Jackobzielinski blog

mainly Kuroshitsuji and Bungou Stray Dogs

[rabbastian]

[roseate-felidae]

@abybweisse

[abybweisse]

🤣

[meillianna]

Do you think the demon in Modri's flashback is Sebastian?

Yes

No, probably a different demon

Voting ended onMay 25

[astro345]

🔥🔥BSD THEORY TIME🔥🔥

If you are not caught up with the manga sit this one out

I think there will be 3 “parts” so to speak. But I think Asagiri will only give us 2. We all know the stuff with Oda, how he read the two books and then he could never find the last one, author approaches him and says the third book sucked away, why don’t you write your own? Now this third book could also have something to do with “The Book” that allows whatever is written to become reality. We also have to pay attention to the fact that

1. Atsushi was referred to as “The Bookmark” by Fyodor

2. Fyodor quoted a book from atsushis childhood and that freaked out atsushi (also was a line from irl atsushi)

Now, why would this freak Atsushi out so much? If it just came from a published book it wouldn’t be crazy for someone else to have read it right? I’m thinking maybe, this is a book atsushi wrote or maybe his biological parents gave him, that no one else should know about. Unless of course someone else is writing the story.

Maybe Fyodor, with his immortality has come in and out of possession of “The Book” and has written out what we are perceiving as the story of Bungo Stray Dogs. But then if we think about that, why wouldn’t fyodor just write away ability users if that was his goal all along? Maybe it wasn’t his goal all along. Fyodor has still yet to reveal who he was referring to when he was thinking about dazai, something along the lines of “no one has been able to get in my way like this since that man”. We don’t know who “that man” is. I’m thinking maybe, Fyodor had a different plan originally, and had the book, writing our part of the story we are consuming, but someone stole the book and hid it, and it still remains unfound. What other book was someone unable to find? The third book in the series Oda wanted to read. I’m thinking that author, was “that man” fyodor was talking about and that third book was the third in his series. He said it sucked because fyodor had already written things into the plot that were bad (Oda dying perhaps? Which is why the author magically found Oda randomly, he already knew about him).

Now this would take place on a short timescale for fyodor, but for a regular human this could all plausibly happen still within one lifetime. I think BSD will not really get a third part, but instead get super meta and the “third part” will almost be up to the audience, we get to write our own ending so to speak. Asagiri is always incorporating things from irl novels and the irl authors lives in really interesting ways, and it gets more and more insane the more you know about each of the authors and just how much each character is based off the author, and I just think he would be willing to do something supper meta like this. So yeah, there’s my thoughts. I probably missed a lot of shit considering I watched it almost 5 years ago at this point and forget most of the plot between chapters anyways but yeah

Love and peace chat

[intheeyeofthestar]

discussing fyodor's potential fate in bsd. in other words, this:

whether fyodor ends up locked up or manages to escape, i hope this is something that gets brought up again.

in canon, everyone just learned how fyodor's ability work but given how akutagawa explains the situation, it sounds like the government knows what they're doing.

and this brings so many questions: is this something the government has planed in case fyodor came back? has anyone been detained this way? is there anyone else in particular they want to detain?

i won't go down the anti-carceral rabbit hole, i think we can all agree locking someone like that is plain dehumanization. he won't be able to do anything but think (unless he's drugged and therefore unconscious nut that's not mentioned so idk), and he will be locked up like this forever.

my first thought when reading this was I have no mouth and I must scream by Harlan Ellison (1966) . The antagonist is an AI who loathes humans for making him conscious but unable to do anything, for revenge he gives the main character the same fate. The tragedy of such a fate is that they can't die. My second thought was Notes from Underground by Dostoevsky (1864) in which the main character and narrator has locked himself away in a basement away from all human connections. In the first part of the book, the narrator calls consciousness a curse (i'm not sure about the english translation but you get the idea).

this brings me to think that being locked up without any stimulation is fyodor's worst nightmare. he's hinted at being a lonely individual when talking to dazai in chapter 64

he's lived for centuries, it's only fair to assume he's experienced traumatic events that lead him to see abilities as sins. my personal theory is that his own ability is a heavy part of why he thinks that way. locking him away with nothing but his own thoughts, dehumanizing him, forcing him to stay alive, that does nothing but prove him right. even if he can't day, it'll bring hell on earth for him.

on another note, this chapter is heavy in religious symbolism with the crucifixion and the five wounds, so i see the imprisonment as an analogy of the tomb of Jesus; meaning that if fyodor does end up being locked away, he'll eventually return. (i'm probably being delusional)

[existingtm]

So, in art, horses are often symbols of war and bringers of ominous supernatural beings. Given the prominence of John Brown's horse, we probably ought to pay attention to any symbolism present there. So, to start, we have a powerful, white steed.

