I haven't read gaiden so i dont know about ayatsuji but so far it seems there's no ability directly about intelligence?The smart characters we got all seem to be naturally intelligent.Dazai even said he have never seen an ability like that in dazai's entrance exam LN.Thats probably why he got suspicious and tried to nullify ranpo's ability when they first met.
idk what i try to get there,but it's funny we get mind control and even time control abilities but never intelligent related ones.Does it simply not exist? What do you think?
Sorry for the long wait :)
I think the reason why we don't get intelligence related powers here is twofold:
An ability that makes you super intelligent would not be very interesting in a series about detectives. We enjoy the characters surprise us with tricks and plans and a character who can do so without really thinking would be boring
It doesn't fit thematically because BSD's abilities are manifestations of the characters' id
The id is one of three freudian archetypes:
the id is where wishes, fears and the instinctive and repressed parts of the self lie
the superego is where ideals, moral and the rational parts of the self are
the ego stands between the id and the superego and balances them
In short, the id is an irrational and partly unconsciouns part of the self, so it doesn't fit intelligence that is for the most part rational and conscious. By this, I don't mean a person can't repress their intelligence. They can and it is exactly what Rampo is built on:
Rampo represses his own deductive skills by using Fukuzawa's glasses. Symbolically, his talent is to see clearly:
So, the glasses are a nice item with a double meaning:
Rampo wears them to "see the truth of a case"
Rampo actually doesn't really need them to "see better", so he is really a person with perfect vision, who uses glasses to weaken his sight
In general, though, you will notice what Rampo really represses is his feelings to be different from others. That is the real crux of his character. It is an unconscious aspects, rather than his rational abilities.
Similarly, all the characters have unconscious and repressed aspects that emerge through their skills. This is no surprise because BSD is really a story of reconciliation with the id on 3 different levels.
Atsushi has to integrate with the Tiger
Atsushi and Akutagawa have ot integrate with each other (they represent what the other is repressing)
The ADA and the Mafia must reconcile
Notice that these 3 layers are set-up in the very first arc:
Atsushi is revealed to be the Tiger in Chapter 1
Akutagawa is introduced in Chapter 3
The Arc ends with a first conflict between the ADA and the Mafia
Another example is the end of the Guild Arc, which is kickstarted by this:
Atsushi discovers the tiger isn't as evil as he thinks. It is simply his will to live (what the id really is). Similarly, he realizes the Port Mafia isn't as one-dimensional as he believes:
So, Atsushi integrates with the tiger:
And starts the reconciliation between the ADA and the Port Mafia:
Which leads to the first sskk team fight:
As you see, the first big arc is solved with a 3-layer integration. The same will go for the story as a whole.
In the end, Atsushi will completely control his ability, SSKK will save each other and the world and the ADA and the Mafia will work as allies.
This is also why the series is full of Jungian Trios:
Akutagawa (id), Atsushi (superego) and Kyouka (ego)
Chuya (id), Kunikida (superego), Dazai (ego)
The Port Mafia (id), Governement (superego), ADA (ego)
Aku gives in to violence and instinctive wishes and learns to control them through Atsu. Atsu represses his violent side and needs to accept it through Aku. Kyouka has experienced both shadow (the Port Mafia) and light (the ADA) and I think she will mediate between Aku and Atsu in a key moment.
Chuya's skill is the embodyment of the id (a literal God of Destruction) and he will probably grow into the Port Mafia's leader. Kunikida's skill is the embodyment of the superego (it turns idea and ideals into reality) and he will become the ADA's Director by the end. Dazai is a partner of both and will help mediate between them, so that the 2 organizations can work together.
The Port Mafia is the night, the Government is the day and the ADA is the twilight, so what stands between them. In the end, the ADA (Dazai + Kunikida) will need to mediate between the Governement (Ango) and the Mafia (Chuya). So, we have another possible Freudian Trio in Chuya (id), Dazai (ego) and Ango (superego).
These at least are my 2 cents :)
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