Odazai

Odazai is the slash ship between Oda Sakunosuke and Osamu Dazai from the Bungou Stray Dogs fandom.

Canon
Oda was Dazai’s best friend, and as Dazai stated, the only one who came close to understanding him and seeing through the facade Dazai held. Oda was Dazai’s only true intimate friend who meant so much to him. Along with Ango they were drinking buddies and close friends. They would meet up at the Bar Lupin and discuss their grievances and various topics, and Dazai showed great joy whenever he was around Oda, always smiling and showing his soft side toward him. Both Beast Dazai and the original Dazai regret being unable to read Oda’s novel. Dazai showed no hesitancy in doing favors for Oda despite being an executive; Dazai urges Oda to accept his favors and assistance. Despite bantering and acting childishly towards Oda, Dazai took his words very seriously.

Members of the Port Mafia remarked how it was odd that the lowest-ranking member was friends with an executive. However, behind Oda's back, Dazai warned them about the mafioso's strength and skills that surpass even Akutagawa's, indicating his firm belief in Oda's capabilities as a gifted marksman and member of mafia. Oda shows great awe at Dazai's abilities (such as his mobile skills and quick deduction); however, he often worries for Dazai and sees him as more than just the Demon Prodigy of the Port Mafia.

Years and years after Oda’s death, Dazai would continually recall Oda in his thoughts and contemplations. He would frequent Bar Lupin and reminisce past conversations with Oda by himself, as well as visit Oda's grave. The brief moments of pure sincerity of Dazai in the series have always been related to Oda. It is also hinted in many instances that Dazai's advice and thought processes stem from or are influenced by his interactions with and remembrance of Oda; when he tells Kyouka a former assassin can change into a good person, recalling a mafioso who does not kill when Atsushi tells Dazai of Akutagawa's vow to not kill, and how the ones who truly make the world turn are those who act according to uncertainty.

In Beast, Oda is the only one who Dazai cares of and goes through a five-phase plan to ensure the timeline’s safety. Beast Dazai's only longing was to achieve that same friendship at the Bar Lupin; however, we see how much Dazai cares for Oda, putting aside his own desires to ensure a universe where Oda could live his dream away from killing and safe as a writer. Before Beast Dazai commits suicide he glumly states his only regret was that he wished he could have read Oda’s novel.

As the friendship among the Buraiha trio started to collapse upon Ango’s betrayal, Dazai confessed to Oda and Ango that he knew very well about the intrinsic probability of losing the ones he does not wish to lose the most, hence anticipating such thing to happen anytime in his life. Dazai later opened up to Oda that he joined the Mafia in his quest to find a reason to live. He thought that being close to death and violence would make him witness the rawness and inner nature of humankind firsthand.

However, though Dazai asked Oda to expect good things to come and redirect his focus on other aspects of life, Dazai was unable to dissuade Oda from heading into the Mimic battle alone to get revenge. Dazai requested Mori to send reinforcements for Oda for the mere reason that he was his friend amidst Mori's reproach. When Dazai caught up to Oda's location, he arrived at the sight of Oda and André Gide having shot each other. This was the only moment in the series where Dazai showed immense grief and horror as Oda laid dying. Dazai gripped Oda in his arms, the former advising Dazai to turn to the side that saves people and become a good man who saves the weak and protects orphans, knowing that good and evil mean little to him. Oda believed that it would make Dazai a bit better, a final thought he imparted to Dazai as his friend. As a result, Oda became the reason Dazai left the Port Mafia.

Anime
Dark Era:=

Dark Era
In the anime adaptation of Dark Era, Dazai and Oda, along with Ango Sakaguchi, used to drink together at Bar Lupin. However, it doesn't appear that Dazai drank what he ordered- he only talks to Oda and Ango, occasionally tapping his finger on his glass or playing with the rim.

The pair met Ango when the man was doing a ‘unique job’ (he was writing about people that had passed, not merely seeing them as numbers), and both Oda and Dazai previously had gone dumpster diving due to the duty of their job that day, so when Ango refused to go to Bar Lupin with them to find out his deal, they teamed up to give him a gross hug and force him into compliance- and it really seemed to pay off, as ever since that moment they’d been a trio to the inevitable end, even displayed in ''Wan! Dark Era''.

A lot of times when Oda is around, Dazai seems to be happier and his facial expressions soften with sincere smiles; these types of things are also noted in the light novel, and compared to how everyone else sees Dazai in the mafia at this time, it’s clear Oda is most likely the only one that truly gets to see this side of Dazai, hence why Dazai feels comfortable to act in these ‘out of character’ ways.

For a majority of the anime adaption, it’s the Buraiha trio hanging out at the Bar Lupin. We see how much Dazai trusts Oda, and the two suspect Ango as a traitor and start to investigate Mimic. However, after Mimic starts to become a threat to the Port Mafia, Mori ends up getting Oda involved in a scheme- one that takes Oda’s children and makes him take on André Gide in a battle that takes both their lives too, and it’s also revealed that Ango had all along been a spy for the government.

Dazai shows great heartbreak at Ango's betrayal, stating how "once you get your hands on something worth going for, you lose it." He confesses to Oda he knew this would happen to eventually everything he cares for.

When Dazai arrives at the scene of Oda's death, he clutches Oda's dying body and screams out in grief upon seeing Oda bleed out. This was one of the only times Dazai had shown any emotion in the series. He clenches his fist coated in Oda's blood and calls him an idiot, shaking as he hears Oda’s last words. What he says in the novel is slightly different from what is expressed in the adaptation. Dazai begs Oda what he could do now after this, desperate. Oda imparts his final words to Dazai, seeing him as an intimate friend and understanding the facade of Dazai. He tells him whether you're a good or bad person, be on the side that saves people. He tells him to protect the weak and help the orphans; this is notably why Dazai takes in Atsushi. Oda says he knows about the light and the darkness of Dazai because he is Dazai’s friend.

