Bungou Stray Dogs may be a series that mainly focuses on action and mystery, but that does not mean it has fewer melancholic scenes than other anime. The characters all have arcs that follow their past trauma and experiences, drawing attention to the deep suffering many of them faced before coming together. BSD quotes that come from these moments are often more than just sad reflections, they resonate in ways fans can relate to.

From Kyouka Izumi to Sakunosuke Oda, many characters have experienced complicated things, such as abandonment, death and murder, throughout their character arcs. Many of these tragic, yet memorable quotes come from the first half of the Season 1 and the darker tone of Season 2.

Updated on July 27, 2023, by Jennifer Melzer: Though the most tragic moments in the anime came from the first two seasons, there were some sad quotes from the third season that were not included when this list was initially written. Additionally, there are some quotes from the first two seasons that weren't in the original list but deserve to be. We also added season and episode information, so fans can hunt down their favorite moments more easily.

15 "Justice Is A Weapon."

Season 1, Episode 6, "The Azure Messenger"

Osamu Dazai, more widely called Dazai, may be renowned for being a suicidal maniac and a womanizer, but he also has a serious side he rarely shows. In Bungo Stray Dogs, during an arc called The Dark Era, Dazai had an entirely different outlook on life and truly was desperate to die. However, because of a dear friend's death, he left Port Mafia and went to the Armed Detective Agency. During a fight together with his partner, Doppo Kunikida, Dazai told him how justice has two sides.

14 "You'll Both End Up Sinking."

Season 1, Episode 9, "The Beauty Is Quiet Like a Stone Statue"

Doppo Kunikida, more widely known by his last name, Kunikida, is a man who lives by his ideals. Because of this, he has a hard time killing others in the name of justice and prefers to harm and not kill. Kunikida's ideals are tested repeatedly throughout Bungo Stray Dogs. During a fight where Atsushi was fighting to bring Kyouka back from Port Mafia, Kunikida said this to him, and it came from his own experience.

13 "...A Form Certifying You Deserve To Live?"

Season 1, Episode 12, "Born Back Ceaselessly Into the Past"

Ryuunosuke Akutagawa, who goes by his last name, detests the weak, including the main protagonist, Atsushi Nakajima. One of the things he hates about Atsushi is how Dazai acknowledges him, although he considers him a weak and pitiful weretiger. This is, in part, because Akutagawa used to be the same, but he was raised harshly, so he learned how to become stronger. He proposes this question to Atsushi during the final fight of the first season, which stirred him up.

12 "Do Our Tears Do Any Good For The Dead?"

Season 1, Episode 7, "Love for the Disease Called Ideals"

Before the series began, Kunikida felt responsible for the deaths of victims that were murdered in a case he was part of. When he and Sasaki went to the cemetery where these victims rested, he explained how instead of crying like he used to, he prefers to visit them. Sasaki responded by saying these words, which caused Kunikida to tell her that tears are useless and that nothing matters once someone has passed.

11 "People Need To Be Told They’re Worthy Of Being Alive..."

Season 1, Episode 12, "Born Back Ceaselessly Into the Past"

Continuing on from how Akutagawa detests Atsushi for his disposition, this statement from Atsushi shows his mindset for the entirety of the first season of Bungo Stray Dogs. As a boy who was raised in an orphanage, abused by the director and bullied by the children, his childhood was less-than-stable. Atsushi struggles with who he is as a person, as well as with an ability he does not know how to control. Because of this, Atsushi hated himself unless he was useful somehow to someone.

10 "I Thought I Could Find A Reason To Live Somehow."

Season 2, Episode 16, "Bungo Stray Dog"

This chilling quote comes from Dazai during The Dark Era. This quote gives insight as to why he is so obsessed with death, as well as his twisted conception of human nature. The closer Dazai gets to death, the closer he believes he can get to understanding human nature. Before he said this, many thought of him as a comical character, making light of death and suicide. This goes to show his past thoughts on human life and nature are anything but jokes.

9 "People Exist To Save Themselves."

