Wan! Episode 4

Akutagawa-kun's Errands / The Mafia Member Who Doesn't Kill / Forming a Duo With Him (芥川君のお遣い / ころさずのまふぃあ / アイツとコンビ〜編〜,) is the 4th episode of Bungo Stray Dogs Wan! anime series. It aired on February 03, 2021.

Synopsis
Dazai calls Akutagawa and asks him to make an errand, and Akutagawa says, "I'll do whatever it takes to finish it!" He goes shopping with all his might. One day, Dazai points out to Akutagawa what Atsushi has but he doesn't have.

Akutagawa-kun's Errands
Akutagawa is contacted by Dazai, who asks him to perform some errands. The mafioso willingly accepts the challenge, bearing in mind that Dazai is counting on him. After noting it down, Higuchi comes across him and offers to finish his errand, but Akutagawa sharply rejects her from doing his own errands.

The errand turns out to be grocery shopping, with Akutagawa seriously considering what Dazai might be buying himself. After two hours of deliberating which kind of toilet paper to buy, Akutagawa encounters Atsushi and demands he leave immediately from his sight, which Atsushi begrudingly does. Eventually, Akutagawa completes his errands with extreme diligence and prudence, taking only the best kinds of items for Dazai.

Afterwards, he informs Dazai that he has finished his task; Dazai then instructs him to give Atsushi the items, which are actually Agency supplies. Akutagawa soon locates Atsushi and angrily notes that he has been looking all over for him, much to Atsushi's confusion after being chased out by Akutagawa himself.

Wan! Short
Atsushi is worried that eating some curry udon might stain his white shirt. Dazai hears his concern and enthusiastically volunteers to eat the curry udon for him, as Atsushi notes that he wears a curry udon-colored coat after all. Entering from the window, Akutagawa vehemently asks Dazai not to eat the curry udon prepared by Atsushi and offers to take it on his behalf, but Dazai obliviously eats it, much to Akutagawa's dejection.

The Mafia Member Who Doesn't Kill
Akutagawa silently judges Atsushi for climbing up a tree, remarking it an act shared by smoke and fools. Kyōka notes that he is trying to retrieve a balloon that she previously let go, while Atsushi successfully goes down with the tiger-designed balloon. Out of spite, Akutagawa pops the balloon with Rashōmon, leaving the frustrated Atsushi to remind him of their deal of not killing within six months.

As Akutagawa walks away, Atsushi notices him looking at a ladybug, after which Akutagawa gently perches it on a leaf. Atsushi is shocked with his kindness, though he thinks that he merely did so on a whim. Later, Atsushi finds Akutagawa redirecting a procession of ants away from a busy crossroad with sugar, watering some plants for the insects, and letting a mosquito feed on his hand, all of which Atsushi tries to dismiss as Akutagawa's ways for his nefarious plots in the future.

At night, Atsushi bashfully commends Akutagawa for upholding his promise well and offers some pork buns as apology for doubting him. Akutagawa annoyedly snatches the pork buns with Rashōmon, causing a vexed Atsushi to still question his trust for him. Later, still eating the pork buns, Akutagawa peeks at Atsushi eating, who notes that he is not getting any food from him.

Forming a Duo With Him
In an alley, Akutagawa shockingly finds Dazai laying on the ground. Dazai mutters how he wishes to be a marshmallow (preferrably a s'more), which frustrates Akutagawa for being unable to decipher Dazai's words and thought process. Dazai notices Akutagawa and remarks that he is currently trying to fulfill his dream of turning into a marshmallow.

Akutagawa blankly recognizes that Dazai is becoming a marshmallow; Dazai is initially happy with his success but later chides Akutagawa for foolishly thinking such thing is possible. Hence, Dazai reveals how their conversation proves his inferiority to Atsushi, particularly with failing to take jabs.

As Atsushi arrives at Dazai's behest to illustrate, he admits having come at the place out of being promised a sweet snack. Dazai reveals that he is referring to himself, repelling Atsushi in subtle distaste. Disgusted with the weretiger's rudeness towards Dazai, Akutagawa grazes him with Rashōmon, but Dazai assures Atsushi that Akutagawa is merely practicing how to take jabs.

Akutagawa once again "jabs" at Atsushi with Rashōmon, compelling Atsushi to teach him how to properly do it. This time, Dazai pretends becoming a toasted steam bun to test him, but Akutagawa willingly goes along his act. Eventually, Dazai eagerly announces Atsushi and Akutagawa as his tsukkomi-boke tandem for a manzai contest, confident that they will win.

In a mid-credits scene, Atsushi and Akutagawa earn the audience's laughter, while Dazai watches by on a television along the streets. A lady laughs at their performance, with which Dazai proudly tells her that he is the one who made them as they are. In the end, it turns out to be Dazai's mere fantasy, with Atsushi and Akutagawa rebuking his idea.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Ryunosuke Akutagawa
 * Osamu Dazai
 * Ichiyō Higuchi
 * Atsushi Nakajima
 * Kyōka Izumi

Manga and Anime Differences

 * In the manga, Atsushi hands Akutagawa a paper bag written with "Buta", while the paper bag he hands him in this episode is written with "Kishiken" (埼賜軒).

Trivia

 * Atsushi bought the pork buns from Kishiken as indicated on the paper bag he hands Akutagawa. This may be based on Kiyōken (崎陽軒), a Chinese restaurant in Yokohama that is well-known for its local specialty shūmai.
 * This episode's third segment shares the title with a chapter of the same title, but its story is based on another chapter. The episode marks the first time that an episode segment's plot is based after another chapter having a different title.
 * Manzai (漫才) is a Japanese traditional style similar to a double act comedy or a stand-up comedy. It stars two performers, namely a tsukkomi (突っ込み) and a boke (ボケ), who deliver jokes at great speeds revolving around verbal gags. The tsukkomi (performed by Atsushi) is similar to the "straight man", while the boke (performed by Akutagawa) acts as the "funny man".
 * In 2015, the manzai novel Spark written by Naoki Matayoshi won the Akutagawa Prize, a literary award named after Akutagawa's namesake.
 * The lady in the mid-credits scene was voiced by Yū Shimamura, the seiyū of Akiko Yosano.
 * The ending credits depict Atsushi and Akutagawa encountering each other by the riverbank before rushing to save a drowning Dazai. This is the second time that the ending credits differed from its previous episodes, the first time being the first episode where a casually frolicking Atsushi does not notice Dazai drowning in the river.
 * The post-ending credits also flash two images of Akutagawa and Atsushi that are based on two shots from the original ending credits.