Atsushi Nakajima (Bungo Stray Dogs) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Atsushi Nakajima |
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| Bungo Stray Dogs character | |
Atsushi Nakajima as drawn by Sango Harukawa
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| First appearance | Bungo Stray Dogs, chapter 1: "Losing a Tiger may be a Blessing in Disguise" (2012) |
| Created by | Kafka Asagiri Sango Harukawa |
| Portrayed by | Yūki Torigoe |
| Voiced by | Yūto Uemura (Japanese) Max Mittelman (English) |
Atsushi Nakajima (Japanese: 中島 敦, Hepburn: Nakajima Atsushi) is a brave fictional character and the main hero of the exciting manga series Bungo Stray Dogs. This story was created by Kafka Asagiri and drawn by Sango Harukawa. Atsushi also appears in the light novel books and the 2018 movie Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple.
When the story begins, Atsushi is 18 years old. He had to leave an orphanage, which made him want to find his purpose in life. His age stays the same throughout the series. After meeting the clever detective Osamu Dazai, Atsushi discovers he has a special power. This ability is called "Beast Beneath the Moonlight." It lets him transform into a powerful white tiger. As a tiger, he has amazing strength, speed, and can heal very quickly. Even though Atsushi sometimes lacks confidence, he has a kind heart. He always wants to protect others and hopes to become strong by helping those who need it.
Contents
Discovering Atsushi Nakajima
How Atsushi Was Created
The writer of the manga, Kafka Asagiri, first imagined Atsushi Nakajima as an older character. However, he became 18 years old in the final story. To show his tiger power, artist Sango Harukawa gave him white hair. His long belt was also designed to look a bit like a tail. Harukawa thought it would be simple to draw the main character in white in many different scenes.
Atsushi's character was inspired by a real writer named Atsushi Nakajima. This writer wrote a story in 1942 called Sangetsuki. In that story, a character changes into a tiger without meaning to. Artist Sango Harukawa always wanted to draw a white tiger like the one in Nakajima's story. Asagiri wanted Atsushi to be a character that readers could easily relate to. This way, it would be simple to connect with all the other unique characters in the story. Dazai acts like a wise guide or mentor to Atsushi, much like Merlin to King Arthur. Atsushi's look was also made to be very different from his rival, Akutagawa.
The manga's creator thought about making Atsushi a very strong character from the start. But he decided it would be better to have Atsushi be a more ordinary person. This way, he could be surrounded by many strong and interesting characters. The real author, Atsushi Nakajima, is even studied in school textbooks! Fans were excited to learn more about his books because of the manga. The story also explores Atsushi's inner struggles. He faces his own doubts and worries, and he works hard to overcome them. This adds a lot of depth to his journey.
Atsushi's story is all about him becoming more confident. He grows a lot after having to leave the orphanage. Osamu Dazai helps him as a mentor. Dazai guides Atsushi but also lets him figure things out on his own. Their friendship starts a bit awkwardly, but Atsushi matures a lot. He takes on the important job of protecting the city of Yokohama. Atsushi often remembers the difficult time when he had to leave the orphanage. The anime director, Takuya Igarashi, used this memory to show Atsushi's past challenges. In his fights with his rival, Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, the director chose to show them as silhouettes against a red background. This made the action exciting without being too intense. The anime team even compared his rivalry with Akutagawa to those found in shonen manga, which are often for younger audiences.
Anime director Yasuomi Umetsu was impressed by how Dazai guided both Atsushi and Akutagawa. Their special connection was even shown in the anime's opening and closing scenes. Dazai sometimes teased them, but he also admitted they influenced him. The theme song for the second season, "Reason Living" by Screen Mode, is all about Atsushi's journey. It highlights his efforts to become a stronger and more capable person.
In the 2018 movie Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple, the creator, Asagiri, wanted fans to notice how Atsushi, Kyoka Izumi, and Akutagawa grew as characters. Atsushi's relationship with Kyoka especially helped him grow stronger inside. Asagiri explained that even in the movie, Atsushi remained a relatable character. He showed his inner strength even when he felt unsure of himself.
Bringing Atsushi to Life: Voice Actors
In the Japanese anime and movie, Atsushi's voice is provided by actor Yūto Uemura. Uemura shared that Atsushi starts off needing a lot of help. However, he grows much stronger as the story continues. A big part of Atsushi's growth comes from meeting Kyoka. He wants to protect her and this desire makes him a more powerful person. Uemura especially enjoyed a scene where Atsushi faces Akutagawa on the airship Moby Dick. He worked hard to show Atsushi's strong will in that moment. The creators of the manga and anime were very impressed with Uemura's voice acting. They felt he was perfect for the role. For the Dead Apple movie, Uemura was proud to continue playing Atsushi. He felt the character was very important to his career. When the series is translated into English, Atsushi is voiced by the American actor Max Mittelman.
