New Art For Akutagawa's Birthday By Beast Illustrator Shiwasu Hoshikawa

Some things never change (modern AU)

Oh no, they've been infected by Zoro's terrible sense of direction!

There's so many layers to this whole scene but this exchange in particular. When experiencing the story for the first time, it's obvious that the attention is going to be directed to the reveal of Dazai having been Akutagawa's mentor, a fact up to this point unknown to the audience. But on a second rewatch, and knowing everything we know about Akutagawa and Dazai's relationship… I feel like the thing that might have actually sent Akutagawa over the edge might be Dazai simply addressing Akutagawa as his former superior; Akutagawa being someone he doesn't recognize anymore. Whereas after all those years (and after this scene, too) Akutagawa has kept considering Dazai to be his one and only mentor still. Here, Dazai saying that he's his past mentor must have came as experiencing the trauma of abandonment all over again for Akutagawa. Which might explain why it's something that pushed Akutagawa's most hurting buttons so much, to the point he'd even retaliate by punching his beloved mentor and most respected person.

About that, i really like how physical Akutagawa's reaction is during this scene. He punches Dazai twice. And to me it really uses to express how conflictual and oxymoronic Akutagawa's state of mind is. He loves Dazai, but he's also enraged at him, feeling so betrayed for having been left alone without a word, all those years. He craves his recognition, but right here and now even that can't placate the relentless rage boiling inside him. The overwhelming feeling of frustration for himself before anyone else, because it's his fault for being so weak and incompetent that Dazai left him behind; and yet he can't help but take that frustration out on Dazai himself, symbolizing just how overbearing Akutagawa's emotions are, how he's not in control of them. I just think this scene is neat.

I find it really funny how Poe is basically the ada's emergency contact

14 dazai from last year i forgot to post 🤧

feeling very sane and normal rn

the kny concept art was better

Absolutely adore how two chapters after we learn Elbaf is a blood purist society and one of a Celestial Dragon deriding the 'lower world' for its filthiness, Scopper's first moment of page time has him explicitly saying "fuck you actually, the world is a big, beautiful place. Love who you want and enjoy the amazing people and experiences that come from mixing cultures who by the way will always find ways to thrive in spite of the hardships they face".

Though the latest chapter was relatively short and rose more questions than it gave answers, I believe Fyodor's speech about the "dimensions" is hinting Atsushi's role in the upcoming fight against Amenogozen.

In this panel, Fyodor is clearly talking about Akutagawa, who is able to block Amenogozen's space and time attacks. What's interesting here is the choice of words.

The individual inhabits "the paper world".

Ofc, this could only be a callback to the paper that magically popped out of thin air right into Fyodor's hand, and which he stabs to demonstrate that a two-dimensional character cannot escape an attack coming from someone outside the paper.

But! It is interesting to note that it can also call back the The Book, which Fyodor referred as "our origin" in chapter 119.

Akutagawa, like any other character in BSD (minus some exceptions), is part of the Book. Therefore, that would mean he is a two-dimensional character, since his life is part of a piece of paper. Now that Fyodor controls Amenogozen a singularity which defies the logics of the BSD world, he is "a dimension higher" than the Book. Which allows him (through Amenogozen) to land attacks that seemingly "come out of nowhere" (in the panel below Amenogozen's arm comes from Aku's belly instead of piercing it from side to side)

Now, back to Atsushi. In chapter 119, Fyodor said something that I believe is the hint for Atsushi's role in the fight against Amenogozen.

Atsushi is a bookmark. Therefore, that means he's not completely part of the Book, but outside the Book. Thus, a dimension higher than the Book, on par with Gozen (dimensionally speaking, at least).

It's also interesting to note that, in the panel below, Fyodor says "us three-dimensional beings", which could mean he's including Atsushi in this label - but this is kind of a stretch imo, since he could also just be referring to Gozen and himself.

At any rate, Atsushi's role as a "bookmark" has to be relevant for the upcoming final clash against Gozen. Especially if he fights alongside Akutagawa (forget that the latter has been stabbed. He is fine. The anime says sskk will fight together and I believe it. RYU IS FINE 🥲🥲)

After all, chapter 119 has already showed us that Aku can fight on equals terms with Gozen in terms of space and time (the first two dimensions).

All he lacks is the ability to counter the thrid dimension, "depth", that only the people "outside" the Book possess. In other words, people like Atsushi. We already know that the tiger's claws can erase abilities, so I think Atsushi is able to counter Gozen's 3D attacks... theoretically speaking.

So in conclusion, I think that chapter 119 and 120 gave us the hints of what the cast needs to defeat the divine being: someone who can counter him in the two dimensions of space and time (Akutagawa), and someone who can block the attacks coming from the third (Atsushi). Which would eventually lead to the final clash the anime has teased, with sskk facing Gozen, and this famous sentence finally taking on its full meaning:

No. Technically, there is no need for more than Atsushi and Akutagawa.

Technically. As long as they manage to complete each other's weaknesses with their own strengh.

Please note that this post is merely my own interpretation of the recent chapters, from which I've built my theories. They could be a total stretch and be proven wrong in the upcoming chapters. But I firmly believe that the elements from Fyodor's villain monologue have to be relevant at some point in the future. Hopefully chapter 120.5 and its successors will provide more answers than questions...

Lucy should get to have a crush on Yosano, as a treat.

She's her favourite customer at the cafe. At first she was too shy to directly talk to Yosano about anything other than her order and couldn't make eye contact without going completely red.

Yosano is one of the prettiest women Lucy has ever seen, smart and confident, she admires the way Yosano walks into any room and looks like she belongs there. Lucy would find herself idly watching Yosano's hands, they're always so well manicured and look like they'd be so soft to hold. The hands of a doctor, they move with skilled purpose, even when just holding her coffee cup.

It was Yosano who started talking to Lucy first. Just casual topics, "Has it been busy today?" type of thing and Lucy nearly fell over herself to answer at first, but it quickly became easier to talk to Yosano. She has such an inviting smile and her laughter is like music to Lucy. Even when Yosano is complaining about her work load, Lucy can't help but be enthralled.

Yosano starts coming in to the cafe more regularly, taking her lunch breaks down there, or stopping in after work. She always sits near Lucy and waits to be served by her. Lucy has her order memorized so they get to talking immediately.

Yosano has invited Lucy out, she suggests they should go shopping together and get lunch out sometime, that way Lucy doesn't have to be distracted by her work whilst they talk. She wants to take Lucy sightseeing, show her more of Yokohama and build up her confidence about living in a new city.

Lucy can't help but feel like half the places Yosano suggests are dating spots, but that must be her imagination. Surely. The compliments Yosano pays her and the way Lucy's also caught Yosano watching her when she thinks she's not looking, must be a coincidence.