List of Bungo Stray Dogs characters

The following is a list of characters from the manga series Bungo Stray Dogs.

Creation and design

The characters of Bungo Stray Dogs were created by Kafka Asagiri and designed by Sango Harukawa. Asagiri noted that in the making of the story, the character designs were developed first rather than their plot lines, as the restrictions of the plot might cause the characters to become too flat. The manga originated from Asagiri's idea to gather multiple famous late authors and draw them as young adults and teenagers with supernatural powers, and in his hope that more people would find an interest in literature with the series.

Armed Detective Agency

The Armed Detective Agency (武装探偵社, Busō Tantei-sha) is an ability user organization focused on solving crimes considered too violent or difficult for the metropolitan police to handle, often involving ability users or the supernatural. They are highly connected in the network of government agencies and military personnel, handling a large amount of classified work. The agency's licensed staff are granted police-like authority.

Atsushi Nakajima

Atsushi Nakajima (中島 敦, Nakajima Atsushi)

Voiced by: Yūto Uemura, Lynn (young) (Japanese); Max Mittelman (English)

Named after Atsushi Nakajima. A young man who previously resided in an orphanage before being thrown out by his abusive caretakers under the claim of being "too old" after he turned eighteen. The impact of the abuse he went through severely traumatized him and drives his will to fight in order to find a reason to live. He is willing to risk his life for others and is extremely kind, likely because he wants to give others the kindness he never received in the orphanage. He slowly gains confidence as the series progresses. His ability, Beast Beneath the Moonlight (月下獣, Gekkajū), references Nakajima's work The Moon Over the Mountain (山月記, Sangetsuki), also known as Tiger Poet (人虎伝, Jinko-den). It allows him to turn into a large white tiger with incredible strength, speed, regenerative capabilities, and durability. Initially, he had no control over it, and retained no memory of the events that occurred whilst transformed, but gradually learns how to utilize his ability properly and gain control over it.

Osamu Dazai

Osamu Dazai (太宰 治, Dazai Osamu)

Voiced by: Mamoru Miyano (Japanese); Kaiji Tang (English)

Named after Osamu Dazai. A feared former executive of the Port Mafia, now working with the Agency. He takes Atsushi under his wing, which is the primary reason Akutagawa resents Atsushi, as Dazai had abused and later abandoned Akutagawa as his "mentor" when he left the Port Mafia. He is referred to as a "suicide maniac," most notably by his partner, Kunikida, due to his constant suicide attempts, contemplations of a peaceful death, and his obsession with double suicide. Despite his carefree, relaxed demeanor, he is also extremely cunning, intelligent, skilled, and brutal. His ability, No Longer Human (人間失格, Ningen Shikkaku), allows him to nullify any ability he comes into physical contact with. This includes skill users and objects that are formed by skills (for example, he is immune to items created by Kunikida's ability), the latter of which was confirmed in the light novel Osamu Dazai's Entrance Exam (文豪ストレイドッグス 太宰治の入社試験, Bungō Sutorei Doggusu: Dazai Osamu no Nyūsha Shiken).

Doppo Kunikida

Doppo Kunikida (国木田 独歩, Kunikida Doppo)

Voiced by: Yoshimasa Hosoya (Japanese); Patrick Seitz (English)

Named after Doppo Kunikida. Known for his meticulous planning, organization, perfectionistic tendencies, and extreme fixation on his ideals. Due to this, he is easily riled by Dazai's pranks, which he falls victim to quite often as he is Dazai's partner. He often writes and makes plans in his signature notebook, which has "Ideals (理想, Risou)" written on the front cover. The notebook is linked to his ability, The Matchless Poet (独歩吟客, Doppo Ginkaku). His ability allows him to materialize objects by writing them in his notebook, ripping out the page, and willing them into existence, as long as the object is not larger than the notebook itself. He can produce an exact replica of an object simply by looking at it as long as he understands its mechanism and proper usage. He can utilize pre-torn pages from his notebook and notes that he has prewritten. He can remotely materialize items from a large distance, allowing him to help fellow Agency members from afar. His ability, as well as anything he materializes, can be nullified by Dazai, and the object will be reverted into paper.

Ranpo Edogawa

Ranpo Edogawa (江戸川 乱歩, Edogawa Ranpo)

Voiced by: Hiroshi Kamiya (Japanese); Vic Mignogna (seasons 1-2), Landon McDonald (season 3; Dead Apple) (English)

Named after Ranpo Edogawa. A detective regarded by many as the "greatest detective in the world" (世界最高の名探偵 sekai saikō no mei tantei), he is highly sought after by the police and helps solve cases both related and unrelated to the Agency, with a reputation for never solving a case incorrectly. Despite being one of the oldest members of the Agency and held in high esteem by many, he adopts a childish demeanor and lacks basic everyday skills (such as riding the train). However, he has been shown to be serious when the situation calls for it. He is the only Agency member without a true ability, rather, he possesses prodigious observational and deduction skills, which is referred to as Super Deduction (超推理, Chō Suiri). He doesn't like to acknowledge that it is not an ability and convinces himself that it is activated when he puts on the glasses given to him by Fukuzawa.

