REVIEW: ‘Bungo Stray Dogs’ Episode 58 — “Land of Inhuman Demons, Part 1”

As Ouchi Fukuchi inches closer and closer to obtaining the One Order, the Armed Detective Agency is still working to clear their name and put a stop to his evil plan. Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Episode 8, “Land of Inhuman Demons, Part 1” gets the Agency closer to their goal, but not without complications.

Just when it seems like the Agency might have convinced the Hunting Dogs to join them in order to stop Fukuchi, Atsushi is captured by their vice captain Teruko Okura. She is able to lure Atsushi into a false sense of security only to ultimately turn the tables on him and bring him into custody. Her threats to torture Atsushi until she learns the Agency’s plans, which she assumes are evil, set the Agency into overdrive to rescue their friend.

Chief among the Agency members coming to the rescue is Kenji Miyazawa. Kenji has a reputation for being a bit odd, but his extreme strength makes him quite a formidable foe when he jumps into battle. With his friend threatened, we get to see Kenji go all-out in his battle against Tetcho Suehiro. Studio Bones showcases their excellent fight scene animation here as well, highlighting how powerful Kenji can be. There is a moment when he kicks Suehiro so hard it looks like his soul left his body. The way Bones brings that to life makes the impact of the action land with some serious weight.

Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Episode 8 does a great job of explaining Kenji’s abilities and what makes him tick without actually taking away from what is happening in the episode. It’s easy to spend too much time on exposition or flashbacks that detract from the present story, but that doesn’t happen here. Learning about Kenji’s real strength also explains his odd personality and why he seems so docile all the time. The fact that he is holding back such raw strength that only comes out when he is angry makes it all the more impressive that he is able to stay in control of his emotions so often. He only really lets his anger and power show when his friends are in danger, and he always puts the lives of others above himself. He may have started off as a comic relief character but he has really grown into someone with more nuance as the series progresses.

In the midst of all this, Dazai and Fyodor are still participating in the Nikolai Game to escape Meursault. Dazai is such an interesting character because he teeters the line between insanity and genius. There are moments where he is so hyper-focused on his own death wish that it seems like he’s not all there mentally, but then there are times like in Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Episode 8 where he reveals just how brilliant and cunning he can be. The way he has been communicating with the outside world while imprisoned is especially impressive and shows how he is going to be able to beat Fyodor and help the Agency when he returns to the fray.

As cunning as Dazai is, however, it feels like Fyodor is still holding something back. It doesn’t feel right that Fyodor would lose so easily, and the episode builds suspense that he could still find a way to defeat Dazai. Dazai has a significant amount of tools and other Gifted users at his disposal, but Fyodor is still powerful enough to beat him if he goes all out. It remains to be seen if he actually will reveal his true power, but it would be surprising if he simply allows Dazai to kill him.

The partnership of Aya and Bram Stoker has been one of the best parts of the season, so thankfully it gets some time to shine again at the end of Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Episode 8. Aya is clearly outgunned and unable to do much of anything to protect herself, especially when she comes up against a very serious threat and familiar foe for the Agency. Her interactions with the brooding vampire lord Bram are great — some of the best moments of the show — but the situation she finds herself in seems impossible to get out of. The way their more heartfelt moments are broken up by some seriously horrifying events is so well done that it just further increases how great their on-screen moments are. Sever tonal shifts make it impossible to look away when they are on screen together.

Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Episode 8 is another excellent episode in a season full of tension and turmoil. The Armed Detective Agency has a glimpse of hope in their battle against Ouchi Fukuchi and his vampire army, but they will still need a lot to go their way if they want to emerge victorious.

Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Episode 8 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.