Bungou Stray Dogs is an action packed mystery anime series. Firstly, it first aired in 2016. Although we call it anime, the series is based on Kafka Asagiri’s manga series, which has been airing since 2012. The manga series has sold over six million copies in circulation according to 2018 data. Furthermore, it is as popular as its anime throughout the world. Secondly, the anime series was created by Bones studio. Takuya Igarashi has been directing the series till now. Besides, we know the studio from famous anime series such as Noragami and Mob Psycho 100.
The second season of the Crunchyroll licensed anime aired after the first season. Then the third season of the anime was released on April 12, 2019, three years later. After a collaboration with Bones and Nomad (Koikimo), ‘Bungou Stray Dogs Wan!‘, a spin-off anime was added to the series. After the spin-off, which began airing on January 13, 2021, fans are now going gaga over the news of the fourth season.
To know more about the series and its popularity, stay with us throughout the piece.
What is the storyline of the series?
Will you believe the impossible? Of course, this is an impossible event, but there is no such thing as impossible for an anime. What are we talking about by the way? Bungou Stray Dogs, gives famous writers (or famous characters) names, especially Japanese, to all of its characters. Besides, that is very exciting as it offers us more famous names than ever along with its action-packed content.
Moving on to the story. Atsushi Nakajima is a teenager thrown out of an orphanage. She is starving, thirsty with nowhere to go. A mysterious tiger invaded his orphanage, so the orphanage fell into financial difficulties. Nevertheless, the orphanage, which tries to save its neck, first kicked Atsushi out. Thinking about what to do, Atsushi sits on the river bank and sees a drowning man in the river.
She does everything she can and saves his life. However, the man who said he committed suicide brushes Atsushi well. The man introduces himself as Dazai Osamu and introduces Atsushi to his partner Kunikida Doppo. The partner is frustrated with Dazai, because of his constant suicide attempts.
While talking Atsushi learns from Dazai and Doppo are somehow interested in the mysterious tiger around Atsushi. Moreover, the duo is a members of the “Armed Detective Agency”. This is what Atsushi has heard of in the circulating rumours. When this is the case, Atsushi, who did not even know what to do a few hours ago, finds himself among strange people with strange powers, especially Dazai.
Also read: 3 Reasons Why Anime has Become Popular in Global Pop Culture
Any guesses regarding the season 4 plot of Bungou Stray Dogs?
On November 7, 2021, the news was shared on the official Twitter page of Bungou stray dogs which made fans ecstatic. Bungou Stray Dogs has been renewed for a fourth season and a new visual has been shared! With the announcement, a short teaser was shown which drew attention to new enemies, and a new mission filled with adventures. Fans went crazy with excitement over the news.
This announcement is so far the current information about the new season. Furthermore, the release date of the anime has not been shared yet. However, it will be announced to the followers very soon. Let’s be patient here. “Bungou Stray Dogs Wan!”, which is a spin-off to the series, is aired in spring 2021.
Sadly it hasn’t garnered that much attention as of now. Going by ongoing talks, we may see the anime’s new season in late 2022 or early 2023. A trailer for the new season has not been released yet.
Manga
Bungou Stray Dogs manga is the original series, written by Kafka Asagiri and illustrated by Sango Harukawa. It is published by Kadokawa Shoten. We know that the series has been airing since December 4, 2012. The anime also has an English publisher. Because of Yen Press, we can follow the manga series in English. That is indeed a great help. So far there are 22 volumes of the Manga series. And to our pleasant surprise, it is going on till now.
The first 3 seasons of the Bungou Stray Dogs were based on the main manga series. The latest spin-off anime is based on a side story and adapted from the side manga of the same name. Up to chapter 53, volume 13 of the main manga was adapted into the anime in 3 seasons.
With a simple ratio of proportion, we see that the manga series contains enough source material for the fourth and more seasons. Considering that the series is continuing, if everything goes well, we will be able to see more than 4 seasons.
How popular is the Bungou Stray Dogs series?
Although the demand for disc sales has decreased with the increase in streaming platforms in recent years, they are still good data to compare with other anime released in the same period and to see the popularity in Japan. So what are the statistics? It is expected an anime should achieve 4,000 sales on volumes average for the new series that is now going to air.
In addition, a look at the disc sales of the anime shows that it achieved above-average sales for the first three seasons. That is indeed a good start and continuation. Although disc sales have decreased in the third season of the anime, the new season is yet to bring much more viewers back. Speaking of which, Bungou Stray Dogs Wan! sold only 1,261 units on average.
However, it is to be seen separately as a spin-off. The good news here is that the third season was ranked 8th among 32 anime series. And went up on sale in the 2019 Spring season. The top lists of the period were Demon Slayer with approx 28k sales. The second was Re:Zero‘s OVA episode Memory Snow(13k sales).
Keep reading…
The official Twitter account of the anime page has more than 550k followers. That is indeed the perfect follower count for an anime series. The Promised Neverland, a very popular anime, is followed by 328k+ people on Twitter and Black Clover, which is an absolute favourite of anime fans and renewed many times, is followed by 105k people.
Bungou Stray Dogs are not only famous in Japan but also around the world. Google itself is proof of that due to the series search count. Anime is searched on Google as much as Redo of Healer, Dr Stone or other such shows. Besides, Myanimelist is shown as the 92nd most popular anime of all time.
Ending note
Hearts are eagerly waiting for the release date of the show. We hope that Bungou Stray Dogs season 4 receives much love and appreciation from people across the world.
