Beastars

Beastars is an anime about prejudices, self-discovery and life under idealistic totalitarian rule where carnivores and herbivores supposedly dwell in harmony, and all of this takes place in a certain school's drama club. Everyone is already acting and then they try and act some more. **Before we continue, in case you lean to the right side and consider yourself red-pilled, you most likely are at least on some level avoiding this anime like plague. I had my fair share of skepticism before going in, but I conclude this series is not driven by any pre-set political agenda. Social commentary exists, you can take it aspolitical satire, call its world building neo nazi enigma, see the similarities to Stalin styled communism, laugh at how it practically labels food chain fascist, acknowledge the furry-relations, or entirely watch the series as an independent, stand-alone work that may have real life influence to back it up, but rather than preaching already discovered answers, it raises questions. It creates thought-provoking situations and presents them from multiple different perspectives, leaving room for the viewer to make their own interpretation. More than anything, it is what you make of it. What do we call this? Showing respect towards the audience. There are three main cast members who all are vastly different from each others. They each have their own complex and shallow sides, inner and outer personalities; the one they are inside and the one they show to others, there is a clear portray of each individuals' self-image, fair bit of awareness of what their self looks like to the outside eye, even inner monologue filled with reflecting exist, and the list goes on. The character-centric focus is highly psychological while the presentation itself is partially toned with philosophical questions. This level of detail and accuracy is highly uncommon for anime characters even in psychological anime series. There is more depth, detail, planning and polish that one would expect or let alone see at first glance. The cast members all come with self-awareness and ideas that come from within the person. There are no moments in the narrative where a thought or piece of behavior seems out of place or controlled by the author behind the 4th wall. While some of the supporting cast members (such as mixed breed rabbits) clearly appear as devices in the narrative instead of being sincere individuals, the main cast members do not come with any type of compromises. Our trio consists of Legoshi, Louis and Haru. Legoshi is the main main character, a cautious and sensitive wolf who faces prejudices that are about his supposed wolf-like nature. He aims to counter this by censoring himself and acting almost like the polar opposite of what is expected of him. This causes some inner psychological struggle and visible bounce in forms of his nature overwriting his supposed raw personality. Louis is a deer whom seems to have not only overly egotistic behavior but narcissism, superiority complex and manipulative skills. His ego is no less than enormous, but what makes him vastly different from common student who is narcistic is that his near flawless self-image carries thru making wide masses around him actually genuinely believe he is the greatest person alive, which is due to his skill to manipulate people on individual level and in masses but still not entirely limited to this. On a side note: I'd love to see how he puts on a buttonless t-shirt considering those massive antlers. They never explain that. Our last main character is Haru and she is perhaps the most disliked character. She is a rabbit and literally a slut. She sleeps with everyone and is widely hated by girls for supposedly stealing their men. She is the most controversial character in the series and many seem to despise her. Despite her getting bullied, assaulted and violeted, it seems to be rare for viewers to feel any sympathy towards her. I think that's her true genius, because most people - at least in my generalization - love attention from the opposite sex (or their sex of interest) and are more than willing to make love with sexually attractive people, but we do not appreciate this feature in others. This is the viewer's moment to reflect. Haru is a bit pushy self-victimizer, and her ideas seem to be some type of double edged sword where she'd want to see someone see her inner personality, but her outer behavior tends to ratiate only the slutty features she has. She is practically a self-caused illness, but this is still fascinating thing to follow, because she is nowhere near a weak person. By weak, I mean both: not weakly-writter nor the opposite of strong. Without her the series would definitely not be the same, and she is essential because what makes the cast so incredibly strong is not really their stand-alone personas, but how they interract with each others and develope relations. In these moments, when you have high understanding of these characters, even their smallest actions come with profound slow-burn effect. As far as the writing goes, the premise and world building are basically wit wonderlands. The psychological side is accurate and clever, the animal prejudices -which are used as metaphoras- along the societal structure and way the world works, do not only have their real life relevance and political satire factors in them, but do hell of an impressive job creating the anime's very own universe. One of its main ideas seems to be that healthy ideals do not necessarily create a healthy, functioning world. When a wide portion of society doesn't feel well, it tends to backlash, leaving room for extremist, anti-government activity, havoc and, more specifically in this case, create downunder societies and black markets for the products that are banned. Where's the funny in this, then? Because the herbivores blame those who cannot digest this; not the nu-food nor the bureaucratic bs and paints them the "bad guys." The actual plot could be said to come with its fair share of simplicity, and certain events play out with some level of convinience, which shows that not every bit has been thoroughly planned to hold water (this is the series' sole biggest weakness), but as a whole, its writing has "attention to detail" type of approach, and when considering this, it's quite hard to give justified criticism of its shortcomings when they come out as attributes rather than flaws. However, it should be noted that some of the story events are heavily slice of life oriented, and during these fractions, the series can side track from its actual main content quite a bit. In case you cannot accept more baseline vanilla plot events that are simply beautified with detail, it may be hard to find Beastars' story significant and it may not appeal to you. If you can look past this rather niche and superficial issue, I promise what you see is a brave attempt succeeding and living up to its potential. I can only try and imagine the moment when the author wrote this and realized it's actually good. I am sure not even she planned this all to work so well in her favor. It all just kinda happened, fitted together like compounds of a vaccine. For this reason, it may be easy to overanalyze the series: give its intellectual side more credibility than it deserves. But on the other hand, the lack of strong inprint from the author makes the series seem far less pseudo-intellectual than majority of series that are supposedly aimed for smart people. More than being a tool thru to which the author tries to prove her own genius, Beastars does what was already once said: leave room for viewer's own judgement. Some of the questions this raised in me were: Is equality the first step towards inequity? Are societal norms and values the very roots of human double standards? Can a person truly escape the mold that shaped him? Was Mufasa from Lion King actually wrong (you must take your place in the circle of life)? And most importantly, why do we so rarely get anime series that not only show us multidimensional characters, but tell a meaningful story? My final judgement: AOTY.