Atsushi's Adventures
Joining the Detective Agency
Atsushi first appears in the manga as an orphan who is struggling to survive. One day, he saves detective Osamu Dazai from being swept away in a river. Dazai was a bit annoyed because he was trying to relax in the water. After this, Dazai and his partner, Doppo Kunikida, discover Atsushi's secret. He is a weretiger! They invite him to work at their Armed Detective Agency.
Atsushi accepts and meets other members of the agency. They all have their own unique supernatural powers. He soon learns that a group called the Port Mafia is also interested in his tiger form. During an encounter, Atsushi meets Kyoka Izumi, a young person involved with the Port Mafia. He worries that she is being made to do difficult things. Atsushi decides to become her friend and protector. He helps her escape danger and leave her past behind. The leader of the agency, Yukichi Fukuzawa, welcomes Kyoka. He places her under Atsushi's care in an apartment. Later, Atsushi uses his tiger powers to battle Ryūnosuke Akutagawa from the Port Mafia. Akutagawa dislikes Atsushi because Dazai used to be his mentor. Akutagawa wants to prove himself to Dazai by being stronger than Atsushi.
Facing New Challenges
After dealing with the Port Mafia, the detective agency faces a new group called the Guild. During these conflicts, Kyoka is taken away. Atsushi discovers that the Guild's leader, Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, has offered a reward for him. Fitzgerald believes a secret treasure is connected to Atsushi's special powers.
Realizing the Guild is a big threat, Atsushi convinces Dazai to team up with the Port Mafia. Atsushi, now a very strong detective, is sent to confront the Guild. While looking for Kyoka, Atsushi and Akutagawa work together. They stop a giant airship, the Moby Dick, from crashing into the city. They also defeat Fitzgerald. Kyoka successfully stops the airship, proving she is ready to join the detective agency.
After the Guild is defeated, Atsushi learns that a person from his past who was not kind to him at the orphanage passed away. He feels mixed emotions, realizing that even those difficult experiences helped him become stronger. Later, a group called the Rats in the House of the Dead, led by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, causes trouble. They spread a dangerous illness that affects the leaders of both the Port Mafia and the detective agency.
This leads to another team-up between the two groups. Atsushi and Akutagawa work together to find the source of the illness. They face a member of the Rats named Ivan Goncharov. During their battle, Akutagawa helps Atsushi when he is weak. Atsushi reflects on the person who caused him pain in the past. He feels a sense of sadness that he never had the chance to confront them. Even though they win, they don't find where the illness came from. Atsushi and Akutagawa decide to have a final battle later to settle their rivalry.
As Atsushi gets ready for his fight with Akutagawa, he is attacked by Nikolai Gogol. Gogol is part of a group called Decay of Angels, led by Fyodor. Atsushi gets hurt in the attack. The agency believes Decay of Angels is responsible for a crime linked to a special book. After Atsushi recovers, he and Kyoka discover that Dazai has been captured. However, they receive instructions from him. To protect the agency, they must find a way to deal with the dangerous book the Angels are using.
Other Stories with Atsushi
Atsushi is also a main character in the movie Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple. In this film, the detective agency investigates why people with special powers are disappearing. Atsushi and Kyoka discover that a mysterious fog is causing people's powers to turn against them. During the movie, Atsushi, Kyoka, and Akutagawa temporarily lose their abilities. They must then fight against the physical forms of their own powers.
Atsushi struggles to regain his fighting spirit. He then realizes that Tatsuhiko Shibusawa, the person who created the fog, was also connected to his difficult past at the orphanage. Atsushi gets very angry and defeats Shibusawa. Shibusawa is then brought back by Fyodor. Atsushi fully accepts his tiger power, which he calls Byakko. With help from Kyoka and Akutagawa, he defeats Shibusawa again, and the dangerous fog disappears. Atsushi also appears in the manga version of this movie.
Atsushi has appeared in other versions of the story too. There's a stage play where Yūki Torigoe plays Atsushi. He is also in the yonkoma manga series Wan!, where he is drawn in a cute, funny style. You can play as Atsushi in the mobile game Bungo Stray Dogs: Tales of the Lost. He is also a special guest character in the game Yume 100.
Atsushi is also featured in the light novel BEAST: White Akutagawa, Black Atsushi. This story shows an alternate world where Atsushi is part of the Port Mafia. He works for Dazai, with Kyoka as his partner. In this version, Atsushi is dealing with difficult memories from his past. Dazai uses this to influence him. When Atsushi meets Akutagawa in this novel, Dazai tells Atsushi to become a detective with Kyoka before making a final choice. Atsushi also appears in the light novel Bungo Stray Dogs: 55 Minutes. In that story, the Agency has to find a clever thief.
