Mori Ougai (Bungou Stray Dogs)
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| Character | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Mori Ougai |
| Occupation: | Mafia boss; former military doctor; former backalley doctor |
| Relationships: | Tied to Elise, a sentient Ability; former colleague of Fukuzawa Yukichi; former boss of Yosano Akiko and Dazai Osamu; boss of Nakahara Chuuya, Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, Kouyou Ozaki, and others |
| Fandom: | Bungou Stray Dogs |
| Other: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Mori Ougai is a controversial character in Bungou Stray Dogs. He is the boss of the Port Mafia and was inspired by the author of the same name. His Ability takes the form of a sentient avatar, Elise, who usually looks like a young girl.
In Canon
Pre-Canon
During the war, Mori served as a doctor on the front lines, making use of Yosano Akiko for her ability. Elise then resembled a young woman void of personality. Afterwards, he worked as a doctor for criminals. At one point, Natsume Sōseki assigned Fukuzawa Yukichi as his bodyguard, but they eventually had a falling out over Mori's intention to force a traumatized Yosano to use her powers against her will. The Port Mafia boss at the time had become incredibly erratic, so Mori used his access to the sickroom to kill him, with Dazai as his witness, and become the new boss. He makes Dazai and Nakahara Chuuya work together at times, with the team name Soukoku. By this point, Elise had assumed her typical appearance, that of a girl around ten, and at least some of her personality, which by the main manga era is reminiscent of young Yosano's and young Dazai's.
Main Universe
During The Dark Era, in exchange for a gifted business permit, Mori sets up the events which lead to Oda Sakunosuke's death fighting Mimic, leading Dazai to leave the Mafia. Years later, during the main era, the PM often clashes with the Armed Detective Agency, but the organizations team up to defeat the Guild. During Dead Apple, Mori and Fukuzawa defeat each other's abilities. During the Cannibalism arc, Mori and Fukuzawa are infected and one must die if Pushkin's ability is not nullified, so they sneak away to fight to the death to end the conflict between their organizations but are stopped by Natsume. Mori makes a deal with Fukuzawa that the PM will save ADA members from the Hunting Dogs in exchange for one ADA member joining the PM; Fukuzawa demands that it not be Yosano, but Mori lies to her and says she had been offered specifically.
BEAST
In this alternate universe, in which The Dark Era never happened, Mori has faked his death, leaving Dazai the new boss, and become the director of an orphanage. Elise takes the form of a grown woman. Ultimately, Mori adopts Nakajima Atsushi.
In Fandom
General
Mori is a controversial character but has a number of loyal fans.
In fan works set in alternate universes, he is often the father to other characters, who may include Dazai, Elise, Q, Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, Akutagawa Gin, and others. He is sometimes depicted as a great father, sometimes as an abusive one, and sometimes as a more nuanced one.
Fans who disagree with the darker interpretations of Mori tend to headcanon him as asexual, due to the protagonist in the real Mori's semi-autobiographical novel Vita Asexualis being interpreted as asexual, and/or gay.
He is most frequently shipped with Fukuzawa Yukichi. Fukumori most frequently appears as a background ship but is fairly popular. All other ships involving Mori, such as the ship between him and Hirotsu and the poly ship merging Fukufuku with Fukumori, are rarepairs.
It is often commented that his appearance is very similar to Fyodor Dostoevsky's, leading to jokes that they are somehow related. Another common joke is that Mori is the biggest Soukoku shipper, based on him making them work together[1] and saying things about them like, "Only a diamond can polish another diamond."[2]
Controversies
Mori is an immensely controversial character in fandom, owing primarily to debates in Western fandom over whether or not he is a pedophile. Those who believe he is point to the strange nature of his interactions with Elise, to remarks in canon, to the suggestive-sounding name of his ability (Vita Sexualis), and to a specific tweet by the author. Those who believe he is not point out that his most dubious remark in canon was the result of a mistranslation into English, that others are often taken out of context, that the novel Vita Sexualis is about being asexual, and that Elise is a grown woman in BEAST, where he is in charge of an orphanage and she is no longer filling the theorized role of a daughter figure.[3]
Both some of those who believe the above and some of those who do not have criticized a portion of the fandom for downplaying his treatment of Yosano and Dazai while they were subordinates, since his behavior is considered by some to have been abusive.
Fan Works
Writing
Art
- Mori by @lila-s-art
- 2024 | 10 by @cinnabar-circus
- Arrow and bow by @henne-rick
- Mayoi card-inspired Mori and Elise by @kyomon0
- Day VIII - Sewing by @nixnephili (warning-slight gore)
Meta & Miscellaneous
- asagiri what did you mean when you had mori say dazai reminded him of himself right after... by @bungoustraypups
- what are your opinions on Mori Ougai? short animatic by @I-eat-mold
- Mori & Dazai relationship analysis by @valenteal
References
- ^ You may ship Soukoku but you will never be Mori putting everyone in Yokohama in danger by releasing Q to the Guild. Just to have an excuse to reunite Soukoku by @starlightshadowsworld
- ^ "my dealer" meme by @kyoukamybeloved
- ^ It’s odd how when you say that Mori isn’t a pedo people will point out that Elise exits by @wiltq