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Dazai Osamu/Nakahara Chuuya

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< Dazai Osamu(Redirected from Soukoku)
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Pairing
Pairing: Dazai Osamu/Nakahara Chuuya
Alternative name(s): Soukoku, Double Black, Dachuu, SKK
Gender category: BL, mlm, yaoi, slash
Fandom: Bungou Stray Dogs
Canonical?: No
Prevalence: Very popular
Archives: AO3 tag
Other:
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Dazai Osamu/Nakahara Chuuya, or Soukoku, is a juggernaut ship in Bungou Stray Dogs fandom. Their relationship is popular due to their canon status as ex-partners, ability to work well as a team, and overall aesthetic.

In Canon

Bungou Stray Dogs Manga

Chuuya is first introduced in Chapter 10 of the manga, where it becomes clear that he and Dazai are very familiar with one another. Later, in Chapter 31, it is revealed that the two of them used to be partners during Dazai's time in the Port Mafia. Together, they had been ruthless, once taking down an entire enemy organization overnight, earning their partnership the name "Soukoku," or "Double Black." Later, during the Mersault arc, Chuuya pretends to be a vampire and under Fyodor's control to break Dazai out of prison and win the game.

Dazai and Chuuya: Fifteen

This light novel, which was adapted into a manga and into a portion of the anime, centers on how Dazai met Chuuya, alienated him from an organization Chuuya led, and defeated Arthur Rimbaud with him, leading to Chuuya joining the mafia permanently.

Stormbringer

This light novel centers on Chuuya as the past comes back to haunt him in the form of Paul Verlaine. Chuuya defeats him using Corruption, which Dazai nullifies, starting their time as a team.

Dead Apple

Chuuya saves Dazai by using Corruption to destroy the dragon.

In Fandom

Because their partnership has a canonical name, and because of their shared past, it was easy for fans to begin shipping them.

Some fans of other ships or of the ship itself have criticized some Soukoku fans for placing emphasis on the ship to the point that it overshadows other characters, Chuuya and Dazai's canon characterizations, and Chuuya's interactions with other characters;[1] expressed dismay about being assumed to ship Soukoku; and experienced hostility from Soukoku shippers who felt they insulted the ship.

Common Tropes in Fanworks

  • Chuuya's choker: Chuuya's characteristic choker is often the subject of many Soukoku fics and art, usually in which Dazai gives it to him to wear. On a related note, many fans also include references to Dazai calling Chuuya his dog in fanworks that include this trope, and thus the choker becomes a kind of collar. This can be played for comedic effect or for smut.
  • Nicknames: Chuuya frequently referring to Dazai as "mackerel" and Dazai referring to Chuuya as "slug", as "chibi", as "hatrack", or as his dog, which happens rarely in canon and was inspired by the real Chuuya calling the real Dazai mackerel and the real Dazai being given a slug by a boy he had a crush on. Often also involves related insults about dead fish and furious retaliations at the insults on Chuuya's part.
  • Enemies to lovers: In the majority of their interactions on screen, they are bickering. Fans like to explore their more antagonistic personalities towards each other.
  • Fluff: As of March 2025, fluff is the most common additional tag in works for this pairing, followed closely by angst.
  • Angst: Due to Dazai's suicidal tendencies, as well as the destructive nature of Chuuya's Ability and his dependency on Dazai to nullify Corruption, angst is a popular trope.
  • Hurt/Comfort relating to Dazai's suicide attempts and (non-canonical but often headcanoned) self harm, sometimes starting with Chuuya stopping Dazai from attempting suicide, stopping him from completing it, or finding him and getting him medical help.
  • High school AU: Several official arts feature the characters re-imagined as highschoolers. Many fans expand on this concept by creating high school AUs. College AUs are also popular.
  • Pirate AUs, Merman AUs and Pirate/Merman AUs are fairly common.
  • Genderswaps in which both are women are decently common in fic but especially common in art.
  • Celebrity Musician AUs are common, possibly due to the popularity of I Was Screaming Your Name Through The Radio and Still Still Still, two popular Soukoku longfics in which they are famous singers.
  • Big Guy, Little Guy: Chuuya's height is often a sore subject for him and something that Dazai likes to make fun of him for in canon. Fanworks often incorporate this into their dialogue for comedic effect. However, in a subversion of the trope, Chuuya is often depicted as the one with the muscle, while Dazai is the brains of the operation.
    • Their Height Difference is exaggerated in some fan art, though it is substantial (eight inches) to start with. On the other hand, a fair amount of art reduces the height difference for the sake of layout, subverting this trope.
  • Unconventional Mating Rituals: perhaps largely due to AO3 user setosdarkness's usage, this tag has been wrangled on AO3.[2] It is largely used in reference to how the pairing usually does not express affection or care for one another in conventional ways.
  • Secret Relationship: Many fics feature the pair in a secret relationship during canon, often actively hidden but sometimes just overlooked by their coworkers.
    • More specifically, they're sometimes depicted as having secretly married very young in another country where gay marriage is legal.
  • Make Up: Many fics have them reconcile and get together after having dated or been friends with feelings for each other while partners in the Mafia but enemies after Dazai left.
  • In fics where they pine after each other extensively, particularly No Powers AUs, Chuuya sometimes enters into one or more relationships. This often involves Shirase as a toxic boyfriend and/or Tachihara as a kinder boyfriend who treats him well but cannot replace Dazai in his heart.

Awards

The pairing was an entry in the first MLM Ship Bracket Tournament in 2023. Soukoku was third in the 2024 AO3 Ship Stats, fourth in 2023, nineteenth in 2022, thirty fifth in 2021, and twenty fourth in 2020, indicating a increase in popularity over time.

Example Fanworks

Fanfic

Fanart

Dazai Osamu and Chuuya Nakahara from Bungou Stray Dogs; Dazai is falling, eyes closed, while a broken hourglass spills sand onto him; Chuuya is above him, hands outstretched.
Soukoku Angst Week 2019 Day 4: Time Loop and Nightmares by Ezariumi
Fanart of Dazai Osamu and Nakahara Chuuya from Bungou Stray Dogs based on the fic Retrace by Kuranoa and featuring the red thread of fate trope.

Video

Vids

Edits

Animatics

Meta

Other Fanworks

Archives and Communities

Other Fannish Resources

References

  1. ^ Soukoku-pocalypse: How A Great Ship Can Affect The Perception Of A Story And Its Characters by Cash is alive
  2. ^ [1], "Dazai Osamu/Nakahara Chuuya's Unconventional Mating Rituals tag on AO3.
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