Gunshots echo between skyscrapers, documents are exchanged in dimly lit offices and the line between hero and criminal blurs with every passing case. This is the world of Bungo Stray Dogs, a city where gifted individuals wield supernatural abilities, and survival depends on wit as much as power. But little do many people know, characters are named after preexisting authors with published books, merging a fandom of entertainment with the power of words. For some viewers, the series becomes more than just an anime, but an entrance into the world of literature.
Many students discover new books through friends or social media; however, that’s not the case for Michaela Dodson. Her first chance encounter with one of the authors referenced in Bungo Stray Dogs happened by chance in a bookstore, where she picked up Osamu Dazai’s No Longer Human. What began as interest in fictional characters quickly developed into a deeper exploration of real-world history and literature.
Unlike many readers who move quickly from book to book, Dodson rereads works to engrave them into memory, analyze them from multiple perspectives and build emotional connections.
“When I first read “Schoolgirl,” I felt like I was understood for the first time, despite not having anything in common with the writer,” Dodson said. “It was the way he portrayed the schoolgirl that I related to so deeply. I’ve never felt such a strong connection to anything like that before. That’s why I keep going back to it every few months. I read for emotional connection and plot.”
That connection also shapes how she interprets characters in Bungo Stray Dogs. When analyzing figures like Chuuya Nakahara or Nikolai Gogol, Dodson focuses less on their actions and more on how they respond to people around them. Her curiosity about the characters often leads her to explore the works of the real-life writers who inspired them, including Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Nikolai Gogol. While many teens gravitate toward contemporary young adult novels, Dodson prefers heavier psychological literature.
“The way that they both accurately portray insanity, delusion, heavy emotions, love and heartbreak,” Dodson said. “They portray it in a way that no other writer does and it makes it more mind thrilling. I think it reflects that I like to know about other people and what they are thinking. Reading stuff like Gogol or Dostoyevsky helps me reflect into my own mind.”
Her reading choices are often guided by authors or cultural traditions rather than specific genres.
“If I read Dostoyevsky, the next book will be by another Russian author,” Dodson said. “I think the topic and depth varies by country and style. My friends are usually surprised that I read more philosophical books when I don’t look or act that way at all. Though if someone says it’s too depressing, I’d tell them they need to start looking at how other people really act and decide if it’s depressing or realistic.”
Her connection to literature is also strengthened through fandom communities built around Bungo Stray Dogs.
“More people to connect with and relate to,” Dodson said. “It’s nice having people recognize what I’m talking about.”
Still, she doesn’t rely entirely on the anime’s interpretation of the writers.
“I don’t fully rely on BSD because of the way they exaggerate the personalities of the real authors,” Dodson said. “I read biographies, autobiographies and other sources for more insight on the author and why they wrote the way they did.”
For Dodson, reading serves not only as a hobby but also as an escape from everyday stress.
“When I don’t have any work to do, I read and read and read,” Dodson said. “It really helps me forget everything happening around me because of the author’s ability to put me into another world. I feel like most people just read and skim through to complete a certain amount per year and to weirdly flex on others. I like to read because it gives me understanding no matter the genre or subject.”
When asked how she would describe her relationship with literature, Dodson chose a simple answer.
“A collector of emotional experiences,” Dodson said
That perspective also influences the way she connects with fictional characters. Dodson often searches for shared traits or experiences that help make characters feel personally meaningful.
“I look for their backstory or things we share such as MBTI, personality, even some silly stuff like zodiac or stuff we both like,” Dodson said.
Although her reading journey began through Bungo Stray Dogs, Dodson believes the connection she developed with these authors might not have happened otherwise.
“If I had discovered them outside of Bungo Stray Dogs, I probably wouldn’t have connected with them the same way,” Dodson said. “I just would’ve read their biographies.”
For Dodson, reading is not simply about finishing books or following trends. Instead, she describes her identity as a reader in three words: “intricate, developing and personal.”
