Summary
Warning: This contains spoilers for Bungo Stray Dogs, Episode 57, “At the Port in the Sky (Part 3)”, now streaming onCrunchyroll.
It’s hard to go wrong with a good prison break andBungo Stray Dogsis going all in on this premise, milking the series' near-future, high-tech spy staples for all they’re worth. The result is some of the funniest scenes of the season thus far, and plenty of small character moments that will have fans hollering at their screens.
Last week,Nikolai broke Dazai and Fyodor outof the special ability space holding them captive, informing them of his plan to put them through a death game to try and kill Fyodor. The two masterminds happily accepted the terms and injected themselves with a lethal poison while laughing with glee as Sigma looked on, wondering what insanity he’d gotten himself into.
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The Significance of Meursault
The setting itself has so much character, from the almost farcical scale of its security measures to the mystique surrounding it. Dazai, Fyodor, and by extension, the audience, have only seen one small part of this facility, and the only clue as to its locationis that it’s somewhere in Europe. GivenBungo’s literary reputation, however, the name Meursault is likely named after the protagonist of Albert Camus' novel,The Stranger(1942).
From this alone, a case could be made that Meursault is located in France.The Strangeris a story about a man named Meursault who kills a man for seemingly no reason shortly after a family tragedy that ends up weighing very little on his mind. It’s a story about indifference personified through a protagonist who is neither good nor evil and whose aforementioned indifference is perceived by those around him as almost more frightening than his crimes.
Unlikethe other authors inBungo Stray Dogs, who are most often represented through actual characters, hints of a connection toThe Strangerare found within the setting. Perhaps the facility was created by a man named Albert Camus, or maybe Camus is the one responsible for the ability to contain Dazai and Fyodor, but it doesn’t really matter. The reference to Camus' work fits the existential dichotomy between these characters.
The blurred line between good and evil has always been a defining quality of Dazai,as well as all the villains. He’s not a good person, but he’s trying to be a better one. He simply doesn’t feel the need to contain his more eccentricities in the company of others as peculiar as him, between his arch nemesis, a sadistic magician, and a man with no past. They are all different shades of gray, each one indifferent to good versus evil but to different degrees.
The Security of Meursault
As Nikolai rambles off the laundry list of increasingly excessive security measures, there’s a sense of foreboding and worry crossed with a giddiness all too familiar to long-time fans. Between the numerous door codes, the biometrics, and the use of thick water to drown prisoners once detected, it seems impossible to beat. This also means that, knowing this show, within an episode or two at least one of these security measures will be rendered completely ineffective.
See, the thrill of this arc isthat Dazai and Fyodor finally have an arenain which they can battle each other to the death in a manner as twisted as they both are deep down. They think alike and often have the same ideas, so seeing them make a move that the other doesn’t expect hits all the harder. The moment Dazai picks Sigma as his “item” to take with him, it’s immediately clear that he’s cooking up something good.
By the episode’s end, it becomes clear that it was to even the odds - or, at least on paper. Rather than a 1v1, the game becomes a 2v2, as Fyodor has schemed to get a newly vampiric Chuuya in his corner. It’s such an ingenious trump card,taking Dazai’s former partner and turning them against him, and just in general, Chuuya gives Fyodor an undeniable advantage.
In last week’s review, there was a suggestion that Chuuya might have been a contingency by Fukuchi to kill Fyodor, but that seems to have been false, and all the better for it. It’s not yet clear what role Sigma will play in the grand escape, but Dazai seems to think that he’s essential and that’s what’s truly telling. If Atsushi’s words that inspired Sigma end up pushing him to help save Dazai, then Atsushi’s arc will arguably have come full circle.
Protecting the Sheep
Back at the airport, the remaining two non-compromised members of the Hunting Dogs each encounter the Agency, and the only flaw with this part of the episode is that it ends far too soon. There are two kinds ofBungo Stray Dogsepisodes: ones that feel delightfully lengthy andthose that end before you even realize it. This was most definitely the latter.
It feels as though Kenji gets forgotten by the story, yet that’s only because every time he shows up, he’s so darn likable. That cross between adorably innocent and frighteningly strong makes him a comical character and that’s often how he’s been portrayed, so seeing him in a serious battle is unusual and frankly, thrilling. Depending on how the next few episodes go, this fight poses an opportunity to learn more about Kenji.
For now, Kenji’s seeming defeat illustrates just how powerful Tetchou is, even without their sword. There’s a reason he was called the most talented combatant of the Hunting Dogs when the unit was first revealed. As for Teruko,her willingness to listen to the Agency’s sideis anything but clear. Since her debut, she’s been characterized by her unyielding admiration for Fukuchi.
Even if presented with evidence, she might be so enamored as to trust whatever her captain told her and use Atsushi’s good faith invitation as a chance to take down the Agency herself. As good of a planner as Ranpo is, Fukuchi is plenty capable of planting seeds of destruction. Either way, it looks like the Hunting Dogs won’t be convinced without a few more violent battles to come.
The Meursault plotline is the most fun thatBungo Stray Dogshas had in ages, delighting in ingenious twists and a dash of fanservice for good measure. On the other hand, while the rising tensions at the airportdo yield some stirring developments, some might find it a bit lacking compared to the prison break. Perhaps it’s the choice of setting; not every story can make a thrilling battleground out of an airport the wayCaptain America: Civil Wardid.
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