Character Flaws And Their Meanings

smth smth bsd’s recurring theme of your past not defining who you are but facing your past being necessary to move on anyway. the symbolism of atsushi’s abuser being the one to push him forward despite atsushi’s dislike for him—you cannot get rid of him. you cannot stop caring. you will cry when your father dies and you will hate him for it. you will never get rid of the ghost that haunts you but sometimes acknowledging it is the first step to healing. can anyone hear me

Too busy for a full analysis, but I'm just gonna drop this here and leave.

(Quote is from Stormbringer, the first time Chuuya uses his corruption.)

Like I said: a lil sass.

I really like how the unwritten message of Beast is that anyone could become anyone given the circumstances they were put into. Atsushi could become a murderer, Akutagawa could learn to tame the beast inside of him when surrounded by good people. It questions the idea that people are innately good or innately evil. Because while yes, Atsushi is a murderer burdened by guilt and fear, and Akutagawa is a detective who lacks a drive for helping people and has no qualms resorting to...unsavory methods to get results, at the end, we see that despite Akutagawa being told he's meant to be evil, he STILL wants to try to learn. To learn how to live a good life, learn how to tame the beast. And at the end of the day, while Atsushi still wants to protect people, he learns to kill them without a moment's hesitation. The only person he can protect is Kyouka, and he is almost TOO protective of her. I just think it's really cool that you can take these characters, one who is "innately good" and one that's "innately evil" and switch their circumstances, and you can see how they'd really end up. How a good person can become a murderer when surrounded by evil, how a bad person can quench the thirst for vengeance inside of him when surrounded by good people.

Dazai really does just like to recruit people into organizations, doesn't he.

Like, what's that? A fifteen year old with a toxic relationship to the group that's supposed to be his friends? Have his friends betray him so he joins the Mafia!

What is it, you say? People are after you because you used to be an assassin? Have him join the Mafia!

You're a depressed orphan living in the slums who wants a reason to live? Why don't you join the freaking Mafia.

And this pattern only continues in the ADA, like:

An orphaned dangerous Weretiger sought after by the government? Join the detective agency!

Said Weretiger finds his own orphan girl who is kind of wanted for manslaughter at the age of fourteen? Help her join the detective agency!

He seriously has a savior complex, and this needs to be acknowledged. Don't even get me started on Sigma-

The BEST line from Stormbringer:

I mean...he's not wrong...

Having the events of Dazai's entrance exam take place before the start of the series rather than during it really makes Kunikida's character make so much more sense. Specifically why, at the beginning of the series, he was really hesitant to save Atsushi, or have Atsushi save Kyouka. It's not out of rudeness or apathy. He won't let himself care, because he tried before. He tried to bring up a kid that had a bad life, and it only ended in failure. The events of the Azure Messenger arc really shape Kunikida's character into being someone who wishes he was a hero, but isn't. That he can't save everyone. So when Dazai saves Atsushi, at first, Kunikida doesn't want to grow close or allow himself to care because he feels that this too is only going to end in failure. Hence what he tells Atsushi about he and Kyouka both drowning if there isn't enough room on the boat (the metaphor admittedly makes more sense when he said it). It just adds so much in respect to his character if it happened before the events of the series as opposed to during it, because then it just makes Kunikida out to be super uncaring. But he's not. He just doesn't want to get his hopes up until he can truly accept the fact that this time, it might end better.

Dark era vs Beast

"This story is a tragedy because it didn't have to end this way."

vs

"This story is a tragedy because it was always going to end this way."

You know, after this arc, the detective agency is really going to have to kick up their marketing skills to get clients back.

So I've decided to make an ad to help start them off. Ehem:

*deep voice here* Do you have a problem too difficult for the police to handle? Cases you need solved, people you need to disappear? Problems with the Port Mafia who we definitely hate and do not like at all? Well, we're the people for you! Come to the Armed Detective Agency *insert picture of the Agency's mascot here* Members include:

~one dude that's actually armed

~one dude that's actually a detective

~a furry

~a super chill guy named Tanizaki. Just don't go near his sister, like, ever

~his sister

~a 14 year old farmboy who is either hungry or sleepy (can move mountains, confirmed)

~a 14 year old former assassin (she's changed now swearsies)

~a former mafioso/torture specialist. Moonlights as a suicide romantic

~a doctor who can heal all (fatal) wounds*

*if wound is not fatal, it must be made fatal for her to heal it

Does not include:

~anyone who gives a frick about the law

The Armed Detective Agency has taken on a great number of cases, and someone there has probably saved your life (or taken the life of one of your loved ones) at some point in time. Come show your appreciation! Led by, you guessed it, another former assassin, this group of fundamentally messed up individuals can solve your toughest cases!

PS we swear we're not terrorists.

....on second thought, this might not be such a good idea.