Jun'ichirō Tanizaki

Jun'ichirō Tanizaki (谷崎 潤一郎, Tanizaki Jun'ichirō)

Voiced by: Toshiyuki Toyonaga (Japanese); Spike Spencer (English)

Named after Jun'ichirō Tanizaki. An 18-year-old assistant at the Agency who mainly focuses on gathering information as his ability, Light Snow (細雪, Sasameyuki), allows him to project illusions within a certain area, which is not extremely suited for combat. He cohabits with his younger sister Naomi and treasures her dearly, despite finding some of her antics annoying.

Kenji Miyazawa

Kenji Miyazawa (宮沢 賢治, Miyazawa Kenji)

Voiced by: Hiroyuki Kagura (Japanese); Lucien Dodge (English)

Named after Kenji Miyazawa. A 14-year-old optimistic and carefree boy hailing from the countryside, he is extremely popular among Yokohama residents due to his honesty and cheerful attitude. This makes him the Agency's primary data collector from eyewitnesses. His ability is called Undefeated by the Rain (雨ニモマケズ, Ame ni mo Makezu), which grants him superhuman strength when he is hungry.

Akiko Yosano

Akiko Yosano (与謝野 晶子, Yosano Akiko)

Voiced by: Yū Shimamura (Japanese); Erica Lindbeck (English)

Named after Akiko Yosano. She is the medic of the Agency, feared for her torturous treatments. While her ability Thou Shall Not Die (君死にたもうこと勿れ, Kimi Shinitamou Koto Nakare) allows her to heal any wound, as long as the patient is on the verge of death; this often results in her injuring her patients thoroughly before healing them. In her past she was a nurse in a war and used her ability to heal the soldiers. All the soldiers called her there angel. But they eventually got exhausted with repeatedly dying and being brought back by her just for them to die again to the point that one of her friends among the soldiers attempted to kill her, That's how she got the name "Angel of Death"

Yukichi Fukuzawa

Yukichi Fukuzawa (福沢 諭吉, Fukuzawa Yukichi)

Voiced by: Rikiya Koyama (Japanese); Jamieson Price (English)

Named after Yukichi Fukuzawa. He is the President of the Armed Detective Agency, as well as Kunikida's mentor. His ability, All Men Are Created Equal (人上人不造, Hito no Ue ni Hito wo Tsukurazu), allows him to control the abilities of his subordinates. This ability is especially useful for those who lack control over their abilities, like Atsushi and Kyōka.

Kyōka Izumi

Kyōka Izumi (泉 鏡花, Izumi Kyōka)

Voiced by: Sumire Morohoshi (Japanese); Cherami Leigh (English)

Named after Kyōka Izumi. A 14-year-old orphan girl who was taken in by the Port Mafia and became their youngest assassin. Her ability, Demon Snow (夜叉白雪, Yasha Shirayuki), materializes Demon Snow, a ruthless sword-wielding phantom that only follows orders coming from her mobile phone, which allowed Akutagawa to control her ability in the past. Her parents used to be assassins as well until an enemy attempted to use a body manipulation ability on them. Kyōka's mother, who at that time owned Demon Snow, killed her husband and subsequently herself as she was gradually succumbing to the ability, her last words ordering the phantom to protect her daughter and passing on this ability. However, this technique was incomplete, resulting in Demon Snow only listening to orders from the phone.

Kirako Haruno

Kirako Haruno (春野 綺羅子, Haruno Kirako)

Voiced by: Mina (Japanese); Abby Trott (English)

Named after a character from Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's work Naomi (痴人の愛, Chijin no Ai, lit. A Fool's Love). A clerk working at the Armed Detective Agency. She has a cat named Mii-chan, who turns out to be Sōseki Natsume in cat form.

Naomi Tanizaki

Naomi Tanizaki (谷崎 ナオミ, Tanizaki Naomi)

Voiced by: Chiaki Omigawa (Japanese); Erica Lindbeck (English)

Named after the main character from Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's work Naomi. Jun'ichirō's sister and a high school student who has a brother complex and frequently likes to tease him. Although she can be tiresome to her brother at times, she is a capable young woman. She only works part time at the agency, due to her young age.

Katai Tayama

Katai Tayama (田山 花袋, Tayama Katai)

Voiced by: Kenichi Suzumura (Japanese); Steve Staley (English)

Named after Katai Tayama. He is an information broker for the Agency with the ability Futon (蒲団, also translated "The Quilt") which allows him to control electronics within his sight as long as he is not touching them. He's good friends with Kunikida, having known him for ten years. He's easily stressed out and often unmotivated, which can complicate plans for the Agency. He is considered a hikikomori.

Port Mafia

The Port Mafia (ポートマフィア, Pōto Mafia) is an underground criminal organization. Also known as Yokohama's "Night Wardens," they have a "skilled business" permit, allowing them to conduct their criminal activities legally. They have dozens of enterprises within their control, exceeding politics and economics, and its influence can be found in numerous places around Yokohama. The brain of the criminal underworld market, they specialize in assaults, strong weapons of armament, riots, bullying, and forbidden unclean products for coarse organizations. They have many international connections with other criminal organizations.

