Chūya Nakahara

Chūya Nakahara (中原 中也,) is a member of the Port Mafia as well as Dazai's former partner. He is one of the five Executives in the Port Mafia.

Appearance
Chūya is quite short with a petite, yet muscular build. He has grey eyes and striking orange hair that frames his face, with a longer section that falls just past his left shoulder. He wears a black hat with a red hatband, and a thin silver chain that hangs over the brim.

His outfit consists of a white button up shirt under a charcoal grey vest, a black choker in the style of a pet collar, a black ribbon bolo tie held together with a small silver buckle, an open black cropped jacket with the sleeves rolled up at the elbows, black slacks, a black belt hanging off his right hip and black low-arch shoes. He is almost always seen wearing black gloves. Chūya also sports long black coat with light-coloured lining and lapels that he wears around his shoulders like a cape.

Personality
On the surface, Chūya is a temperamental and rather arrogant, blunt man. He revels in fighting, happy to show off his combative ability and taking great pride in his reputation as the mafia's strongest martial artist. Taunting remarks pair with his pride, as he isn't above ridiculing his opponents in the middle of a fight. Befitting of an Executive, he has no qualms eliminating the Port Mafia's enemies by any means necessary, including murder, however isn't nearly as homicidal in his tactics as members such as Ryunosuke Akutagawa and the members of Black Lizard tend to be.

For as hot-headed as he may seem, Chūya isn't impossible to reason with. In fact, he's rather reasonable when no one is pushing his buttons. While his skills and presence signal an inherent threat, he's reliable enough for Mori to assign him the task of confronting the Armed Detective Agency during the three-way conflict involving the Guild. It's true he didn't hesitate to retaliate and fight back against Akiko Yosano and Kenji Miyazawa (in fact, he takes great pleasure fighting against people that put up a good fight), but as soon as Yukichi Fukuzawa addresses him for more information, Chūya disengages from the battle. Here as well, his nature as a mafioso shines through, expressing no remorse for the danger the mafia intentionally put Naomi Tanizaki and Hirako in, using them as bait. In fact, he's rather smug about it, knowing it angers the Agency immensely.

Ruthless as he is, Chūya seldom takes people's lives for granted, and knows the importance of compromise and rationality. He refrains from unnecessarily brutal methods when need-be, and has enough sense to know when enough's enough. Notable instances include his conflict with Arthur Rimbaud, the man responsible for attempting to kill him long before he joined the Port Mafia at age fifteen. Chūya fully intended to kill him, but heard Rimbaud's last words without malice nor mockery. In fact, Rimbaud's final words for him had a deep effect on Chūya's own outlook on life and himself. He receives Rimbaud's hat as an entry gift to the Port Mafia, and takes good care of the hat as a result.

After Osamu Dazai "mercy killed" an enemy, only to repeatedly shoot and laugh at the corpse, Chūya demanded he stop, seeing no sense in Dazai's actions. Chūya's grudge against Ango Sakaguchi does not stop him from acknowledging the fact he owes the man a favour, and as such refrains from antagonising Ango (and, by extension, his subordinate Mizuki Tsujimura) until he can repay his debt.

Just as Chūya took his responsibility defending Sheep's well-being from their enemies, this holds true for his loyalty and devotion to Port Mafia after joining. So as reasonable as he may be, his top priority is the Port Mafia's prosperity and well-being, thus nothing will stop him from fulfilling his responsibilities as an Executive even at the cost of other's lives. Fierce in his loyalties, Chūya finds betrayal intolerable, and treats his subordinates quite well.

In the past, Chūya struggled greatly with his identity and place in humanity. His connection to Arahabaki ended in him questioning how human he truly was, worsened by not knowing the truth behind why he was freed from the government's possession in the first place. While his strength lies in his ability, the awareness of a god's effects on him left him feeling as though he wouldn't feel worry nor fear in a fight, knowing he'd most likely win without a scratch. He attributed this to being - in his mind - inhuman, and thus unable to understand the depth of such emotions.

