The recently released Season 4 premiere of Bungo Stray Dogs begins in the past by educating the audience about the series’ world before the events of Season 1, much like Season 3 did. Although it comes as no surprise that many fans are eagerly anticipating the show’s return with its entire cast, the first episodes of Season 4 may offer a very intriguing perspective on the plot.
Yukichi and Ranpo decided to collaborate in the first episode of the new season after getting to know one another. An expert swordsman and a young investigative savant working together is an intriguing combination on its face. However, what makes this team so engaging in the world of Bungo Stray Dogs is the fact that, technically, neither of them has an ability.
A Compelling Story and an Odd Couple Make Up Yukichi and Ranpo
Seeing the various characters’ skills in action is one of Bungo Stray Dogs‘ major selling points. Rarely, if ever, does a character without an ability appear in a scene on the show. Even though this fact is still true in Season 4, it is significantly breaking the mold. Despite the fact that Yukichi Fukuzawa possesses the power “All Men Are Equal,” it doesn’t really matter in terms of the plot if it does or doesn’t exist.
This is possible because he has control over how skilled his employees are. Naturally, having a power like this is helpful when managing an agency made up almost entirely of people with abilities, but considering that the only person he currently collaborates with is completely devoid of any abilities, it is unlikely that he will use it much at the beginning of Season 4.
Ranpo Edogawa, who is only 14 years old, asserts that he possesses a talent he calls “Super Deduction.” He uses it to solve crimes because it gives him extraordinary insight into everything. Ranpo is peculiar in that he merely has a high level of intelligence and lacks any special abilities. Even stranger, he appears to know nothing about abilities. The pairing of All Men Are Equal and Super Deduction might appear uninteresting at first, but it may actually present some interesting opportunities for narrative.
Season 4 of Bungo Stray Dogs Will Require Non-Ability Skills from Yukichi and Ranpo
Due to the nature of their abilities, Yukichi and Ranpo will need to rely on knowledge and abilities other than their own to solve their problems, which almost certainly means that they will also need to rely on one another. The beginning of Season 4 may be compared by viewers to the Bungo Stray Dogs film Bad Apple, in which all of the characters were debilitated and made to compete against one another. Ranpo and Yukichi, on the other hand, will probably have to deal with opponents who, unlike in the movie, have complete control over their abilities, which will make for an intriguing conflict.
The best part is that this is just the beginning, which, along with information on the backgrounds of Yukichi and Ranpo, should pave the way for an exciting rest of the season. The start of Season 4 is a welcome change of pace for Bungo Stray Dogs despite the lack of flashy abilities or information on Ranpo’s case abilities.
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