REVIEW: ‘Bungo Stray Dogs,’ Episode 53 — “Hero vs. Criminal”

The battle between the Armed Detective Agency and the Decay of the Angels rages on in Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Episode 3, “Hero vs Criminal,” after the true identity of Kamui has been revealed. Now that the Agency knows it was Ouchi Fukuchi behind everything, they face the insurmountable task of defeating this seemingly unbeatable villain in order to clear their name.

After Ranpo disappeared towards the end of the last episode, Atsushi is left to battle Ouchi on his own. Unbeknownst to Atsushi, however, is the fact that Dazai had previously asked Akutagawa to be on standby in case he was needed. His reveal at the end of the previous episode caught me off guard, seeing as he has been one of Atsushi’s greatest foes. The idea that the two of them could work together in any capacity seems impossible, but that is the core focus of this episode.

Atsushi and Akutagawa know they need to work together if they stand any chance of defeating Kamui, but there is no possible way the two can trust each other. They spend the early moments of the episode using their abilities in tandem and realize they complement each other well. While this does mean they could theoretically work well together; their past history makes it clear there is just no way that happens. I really enjoyed seeing the dynamic of these two enemies being forced into an alliance here, though it did feel a tad cliche at first. Thankfully, other components of Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Episode 3 gave a fresh twist on the common enemies-turned-allies affair that kept me on the edge of my seat.

As far as villains go, Ouchi is arguably the toughest any of the Agency members have ever come up against. His experience on the battlefield has rightfully earned him a reputation as one of the most ruthless fighters in the entire world. This made his reveal as Kamui so shocking for Atsushi since Ouchi had previously been synonymous with justice and wasn’t the type to turn out to be a villain. What Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Episode 3 does so well is explore Ouchi’s motives and how his experience in battle has warped him into the man he is today.

Ouchi has seen so much brutality that it has completely twisted his own sense of justice. That’s not to say he is made out to be simply a misunderstood villain, it just shows how the horrors of the battlefield can change even the most just of men. The way he talks about the reality of death on the battlefield sent chills down my spine. It helped that his scenes were backed by a heart-pounding soundtrack that really drove home the impact of what he had to say.

Where Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Episode 3 ultimately delivers is in the action sequences. There has been a lot of talk about how terrifying Ouchi is, but seeing him in action against the duo of Atsushi and Akutagawa truly shows how impossible he is to defeat. The ace up his sleeve that allows him to fight through space and time turns everything on its head. There is a moment where Atsushi realizes how impossible this battle is, and the terror in his eyes was palpable.

Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Episode 3 is another stellar episode that ramps up the action while delivering excellent storytelling. Ouchi is proving to be impossible to defeat, and even Atsushi realizes this. I have no clue how he and the other members of the Agency will find a way to defeat him, but I know I will be on the edge of my seat waiting to see it pan out.

Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Episode 3 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.