In order to give himself a sense of restraint, he preferred kicking largely over throwing fists, never even removing his gloves. He figured if he came to a fight where he had to remove his gloves, it was because he could not longer enjoy the rush of a battle, and genuinely needed to defend himself - in other words feeling attachment to the life he lived, even if he felt like a foreign soul in a shell, rather than a human being. This holds true to the present, as Chūya's only seen removing his gloves when using Corruption in dire moments.

After Rimbaud elaborated his own beliefs on humanity, Chūya had a bit of a change of heart, taking his own life a bit more seriously. The Sheep's betrayal affected him greatly, alongside Port Mafia's direct involvement in uncovering the truth of his origins, but ultimately led to his loyalty in them. The drive for learning more about himself contributed largely to his rise in rank, much faster than anticipated.

Chūya's ultimate downfall is his intense disdain and hatred for Dazai. The two never got along, with Chūya instantly hating Dazai's underhanded, warped strategic personality. Dazai has always gone out of his way to dehumanise and ridicule Chūya, constantly attacking his pride and even driving Sheep to abandon and betray him in the past. Even now, the slightest insult from Dazai will set Chūya off on a tangent, taking full advantage of his quick temper and pride. This makes it easy to distract Chūya from tasks at hand. Nonetheless, as part of Double Black's nature, Chūya acknowledges Dazai's role as the tactician, extending minimal trust in at least knowing that Dazai knows how to effectively overcome a situation.

Ability
His ability, For The Tainted Sorrow (汚れっちまった悲しみに,), revolves around gravity-manipulation, allowing him to manipulate and make gravitons, as well as alter the gravity of anything he touches, keeping it that way until a certain period of time. He is also capable of standing and walking upside down from ceilings.

Corruption (汚濁, Ojoku) is the true form of Chūya's ability and is exceedingly dangerous. It is activated by the verses:

汝、陰鬱なる汚濁の許容よ、 Oh, Grantors of Dark Disgrace,

更めてわれを目覚ますことなかれ Do Not Wake Me Again.

This ability allows him to manipulate the gravitons in his surroundings. By increasing his own density, he is capable of crushing a tank with his bare hands. He is also able to shoot balls of compressed gravity that act as black holes that swallow anything. However, he has no control over his Ability's true form; he will continue in that state if his Ability is not nullified until he dies.

Corruption stems from Chūya's origins as the entity Arahabaki, a God of immense destructive power. When Chūya releases his stability over said powers, Corruption takes over, essentially Chūya reverting to his true, uncontrollable nature existing solely for destruction. Paying homage to his own philosophies, Chūya removes his gloves when activating Corruption.

Dazai, Chūya, Fifteen
Roughly fifteen years ago, Chūya's existence began as the vessel to the God known as Arahabaki.

Existing as, essentially, the personification of calamity and destruction, Arahabaki knew no concept of time, thought, nor personality. It simply existed, sealed away by the Japanese military. Although it had no concept beyond its own existence, Arahabaki knew something restrained and sealed it away from the outside world.

One day, Arthur Rimbaud infiltrated the military and attempted to use Arahabaki's calamitous power as a part of his ability, illumination. However, Verlaine failed, only obtaining the seal and ultimately freeing Arahabaki. Forcibly freed from its darkness-filled solitude, the shock gave a new humane existence - Chūya Nakahara. The end result made both the god and the vessel lose their memories of anything before the age of seven, eight years prior to meeting Dazai.

The loss of stability made Arabahaki, now essentially merged with Ch ūya, lose control, decimating the facility and almost everyone in it, save Rimbaud. This, presumably, forms a valley-like street aptly dubbed Cone Street - the slums.

Although his own being with a will and personality, Chūya has no memories of his life before seven years old, the same age Arahabaki and he completely merged. He recalls the existence of Arahabaki, surrounded by blue-black darkness, sealed away in the facility, but not how Arahabaki's seal had been removed nor why he formed his own personality and being. He only recalls someone's hand pulling him from the seal and freeing him. Since then, he made finding out the truth of his origins his main priority.

At an unknown point of time, Chūya joined Sheep, a group consisting largely of teenage boys that maintained their own territory. With Chūya's For the Tainted Sorrow, he acted as Sheep's trump card. Although not the 'King of the Sheep', many mistake him as such because of his overwhelming power, but strictly speaking Chūya was only a member of the council they developed. Nonetheless, he felt a strong sense of responsibility for Sheep's well-being, priding himself as their trump. Thanks to him, Sheep's reputation and turf increased as to cause issues even for the Port Mafia.

When fifteen, Sheep endured a vicious attack by Port Mafia. Chūya hunted down the mafiosi responsible. One of the mafiosi he tracked down, on a plane, nearly crushed to death, told im they had no choice but to retaliate. According to him, Arahabaki itself destroyed one of the Port Mafia's armoury. This caught Chūya's attention, and thus he proceeds his investigation after killing the mafiosi.

He later arrived in Cone Street, attacking Osamu Dazai and Ryūro Hirotsu. He demanded they inform him of the mafia's investigation of Arahabaki. He and Hirotsu end up fighting, but thanks to Dazai's No Longer Human, Chūya was defenceless. However he later gained the upper hand and freed himself - but an explosion knocked the group unconscious.

When Chūya came to, he'd been restrained by Rando, an associate executive able to conjure a hyperspace sub-region. Here, he met Ogai Mori, the Port Mafia's new boss. Mori invited him to join Port Mafia, much to Chūya's annoyance. Chūya knew Mori killed his previous boss, but the knowledge did nothing to deter Mori from his own goal of using Chūya to further the mafia's investigation of Arahabaki. To ensure Chūya complied, Mori had members of Sheep taken hostage, holding their lives over Chūya so he couldn't harm the mafia anymore, and more importantly, work alongside them. As insurance, he made him listen to a transmitter picking up Sheep members' panic and screams.

Moreover, he made Chūya and Dazai - already on ill terms with each other - to work together. He forbade them from fighting each other, threatening both their lives if their investigation failed because they couldn't cooperate together. Both powerless against Mori's word, the two agreed to his terms.

During their investigations, they run into members of GSS, another group opposing the Port Mafia. Chūya succeeded in taking them down, forcing Dazai to stop shooting an already dead man, unnerved by his apathy and sadism over even the dead. They later reach Rando's residence, ransacked by GSS, here, Rando explained his own witnessing of Arahabaki.

Later, at an arcade centre, Chūya and Dazai made a bet that the one who won in a fighting game would get a reward. If Chūya won, he could identify the culprit - but when Dazai won, he tried making Chūya obey his commands like a mere dog.

Members of Sheep meet Chūya in the arcade, confused and angry at his absence when their own members were in danger. They urge him not to trust Dazai, but Chūya insisted things would work out, and that the truth behind Arahabaki took priority for the sake of Sheep as well. Sheep feared Chūya betrayed them, and they risked complete elimination by their rivals without Chūya to support their defences - Dazai used this to his advantage, telling Sheep Chūya finally found a purpose other than as their trump. Angry, the Sheep members leave.

The two return to Rando in an unused building. Chūya overheard Dazai and Rando's conversation, and smashed into the room they spoke in, apprehending Rando as the culprit of the mysterious appearance of Arahabaki and the former boss. Chūya ignored Dazai's deduction of Rando's flawed account of seeing Arahabaki itself - he knew it would be impossible to accurately describe Arabahaki without having been responsible for its freedom in the first place.

He recounted his memories regarding Arahabaki, finally coming clean to Dazai and Rando of his identity. He asked if Rando had been the one that freed him and gave him form as this 'frame' for a destructive entity's existence.

In response, Rando trapped both Chūya and Dazain his ability's hyperspace, revealing an ability that even No Longer Human could not overcome on its own. As such, Chūya's ability was useless, unable to use his ability in a space that went against natural laws. Rando recounted his past, a man from Europe by the name of Arthur Rimbaud.

Eight years ago, Rimbaud infiltrated the military's base, attempting to steal Arahabaki. However, when he failed and instead found himself surrounded by military personnel. To escape, he thought of using Arahabaki as the base of his ability, Illuminations. But, trying to obtain Arahabaki, he ended up with its 'safety device', Chūya, who acted as Arahabaki's vessel before the two merged. The loss of stability freed Arahabaki, ending in the calamity that formed Cone Street.

Rimbaud succeeded in absorbing Arahabaki during the calamity, but the larger portion of the entity maintained its own individual existence as Chūya. Beyond that, Rimbaud remembered nothing of Chūya's true nature nor the truth behind the calamity. Now, he intended on killing Chūya, planning to recreate the memories of that day and unveil the truth. All for trying to recall the final moments of his friend and partner Paul Verlaine.

Chūya understood Rimbaud's reasoning, but it did not stop him from pursuing Rimbaud. He elaborated a philosophy of never removing his gloves nor used his hands in a fight. To him, he never felt the urgency of a fight nor the danger of violence, knowing his origins weren't human and thus not fully understanding the depth of such emotions as he grew up. He considered his personality and nothing more than something to keep Arahabaki's true nature stable. Not using his hands, he'd eventually fall in a fight, unable to enjoy the rush of violence nor defend himself - a means to understand and feel more attachment to his own life and humanity.

After fatally injuring Rimbaud, Chūya heard out his final wish - for Chūya to live. He assured Chūya he lived a human life already, as humans all existed as 'frames' for deeper experiences.

A month after Rimbaud's death, Chūya visited his grave, revealing that Rimbaud died with the truth of Arahabaki, and everything else of it lost in obscurity.

Sheep's member Shirase found him, apologising before telling Chūya Sheep found a better method to protect themselves. He stabbed Chūya, revealing Sheep betrayed him, using GSS as protecting, and the knife laced with poison. Chūya managed to escape and fell into the sea.

On shore, he and Dazai reunite. Dazai, now an official mafiso with his own squadron, received orders to kill all Sheep and GSS. However, he'd make an exception if Chūya desired. Chūya told him not to kill Sheep. Dazai agreed, ordering his squadron to carry out the plan they already decided on. Just then, Chūya realised Dazai always intended on causing the rift between Sheep and him, and lost consciousness.

Some time later, Chūya spoke to Koyo Ozaki, now his direct superior. By now he already referred to her as 'ane-san', ignoring her numerous protests not to do so. She continued to tell him he had to attend the current meeting in order to understand Port Mafia's ways. She asked where he got the hat he now had, but their conversation interrupted.

During their walk, Chūya and Dazai run into each other again, displeased and scorning each other. Dazai upset Chūya did not uphold the bet as a dog, and Chūya knowing Dazai rigged the game they played.

During their argument, Koyo questioned Mori on allowing the two in the same group, but Mori assured her it would be fine.

Per the custom of giving new members a new piece of clothing upon officially joining, Mori gifted Rimbaud's old hat to Chūya. He also obtained Rimbaud's old documents of the Arahabaki incident, revealing the military's purpose of using existing abilities combined with existing entities as artificial abilities - implying Chūya as one of their test subjects that ended up as a seal of Arahabaki's existence. Although Mori could not give the full report to Chūya, he explained Executives had full rights to it.

Understanding the situation, Chūya vowed to give his all to the Port Mafia and protect them and the city he loved, Yokohama.

Dragon's Head Rush
At sixteen, alongside Dazai as the partnership "Double Black" (双黒), the Dragon's Head Rush came to its peak, devastating all groups of the criminal underground. After Dazai had been captured by the enemy, Chūya stormed the enemy's base on a motorcycle, decimating countless members before reaching an unharmed Dazai. Their bickering continues until more members appear for Chūya to defeat.

When they reach Tatsuhiko Shibusawa, Chūya, enraged at the meaningless deaths of his own subordinates, unleashed Corruption. Successfully quelling Dragon's Head Rush largely on his own, Chūya rose to Executive sooner than anticipated, allowing him access to Rimbaud's documents. Using the information, Chūya found Verlaine alive and well, further clarifying his own origins.

Bungo Stray Dogs
During his confrontation with Dazai, Chūya points out he'd been on an assignment suppressing conflicts in the west for half a year.

Plot
Chūya arrives after the Port Mafia imprisons Osamu Dazai in their torture basement. He mocks Dazai's, reveling in his being captured. However, he's soon to catch on that Dazai's capture is suspicious. Thanks to having worked alongside Dazai back in the day, Chūya is fast to notice Dazai is up to soemthing, unlike Ryunosuke Akutagawa. Dazai dismisses his suspicions, saying he's just awaiting his exectuion. Annoyed, Chūya points out that if Dazai really was negligent enough to be bested by the mafia, Chūya claims he would've killed him long ago. Cutting the conversation short, Chūya says he came solely to harass Dazai. In the past, Dazai went out of his way to trouble both allies and enemies, so now it's Chūya's turn. He breaks Dazai's restraints, his strength nearly taking out the entire pillar holding Dazai up. Although he isn't sure what Dazai has up his sleeve, Chūya challenges Dazai to a fight, ready to put an end to his schemes. After Dazai reveals he could've removed the shackles at any time, Chūya's more than happy to begin the fight.

For much of the fight, Chūya has the upperhand, even saying Dazai's own punch isn't even a massage. He kicks Dazai with enough force to make him crash and crack the wall, but Dazai withstands the attack after blocking it at the right moment. Dazai recalls Chūya's reputationas the strongest martial artist in the Mafia.

Having worked alongside him, however, Dazai knows all of Chūya's attacks, so it's easy for him to defend the worst of it. Annoyed, Chūya moves too fast for Dazai to see. Chūya proceeds to punch and mock Dazai without giving the man any rest. Finally he pins Dazai to a wall, gripping his throat. He pulls out a knife, pressing it against Dazai's throat and demanding to know what Dazai has up his sleeve.

Dazai reveals the main reason for his actions are for Atsushi Nakajima's sake. Unimpressed, Chūya says that Dazai's fallen since his reputation as the Port Mafia's youngest executive, saying luck's abandoned him. Having just returned from quelling disputes in the west six months ago, Chūya feels himself lucky knowing he came back after Dazai's been captured. Laughing at him, Dazai warns Chūya of a meeting between the Port Mafia's five leaders. Shocked, Chūya  doubts the claim, as such a meeting only takes place every few years to discuss the mafia's future direction. As an Executive, he would know about the meeting. According to Dazai, he sent a letter the other day stating if he dies, the mafia's secrets would be exposed. As his own fate would be discussed during the meeting, if Chūya killed him right now, he'd be viewed as a tratior and either dismissed or killed.

Chūya understands even if he did disregard consequences and killed Dazai, the man would be more than happy to die. With a smile, Dazai confirms the claim, inviting Chūya to hurry up and kill him. Especially since he can die knowing the Port Mafia would be after Chūya because of himself. Dazai's mockery makes something click in Chūya's mind - as in, from the beginning, Dazai intended to push Chūya to the worst conclusion possible.

Frustrated, Chūya backs off. He informs Dazai that Akutagawa leads the hunt for Atsushi, and tells him where the records of who sent the bounty can be found - an archive storage room on the mafia's second floor. He orders Dazai to hurry up his investigation and leave. Just before Chūya leaves him be, he declares their feud isn't over, and that this is the one and only time Chūya intends to spare him.

Chūya is seen again with Black Lizard, Kajii, and a group of subordinates bowing down to Mori and reports regarding the assassin from The Guild killed on the spot. As a sign of respect, he takes his hat off and bows to Mori.

Later on, Chūya stands in Mori's office where Elise and Ogai Mori are located. He reports that The Guild has attacked them, and that Koyo Ozaki has been captured by the Detective Agency as a prisoner of war. Commenting on the fact that they can't let their guard down since one of their five Executives has been captured, he asks for Mori's direction. To Chūya's surprise, Mori decides to arrange an assassination for Yukichi Fukuzawa.

When the attack is a failure, Chūya surveys the aftermath, from which he reaffirms his belief that hired outsiders cannot be trusted. Reporting to Mori on the attack's failure, Chūya subsequently confirms the success of the Scandium marker transferred onto Fukuzawa, allowing the Mafia to track his location.

In chapter 22, Chūya is shown confidently navigating the railway tunnel towards the hideout, taking down cameras and surpassing the automatic gun emplacements. Via camera, he taunts the onlooking Detective Agency to "come out, whoever's alive in there." Deeper into the premises, he is confronted by Akiko and Kenji, he later reveals a message from Mori to Fukuzawa. The message was revealed to be the time and place of the appearance of two guild members, Lovecraft and John Steinbeck. Suspecting his intentions, the two detectives engaged in a short battle with Chūya. After the battle, Fukuzawa questions the mafia's intentions and taunted Chūya, whom sees it as an honor. Chūya then reveals that the mafia had baited the Guild members by leaking the location of the Detective Agency's clerks.

He is shown surveying the Port Mafia's casualties after the Guild's attack on the city and states that they would have had ten times more deaths if it was not for Dazai nullifying Q's curse. He and Mori are interrupted when Ozaki Kouyou makes her return.

He next appears at the Guild hideout, where they were hiding Q, when he meets up with Dazai. He uses his gravity manipulation to crush the Guild's foot soldiers. Steinbeck attempts to stop him, but Dazai neutralizes his powers and Chūya hits him with a devastating kick. After all the Guild members are seemingly defeated, Chūya tells Dazai that he opened a bottle of Petrus (a very expensive wine) in celebration the day Dazai left the Port Mafia, while Dazai reveals that he attached a bomb to his car on the same day. Reaching Q, Dazai aims a blade at Q's throat, and asks Chūya if he's not going to stop him. Chūya expresses his desire for Q's death even though his orders were to bring him back alive. Chūya carries Q out of the base before being thrown into the building by one of Lovecrafts tentacles. He then uses his powers to destroy Lovecraft's arm after Lovecraft lands a hit on Dazai. Lovecraft remarks that he has a heavy fist in a surprised tone. He and Dazai use one of their practiced techniques to punch a hole thorugh Lovecraft and send him flying into the ground. Lovecraft then assumes his monster form forcing Chūya to activate "Corruption". Chūya uses his gravity balls to blow large chunks out of Lovecraft but Lovecraft seems to have endless regeneration. After Dazai activates a bomb he places inside Lovecraft, Chūya launches a huge attack that completly destroys Lovecraft. Afterwards he continues to destroy his surroundings until he is stopped by Dazai.

Trivia

 * He, along with several other characters, made a guest appearance in the mobile game Love Heaven as a limited time character.
 * The chanting required in order to activate Corruption, originates from a stanza in Sheep Song ; a poem from Chūya Nakahara to Yoshihiro Yasuhara.
 * In chapter 31, he taunts Dazai as 'Enemy of Women'. This might be due to Dazai's womanizing habits.
 * His JP voice actor, Taniyama Kisho, is the singer of Granrodeo who sung the OP theme of Bungo Stray Dogs season 1 - TRASH CANDY.
 * Despite liking alcohol, he tends to get drunk pretty easily.
 * He smokes on rare occasions. Mostly when stressed and irritated.
 * Arahabaki is an ancient Japanese god shrouded in mystery, its origins and historical relevance drenched with unreliable, scattered accounts. One theory considered it a sort of "guest god", on or lower a level of power of the main of a shrine it manifests in.