Just when we thought we would never see the Armed Detective Agency, Port Mafia, and the rest of the cast of Bungou Stray Dogs again, Bones Studios decided to give us season four of Bungou Stray Dogs!
Based on the manga of the same name, Bungou Stray Dogs is about an organized group of people with special abilities called the Gifted. They are called the Armed Detective Agency. After the arrest of Rat member Foyoder, the Armed Detective Agency thought it was the last they'd seen of him and the Rats. Little did they know that Foyoder is part of an even more dangerous organization called the Decay of Angels. Being framed as a public enemy, the Armed Detective Agency must find a way to survive, prove their innocence, and stop the Decay of Angels from their plot.
Season four of Bungou Stray Dogs has been interesting. Many things were going on during this season between the Armed Detective Agency and the new enemy group, the Decary of Angels, and we can't help but wonder what will happen next.
The Plot Thickens As Things Get Serious
Unlike the previous seasons, this new season of Bungou Stray Dogs has a more serious tone as the Armed Detective Agency raced against time. Even more serious than any other season, with the plot thickening in each episode. It still has some funny scenes, just like in previous seasons; in fact, having those comedic scenes in between is a good break and keeps things fresh and enjoyable. Unfortunately, there weren't many of those funny scenes this season.
Even if we don't get a lot of those funny scenes this season, the fact that the tone of the series has gotten serious lets us know that we are in an essential part of the story. We aren't sure if we are nearing an important climax of the story or a significant turning point. For now, though, even if the tone has shifted, it didn't take our attention away from the series and is still enjoyable to watch.
Lots of Twists And Turns
In past seasons of Bungou Stray Dogs, the Armed Detective Agency would use their skills and abilities to try to solve cases and overcome their enemies. It usually takes the whole season for them to solve the mystery of their case and defeat their enemies, but even then, they usually wrap it up in one season. We thought it would be the same for this season but we were wrong.
This season was the longest case that the Armed Detective Agency must overcome. There were many twists and turns this season, some we didn't expect or think of. When we thought they would do one thing, they surprised us with an unexpected twist to the mystery and vice versa. When we thought they finally figured out something, they added more to the puzzle. This is primarily thanks to Foyoder, who is like a second Dazai. Thanks to that, many things kept happening that made us wonder if either the Decay of Angels or the Armed Detective Agency are winning.
First One Ahead Wins: Detective Agency vs. Decay of Angels
The main thing for this season is the battle between the Armed Detective Agency and the Decay of Angels. Yes, there are government officials such as the Hunting Dogs, as well as Port Mafia, but the battle is between the Detective Agency and the Decay of Angels. Many instances even showed us that some of the character's actions were already planned. This means that the first one ahead of the other wins the overall battle, so it's up to Dazai to figure out Foyoder's plan. This brings up one question even when the season ends: how exactly does Foyoder communicate with the other Decay of Angels members?
We won't know till the next season or two. What we know is that this will probably take one or two more seasons, which is the first for the series itself.
Final Thoughts
Season four of Bungou Stray Dogs was filled with mysteries and surprises. The plot thickens as the battle between the Armed Detective Agency and the Decay of Angels continues. We didn't expect this to last more than one season, unlike other seasons of Bungou Stray Dogs. It's no wonder they already announced a fifth season coming this summer when it usually took a year or two for this series to produce. Now, the question is, who will win? We might have to wait till this summer to find out.
Have you seen the new season of Bungou Stray Dogs? Are you excited for the fifth season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!