The Kuroshitsuji anime is also known for foreshadowing elements of the manga.

Most of us assume John Brown is the manga's version of Ash/Angela. And what companion did Ash/Angela have? A big white hell hound named Pluto.

Consider: Perhaps Pluto was more than just the anime version of Snake. Perhaps he was a blend of Snake and Brown's steed.

After Ch. 221, I'm certain there's more going on than it just being a normal horse.

There are two routes I could see:

1. John is acting outside of Heaven's parameters. Things about Heaven are weirdly closed off, even from the grim reapers. Could there be some conflict within?

2. John is acting as an agent of Heaven. His significant interference would indicate that they're trying to bring about a mass casualty event, maybe even an early World War (Think back to the Emerald Witch Arc).

So, the big question is: Is this mass casualty event the will of Heaven or not?

And that brings me to John's identity. Recall what I said before about the symbolism of horses. They're bringers of war, vehicles between realms, carriers of the supernatural…and most importantly…bringers of death.

I suspect John Brown is the Angel of Death.

Pluto, lord of the underworld. Grim reapers, "death gods" overseen by mysterious figures of Heaven. Victoria, surrounded by death. Undertaker, striving to revive the dead. And where does the wheel land for Victoria? Where does everything in the story point to time and time again? Death. Brown has to be someone important. I think he is or was the overseer of our reapers.

That, or his fuckass horse is some sort of entity associated with death. Which is the exact flavor of ridiculous and horrifying that I could see Toboso going with.

But my best guess right now is that the horse is just the Angel of Death's weird steed.

Also, I would LOVE if someone could remind me if the horse has an actual name. I checked this chapter and older chapters but didn't see anything. All I could find was that Brown refers to it as a "lad" in Emerald Witch, so it most likely has a masculine name. But that's just speculation.

[abybweisse]

Ch220 spoilers, part 2

There's now a problem with our duo's cover stories.

Warwick isn't just the name of some party host our earl turned down, it's also part of the fake identities our earl and Sebastian were planning to use at the hotel. I'm not sure why they would still have intended to use those names, since Fairchild already called them by their usual (but still fake) names. In any case, now they are confused why they have now crossed paths with the real Earl of Warwick. I'm also curious why Lord Barrymore's third son has the last name Greville. 🤔

Anyway, their cover story is completely ruined now, if it was not completely ruined before. Warwick doesn't specify, but sounds like he was relieved of his fortune by a false friend, perhaps the man holding stacks of coins shown in the flashback image.

Perhaps his title was also somehow taken? What if the man who betrayed him also took off with his wife and kids... to Italy?!? This guy says he's in search of true friendship. I'm not entirely convinced he's whom he says he is, since his last name doesn't match the last name of his third son. Has he been prompted to spin a tale claiming to be the Earl of Warwick, specifically to mess with our earl and Sebastian's plans? 🧐 Too bad our earl (presumably) kept turning down the Earl of Warwick's invitations, otherwise he might have recognized him by sight, and Warwick would have likewise known our earl and Sebastian by sight. And, if this guy is lying about being Warwick, our earl and Sebastian would have known immediately it was a lie. Ugh 😩

Fairchild now uses the whole "entangled with your tale" line.

Modri tries to go next, but there's an interruption.

The door opens as someone talks about Brighton from decades ago.

Everyone is shocked. Even Fairchild is sweating bullets, along with our earl and Sebastian. Modri's sweating, too.

Wearing a charm bracelet with a memento mori for Prince Albert... why must she always interrupt things?!? And John... with that manipulative hand puppet.

She removes her reflective (riding) glasses, but I doubt John will, at least not yet.

Now she has sat down to join the game. Even Modri is unlikely to tell his story about him... and the demon he says is the same one we call Sebastian....

Years ago, I suggested that the queen and John Brown might show up at the hotel, and our earl and Sebastian might have to fight them there. Now that might be coming to fruition.

[abybweisse]

Ch220 spoilers, part 1

The cover art/title page sounds like a reference to the Island of Misfit Toys.... 🧸 (See the end of this post for more info on the title page's words and imagery.)

They start the Spring of Tales game, after getting some info on the basic house rules for it. The billiards table and surrounding interior looks too much like a similar game/smoking room at Phantomhive Manor too be coincidence. It's likely modeled after that one, just like real Ciel's bedroom modeled after their parents' bedroom at the manor.

Sebastian likely cannot wait for Modri to properly introduce himself and explain how they should know each other. What topic would Modri's tale best fall under, anyway? Many possible options for him to tell the same story.

However, Modri and Sebastian will both have to wait. The guy in the pinstripe suit insists on going first. (I have no idea what's up with the typesetting on these pages. I sure hope the official release isn't so messed up!)

