Bungo Stray Dogs” is a contemporary anime series that creatively blends renowned literary figures from different eras, giving them extraordinary abilities. Characters like Osamu Dazai, a recognized 20th-century Japanese author turned detective, and Bram Stoker, famous for writing ‘Dracula’, causing a vampire upheaval, are examples of this unique approach. Fyodor Dostoevsky, best known for his work ‘Crime and Punishment’, plays the role of the main antagonist with a talent for playing the cello. The show’s appeal comes from its entertaining fusion of real personalities with supernatural powers, while maintaining a captivating narrative that keeps fans engaged.
Currently, the popular anime series “Bungo Stray Dogs” consists of five seasons, with a possible sixth on the horizon. During its hiatus, fans are speculating about the future direction of the story (for those who only watch the anime, reading the manga might provide some answers), as well as the fates of their favorite characters. Rather than focusing on what’s to come next, this list will delve into the primary appeal of the anime: its characters. More specifically, we will be examining the 10 most formidable Abilities featured in “Bungo Stray Dogs,” and the reasons they stand out above the rest.
1) For The Tainted Sorrow
If you’re a lover of either the animated series or comic version, this addition won’t catch you off guard. Chuuya Nakahara stands among the most powerful Ability users across the whole production. His Ability, “For The Tainted Sorrow,” gives him control over gravity through touch. This means he can amplify or reduce the gravitational pull of an object or person, alter the speed and weight of his own body, and hurl items as projectiles against opponents. He’s undoubtedly the top choice for both defensive and offensive strategies, which could be why he’s often held back from battles to prevent them from being over in a flash.
Chuuya has an extra advantage due to a secret, hidden aspect of his power that he can activate by using a specific phrase. This form is called Corruption, an ability that transforms Chuuya into a destructive force capable of flattening cities if unleashed. In this state, he can hurl massive gravitational forces and even create black holes, but Corruption is linked to the entity within him, Arahabaki.
While Corruption can destroy almost anything in its path, Chuuya loses control while using it and becomes enraged until his body collapses unless stopped, making its use limited, particularly after Dazai departs from the Mafia.
2) Dogra Magra
In the anime titled “Bungo Stray Dogs,” there’s a character named Kyusaku Yumeno, often referred to as Q. This individual is enshrouded in mystery within the show. Q belongs to the Port Mafia but is confined due to the peril they pose thanks to their special power, Dogra Magra. This power is seen as exceptionally hazardous because of its nature – Dogra Magra is a mind control ability that triggers when Q gets hurt. To keep this ability operational at all times, Q intentionally arms themselves with razor blades on their own limbs, thereby inciting others to inflict harm upon them.
The Dogra Magra power isn’t limited to manipulating thoughts; instead, it specifically amplifies aggressive and violent tendencies in those affected. People under its influence will indiscriminately attack anyone they encounter, leading to rampant disorder and bloodshed that can only be halted through nullification. While this Ability requires a trigger for activation and can potentially be evaded, the extent of damage it inflicts and the element of mind control make it an exceptionally potent power to wield.
3) Beast Beneath the Moonlight
In the anime titled “Bungo Stray Dogs,” Atsushi Nakajima initially appears as a homeless orphan struggling to survive on the streets, pursued by a colossal, snowy-white tiger with an appetite for humans. However, it’s later revealed that this terrifying beast is actually his unique power, known as “Beast Beneath the Moonlight.” With this ability, Atsushi can transform into a white tiger and boost his agility, strength, senses, and resilience.
In addition to the tiger’s influence, Atsushi exhibits an incredibly rapid healing ability, whether in his transformed or regular form. As he becomes more proficient with this power, he discovers how to selectively transform certain body parts instead of full transformation. His enhanced claws are capable of penetrating other powers, a trait demonstrated frequently during Atsushi’s battles against Rashomon. Although not yet officially confirmed by the anime, Fitzgerald suggests that Atsushi’s power might serve as a compass to the enigmatic Book – an artifact known for its reality-altering properties.
4) Crime and Punishment
In the captivating world of anime, I found myself intrigued by the enigmatic character of Fyodor Dostoevsky, whose extraordinary abilities were shrouded in mystery at first glance. His power, dubbed “Crime and Punishment,” initially seemed to allow him to take lives with a mere touch, but as the story unfolded, it was unveiled that this was merely a clever ruse on his part. In actuality, Fyodor manipulated these assumptions to evade detection by the Armed Detective Agency and further his nefarious plans. What a thrilling twist!
In simpler terms, the central theme of Crime and Punishment revolves around Fyodor’s unique ability to inhabit the body of whoever murders him. The murder itself is considered the “Crime,” while the “Punishment” is Fyodor assuming complete control over the body, effectively erasing the original personality and replacing it with his own, both mentally and physically. This means that Fyodor achieves a form of immortality as he can reincarnate in the body of whoever kills him, such as Bram Stoker in this scenario. Although not particularly beneficial for offense, this supernatural ability can be seen as one of the most dramatic plot twists or contrived solutions (deus ex machina) in the entire series.
5) Rashomon
Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s talent in “Bungo Stray Dogs” is exceptionally multifaceted. His ability, named Rashomon, essentially lets him alter his attire into various useful objects, such as blades, shields, armor, and restraints. Although it might seem ordinary at first glance, Rashomon’s capabilities are far from dull. Additionally, this power has the unique quality of consuming space, enabling Akutagawa to defend himself by absorbing bullets and other attacks.
