As a seinen series, Kafka Asagiri’s Bungo Stray Dogs has a male dominated cast with various degrees of personality traits that make them lovable. However, accompanying them are a series of female characters, who may be small in numbers but their presence is larger-than-life in context of the series. Take, for example, Akiko Yosano, an invaluable addition to the Armed Detective Agency whose exclusion would only spell disaster for the organization.
Similarly, there are other female characters in Bungo Stray Dogs whose power and presence have been impressionable on the fandom. Yet, it is also not their powers that make them have a higher rate of success in battle, which is why characters like Louisa May Alcott, despite not having offense or defense-based powers, can very well use their brains to get out of the situation. Considering these two factors, here is a ranked list of 15 female characters from Bungo Stray Dogs who are considered strong and smart by the fandom.
Agatha Christie, Koyo Ozaki, and 13 other powerful Bungo Stray Dogs female characters
15. Kirako Haruno
An office staff working for Armed Detective Agency, Kirako Haruno’s character is seen in glimpses throughout the series. Although she is a non-ability individual, her skills in an environment filled with ability users is limited to paperwork.
As such, the only qualities that shine about her are her courage and calm and composed attitude when met with a tough situation, just like how she chose to muster up courage and drive when she and Naomi met Lovecraft and Steinbeck. Other than that, she’s a kind woman who is obsessed with cats. Bungo Stray Dogs fans are yet to watch her use her analytical skills in a battle, which is why she occupies the last position on this list.
14. Aya Koda
Believing herself to be a protector of justice, Aya Koda reportedly practises martial arts to carry out the same ideal. She first appeared in the OVA, Bungo Stray Dogs: Hitomi no Ayumu, where her chance meeting with Doppo Kunikida was instrumental in bringing her good qualities – intelligence, willing to self-sacrifice for the sake of justice, cooperative, courageous, strong-willed, and bright.
Later in the Bungo Stray Dogs manga, she is shown to have good deductive skills. In fact, during the Vampire Infection arc, she was quickly able to deduce that Bram Stoker, who was inside the coffin, was responsible alongside Ochi Fukuchi for the cause of the epidemic. Moreover, here, she also comes up with a plan to expose the mastermind behind the vampire infection outbreak without risking her own life. And while some of her actions may reflect her short-sightedness, Aya Koda’s quick thinking has gotten her to evade Fukuchi twice.
13. Nobuko Sasaki
While she may seem kind and amiable, her intention to destroy the Armed Detective Agency was not the best move on her part. Playing a minor antagonist in Bungo Stray Dogs, Nobuko Sasaki is an intelligent and resourceful person, having been able to manipulate criminals to her advantage without leaving any trace. Moreover, given she’s a lecturer of Criminology, she uses her knowledge to observe and understand people’s behavior.
However, a downside of Sasaki’s personality is her devotion to her lover, the Azure King. To give him a full sense of enjoying his ideals, she even orchestrated multiple terrorist attacks. However, following his death, she lost her purpose in life. With no motivation to guide her through, she expressed a hollowness to Doppo Kunikida and Osamu Dazai. Yet, while carrying out the ideals of Azure King, she directed her anger to ADA and vowed to destroy, but that didn’t work out in her favor as she died eventually.
12. Naomi Tanizaki
Junichiro’s younger sister may have been a more capable detective than her brother if only she had an ability of her own, as is also noted by Kirako Haruno. Naomi is incredibly smart, has mental resilience, and possesses impressive deduction skills. The latter quality was first seen when she and Kirako were up against Lovecraft and Steinbeck, but she deduced that it was Mafia’s move to use the two ADA members as bait and the Armed Detective Agency can make it in time.
As for her intelligence, it is noted in the manga that she was taught basic strategy by Osamu Dazai, the skills of which she has used to her advantage, such as outwitting and misleading Lovecraft and Steinbeck. Besides being intelligent, Naomi has a brilliant endurance level, having been able to survive the gun assault by Higuchi. Moreover, she’s headstrong and brave, so despite being in hostage situations, she had remained outwardly unfazed. All these points sum up to give her the 12th rank on this list.
11. Ichiyo Higuchi
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Port Mafia member Ichiyo Higuchi is the bodyguard of Ryunosuke Akutagawa in Bungo Stray Dogs. Right from the inception of the series, Higuchi has proven her mettle by showing her fierce side during conflicts. In the series, she is mostly seen adept with using guns. Interestingly, Bungo Stray Dogs hasn’t revealed her ability yet. She is largely perceived as a non-ability individual, but it has been tweeted by Kafka Asagiri that she has one, even if it remains unknown as of now.
However, despite her courageous and fearsome mafioso persona, she is self-aware that it is unfit to sustain herself in the mafia. This is partly because she attached feelings with whom she cares about, naturally risking an emotional jeopardy from her enemies. Yet, she is determined, honest, and loyal to a fault, often making sure she doesn’t inflict unnecessary harm and understanding her position and Port Mafia’s role in the safety of Yokohama.