He gets FRIEND.

Fairchild has everyone join in to formally announce the topic of the first tale. This reminds me again of The Phoenix... a bit.

Our earl and Sebastian figure it must be some house rule that wasn't mentioned before.

Then he cuts his cigar, lights it, and start with an introduction. Richard Barrymore, aka Earl of Warwick. That should be familiar to us... if we think back to the Ripper arc, when our earl lists off to Sebastian all the invitations he'd decided to reject (p35 of volume 2):

Then there is Baron Bath -- any chance he's the young blond man in the room? And could the black-haired lady end up being an "aka Countess Gartland", by any chance? Because....

Go check out part two, which should be ready soon.

Oh! But there's another Land of Toys... in The Adventures of Pinocchio.

Yep, that sounds like Nectar Springs to me.... 😬

[lunarryuuyin]

NO MOTHER FUCKING WAY

FUCKING VERLAINE JUST MADE AN OFFICIAL DEBUT?!!!!!!!!!!

[maisiemp3]

new chapter next week place your ACTUAL honest bets

plot progression

22 pages of seafood closeups and a cryptic new character is introduced

unsure/druitt is in the smoking room/bald

Voting ended onSep 19, 2025

[thedarkestcrow]

Sooo... looks like Modri Vladis is indeed Polaris.

It's been suspected before and I'd say the latest chapter mostly confirms it with these similarities.

I still think there are differences, though, between what we've seen from Polaris and Modri. But maybe these differences can be explained through his mental state. Because there are also signs that he might suffer from a dissociative identity disorder.

In the latest chapter it looks like Modri is talking to someone but it could be that he's actually talking to himself.

The different fonts used here could indicate that it's even several people being present. But if Modri has some sort of dissociative identity disorder he could be talking to different versions of himself. We've seen Polaris being quite unstable before and this could also be a result of his Cinematic Record being tampered with by Undertaker.

Earlier when Modri encountered Sebastian he did seem to recognize him and the way he was talking seemed as if he was quite certain about it.

And yet, in the latest chapter he's asking whether Sebastian is "the one" while the person(s) answering is/are certain about it.

It also irks me that Modri is so focused on Sebastian and totally seems to disregard Ciel, even though we know that Polaris is very dedicated to the twin and... well, they do look alike. I would at least expect a reaction from Modri towards Ciel.

Before, Polaris was absolutely dedicated to the twin, or rather "Lord Sirius"; his purpose was to provide "radiance" for him.

And while he still refers to himself as "a butler, even in death" his dedication now seems to be towards a higher being and his purpose now lies in getting rid of Sebastian.

It seems like his purpose changes to whatever is most convenient for his creator, Undertaker, at this moment. First, his dedication to the twin at a time where the twin was still unstable and dependent on blood. And now he seems more like an exorcist, a servant of god, wanting to get rid of the devil by Ciel's side, not because of Ciel but because of Sebastian.

Maybe having different personality states could explain that. Or maybe Undertaker has found a way to temper with his Bizarre Dolls in a way that makes them exactly what he needs them to be, and even being able to change that within the same Doll.

[abybweisse]

Ch217 (p3); Sir Miles Kennard and Mrs. Irina Petrovna

⚠️ longer chapter post than usual ⚠️

Sebastian teases his young master about the children's ball, then they overhear a conversation between three people standing in the background.

The mayor of Brighton is thanking Sir Miles and Mrs. Petrovna for their efforts or donations to the charity, while Sir Miles says the thanks belongs to the mayor.

Two of them -- Irina and the mayor -- seem to have different accents when they first speak to each other, but they both quickly drop the accents or whatever affected speech they used. I'm not sure what that's all about.

Just like "paid for it themselves" about Victoria and Albert's pleasure palace, "close friend" is in quotes. Clearly, the knighted man and the widowed lady are lovers. The little tug and the blushing say it all.

When her late husband is mentioned, she starts to cry, but then she sees our earl and calls out to him and Sebastian. The tears end as quickly as they start. She assumes our earl is in costume for the ball... and that Sebastian is his father.

It's funny that one of her guesses for his outfit is a "phantom". The original, serial publication of The Phantom of the Opera didn't begin until 1909, so I guess she means more along the lines of a ghost. 👻 Of course, he corrects her to say the eyepatch is no costume, and she apologizes.

He darts behind Sebastian, but it's not quite like the fearful way he has hidden behind Sebastian (or Vincent) in the past. He nudges Sebastian to speak with her and offer something towards the charity, though we don't actually see what he hands her. It could be coin, but earlier they said they were low on funds. Quite broke, right? But they somehow get the earl a new wardrobe, train tickets, hotel rooms, etc. This makes me wonder what they consider "broke"... and whether Sebastian has been acquiring money somehow as they proceed with their investigation.