In the anime, Akutagawa frequently uses his power in creative ways during fights to gain an edge. His ability, Rashomon, isn’t just limited to defensive and offensive moves; it also allows him to jump, move faster or farther, alter the environment, and even heal injuries by acting like a cast. Interestingly, he can summon Rashomon from any article of clothing he wears, making his power accessible most of the time, except when he’s completely naked.
6) Draculea
Introducing Bram Stoker into the series significantly altered the mood and course of the storyline. Bram is utilized as a lethal tool by the Decay of Angels, leveraging his power known as Draculea. As you might expect, given its origins, Draculea’s ability transforms people into vampires. Anyone bitten by Bram will subsequently become a vampire, and the contagion will propagate from these transformed individuals, creating a broad-reaching outbreak of his power, essentially an epidemic.
Apart from Bram having command over the vampires linked to him via his unique power, this authority gets taken away when Fukuchi fuses Bram with the Holy Sword Soluz Levni. An obscure feature of this ability is that Bram can insert his mind into the vampires he has transformed, thus prolonging his existence if his primary body is perishing. This power was so powerful it was named one of the “Ten Disasters Threatening to End the World” by world governments.
7) Mirror Lion
In the cast of Bungo Stray Dogs, Ochi Fukuchi stands out as a formidable antagonist. A former soldier who once ruthlessly eliminated foes, he transitioned into a life of crime to thwart another war and spare others from suffering his fate. His military skills are amplified by his special ability, Mirror Lion, which multiplies the power of whatever he’s holding by one hundred times.
Fukuchi’s mastery of the Ability turns it into something truly formidable, even though the Ability is inherently useful but not overly powerful. For instance, when Fukuchi employs Mirror Lion, he elevates Shinto Amenogozen – a space-time sword – to surpass its ordinary boundaries. In essence, Fukuchi’s control of weapons and artifacts amplifies their power significantly, making him an incredibly tough opponent in battle, given his extensive knowledge of battle strategies.
8) Thou Shalt Not Die
In most anime, healing abilities are often overlooked, but Akiko Yosano’s special power, “Thou Shalt Not Die,” stands out as a secret strength in the series. This ability has rescued numerous characters on more than one occasion. Essentially, it enables Yosano to restore anyone to full health, provided they are near death. However, there is an exception: Dazai, due to his unique power of nullification.
Yosano’s unique abilities made her a vital asset during the Great War, where as a child she was repeatedly called upon to heal and revive soldiers, experiences that have left deep emotional scars on her. Now serving in the Armed Detective Agency, Yosano primarily functions as the team’s doctor and can also provide healing support during combat, enabling them to remain active. Her ability is powerful enough to simultaneously revive multiple individuals, but only if they are near death already. Thou Shalt Not Die is a formidable power that makes Yosano an invaluable member of the Agency, and a highly sought-after target by Ogai Mori, who hopes to recruit her for the Port Mafia.
9) Draconia
In the “Dead Apple Arc,” Tatsuhiko Shibusawa was granted a unique power known as Draconia. This ability allows him to emit a substance called “Dragon’s Breath” that has the extraordinary capability of separating abilities from their owners within a specific zone. Once separated, these abilities materialize into tangible forms and attack their original users. If the user loses the ensuing battle, Shibusawa collects the surrendered ability in a special room associated with Draconia.
It’s suggested as well that Draconia is responsible for Shibusawa’s survival after Atsushi kills him at the orphanage. His ability, which gathers Shibusawa, brought him back as a memory rather than a living person, creating a semblance of life that could interact with its surroundings. This ability had the power to imprison many powerful users of abilities in Yokohama, demonstrating its reach and strength relative to other abilities depicted in the series.
10) No Longer Human
Osamu Dazai is exceptionally skilled at turning plot situations to his advantage, a talent greatly attributed to his unique ability known as “No Longer Human.” In essence, this power allows Dazai to neutralize the abilities of others simply by touching them. Remarkably, his ability remains active on him without any need for activation, and it instantly disables any other ability that comes into contact with him.
In simpler terms, the story “No Longer Human” is frequently considered a remedy for handling individuals with extraordinary abilities. Within this narrative, Dazai stands out as the unique character who can counteract Corruption when Chuuya uses it, and he’s also the only one capable of breaking Q’s mind control by touching his cursed doll. However, it’s important to note that “No Longer Human” doesn’t have any effect on non-abilities like Lovecraft’s eldritch form. Despite its basic premise, Dazai is resistant to most abilities and has the ability to free others from ability attacks through his touch.
Are you a fan of Bungo Stray Dogs? Tell us who your favorite Ability User is in the comments.
https://comicbook.com/anime/news/bungo-stray-dogs-10-year-anniversary-anime/embed/#
Read More
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Wrestler Marcus “Buff” Bagwell Undergoes Leg Amputation
- PS5’s ChinaJoy Booth Needs to Be Seen to Be Believed
- Microsoft is on track to become the second $4 trillion company by market cap, following NVIDIA — and mass layoffs
- AI-powered malware eludes Microsoft Defender’s security checks 8% of the time — with just 3 months of training and “reinforcement learning” for around $1,600
- xAI’s $300/month Grok 4, billed as a “maximally truth-seeking AI” — seemingly solicits Elon Musk’s opinion on controversial topics
- Anime’s Greatest Summer 2024 Shonen Hit Drops New Look Ahead of Season 2
- Lewis Capaldi Details “Mental Episode” That Led to Him “Convulsing”
- Powell’s Exit? A Financial Drama! 🎭
- Minecraft lets you get the Lava Chicken song in-game — but it’s absurdly rare
2025-08-09 01:29