhhh??!!! I am so tickled by everything discovered in this short sequence.

There was a little hint way back when Dazai met Gin in that alley and he remarked she used to be so much cuter when she was smaller. That just proved Gin was probably a girl and someone Dazai knew from his Port Mafia days, but everything else to do with Ryuunosuke Akutagawa? Eeeehhh?!

Heh.

Yes! This is the Armed Detective Agency I know. Melted chibi faces.

Okay, Moby Dick crashing into the Yokohama Sea is important. We knew Fyodor was involved and so he we are setting the plot elements in place.

Armed Detectives have been busy since then, because Atsushi is the hero face of the organization. Nice picture of him saving Yokohama and good advertisement.

The Uzumaki Cafe still has Dazai's huge tab and the waitress still wants him to take out life insurance.

Atsushi saw Lucy, but is she still a bad guy?

The Master says cool coffee stuff. "Danger is like the bitterness of coffee; it is savory for those prepared for it." That's a nice cuppa.

Oh, there's a spy looking in the window. Foreshadowing!

Oh no! The cafe got attacked. The Master got his fingernails pulled off!

Big mistake. Whoever did this made the Armed Detectives angry!

Ha. This is big set up for how these losers are going to lose against this small group of Armed Detectives.

They're just some transplanted group trying to find Guild loot and thinking the detectives have some.

And in the middle of their bragging, they've already lost.

Ranpo figured it out in 5 seconds.

Ha! The local criminals don't want anything to do with the Armed Detectives. Pwned.

Doctor Yosano is ready to "heal" her patient. With a chainsaw. She did like that dude's idea about the fingernails, but she's got better ones.

Har. Nice text of Gyaaaaaa!

Showing Fyodor on screen is a big implication that he set these idiots up to see how the Detectives respond.

And there's Lucy! Delivery girl for the cafe. Her crush on Atsushi is as big as ever.

Ahem. Back to the plot of Fyodor and the Rats in the House of the Dead. Kunikida and Atsushi need some computer guy's help to figure out the remote control chip with the funny mouse logo on it.

Katai the shut-in can't work because he fell in love. Welp.

Haha. Tayama Katai's power is called Futon, like the book. Of course he would be a hikikomori.

The real life author Tayama Katai wrote Futon and other stories, establishing the I-Novel subgenre in Japanese Naturalism during the early 1900's. That kind of writing featured heavy introspection on the meaning of events from a first person perspective. Katai was also a friend of the real life Kunikida and wrote for his magazine.

So, Katai fell in love with this "Nadeshiko" from 500 meters away. Hell of a camera on that phone...

Ha ha! His true love is Yoshiko, his futon. The narrator in Futon the book has a relationship with a girl named Yoshiko.

And we're obviously showing Higuchi because she's on the other side of this story. Still pining for Akutagawa.

And Akutagawa just casually talks with this Nadeshiko lady friend... eh?! Higuchi, same energy. She's devastated and depressed, of course.

Higuchi is in full-on stalker mode. The Port Mafia and the Armed Detectives are under truce, so she can't do anything about them... also looking for the same girl! Somehow, it was important to show Gin in that meeting.

Yup. Higuchi has no shame when it comes to Akutagawa. Straight out begging for help.

Aha! The were-tiger is so bold. Kyaa! Oh, that's not his love letter, Higuchi.

And Futon-kun is here! I mean, Katai. This is all great comedy, a great real first episode back with these characters.

Higuchi recognizes "Nadeshiko" with Akutagawa's dry cleaning. Very domestic!

Nice comedic chase. Katai gets to show his powers and "Nadeshiko" reveals her acrobatic moves.

Okay, I covered all the eeehhhh?! moments above. Gin is Gin Akutagawa, Ryuunosuke's little sister. If Dazai were here instead of Kunikida, this would have ended much sooner.

Katai cries so hard, but he's back in the game.

And Higuchi wants Gin to call her Big Sister. Eh...

Next time, another couple of half episodes. I'm guessing character development.