10. Gin Akutagawa
Ryunosuke’s younger sister and a member of Black Lizards under Port Mafia, Gin Akutagawa is a non-ability person, unlike her brother. When not in her usual mafioso getup, Gin has a more charming quality about her persona, with gentle eyes and smile and exudes more femininity. However, given her profession, she likes to dress up in a gender-neutral manner so as to not come off as weak.
Besides being loyal, witty, ruthless, and having a strong resolve, Gin is a master of stealth and assassination. As of now, she is seen mostly using blades as her choice of weapon. The younger Akutagawa is a master of stealth and assassination. When she was younger, her silent approach and agility was enough to take down the assailants who had killed her friends without being undetected. Although she has short temper like her brother, compared to him, her physical prowess is more as she has been seen handling long-term strenuous activities.
9. Mizuki Tsujimura
Tsujimura is kind and sweet, but she also sports a gullible side. Working for the government controlled Special Division of Unusual Powers, this cyan-haired agent has an unique ability called Yesterday’s Shadow Tag. However, similar to Kyoka Izumi, she doesn’t have full control of her ability. And just like she is assigned to look after Yukito Ayatsuji’s ability, Another, he does the same by keeping an eye on her.
Since she is an agent, Tsujimura is highly skilled as a combatant and has been seen using guns. As for her ability, upon activation, it creates a baby shadow that follows her when she’s trying to kill. However, before she could kill them, the shadow acts quickly and assassinates the enemy. So far, she has only been seen briefly in the Dead Apple movie and the light novel Bungo Stray Dogs Gaiden: Ayatsuji Yukito VS. Kyōgoku Natsuhiko. Despite her scarce screen time, she has come to be known as a force to be reckoned with. But since she has a deadly ability, it makes her a more powerful female character than Gin, securing her the ninth position.
8. Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Christie was first seen in the Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple movie. Earlier, she was mentioned fleetingly to be working with Fitzgerald and Dostoevsky to capture Atsushi. Despite her questionable intentions, Christie is a lady of refinement as she was seen sporting her poised and calm attitude when launching an attack to destroy Yokohama.
She is currently the Knight Commander of the Order of the Clock Tower, possessing an ability called And There Were None. Given her status and role in the organization she works for, it can be presumed that she exercises great influence over world politics. While her ability may be unknown, the ruthless Dame is not the one to work without putting rationality into it, as seen in her involvement in taking down Mimic. Thus, it remains to be seen later in Bungo Stray Dogs to what extent she would be successful in achieving her goals alongside the world leaders. Moreover, since the nature of her ability is unknown, it becomes difficult to give her a proper rank, which is why she is relegated to the eighth position in this list of BSD female characters.
7. Akiko Yosano
The doctor of the Armed Detective Agency also happens to be their greatest gem in terms of securing the survival rate. Yosano was one of the earliest members to join Fukuzawa’s organization after Ranpo convinced her. Having a proud personality, the dignified doctor is a believer of gender equality.
In the present timeline, Akiko carries herself with grace and dignity, showing an intense passion for living. This is in stark contrast to her sadistic and aggressive way of treating her patients with her Thou Shalt Not Die ability. During the Great War, she used to work under Mori, the present leader of Port Mafia, but after her traumatic experience with death and cure, her perception towards life has changed drastically, which is now seen in her present self. Aside from that, Yosano exhibits impressive leadership skills. When the Hunting Dogs were on the lookout for the ADA members, she skillfully gave instructions to Atsushi, Kyoka, Kenji, and Junichiro. However, rather than being a combative person, her ability only extends to healing, but with certain conditions.
6. Margaret Mitchell
margaret(Bsd) appreciation post <3 pic.twitter.com/YojCjZtW9p
— riceball (@jojorottenbrane) January 30, 2022
Even though she has remained absent (due to her coma) from most of Bungo Stray Dogs after suffering defeat at the hands of Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Margaret has remained a popular figure within the fandom. She has an ability called Gone With the Wind, which, interestingly enough, is reflective of her fickle-minded or conflicting nature. Within the brief screen time she got, Margaret has been seen as an arrogant person. But she still retains a caring attitude for a few people, which was seen when she shielded her partner, Nathaniel Hawthorne, from Akutagawa’s attack with her body.
But coming back to her ability, Margaret uses wind to disintegrate anything within her range. This can include paper, fabric, wood, etc. But since she had threatened Motojiro Kajii to turn him into a mummy, it is presumed that her powers are more powerful than she let on. In the current timeline, she is under the care of Fitzgerald, who believes that she can put a stop to Hawthorne and her powers would be useful in the ongoing conflict. Thus, it remains to be seen what else can Margaret do within Bungo Stray Dogs once she wakes up from her comatose state.
5. Lucy Maud Montgomery
i love lucy from bsd pic.twitter.com/U1ZQJbFsok
— ًjuul ☁️ (@rancchou) May 26, 2020
Former member of the Guild, Lucy has an ability called Anne of the Abyssal Red – an ability that is largely responsible for determining her ranking on this list. Using this ability, she can imprison anyone inside a room, or an alternate dimension, where they are made to play hide-and-seek with Anne the Monster. In practice, the ability is incredibly powerful, as Lucy can summon two Anne at a time to capture her targets and put them to sleep inside The Prison.
