Leadership styles: Ranpo VS. Kunikida
Same people, led by two different leaders, with different resolve for the same purposes.
In the Cannibalism Arc, when Kunikida, the supposed interim chief-in-command, was emotionally broken, Ranpo took the lead himself. The reverse became true in the Decay of Angel Arc when the team learnt that Ranpo was pursued by the police alone. They are the same people, Yosano, Kenji, Tanizaki, Kyouka, and yet their attitudes are vastly different under the leadership of Ranpo and Kunikida.
1. Portrait of the Leader
When Ranpo takes charge, no one could question his decisions. Ranpo’s plans, though not always effective (to be fair he only slipped that one time when Fyodor purposefully led him to the wrong Pushkin), are the best trump card the Agency has. Therefore, the rest has absolute faith in his words. Ranpo has the most self confidence and intelligence of the bunch and his confidence serves as some kind of a security that the rest of the Agency seem to take refuge in.
On the other hand. Kunikida is much less confident in himself. When the 5 of them were pursued by the Hunting Dogs, Kunikida was the most depressed. He only lightened up after hearing Kenji’s pure and optimistic words. Also, when Kunikida proposed that they went by car instead of train, the rest of them actually asked for the reason. Even though Kunikida took charge, they don’t take his words as a command, but a discussion, unlike the case with Ranpo.
2. Their means to achieve the goal
For Ranpo, to protect Fukuzawa and the Agency, he would dirty his hands. He would still not want to sacrifice innocent lives, just like how he was guilty for the death of the girl who pulled the handle on the hand grenade on herself. But Ranpo would KILL if he had to. If that means he could protect the Agency.
For Kunikida, even when struggling to keep the Agency alive, his first thought was to reduce casualties. Even if they were his enemies. This is likely just a conjecture on my part but the fact that even when Jouno and Teccho had already hurt Tanizaki and Kenji and were just about to slash Kunikida too, the one thing Kunikida was trying to materialize, was a stun grenade, instead of something which would KILL more easily, like a pistol. That to me is a reiteration of the point that he would not kill even if that is his enemy.
3. The overall mood of the team
For me, the photo with Ranpo leading is much more grim, while in the one with Kunikida leading, they seem to radiate more hope, and at least are smiling. This is because in the second picture, they were heading out with the philosophy of the Agency in mind - their existence if to help the weak, not to harm them. Thus, even though they were in extreme danger, keeping that purpose in mind puts their mind at ease.
On the other hand, Ranpo looked greatly distressed and dark in the first picture. He knows that he is not doing what the Director envisioned the Agency to do. He is looking down, which is a contrast to his usual confident self.
Moreover, in this photo, rather than the 3 of them standing back to back, it looks more like Ranpo and Kunikida standing back to back and Yosano turning her back towards both of them. Ranpo looks straight ahead but Kunikida glances behind. It’s as if Kunikida is one who would waver and checks himself every so often, but Ranpo will trust in his own discretion no matter what.
It seems that, at the end of the day no matter how hard it gets, when the Agency members are acting in accordance with Fukuzawa’s vision of the organization, they will be hopeful and at least feel that what they are doing will not make them regret later. Still, i kinda feel that Ranpo is also not wrong for being the kind of leader he is because he has been the pillar of support for the rest of the Agency, not just because he was the reason the Agency was born in the first place, but also thanks to the confidence he exudes, which the rest do not possess. They just can’t help believing in someone when he radiates that level of self esteem.
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