#bsd ichiyo

[koku-stars]

Happy birthday Higuchi!!!!

OoF i tempted to do this in digital and gave up.

[favficbirthdays]

Happy Birthday

Ichiyo Higuchi (2nd May)

Bungou Stray Dogs

[damianito]

Wuh luh Wuh

[akuhigufan]

Ok, I have a higugin picture too! 💖

[crumbledtoast]

Can't decide which version I like more, sooooo here's both!

[calmlb]

Higuchi’s Unrevealed Ability

my theory on what it could be…

i think that Higuchi’s ability will be called “Takekurabe” (Growing Up/Child’s Play) after her most famous work, and i believe it might have something to do with reincarnation. here’s why…

in this official art she is featured with red spider lilies, which are symbolic of death, but are also thought of as a bridge between heaven & earth…a reminder of the “cyclical nature of life & death”

Takekurabe also explores themes such as how life is fleeting. & also abt being forced into a role that you didn’t want, or wouldn’t have chosen for yourself

(plus potential foreshadowing: in this official art, Higuchi is surrounded by pinwheels— which symbolize childhood, but also the cycle of life, & the buddhist teaching of reincarnation)

back to reincarnation…

after being told that Akutagawa may never wake up, she reached out to him & a glow appeared around her hand— like she was activating an ability— before pulling away bc she remembered that he didn’t want her (or anyone’s) help

but this means that she’s able to give help in this sort of situation

additionally, the fact that she almost always appears in official arts w Akutagawa indicates that she will probably use her ability on him at some point, which makes sense considering his terminal condition

(note the pulse in the background, his bright eyes, & her white suit)

because we have yet to see her use her ability, i’m assuming that she can only use it once, so she’d be giving up her life for Akutagawa’s (a life for a life— his reincarnation)

this would imitate irl Higuchi’s unfortunately short life— with her having died at only 25 years old. it also makes sense to give her such a powerful ability since irl Higuchi is such an important figure in japanese history— japan’s first professional woman writer of modern literature

now for a less likely, but fun theory…

i wonder if Higuchi’s sister has anything to do with her ability (in bsd she’s unnamed, but her irl sister’s name was Kuniko so that’s what we’ll call her)

according to Higuchi’s bungo episode, despite her literary genius, irl Higuchi was practically useless without her sister

Kuniko was the one who made what Higuchi did possible & kept things functional behind the scenes

so i think it’d be super interesting (& a cool irl reference) if Kuniko was involved in some way with Higuchi’s ability (i also just want to see more of her bc this sister duo is so cute :’))

bonus: when i watched this anime adaptation of Takekurabe, this was the ending scene & i wonder if it was harukawa’s inspiration for this official art 🥹

white lilies represent purity, & since they were off by the side of the road, they might have represented the character’s fleeting purity. white lilies are also used at funerals to represent a soul’s return to purity & its journey to the afterlife… which circles back to the reincarnation theme 👀

[raccoonwxrks]

She can do whatever she wants to me 🙂‍↕️

[lilac-cat-draws]

I've always wondered what was Akutagawa's reaction to Atsushi's little half and half form for his ability is know that man was fumbling deep down😂

It took him a while to realise that he had awaken to something he wasn't ready for

How badly was he fumbling? he went through two sessions and didn't talk to him once

[daimadiamante]

Higuchi: I sleep with a gun under my pillow. Gin: I sleep with a knife. Dazai: You two are pathetic. Gin: Oh, yeah? What do you sleep with? Dazai: Chuuya

[piedpip3rrr]

Get Higuchi tf out of Bsd and into a queer coming of age movie

[obsidianstrawberrymilk]

So if I understand the Port Mafia correctly-

(A continuation of this post)

[courtesanofdeath]

Port Mafia ♤ Magazine Cover

[kohuaz]

higugin sketch because i felt like it ヽ(•̀ω•́ )ゝ✧ \\ and i haven't figured out how to background these silly sketches yet (╥﹏╥)

[loveridden1999]

were you obsessed with morally grey female characters? are you obsessed with morally grey female characters? when will you be obsessed with morally grey female characters?

[akuhigufan]

[honeyscara]

— PM! reacting to their s/o wanting to leave the mafia(feat. Akutagawa, higuchi, tachihara, chuuya and gin)

Bungo stray dogs

C/w: angst, mentions of death

Akutagawa Ryunosukeּ ֶָ֢.

Silence. Deafening, suffocating silence.

You expect him to lash out, to let Rashomon flare up in rage, but he doesn’t move. He just stares at you, dark eyes unreadable, lips slightly parted like he didn’t hear you right.

“Say that again.”

You do. This time, his fingers twitch at his sides. You see it—the small, barely perceptible tremor in his hands. He clenches them into fists before you can comment on it.

