The Bungo Stray Dogs franchise has seen immense popularity across various media formats since first debuting as a manga in 2012. This includes anime adaptations, light novels, stage plays, and more.
The anime, in particular, has gained a strong following, even though it started several years after the manga’s launch and was initially adapted into a spinoff series. That is the reason why fans of the series are trying to find out – Will The Bungo Stray Dogs Anime Have Different Endings Than The Manga?
Now, after multiple seasons, the Bungo Stray Dogs anime has nearly caught up to the ongoing manga storyline. This presents an interesting challenge for the production team behind season 6 of the show. They may need to create an original ending not found in the source material.
This would not be unprecedented, as previous anime-original content has already been produced for the franchise. The animation studio involved is also no stranger to branching out from manga canon.
While deviating from the original creator’s vision can be risky, the producers likely feel confident in crafting a satisfying finale. The abundant creative liberties taken thus far indicate a willingness to explore new narrative directions.
As long as the core tone and characters are maintained, fans may welcome an anime-exclusive conclusion. The future of Bungo Stray Dogs remains unclear, but its animated adaptation has proven adaptable so far.
Everything We Know About Bungo Stray Dogs?
Atsushi Nakajima, the main character of Bungo Stray Dogs, endured years of torture and abuse at his orphanage due to his mysterious ability to transform into a tiger under moonlight. This ultimately got him kicked out, but he also ended up saving a drowning detective named Osamu Dazai.
Recognizing Atsushi’s powers, Dazai takes him under his wing to solve supernatural cases around the city, though this puts both their lives in danger.
Eventually, it’s revealed there is a powerful book tied to Atsushi’s tiger transformation that can rewrite reality itself.
This revelation sparks intense conflict as Atsushi, Dazai, and several other characters with literary-inspired names like Dostoyevsky and Fitzgerald battle to obtain the reality-altering book and its pages. Control of the book could decide the fate of their entire world.
The creator of Bungo Stray Dogs, Kafka Asagiri, first launched the manga in 2012 in the Seinen magazine Young Ace, where it continues to be serialized today. Asagiri has experience writing other manga too, most notably the iconic Ghost in the Shell cyberpunk series.
While Bungo Stray Dogs has spawned numerous spinoff manga, the core series published in Young Ace remains the basis for the anime.
After many seasons, the anime has now adapted all currently available chapters of the main Bungo Stray Dogs manga that’s still being published.
This sets up an interesting challenge for the show’s next season. With no new source material, the producers may create an original finale not envisioned by Asagiri. However, the franchise has already seen anime-exclusive content before in its spinoffs, showing a willingness to explore new narrative directions.
As long as the finale stays true to the tone, characters, and core spirit of Bungo Stray Dogs, it could provide a satisfying conclusion for fans, even if not based on the manga.
The anime will be charting unknown territory but has proven adaptable so far. After a decade of stories, audiences eagerly await the next chapter in the saga.
Will The Bungo Stray Dogs Anime Have Different Endings Than The Manga?
In anime fandom, the term “Bones ending” refers to major changes or deviations that Studio Bones makes when adapting manga into anime.
A prime example is their 2003-2004 adaptation of Fullmetal Alchemist, which diverged wildly from the manga that continued publishing until 2010. Ironically, Bones later did Brotherhood, a more faithful take.
Similar Bones-original endings cropped up in Soul Eater and Darker Than Black, often displeasing fans. With the Bungo Stray Dogs anime catching up to the manga, online discussions have speculated what a “Bones ending” could entail there.
One theory posits the anime finale will create a divergent multiverse, justifying deviations through the in-universe reality-altering book. This would establish separate manga and anime continuities. While disappointing for some, it would fit Bones’ pattern of taking liberties when adapting.
An anime-original ending seems inevitable, given the manga’s ongoing state. Whether achieving narrative coherence or disappointing fans, Bones’ stamp will likely be apparent. But the studio has proven unpredictable before. The future remains unclear, but Bones’ history hints at major deviations from manga canon.
