remember last time I said that was my one and only post about that anime called Bungo stray Dogs? I lied.
<<DISCLAIMER: I was gonna edit this but then I forgot about it and left it in drafts for too long and I only remembered it now. SO it’s still all phrased in ways that’ll bother many people in the fandom (unlike part one, which I tried to tone down a bit). Also it’s pretty messy. So. Read at your own risk I guess.>>
I was gonna replay via reblogs once again, but once again I went too off topic and didn’t want to hijack or derail OP’s post, so here’s a link to the post, here’s the post, and here’s OP: @sparkofsummer
I have so much to say on this topic, so just consider this my anti-Dazai propaganda rant part 2
(You can find part 1 here)
Of course last time I said I’d never post another bsd-related post ever agin, but exceptions must be made for topics such as this.
And now onto the topic at hand.
<full disclosure- when I mention Sskk and skk here, I’m referring to the duos (in terms of teaming up to fight someone), not the ships>
OP is right. OP is so right and this is the reason for my unreasonable dislike towards Sskk.
Sskk is created to be the “next generation” of skk. That’s the first noticeable flaw. The age gap between Mori/Fukuzawa and skk is what.., 20 years, give or take? The age gap between skk and Sskk is 2-4 years. That’s not a “next generation”, that’s just taking your coworkers who are around your age and saying “heyyy I really don’t feel like working, can you cover for me?” The point of a “next generation” is that when one generation goes into retirement, there’ll still be a strong duo protecting Yokohama. But by the time skk will be too old to get anything done, chances are so will Sskk. So that’s reason number 1 that Sskk does not serve its purpose.
Reason number 2 is, as OP said, it doesn’t follow the previous two duos brain/brawn rule. It’s double brawn. Neither Atsushi nor Akutagawa are strategists in any sense. Chuuuya’s arguably more of a strategist than them, considering he understands the way other strategists (ie Dazai) think, to an extent.
But wait. There actually is a brain among us in Sskk. And it’s Dazai’s. Unlike Mori/Fukuzawa and skk, Sskk often has direct interference and guidance from Dazai. While they were out beating up the virus ability guy, Dazai was out apprehending Fyodor. Prior to that he was with them, directing them on an outline of what to do. The role of Sskk here seems to be a role Chuuya could have easily filled. (And the virus needs two hosts, right? I may be mis-remembering this, but what would have happened if only one person would have gone in to fight the virus dude?) Regardless. It seems like the sort of role Chuuya could have easily filled, but Dazai’s having the duo he created himself try their hand at filling that role.
And on the topic of Chuuya, where is he anyway? I don’t mean in the virus arc, I know he was on a mandatory Ranpo-enforced vacation in a mystery novel. But where is Chuuya in establishing Sskk? It makes sense that only Mori and not Fukuzawa established skk, because Fukuzawa didn’t know or have anything to do with Dazai or Chuuya. But with Sskk, Akutagawa is Chuuya’s subordinate, and additionally he clearly respects him. For Dazai to intentionally make sure Chuuya has no involvement.., it would make you question why. Why would Chuuya intentionally be left out of the formation of the new and improved duo that’s supposed to take over from the duo he was once a part of.
Point is Sskk isn’t “the next generation” or “stronger skk”. It’s skk minus Chuuya, replacing him with two ability users who don’t even come close to his complete strength, considering he’s a literal god.
The fallacy lies in the fact that Sskk is a duo, when it’s actually a trio. Dazai fills the role of not only the mentor, but the brains to Atsushi and Akutagawa’s brawn. Dazai never left skk, he simply pushed Chuuya out of it by replacing him with two people who don’t even remotely amount to what he’s capable of.
EDIT from after I wrote this:
AND ANOTHER THING.
THAT I FORGOT TO MENTION.
Dazai KNOWS that Akutagawa is actively dying of some lung disease.
Dazai KNOWS that Atsushi can only control his ability with the help of Fukuzawa, ie someone a whole generation older than Dazai himself.
So that whole “oh this is the next generation of soukoku :)” thing? Yeah Dazai KNOWS that both parties involved will only be able to be part of it for a short period of time. So. Dazai. What’s up with that, anyway?