Sebastian says the donation is anonymous -- clarifying that they are master and servant, not son and father-- and our earl makes puking 🤢 faces behind Sebastian's back as Irina complements the young lord for his charitable nature. Then they leave.

I could not find this Sir Miles Kennard (and here, he looks more like the historical John Brown than our John Brown could ever). Perhaps there was someone in a similar position/station that he's been modeled after, but I haven't delved into that particular research topic... just yet. Is our earl assuming that Sir Kennard has a wife and children (it wasn't mentioned by Miles), or does he just recognize that name and happens to know this about him?

Likewise, the Irina Petrovna's I have found aren't a good match, though that might not matter too much. She's the second person with a decidedly Slavic name we have come across in Brighton. Wasn't there some research years ago about the pistol that our earl uses at some point? Wasn't it found to be of Russian origin? Anyway, I'm curious about why Irina and Modri have made their appearances now....

Anyone else think it's a bit odd that Sebastian points out to our earl that the sun sets early in winter? Like he doesn't know. But I guess it's really just meant to remind us readers that it's December... even though early December isn't considered winter, and it should still be early in the month.

One last thing I wanted to mention here: there's a comment in a rectangular box at the end of the chapter, as is typical in the original publication, and it's often not included in the English edition. However, a fellow blogger sent me pics of that box, with the original text and also covered in an English translation:

So, ch218 should finally be in the "smoking room".

[marty4282]

[Theory/Analysis]

Dazai going back to the PM?

This has most likely been done already, but I just thought of it, I'm a lil slow. There's actually multiple points that lead to this conclusion, some may be on the more "theory" side while others are facts.

The deal (duh.). So as everyone knows, in exchange for the Port Mafia's aid to the ADA during the Decay of Angels conflict, one of the members of the ADA will be transferred to the PM. This excludes Yosano. Who else would Mori want other than the Demon Prodigy (or is Black Wrath the canon title?) that he built from the ground up? Mori's always wanted Dazai back, as he was his best asset, his former right hand. He will only want someone that is an asset to the Port Mafia, no one else, and who else would fill that role better than his right hand?

Mori's prediction. In Dark Era, Mori stated that Dazai would take over as boss for the Port Mafia when he turns 23. Dazai is currently 22. This aligns with the deal occurring right now.

Dazai's revenge. Ok, this is where I start theorizing (aka my opinion). Dazai has a grudge against Mori for Oda's death, this isn't new information. However, I wouldn't put it past Dazai if he wanted to exact revenge on Mori by killing him and taking his position. I mean, think about the last point, this is the only way Dazai can become boss at 23, by killing Mori, and Mori's predictions are rarely wrong. Killing Mori and becoming boss is one thing, but what if Dazai's true goal has been to dismantle the Port Mafia altogether?

"I want to see the Port Mafia burn." - Osamu Dazai, Stormbringer. This is Dazai's golden opportunity. To watch the Port Mafia "burn" by dismantling it from the inside. To seize control of the entirety of the Port Mafia and take it down, once and for all. This would be Dazai's final revenge to Oda, to destroy the thing that killed him. To destroy the thing that Mori worked so hard to build up. If it wasn't for the Port Mafia, Oda could have very well became the writer he wished to be, or maybe be in the ADA like in BEAST.

Just a final point for loose ends. This just got me thinking, like what if this was what Dazai has been waiting for? An opportunity to surprise EVERYONE? The ADA will just think that he's protecting them by going back. Mori will be glad to have his right-hand man back. Chuuya, even though I haven't mentioned him at all here, will be waiting to see what game Dazai has planned. But what if Dazai pulls a 180, kills Mori, and becomes the boss just to take down the Mafia and enact his final revenge? That would be sick, but like I said these last two points are mostly me theorizing. Until it's canon, everything is fair game.

ANYWAY...this is my first post so...yippee I guess.

[vii0so]

[BSD 121] Theory/Analysis

This chapter was full of things for me to over-analyse and theorise about. As always, expect spoilers, sidetracking and theories that sound farfetched.

Topics:

The (Fake) Page

Fyodor's Fixation on Dazai

The Book and Atsushi's Hallucinations

Rampo

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█▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒

The (Fake) Page

To start, no...that's not the page.

As I mentioned in my last chapter post [BSD 120.5], this had been a plan from the start by Fyodor, for Atsushi to not question where the page is, by showing an ordinary page and letting him assume it's the page.

Plus, Atsushi was having a mental breakdown due to the situation at the time and couldn't think clearly but do you really think an actual page from the book - a godly item - would tear that easily? No way. It's known as indestructible for a reason.