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (芥川 龍之介, Akutagawa Ryūnosuke)

Voiced by: Kensho Ono (Japanese); Brian Beacock (English)

Named after Ryūnosuke Akutagawa. A 20-year-old member of the Port Mafia. His ability, Rashōmon (羅生門, Rashōmon), consists of a black coat that transforms into a black beast which can tear anything apart, even space. A former apprentice of Dazai, he is very bullying of his new subordinate Atsushi. Due to growing up in the slums and his lung disease, he's often very sickly and has a persistent cough.

Chūya Nakahara

Chūya Nakahara (中原 中也, Nakahara Chūya)

Voiced by: Kishō Taniyama (Japanese); Nicolas Roye (English)

Named after Chūya Nakahara. He is an executive member of the Port Mafia and Dazai's former partner as Double Black (双黒, Soukoku). His ability, For the Tainted Sorrow (汚れっちまった悲しみに, Yogorecchimatta Kanashimi ni), allows him to manipulate the gravity of objects as long as he is in contact with them. He's rather short and dislikes being reminded of it, especially by Dazai. Although rather hot-headed and ruthless, he is not impossible to reason with, and knows the importance of compromise, tolerance, and rationality. He is regarded as one of the strongest ability users.

Ichiyō Higuchi

Ichiyō Higuchi (樋口 一葉, Higuchi Ichiyō)

Voiced by: Asami Seto (Japanese); Carrie Keranen (English)

Named after Ichiyō Higuchi. She is a member of the Port Mafia and a subordinate of Akutagawa, who she greatly admires. Although the nature of her ability is yet to be confirmed, she is shown to be physically capable and possesses formidable fighting skills. She is very skilled with firearms and prefers to wield a set of double pistols.

Motojirō Kajii

Motojirō Kajii (梶井 基次郎, Kajii Motojirō)

Voiced by: Wataru Hatano (Japanese); Brian Palermo (English)

Named after Motojirō Kajii. A 28-year-old member of the Port Mafia and an infamous serial bomber. His ability, Lemon Bomb (檸檬爆弾, Remonēdo), prevents him from being harmed by lemon-shaped bombs he makes himself. Extremely eccentric, easily excitable, and driven by the ambition to make scientific discoveries, he views the concept of death as his "greatest experiment," fascinated with it and calling it the "apex of science."

Ryūrō Hirotsu

Ryūrō Hirotsu (広津 柳浪, Hirotsu Ryūrō)

Voiced by: Atsushi Ono (Japanese); Greg Chun (English)

Named after Ryūrō Hirotsu. A sharply dressed man, he is the commander of the Black Lizard (黒蜥蜴, Kuro Tokage), the mafia's squad of hitmen. His ability, Falling Camellia (落椿, Ochitsubaki), sends objects flying with a powerful force. He's diligent in his work and dislikes unprofessional behavior.

Michizō Tachihara

Michizō Tachihara (立原 道造, Tachihara Michizō)

Voiced by: Yū Hayashi (Japanese); Ben Diskin (seasons 1-3), A.J. Beckles (seasons 4-5) (English)

Named after Michizō Tachihara. A cold leader of the Black Lizard battalion, he's never seen without his dual guns. Later on, he is revealed to be the fifth member of the Hunting Dogs, a special ability group tasked by the government to catch dangerous gifted. His ability, Midwinter Memento (真冬のかたみ, Mafuyu no Katami), grants him ferrokinesis, the ability to manipulate metal, allowing him to remotely control metal objects with great proficiency. He has been described by Teruko as "born to be a spy."

Gin Akutagawa

Gin Akutagawa (芥川 銀)

Voiced by: Shiina Natsukawa (Japanese); Allegra Clark (English)

Named in reference to Ryūnosuke Akutagawa's work O-Gin. A very silent and stealthy commander of the Black Lizard group. Initially assumed male, Dazai reveals she's actually Ryūnosuke Akutagawa's younger sister. She can be cold, fearsome, and dangerous as her brother. Despite not having an ability, she fights fiercely with her knife as an assassin.

The cross on her choker may be an allusion to the theme of Christianity in O-Gin.

Ōgai Mori

Ōgai Mori (森 鴎外, Mori Ōgai)

Voiced by: Mitsuru Miyamoto (Japanese); Keith Silverstein (English)

Named after Ōgai Mori. The leader of Port Mafia. Despite being a mafia boss, he acts like a gentleman, being polite to allies and enemies alike. As a former doctor, he can be very dangerous in a fight, and is ruthlessly pragmatic and mathematical in his reasoning, frequently quoting logicians and statisticians. His ability, Vita Sexualis (ヰタ・セクスアリス, Wita black), allows him to configure Elise's actions and mood, enabling her to act as a distraction or to protect him with superhuman feats such as flight or extreme speed. Mori is also Fukuzawa's former partner.

Elise

Elise (エリス, Erisu)

Voiced by: Sora Amamiya (Japanese); Carrie Keranen (English)

Named after the main character in The Dancing Girl (舞姫, Maihime). Elise is a young girl with blonde hair and blue eyes under the care of Ōgai Mori, whom she calls "Rintarō" as a reference to Ōgai Mori's birthname, Rintarō Mori. As a manifestation of Mori's ability, her existence as a human is unclear, though she considers the mafia to be her family.

