Ryuunosuke Akutagawa: The Ruthless Member of Port Mafia in Bungou Stray Dogs
Ryuunosuke Akutagawa is portrayed as a cold and ruthless character in Bungou Stray Dogs. He is an unforgiving member of Port Mafia who despises the protagonist of the series, Atsushi Nakajima. His hatred is not only because Atsushi is a member of Armed Detective Agency (ADA), but also because of jealousy. Ryuunosuke was found by Osamu Dazai before being recruited by Port Mafia. Going through rigorous training and often underestimated by Dazai, Ryuunosuke spent his life proving to his teacher that he is strong. Therefore, when he saw how Dazai treated Atsushi and acknowledged him, Ryuunosuke could not accept it. That is why all of Ryuunosuke’s actions are now directed to gain validation from Dazai.
Ryuunosuke has a younger sister, Gin, who is also a member of Port Mafia. Although they live together, not everyone in Bungou Stray Dogs knows this fact. Even they don’t know that Gin is a girl. Taken from a Japanese writer with the same name, Ryuunosuke has a powerful ability called Rashoumon. So, what is Ryuunosuke Akutagawa’s character like in Bungou Stray Dogs? Let’s find out below!
1. Changed by Osamu Dazai
Ryuunosuke is known as a hot-tempered and unfriendly person. This comes from his past in the slums. Since childhood, Ryuunosuke’s sour appearance never changed. He changed after meeting Osamu Dazai when he was 14 years old. The meeting made Ryuunosuke change because he could respect someone. Even though he experienced extreme and terrifying training from Dazai, Ryuunosuke still adopted Dazai’s information value by eliminating mafia enemies. Just hearing Dazai’s babble and knowing Dazai’s high regard for Sakunosuke Oda destroyed Ryuunosuke. He felt humiliated for feeling lower than the person who refused to kill. Dazai’s betrayal hurt him even more. Although he is still searching for validation from Dazai, Ryuunosuke now sees his former teacher as a stain in Port Mafia’s history.
2. Hates Bathing
Whether antagonists or protagonists, characters in a story still have things they love and hate. In Bungou Stray Dogs, there are many characters who have likes and dislikes. This can be revealed at the end of the manga chapter or the official account of the series. It turns out that Ryuunosuke hates taking a bath. Although the reason is unknown, the most reasonable explanation is that he cannot activate his ability when taking a bath while not wearing clothes, thus making him feel powerless.
3. Hates Meaningless Torture
Ryuunosuke may be a cruel person. He will not hesitate to kill weak people and those he hates. But he has an interesting behavior, even as a cold and merciless person. Ryuunosuke prefers to kill his enemies with one slash rather than making them suffer by torturing them. This may be due to his past and how Osamu Dazai often hurt him during training at Port Mafia. Dazai even once shot and broke Ryuunosuke’s hand.
4. Orphan raised in the Slums
Ryuunosuke and Atsushi were created in the same but different situations. They were both orphans. Only, Atsushi was raised in an orphanage and was tortured since childhood. Meanwhile, Ryuunosuke and his younger sister, Gin, were raised in slums in Yokohama by their relatives. Ryuunosuke met Osamu Dazai during the Dark Era or when Dazai was still a member of Port Mafia. Meanwhile, Atsushi met Dazai when he had become a better person and joined the Armed Detective Agency. Dazai’s recognition of Atsushi is the reason why Ryuunosuke hates the tiger monster so much.
5. Likes Calligraphy and Antique Painting
Ryuunosuke may hate a lot of things. But he has a number of things to enjoy. It turns out that Ryuunosuke likes calligraphy and antique paintings. This is somewhat surprising because he does not seem like a person who would appreciate classical works like this. But this fondness is a reference to the original Ryuunosuke Akutagawa. Born in 1892, Ryuunosuke’s taste seems to match his birth period. He also likes tea and figs.
Ryuunosuke Akutagawa is a ruthless character in Bungou Stray Dogs. Although he hates Atsushi, his actions are actually driven by his desire to gain validation from his former teacher, Osamu Dazai. Despite being hot-tempered and unfriendly, he still has some likes, such as calligraphy and antique painting. Surprisingly, he hates taking a bath. He may be a cruel person, but he still has a code of ethics, preferring to kill his enemies in one slash rather than making them suffer.