Oda's hand on the side of Dazai’s head falls, slipping the bandage on Dazai's eye off. In the novel, Oda lets Dazai light his cigarette one last time before dying. Dazai then stands in the room alone, and weeks later, he meets with Chief Taneda, asking him for a job where he can help people, taking Oda’s words deep in his heart.


 * -|Dead Apple:=

Dead Apple
In one of the first scenes of the movie, we can see Dazai sitting by Odasaku's grave. Atsushi notices him and starts a conversation with Dazai, claiming that Kunikida sent him as there’s a meeting he should be a part of. Here, we find out a little more about Oda and Dazai’s relationship despite Oda not being around to give his side or reactions.

Dazai rests his head on the gravestone and whenever Atsushi says this person must have been important, Dazai asks him why he’d think that. He doesn’t draw himself away from giving answers for long, eventually answering after he’s asked if Oda was a lover, claiming that if Oda was a woman, he would have gone with him in a double suicide. He also tells Atsushi that he’s the reason that he’s not in the mafia anymore, killing without an ounce of sympathy- then quickly tells him that was a joke before walking off and saying he doesn’t want to go to the meeting. During this scene he shows the brief sincerity and grief.

Light Novels
The Day I Picked Up Dazai (A):=

The Day I Picked Up Dazai
''Spoiler warnings ahead for this Light Novel, as not many have read it yet. To avoid fully, click the ‘Beast AU’ tab since even if you have not read Beast either, its conclusion is much smaller and easier to scroll past.''

In Part 1 of The Day I Picked Up Dazai is when Dazai Osamu and Oda Sakunosuke meet, and this novel is written almost entirely in the point of view of Oda. They meet when Oda goes outside of his house and spots a body on the ground with several gunshot wounds; this body belongs to Dazai of course. After some internal conflict from Oda who seriously considers leaving the guy outside, he eventually drags the body inside his house despite the trouble it may bring later, taking a stack of notes found in Dazai’s hand, a potential ‘supernote’, that proves him to be dangerous if not the fact he’s almost been killed in an act of unnecessary aggression.

When Dazai wakes up, it’s after Oda has applied some simple medical care to the wounds, and goes to his phone. However, whenever he goes to the phone, Dazai tells him to put it down or else he’ll kill him- once Dazai is questioned how he’d do so from the unbothered captor, he informs Oda he is Port Mafia. Naturally, Oda puts the phone back down, making Dazai chuckle.

The two talk like the situation is normal while Oda continues to make his coffee, and in the process it’s mentioned to the boy that all he has performed is some emergency aid and he ought to go see a doctor or he will die. Dazai says he’s used to injuries, and if he really does die, then he’s fine to be left like that.

"I look at the young man. He is just staring at the ceiling. No emotions, no intents. Just a flat expression, like one who is just telling his age. I cannot believe my own eyes. I don’t even feel like there is a human there."

To that, Oda says he can do what he wants, but he doesn’t want to be dragged into it and potentially be arrested. A series of questions is asked to Dazai which go ignored as coffee continues being made, so Oda pops his head out to find the young man trying to crawl pathetically out of the door, and noticing hes being watched, says if he doesn’t want to be involved then he can just stay there and let him crawl out, hooking his arms on the wood like he’s from an old war movie since his legs hadn’t gained their strength back yet. Oda asks another question, does he want to die that much? Dazai replies that of course, that he joined the Port Mafia but still didn’t find anything, as if he expected Oda to be able to know that beforehand. Since he didn’t find what he wanted on the mafia, he claims all he wants is death in a ‘soul-deprived gasp’. He then starts to crawl again, Oda sipping his drink and watching due to how slow he’s going.

Noticing that Dazai keeps moving and truly intends to leave, he decides to wrap Dazai up in a blanket and lob him over his shoulder, taking him into a room like he’s a large candy in a wrapper. This causes pain to Dazai and he immediately resorts to whining, saying he hates pain and such, calling Oda a blockhead since this treatment would land him dead to the PM.

Its clear his threats aren’t taken seriously since he ends up managing to tie Dazai down to a bed anyways, telling Dazai that until his wounds heal, he’s to stay like that. With spite, the boy mentions his nose itches, an unsympathetic response being: ‘Poor you’. Oda leaves the room with insults echoing behind him.

"And so begins the strange and short communal life of me and Dazai together."

In Part 2, Oda calls Dazai a weird guy with the overwhelming presence akin to a burnt black cat. Dazai at this time is apparently a man of few words, and he has a voice that rejects mutual understanding from the very beginning. Oda thinks that Dazai knows no one will understand him, since he speaks in a tone that indicates such. Oda does not understand why Dazai sees life as an ugly scrap of metal, ponders if he ever could know.

At the start of ‘their communal life’, Dazai constantly makes chaos of himself- complaining about Oda’s existence to the very end, about his meals, his sleep, his nursing, and anything he can think of. Oda claims he could have whimpered like a nine year old girl at the tyranny, but ultimately believes Dazai’s criticism is nothing but a tool to deter him, to make Oda kick him out as if he doesn’t care anymore. He won’t allow the boy that victory. Dazai complains about his porridge being hot and getting in his eye, not yet finishing his bites before Oda goes to give him another. Dazai is only allowed to the toilet twice a day, apparently even Port Mafia prisoners have more freedom than that. Dazai also seems to dislike the fact Oda reads to him, the same book with no end pages, and ‘you don’t read to someone his age’. To all of this, Oda takes it as very good acting and continues.