Kōyō Ozaki

Kōyō Ozaki (尾崎 紅葉, Ozaki Kōyō)

Voiced by: Ami Koshimizu (Japanese); Cindy Robinson (English)

Named after Kōyō Ozaki. She is a Port Mafia executive with the ability Golden Demon (金色夜叉, Konjaki Yasha), capable of conjuring a sword-wielding spirit like Kyōka's and commanding it at will. She cares deeply for Kyōka and wants her to have the happiness that she never got, although she frequently manipulates Kyōka into following her orders. When she was 19, Mori assigned her to be Chūya's caretaker. Although she holds herself with great dignity and grace, she does not hide her dark nature.

Sakunosuke Oda

Sakunosuke Oda (織田 作之助, Oda Sakunosuke)

Voiced by: Junichi Suwabe, Yūto Uemura (young) (Japanese); David Vincent (English)

Named after Sakunosuke Oda. A low-ranking member of Port Mafia and a friend of Dazai and Ango. His ability, Flawless (天衣無縫, Ten'imuhō), allows Oda to see 5-6 seconds into the future. His name is often shortened as "Odasaku (織田作, Odasaku)." He wanted to eventually retire from the mafia and be a writer, but the terrorist André Gide killed the orphans under his care, provoking him into a fight to the death. His last words motivated Dazai to leave the mafia and join the Agency, to pursue work that saves lives instead of ending them.

Kyūsaku Yumeno

Kyūsaku Yumeno (夢野 久作, Yumeno Kyūsaku)

Voiced by: Haruka Kudō (Japanese); Tara Sands (English)

Named after Kyūsaku Yumeno. They are also known as "Q." Their ability, Dogra Magra (ドグラ・マグラ, Dogura Magura) is a mind control curse. If someone has harmed them, either intentionally or unintentionally, they will fall under the curse when Yumeno splits open the doll they always carry with them. The curse itself makes people see illusions that turn them hostile, usually forcing them to attack friends and foes recklessly. After an incident where they used their curse on members of the Port Mafia, they were considered too dangerous and imprisoned by Dazai and Chūya.

Ace

Ace (エース, Ēsu)

Voiced by: Daisuke Ono (Japanese); Robbie Daymond (English)

Named after Alan Bennett (his name and ability name were changed to avoid copyright issues). Also known as "A", he was a Port Mafia executive who captured Fyodor Dostoyevsky. His ability, The Madness of the Jewel King (宝石王の乱心, Hōseki-ō no Ranshin), based on The Madness of George III, allowed him to turn his subordinates' lives into jewels (provided they wore a collar Ace gave them), their worth depending on the target's lifespan. He was outwitted into committing suicide by Fyodor, after planning to betray the Port Mafia.

Karma

Karma (カルマ, Karuma)

Voiced by: Miyu Irino (Japanese); Bryce Papenbrook (English)

A young member of the Port Mafia and Ace's subordinate, killed by Fyodor in his escape. He was not shown to have possessed an ability.

Paul Verlaine

Paul Verlaine (ポール・ヴェルレーヌ, Pōru Verurēnu)

Named after Paul Verlaine. He infiltrates the upper floor of the Port Mafia headquarters to steal the files on Chūya and take Rimbaud's hat. Later, he clarifies that he intends to take Chūya with him, referring to him as "younger brother". He possesses an unnamed ability very similar to Chūya's, with the ability to manipulate the gravity vector and magnitude of anything (or anyone) he comes into contact with.

The Guild

The Guild (組合, Girudo, sometimes also written as ギルド or ぎるど) is a secret society of ability users from North America (primarily the United States). They have international influence, are granted diplomatic authority, and have extraterritorial rights (meaning Japanese law enforcement cannot detain them). Most of them possess a significant amount of money.

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (フランシス・スコット・キー・フィッツジェラルド, Furanshisu Sukotto Kī Fittsujerarudo)

Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai (Japanese); Chris Hackney (English)

Named after F. Scott Fitzgerald. He is the leader of the "Fellowship of The Guild". His ability, The Great Fitzgerald (華麗なるフィッツジェラルド, Kareinaru Fittsujerarudo), based on The Great Gatsby, grants him an increase in strength at the expense of his money. Simply throwing currency off a balcony, for example, can trigger his power. His goal is eventually revealed to be the retrieval of "The Book", to revive his dead daughter. After his defeat to Akutagawa and Atsushi, he rebuilds his organization from the ground up with the help of Louisa May Alcott.

Lucy Maud Montgomery

Lucy Maud Montgomery (ルーシー・モード・モンゴメリ, Rūshī Mōdo Mongomeri)

Voiced by: Kana Hanazawa (Japanese); Cristina Vee (English)

Named after Lucy Maud Montgomery. A member of The Guild and Fitzgerald's subordinate. An orphan who suffered trauma from her caretakers like Atsushi, although she never recovered like he did. This resulted in Lucy developing a prideful snobby & selfish-centered personality, while also developing a dependency on The Guild as she believes no one else is willing to accept her. Her ability, Anne of Abyssal Red (深淵の赤毛のアン, Shin'en no Akage no An), based on Anne of Green Gables, allows her to create an alternate reality known as "Anne's Room", in which people are imprisoned if they get caught by a giant doll named Anne while playing tag. When the Guild collapses, she gets a job in the cafe below the agency, and eventually becomes their ally.

