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Who Is the Strongest in Bungou Stray Dogs? Most Powerful Characters Ranked


Strongest Bungou Stray Dogs Characters Ranked
Credit: Bones

Bungou Stray Dogs features some of the most unique magical systems we've ever seen in anime with some cool abilities, from absurd to overpowered. But who are the strongest Bungou Stray Dogs characters?

Given some of the obscure literary references, this isn't as quantifiable as it would be if all characters wielded similar types of magic.

In any case, here are some of the most powerful characters and abilities in Bungou Stray Dogs, ranked:

  1. Kunikida's Power Would Be Useful in Real Life

    Doppo Kunikida isn't the most powerful character in the detective anime, but for those of us who don't have to engage in supernatural battles on a daily basis, his is one of the most useful abilities to have.

    Kunikida's power, "The Lone Poet", allows him to create anything, as long as its size is smaller than or equal to that of his notebook.

    This doesn't sound like much, but there are plenty of little things he can make, including appropriately sized weapons, and even keys.

    Definitely, it's the best ability to have if you've been locked out of your house.

    As of Season 5, Kunikida loses his hands, which renders him unable to use his power, but his ability remains one of our favorite powers in the series.

  2. Lucy's Power Is a Beautiful Trap

    Lucy Montgomery's power, "Anne of Abysmal Red", is a visually striking way for her to entrap her opponents.

    She's able to transfer her opponents to "Anne's Room", a plane of existence of her own making, with only one concealed exit.

    Moreover, her victims will hold no recollection of their ordeal when they get out.

    In Season 5, this ability comes in handy, allowing Lucy and her allies to escape their pursuers.

  3. Kyoka's Ability Makes Her Strong for Her Age

    Izumi Kyoka is only a teenager, but she has already defected from Port Mafia before ending up with the Armed Detective Agency.

    Her ability, "Demon Snow", allows her to materialize a female ghost that yields a sword, which is widely considered to be the incarnation of slaughter.

    This is a rather terrifying ability, especially for someone so young who has a lifetime ahead to hone her skills.

    Izumi inherited her power from her mother, which adds a nice element of female heritage.

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  4. Akiko Yosano Will Heal You, But She'll Nearly Kill You First

    Akiko Yosano's power, "Thou Shalt Not Die", is what its name implies. A key member of the Armed Detective Agency, Akiko can heal you... but it will hurt.

    Those on the verge of death anyway will be grateful for her medical attention but she is only able to treat mortal wounds.

    So what if someone is suffering from a non-deadly injury but can't afford to wait it out?

    In those cases, Akiko might fatally wound her patient herself before stitching them back together, making her ability frankly terrifying.

  5. Fyodor Dostoevsky Can Kill With a Touch... or Less

    Fyodor Dostoevsky's ability, "Crime and Punishment", is rather obscure, and what exactly it can do has not been confirmed.

    So far, he has been seen killing someone with a touch, but he was also able to slay an opponent without touching him. Gloved hands don't seem to pose an issue either.

    The limitations of Crime and Punishment are still unclear, but not knowing the specifics makes it even scarier.

  6. Atsushi Turns Into a Tiger... and It Gets Wilder From There

    Much of Season 1 of Bungou Stray Dogs involved our main character, Atsushi Nakajima, running away from a tiger before realizing that the tiger was himself.

    Initially, Atsushi was only able to turn into a tiger under the moonlight, a fact reflected in the name of his ability, "Beast Beneath the Moonlight".

    But his powers grew and developed to the point that he's now considered one of the strongest characters.

    His amazing strength and regenerative abilities when in his tiger form definitely help.

  7. Fitzgerald Gets Strong Without a Workout

    Fitzgerald's ability is known as "The Great Fitzgerald", an allusion to his wealth and the novel, The Great Gatsby.

    His might not be the ability you would immediately associate with physical strength, but there's something really cool and rare (if evil) about it, as he doesn't have to work for it in a traditional way.

    Fitzgerald's ability gets stronger based on the amount of money he spends.

    While this would mean a significant handicap if he ran out, he has, at one point, overpowered Akutagawa, making him one of the few characters to do so.

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  8. Kyusaku Yumeno Will Seriously Mess You Up

    Kyusaku Yumeno's ability, "Doga Magra", is of the mental variety, but it can cause serious damage.

    The child can use their unassuming, innocent-looking appearance to their advantage.

    Doga Magra causes extreme hallucinations, the victim of which will attack anyone in their vicinity.

  9. Akutagawa Visualizes the Rashomon Effect

    Ever heard of the Rashomon Effect?

    Based on a short story by none other than the real-life inspiration and namesake of our character, author Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, the Rashomon Effect refers to a story told in multiple contradictory ways.

    Akutagawa's power in Bungou Stray Dogs is just as versatile. Starting from his coat, his power takes the form of an omnivorous, shadow-like black beast.

    Like the effect it derives its name from, Rashomon has been shown to be completely adaptable and versatile, both offering defense and helping with attacks.

    This is one of the most powerful abilities in the series, but there are a few characters who can overpower Akutagawa.

  10. Howard Phillips Lovecraft Needs No Introduction

    Howard Phillips Lovecraft is based on a writer whose monsters have found their way into our horror literature and the collective unconscious, leaving a very creepy legacy.

    His power, the "Great Old Craft" (likely a homage to the great old ones), allows him to partly turn into an Eldritch abomination.

    No other character's power can completely nullify his abilities apart from Chuuya.

  11. Dazai's Power Annuls All Others

    Osamu Dazai's ability, "No Longer Human", means that all the strong abilities discussed here can meet strong opposition.

    Namely, Dazai can nullify any other ability with a single touch, making him one of the key members of the Armed Detective Agency.

    The only reason he didn't make it to the very top of the list is that there have been one or two powers that he has had trouble with.

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  12. Chuuya's Ability Is God-Like

    Chuuya Nakahara is a former Port Mafia member known for his ability called "Upon the Tainted Sorrow", which focuses on the manipulation of gravity.

    However, what makes him really dangerous is "Corruption", an ability he doesn't have full control of which he only uses during dire moments.

    Compared to others on this list, Chuuya is quite unpredictable, but he has occasionally managed to overpower characters Dazai could not, and he arguably has the most potential for destruction and brute force.

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