Fyodor's plan was to break Atsushi mentally. That's what he wanted to see. Atsushi in despair.

Fyodor shows he has the page (tricking Atsushi), says it can bring his friends back (giving Atsushi hope), then tears it up right in front of him (Making Atsushi feel despair and hopelessness, breaking him).

Just look at his thoughts! He lost hope, fell to despair. If he doesn't fight, he'll die, and yet he sees no reason to continue.

Maybe Fyodor needs Atsushi to want to die before he kills him. Maybe as the 'bookmark', that's some sort of activation key for something to do with the book.

─────────────✧

██▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒

Fyodor's Fixation on Dazai

Originally, I wasn't going to talk about this but here I am.

Fyodor decides to talk about Dazai right after mentioning the back of the page. In this he also mentions the prison, furthering my theory (Section: "The page isn't with Fyodor") that the real page is with Sigma back at the prison.

That was a bit off topic but needed mentioning, since Fyodor chooses to talk about Dazai right after mentioning the page (Yes, I'm saying it twice. Important things must be repeated).

Fyodor has no reason to mention Dazai in this way to Atsushi. If my theory that Fyodor needed Atsushi to fall into despair (...gosh, the more I say that word the more I think of Danganronpa), break him, is correct, then he has no reason to talk like this.

I would understand if Fyodor only talked about or mentioned how he beat Dazai, as Atsushi who views Dazai as all knowing would despair thinking "If Dazai couldn't beat him how can I even try?" (actually...did he already think this in one of the chapters and I forgot?) but Fyodor goes beyond that and mentions enjoying his time with Dazai.

Now, It could be just as they show; Fyodor making Atsushi believe that because of Dazai he will give Atsushi the page as stated with:

But he didn't need to do it like this.

Atsushi probably didn't even mentally register anything Fyodor said other than getting the page. So there really wasn't any reason to say all the Dazai stuff. Just mentioning giving Atsushi the page would have gotten the same reaction.

Dazai is a key figure in Atsushi's life and therefore suspecting emotional manipulation in this case (especially after finding out Atsushi - the tiger - is the book's emotional hearth - the bookmark.)

其は 「根源辺縁体」の　寵愛深き この世の楔

note: ...I spent quite a while stuck on translating this and it's not even part of Chapter 121 (it's 119) so I give up (for now).

I've left the Japanese behind in case I come back to this or in case someone else wants to tackle it (plus I spent way too long getting each kanji with my basic hiragana knowledge and BSD raws that didn't show the hiragana clearly for me to search for the kanji without guessing.)

= ✧ =

Anyway, the current translation ("emotional hearth"), would indicate that Atsushi's emotions play a big role in what happens. Therefore it's a given that Fyodor would emotionally manipulate him to activate some sort of trigger that'll help his plans.

But let's not suspect manipulation for a moment.

Why talk about Dazai?

Well, Dazai is important, "in what way?" I'm not sure, and Fyodor mentioning him right after the page shows that he is a key figure (connected to the book in some way).

Fyodor needs Dazai. Or at least...a version of him.

...I don't know what I'm saying either.

Dazai is 100% involved with the book in some way and Fyodor is aware of this fact.

Dazai is also one of the only people in Fyodor's life that understands him and can have an actual conversation with him. Fyodor has lived a long time. Once you live that long everything is predictable.

I'm sure some of the people reading this must have watched a movie or read a story at some point and thought "the ____ was obvious" wether it was the ending, villain, or something else. This happens because we have seen other media with the same things and therefore can predict what happens.

Now imagine you find a movie, book, game, etc. that isn't like anything you've seen before. It's got the same foundations and yet...you can't predict it. You can guess what will happen but you will never truly know (wow, a lot like me with BSD...I'm getting off topic).

That's how Fyodor feels. Seeing the same old cliche for 2k+ years, nothing new at all.

...Until he meets Dazai.

Dazai is the movie that's nothing like the others. A mysterious person he couldn't predict. Someone similar to himself.

So imagine you find a movie DVD that is the key to a door but also a movie that you've been looking for a long time (something new, unpredictable). You'd be interested, right? That's Fyodor's obsession with Dazai.

It's like being in a time loop and having someone remember with you. (is that even a good example? probably not...)

─────────────✧

████▒▒▒▒▒

The Book and Atsushi's Hallucinations

Honestly, at first I was like "Huh???", then I told myself, "Atsushi figured it out so we as the readers must be able to as well", and so I read it a couple more times and thought "The only thing that makes sense is that it's the book", any other possibility I came up with sounded too farfetched and might as well get turned into an au fanfic instead of a canon theory, so...It's the book.

Now, before I get into why, here's a random fact about myself:

I usually avoid reading other people's theories so that I can have fun theorising (having a mental breakdown/j) on my own without my theories being influenced by others.