Margaret Mitchell

Margaret Mitchell (マーガレット・ミッチェル, Māgaretto Mitcheru)

Voiced by: Kaori Nazuka (Japanese); Colleen O'Shaughnessey (English)

Named after Margaret Mitchell. A member of The Guild, partnered with Nathaniel Hawthorne. Margaret's temperament can only be described as arrogant, prone to looking down on anyone around her be they friend or foe. Her ability, Gone with the Wind (風と共に去りぬ, Kaze to Tomo ni Sarinu), allows her to weather away any object caught in the wind, reducing it to dust. She is visually portrayed as an American Southern belle.

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne (ナサニエル・ホーソーン, Nasanieru Hōsōn)

Voiced by: Tarusuke Shingaki (Japanese); Matthew Mercer (English)

Named after Nathaniel Hawthorne. A member of The Guild, partnered with Margaret Mitchell. A man of God who always carries a Bible with him, Nathaniel believes that it is his duty to punish the sinners of the world. As a result, he often comes off as arrogant when he "judges" people and is prone to getting into quarrels with Margaret. His ability, The Scarlet Letter (緋文字, Himonji), allows him to convert his own blood into holy words, with offensive and defensive applications. He makes a deal with Fyodor after the fall of The Guild and serves him in a disturbed cognitive state.

John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck (ジョン・スタインベック, Jon Sutainbekku)

Voiced by: Kengo Kawanishi (Japanese); Kyle McCarley (English)

Named after John Steinbeck. A member of The Guild and partner to H.P. Lovecraft. Steinbeck hails from a large family of farmers from North America and joined the Guild in an effort to support them financially. Steinbeck's relaxed and friendly personality hides a fierce sadistic streak. His ability, The Grapes of Wrath (怒りの葡萄, Ikari no Budō) allows him to sprout grapevines from his neck which he can graft to other plants. Any plant with a grafted grape branch can be freely controlled by Steinbeck as a part of his own body. He actually despises Fitzgerald, seeing his view on people and money as disgusting and cruel. After The Guild collapses, he becomes the leader of The Guild remnants, and resolves to crush Fitzgerald's new ventures.

Howard Phillips Lovecraft

Howard Phillips Lovecraft (ハワード・フィリップス・ラヴクラフト, Hawādo Firippusu Ravukurafuto)

Voiced by: Shunsuke Takeuchi (Japanese); Mick Wingert (English)

Named after H. P. Lovecraft. A member of The Guild and partner to John Steinbeck. An eccentric, pessimistic, and often anxious man in his late twenties, Lovecraft is prone to be distracted by the most unusual things, such as wood grains. While never outright stated in the series, Lovecraft hints that his "ability," The Great Old Ones (旧支配者, Kyū Shihai-sha), is not an actual ability, as Dazai is unable to nullify it. When fully activated, The Great Old Ones turns Lovecraft into a powerful tentacled eldritch monster that can only be damaged from the inside. He also is able to transform only certain parts of his body into tentacles, similar to Atsushi's ability to transform parts of his body into a tiger. After the defeat of Fitzgerald, Lovecraft claims his contract has become null, and bizarrely walks into the ocean, claiming to be "going to sleep."

Mark Twain

Mark Twain (マーク・トウェイン, Māku Tōein)

Voiced by: Hiroyuki Yoshino (Japanese); Phillip Reich (English)

Named after Mark Twain. A member of The Guild. His ability, Huckleberry Finn & Tom Sawyer (ハック・フィン&トム・ソーヤ, Hakku Fin & Tomu Sōya) an ability that takes the forms of the dolls known as Huck Finn (ハック・フィン, Hakku Fin) and Tom Sawyer (トム・ソーヤ, Tomu Sōya). He serves as a sniper, and with the assistance of Huck and Tom, his aim is excellent.

Huck Finn (ハック・フィン, Hakku Fin)

Voiced by: Risae Matsuda (Japanese); Abby Trott (English)

Named after Twain's character Huckleberry Finn. Part of Mark's ability.

Tom Sawyer (トム・ソーヤ, Tomu Sōya)

Voiced by: Satsumi Matsuda (Japanese); Colleen O'Shaughnessey (English)

Named after Twain's character Tom Sawyer. Part of Mark's ability.

Louisa May Alcott

Louisa May Alcott (ルイーザ・メイ・オルコット, Ruīza Mei Orukotto)

Voiced by: Hikaru Ueda (Japanese); Erica Mendez (English)

Named after Louisa May Alcott. A member of The Guild and their main tactician. Her ability, Little Women (若草物語, Wakakusa Monogatari, lit. Story of Young Grass), allows her to slow time down to 1/8000th of regular speed when she is thinking in a private room. Her shy demeanor makes her work as a strategist. She has never used her ability for herself, and is completely devoted to Fitzgerald, helping him get back on his feet after The Guild's downfall.

Herman Melville

Herman Melville (ハーマン・メルビル, Hāman Merubiru)

Voiced by: Takayuki Sugō (Japanese); John DeMita (English)

Named after Herman Melville. An elder member and former leader of The Guild whose ability, Moby Dick (モビー・ディック, Mobī Dikku), also known as White Whale (白鯨, Hakugei), takes the form of a gigantic white whale. Over the years, the whale has been transformed into a mechanical airship, to serve the Guild.

Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe (エドガー・アラン・ポオ, Edogā Aran Pō)

Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa (Japanese); Todd Haberkorn (English)

Named after Edgar Allan Poe. The former master architect of The Guild and a detective from America. He has extreme social anxiety, but he is very determined and often obsessive. He is driven by his desire to "beat" Ranpo after suffering a loss in an investigation competition six years before the events of the series, devoting all his time to creating mysteries in the hope of stumping Ranpo and winning back his dignity. His ability, Black Cat in the Rue Morgue (モルグ街の黒猫, Morugugai no Kuroneko), allows Poe to transport readers into the setting of any novel that they are currently reading.

Karl

Karl (カール, Kāru)

Voiced by: Ayaka Nanase (Japanese); Benjamin Diskin (English)

The pet raccoon of Edgar Allan Poe. He is speculated to have been named after Karl Marx, however this has not been confirmed. It is also possible that he is named after Poe's raccoon Carl in the 2012 movie The Raven. He is very affectionate and often playful.

Rats in the House of the Dead

The Rats in the House of the Dead (死の家の鼠, Shi no Ie no Nezumi) are an underground terrorist organization, with the goal of obtaining the Book.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Fyodor Dostoyevsky (フョードル・ドストエフスキー, Fuyōdoru Dosutoefusukī)

Voiced by: Akira Ishida (Japanese); Ray Chase (English)

Named after Fyodor Dostoevsky. He is the head of the Rats in the House of the Dead. His ability, Crime and Punishment (罪と罰, Tsumi to Batsu), has yet to be described, but is shown to be able to cause instant death on touch. He is also a member of the "Decay of Angels" group, under Kamui's leadership.

Alexander Pushkin

Alexander Pushkin (アレクサンダー・プシュキン, Arekusandā Pushukin)

Voiced by: Daisuke Kirī (Japanese); Kyle Herbert (English)

Named after Alexander Pushkin. He is a member of the Rats in the House of the Dead. His ability, A Feast in Time of Plague (黒死病の時代の饗宴, Kokushibyō no Jidai no Kyōen), allows Pushkin to infect two given people with a special virus. The two infected are guaranteed to die, unless one of them is killed, which will end the other's illness.

Ivan Goncharov

Ivan Goncharov (イバン・ゴンチャロフ, Iban Goncharofu)

Voiced by: Kōsuke Toriumi (Japanese); Erik Kimerer (English)

Named after Ivan Goncharov. He is a member of the Rats in the House of the Dead. His ability, The Precipice (断崖, Dangai), grants him control over geological constructs.

Mushitarō Oguri

Mushitarō Oguri (小栗 虫太郎, Oguri Mushitarō)

Voiced by: Takeshi Kusao (Japanese), Mick Lauer (English)

Named after Mushitarō Oguri. He is a member of the Rats in the House of the Dead. His ability, Perfect Crime (完全犯罪, Kanzen Hanzai), allows him to erase all evidence of a given crime.

The Decay of the Angel

The Decay of the Angel (天人五衰, Tennin Gosui) is a terrorist organization specializing as a murder association, devoted to the destruction of all nations.

Nikolai Gogol

Nikolai Gogol (ニコライ・ゴーゴリ, Nikorai Gōgori)

Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu (Japanese); Jeff Schine (English)

Named after Nikolai Gogol. Despite showing a sadistic personality, Nikolai often hints he suffers when hurting other people. His ability, The Overcoat (外套, Gaitō), grants him the power to use his coat to manipulate spaces and what comes out of them, akin to a sort of portal. It is able to relocate and move objects.

Sigma

Sigma (シグマ, Shiguma),

Voiced by: Shōya Chiba (Japanese), Cory Yee (English)

The general manager of the Sky Casino. While his ability has yet to be named, it is an information transfer ability that allows anybody in physical contact with Sigma to gain the information they most want to know in exchange for him learning what he most wants to know from them. Fyodor notes that Sigma's potential comes from the fact that he is a 'desperate man' who will do anything to protect the 'home' he finds in the casino. Atsushi believes that Sigma possesses a page of the supernatural Book that the Decay of Angels used to frame the Detective Agency for a murder case.

Bram Stoker

Bram Stoker (ブラム・ストーカ, Buramu Sutōkā)

Voiced by: Kenjiro Tsuda

Named after Bram Stoker. In the past, Bram was an earl in Northern Europe. Despite formerly being a human, his cells had been mutated due to an ability, which then resulted in him being transformed into a blood-sucking species and he became known as Dracula. Bram's ability name is currently unknown. However, it is an infection-type ability which turns whoever he bites into a vampire. It also makes the victim the next aggressor.

Hunting Dogs

The Hunting Dogs (猟犬, Ryōken) are a military organization working for the government. They're a Grade-A squad built for special tactics and suppression duty, and the strongest military unit in the military police.

Ōchi Fukuchi

Ōchi Fukuchi (福地 桜痴, Fukuchi Ōchi)

Voiced by: Akio Otsuka (Japanese); David Vincent (English)

Named after Ōchi Fukuchi. The commander of the Hunting Dogs special units. However, in reality, he is the leader of the terrorist organization, the Decay of Angels, acting under the alias of Kamui. His ability, Mirror Lion (鏡獅子, Kagami Jishi), allows him to strengthen the power of any weapon he holds by a hundred-fold.

