Fyozai

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Fyozai
GENERAL
Bungou Stray Dogs
Character	Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Character	Osamu Dazai
Canonical?	Fanon
Status of Relationship	Arch-Rivals/Enemies/One-Time Allies
IN FANDOM
Type (?)	Slash
Also Known As	Dostozai, Fyodazai, Dazdor
Tropes	Affectionate Nickname Birds of a Feather Enemies to Lovers Like an Old Married Couple Married to the Job Not So Different Outlaw Couple Pair the Smart Ones Unresolved Sexual Tension

8 2

❝

I have nothing to say. There is no one who supported me anyway. That's why there is no word I have to say. To anyone at all. Let alone words of celebration... It is impossible. I am always alone. And that is fine by me. Has been, and always will be.
Well... I felt a little less bored when I was playing chess with Dazai-kun. But that's it.

—Fyodor’s campaign letter

Fyozai is the slash ship between Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Osamu Dazai from the Bungou Stray Dogs fandom.

Canon

The two criminal masterminds have had many brief, yet insightful, moments together. Dazai and Fyodor have no problem conversing casually and rather comically despite their status as enemies and arch-rivals competing in rivaling organizations. The two agree that they are similar in many ways, continually challenging each other in battles of wit. Fyodor states that Dazai was his greatest enemy since “that man” and holds great respect for his abilities, and finds himself less lonely due to matching intellect. Despite sharing lighthearted banter, the two strongly antagonize one another for the sake of their goals. The two show no qualms in killing another, with Dazai wanting to protect the agency and disliking Fyodor’s means. However, at Fyodor’s supposed death, Dazai looks out into the sky and bids a saddened farewell—in this scene his sadness shows that he seems to enjoy their interactions and rivalry to an extent.

Dazai and Fyodor have a great deal of interest in one another, acknowledging their shared level of intellect and noticing the differences between them. They share a somewhat understanding of each other and are known as the unstoppable duo of frightening intelligence. They delightfully imagining each other drowning while giggling during the prison arc, and notably this is one of the only moments where Fyodor shows an emotion of pleasure.

As characters, Fyodor and Dazai can be compared in various ways with parallels. There are multiple things that are the exact same between the two, and various others that are exact opposites. Despite the two characters having been written to think in the exact same way, there is a moral difference between the two. While Fyodor is willing to do anything to achieve his goal, Dazai is far more morally considerate. Both characters do not consider themselves fully human. Though, even in this, Dazai considers himself below humanity, whilst Fyodor considers himself above.

Though it’s unknown when, it’s hinted that the two have had interactions before the main storyline. Dazai and Fyodor’s interactions are limited to the manga, though we can see their relationship even in the anime occasionally. Such as in Bungo Dead Apple, where they partner up momentarily to betray Shibusawa Tatsuhiko.

Dead Apple

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Though they have very clear differences in opinion, they still manage to collaborate with the addition of Shibusawa. Although Fyodor ends up betraying both Shibusawa and Dazai, the latter predicted his double-cross and willfully participated in it for the duration of the movie. The way the two seem to understand each other completely is a large appeal in their relationship. Their opposing moral stances/outlook also makes them unique.

During the events of the mist, Shibusawa betrays Dazai and stabs him in the spine to take his power before Fyodor slices Shibusawa’s throat shortly after.

Cannibalism Arc

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❝

We will meet again…in the “Promised Land.”

After stabbing Mori, Fyodor runs into an alleyway and disposes of his disguise, though notices his ushanka is missing. Dazai strides in, wearing Fyodor’s ushanka, waving with a smile. Fyodor shoots a glare and recognizes Dazai, as evidenced by his prompt, “…… You?”

Dazai comments that the Cannibalism plan seemed up Fyodor’s alley. Dazai explains that he read Fyodor’s escape route and followed him into the alleyway, then asking if the ushanka fits him. Fyodor fives a blank, “No.” prompting Dazai to toss it back to him. Dazai then talks about “Dostoyevsky, the Conjurer,” and his elaborate plan. Fyodor asks what Dazai is here for, to which he asks what Fukuzawa was poisoned with. Dazai claims he knows what Fyodor’s after, bringing up the Book and how the Rats are now splitting up the two factions in the city.