That being said, I saw a post of someone being confused about the ending of the chapter and I was curious to see if anybody else thought it was the book like me in the post's comments.

To my surprise, a lot of people thought it was the tiger instead.

So let's start with: "Why is it not the tiger?"

This line is all the proof we need: "You're the tiger aren't you?"

It wouldn't be my style if I didn't try over analysing the raws...so I did!

I tried translating the original Japanese myself and basically got the same result with minor differences, so the [Nine of Cups] translation (shown on the left) is as accurate as it gets.

Since I didn't find anything particularly interesting while translating, here's some random Japanese that appears in the panel:

Anyway, yeah, there's no reason in my mind why it would be the tiger. There's just no way. There's no reason for it to be.

Why would the tiger say this? Why would the tiger not appear as itself? Why would Atsushi be so surprised if it was?

Also, Atsushi is the bookmark, the emotional hearth of the book, why wouldn't the book speak to him?

There's just no way it's the tiger.

Now, that we have that out of the way, let's continue:

The floor during Atsushi's "hallucinations" is usually just the ground/floor itself or a blank space (usually totally black or white).

But this time, the entire white area turns colour (from white to black), enabling us to see that there had been lines there all along.

The lines are most likely a reference to the japanese writing paper:

Genkouyoushi [ 原稿用紙 ] - manuscript paper

There have been references made before. Here are some examples:

A & C : Official Art ✧ B : Volume 18 cover ✧ D : TDIPUD LN Cover

Even though this time the distinct space between square rows isn't present and makes this look more like average grid paper I personally still believe it's a reference to genkouyoushi.

Since Atsushi is the emotional hearth, his emotions matter...a lot.

So let me give you a situation before the next part:

The lights suddenly go out in a factory, signifying that there's no power (electricity).

This factory relies heavily on electricity to function and therefore for emergencies has a backup power generator.

Once the power went out, the backup power generator kicked in, meaning nothing stopped for too long and work continued.

Now imagine:

Atsushi is the electricity in this case.

The Dazai "hallucinations" are the backup power generator.

And the factory is the book / the story we read (BSD)

When Atsushi loses all hope, without any chance at all of recovering, that will be the end of the book as well (Or at least it'll trigger something to do with the book).

Since that can't happen if the world is to continue, there is a fail-safe measure (the backup power generator) that activates when Atsushi feels particularly low (really low) or is in need of guidance away from self-destruction.

So, the book speaks in the image of Dazai - who Atsushi holds in high regard (though I'm fairly sure there's more to the book choosing "Dazai" than this) - as a way to "return the electricity to the factory".

─────────────✧

██████▒▒▒

Rampo

Why is Rampo not mentioned here?

Seriously, what plan are Dazai and Rampo scheming against Fyodor?

He must be safe and working in the background...right?

─────────────✧

██████████ Completed!

I know I said I'd post this "soon"

...and suddenly "soon" turned into almost a month.

85% was written within a week of the chapter's release. But my brain didn't let me think after I tried deciphering Japanese (Kanji and general translation) for this (the translation part I gave up on) and suddenly I couldn't type anymore. I tried coming back to it but I still couldn't type much so I left it for a while.

Suddenly I realised I still hadn't finished it and the new chapter was releasing in a few hours! So I said to myself "leave it incomplete like the last time, or speed write a whole bunch of stuff and just post it".

...I typed faster than I thought I could.

So here it is, actually completed (a round of applause for me! :D)

I hope what I wrote makes sense, some parts may be off-topic(?) as I was in a rush and can't re-read what I wrote right now.

See you all in a few hours when I read the new chapter (or tomorrow if I choose to sleep after reading the chapter instead of immediately starting to type my theory/analysis post like I usually do)

─────────────✧

TLDR:

No, the "page" torn is not the real page. It was only used as an act to make Atsushi lose hope.

Yes, Fyodor is obsessed with Dazai in the way that we find an unpredictable movie without cliches refreshing.

Fyodor's manipulating Atsushi emotionally as a way to activate something to do with the book.

The Dazai "hallucinations" are the "book" and are a fail-safe measure (think more closely to: backup power generator) so that Atsushi - whose emotions affect the world - does not fall completely to despair (which is what Fyodor wants)

Rampo is not mentioned in the people who still need saving/are still alive but he's most likely planning in the background.

[anticidic]

I've got two fun ideas picking at my brain after reading this part, specifically when Dazai says brains of three-dimensional humans cannot properly perceive the realm.

