One thing that’s never overtly addressed in the anime of Bungo Stray Dogs is the meaning behind the bandages worn by protagonist Osamu Dazai. Let’s take a look at the mange to work out the reasons for this curious style choice.
Why Does Dazai Wear Bandages In Bungo Stray Dogs?
Before we go further, this article is going to talk about suicide and suicide ideation, so if you’re not comfortable with those topics, please don’t read on and seek support from local services if required.
The only official reason behind the bandages is basically that the mangaka behind Bungo Stray Dogs, Sango Harukawa, thought they was a good fit given Dazai’s suicide ideation. There are very few scenes where Dazai’s obsession with dying isn’t part of what he’s talking about or doing, and the bandages help represent that. Harukawa didn’t go much deeper into this, but it’s worth noting that there are a couple of interpretations we can have of this.
The first is that, given his desire to die, Dazai is possibly covered head-to-toe in scars, and probably fairly horrific ones. The bandages not only offer a way to cover those up but also help to aid in the constant cycle of healing that Dazai must be going through due to his repeated attempts at ending his life. This is the most realistic interpretation of things.
Another interpretation could be that the bandages are essentially holding him together. They’re less of a gauze to aid with healing in this case and more of a straitjacket for his body and soul, helping to represent his seemingly undying nature. Sure, it’s a little bit out there, but the entirety of Bungo Stray Dogs is filled with strange references and literary interpretations that not only define some of the abilities the characters have, but also their personalities.
Finally, it could just be a very practical thing in the world of the anime. Dazai’s ability is No Longer Human, which allows him to nullify any other special abilities just by touching people. Were Dazai to accidentally touch his allies in the middle of an intense battle ā of which there are plenty in Bungo Stray Dogs ā he’d render them effectively useless a lot of the time due to the Armed Detective Agency being mostly made up of ability users. That’d be no good at all.
Of course, it could also be a mix of any or all of these ideas too. Maybe we’ll find out one day?
Bungo Stray Dogs is available to stream via Crunchyroll.