Saigiku Jōno

Saigiku Jōno (條野 採菊, Jōno Saigiku)

Voiced by: Yuki Kaji (Japanese); Adam McArthur (English)

Named after Saigiku Jōno. He is a member of the Hunting Dogs special unit. His ability, Priceless Tears (千金の涙, Senkin no Namida), allows him to disintegrate his body into atoms and then manipulate them.

Teruko Ōkura

Teruko Ōkura (大倉燁子, Ōkura Teruko)

Voiced by: Makoto Koichi (Japanese); Cherami Leigh (English)

Named after Teruko Ōkura. The vice-commander of the Hunting Dogs special unit. Her ability, Gasp of the Soul (魂の喘ぎ, Tamashī no Aegi), allows her to manipulate the age of anyone she touches, as well as her own.

Tetchō Suehiro

Tetchō Suehiro (末広 鐵腸, Suehiro Tetchō)

Voiced by: Yōhei Azakami (Japanese); Griffin Puatu (English)

Named after Tetchō Suehiro. He is a member of the Hunting Dogs special unit. His ability, Plum Blossoms in Snow (雪中梅, Setchūbai), allows him to increase properties of his sword, namely the size, shape, and length of it.

Other characters (main storyline)

Ango Sakaguchi

Ango Sakaguchi (坂口 安吾, Sakaguchi Ango)

Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama (Japanese); Michael Yurchak (English)

Named after Ango Sakaguchi. A government worker and the former Port Mafia's Intelligence Agent, but it was under the Government's orders to spy on the mafia's activities. During his time working as an intelligence agent under for the Port Mafia, he also became an agent for Mimic under Mori Ougai's orders. His ability, Discourse on Decadence (堕落論, Darakuron), allows him to read the memories of any object he touches.

Santōka Taneda

Santōka Taneda (種田 山頭火, Taneda Santōka)

Voiced by: Fumihiko Tachiki (Japanese); John DeMita (English)

Named after Santōka Taneda. He is the director of the Special Ability Department. Not much is known about his past, though it's hinted that he helped on the creation of the Armed Detective Agency and was also the one who helped Osamu Dazai to find a job in the Agency after he left the Port Mafia. His ability, Hail in the Begging Bowl (鉄鉢の中へも霰, Teppatsu no Naka he mo Arare), allows him to immediately know the ability (and nature of said ability) of any ability user if their ability is activated near him.

André Gide

André Gide (アンドレ・ジッド, Andore Jiddo)

Voiced by: Shinichiro Miki (Japanese); Kirk Thornton (English)

Named after André Gide. He was the leader of a criminal organization from Europe known as Mimic. Like Sakunosuke, his ability, Strait is the Gate (狭き門, Semakimon) allows him to see roughly 5 to 6 seconds into the future. A former soldier betrayed by his country, he wanted to have a glorious death and killed Oda's loved ones to drive him to despair. After a lengthy duel, they mutually killed each other.

Aya Kōda

Aya Kōda (幸田 文, Kōda Aya)

Voiced by: Minako Kotobuki (Japanese); Cassandra Lee Morris (English)

Named after Aya Kōda. She is a civilian who assisted Kunikida with a case, a spirited girl who calls herself a "warrior of justice" and practices martial arts every day. Aya is stubborn, refusing to take no for an answer, and makes fun of Kunikida often. She does not possess an ability.

Shōsaku Katsura

Shōsaku Katsura (桂 正作, Katsura Shōsaku)

Voiced by: Masakazu Morita (Japanese); Johnny Yong Bosch (English)

Named after the main character of Doppo Kunikida's work An Uncommon Common Man (非凡なる凡人, Hibon'naru Bonjin). He is a bomber with a grudge against Kunikida's ideals and attempts to sabotage them.

Agatha Christie

Dame Agatha Christie (デイム・アガサ・クリスティ, Deimu Agasa Kurisuti)

Voiced by: Maaya Sakamoto (Japanese); Erica Lindbeck (English)

Named after Agatha Christie. She is the Knight Commander of the Order of the Clock Tower. The details of her ability, And Then There Were None (そして誰もいなくなった, Soshite Dare mo Inakunatta), are currently unknown.

Arthur Rimbaud

Arthur Rimbaud (アーサー・ランボー)

Voiced by: Yūya Uchida (Japanese); Christopher Swindle (English)

Named after Arthur Rimbaud. He was an executive of the Port Mafia and has an extreme aversion to cold. First known under the alias of "Randō (蘭堂, Randō)," he is later revealed to be a European spy, trying to find a god-like entity, Arahabaki, from within a military facility with his partner, Paul Verlaine. Following Paul's betrayal, he was forced to try and use Arahabaki to fight the military, but the failed attempt resulted in a massive explosion that destroyed the facility and Rimbaud's memories. His alias was taken from an incorrect pronunciation of his name that was written on his hat. His ability, Illuminations (イリュミナシオン, Iryuminashion), allows him to create a hyperspace under his control to the point which he can event disregard the rules of physics, rendering Chūya's powers useless and even withstanding Dazai's nullification to a limited degree.