Fyodor asks how he knows that — to which the detective responds, “Because that’s exactly what I’d do.” with a solemn expression. Fyodor, smiling, comments, “Two peas in a pod, then?” before going on to explain poison and its effect. The reveal stuns Dazai, who thinks over the explanation.

Fyodor speaks on how mankind is sinful and foolish, and that he is the one who will purify them via the Book. At that very moment, Fyodor says, “Just like this, you see.” as Dazai is shot through the chest, collapsing to the floor. While wounded, Dazai sees the sniper that shot him and comments on how Fyodor foresaw his actions even. Fyodor walks off and tells Dazai he is not mortally wounded, so that he can inform the agency on the battle.

Dazai then brings up Fyodor’s words of “two peas in a pod.” He claims that he agrees, but that there is a key difference. Dazai, with his head tilted up as he’s laughing despite bleeding, says that mankind is indeed sinful and foolish, but asks what’s wrong with it. This surprises Fyodor, who says aloud that Dazai knew the sniper would attack, and that the man came to get information anyway.

Dazai speaks of the Book and its single page containing its vast ability. As a response, Fyodor walks forward and sternly explains that he will use the Book to make a world free of sin and skill users . Determined, Dazai tells Fyodor to go ahead and try, “if [he] can.” Fyodor stares back, but is interrupted by Kunikida calling out for Dazai to find him alongside Atsushi.

Fyodor walks off, and now smiling, he announces he will meet Dazai again, in the “Promised Land.”

Dazai staring at Fyodor

Toward the end of the Cannibalism, Dazai teams up with Fitzgerald and successfully captures Fyodor at the cafe.

Prison Arc/Meursault Escape Arc

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Soon after Fyodor's imprisonment, Dazai follows him, as he allowed Jouno to arrest him in order to get close to Fyodor and gain intel. They speak in an encoded language that only they themselves can decipher at record speed, based off words and letters they said in their previous encounters. Throughout the scenes in Meursault, a Fyodor and Dazai discuss each other’s plans and play chess within their minds. They solely communicate in this fashion with many conversations.

• Dazai: "Hmm.. A discussion. That'd definitely be impossible without a chance like this." Fyodor: "I'm grateful for your quick understanding. Thanks to the nature of my mind, I can read the thoughts of my opponents. But that means I can't 'discuss' things with others. Unless my partner has an equal intellect to my own..." Dazai: "So this is a chance to exchange thoughts on our problems. Well then, you go first."
• Fyodor: "Shall we have a super happy chit-chat about our problems? So, it's finally happened! I, Dostoevsky, am the prime-time host of the very first 'Super Happy! Problem discussion". Dazai responds, "I'm going to need you to hold on for a minute." Fyodor questions blankly, "What is it?" Dazai: "What the fuck" / "What what" (Depending on the translation) Fyodor replies "What's that supposed to mean?"

Fyodor and Dazai bantering.

• Fyodor asks Dazai for advice on how to make autonomous subordinates and Dazai asks Fyodor on how to make the cafe waitress fall to ruin. In this scene we see their strangely lighthearted banter despite being on opposing sides.

While the Hunting Dogs attack the Sky Casino, back in the prison, Dazai asks Fyodor why Sigma was chosen as the "rook" defending the casino. Fyodor asks what he's talking about, as Dazai points out "playing dumb" isn't "very nice." Dazai asks if the only thing they can do is kill time now as things move on, to which Fyodor agrees. Dazai goes first, in explaining Sigma's past and the intel he found. He asks Fyodor why Sigma hasn't left the casino left - which prompts Fyodor to ask for Dazai's opinion. The detective believes Sigma isn't a terrorist at all, and sternly points out that the Sky Casino was created eight days ago. Fyodor's expression darkens as Dazai continues to explain his assessment that The Book created the Casino as a base and payment. Fyodor closes his eyes, before he simply comments that the Decay's boss hates being wasteful. He thanks Dazai for "that fine story", and announces he's up next.

