Manga: Bungo Stray Dogs 8

Bungo Stray Dogs Volume 8 
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Atsushi's far-fetched idea to form an alliance with the Mafia results in a summit between crime boss Ougai Mori and Armed Detective president Yukichi Fukuzawa. But when negotiations fail, Dazai has no choice but to infiltrate enemy territory alone to secure Q. There, Dazai runs into some unexpected trouble...until a familiar man appears before him...! 

The time has come ladies and gentlemen, the Agency and the Mafia are finally teaming up against the Guild. I've been waiting for this moment for forever. Okay, since the Guild first appeared, but still. It feels like forever. 

It would appear Dazai has some dirt on the Mafia Boss, if the rather intriguing flashback is anything to go by. It also provides us some insight in to what the Mafia boss's motivation might be. Meanwhile Fukuzawa gets his little badass katana moment, it's a shame it ended quickly. 

The team up I've been excited for happened too, Chuuya and Dazai team up to launch the first joint attack against the Guild. Or more specifically Lovecraft. I have to say, the true form of Chuuya's skill is scarily badass but the terror is offset by the hilarious bickering between he and Dazai. You'd think they'd focus a bit more. 

So, not only do we get a badass fight scene, but we get a nice amount of Ranpo who has a challenge of his own to deal with. He's facing off against Poe and his Black Cat in the Rue Morgue skill. It basically drags Ranpo in to a detective novel and I did have a moment when I kind of thought he was done for. 

Volume 8 has a lot of action, and some epic team ups. Things are certainly moving now as the Agency fights back against the Guild with the assistance of the Mafia....sort of. However....that could all be about to come to an end as Astushi bumps in to Akutagawa on his mission to stop the Moby Dick from destroying the city. I spent the entire volume on the edge of my seat, and full of tension waiting to see what was going to happen, and then it leaves us on a hell of a cliffhanger. I anticipate the next volume being just as tense and action packed and I'm so ready for it!