One: Dazai is completely an illusion and Atsushi is being fed this information through Sigma in his unconsciousness because Atsushi wouldn't be able to fully process the space without losing consciousness himself, so Sigma is acting as a catalyst to pass it on

Two: a version of Dazai somehow inserted himself into the space through a giga brain move way back in Meursault knowing Fyodor would target Sigma, and he entered Sigma's unconsciousness and is in the world along with Sigma — who may or may not be lost in the realm

We know Sigma was created, and while he's a living, breathing human, in a roundabout way he's a two-dimensional being created from a page. Or possibly even four-dimensional himself considering the Book's capabilities

Atsushi's still a "bookmark", and bookmarks "save" spots at certain places, but Sigma could also be the guide leading Atsushi back in time to that moment, offloading some of the information he processed. Fyodor also previously said that the tiger's claws can tear through dimensions, and it's how Atsushi will free himself from amenogozen after the information is passed on to him

[nenunaiad]

A Fear Even Greater: BSD Ch. 121 vs. BEAST Ch. 4

I was reading the new chapter today and I couldn't help but notice some similarities to BEAST that I wanted to share. I'm sure I'm not the first person to notice this nor do I usually do this kind of analysis post but I thought it was interesting and I'd like to share so please bear with me!

BSD CH. 121 SPOILER WARNING

I've highlighted the segments from each work that I think are thematically relevant to each other in the same colours because my brain works that way, but if yours doesn't don't worry - I will explain:

In YELLOW we have Atsushi's instinct to flee in the face of the enemy. I touch on this a bit more later on but BEAST!Atsushi is further along this thought process than canon!Atsushi. B!Atsushi seems mostly afraid of pain and violence while canon!Atsushi is more despondent. He's lost hope and had his spirit broken from watching his surrogate family die in front of him (understandably, poor baby)

In GREEN we have Dazai acknowledging/calling out Atsushi's cowardice. BEAST!Dazai is mostly describing how Atsushi used to be while canon!Dazai is snapping Atsushi out of his current doom-spiral.

He does this in most of his other hallucination appearances, not dissimilar to his interaction with Atsushi in Ch. 25.

In PURPLE we have the core of this whole rambling post (*´▽`*) There really isn't any contrast in these two, both B!Dazai and canon!Dazai are saying the same thing here.

Which brings us to CYAN where we see how the purple bits deviate slightly with context. It's a minor difference but B!Dazai lists the things that Atsushi used to fear (pain, violence, etc.) but canon!Dazai lists the qualities that Atsushi feels he's lacking (courage and hope). B!Atsushi is already able to use this "technique" (for lack of a better term) in combat, likely because he was exposed to terrifying situations earlier and more frequently than canon!Atsushi and has had more time to adapt to them (again, poor baby [╥﹏╥])

Now in RED we skip ahead a bit in the BEAST chapter to Dazai giving Atsushi his next directive. B!Dazai uses Atsushi to enact his plan and (eventually) bring Atsushi and Akutagawa together while canon!Dazai urges Atsushi to compartmentalize and focus on saving the people that he's still able to save.

Canon!Dazai's request is reminiscent of Oda's final words to him which - knowing Asagiri - could very well be intentional even if this is obviously not the "real Dazai" but rather the manifestation of some part of Atsushi's inner thoughts or Byakko (personally my money's on the tiger theory but we'll see). The Oda/Dazai/Atsushi/Akutagawa parallels will never stop and I'm here for it tbh.

[Dark Era excerpt from this translation from @nkhrchy]

Which brings us to MAGENTA (Could I have done these in chromatic order? Yes. Did I only realize that after typing it all out? Absolutely.) In both cases at this point Atsushi comes to a realization and I think the difference in what that realization is really drives home how well BEAST uses alternate universe to emphasize characterization in canon. Some of this is based on my assumptions about the final page of Ch. 121 and is therefore at risk of being jossed next month BUT I think that what canon!Atsushi is realizing in the final panel ("who you really are") is that this Dazai apparition comes from The Tiger. If it isn't Byakko explicitly I think it's fair to say that it's coming from somewhere within Atsushi himself. So, that being said, let me explain a little bit: B!Atsushi's only recourse is to take refuge in Dazai's plans/orders. His "greater fear" stems from an instance when he deviated from those orders and as a result he feels safest behind the bulwark of going along with Dazai's will. Not the healthiest coping mechanism, but it makes sense considering what B!Atsushi has experienced up to that point. Canon!Atsushi, however, is (I assume) realizing that the safety and reassurance - however harsh it may seem - of the Dazai in his head has actually been coming from himself the entire time. I think it's safe to say that whether it's his subconscious or Byakko, this apparition takes the shape of Dazai because that's who Atsushi trusts during times of crisis; that's the voice he's desperately wishing he could hear. Ultimately canon!Atsushi is in a much better place (despite... everything lol) because he's able to recognize his own internal strength instead of clinging to the safety he sees in Dazai. B!Atsushi does eventually start this process after Dazai fires him and Kyouka (and then steps off the roof of HQ RIP) but he has to take the time first to heal from the anxiety his violent upbringing inflicted on him (quite understandably - let's all say it together: poor babey T_T) There's more I could say about canon!Akutagawa undergoing a similar process re:Dazai but this post is too long! So I won't ♡