Fyodor and Dazai speaking in the language they created

The camera pans out to show a group of guards studying Fyodor and Dazai. Here it is shown that Dazai and Fyodor have been speaking in numbers, letters, and symbols, dumbfounding the security who is unable to understand the language. The results of an analysis of the language come in, as it's revealed Fyodor and Dazai memorized every content of every conversation they've had in the past - assigning addresses to conversations and words, creating a code only they can decipher and understand, in order to evade security. The head of security dubs the pair as monsters.

A bout of silence ensues between the pair, before Dazai asks once more why Sigma is on the front line. Fyodor thoroughly reveals that Sigma has amnesia, and that the scariest and strongest thing in the world is the common man who is desperate. Dazai calmly asks Fyodor if he thinks the explanation tricked him. Fyodor, expressionless, seems to be shocked, signified by the "!" as Dazai points out that the Hunting Dogs are on another level. He asks what Sigma truly wants, but Fyodor grins, and reveals that the Hunting Dogs are below Sigma in "levels", shocking Dazai. Fyodor reveals that Sigma is connected to the casino through his solitude, due to the "melodies of sadness" in his veins. Dazai sweats at this and begins to falter as Fyodor explains that Sigma was created from The Book.

After multiple events, all crucial leading to Fyodor's victory, come to a close, the scene flips back to Meursault. Dazai, stumped, calls Fyodor "quite something." Fyodor, feigning shock, states he did nothing. He brings a finger to his lips, a maddened look on his face, explaining all he did was sit and pray, to which the prayers were answered. Dazai asks if the coin bombs were just a feint to bring the organizations to the casino. In response, Fyodor asks if it's more beautiful that way. He states that God prefers perfection and harmony, therefore the Decay added one more line to the page - which allows Dazai, sweating, to realize and ask whether they the line was that no one will believe the agency's innocence. Fyodor, calm, confirms this.

Dazai, still sweating, albeit even more, realizes aloud that attempting to ally with the Hunting Dogs was impossible from the very start. However, much to Fyodor's confusion, Dazai begins to laugh loudly, smiling and hitting his knee. He tells Fyodor that "siding with God" didn't teach much - Dazai leans forward, a dark smile on his face, claiming that "perfection and harmony" doesn't matter to God. Dazai states he saw it many times - thinking back on Oda's death - that stance and absurdity is all that is offered. He states it's a weakness shared by "the two of us." Dazai traces the floor, claiming that in the end, the accidental events are what drive the world.

Dazai proclaims that he and Fyodor should be petrified by being faced by the others' souls. Dazai agrees with Fyodor, that people are sinful and foolish. However, he adds that they aren't as boring as Fyodor thinks. The conversation in this segment then comes to a close.

In their next conversation, Dazai guesses Fyodor's number as 381,882. Fyodor then guesses Dazai's as 790,115 which annoys Dazai as he complains the guessing game is far too easy. Dazai suggests playing poker from memory, but Fyodor goes on to explain he's worried about the detective agency - comparing it to an evening light that burns out in a moment's flicker. Fyodor confronts Dazai, asking whether he has time to guess numbers when his agency has fallen. Dazai is shocked by the question, but responds that he does have the time, since he's unoccupied and only has to keep watch on Fyodor, in order to allow Ranpo to move.

As the vampire infection outbreak starts, the scene switches to Meursault, with Fyodor and Dazai eating in their respective cells across each other. Dazai assesses that it's noisy, frowning as he asks Fyodor to pass the salt. Fyodor grabs the salt and throws it at Dazai, to which it simply bounces off the wall. The pair deadpans at each other, before Fyodor then asks Dazai for an egg. Dazai takes his own and throws it at Fyodor, and it simply crashes into the wall. Deadpanning at one another once more, Dazai flings back and screams that he's fed up with the room. Fyodor mourns that Dazai got an egg instead, while the latter complains that they've run out of things to talk about. Promptly, Dazai asks if it's about time to do the 'that.' Fyodor, claiming a lack of understanding, asks what's 'that.' In a split moment, Dazai looks back over his shoulder, and sternly announces it means one of them dying.

