Atsushi Nakajima (Bungo Stray Dogs)
Atsushi Nakajima is a male anime and manga character who features in Bungo Stray Dogs.
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Biography
Atsushi Nakajima (Japanese: 中島 敦 Hepburn: Nakajima Atsushi) was a male human who grew up in an orphanage in Japan where he suffered from severe abuse both verbal and physical from his caretakers whilst also suffering from social isolation from the other children. This history of mistreatment has evidently taken a huge toll on Atsushi's self-worth as an adult and has caused him to constantly question the value and usefulness of his life. According to the orphanage director, Atsushi's parents dumped him. The director becomes the foundation of Atsushi's warped self-worth. The abuse, presumably severe especially because of the tiger rampaging at night, led the director to occasionally chain Atsushi in a cell with little to no food for at least three days. Atsushi was also forcibly injected with what he thought might be poison. Moreover, at one point, the director forced Atsushi to hammer a nail into his own foot as a way of teaching him how to 'endure pain'. When he was unable to, the director himself hammered Atsushi's foot, afterwards instructing him to reflect on his own. The director emphasized Atsushi's hatred towards him, seemingly even encouraging it. Alongside the director and other caretakers' abuse, Atsushi suffered at the hands of the other orphans. Oftentimes, the other orphans threw Atsushi under the bus when they got in trouble, as the orphanage ran on some sort of point system that affected if and when they were fed. When he became 18 years old, Atsushi was kicked out of the orphanage under the pretense that they had a lack of funding and had to downsize. Though he was unaware of it at the time, he was actually transforming into a white tiger under the moonlight due to his ability and causing chaos, including destroying crop fields and storehouses
Aimless and starving, Atsushi arrives in Yokohama two weeks after being kicked out of his orphanage. Although plagued by the orphanage staff's cruel words, he refuses to submit and die. Initially reluctant, he decides to steal in order to survive. He intends on waiting for the next person to pass him by the Tsurumi River's bank, only to come across a young man drowning in the river and ends up saving him. Quickly coming to, the man is displeased with being saved. Atsushi responds with great confusion, and the man clarifies he was trying to commit suicide by drowning. However, at the same time, he wanted his suicide to go without disturbance. As Atsushi gets entangled in his attempt, the man intends on doing something in return. He hears Atsushi's stomach growl and relates to the feeling, claiming he has not eaten in a few days himself. However, the river swept up his wallet, leaving him without money. Soon after, Atsushi meets the man's colleague, Doppo Kunikida. Eventually, the two strangers end up treating Atsushi to chazuke in exchange for saving the suicidal man's life. The man finally properly introduces himself as Osamu Dazai. During the meal, Atsushi learns Dazai and Kunikida are detectives of the gifted Armed Detective Agency. Atsushi learns their current investigation involves a giant white tiger that Atsushi remembers as one that has been following and taunting him lately after being kicked out. After forceful persuasion via Kunikida, he reveals the tiger was the cause of severe damage to the orphanage he was kicked out of. Now, it appears the tiger followed him all the way to Yokohama. Using reward money as a bribe, Dazai pulls Atsushi into a plan as bait to capture the tiger once and for all. However, during their wait, an agitated Atsushi is at a loss for words when met with Dazai's complete nonchalance towards the tiger's looming threat. As moonlight pours into the abandoned building, Atsushi himself transforms into the aggressive white tiger. However, Dazai uses his ability to nullify the tiger, returning Atsushi to normal.
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, Atsushi Nakajima had light gray hair, pale skin, and is of average height with a slim build. He has segmental heterochromia, consisting of purple on the top half of his iris and yellow along the bottom curve of his pupil. His hair is short and swept forward in loose spikes with a lock left long on the right side of his face. This uneven style is the result of bullying he suffered at the hands of other orphans in the orphanage, and he never fixed it
Atsushi's traumatic past affects much of his daily life, and he is tormented with nightmares, flashbacks, and the internal monologue of the orphanage director who abused him. He has a severely low sense of self-worth and is somewhat naïve, which causes him to initially feel helpless when confronted with dangerous situations. When paralyzed in guilt or fear, he had difficulty reacting or understanding what to do.
Despite his feelings towards himself, Atsushi cared deeply for his fellow Agency members and for the well-being of civilians, especially during dire situations. On various instances, Atsushi would not hesitate to help and save others, even those he has never met before. One notable example is Dazai, whom he saves from "drowning" during their first encounter, albeit with some inhibition initially. During his secret entrance exam where he was faced with a simulated bomb threat, he used his own body to cover the bomb and shield the other members, also people he had never met.
Powers and abilities
Atsushi Nakajima was an ability user (能力者, nōryoku-sha?) where he manifested the Ability (異能力, Inōryoku?, Yen Press: Skill) called Beast Beneath the Moonlight (月げっ下か獣じゅう, Gekka-jū?). With this power, he could transform himself into a white tiger where he initially he had no recollection of anything when he was in that state. After becoming an official member of the Agency and under the influence of All Men Are Equal, he gains more control over his transformations. In time, he came to gain better control over his transformation with this ranging from a rather large full tiger form to just slit pupils and tiger stripes on his face. He can transform and manifest various tiger body parts at wills such as tiger forearms with claws or a tiger tail. Due to the tiger's nature, Atsushi can hear and see above what is normal for humans. Atsushi is able to sense danger from above or see something very clearly from a distance. He can sense other people's presence, or use the tiger's sense of smell to detect scents from people. Also notable is that Atsushi's ability has extreme regenerative powers capable of healing bisection and amputation almost instantly. He has shown to possess immense speed, stamina, and strength on several occasions. He has also been shown to be a natural fighter in close combat and has shown to very cunning in battle in several fights. He is able to corner an enemy over a short amount period of time.
He later came to be a member of the Armed Detective Agency (武装探偵社, Busō Tantei-sha?) where he operated as a detective and private investigator.
Notes
- Atsushi Nakajima was created by Kafka Asagiri and Sango Harukawa where he featured in the setting of Bungo Stray Dogs universe.
- The character was based largely on the real life Atsushi Nakajima.
In other media
Television
Appearances
- Bungo Stray Dogs: (2012)
External Links
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