OKAY! My brain has never been satisfied with using one word when I could use ten so if you made it to the end thank you and I'm sorry ♡ I am not a writer and doing this reminded me why!! So I will definitely stick to drawing pictures (I'm almost finished one I swear! I'm like a plant, I wither into nothing in the winter months)

[theonlyqualitytrash]

The irony of Fyodor's words:

These words have always stuck with me when I started to reread the manga, especially with the recent chapters and Fyodor's behavior. He says something deeply philosophical, but also deeply ironic.

In the anime, he says:

“People are eager to believe that they are acting with free will. That they know best. They become so excited by their own discoveries that they give them too much value. We all loathe to believe we can be controlled.” (Season 3, Episode 4, 17:35)

And in the manga:

"People, honestly, simply, wrongly assume that 'I thought so myself.'" (Vol. 10, Ch. 42, Page 35)

At first glance, these two quotes seem to say something very similar—that people tend to overvalue their own thoughts and discoveries, believing them to be entirely their own, when in reality, they might be influenced by something (or someone) else. But here's where the irony kicks in: Fyodor himself embodies this very mindset.

Despite his belief that people are wrong to assume their thoughts are independent, Fyodor operates under the assumption that his philosophy is entirely his own. In truth, it’s shaped by a lifetime of suffering, trauma, and a near-obsessive need to control the world around him.

Fyodor’s theory—that all ability users should be eradicated—is rooted in his own experiences of feeling powerless and out of control. The abuse he’s endured, combined with his ability, has led him to view the world—and its "free will"—as fundamentally flawed. He believes that to restore order to this chaotic world, the gifted must be suppressed. Yet, isn't this philosophy itself an example of the very thing he criticizes in others? His conviction that he has discovered the "truth" mirrors the self-deception he critiques: the tendency to believe that his thoughts are purely his own, unaffected by external forces, including his trauma.

In a way, Fyodor is trapped in the very mindset he warns against: the idea that his conclusions are logical and independent, when they are actually the product of his suffering, his obsession with control, and his refusal to accept the chaos of human nature. His belief that he’s arrived at the ultimate truth—that ability users must be eradicated to prevent chaos—reflects the same misguided, self-affirming belief that he accuses others of having.

Fyodor, in his isolation and intellectual torment, has convinced himself that eradicating others' abilities is the only way to restore order. But this "discovery" is not a product of pure intellect. It is, instead, the result of his trauma and distorted worldview. The irony is that he has become the very thing he despises: someone who clings to his own belief as the ultimate truth, dismissing the possibility that his thoughts are shaped by his personal history, his suffering, and his need for control.

At the heart of this contradiction is Fyodor’s desperate desire for control. His philosophy isn't just intellectual; it’s emotionally driven, born of his experiences with powerlessness. In seeking to rid the world of chaos and disorder, he longs for a sense of security. But he fails to see that his quest for control is itself a response to his internalized trauma. His attempts to impose order are shaped not just by logic, but by his scars.

This leads us to the central irony: Fyodor cannot see that his belief system is flawed not because it's illogical, but because it’s emotionally driven. He claims to have transcended the emotional influence of others, yet in doing so, he becomes a prisoner of his own narrative. He cannot escape the fact that his thoughts, like those of the people he criticizes, are shaped by his fears, desires, and personal history.

Fyodor's rejection of external influence is, in the end, a perfect reflection of the flaw he exhibits: the inability to recognize that his thoughts are not independent, but deeply shaped by a lifetime of suffering and a need for control. He believes that he has arrived at the ultimate truth through intellectual reasoning, but in reality, his philosophy is just as much a product of his internal struggles as anyone else’s beliefs.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk :>

[ideasnstuff]

"Fancy Hat"

We all know through Stormbringer why is Chuuya's hat important.

So... this left me to wonder...

Does Ranpo's nickname means something?

That obviously Chuuya doesn't realize but Ranpo is always really on alert with Chuuya...

No one ever understimates Chuuya, not even Fukuzawa does.

Whether Ranpo finds Chuuya interesting because of his strange influence on Dazai or because he is amusing himself... he shows a certain strange behavior towards Chuuya.

We haven't seen much of Chuuya with other characters, other than Dazai....

But Ranpo and Fukuzawa seem completely aware of his person and it doesn't seem totally rational... in a way.

Maybe we will see Chuuya and Ranpo again.

Maybe...