The ability is useful but it doesn’t make Lucy completely safe from her enemies since she was defeated by Atsushi and Tanizaki. As such, if Lucy is rendered helpless by, say, Dazai’s ability, it will automatically mean easy defeat for her. Lucy was earlier shown to have twisted personality, but with time, she developed feelings for Atsushi. And that’s when BSD fans see her true, kind nature. As such, she has helped him and the ADA members frequently in the past few arcs, and with her perception, courage, and strong-willed nature, it makes Lucy one of the most beloved BSD female characters.
4. Louisa May Alcott
louisa is literally one of the best characters in bsd?? cute?? smart?? pretty?? not to mention she could achieve anything with her ability. hand in marriage pls pic.twitter.com/bxFUFR9zNM
— nurà • moved (@pettitmafia) September 15, 2019
Just like Yosano, Louisa is an asset to Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, the leader of the Guild and the Renewed Guild. Louisa May be shy and introverted, but her brain gives her enough power to make her come out as one of the most powerful female characters in Bungo Stray Dogs. She has no combative skills per se, which is why she relies on her colleagues for protection. When the Guild was dissolved and Fitzgerald started living in slums, the headstrong Louisa brought him out of his misery by giving everything she owned to her leader. As such, she was partially responsible for the creation of the Renewed Guild.
As for her ability, Little Women, the power lets Louisa process time at the speed of 1/8000, giving her ample amount of time to devise multiple strategies within a short span of time. But, her ability can only be activated once she’s alone inside a private room. Though the power has limitations, it has helped her out to pursue Fitzgerald once again and form an organization. Furthermore, the leader depends on her for advice, and since she is a prized strategist, Louisa’s inclusion in the top 4 makes sense.
3. Kyoka Izumi
At age 14, Kyoka has seen and experienced a lot. From seeing the assassination of her parents, joining the Port Mafia, undergoing gruelling training and partaking in difficult missions, eventually joining the Armed Detective Agency and making friends, to finally accepting her ability, she has grown a lot. Quiet and reserved, Kyoka often dons a nonchalant expression. But beneath her tough exterior is a teenage girl who wants to be loved by her peers and enjoy the small things about life.
While her time at Port Mafia, especially under the guidance of Koyo Ozaki and Ryunosuke Akutagawa, has made her a tough fighter, ADA has brought out a side of her that had remained suppressed due to all the trauma she had been reliving. Currently, she is one of the best fighters at ADA, and even though she is young, she is highly skilled with using knives and swords, hand-to-hand combat, driving, and quick thinking. She is generally quite perceptive – a fact that has helped Atsushi to be saved because of her. As she ages, her skill and control over Demon Snow will only only increase. So, as of now, her third rank in this list of BSD female characters is justified.
2. Koyo Ozaki
kouyou taking her hat off and letting her hair down is literally the best scene in bsd idc idc pic.twitter.com/hjClGpL9th
— delilah (@pixelssimp) March 20, 2021
A Port Mafia executive, much of Koyo Ozaki’s true potential remains shrouded in mystery. Although she is registered to have the Golden Demon ability, it makes one wonder what else she can do with her offense type ability. Similar to Kyoka Izumi, whom she has trained, her Golden Demon takes the form of a woman who assists her with assassination or combat. However, it is known that she is also a master swordsman.
Koyo exudes an ulterior form of femininity. Just like Christie and Yosano, she’s poised, dignified, carries herself with grace, and has a wry humor. If one takes into account Kyoka’s training before she joined ADA, it can be deduced that she was trained in assassination, stealth, disguise, and even seduction – much of whose knowledge were imparted on her by Koyo Ozaki. In fact, she mentored Port Mafia executive Chuya Nakahara, turning him from a boy of rugged attitude to a man with refined taste and an incredible fighter. The influence of Koyo is much seen from other characters, which is one of the reasons why Bungo Stray Dogs hasn’t explored her full potential. However, considering whatever has been observed of her as a character, it can be concluded that she deserves to be in the top 2.
1. Teruko Okura
she's eviling so fucking hard teruko okura bsd u will always be my fav pic.twitter.com/769rrYKN2W
— raven (@gawroniara) March 29, 2023
The only female member of the Hunting Dogs, the fiery Teruko Okura is the Vice-Captain of the military group. Teruko has an eccentric side and is often seen having fun with her colleagues, even going as far as to show an unlikely obsession for her Captain, Ochi Fukuchi. Although she may look small and child-like, she is anything but strong and fearsome.
Her Gasp of the Soul ability lets her alter her age alongside changing the age of anyone she touches. However, the power lets her even inflict illness and ailments that are caused due to old age. Teruko is highly respected by her peers. A believer of justice, her powers are admirable enough for Tachihara to be awestruck. The Vice-Captain undergoes monthly surgery like the other Hunting Dog members, as a result of which Teruko possesses immense strength, endurance, sharpened senses, and high immunity. All of this factor makes her almost invincible (but not undefeatable) among the list of the female characters in Bungo Stray Dogs.
