Kaetan desu! (*≧▽≦)
Our first scene of this episode goes to a large luxury liner. Two Guild Members Nathaniel H. and Margaret M. are arguing about workload when an underling presents them with a letter discovered in the cargo. This letter addressed to them from Mori (Port Mafia Boss) and he tells them that he is going obliterate three things, those being the ship they are currently on and the lives of the two Guild members. Margaret thinks it’s a prank but Nathaniel wastes no time in making sure the men speed up the unloading of the cargo so that they can strengthen the security of the ship and depart without incident. Nathaniel explains to Margaret that because they don’t have a base on land, the ship is serving as their front-line base. Furthermore, they are at their most vulnerable state as they are replenishing supplies so any surprise attacks would be ideal if the enemy wanted to sink the ship. The underlings then let Nathaniel know that they caught someone suspicious on the pier.
When they present him to the Guild, Nathaniel recognizes him as the Port Mafia Bomber with a paper bag full of explosive grenades in the form of lemons. He tries to play it off but Nathaniel uses his ability to attack him and then throws one of the grenades in his direction, letting off an explosion. They think all is said and done when a helicopter flies over to lower a container of supplies, but the Port Mafia Bomber’s ability allows him to remain unhurt by any of his own explosives and to add insult to injury, the container that the helicopter is carrying is packed with those same lemon shaped bombs. The bombs drop onto the ship and engulf it in a sea of fire and explosions.
With the ship exploding, Nathaniel orders everyone to evacuate the ship and then says they will await their enemy at the pier as they have greater numbers. However, Mori already planned ahead for that, and sent in Akutagawa who was able to take nearly everyone out with one use of his ability. As the only one with some form of strength left, Nathaniel battles Akutagawa, the two notice the similarities of their abilities and then both decide that the ability with the most potential is the one that will win.
Both men fully activate their abilities but Akutagawa gets the first strike with his Rashoumon. However, this was a trap for Nathaniel to utilize the blood on Akutagawa’s coat to create a a scroll of writing which then tightly binds him. Nathaniel lectures Akutagawa on his lack of experience from only fighting those much weaker than himself. Margaret regains consciousness and activates her ability while yelling that because he has never known defeat or humiliation , is why she absolutely refuses to lose to Akutagawa. Little did she know about Akutagawa’s past and this angers him as he sends Rashoumon right through her body ten times over
.
He goes to attack Nathaniel when something occurs within his body and he coughs up a bunch of blood. Nathaniel who is now showing a little concern, then asks Akutagawa why is he is going to such lengths in his condition. Akutagawa tells him about his purpose of forever being cursed to walk the darkness and overcoming defeats like no one else to be acknowledged by someone (Dazai) and he demands that Nathaniel fight him at full strength.
Nathaniel agrees to this and the battle resumes. Nathaniel launches two beams at him and while Akutagawa successfully shields himself from the first one, he isn’t so lucky when he attempts to deflect a second one and the remaining pieces of the scarlet letter break through and pierce his body. Akutagawa uses the same deflect strand to launch an impromptu attack on Nathaniel’s neck. It doesn’t decapitate him, but it does incite a large wound and causes a lot of blood to spray out of the ministers’ neck.
Nathaniel seems rather entertained by this and goes for a larger scale attack, which Akutagawa doesn’t how to approach until he remembers the smug expression that Dazai had on his face in Season 1 when he allowed himself to be captured by the Port Mafia as a way of gaining information. This incites even more rage in Akutagawa, causing to unleash Rashomon: Jaws of Endless Gates where several Rashomon Jaws are materialized by Akutagawa to deal a devastating attack. As the attack closes in on Nathaniel, he discovers that Margaret has jumped in front of the attack saving his life. As they crash into the debris, Akutagawa recalls what Atsushi said to him while he was fighting him in Season 1 trying to save Kyouka. He then collapses from exhaustion, bringing this scene to a close for now.
We switch over to the members of the Agency who are are in their secondary shelter. As they sit in absolute boredom, Ranpo suddenly notices movement on the security cameras. He tells President Fukuzawa that they should have the offensive team and when Fukuzawa asks how many are attacking, Ranpo tell him that is just one, that person being Port Mafia executive Chuya Nakahara.
Meanwhile, Naomi is at the Agency’s alternative office with clerk Haruno Kirako. Trying to hide the fact that she was looking at pictures of her cat, Haruno brings up a multitude of windows, the final being a news article on the explosion that occurred on the Guild’s ship and the two further examine it. When Haruno reckons that the bomber is headed for the Agency, Naomi worries about her brother,. When Haruno assures her that he’ll be fine Naomi notes that of he will be, because Haruno’s cat is.
Back to the underground area with the Agency members, Nakahara becomes dissatisfied with the pathetic challenge of all the traps as he destroys them. When he requests that the Agency send him a real person, they send out Doctor Yosano and Kenji. When Yosano points out that she knows that Nakahara isn’t there to simply raise hell, he presents a picture of John Steinbeck and H.P Lovecraft. The Mafia has apparently baited them and gives President Fukuhara a location as well as an arrival time for when and where they’re expected to appear. While President Fukuhara considers the tempting offer, Yosano and Kenji take it upon themselves to attack Nakahara. Kenji uproots a steel beam from the train track and hurls it in Nakahara’s direction, but he dodges and kicks Kenji into the wall. When Yosano goes to attack him, Nakahara ends up using his ability of Gravity Manipulation, which allows her to identify who he is. Kenji is more impressed than he actually should be, but before the battle can continue, President Fukuhara announces that he is ready to give his answer.
Fukuhara says that while the Agency could use the opportunity to take out the Guild, the Port Mafia could sit back and watch the two companies destroy each other. If they go by Mori’s recommendation, the Agency has nothing to lose, but Fukuhara is still suspicious of these actions and demands to know what Nakahara isn’t telling them as well as the Port Mafia’s plan, while he signals to Ranpo to put on his glasses to activate his ‘ability’ Special Deduction. When Nakahara says that the Port Mafia doesn’t plan to do anything, Ranpo deducts that the Guild is knowingly heading into the trap as the bait is so appealing. When he asks what the Mafia used as bait, they find out that it is the Agency’s office staff. Nakahara says that the Guild doesn’t know that the Agency is aware of their actions and that they can still rescue the women from being abducted. When Ranpo confirms that what he says is in fact, the truth, President Fukuhara issues an order to tell the staff to evacuate the premises and to be put in contact with Kunikida as they are the closest to the office location. That’s all for this week, see you next time!
Season 2 of Bungo Stray Dogs airs every Friday on Crunchyroll at 1:35pm (AST)