Fyodor widens his eyes, before leaning his face against his hand, grinning and calling it a lovely idea. He claims agreement with Dazai, before suddenly, he falls through the floor, via Nikolai's ability. Confused, Dazai stares at Fyodor, wondering where he went, before being transported out of his cell as well.

Fyodor and Dazai, both thoroughly confused, are greeted by Nikolai and Sigma. As Nikolai explains the prison break game, Fyodor and Dazai both stare in surprise. However, a chuckle resounds as they both smirk, and Dazai tells Fyodor he truly does have a good friend (Nikolai), to which Fyodor agrees.

Fyodor and Dazai blush, imagining each other drowning to death

The prison game starts, and he has Fyodor and Dazai take a lethal dosage that will kill them in 30 minutes. Fyodor and Dazai gleefully imagine each others’ drowning while preparing to partake in the game, causing Sigma to stare incredulously at the two. Fyodor and Dazai then inject the lethal dose into their arms while laughing madly. Dazai remarks on how in 30 minutes one of them will be dead, leading him to laugh with Fyodor once again. Once the two pick their respective tools (Fyodor with the key card and Dazai with Sigma) the two split ways and begin the prison break game.

Throughout the escape in Meursault, the two exchange many interactions, like when Fyodor remarks how he’ll miss his chess buddy Dazai and Fyodor calling Dazai “Dear” in the dub. The two outsmart each other one after another through wit and intellect, assisted by Sigma and Chuuya respectively through their contrast back-and-forth battles between glimpses of death.

They take turns outsmarting each other over and over, and eventually Dazai manages to get the upper hand as he fakes his death with Chuuya, who is revealed to never have been a vampire from the start.

Dazai says goodbye to Fyodor, watching his death

At the end, Fyodor is absolutely shocked to witness Dazai revealing himself from the dead, and accepted his fate. Dazai bids a solemn and saddened farewell to Fyodor and shows a sterner side to him in this moment, later showing sympathy to Nikolai is distraught over Fyodor’s death.

By Chapter 114, Dazai ends up distraught contemplating Fyodor’s death and coming to the conclusion that they’ve been tricked. Rushing to check his corpse, Chuuya comments that Fyodor does indeed seem dead, but Dazai flips it over and shows that Fyodor’s corpse bears a different face, and Dazai is shown sweating, wearing a rare expression of horror, seeming that he truly did not expect the faked death, as the chapter ends on that grim note.

Chapter 114.5 continues with Dazai reasoning Fyodor’s plan — figuring out that Fyodor was frantic due to the need to be killed by a vampire, specifically. Still sweating, Dazai begins to run off, claiming he needs to tell Ranpo before late, announcing how Fyodor’s ability activates when he’s dead. It is revealed that Fyodor’s ability is to subsume whoever killed him.

Tales of the Lost

In the bundled-up edition of Fyodor Dostoevsky (0554 / 0530), he mentions Dazai multiple times. His memo also includes other additional information on their relationship, stating the following; "Fyodor D. dressed in a white school uniform. A transfer student from abroad and a member of the Apple Suicide Club, he often enjoys playing chess with Dazai. As the two play in front of a snow-covered school gate, Fyodor begins to mysteriously smile." He continues in his home screen voice lines;

• "Dazai-kun... Facing him in chess feels like I'm looking into a mirror... Fufu, I can already imagine his displeased expression."
• "Oh my, it seems that Dazai-kun and Nakajima Atsushi-kun have managed to evade us today. Well, if Shibusawa-kun is happy, then I'm happy. I'm his friend, after all."
• "The ground has become completely covered in snow... Since spring, how many times have Dazai-kun and I played chess...? Hopefully he'll indulge me again, soon."

Behind the Scenes

❝

There are rare moments when that Dazai shows his very “human” side. That is when he talks to another superhuman who is on the same level with him. The other is when he talks about his old friend who has passed.

