To the stray dogs

 

Toasts have a long history. Vikings did it in order to spill each other’s drink in both goblets, in order to prove that the liquid was safe to drink. Men started thinking of it as a sign of respect and friendship. Closeness. Then it was adopted by royal courts, where toasts were accompanied with a wish of sorts. Something to confess and bring secrecy. It ended up being adopted as a scene of melancholy and profound meaning.

Bungo stray dogs.

I believe when Oda , Dazai and Ango met for the last time in lupin ode toasted ‘’ to the stray dogs’’ he meant ‘’ to help those in need’’. Come to think of it, it really matches Oda’s character and will later on help daze himself. Oda is a real empath and I feel the only way for him to prove his worth is by helping others who actually need it. That’s Oda’s  ‘’ stray dogs’’.

By the end of seasons 3, Dazai and Atsushi are basically celebrating their win and then Dazai toasts, again ‘’ to the stray dogs’’. I think they toast to all those they saved that day. I also believe that Dazai didn’t randomly chose Atsushi to be present while he toasted, as I believe that Dazai saw a lot of Oda in Atsushi. They both want to help those who need them with ought any profit out of it. Maybe, in a way, Dazai  kind of thanked Oda through Atsushi for all he supplied him with. Those two toasts were made at two different times, with different people but the meaning of it stays the same.

But at the same time , what if the toast was for them.          Oda might have been referring to themselves as stray dogs. Those with ought a stable home, as all of them have trauma or experienced something unregular in their past, something that broke them. So, Oda toasts for those who are broken and lost , which would make sense as we tend to pity stray animals and maybe Oda’s words were to show the pity for his friends and to himself.

When Dazai toasts we can see a difference of the circumstances. There it might be also a pity but this pity isn’t for those who don’t have a home of their own. This is for those who are brooked and they gathered themselves, found a  family and are building a home together. And the presence of Atsushi so he is the most recent member who discovered this.  Maybe it is also a pity for those stray dogs who don’t have a family and will never find it. Like Akutagawa.