“You’re a fool,” he mutters, voice low, trembling with something you can’t quite place. “There is no leaving. You should know that.”

You do know that. You know what happens to those who try.

He steps closer, and for a brief moment, you think he’s going to stop you—to trap you, to threaten you, to beg you. But he doesn’t. He just lifts a hand, almost touching your face… then lets it fall back to his side.

“If you go through with this,” he says, voice colder now, “don’t expect me to come after you.”

And yet, as you turn away, you feel his stare burning into your back.

As if he already knows—when the Port Mafia sends someone after you, it’ll be him.

Higuchi Ichiyouּ ֶָ֢.

“No.”

The word leaves her lips before she can stop it. Her whole body tenses, eyes wide, breath shallow like the wind’s just been knocked out of her.

“You… you don’t mean that. Right?”

Her voice wavers, hands reaching for yours—but she stops just short, like she’s afraid touching you will make you disappear.

You tell her you do. That you can’t keep living like this.

She laughs..a broken, breathless sound. “You’re joking. You have to be joking, because you—” Her voice cracks.

She knows what happens to traitors. And she knows the higher-ups will find out, with or without her telling them.

“You can’t go,” she whispers, hands trembling as they finally grab yours. “Please. I—” Her throat tightens. “I can’t lose you.”

If you leave, she has to make a choice.Report you, or watch the person she loves be hunted down like an animal.

There is no right answer.

Chuuya Nakaharaּ ֶָ֢.

“You’re what?”

The bottle in his hand nearly slips, the liquid inside sloshing wildly. His usual composed demeanor shatters in an instant.

“You’re joking.” His voice is strained, desperate—pleading. “Tell me you’re joking.”

You shake your head.

His breath hitches. “Damn it,” he mutters, running a hand through his hair. He looks away, like if he doesn’t see your face, this won’t be real.

“You know what happens to people who leave.” He turns back to you, eyes sharp with something between fury and fear. “They don’t get to just walk away.”

His hands grip your shoulders, shaking slightly. “I can cover for you,” he says, voice lower now, urgent. “I can make something up, get you out clean, but you have to give me time.”

You tell him it’s too late—that you’re already leaving.

His fingers tighten around you, like he can physically hold you here, in his world, where he can still protect you.

And then—he lets go.

His arms drop to his sides, hands clenching into fists as he steps back. His lips press together, his entire body shaking with the effort to stay calm.

“…You’re gonna get yourself killed.” His voice is hoarse now.

And when you walk away, he doesn’t follow.

Because if he does, he knows he’ll never be able to let you go.

Gin Akutagawaּ ֶָ֢.

She doesn’t react right away.

You wait for the anger, the shock, the desperate pleas but Gin just stands there, staring at you with an expression so eerily calm it makes your stomach twist.

“I see.”

That’s all she says.

You shift uncomfortably. “That’s it?”

Gin tilts her head slightly, as if considering something. Then she exhales, a slow, deliberate breath. “You’ve already decided, haven’t you?”

You nod.

She closes her eyes for a brief moment. When she opens them again, there’s something unreadable in them.

“Then you need to leave. Now.”

It’s not encouragement. It’s a warning.

She steps closer, lowering her voice. “I won’t tell my brother,” she murmurs, “but if he finds out, if they order him to…” She doesn’t finish the sentence.

She doesn’t have to. You already know.Instead, she presses something into your hand—a knife.

“Run fast. Hide well.”

And when you disappear into the night, she doesn’t let herself cry.Because mourning you now would mean accepting that you’re already dead.

Tachihara Michizōּ ֶָ֢.

He laughs. At first, at least. “Yeah, right. And I’m quitting to be a florist.”

But then he sees the look in your eyes.

“…You’re serious.” His voice loses all its playfulness. The smile fades.

“Tachihara—”

“No.” His voice is sharp. “You don’t get to just—leave.” His breathing is uneven, his body tense, every muscle screaming at him to do something.

But what can he do? Drag you back? Lock you away? Call it in and watch the light in your eyes die when you realize he’s the one who betrayed you?

His hands twitch at his sides, fingers curling like they want to reach for you but can’t.

“You…” His voice falters, then drops to something barely above a whisper. “You don’t get how bad this is.”

You do. And that’s why you’re leaving.

He swallows hard, running a shaky hand through his hair. “Shit, I—” He looks away, like he can’t bear to see your face.

There’s nothing he can do. If he helps you, he dies with you. If he stops you, he breaks you himself.

He watches you turn away. Watches you take one step, then another.

He wants to stop you. To call out. To say something—anything. But he doesn’t.

And the next time he sees you, his orders are clear.

Eliminate the traitor.

And for the first time in his life, he doesn’t know if he can pull the trigger.