—BSD Expo; Kafka Asagiri about Dazai, describing Fyodor and Oda, translation by popopretty on Tumblr

Fanon

Fyozai is a widely known dynamic and ship within the fandom, though it is heavily rivaled by Soukoku and Fyolai, Dazai and Fyodor’s most popular ships respectively. Some fans prefer to see Fyodor and Dazai as twins or platonic soulmates instead of a romantic way. However, there are generally many fans who enjoy their dynamic due to their mutual understanding and amiable yet unfriendly rivalry. Fans also enjoy the characterization the relationship gives to Fyodor. There are 1,300+ works written on AO3, and 570+ in gen.

Fyozai was mainly shipped in the fact that Dazai and Fyodor understand each other’s intellect and reasonings, and how they have a similar demeanor of being calculative and cold and how they are one in the same, yet sharing stark differences and contrasts, which proved to be a popular reason for fans to ship them together. Many of their interactions being interpreted as flirting, like when Fyodor calls Dazai “Dear”, also led fans to see them in a romantic light. Fans also notice that Fyodor seems to be exceptionally happy that Dazai matches his intellect, as shown when Fyodor remarks he’ll be sad over losing his chess partner Dazai. Dazai seeming exceptionally melancholic when he watches Fyodor’s death is another reason of fans realizing the duo truly cared about their rivalry. Fans enjoyed how remarkably goofy Fyodor acted when around Dazai and their interesting conversation.

Many fans also apply obsession AUs to the pairing. This is a rather broad and vague category; simply because this is very specific to the Fyozai ship, yet a lot of people see the relationship differently. Still, it is a very well-accepted idea in the Fyozai community. It is the head-canon or canon divergence that (typically) Fyodor possesses an extreme infatuation with Dazai. This is mainly due to Fyodor seeming much more interested and enlightened by Dazai instead of vice versa in the canon relationship. Though it has very few canonical ties, there are many fanfictions with the obsession dynamic.

Outside of obsession headcanons themselves, most fans see Fyozai as being one-sided from Fyodor. For example, Fyodor’s ideal type as stated in the guidebooks is someone who “Loves humanity equally”, while in Chapter 46, Dazai comments on how mankind is indeed sinful and foolish as Fyodor thinks, but asks what’s so wrong about it.

Fans of the Fyozai community compare their relationship and dynamic to Sherliam from Moriarty the Patriot. Fyodor and William are both INTJs seeking to make the world a better place with morally unacceptable means, while Dazai and Sherlock are both ENTP detectives who match their rival’s intellect equally. The two are also similar in which both ships are between extremely smart individuals who are arch-rivals yet deeply understand each other and wish for a normal relationship. This is a reason why some enjoy Fyozai’s dynamic in general or ship them together, as they notice the similarities to Sherliam. Additionally, Fyozai is also sometimes compared to LawLight from Death Note.

For one, most fans recognize that Fyodor does indeed feel less lonely around Dazai, whether it be from a genuine care or trivial amusement. Additionally, fans feel that Dazai returns this feeling, due to Asagiri stating that Dazai shows a human side to himself around Fyodor, similarly to Oda, who was Dazai’s closest, intimate friend.

Fandom

FAN FICTION

Dazai/Fyodor tag on AO3

Dazai & Fyodor tag on AO3

Fyozai search results on Wattpad

Trivia

• The real life author Osamu Dazai was greatly inspired by Fyodor Dostoevsky in real life. He made a point to write an entire paragraph about Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment.
• The two enjoy playing chess together, as shown in various canon sources such as the mobile game Bungou Stray Dogs: Tales of the Lost (Mayoi Inu Kaikitan) and observed in many manga panels.
• The dub voice actors of Dazai and Fyodor recreated their code language from the manga.
• On May 19th 2024, twitter user trivia_sea named a star after Fyozai.

Gallery

Manga

Anime

Official art

Videos

Fanon

So what if I'm crazy? - Fyodor & Dazai meursault arc -- Bungou Stray Dogs