REVIEW: ‘Bungo Stray Dogs’ Episode 55 — “At the Port in the Sky, Part 1”

The world has fallen into chaos as Ouchi Fukuchi’s plan is being enacted and the Armed Detective Agency will need to give their all if they want to find a way to stop him. Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Episode 5 brings the heroes back together as they devise a plan to stop Fukuchi and save the world. The Armed Detective Agency has overcome many trials before, but this one might prove to be too difficult even for them.

Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Episode 5 starts right off by bringing the members back together inside a pocket dimension where they meet to create their plan to save the Agency and the rest of the world. It is revealed that Fukuchi’s plot to use Count Bram’s ability to create a massive vampire army has taken over 16 nations and put their armies at Fukuchi’s disposal. It shows just how overwhelming the odds are for the Agency. They also have discovered Fukuchi’s ultimate plan which is to obtain the One Order, which Ranpo explains is one of the three great calamities that the world sealed away and is currently being secured at the South Pole.

One Order is a transmitter that allows the user to force their subordinates to follow whatever orders they give without hesitation or guilt. Fukuchi already has control of the vampire armies, but being able to control the armies of all of mankind would give him complete control of the entire world. The stakes were high enough already, but Fukuchi having the ability to force his armies to become mindless killing machines following his direction will be catastrophic. The odds of victory for the Agency, if Fukuchi had access to One Order, would be close to zero, but that doesn’t stop them from wanting to find a way to stop him.

It’s the desire to fight the impossible battles that makes the Agency so easy to root for. They knew already that the odds were stacked against them but still, they chose to fight back. Now, knowing how dire the situation really is, they don’t hesitate to jump in headfirst to save the day. When Ranpo unveils his plan to stop Fukuchi from receiving the One Order at the airport in 12 hours, the Agency does not hesitate to follow his lead despite the challenge.

The Agency is not alone in heading to the airport, however. Fukuchi’s Hunting Dogs are brought along to help protect Fukuchi by stopping the Agency in their tracks. The members of the Hunting Dogs had been in the dark about what Fukuchi was really up to until Tachihara confronted him in the last episode. While I was expecting others to catch on eventually, I did not expect Fukuchi to reveal his involvement to Saigiku Jouno as he does in Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Episode 5. A reveal like that catches viewers off guard just as much as it caught Jouno.

Jouno’s criminal past and ruthless behavior as a Hunting Dog make him the perfect tool for Fukuchi. In fact, Fukuchi recruited him to the Hunting Dogs for this very purpose. Jouno accepts Fukuchi’s request to have him assassinate the Agency members before shockingly turning on Fukuchi and attacking him. He tells Fukuchi he made the mistake of teaching him the joy of protecting someone, a great line showing yet again how a character in Bungo Stray Dogs with a checkered past is able to put that past behind them to serve others.

Jouno’s ability is not enough to help him escape, but his betrayal of Fukuchi and the steps he took beforehand to make sure he had a backup plan is enough to remove some of Fukuchi’s advantage. Proof of the Agency’s innocence is out there now thanks to Jouno, which could put the Hunting Dogs and the Agency on the same side. It was a brilliant move by Jouno that might just be the start of Fukuchi’s downfall as things unravel around him. Whether his backup is able to survive in order to get that proof to the Hunting Dogs is yet to be seen, however, since the episode is a two-parter and ends on a suspenseful cliffhanger.

Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Episode 5 is chock full of tense moments and big reveals that show Fukuchi’s plans starting to unravel just a bit. It might not be enough at the end of the day for the Armed Detective Agency, but the small glimmer of hope and a potential new alliance would be immensely helpful for the overwhelmed Agency. Making the episode a two-parter only further builds tension as there are so many loose ends still to be tied up.

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