Bungou Stray Dogs S3- Episode 1 (First Impressions)

Following suit from season 2, season 3 seems to be opening up with a little backstory on the members of the Port Mafia and Dazai’s early days.
This time, we get the backstory of how Chuuya Nakahara joined the Port Mafia. I can’t help but be curious to see how this pans out, because from the first seen when we see Chuuya as the head of his gang and he openly despises the Port Mafia.
Mori threatens him and that’s why he ends up working with them for this arc, but how will things change and cause him to join?

The core conflict of these episodes is that the ‘ghost’ or a phantom of the Previous Boss of the Port Mafia seems to be appearing. Which is trouble for Mori, because if the true manor of the previous bosses death got out to his supporters. It would sure be a problem for him.
It would be an issue for Dazai as well, as Mori’s accomplice, he would be tortured and killed the same as Mori. As we all already know about Dazai, he may want death, but he hates pain and in that way there is no way he’ll get the painless death he is seeking.

So Mori sends Dazai to investigate these claims, as he’s investigating. He runs into Chuuya, who is known as ‘The kind of the sheep’ a gang mostly comprised of children. Chuuya claims that he is not a king, but has an ace up his sleeve. The ace of course, being his ability.
A fight breaks out between Chuuya, Dazai and Hirotsu and in that moment when they are fighting. The phantom of the prior boss of the Port Mafia appears and with his appearance, is a giant explosion.

I think it’s hilarious that Chuuya and Dazai get along about as well as water and oil from the start. We’ve all seen what kind of relationship they have in the future and their partnership in the Port Mafia boarders on legendary. Two complete opposites that complement each other and in the current time, there is even a little trust between them. Right now they absolutely can’t stand one another and it’s amazing.

So, Mori kidnaps the other members of Chuuya’s gang and uses their safety to threaten him into working with them to investigate the claims.
Dazai and Chuuya partner together to go question someone who survived a previous explosion caused by the phantom. Though at that time, it wasn’t assuming the form of the previous leader. As they go to interrogate him, there’s another explosion and one can only assume that the person they were heading to interrogate has been ‘taken care of’.

A man with a gun runs up to them to challenge them to a fight and that’s where the episode comes to it’s end.

I honestly, have a lot of feelings about this episode. First I am happy to have the series back, but also, having some back story about my favorite member of the Port Mafia is a great way to lead into the series. This is a year before the ‘Dragon Head’ incident. The Dragon Head incident will be vital to the rest of the season from this backstory on out, because it ties to who we know are going to be the villains for season 3. That being, the Russian authors.

The animation is about usual quality for Bungou, the soundtrack is rocking and the opening theme [or the ending theme for this first episode] is once again sung by Kisho Taniyama, the voice actor for Chuuya.

If season 3 follows the same pace as season 2. The next two episodes will conclude this backstory arc, and i’m honestly fine with that. More Chuuya is always good with me. I am absolutely looking forward to blogging season 3, however, since it releases on Friday and I am already handling Fruits Basket (2019) and Jojo season 5 [Bi-weekly] on Fridays. It will most likely be looking at a Saturday release date for reviews.

Notice: As I will be at Anime Boston this upcoming weekend, Bungou will either be released Monday along side Fruits Basket or be released as a double post the following week with episode 3 depending on my post-convention health.

Possibility of watching: Guaranteed
Possibility of blogging: Guaranteed