Osamu Dazai (Bungo Stray Dogs) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Osamu Dazai |
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| Bungo Stray Dogs character | |
Osamu Dazai 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 |
| Voiced by | Mamoru Miyano (Japanese) Kaiji Tang (English) |
Osamu Dazai (Japanese: 太宰 治, Hepburn: Osamu Dazai) is a popular fictional character from the exciting manga and anime series Bungo Stray Dogs. He was created by Kafka Asagiri and drawn by Sango Harukawa. Dazai is a clever member of the Armed Detective Agency. He helps guide the main character, Atsushi Nakajima, as they face many challenges.
Before joining the Agency, Dazai was a high-ranking member of a powerful group called the Port Mafia. His past with the mafia is explored in the series' light novels and anime. You can also find Dazai in other stories and games inspired by Bungo Stray Dogs.
Dazai's appearance and personality were designed to be very different from Atsushi's. His name comes from a famous Japanese author, Osamu Dazai. Parts of his personality were also inspired by characters from TV shows. In the anime, Mamoru Miyano voices him in Japanese, and Kaiji Tang voices him in English.
Fans in Japan really like Osamu Dazai. He often appears in popularity polls and has won awards. People who review the anime and manga often praise his smart personality and his interesting relationships with his friends, Doppo Kunikida and Chuuya Nakahara.
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How Osamu Dazai Was Created
The character Osamu Dazai is named after a famous Japanese author who lived from 1909 to 1948. Creator Kafka Asagiri wanted Dazai to be a strong contrast to the main hero, Atsushi Nakajima. Dazai is known for his slim look, funny personality, and sometimes unusual habits.
Artist Sango Harukawa designed Dazai with bandages on his body. This was meant to show a part of his unique personality. Asagiri was surprised by how different Dazai and Atsushi looked together. For example, Dazai's brown hair was chosen to stand out against Atsushi's white hair. They also have different heights, with Dazai being taller.
Inspirations for Dazai's Personality
While Dazai shares a name with the real author, his personality is more like a common manga character. He often uses humor in tricky situations. In the story, if Atsushi is the hero, Dazai acts like a wise guide, much like Merlin to King Arthur.
Asagiri was also inspired by the real author's novel, No Longer Human. This book helped shape the themes of Bungo Stray Dogs. When creating the first chapter, Asagiri wanted a third character to join Dazai and Atsushi. This led to Doppo Kunikida, whose serious nature balances Dazai's playful side. Dazai's personality was also influenced by Simon Baker's role as Patrick Jane in the TV show The Mentalist.
Developing Dazai's Story
For Dazai's past in the light novels, Asagiri found inspiration in a photo of the real authors Dazai, Ango Sakaguchi, and Sakunosuke Oda. This picture helped him create the story Osamu Dazai and the Dark Era. The novels also show Dazai's journey from being a Port Mafia executive to becoming a detective.
The anime director, Yasuomi Umetsu, was impressed by Dazai's role as a mentor to Atsushi and Ryunosuke Akutagawa. This idea influenced how these characters were shown in the anime's opening and closing scenes. For the movie Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple, Asagiri suggested a new hairstyle for Dazai. He also thought of starting the movie with Dazai's apparent disappearance and how he would return later in the story.
Mamoru Miyano is the Japanese voice actor for Dazai. Kaiji Tang voices Dazai in the English version. Tang enjoyed voicing Dazai, especially his funny attitude.
Dazai's Adventures
In the Bungo Stray Dogs Manga
Dazai is a key member of the Armed Detective Agency. He guides Atsushi and is known for his cleverness and humor. He has a very relaxed way about him, but he is also very smart and strategic. Before joining the Agency, Dazai was an important figure in the Port Mafia.
Dazai has a special ability called No Longer Human (人間失格, Ningen Shikkaku). This power allows him to stop any other supernatural ability just by touching someone. He quickly sees Atsushi's potential and believes he is very capable.
- Facing the Port Mafia: Dazai sometimes uses clever plans, even letting himself be captured by the Port Mafia. He uses these moments to challenge his former associate, Ryūnosuke Akutagawa. Later, the Agency and the Port Mafia even team up to fight a powerful group called the Guild. During these battles, Dazai works with his old partner, Chuuya Nakahara.
- Battling Fyodor Dostoyevsky: After the Guild is defeated, Dazai encounters Fyodor Dostoyevsky, a very dangerous leader. Fyodor tries to cause trouble between the Agency and the Port Mafia. Dazai gets injured but quickly recovers. He then helps the Agency track down Fyodor and his allies. Dazai even ends up in prison with Fyodor, where they continue their clever plans against each other.
- Escape and Deception: Later, Fyodor's allies, Nikolai Gogol and Sigma, help Dazai and Fyodor escape. Nikolai sets up a challenge, and Dazai chooses to help Sigma. It turns out Dazai had a secret plan with Ango to stop Fyodor. In a surprising twist, Dazai appears to be seriously hurt by Chuuya, who seems to be controlled by Fyodor. However, the anime later shows that Chuuya was actually pretending to be controlled, and Dazai's injury was part of a bigger plan to defeat Fyodor.
Dazai's Past in the Light Novels
The light novels tell us more about Dazai's past.
- Joining the Agency: Osamu Dazai's Entrance Exam describes how Dazai joined the Detective Agency. He was recommended by a special department and was assigned to work with Doppo Kunikida. Their first mission together was a case about missing visitors in Yokohama.
- The Dark Era: Osamu Dazai and the Dark Era explores his time with the Port Mafia four years before the main manga story. During this period, he had a close relationship with Oda Sakunosuke. Oda eventually encouraged Dazai to leave the mafia and find a new path in life.
- Fifteen Years Old: Dazai, Chuuya, Fifteen Years Old shows Dazai's early days in the Port Mafia. He received his first mission from Ōgai Mori to investigate a mysterious event. Dazai and Chuuya Nakahara were partners during this time. Together, they became known as the "Twin Dark" (双黒 (Sōkoku)) because of their powerful teamwork.
Dazai also appears in an alternate story in the light novel BEAST: White Akutagawa, Black Atsushi. In this version, he still works for the Port Mafia alongside Atsushi and Kyoka Izumi. He is also in Bungo Stray Dogs: 55 Minutes, where the Agency searches for a thief.
Dazai in Other Media
Dazai appears in the 2018 film Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple as a member of the Detective Agency. He works with Ango Sakaguchi to investigate a collector named Tatsuhiko Shibusawa. Dazai forms an alliance with Shibusawa to counter his plans. He is injured but is saved by Chuuya, thanks to Dazai's clever planning. The manga version of the film also features Dazai.
Dazai is also part of the fun, chibi-style series Wan!. In the 2022 live-action film that adapted Beast, Rui Tabuchi played the role of Dazai.
You can play as Dazai in the mobile phone game Bungo Stray Dogs: Tales of the Lost. He is also a guest character in Yume 100. In the stage play version of the series, Hideya Tawada portrayed Dazai.
