Ranking the Top 10 Most Powerful Characters in Bungo Stray Dogs

The characters in Bungo Stray Dogs have been among the most distinct personalities introduced in the past decade. The series recently wrapped up its fifth season, going beyond the manga's story and concluding with an ending that even manga readers were not familiar with.

The power system in this series is centered around supernatural abilities inspired by famous works such as Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human and other literary works. This list will rank the top 10 strongest Bungo Stray Dogs characters from the most powerful to the least, based on their onscreen achievements and the overall potential of their abilities.

Nikolai Gogol, Ogai Mori, and 8 other Bungo Stray Dogs characters ranked from strongest to weakest

1) Chuya Nakahara

10 strongest Bungo Stray Dogs characters: Chuya Nakahara (Image via Studio Bones)

Chuya's abilities in Bungo Stray Dogs range from conceptual to physical power boosts, but his ability to manipulate gravity with Upon the Tainted Sorrow is considered the strongest. In the manga and anime, Chuya demonstrates the ability to levitate, slow down bullets, and create a forcefield around himself, solidifying his reputation as one of the most powerful characters in the series.

2) Dazai

10 strongest Bungo Stray Dogs characters: Dazai (Image via Studio Bones)

Even though Dazai may not fully utilize his combat ability, his No Longer Human ability negates any abilities, such as Akutagawa's Rashomon. However, conventional methods like knives, swords, or bullets can still harm Dazai unless he makes physical contact with an ability or the user. Overall, Dazai's ability to negate most others makes him one of the most powerful characters in Bungo Stray Dogs.

3) Fukuchi Ochi

The antagonist in Bungo Stray Dogs seasons 4 and 5, and the final member of the Angels of Decay, possesses an ability called Mirror Lion, which drastically boosts the effectiveness of any weapon he wields.

In both the manga and the anime, Fukuchi maximized his ability by enhancing the efficiency of the Shinto Amenogozen katana. This katana enabled him to slice through space and time, and even foresee his own actions in the past, essentially granting him the ability to see into the future.

4) Fyodor

Fyodor, the enigmatic leader of the Rats and Decay of the Angel, is on a quest to find a reality-altering book that can eliminate those with special abilities. His extraordinary intelligence presents a significant challenge to the Armed Detective Agency. Using his deadly touch, known as "Crime and Punishment," Fyodor can inflict instant death, seemingly through blood loss.

Surprisingly, this ability does not harm Fyodor himself, even during the chaos of the Yokohama Fog incident. Fyodor's intellect surpasses even the sharpest minds in the Agency, like Ranpo and Dazai, enabling him to manipulate events and anticipate the actions of his adversaries.

5) Akutagawa

Akutagawa, a prominent character in Bungo Stray Dogs, wields incredible power through his ability, Rashōmon. This unique ability enables him to manipulate his attire, turning it into deadly blades, a ferocious creature, or an invincible shield. He employs it for both offensive and defensive maneuvers, as well as for swift mobility, showcasing his remarkable adaptability in combat.

6) Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald

As the leader of The Guild and the main antagonist of The Guild arc, Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald possesses the power of "The Great Fitzgerald." This ability grants the user a significant physical enhancement that correlates directly with their wealth. It results in heightened strength, speed, agility, and endurance that surpass human limitations.

7) Nikolai Gogol

Remarkably, Fitzgerald demonstrates his power by casually discarding checks and declaring the amount spent, although simply speaking the amount is sufficient. With his physical enhancements being dependent only on his disposable income, Fitzgerald has the potential to be the most powerful character in Bungo Stray Dogs, alongside Chuya Nakahara.

Top 10 most powerful Bungo Stray Dogs characters: Nikolai Gogol (Image via Studio Bones)

Gogol possesses The Overcoat, a transfer-type ability that grants him the power to manipulate spaces and their contents using his cloak. He can create or move various materials and substances, such as weapons, explosives, and living organisms. This allows him to execute surprise attacks, theft, eavesdropping, and abduction.

8) Tetcho Suehiro

He has the ability to materialize his hand through the cloak, wielding a revolver to remotely take down targets. By enveloping himself in the cloak, Gogol is able to essentially teleport. It is worth noting that, of all the characters in Bungo Stray Dogs, Gogol's ability can still interfere with Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human ability, as long as Dazai is not directly involved in the transfer process.

Tetcho Suehiro, a prominent figure in the hunting dogs and a key adversary in Bungo Stray Dogs season 4, possesses exceptional fighting skills and is known for his ability 'Plum Blossoms in Snow.'

With this incredible skill, he possesses extraordinary mastery over his saber. He is able to lengthen it to seemingly impossible extents and manipulate its shape at his discretion, making it challenging to avoid its reach. This remarkable ability enables him to effortlessly split vehicles in half from a distance and even pierce through the walls of elevated helicopters.

9) Ogai Mori

The top 10 most powerful characters in Bungo Stray Dogs: Ogai Mori (Image via Studio Bones)

Ogai Mori, the leader of the port mafia and the main antagonist throughout the Bungo Stray Dogs series, was among the initial characters to be featured. However, the true nature of his ability, Vita Sexualis, remains one of the most enigmatic in the series.

10) Yukichi Fukuzawa

Mori has the power to summon and manipulate Elise's characteristics and skills as he pleases. He is able to make her float, pursue enemies at rapid velocities, and even transform her into a medical form to engage adversaries with formidable equipment.

Top 10 most powerful Bungo Stray Dogs characters: Fukuzawa (Image via Studio Bones)

Yukichi Fukuzawa, the head of the detective agency, is a somewhat unique figure among the Bungo Stray Dogs characters. Fukuzawa's ability, All Men are Equal, essentially enables him to neutralize the abilities of his subordinates. His ability functions more like a form of support, and it once helped Atsushi gain control over his own ability.

Yukichi's prowess is solely in his mastery of swordsmanship, elevating him to legendary status akin to Fukuchi Ochi. The saga of Bungo Stray Dogs continues, raising the possibility of a new ability user surpassing Chuya in strength.

Editor's P/S

As an enthusiastic fan of Bungo Stray Dogs, I am thrilled to see the ranking of the top 10 most powerful characters in the series. The characters in this anime are incredibly well-developed, each with their own unique abilities and personalities. Chuya Nakahara, with his ability to manipulate gravity, and Dazai, with his ability to negate other abilities, are undoubtedly two of the strongest characters in the series. Their battles are always a sight to behold, and I can't wait to see more of them in future seasons.

I am also intrigued by the introduction of new characters like Fukuchi, Fyodor, and Akutagawa. Their abilities are incredibly powerful and have the potential to change the course of the story. I am excited to see how they will interact with the existing characters and how they will impact the overall plot. Overall, I believe that the ranking of the top 10 most powerful characters in Bungo Stray Dogs is a testament to the incredible creativity and storytelling of the series. I can't wait to see what the future holds for these characters and the world of Bungo Stray Dogs.