This anime series opens with the 18-year-old Atsushi Nakajima being expelled from his orphanage after a curious series of events involving a destructive tiger. Penniless and hungry, Atsushi rescues a strange man from drowning in the river who turns out to be a detective named Osamu Dazai. Dazai and his partner Doppo Kunikida belong to the Armed Detective Agency, where every member of the investigative staff has some supernatural power. Each carries the name of a famous writer, either Japanese or Western, and their abilities are tied to a memorable plot device in a classic literary work. Without divulging too much information that would create a major spoiler, Atsushi becomes part of this uncommon crime-solving team, which is in constant conflict against a shadowy organization known as the Port Mafia. While the literary angle is a bit more cerebral than usual, Bungo Stray Dogs suffers from predictable plot twists and merely adequate animation, and Atsushi is not a particularly engaging protagonist. Presenting all 12 episodes from the 2016 first season in a dual-language Blu-ray/DVD Combo set, rated TV-14, this is an optional purchase. (P. Hall)
Bungo Stray Dogs
(2016) 4 discs. 300 min. Blu-ray/DVD Combo: $64.98. Funimation (avail. from most distributors). Volume 33, Issue 4
Bungo Stray Dogs
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