10 Second Anime - Bungou Stray Dogs - Episode 34

As the Armed Detectives try to thwart Fyodor's plot, they also fight against the Port Mafia to save their bosses.

Episode 34 - "Cannibalism (Part 1)"

Hmm.

Well, I guess that OVA they called Episode 25 was important after all. The relevant parts of it were shown in the flashback, and the architect of the bomb plot to test Kunikida's Ideal was also captured by Fyodor to help us in the exposition department. I have an inkling that the magical virus' name isn't actually "cannibalism," but Fyodor is referring to the name of his operation against the Port Mafia and the Armed Detective Agency. He's going to make them eat themselves. Not each other, but themselves.

Fyodor's whole shtick so far has been to maneuver people into killing themselves. The ultimate punishment is the death sentence, but Fyodor can't kill other people, because that's also a crime. But if he made those he deemed criminals kill themselves, then his sense of morality and justice are reconciled. I think he's trying to do that for a whole organization for the Port Mafia, and he's targeting individual ADA members, like Kunikida.

That whole trip through the slums was custom made to distract and make Atsushi and Kunikida doubt their senses of self and their personal codes of morality. Harming children goes against both Atsushi's and Kunikida's codes because of Atshushi's orphanage upbringing and Kunikida's devotion to the Ideal. If Kunikida can't adhere to his Ideal, will his power even work anymore? This is the insidious plot of Fyodor's cannibalism.

For the Port Mafia, we see in Kouyou the need to keep the current less bloodthirsty mode of the gang intact, while Horitsu remembers and relishes the old ways under the old boss, leaving trails of blood and gore in their wake. This was another reason why the prologue episodes showing the transition in leadership under Mori was important to the rest of the season. Just because Mori won, it doesn't mean those factions who like the old ways disappeared. It's telling that without the leadership of Mori, and missing the mind of Dazai, Chuuya knew he had to resort to violence, even though he was reluctant to do so. That's the crisis that Fyodor engineered against the Port Mafia.

We're in for several more episodes of this street fight with elements of heists and mystery solving. I am looking forward to seeing how Fyodor either did or didn't account for the several members of the Guild running around, especially what Francis has in store for him. Also, sometimes I feel like Dazai is this show's One Punch Man. They need to keep him out of the fight, otherwise everything would be done in one confrontation. I liked Ranpo's line about Fyodor fighting like Dazai. Ranpo knows that he can only deduce an answer, while a mind like Dazai's can imagine and induce one as well. The longer Dazai is out of action, the longer this story arc will progress.

Heh.

All sorts of misdirection and plots within plots. That's on the ADA and Fyodor's side. The Port Mafia is going straight up the middle with all out war.

Tanizaki's illusion skill is going to be very important.

Ranpo wants to capture the virus guy, and either stop him, kill him, or have Dazai touch him. It won't be that easy with the way Fyodor likes to lie about everything.

Back to the slums. This whole thing appears to be targeting Atsushi and Kunikida's sensibilities specifically.

Pushkin... but is that guy really him?

Ha! Atsushi literally caught a bullet... with his teeth!

Kids with machine guns. That's no good.

Well, a little girl blowing herself up, just like the OVA. I guess I should have reviewed it after all.

Nice image of the cross between Kunikida and the little girl.

Ugh. I don't see how that little girl survived. This show does like to kill people, dead.

What the... Fyodor even captured that Katsura guy who set up the bomb plot against Kunikida in the OVA. I suppose Fyodor wants to break his belief in Kunikida's Ideal too, just as he's trying to break down Kunikida's confidence in his Truth.

Will Katsura be part of Kunikida's eventual redemption?

There's a death flag. Katsura claims Kunikida's "soul will never be broken." Fyodor will take that bet.

And Atsushi discovers that guy is not the real Pushkin. He's blabbering about a hit-and-run from six months ago. Could that be the Headmaster getting killed?

Ranpo doesn't trust the official information now, effectively shutting down his deduction powers.

I'm not sure if the ADA's plan involved Tanizaki killing Mori, or if he was just provoked.

Kyouka can get to him, since she knows all the secrets of the Port Mafia building.

Kouyou can't hurt her precious Kyouka.

Nice. Fukuzawa is now Lucy's "friend" since he's in Anne's Room. The "tiger kitty" begged and cried, she claims.

Fukuzawa knows his and Mori's organizations shouldn't be fighting. Those two are strong-willed enough to do something about it, despite their injuries.

Katsura wonders what Fyodor's goal is. Smirk! I love this kind of villain.