Sōseki Natsume

Sōseki Natsume (夏目 漱石, Natsume Sōseki)

Voiced by: Hōchū Ōtsuka (Japanese); Greg Chun (English)

Named after Sōseki Natsume. He is the former mentor of Yukichi Fukuzawa and Ōgai Mori. He is first briefly featured in the light novel Dark Era and appears during the Cannibalism Arc to interrupt the fight between the Agency and Port Mafia. His ability, I Am A Cat (吾輩は猫である, Wagahai wa Neko de Aru), allows him to turn into a calico cat. He is regarded throughout Yokohama as one of the strongest ability users.

Nobuko Sasaki

Nobuko Sasaki (佐々城 信子, Sasaki Nobuko)

Voiced by: Sanae Kobayashi (Japanese); Wendee Lee (English)

Named after Nobuko Sasaki, Doppo Kunikida's first wife. A lecturer at a university in Tokyo. She is the Azure Apostle and former accomplice to the Azure King, her lover, and attempts to ruin the Armed Detective Agency after her lover's death.

DEAD APPLE (film)

Tatsuhiko Shibusawa

Tatsuhiko Shibusawa (澁澤 龍彦, Shibusawa Tatsuhiko)

Voiced by: Kazuya Nakai (Japanese); Xander Mobus (English)

Named after Tatsuhiko Shibusawa. An original character created for the movie Dead Apple. His ability, Draconia (ドラコニア, Dorakonia), allows him to create a mysterious mist (known as "Dragon's Breath") that can separate abilities and their users. The separated abilities manifest as their own unique form, or they can manifest as a pitch-black, white-eyed mimic of its user. They are capable of communication.

Gaiden (light novel)

Mizuki Tsujimura

Mizuki Tsujimura (辻村 深月, Tsujimura Mizuki)

Voiced by: Rie Takahashi (Japanese); Carrie Keranen (English)

Named after Mizuki Tsujimura. She is an agent of the Special Division for Unusual Powers and is assigned to Ayatsuji Yukito. Tsujimura's ability, Yesterday's Shadow Tag (きのうの影踏, Kinō no Kagefumi), allows her to create "baby shadows" and control them. It also takes the appearance of a grim reaper with a scythe when it automatically activates. Just like Kyōka, her mother transferred her ability to her, and she does not have complete control over it. It will activate immediately when she wants to kill someone, and the reaper shadow will execute them before she can attack, making Tsujimura unable to kill anyone herself.

Yukito Ayatsuji

Yukito Ayatsuji (綾辻 行人, Ayatsuji Yukito)

Voiced by: Sasai Hiroo

Named after Yukito Ayatsuji. A detective and one of the main characters in the Gaiden novel. He is currently one of the top-ranked people on the Japanese government's list of dangerous ability users. His ability, Another (アナザー, Anazā), allows him to see through the criminal in a murder case. Once the criminal behind a murder is identified, the killer will face certain death via an "accident."

55 Minutes (light novel)

Herbert George Wells

Herbert George Wells (ハーバート・ジョージ・ウェルズ, Hābāto Jōji Weruzu)

Named after Herbert George Wells. A character featured in the light novel Bungo Stray Dogs: 55 Minutes. Wells's ability, Time Machine (タイムマシン, Taimu Mashin) allows her to manipulate time itself. She can send an individual back in time with the use of her camera, but this is limited to 55 minutes or 3300 seconds. Also, she is only able to transport someone to the past once. Originally, Wells is only able to transport a person to the past limited to several minutes, but after being utilized by "Gab" for countless of times, it was extended to 55 minutes.

Jules Gabriel Verne

Jules Gabriel Verne (ジュール・ガブリエル・ヴェルヌ, Jūru Gaburieru Verunu)

Named after Jules Gabriel Verne. A character featured in the light novel Bungo Stray Dogs: 55 Minutes. He is one of the inhabitants of Standard Island, as the island itself is the form of his ability. Verne's ability, The Mysterious Island (神秘の島, Shinpi no Shima), allows him to absorb the abilities from any ability-user who dies on Standard Island.

Reception

The characters of Bungo Stray Dogs have been popular in Japan with Crunchyroll noting that most of them appeared in a Newtype poll when the anime premiered in 2016. Manga.Tokyo enjoyed Osamu Dazai due to his appealing interactions with Doppo Kunikida while also enjoying Mamoru Miyano's performance as his voice actor. Atsushi's characterization has earned mixed responses. The Fandom Post noted that his power of becoming a tiger gave him potential to make goods rather than the curse he fears. On the other hand, Reel Run Down considered Atsushi as one of the weakest characters due to his constant insecure thoughts despite having multiple achievements in the storyline. Otaku USA noted that while Atsushi becomes a hero during the story, he is overshadowed by others character he found more interesting. Nevertheless, Atsushi's and Akutagawa's rivalry has also resulted into positive reaction due to how each character balance the other in terms of personality and how they become allies for a short for one of the most entertaining fights in the series. Anime News Network still enjoyed the new bond he formed with former Guild member Lucy Maud Montgomery; the reviewer noted Lucy became attracted to him and thus expected a form romance or love triangle would be composed between these two characters as well as Kyoka as this character also formed a strong bond with Atsushi. Concluding this comment, the reviewer expected this would happen the story would be benefitted from this type of subplot since Bungo Stray Dogs barely handled romance.