Season 2, Episode 16, "Bungo Stray Dog"

Sakunosuke may have only been present in a couple of episodes of the second season of Bungo Stray Dogs, but he left a big impact on the fandom, as well as Dazai. Sakunosuke was told multiple times he was not fit for killing, and he believed it himself until unfortunate circumstances made him pull the trigger on an antagonist. This quote shows the sadness behind human nature, as Sakunosuke believed humans are only born to save themselves. This becomes worse in the face of death, which was called back in an emotional scene between him and Dazai.

8 "Only You Can Understand What You're Feeling."

Season 3, Episode 6, Part 2, "Portrait of a Father"

When Atsushi was a child, he was abused by the headmaster of the orphanage he lived at. Upon learning that the headmaster died when planning to congratulate him for becoming a hero, Atsushi was conflicted. On one hand, he realized that he only became a hero because of his own painful experiences. On the other hand, he could never forgive the headmaster. When he talked about his feelings to Dazai, this was his response.

7 "The Death Of A Person Is Not Some Number."

Season 2, Episode 16, "Bungo Stray Dog"

Ango Sakaguchi is not a well-liked character, as he was, in part, responsible for Sakunosuke Oda's death. He betrayed him, as well as Dazai, all while acting undercover. It is shown that he did care about him. This quote gives insight into what people think about after seeing one buried in the ground, and how it cannot do a person justice to show how they lived.

6 "Wealth Is A Nightmare."

Season 2, Episode 5, "Three Companies Conflict"

F. Scott Fitzgerald was a primary antagonist of the second season, but went on to become a regular character. Turning over a new leaf, Scott decided to become somewhat of an anti-hero, and all for his wife Zelda, who could not accept their daughter's death. This quote shows that no matter how much wealth a person has, it will never buy their happiness.

5 "Some Use Their Powers to Achieve Great Success..."

Season 1, Episode 1, "Fortune Is Unpredictable and Mutable"

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Dazai's introduction in both manga and anime is a lot to unpack. His character makes such light of things that most people would gasp at. The thing is, despite the comedy tied to his words and actions, there is a depth to his personality that speaks of darkness. Being able to see how power can destroy a person so clearly suggests that even he doesn't know how to be successful, no matter how much power he has at his disposable.

4 "You Will Wander The Darkness For Eternity."

Season 2, Episode 15, "A Room Where We Can Someday See the Ocean"

Sakunosuke Oda was a great character who died too early, as many characters do in Bungo Stray Dogs. Before his unfortunate death, however, he did have enough quotes to impact the fandom. Sakunosuke decided to live his life as an author and quit the Port Mafia, until an antagonist killed the kids he took care of. In truth, he was not fit for killing and wished to live a peaceful life. This quote shows the thin line between good and evil, as well as bringing to question the morality behind the two.

3 "It's A Sin That I'm Still Alive."

Season 1, Episode 9, "The Beauty Is Quiet Like a Stone Statue"

After Atsushi learned that Kyouka was being controlled by the Port Mafia and didn't actually want to kill any of her victims, he wanted to help her. He was told to bring her to the police but decided to take her anywhere she wanted and give her the best day that he could instead. The last place that she wanted to go was the police station, feeling that she deserved to die even if she couldn't do anything to stop herself from becoming a murderer. Luckily, Atsushi was able to save her and she joined the Agency.

2 "Everything Worth Wanting Is Lost The Moment I Obtain It."

Season 2, Episode 3, "Bungo Stray Dog"

When Ango was revealed to be a triple agent, Dazai and Oda lost trust in him. The three met at the bar they would always spend time with each other at and though Ango wanted to continue his friendship with them, Dazai refused, saying these words. Dazai talked a lot about how life isn't worth living throughout the series, but it's usually in a comedic manner. This time, however, it was much sadder and showed how depressed he really was.

1 "That Dream Is Gone. There's Only One Thing Left That I Want."

Season 2, Episode 3, "Bungo Stray Dog"

Dazai didn't let Oda go without a fight. When the children that Oda looked after were murdered, he lost his will to live and his best friend tried to be there for him. Oda's dream of being a writer didn't matter to him anymore though and the only thing he cared about was avenging the kids. Dazai tried to convince him not to attack Mimic on his own, but Oda walked away, not caring what would happen to him. No matter what Dazai did, he couldn't help his best friend and said goodbye in the most painful scene in the entire anime.