After a few days of this, Dazai gives up, saying Oda is a complete airhead and can’t get through to him. He changes his tactic and opts to start demanding specific things instead of merely complaining. Dazai goes through a list of foods he wants, all of which are poisonous and send Oda on a journey from shops to hills seemingly unknowing. The boy admits he’s come to the conclusion that Oda doesn’t have any other intention than to heal him, now with his two arms free but his legs still tied down. He complains about his lack of entertainment, then.

Taking note of that complaint, Oda suggests they play a game, and they agree on doing a bet for stakes; if one of them loses, they give the winner one of their own secrets. Confidently, Dazai claims that he has never once lost at poker, and Oda ought to lose… Only… He wins. Every single time. It drives Dazai’s ego down with his head that hits the table, his lips spilling another one of his (or, Mori’s) secrets. Although, he does notice, and confront Oda on cheating. Oda admits he used his ability to predict Dazai’s moves to counterattack, and at the boys despair says he’ll forget everything that he was told since he hardly cared in the first place and just wanted for Dazai to have a way to kill time. After Dazai says ‘he can’t just forget it all’, he complains about how Mori will scold him when he finds out, but Oda asks who Mori even is, despite being told in their game. To that, Dazai wonders if he really forgot, and wasn’t joking- he often misunderstands if the man is joking as he always says everything with a straight face.

In Part 3, it’s said that many days had already passed and Dazai’s injuries have gone past the most difficult part of healing and he’s getting better- Oda notes that while Dazai really should be in pain from the wounds burning, he is oddly carefree. Oda also deemed that Dazai isn’t going to run away and so his legs get untied from the bed, allowing full freedom to roam the house, but Oda does keep the door locked.

Oda describes that the day is pleasant, yet when a scent drifts into his nose, he’s reminded of his past that sullies the mood; yet he still scolds himself for letting himself be brought down like that. When Dazai asks what he’s thinking about, he admits he was thinking of his old job, telling Dazai it wasn’t anything big but it was violent and he quit. Oda avoids the question of ‘violent in what way’, so Dazai gives up and says if he doesn’t want to talk about it it’s fine, as their relationship is over as soon as he’s healed. Oda agrees to this- but he adds on that he knows Dazai will most likely end his life elsewhere, but wants to take a guess on why Dazai wants to die.

"You want to die because you are a fool."

This startles Dazai, evident in his eyes, and silence fills the room, only the sound of the floorboards creaking as Dazai shifts his weight awkwardly and the sound of a dog barking from afar still in the air. After a while, Dazai just says that that’s interesting.

"When Dazai says so, his eyes look different from those of any human being. Those are wounds. A pair of open wounds on his face, from which darkness is peeping out."

Dazai claims that Oda talks big for a postman, but also that he’s not the first to say such a thing- though, he never found out why those people called him a fool to want to die, because everyone is dead. And he says this with a face described as a black wall at the end of a road that leaves you no way to go. It’s here that Oda mentions a place, and if one were to die without going there then they can’t be called anything but a fool. Answering the inquiry of what place, he says it’s quiet and not far away, and you don’t need qualifications to be there- in fact, not many people even enjoy the true value of the place. Dazai says he’s speaking in riddles and takes it as Oda trying to catch his attention, but Oda tells him doing such a thing would be useless against an opponent like Dazai. Side-eyeing the man, Dazai admits he really cannot read Oda at all, proving that he’s still trying to see signs of danger to combat, yet there are none for once.

When Dazai laughs, Oda notes that it’s more like Dazai is laughing at the situation itself and not at Oda. He feels like the gravity in the room becomes normal, somehow. The two of them debate over the meaning of life, in which we get a lot of introspection from Dazai. In the end, the debates end up useless, since Oda realises that any counter argument he thinks of saying has already been counter argued in Dazai’s head, showing how Dazai’s darkness and suicidal ideation has no end, and has already been hopelessly debated in his own head to the point he can respond as if he has a script. But, Dazai claims that his philosophies aren’t even why he wants to die and he’s merely putting a play on his words, since what he feels can’t be spoken by actual words. Oda agrees that some things can’t be spoken by words, and only a person themselves can truly understand their own world.

Their conversation while quite pointless, doesn’t deter Oda from calling him a fool once more. Dazai exaggerates his ‘okay, okay’, and says he doesn’t care to correct Oda on that, but asks once more about ‘that place’. Oda simply says if he goes then he’ll know, as if ‘the place’ is also something that cannot be put into words. Oda also claims that in this situation, in most situations in fact, words aren’t to be trusted. Dazai mocks him, saying he says such a thing yet likes novels. Humbly, Oda admits that yes he does, and that’s why he’s troubled.

Dazai laughs at that, described as genuine and natural than before, calling Oda interesting, and saying he doesn’t hate that Oda is humble.

"I don’t hate spending time in this house either, not as much as I thought."

In Part 4, there’s a sudden knock on Oda’s door. It’s the police, coming to check his house since someone reported Dazai’s body on the ground outside. Thinking over his odds, Oda has another moral conflict within himself like he had in the first part, not knowing whether to harbour Dazai the criminal and risk arrest, or to put his calm life first. He comes to the eventual conclusion that pretending to not be home is the only way to get out of either confrontation.

The pair hide behind the bed, until Dazai taps his shoulder to remind him the kettle water is boiling, which will blow a loud whistle when it’s done. Oda knows that if he goes over there then the floors will creak. Not knowing what to do, Dazai seems to take the hint and does a series of gestures with his hands that communicate quite obviously that Oda should tip toe to the kitchen and turn it off. Yet, Oda doesn’t understand, he nods at it- yet asks what he means. In a soft voice, Dazai says ‘I know right’, and whispers the plan instead, saying he can’t do it because he can’t walk well in his condition.

In a funny display that makes Dazai burst into small laughs, and makes Oda think ‘if someone were to a photograph what he was doing and put it to the public, he’d move to another city on the same day’, he finally gets to the kettle- but, once he gets there, remembers Dazai. Dazai comes up with the plan to jump out the door with a gun so he’d be shot dead, and while doing so alerts the police who demand they open the door. To stop Dazai from making further noise, he sweeps the boys legs and holds Dazai down in a chokehold, while Dazai struggles happily and kicks his feet; in truth, to try knock the knife on Oda’s counter down and impale the man. Eventually, Oda chokes him unconscious and survives… Yet, the cops have already broken in, and it turns out they’re not cops at all, and throw gas bombs at the two, and whenever Oda tries to run away, he surrenders when they threaten to shoot Dazai. Before passing out, he thinks back to how he should have kicked Dazai down the stairs when he found his dying body in front of his door.

Part 5 starts quite Oda focused, as Dazai is held in a separate torture room. They meet back up while Oda is checking his nails on his cuffed hands for the umpteenth time. The true plot of the novel, which I won’t reveal here, is said through a couple of chapters, but Dazai cuts it off the conversation when he sees it’s a dead end and asks what they’re going to do next. Oda finds it strange that Dazai retreated meekly since if Dazai could make Oda spill his secret then he’d be able to get out of here, yet Dazai’s eye are quiet with gentle indifference, and Oda cannot tell why.

Oda tells him that a jailbreak is the only next move, and he has something to get them out, but there’s one problem- Dazai doesn’t want to escape. After being told he doesn’t want to escape, Dazai puzzled ot asks if Oda would help him do so; yet Oda replies saying there’s no reason to do so as Dazai will be dead soon anyways. Just when Dazai seems to accept Oda will leave him there, Oda suddenly determinedly says he’ll take Dazai with him even if he has to tie a rope around Dazai’s neck, which surprises the boy- makes him wonder if all along, Oda was a pushy type of guy. Oda tells Dazai that once he’s made his mind up, he is, and he’s determined now because he doesn’t like the people that have got them captive.

"Dazai, if I ask, will you come with me?"

"Well I wonder, I’m not that kind of nice guy that listens to others requests that easily. Everyone has a hard time getting me to do anything. What can you offer?"

"You think I can give you what you want?"

"I don’t know.” Dazai smiles as if he has given up. “I really don’t know. I have never met anyone like you before. That’s why I’m asking you."

Oda thinks back to the times Dazai has expressed his wish to die, and accepts that what Dazai wants cannot be handed to him as it is not an object. Instead, he says, if they leave this place, they can immediately go to ‘that place’, right away. Oda also says Dazai is right, and there’s no good or bad in wanting to die, because while things seem important they are ultimately worthless, in fact, life and death may not matter at all. ‘That place’ may be nothing like Dazai’s expectations, a hunk of junk…

"But what if it’s different?"

The man claims he’s never tried to get so close to somebody’s heart before, and doubts he did it well, but he can’t find much regret, as he believes one day, he will say something that strikes with Dazai in the future. Dazai stutters as he explains he doesn’t expect that much from ‘that place’ like Oda seems to think. Instead of going with a more logical answer, Oda tells Dazai that if Dazai is to die, Oda will build a tomb that tells anyone who goes there that Dazai never beat Oda Sakunosuke at poker. To that threat, Dazai stutters again to say it can’t be helped and, right, they must escape after all.

It turns out, that the thing Oda mentioned to get them both out was Dazai himself, since he can pick locks- Oda noticed it since Dazai was never truly tied down to the bed. Dazai gets both their cuffs unlocked and they start to leave the room. Dazai wonders, how long had it been since he has a place he’s wanted to go, and even if there is nothing at the place, it’ll be fine as it is.

In Part 6, the two of them are walking in an underground bunker with their hands on the walls to move forward. Some more plot spoilers are revealed, but it all leads to Oda turning around to ask a question, only, Dazai is further away than he expected and crouched down with his hand on the wall to stabilise himself. With shallow breaths, Dazai tells him to go ahead without him as he must have been drugged in their earlier capture. Able to see a bullet pierce a blood flower in Dazai’s chest, he grabs Dazai and moves them away from danger quickly, to a pillar.

While Oda is confronted by the organisation, he moves his posture to cover Dazai from harm. Eventually, Oda asks them that if he surrenders, will they let Dazai go, to which they reply yes- they had no care for him in the first place, only his connection to Oda himself. Dazai watches him begin to be detained with a distant face, yet he doesn’t say anything. When Oda is fully detained, one of the other men at the scene tells another to finish off the ‘bandaged brat’. Flatly, Oda says to Dazai that he’s thirsty, and they should leave, before Dazai flops to the ground to avoid bullets and Oda starts to injure the attackers.

By the end of the fight, Dazai realises with genuine awe that Oda only shot either their arms or legs to make them immobile and to not kill them. It’s not the act itself that makes him so intrigued, but rather the motivations as to why Oda wouldn’t simply have them dead.

"Really, there are so many things I want to hear from you. Let’s get out of here first."

Before ending the part off, it’s revealed that Dazai has not once so far called Oda by a name, and Dazai asks what he should call him. Oda tells him to call him what he wants, and Dazai calls Oda a fool for not killing the people that’ll keep coming after him if they stay alive- in reference to Oda calling Dazai a fool earlier.

In the Final Part, Oda and Dazai escape, caked in grime and blood, complaining about their energy. While on their way, Oda goes to light a cigarette, yet notes Dazai is underage and puts the packet away. Noticing this, Dazai says he can smoke if he wants. (Most likely used to it, since in the Dazai, Chuuya, Fifteen novel, one of the first paragraphs entails Mori smoking with Dazai in the medical room).

They enter a quiet store, and Oda leads Dazai to a staircase. ‘That Place’ is revealed to be Bar Lupin, void of any other guests apart for the bartender cleaning a glass. The man admits to Dazai that he has been tricked, it’s nothing but an ordinary bar, and there is no secrecy about the place. Oda says that there was no way a guy like him could know something the high and mighty Dazai didn’t, and notes that they were both thirsty before this interaction, and asks for his usual drink.

"Dazai still stands in the bar with a discontent face. But after looking at the seat, the bartender, then me, he slowly sits down."

Having sat down and ordered a drink, Dazai hesitantly asks if Oda lied to save the ‘suicidal him’ from dying, but Oda tells him that he’s not that kind of admirable person; there was merely someone younger than him but smarter than him and he wanted to tease them. That’s all. Dazai spends some time looking at Oda, trying to find a meaning to his words, but he eventually gives up and again expresses his inability to read Oda. After noticing this, Oda tells him he shouldn’t be upset because at least there are two things in the world that they can believe for sure: Dazai hasn’t beaten him at poker yet, and a dead person will forever lose the chance to play poker with the living. Dazai laughs, saying he’ll get rid of that leeway soon enough.

As if a new chapter was written into the page of a book, Oda and Dazai begin to talk endlessly about trivial things while playing poker. They speak about their jobs, their favourite stores, their hobbies, and about books. There’s clinking of glasses and they occasionally lean over to tell more secret stories. In one example Oda gives of their multiple conversations, Dazai ponders why such a good guy like him is doing such a boring job, told by Oda it’s all he really can do. Dazai gets shocked and confused whenever Oda explains a scenario at his simple job that sounded more like a battlefield, and Dazai gets angry that Oda didn’t tell him all this while he was bored in recovery.

"Dazai’s expression changes. That is the face of an angry kid."

Oda apologises, and Dazai demands another drink while outraged still. They manage to continue conversation anyways, laughing loudly and talking more about insane stories that have happened in their work places despite being somewhat gruesome.

"The music flows. The time flows. Down our throats, the drink from the glasses flows. Our words too, quietly come out, and flow away into nowhere."

A while later, Dazai decides to call Oda ‘Odasaku’, since he’s too strange for a short name, and his full name is too long. When Oda asks if he can change it, he’s told no, so he simply goes along with it.

"If I had left Dazai there and closed my door, what would become of us?"

After ordering food, they continued talking even more, and Dazai eventually says it’s been a long time since he’s ever talked so much. Oda deals a card for what time he can’t remember, and informs him that it’s almost closing time for the bar, asking if Dazai is going home after all of this. He nods.

"When are we meeting next?"

"Dazai must have known that it is not a normal thing to ask. That should be some sort of a magic word, more special than any line I have ever heard. But Dazai is just waiting for my answer with his light and innocent smile; as if it is just like inhaling and exhaling for him."

Oda struggles to find the words to respond to the asked questions, mentioning Dazai seems like a busy person, but would want to if Dazai wants to- meet again that is. Finally, at this moment, Dazai also manages to beat Oda in poker after finding a crack in Oda’s skill: Flawless. If he waited seven seconds or more after their previous bet, then Oda would not be able to see him switch his cards. Dazai also reveals that the whole time, the conversation had also worked as a camouflage so Oda didn’t catch on, but it’s evident there’s more to it as when there’s a slight confrontation, Dazai gets embarrassed and is seen to be caught of guard.

Dazai begins to switch Oda’s pronoun from ‘boku’ to ‘watashi’, ‘boku’ usually used for younger boys, while ‘watashi’ is more formal, considered a sign of growth- this is followed by Dazai’s smile being described as more mature than it was just a moment ago. Oda shakes his head, thinking that so many things have happened that day. Finally answering Dazai’s question, Oda says he can’t be sure when they would next meet since the problem of that organisation coming back to get him is likely.

Ending the novel off, Dazai tells him that he can escape all of that worry about his past catching up with a simple solution; Dazai claims if Oda dies without going there then he’s a fool. The Port Mafia.

There is also a ‘Side B’ to this novel, hence why this tab has an (A) next to it. Side B is yet to be added to the wiki but will be added hopefully soon, along with the Dark Era light novel. Side B entails how these events go in the Beast universe where Dazai has knowledge on how everything goes in this canon version, and can alter the plot in a way so that it ends differently; more desirably.


 * -|Beast AU:=

Beast
In the Beast novel, Dazai created a singularity using his ability and was able to read the memories of the thousands of Dazais in countless universes, giving him a large outlook on his own life and it’s possibilities depending on his moves; each like butterfly effects that could lead to the universe he is in going downhill, causing him to be even more stuck to his own devices, going as far as to become the boss of the Port Mafia despite being seemingly disgusted at the idea, and also at the idea of Mori being different, giving up his own chance at a normal life all the while to make his plans work; his plan being give Oda a normal life where he can fulfill his dream of being a writer.

Dazai remains somewhat stoic and reminiscent throughout the majority of Beast, he mostly kept to himself- quote and quote ‘antagonizing everyone to help the world’. The most notable sight of the Dazai we know going through to Beast, is whenever Beast Dazai enters Bar Lupin to meet Oda in the last volume, Volume 4. In this verse, in ‘The Day I Picked Up Dazai’, Dazai did not once speak to Oda until the end, urging him to join the Armed Detective Agency instead of the Port Mafia. Oda does not know that the man that told him to go there is Dazai, and yet here; they meet like one-sided, long term, friends. When the two meet in Bar Lupin, Oda is shown in the same café, but with Dazai replacing the figure of Natsume.

Oda is hostile to Dazai after a while, after finding out who Dazai is, despite the fact Dazai was completely welcoming and polite to him, even encouraging his writing- their conversations so far has gone in a usual ‘Dazai talks, Oda listens’ way. This is due to the fact that this Dazai has had to sacrifice the redemption and understanding that came with the original Dazai that made their relationship spark in the first place, all to keep Oda and others alive, and guide him to a better place than Dazai had once regrettably taken him.

The only time Dazai manages to save Oda is when they’re not friends at all. Dazai prefers a world that would hurt to say goodbye to, and most definitely a world where Oda manages to get a happy ending, even if he’ll never get to see it. He remarks how he wishes for the same friendship at the Bar Lupin, however, fate simply won't allow this.

"This is the only world where he’s alive and writing a novel. I can’t let that world be wiped away."

"But you know- I do have one regret. That I’ll never be able to read the novel you will one day finish."

From their interactions, it seems as though Dazai brings up some gruesome situations from his past for laughs like they had done before when they first met in the original verse, when they first went to Bar Lupin; trying to recreate them. He also tells Oda that the tofu he had made in the original verse (referenced in Dark Era) he had been working on for a long time and he managed to perfect it but he better watch out when he tries it for himself as someone broke their tooth with it. The conversation ends up poorly, with a gun pointed to Dazai, and Oda telling him to not call him by the nickname ‘Odasaku’ since they were enemies.

Dazai gives a look of hurt when Oda antagonizes Dazai, only showing how much Oda means to Dazai.

"The young man suddenly seemed to have trouble breathing. His expression was distorted and his line of sight drew meaningless figures in the air. He opened and closed his mouth. He fought against something invisible."

Dazai tells him that as soon as he is finished with what he needed to do, the mafia would cause them no more trouble, and again that he did everything to keep the world safe and he had no intentions of harming Oda- wouldn’t even think of it. But Oda struggles to believe the boss of the Port Mafia wouldn’t have illest intentions.

He explains to Oda that it was hard to take on Mimic without him there, and also that he didn’t want to be the boss of the Port Mafia in the first place in desperation for Oda to understand, evident through his painful expressions, his eyes wide and irises white. In the end, it’s hopeless, and Dazai must leave, saying if Oda is to shoot him, to not do it in Bar Lupin- this seems to be to keep its innocence, as the figures of original Dazai and Ango show up behind him with smiles, who if they were there would most likely not understand the scene of Oda and Dazai against each other with so much hatred evident, Beast Dazai much like a parent trying to keep their children away from bodies in the basement.

Oda does Dazai one last favour and puts his gun away when he is asked. Dazai thanks him before leaving. He bids a melancholy farewell and Oda would say goodbye too.

After deeming Dazai had done enough, he finishes his final act, leaving the world behind while his subordinates from both worlds, Akutagawa and Atsushi, watch with shock- left with the words that revealed they’re not in an ‘original world’, and that danger of the Guild and the Rats would be on their way.

Dazai remarks his only regret was being unable to read Oda's novel.

Moments
Twitter Events:= On July 7th in 2016 was when the first Q&A event was introduced on the official Twitter, and a new one was held on different events up until 2020. In these events, the characters in the show were asked a series of questions each time and they gave their answers accordingly. In the events (this link leads to a page of the pictures to go with the text) there’s also a series of small conversations between Oda and Dazai, mostly in the Gakuen AU as in the canon, Dazai is only left to reminisce what once was.

On July 7th in 2016, the first Twitter event, a Tanabata event, was held. This is in the canon verse, and the third question the characters are asked in their interview is ‘is there anyone they want to meet’ since that’s what Tanabata is about. Dazai says that dead people don’t come back, and that’s why nobody wants to meet the stars.
 * -|Tanabata=

On December 24th, 2016, the characters were asked Christmas related questions. On the fourth question they are asked what gifts they wish to receive, since the time of year naturally brings the thought to mind. Dazai solemnly answers that all he needs is some good sake and a quiet night, and then, ‘tonight too’. When the last part is said, there is another section of a flashback to the Buraiha trio clinking their glasses, toasting to the stray dogs.
 * -|Christmas Eve=

The first sight of the Gakuen AU in the Twitter events is on April 1st in 2017 for April Fools, and their first task in the interview in this event is to introduce themselves. While Dazai’s section doesn’t have much to say on his and Oda’s relationship, Oda’s does. He first introduces himself as a Japanese Teacher, and his friend calls him ‘Odasaku’. He then goes on to talk about eating curry three times a week, not necessarily because he likes it, but just because he’s made it a habit to do so. It appears at the end of his interview he’s asked about Dazai, who seems to have a reputation of staying back for years due to suicide attempts, and quickly dismisses himself from the conversation, saying ‘they’ll talk about it later’.
 * -|Gakuen AU=

When Dazai is asked to talk about his favourite class, he says he’s not a fan of classes at all; because he doesn’t like being locked in a small room and to listen to what he’s being told without understanding anything. He claims he doesn’t even have a way to kill time, especially during Physical Education since it’s cold and he can’t sleep in the infirmary because Akutagawa is always there- he also complains that Kunikida is noisy, and notes that Yosano was skipping class. But supposedly, on that day, he ran into Odasaku, making a point to say that it wasn’t so bad. When Oda is asked, in the end of his answer he also mentions the scenario, saying it seemed Dazai was taking his class seriously when he ran into him, then wonders just how long Dazai will be in High School.

In Question 3, a continuation, Dazai is complaining that it’s a pain when Odasaku is there, only because whenever he is he has to take school seriously and go to sleep at the right time. He then rants about how he’s hungry and tired but he can’t be bothered to make food, asking the meal to come to him with slurred words. Oda continues his interview again, talking about curry. He says he was thinking about having it but he also had it the day prior, so instead he made a stew. He claims he made too much and had leftovers, and then took them to Dazai because ‘he was probably roaming the floor because making food is too much of a bother’. Supposedly, Dazai has lived next to Oda for a long time alone.

The next time the Gakuen AU is mentioned in the Twitter events is again on April 1st but this time in the year 2018. They are again asked to introduce themselves, and again Oda is mainly the one to give some insight on how their relationship goes in this verse. Dazai has a small moment where he mentions Oda, as Oda had just recently become a student teacher at the school so now he has to be diligent at school and go to bed early to get up early, claiming he can only stay up late on Fridays. When Oda introduces himself here, he claims his friends call him Odasaku, potentially meaning he’s made other friends that call him that, and he is a trainee Japanese teacher. He says that in the mornings, since he and Dazai live next to each other, he taps on the wall to wake him up- ever the light sleeper. In his introduction he also says the school has a calico cat, most likely Natsume, and he pets it, then when it gets chilly he picks the cat up to keep it warm. Apparently, the school president, Fukuzawa, stares at him when he does so, and Oda wonders what his gaze means.

Met with the question ‘what did you do today’, Dazai responds saying the weather was heavy, the wind making the cherry blossoms dance dreamily. On his way to the student council room, since he’s a member of it, he found Oda in the principals room, and later when they got home planned to make fun of Oda for standing with Mori with his back stretched out like a teacher. He claims that Oda always makes too much (overcooked) curry so he’ll have a chance to make fun of him then. He also says then, that if that’s the plan, then he can’t kill himself anymore- at least not on that day.

On the second question of this event, ‘what are your plans for tomorrow’, Dazai says that the rest of the Armed Student Council is going to watch the cherry blossoms. He then talks about how one of his teachers said dead bodies are buried underneath the trees, and that he needs to make something to eat- but he only has canned crab. He hums, then calls out to Odasaku for some help. Oda says that on the next morning he’ll be standing with Fukuzawa at the gate, then have a Japanese class; he notes that a student called Nakajima likes the books he reads in the class and asks questions about them. He then hears Dazai calling him, telling the reader that sometimes thin walls come in handy, and he just made some curry he can take over to Dazai, again knowing that he’s languishing on the floor. Mori also told Oda to drag Dazai to the cherry blossom viewing the next day, since when Mori waved at Dazai, Dazai ignored him so he got emotional, claiming Dazai is awful.

In the Bungou Stray Dogs game there is also a card of Dazai called ‘Bundled Up’. In his home screen quotes, there are mentions of similar events from this verse: Dazai claiming that he needs to go to school seriously now that the new teacher, Odasaku, has an eye on him.

Oda Cards (BSD Game):= In Oda’s card (this link leads to a display of all his cards) called ‘Bygone Days’, the events are linked to the same events of Dazai’s ‘Unawaking Dream’ card; in which the two are back in Dark Era, and Oda had failed to reach out and stop Dazai from walking closer to a gun. Notably, in his quotes, it seems as though he tells Dazai that the sight of him looking like a kid on the verge of tears was burned into his mind, and also doubts that if their relationship was to break apart he’d ever be able to form a similar bond with anyone ever again.

In Oda’s ‘Summer Vacation’ card, Oda is with the rest of the Buraiha trio and is watching the sky, looking out to Dazai who is in the water to ensure he doesn’t try to kill himself. In his home quotes, he tells Dazai to not go too far into the water or he won’t be able to swim back.

In Oda’s card, ‘Fate’, it features his battle against Gide. In the home quotes, he says what he had said the same in the anime adaption; that he had one regret- not being able to say goodbye to Dazai. He also says to Dazai that he wishes he could have been more intrusive, stepped into Dazai’s loneliness and gotten to the bottom of it.

Continuing the Gakuen AU, in his card ‘New Semester’ it’s claimed he’s a new teacher and his calm tone and teaching skills makes him popular. In his home quotes, he mentions that a student called him ‘Odasaku’, and wonders how that got started. From what we can assume about Dazai’s character, when Oda asks a student to stay awake, we can figure it may be him that is sleeping in class too.

In Dazai’s card (this link leads to a display of all his cards) called ‘Unwaking Dreams’, it features a picture of Dazai walking away from Oda like he had in Dark Era after he told a sniper who had their gun pointed to him to ‘wake him up from this oxidised dream’. Apparently, only he knows the meaning behind those words. In his home quotes, it also features parts from the scene where Dazai tells Oda that he joined the mafia looking for something. Another quote is him saying that people should forget what they owe others, since they never remember what they’re owed anyways.
 * -|Dazai Cards (BSD Game):=

In his ‘Summer Vacation’ card, a card that has the whole Buraiha linked to it in a connected game event, Dazai is using a sparkler while in the water, ‘a far car from his blood-filled days as the youngest underboss in Port Mafia history’. In his home quotes it says that he writes something with his sparkler and calls out to Oda and Ango, asking if they knew what he wrote. Since it disappears within seconds, he giggles and says it’s a secret.

In the ‘The Dark Age’ card, the image is of Dazai looking down at his hand after Oda dies. His home quotes entail the same scene that occurred when Dazai reached out to Oda as he walked into a suicide mission; telling Oda to listen to him (also said in Beast), and that he figured he might find a reason to live in reference to the mafia. His last quote says, “Odasaku, you were my friend. You mean the world to me…”.

In the ‘Reminiscence’ card, Dazai is at Oda’s grave, linking to events in Dead Apple. His memo informs us that it’s after he’s told Atsushi about his past then brushed it all off as a lie, again, ‘the only one that knows what truly happened is Dazai’. His home quotes have him, of course, reminiscing on how he managed to leave the mafia.

