Anime-Internet - How big a character is Kunikida Doppo

Kunikida Doppo, a member of the Armed Detective Agency is inspired by the real-life poet Kunikida Doppo, who was heavily inspired by Wordsworth to write poetries encircling the themes of nature and Western Romanticism.

The anime, Bungou stray dogs, creatively made Kunikida’s ability and gave it the name, “Doppo Gingaku” which the real-life poet used as a collection of his poets, which roughly translates to “Doppo Poetry”. Through that ability, Kunikida could materialise any machinery the size that did not exceed the book of his ideals and could use it to his convenience.

The details with which he could carve an instrument is an imitation of the real-life poet’s naturalist description of details, which is also shown in his ability - The Matchless Poet. Even if he saw an object for a short time, he paid enough attention to it and could materialise it into existence with the help of his book.

Kunikida Doppo's character arc

Driven heavily by his ideals, the member of the detective agency follows his ideals of punctuality and other virtues of an idealistic personality religiously. His commitment to time, and his getting angry at the carefree and casual antics of Dazai in distracting him from his ideals are the major implications of his nature as an ideal human being.

Kunikida Doppo has an intrinsic drive of rationalism and earnest ideologies from which he could not have wavered no matter whatever happened.

In any life-threatening incident, he is driven by self-sacrifice and saving people who do not deserve to die, saving children who are prone to damage, everything that coincides with his ideals, he jumps to follow them disregarding his own safety, he does not believe in sacrificing any humans or causing casualties and it affects him to the very core when he sees his inability to follow every ideal he pens perfectly to detail.

Kunikida's professionalism and diligence in working as an official at the Armed Detective Agency are remarkable. He believes in securing his reputation and maintaining his ideals with religious devotion his goal in life. His commitment to responsibilities and practical nature to a fault makes him trustworthy and he had proved to the agency his unwavering loyalty.

In the OVA episode, everyone is shown to know that the next in line president of the Armed Detective Agency is Kunikida Doppo, because of his intuitive ideas to fight for the agency’s name and to secure his ideals along the way.

The only fault in his character is his belief in following the rules strictly, the uncertainty of human life and change in situations over time makes him naive and prone to heartbreak and mental degradation upon seeing innocent people losing their lives.

Kunikida is always trying to evade the death of liabilities and looks to solve matters without violence and death, which often disturbs him mentally, but his respectable stance and unwavering loyalty to his ideals make him an impeccable and honourable character in Bungo Stray Dogs.

Kunikida Doppo jots down idealistic morals, information of enemies and their secrets, list of chores to complete, and with his dynamic personality overlooks the Agency’s members and for their safety. He even jotted down his ideal woman and his plan for marriage under the heading, “Spousal Project Plan.” (the man needs to chill for a second.)

Despite the glaring differences between him and Dazai, their partnership is amazingly coordinated and they have mutual respect and admiration for each other, even though they practically drive each other crazy, Dazai drives him crazy more than him.

But in times of problems and massacres, Dazai amazingly handles Kunikida, understands the complexity yet simplicity of his character, and helps him stay sane through a mission.