Bungo Stray Dogs is one of the most intriguing anime out there. Do you know what’s so special about this anime that makes it stand out and more appealing than even some mainstream titles? It’s the anime makeover of popular real-life authors. The anime literally turned the reputed figures into anime characters and gave them supernatural abilities. However, despite its potential to reach the top of the industry, Bungo Stray Dog has remained underrated over the years. So, if you’ve recently encountered the existence of this anime, here’s the correct watch order for Bungo Stray Dogs anime.
Bungo Stray Dogs Watch Order: Chronological Order
It’s crucial to follow a chronological viewing order when watching Bungo Stray Dogs, as the anime frequently jumps between different timelines. We get to watch flashbacks every now and then, which makes it really challenging to connect the dots with the events we’ve already seen. So, if you’re new to the anime, here’s the chronological watch order of Bungo Stray Dogs to avoid any confusion.
- Bungo Stray Dogs Season 2 (Episodes 1–4)
- Bungo Stray Dogs Season 1
- Bungo Stray Dogs Season 2 (Episode 5-12)
- Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple
- Bungo Stray Dogs Season 3
- Bungo Stray Dogs Season 4
- Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5
Bungo Stray Dogs Season 2 (Episodes 1–4)
Everything begins here in the ‘Dark Age Arc.’ These are the episodes that take us four years back in time, when Dazai was a member of the port mafia. We also get introduced to Dazai’s closest friends, Ango Sakaguchi and Sakunosuke Oda. The trio was inseparable until Ango mysteriously disappeared. The Port Mafia organization tasked Oda and Dazai with finding and bringing Ado back. However, Oda soon uncovers that Ango is actually a government spy who was sent to the Port Mafia to gain access to their secret information. This betrayal created a rift between them and led to the fall of their friendship.
Later, when a foreign organization killed the ones Oda was trying to protect, he decided to avenge the loss. Driven by hatred, Oda begins to lose his humanity and eventually meets his end in the fourth episode of the second season. Dazai sits beside Oda when he breathes his last. Oda asks Dazai to lead a happy life and save people rather than kill them. The final words of his friend hit Dazai, and he decides to leave the Port Mafia.
Bungo Stray Dogs Season 1
Bungo Stray Dogs Season 1 introduces us to the gifted individuals, the Armed Detective Agency, and the Port Mafia. We meet Dazai, who is a crucial member of the Armed Detective Agency; he is still haunted by his Port Mafia days, and Atsushi finally starts embracing his ability. He recruits Atsushi Nakajima, an orphan with the ability called Beast Beneath the Moonlight. This allows him to transform into a white tiger. However, the young boy is still learning to fully control his ability. The pilot season then lets us meet some pivotal characters like Ranpo Edogawa, Yosano Akiko, Kenji Miyazawa, Ryunosuke Akutagawa, and Higuchi Ichiyo.
Bungo Stray Dogs Season 2 (Episode 5-12)
Following the Dark Age Arc in the first four episodes, the second season moves on to ‘The Guild Arc.’ We see the arrival of a new foreign organisation, The Guild, which starts targeting the Armed Detective Agency. The agency is already in tension with Port Mafia after the bounty on Atsushi’s head is revealed, and now the foreign organization has also jumped onto the battlefield. Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, the potent leader of The Guild, enters the picture and showcases his ability, known as The Great Fitzgerald. In his supervision, The Guild attacks the detective agency, and we get to watch some of the intense battle sequences.
Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple
Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple is a movie set six years after the events of the second film. It sees a sudden white fog appear before the gifted users. After that, they suddenly start dying, and the world cites the tragic deaths as suicide. Several members of the detective agency and Port Mafia also start dying, so their leaders agree to investigate the ordeal together. The film also reveals some more crucial things from Dazai’s past.
Bungo Stray Dogs Season 3
The third season of Bungo Stray Dogs adapts three arcs from the manga: the Prequel Arc, the Guild Aftermath Arc, and the Cannibalism Arc. We meet a 15-year-old Dazai, who recruits Chuuya at Mori Ougai’s instruction. Chuuya hates Dazai initially, but when Mori tasks them to go on a mission together, the equation between them changes.
The fourth episode then brings us back to the present timeline and kicks off after the events that occurred in Dead Apple. The Armed Detective Agency and Port Mafia are both declared as terrorists by the government after they are accused of a high-profile murder. However, as the story progresses, things become crystal clear, and a new player named Fyodor Dostoevsky enters the game.
Bungo Stray Dogs Season 4
Stakes get higher in Bungo Stray Dogs Season 4 as Fyodor Dostoyevsky uses his manipulation tactics and power to show his worth to the world. On the other side, this chapter reveals how Fukuzawa and Ranpo, while also shedding light on the origins of the Armed Detective Agency. The civilians are no longer pleased by the gifted users and start questioning them. Later, a terrorist organisation called The Decay of the Angel emerges and frames the detective agency for the ongoing crimes.
Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5
Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 picks up the events directly after the previous installment. Armed Detective Agency is still on the run as they are being hunted by the haunting dogs, led by Fukuchi Ouchi. On the other side, Atsushi Nakajima and Sigma try harder to foil Fukuchi’s plans. Dazai and Fyodor’s clash is also one of the key moments of this season.
How to Watch Bungo Stray Dogs in Release Order
Now, if you want to experience the anime as the way it was released, here’s the correct Bungo Stray Dogs watch order as per release date:
- Bungo Stray Dogs Season 1: April 7 – June 23, 2016
- Bungo Stray Dogs Season 2: October 6 –December 22, 2016
- Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple: March 3, 2018
- Bungo Stray Dogs Season 3: April 12 –June 28, 2019
- Bungo Stray Dogs Season 4: January 4 –March 29, 2023
- Bungo Stray Dogs Season 4: July 12- September 20, 2023
Where to watch the Bungo Stray Dogs Anime and Movie?
You can watch all the seasons of Bungo Stray Dogs on Crunchyroll. In several regions, they are available on Amazon Prime Video. If you are looking for the platforms where you can watch the movie, Crunchyroll would be the go-to destination.
