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"You're right. I can struggle until I cough up blood, and people will still die. Cruelly and mercilessly, without even a shred of ideals… that is how the world works. But even if the path I seek is a parched desert of thirst and suffering, I will continue to seek my ideals!" |
Doppo Kunikida (
Appearance
Kunikida is a tall and slim young man with deep, green-grey eyes. His bangs are parted to the right and he has rather neat, but spiky golden-blond hair that ends in a long ponytail. He is always seen wearing his glasses.
His attire consists of a beige vest over a black long-sleeved dress shirt, a red ribbon tied into a bow around the collar, beige pants, and plain brown shoes.
After the cannibalism and Kunikida being sentenced to prison for child murder, which was a frame-up by a certain evidence suppressor, Kunikida wears a prison uniform.[5] After the Armed Detective Agency is framed as terrorists, he wears a white hood suit and changes into riot gear with black boots and black gloves, originally belonging to the military police.[6]
As a result of the explosion he made to stop the Hunting Dogs from capturing the other agency members, Kunikida becomes a double amputee on his arms.[7] However, they returned to normal thanks to Yosano.
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Others
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Personality
Kunikida immersed in doing work.
As a member of the Armed Detective Agency, Kunikida is very professional and diligent when it comes to his job, because to him, the reputation of the agency takes precedence over anything else.[8][9] He constantly feels the need to organize, gather, and schedule everything,[1] which is why he may come off as somewhat strict and harsh during investigations.
He is also practical to a fault, as he almost considered abandoning a kidnapped Atsushi Nakajima, because the boy's presence might implicate the Agency.[10] He also once advised Atsushi to give up on the wanted Kyōka Izumi, lest his one-man boat might sink the both of them if he saves her,[11] though he soon encourages Atsushi later on when the latter shows resolve to rescue her.[12] Despite this, Kunikida is nonetheless a trustworthy and loyal detective upon whom many in the Agency rely on because of his authoritative capability and responsible nature, which is why he's deemed as the Agency's next-in-line to becoming its President.[1]
Kunikida's reliance on his notebook.
He is almost never seen without his trademark notebook, which he believes to be an "ideal" and guide to life. He utilizes it for several reasons, such as data-gathering, planning, making the world a better place, and most importantly, a medium for his ability, The Matchless Poet.
Kunikida's typical annoyance towards Dazai.
Though he often appears calm and careful, Kunikida is also known for his exasperated outbursts, which are primarily caused by his partner, Osamu Dazai, who constantly vexes him with his suicidal attempts.[10][13] However, Kunikida does not genuinely dislike Dazai. He acknowledges Dazai's skill and knowledge[14] when first working with him,[3] and he continues to entrust much of the Agency's strategies to Dazai.[10][15] Kunikida extends similar faith to Ranpo Edogawa, as Kunikida actively participates in letting Ranpo believe Super Deduction is a real ability, since Kunikida respects Ranpo's detective prowess and its value to the Agency.[16]
He is also somewhat naïve and prone to easily believe Dazai's lies, including the "merit" of a noose when it comes to improving neck strength[10] and that extreme shouting can cause hemorrhoids,[13] which he later jots down in his notebook for future reference.
Kunikida's breakdown seeing innocent people die in front of him.
Kunikida values human life, as he strives to save all innocent people during dangerous events in Yokohama. He sticks to this belief after seeing young people injured or killed in front of him. As a result, Kunikida never thinks killing his opponents is the only option, and constantly looks to solve problems without bloodshed. Due to Kunikida's passion to try to protect the city and its people, Ranpo believes he is the strongest and most virtuous person in the Agency. This calm front begins to crack when he is forced to "bend the rules", resulting in a mental breakdown.[17]
Kunikida's mental state continues to deteriorate when being hunted by the Hunting Dogs, and he loses self-confidence and "the light he always sees on the other side of the mirror".[18] His ideals are challenged by Saigiku Jōno, who calls them "big and lofty as a hot air balloon". He believes that Kunikida's ideals will disappear if his comrades die, and that he will feel "relief".
Kunikida sacrificing himself for his comrades.
Kunikida deeply thinks about this statement, causing him to re-evaluate his ideals drastically, and he says that idealistic thought alone won't save lives and that they must choose to be more realistic. By the end, Kunikida makes a self-sacrifice, sticking to his desire to keep his comrades alive and telling Tetchō Suehiro that he "won't let anyone ruin his plans" and that he shall let his ideals soar with his "life as fuel".[19]
From then on, Kunikida maintains his steadfast loyalty and faith in the Agency, more so when they reunited partially[20] and fully to take on their formidable adversary together.[21]
Background
Alongside working in the Agency, Kunikida previously worked as an algebra teacher at Shin-Tsuruya Institute twice a week. Because of Azure King case, he left his job at the Institute to devote himself entirely to the Agency.[22]
Ability
- Main article: The Matchless Poet
Kunikida's ability, The Matchless Poet (
He is shown to be able to use pre-written notes as a means for his object summons, which can be especially convenient if one of his hands is bound and incapacitated. Also, he is able to remotely activate his ability, transforming pre-written notes into objects, which come in handy when supporting other members from afar.[17]
| The Matchless Poet ( | ||
|
Manga Debut: | Chapter 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Anime Debut: | Episode 2 | |
| Ability: | Item Creation | |
Skills
- Martial Arts: Kunikida is proficient in martial arts, being able to restrain[10] and overthrow people.[23] With this, he also has enhance strength, being able to rip John Steinbeck's vines attached to his arm[24]. Kunikida learn this skill from Fukuzawa to which he stated that he never once win against him.[15] Below are the list of people Kunikida were able to restrain or overthrow due to his martial arts skill:
- Atsushi Nakajima[10]
- Ryūrō Hirotsu[23]
- John Steinbeck[24]
- Shōsaku Katsura[1]
Battles
- Main article: List of Battles
|
Doppo Kunikida vs. Ryūnosuke Akutagawa | Win |
|
Doppo Kunikida vs. Blond Guy | Unsettled (Changed opponents) |
.png){kind=link}
| [[File:Kenji and Tanizaki vs. Tetcho and Jono (manga).png | link=Armed Detective Agency vs. Hunting Dogs]] | Armed Detective Agency vs. Hunting Dogs | Lose |
Appearances
- Chapter 1 - Looking the Gift Tiger in the Mouth
- Chapter 2 - A Certain Explosive
- Chapter 3 - Yokohama Gangster Paradise, Part 1
- Chapter 4 - Yokohama Gangster Paradise, Part 2
- Chapter 5 - The Fatalist's Sorrow
- Chapter 6 - Murder on D Street
- Chapter 7 - Kill A Man and Die Thee Too, Part 1
- Chapter 9 - Beauty, Hushed Like a Statue
- Chapter 10 - Detective Boys
- Chapter 11 - Back in the Day...
- Chapter 12 - Rashomon and the Tiger
- Chapter 13 - The Rupturous Detective Agency
- Chapter 15 - Constantly Pushed to the Past, Part 1
- Chapter 18 - Flowers and Autumn Leaves, Snow and Gold
- Chapter 19 - The Three-Way Battle
- Chapter 22 - The Strategoy of Conflict
- Chapter 23 - The Grapes of Wrath Ripen in His Eyes, Part 1
- Chapter 24 - The Grapes of Wrath Ripen in His Eyes, Part 2
- Chapter 28 - The Emergancy Plan
- Chapter 30 - The Silent Tower and the Raven's Feast
- Chapter 31 - The Twin Darkness (mentioned)
- Chapter 35 - Rashomon, the Tiger and the Last Tycoon (flashback)
- Chapter 36 - If I May Lay Down This Burden Today
- Chapter 37 - Closing the Party
- Chapter 38 - Slap the Stick
- Chapter 40 - Walking Alone
- Chapter 41 - Addict
- Chapter 46 - The Masked Assassin
- Chapter 47 - Mutual Destruction, Part 1
- Chapter 49 - Mutual Destruction, Part 3
- Chapter 50 - Mutual Destruction, Part 4
- Chapter 51 - Echo, Part 1
- Chapter 53 - Echo, Part 3
- Chapter 54 - The Perfect Murder, The Perfect Killer, Part 1
- Chapter 56 - The Perfect Murder, The Perfect Killer, Part 3 (cameo)
- Chapter 57 - Sunday Tragedy, Part 1
- Chapter 58 - Sunday Tragedy, Part 2
- Chapter 59 - Dogs Hunt Dogs, Part 1
- Chapter 60 - Dogs Hunt Dogs, Part 2
- Chapter 61 - Dogs Hunt Dogs, Part 3
- Chapter 62 - Dogs Hunt Dogs, Part 4
- Chapter 63 - Enemies of Society
- Chapter 70 - The Escape, Part 2 (flashback)
- Chapter 78 - To Threaten God, Part 1
- Chapter 79 - To Threaten God, Part 2
- Chapter 80 - The Strongest Man, Part 1
- Chapter 81 - The Strongest Man, Part 2
- Chapter 83.5 - Toward the Complete Answer, Part 2 (picture)
Vampire Infection Outbreak Arc
- Chapter 89 - Hero War, Gang War (cover)
- Chapter 91 - At the Detective Agency Anew
- Chapter 92 - At the Portway to the Sky, Part 1
- Chapter 92.5 - At the Portway to the Sky, Part 2
- Chapter 94 - At the Portway to the Sky, Part 4 (cover)
- Chapter 94.5 - At the Portway to the Sky, Part 4.5
- Chapter 95 - At the Portway to the Sky, Part 5
- Episode 1 - Fortune is Unpredictable and Mutable
- Episode 2 - A Certain Bomb
- Episode 3 - Yokohama Gangster Paradise
- Episode 4 - The Tragedy of the Fatalist
- Episode 5 - Murder on D Street
- Episode 8 - Teaching Them to Kill; Then to Die
- Episode 9 - The Beauty Is Quiet Like a Stone Statue
- Episode 10 - Rashomon and the Tiger
- Episode 11 - First, an Unsuitable Profession for Her / Second, an Ecstatic Detective Agency
- Episode 6 - The Azure Messenger
- Episode 7 - Love for the Disease Called Ideals
- Episode 12 - Borne Back Ceaselessly into the Past
- Episode 17 - Three Companies Conflict
- Episode 18 - The Strategy of Conflict
- Episode 19 - Will of Tycoon
- Episode 21 - Double Black
- Episode 23 - Rashoumon, The Tiger, and The Last Emperor (memory)
- Episode 24 - If I May Shed Away My Burden Now
- Episode 30 - Slap the Stick & Addict
- Episode 33 - The Masked Assassin
- Episode 34 - Cannibalism (Part 1)
- Episode 35 - Cannibalism (Part 2)
- Episode 36 - Cannibalism (Part 3)
- Episode 37 - Echo
- Episode 41 - A Perfect Murder and Murderer (Part 1)
- Episode 42 - A Perfect Murder and Murderer (Part 2) (mentioned)
- Episode 43 - Tragic Sunday
- Chapter 2 - A Certain Bomb
- Chapter 3 - The White Reaper
- Chapter 4.1 - The Target <First Part>
- Chapter 4.2 - The Target <Second Part> (cameo)
- Chapter 5 - The Conditions
- Chapter 6 - Half
- Chapter 7 - The Wall of Ideals
- Chapter 9.2 - A Chance Meeting <Second Part>
- Chapter 11 - [BEAST Chapter 11
Quotes
- "Just what is an 'ideal'? […] If you ask me, the answer is clear. It is a word written on the cover of my notebook. My notebook is omnipotent. It guides me as a principle, as a master, as a prophet. At times, it becomes a weapon and also a key."[3]
- (To Nobuko Sasaki) "Our calls will not reach the deceased, no matter how much we pray or sob before their graves. Time has stopped for them. All we can do is mourn and believe that we live in a world where it is normal for people to die and for the living to mourn them."[3]
- (To Atsushi Nakajima about Kyōka Izumi) "I'm not telling you to ignore the plights of the unfortunate. But in the world we live in, such misfortune is prevalent. […] Consider yourself on a one-man boat. If you try to save someone you cannot, it will sink both of you."[11]
- (To Atsushi Nakajima) "No! We aren't superheroes! I don't know how many times I've wished otherwise, but it just doesn't happen!"[12]
- (To John Steinbeck) "Oversimplify the battle, and your moves become one-note. Write it down later."[24]
- (To Aya Koda) "My ideal world is not one where people die before my eyes. Such are my thoughts."[1]
- (To Shōsaku Katsura) "You're right. I can struggle until I cough up blood, and people will still die. Cruelly and mercilessly, without even a shred of ideals… that is how the world works. But even if the path I seek is a parched desert of thirst and suffering, I will continue to seek my ideals!"[1]
- (To Shōsaku Katsura) "In the Agency, 'critical condition' is the same thing as bearing no injuries."[1]
- (To Osamu Dazai) "The hell are you talking about?! 'Finally managed to die'? You’re no longer human! You don't deserve that right! If you really want to die that much, I'll kill you myself!"[25]
- (To Tetchō Suehiro) "My name is Doppo Kunikida! My ideals will never fall! They will continue to soar using my very life as fuel!"[19]
Etymology
- The name Doppo means "single/lone" (独) (doku) and "walk" (歩) (ho); "Doppo" (独歩) itself means "self-guided".
- The name Kunikida means "country" (国) (kuni), "tree" (木) (ki), and "rice field" (田) (ta/da).
Namesake
- Main article: Real-life References#Doppo Kunikida
Doppo Kunikida (August 30, 1871 – June 23, 1908)
|
Trivia
- The birth name of the real-life Doppo Kunikida is Tetsuo Kunikida (国木田 哲夫?).[26]
- Kunikida once worked on a side job twice a week by teaching algebra at the Shin-Tsuruya Institute[3] which mirrors the real-life Kunikida who taught mathematics, along with English and history, at the Shin-Tsuruya Institute sometime in 1893.[27]
- According to Kafka Asagiri's tweet, Kunikida was a college dropout.[28]
- According to the second official guidebook:[29]
- He spends his leisure times these days: "As per the handbook, reading and studying, practicing self-improvement."
- His average bedtime and waking time: "Depending on how busy I am at work, I usually get 7 hours of sleep according to my plan."
- His recent stomachache: Resumption of normal operations suspended due to the union war and explanation to related parties
- Kunikida has 58 conditions for an ideal partner,[1] which spans eight pages and 15 topics written on the section titled "Spouse" in his notebook.[3]
- Kunikida's watch uses specialized equipment to set itself to standard time every morning he wakes up, so the margin of error is always under one second.[3]
- Kunikida appears to know various swimming strokes, including freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly.[30]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 40.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Volume 2.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Bungo Stray Dogs: Osamu Dazai's Entrance Exam.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Volume 3, Author Guide.
- ↑ Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 54.
- ↑ Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 59.
- ↑ Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 78.
- ↑ Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 3.
- ↑ Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 37.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 1.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 9.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 11.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 2.
- ↑ Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 47.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 19.
- ↑ Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 6.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 48.
- ↑ Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 60.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 62.
- ↑ Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 81.
- ↑ Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 91.
- ↑ Bungo Stray Dogs: Osamu Dazai's Entrance Exam.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 5.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Bungo Stray Dogs Manga: Chapter 23.
- ↑ Bungo Stray Dogs: 55 Minutes.
- ↑ Doppo Kunikida. Wikipedia.
- ↑ Kunikida Doppo Critical Essays. eNotes.
- ↑ Kafka Asagiri's official Twitter.
- ↑ Bungo Stray Dogs Official Guidebook Shinkaroku.
- ↑ Bungo Stray Dogs Drama CD: Welcome to Hot Springs.