Summary
An epic finale that takes viewers through a whirlwind of highs and lows while wrapping everything up cleanly.
Never before has a Bungo Stray Dogs finale felt quite this hopeless. With Atsushi incapacitated, Sigma and Dazai potentially deceased, and Fukuchi in possession of One Order, it feels like The Armed Detective Agency has hit rock bottom with no potential to turn the tables in season 5. With not even the manga for reference, there isn’t a viewer out there who knows what to expect from episode 11, but knowing Bungo Stray Dogs, it will be full of twists and surprises.
The episode opens with missiles en route to kill millions in the next 30 seconds. At the same time, Akutagawa prepares to bite Atsuhsi while Aya decides the only way to save everyone is by jumping off the building and onto the hanging table to try and add more weight to release the sword from Bram.
By jumping onto the table hanging from the sword, Aya is successfully able to release the Holy Sword from Bram’s body. Dazai survived a gunshot wound to the head by having Chuuya pretend to be a vampire working for Fyodor.
In reality, Chuuya and Dazai were on the same side the entire time, tricking Fyodor into thinking he was dead by using Chuuya’s ability to crush the bullet against his forehead upon release.
Despite inciting mass chaos, Fukuchi’s real plan was to prevent a world war that would result in the deaths of 210 million people. Thirty-six years prior, he received a prophecy about the war from his sword. He then set about this plan, making himself the villain and example, in an effort to try and eliminate war by creating a scenario where new laws would have to be written to prevent a catastrophe like this from happening ever again.
Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5, Episode 11 (Credit – Crunchyroll)
Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 Ending Explained
Fukuchi reveals to Fukuzawa that One Order was preprogrammed to obey him because Fukuchi had always intended for his old friend to be the chief commander of the Army of Mankind, knowing not just anyone could be trusted with power over every nation’s military forces when he inevitably died.
Fukuchi asks Fukuzawa to kill him, saying it is the only way to save the Agency. However, when Fukuzawa says he cannot do it, Teruko stabs Fukuchi in the back for him.
As he holds Fukuchi’s corpse, Ranpo asks what wants to do with One Order. At first, Fukuzawa attempts to destroy it but stops, knowing he must bear this burden forever. The episode ends with a flashforward to two hours later, with Atsushi and Akutagawa in an out battle with a mysterious floating being who seems to have control of Fukuchi’s time-altering sword.
After two of the most stressful seasons of Bungo Stray Dogs, everything is finally over. A lot was going on this season, with many characters playing important roles, but Aya was definitely the Armed Detective Agency’s greatest ally and trump card.
This finale had everything you could ask for, ensuring fans experienced the entire spectrum of emotion while still managing to shock and surprise them.
It was nice to see Fukuchi’s arc finished in a way that didn’t try to apologize for what he’d done but rather focused on the consequences of war and how traumatizing they can be. I can’t help but wonder, though, if this is one of those time-altering scenarios where, by trying to prevent the future he saw, Fukuchi is actually the one to cause it.
Still, knowing we probably won’t see Bungo Stray Dogs animated again for several years, this was undoubtedly one of the most satisfying finales I’ve seen in a long time.
What did you think of Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5, Episode 11 and the Ending? Comment below.
Related:
