AtsuKyou

"It's fine. I won't fail. Because I'm together with you."

- Kyouka to Atsushi

AtsuKyou is the het ship between Atsushi Nakajima and Kyouka Izumi from the Bungou Stray Dogs fandom.

Anime and manga
Atsushi and Kyouka first met in season 1 as Atsushi accompanies Yosano on her shopping trip. He spots Kyouka in the crowd for the first time. Later on in the episode, the train they take home is hijacked by members of the Port Mafia. Atsushi runs into Kyouka again only to find out she is a member of the Port Mafia and has orders to detonate a bomb. During this encounter, Atsushi is able to get through to her and gets her to reveal the bomb which is strapped around her. Consumed in her self hatred she pushes herself out of the train just as the bomb is about to detonate not wishing to kill any more people. Atsushi leaps after her and rips off the detonator effectively saving her life. Later on, they are found sitting ashore, where Atsushi eventually collapses in her lap from exhaustion. Afterwards they are both taken back to the agency to be treated. Kyouka is then questioned, but insists she will only release intel on the Port Mafia if they take her to eat steamed tofu which Atsushi agrees to, but later comes to regret because of the price of the specific restaurant Kyouka wants to visit. After this, Kunikida strongly advises Atsushi to turn her into the Military Police in private, but Atsushi is very reluctant and decides instead to take her out on a "date". He visibly blushes and stutters after he realizes what he had proposed, but she agrees anyways. The two are seen enjoying themselves all over the city, and Kyouka seems to lose her formerly aloof manner, and even drags Atsushi to go to a crepe stand. However, their "date" is ended as Kyouka takes them to the final stop on their date. The Military Police Station where she intends to turn herself in. Just as she is about to turn herself in, members of the Port Mafia kidnap her and Atsushi, bringing them to a barge ship. On the ship, they are held captive as Akutagawa aims to kill Atsushi, and Kyouka unsuccessfully tries to save him but she ends up in a chokehold. Instead of giving in, however, Kyouka says how she enjoyed their time together how "the crepes were good" and Atsushi is shocked. Kunikida eventually shows up and Atsushi is given the chance to escape on his own, but he decides to go back and save Kyouka, the two escape together.

Afterward,s as Atsushi goes back to the office he worries if the others will accept her only to walk to find she is dressed up in a maid costume with the rest all around her fawning over her. Kyouka soon pleads to join the Agency so she could "prove to herself that she could do more than kill," and after hearing this Atsushi backs up her claim, and the president allows it. After Kyouka joins the agency Dazai decides to jokingly set her up as Atsushi's new roommate to "protect her". Later Kyouka has her first assignment and fails miserably, Atsushi attempts to cheer her up and buys her a crepe. He also mentions how she might use her supernatural gift in the future which she is very startled by. The two are interrupted by a Port Mafia member and Kyouka's former superior Ozaki Kouyou, who tells Kyouka that she needs to come back to Port Mafia. Kyouka refuses and tries to fight back, but is quickly bested. Ozaki says she'll kill Atsushi if she doesn't join her, and to protect him she does, before reinforcements from the Port Mafia, Armed Detective Agency, and Guild arrive, and she escapes in the crossfire.

She isn't seen again for a while until she shows up to save Atsushi who is attacked by the Guild leader, she tries to protect Atsushi; who is injured, but both end up taken hostage by the Guild. Kyouka feeling as though she can't save anything only kill does little to escape or help save the city from destruction until eventually, Dazai convinces her to help. Unable to stop the ship from crashing into the city Atsushi grows desperate, then he hears Kyouka's voice. She tells him she is able to set up a drone to destroy the ship before it crashes into the city, and that she will not be able to escape with them as she is chained up. Atsushi tries to come up with a different plan but time is up and the survivors are all hurled out of the ship on parachutes. Believing her dead Atsushi is very distressed, only later does he find out from Dazai and the President that Kyouka was able to escape. She arrives on land and Atsushi runs and embraces her. In the movie, Dead Apple, Atsushi and Kyouka are both asleep in their dorm, both dreaming of their own abilities and a strange fog. Kyouka wakes Atsushi, telling him what was happening to her and him telling her the same thing was happening to him. They exit the dorm to see all of Yokohama is covered in a thick fog. They meet up with Kunikida, who explains that the reason for the mass suicides of ability users was another ability that made people's own turn against them. Kunikida tells them to go find the ability user, who is currently teamed up with Dazai and a man named Fyodor Dostoyevsky, while Kunikida stays behind to fight against his own ability. The two encounter Akutagawa, and soon have to face off on their own against their abilities in order to reclaim them, which they successfully do. Atsushi, however, is still unable to use his ability in spite of defeating the duplicate tiger, and so Kyouka and Akutagawa decide to go face the ability user on their own, leaving Atsushi behind. However, Atsushi regains his memories of his childhood when he was tortured by Shibusawa, the ability user behind the fog, and also regains his ability, and joins Akutagawa and Kyouka in defeating Shibusawa.

Let's Go Flower Gazing!
In episode 2 (Chapter 7), Kunikida approaches Atsushi and tells him to prepare a spot for the Armed Detective Agency since the spots gets really crowded. Early in the morning, Atsushi heads to the park and notices that it's crowded, he then notices Kyouka sitting and asks her why she is there, Kyouka reveals the she overheard the conversation about saving a spot. Atsushi asks her how long has she been waiting at the park. Kyouka tells him that she had been waiting since evening and has prepared lunch as well, because she was looking forward to looking at the cherry blossoms. Crushed by the thought of him getting a praise and starting to feel himself guilty, he notices a tall tower of boxes which turns out that Kyouka prepared a plenty of lunch boxes.

Finders Kyouka's
In episode 3 (Chapter 17), walking in an alleyway, Kyouka finds a lost kitten and takes it with her to the Agency. The cat instantly takes a liking at Atsushi, which Dazai thinks may be because it sees him as a fellow cat, though Atsushi retorts that he is a tiger. Kunikida lectures Kyouka on the responsibility of taking care of an animal. He proceeds to feed it with milk, though Kunikida informs them that they cannot keep it.

In the meantime, the Agency members look after the cat and enjoy spending time with it. Kyouka later decides to put it up for lost and found, eventually making its way back to its grateful owners. As Miiko the cat is returned to its home, Dazai cheers Kyouka that they still have a cat with them, much to Atsushi's chagrin.

Bungo Stray Dogs Preschool!
In episode 7 (Chapter 15), Atsushi asks Kyouka what the thing she's holding is, and she tells him it's a pair of scissors, used for cutting paper. She proceeds by saying he mustn't use them to stab people. Kyouka then cuts out colored papers and Atsushi guesses them to which all of them nothing look like what she intended. Kyouka becomes embarrassed and summons Demon Snow to rip all the cut-outs. In manga, the two start making paper animals. Kyouka makes a rabbit, while Atsushi makes a tiger. Seeing Atsushi's tiger, Kyouka gets scared and summons her ability "Demon Snow".

The Armed Detective Agency Beats the Heat
In episode 10 (Chapter 57), Armed Detective Agency go to watch fireworks. Atsushi and Kyouka admire the pretty sparklers, and Atsushi even draws a tiger in the air using the sparks. He continues to draw animals while Kyouka guesses what the shapes are. Then, the agency members watch the rocket fireworks. Just as they are watching it, Dazai softly speaks that if he has to go, he'd like to go out as beautifully. Hearing this, Atsushi responds that he prefers him not to go and glances at Dazai.

In the mid-credits scene, Atsushi tells Dazai to not say what he said, not even as a joke. Meanwhile, Kyouka glances at Atsushi then the fireworks and tells that they are beautiful.

"Snow White" Fairytale
In chapter 66, BSD characters are in Snow White fairytale. Kyouka (Snow White) is kicked out from her home because of Lucy (Queen of certain country) who become very angry and jealous when the magical mirror (Poe) told her that Kyouka is the most beautiful person in the world, not her. Lucy even breaks the mirror because of her anger, but later restor it. Despite of this, Kyouka is a strong person. Later on, she meets Dwarfs and becomes friends with them. Then, she started living together with them. Then Lucy sees by the mirror that Kyouka is having a good time which become a new reason of her anger and she decides to kill Kyouka with cursed apple.

Afterwards, Dwarfs become very sad that Kyouka fall into Queen's trick. Dazai says that they need a prince's kiss to lift curse. At that moment, Atsushi comes and asks where Snow White is. Dazai tells Atsushi to kiss Kyouka. Atsushi comes closer to her face and almost kiss her, but Lucy comes running and starts yelling at Atsushi. As a result of the loud noise she made, Kyouka wakes up.

Official BSD Anthology
In Chapter "A Sweet Day Out", Chuuya meets Atsushi and Kyouka, who are walking together. Kyouka wanted to attack Chuuya because she doesn't trust him, but Atsushi stays her hand, counseling that they should respect and trust "Dazai's friend". Chuuya gets angry at the assertion, telling them that he and Dazai aren't friends, and then he asks if they are on a date. Kyouka doesn’t react at all to this question, but Atsushi does. His face turns red and he denies that they are dating, further explaining that they are actually here to buy snacks for everyone at the Agency. Hearing this, Chuuya gives advice as to what to buy for Dazai. Atsushi and Kyouka both thank him and go back to the Agency afterwards. In BSD Anthology 4 Chapter 2, feeling shy and blushing, Kyouka asks Naomi for advice about Atsushi, as she wants to surprise him with a thank-you gift. For Atsushi, Naomi suggests that her and Kyouka make a home-cooked meal together. They start by deciding on what to cook, and Naomi asks Kyouka for what she wants to make. Kyouka suggests different kinds of Tofu, which causes Naomi to worry that they might have to give up without even trying. Naomi thus advises Kyouka that the kind of meal they plan to cook needs to to be both stylish and feminine in order to impress Atsushi. It’s at this moment where Kunikida and Dazai come into the room. Kunikida is angry with Dazai, telling him that they need to move on to their job in Aomori, but Dazai informs Kunikida that he plans to first go receive his market exchange reward. Dazai opens his market exchange reward and everyone sees that it is for apples. Dazai shows these apples to Kyouka and Naomi notes that the fruits would definitely make a girly-chic meal. Later on, Kyouka (whilst blushing) confesses to Atsushi about her plan to make a dinner feast for him that day. Atsushi is very shocked to hear this, and doesn't know what to say (he too starts blushing). Naomi reminds her that they need to go now to begin cooking. After this, Atsushi goes on to tell the other agents how happy he is that Kyouka is going to cook a meal for him. Dazai responds that he's glad for Atsushi and gives him a single present. On his way home, Atsushi wonders about Kyouka’s meal plans, figuring that it will just be some kind of Tofu dish. However, he reassures himself that whatever Kyouka makes him, it will be delicious. Upon arriving home at their apartment, Kyouka greets Atsushi, and presents him with his dinner. Atsushi is very pleased, but since Kyouka has prepared so many dishes containing apples, it becomes immediately apparent that he’ll quickly reach the limits of his appetite for them. This prompts Atsushi to consider the flavoring that Dazai gave him as a gift, and he thinks to himself that he can still hear Dazai’s voice and wonders if it means he’s going crazy. These thoughts are interrupted by Kyouka, who thanks him with a smile, remarking that "Seeing someone's excitement can make me happy... I never knew." Atsushi returns her smile, thanking her for the meal, and complimenting that it was very delicious.

Fanon
Fans of the ship point to the two's close professional and personal relationship as proof of a budding romance. Though the pair do indeed share a tight bond over their traumatic pasts (pasts which they've helped each other work through), cemented by their many struggles shared together as members of the Agency, currently their relationship is best described as a "close friendship" (For his part, Atsushi admits to seeing her as something of a little sister).

The ship is often controversial in the fandom due to the age gap between Atsushi and Kyouka, with Kyouka being in her teens at 14 years (DoB Nov 4) and Atsushi being a young adult in his late teens at 18 (DoB May 5). This a difference of about 4 - 1/2 years, which isn't an uncommon age gap for adult couples, but a relatively large one between two teenagers of the likes of Atsushi and Kyouka. For their part, the ship's fans do typically prefer to see Atsukyoka only fully actualizing once the two have both come of age.

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Trivia

 * Atsushi was the first person to successfully demonstrate to Kyouka that her life is precious, and he truly cares about her.
 * They are often depicted together in official promotional artwork, mayoi cards and on the covers of Young Ace magazine.
 * In one piece of official art, Kyouka is depicted blushing at Atsushi as he smiles at her.
 * In BSD wan! Dazai often teases Atsushi and Kyouka, saying that there's something special about their relationship.
 * In BSD wan! Chapter 66, Kyouka played the role of Snow White and Atsushi played the role of her prince. They almost kiss, but Lucy stops them.
 * In dangerous situations, both Kyouka and Atsushi have been demonstrated to care about protecting each other more so than preserving their own lives.
 * In Chapter "A Sweet Day Out", Chuuya is shown to openly believe that Atsushi and Kyouka are dating.
 * The series’ animators often draw them together outside of official promotions. When season 4 was announced, many members of the animation staff posted their own fan works of the couple.

Variations

 * Dazushi Family the familyship between Osamu Dazai, Atsushi and Kyouka.

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