In a Dead Apple extract, both Oda and Dazai talk about what they do on their free day. For Oda, his text claims him to be on calls with Dazai for hours at a time, in which calls he’d merely listen and reply to whatever Dazai rants about. For Dazai, he makes a show of wanting Oda to shave off his stubble, telling the man he wants to buy Oda a razor to get rid of it- but he is denied.
 * -|Dead Apple Extract (Bonus):=

Quotes
Dark Era:= "As Dazai pointed to his forehead and approached the muzzle, the look on his face, like that of a child about to burst into tears, had already been branded upon my eyes."

- Oda describing Dazai, in Dark Era

"Perhaps someone should persistently tie Dazai up, open the lid over his chest and stuff the head of a vacuum cleaner in. They have to let Dazai, who should be screaming in pain and resisting, settle down. Following which, the difficult things in his heart must all be dragged out under the sun and stepped on mercilessly."

- Oda thinking about Dazai’s pain, in Dark Era

"… That guy is just a child who’s too smart. Just a crying child who’s been left alone in the darkness, a world of nothingness far emptier than the world we can see."

- Oda talking to Gide about Dazai, from Dark Era

"That guys head is too brilliant. That is why he’s always so lonely. Ango and I could stay by Dazai’s side because we can understand the loneliness that revolves around Dazai. Even though we are by his side, we would never step within. But now, I’m a little regretful that I never stepped into that loneliness impolitely."

- Oda thinking about Dazai, in Dark Era

''This section includes a Spoiler Warning, as this novel has not been read by many yet. If you haven’t read this novel but care for the quotes, you can find the summary of the entire thing in the ‘Light Novels’ section of this wiki.''
 * -|The Day I Picked Up Dazai (A):=

"I look at the young man. He is just staring at the ceiling. No emotions, no intents. Just a flat expression, like one who is just telling his age. I cannot believe my own eyes. I don’t even feel there is a human there."

- Oda describing Dazai, in The Day I Picked Up Dazai

"You want to die because you are a fool."

- Oda to Dazai, in The Day I Picked Up Dazai

"… Those are wounds. A pair of open wounds on his face, from which darkness is peeping out."

- Oda describing Dazai’s eyes, in The Day I Picked Up Dazai

"I don’t hate spending time in this house either, not as much as I thought."

- Dazai talking to Oda about his house, in The Day I Picked Up Dazai

"I have never met anyone like you before."

- Dazai to Oda when asked if he believes Oda can give him what he wants, in The Day I Picked Up Dazai

"Dazai blinks and looks at me. I look straight back into his eyes. I am not sure why, but it reminds me of a long time ago, from when I was a boy."

- Oda thinking about Dazai’s eyes, in The Day I Picked Up Dazai

"Really, there are so many things I want to hear from you."

- Dazai to Oda after seeing how he fights, in The Day I Picked Up Dazai

"As I am about to light the cigarette, I suddenly remember that Dazai is here. He is underage. I change my mind and put the match back in."

- Oda caring to see Dazai as a child even after previous events, in The Day I Picked Up Dazai

"Dazai’s expression changes. That is the face of an angry kid."

- Oda describing Dazai after Dazai gets mad about his story telling, in The Day I Picked Up Dazai

"The music flows. The time flows. Down our throats, the drink from glasses flows. Our words too, quietly come out, and flow away into nowhere."

- Oda describing his and Dazai’s conversations when they first go to Bar Lupin, in The Day I Picked Up Dazai

"If you can’t write it, no one else in this world can. That I assure you, believe in yourself!"
 * -|Beast AU:=

- Dazai encouraging Oda on his writing, only to be denied being understood since ‘they just met’, in Beast

"His eyes were dead serious… intensely strong… and staring directly into mine."

- Oda describing Dazai’s stare, in Beast

"Yes. You and I… were friends."

- Dazai thinking back to Oda’s death in the original world, in Beast

"When he laughed he looked very different than he was before. I could pass him off as a child. He was like a lost child who had finally found his home."

- Oda describing Dazai, in Beast

"I’m not trying to trap you. I would never dream of it."

- Dazai to Oda, in Beast

"The young man suddenly seemed to have trouble breathing. His expression was distorted and his line of sight drew meaningless figures in the air. He opened and closed his mouth. He fought against something invisible."

- Dazai after Oda tells him to not call him Odasaku, in Beast

"If you have someone you need to say goodbye to, you’ve lived a good life. And a goodbye that makes you lament from the bottom of your heart… is more than you could ever ask for."

- Dazai referring to the Buraiha trio days, in Beast

"Goodbye… Odasaku."

- Dazai’s final goodbye, in Beast.

"This is the only world where he’s alive and writing a novel. I can’t let that world be wiped away."

- Dazai explaining his attachment to their work to Atsushi and Akutagawa, innBeast

"But you know- I do have one regret, Odasaku. That I’ll never be able to read the novel you will one day finish."

- Dazai before jumping off of the Port Mafia building, in Beast

Fanon
People in the Bungou Stray Dogs fandom perceive Odazai in differing ways. There are assumptions that Oda is Dazai’s father or brother-like figure, while others claim the word ‘friends’ or ‘best friends’ holds enough weight to really mean something to these characters, more than the audience might hold someone in the simple term ‘friend’ due to the neglect in their own lives that shows in their stories. Additionally, them being friends— equals in their relationship, is an important aspect of their dynamic and exemplifies the care and respect they hold for one another. Some see their relationship as romantic, after implications like Atsushi asking Dazai if [Oda] was someone he was in love with. The romantic feelings could be one-sided, on Dazai's side. There’s no denying that Oda and Dazai’s relationship had really meant something to the both of them, and the fandom continuously tries to recognise this in both an analytical way but also through their own presumptions.

In the anime adaptation, particularly Dark Era episodes, there are some things the anime simply cannot portray through their body language and such, so it is a less accurate depiction of their relationship and their feelings. Fans state it's best you read the light novels beforehand if you can do so for the best understanding you can get.

Fandom
FAN FICTION