“Ewww….this animation is gross.” — a naive Krunchyman Coming into Beastars, I was a bit skeptical. That’s because I saw the 3D animation and immediately thought of Berserk 2016. Granted, the previews for Beastars were enough to convince me otherwise, but I was still leery. It’s not say that 3D aesthetics are terrible in general, but an artistic essence, if you will, seems noticeably absent — as compared to 2D aesthetics — making the 3D visuals seem a bit lifeless. Also, Japanese artists (unlike Western artists), draw 2D characters, which makes the conversion process to 3D look unnatural and wonky. Furthermore,the multitude of anime with horrendous 3D animation has soured expectations in the anime community, making a preponderance of fans jaded to the very notion. Taking that all into consideration, I must say that Beastars far and away exceeded my expectations; as I was thoroughly impressed and astonished by its brilliant imagery. Episode 4 was the high water mark for the series, with its expressive color palette, remarkable camera angles, and phenomenal still-shots. It literally felt like someone painted a masterpiece, over, and over, and over again; stitching each stunning image into one cohesive product, that we call an episode. This, in my opinion, is the mark of a great film/series. One that leaves lasting images in the viewers memory long after the viewing experience. The shot with Louis extending his arm to Legosi — similar to Michelangelo’s, ‘The Creation of Adam’ — was simply marvelous. Also, the scenes with Haru and Legosi in the hotel bedroom featured poignant shots that expressed the emotional/sexual tension between the two. A tension that felt eerily relatable to the human condition, as each one of Legosi’s awkward advances were mired in insecurities. While there were hiccups here and there with the various character movements (the fight between Legosi and the Shishigumi boss comes to mind), it did little to diminish the dazzling visuals on screen. That all being said, images only go so far, as a thematically rich story with well developed characters is needed to create a truly great work. Fortunately for the viewer, Beastars does just that. Starting with our main character, Legosi, he is a tortured soul that has a strong, innate urge to eat meat (which is considered taboo at school). In episode 2, we see the metaphorical demon that dwells within Legosi, and how that shapes him as a person. Because for Legosi, displaying any signs of aggression, in the presence of an herbivore, is unacceptable; thus, he represses this facet of his personality, in exchange for a timid persona that exudes little-to-no confidence. But while this calm, socially-withdrawn facade may put his fellow students at ease, it is tearing him up inside (resulting in self-loathing). This was highlighted in episode 4, when Legosi and Bill (the bengal tiger) put on a ‘performance’ in front of the student body. But what appeared to be acting, was really subtext for the act that carnivores put on while in the presence of herbivores at school. An act that Legosi will need to acknowledge if he is to ever break free from his self-imposed constraints. Needless to say, it will be interesting to see how Legosi confronts this dilemma, especially as his affections for Haru proliferate. One of the other major character arcs in Beastars is that of Louis; a male deer who is the antithesis of Legosi (strong-willed, confident, and self-affirming). His dilemma, however, is not unlike Legosi’s — in which he feels insecure in his own skin — causing him to overcompensate with a brash attitude to conceal his ‘weaknesses’ as an herbivore. In this regard, Louis and Legosi are two sides of the same coin; wanting they cannot attain, but not appreciating what was given to them. They are both putting on an act that they cannot sustain, as all shows must come to an end — and after the show, comes reality. Speaking of reality, Louis’ past reality is a tragic one. But it is worth remembering in understanding how that shapes his future self (it is also worth remembering for its stunning, visceral images). Because while it seems that Louis is always composed and in control — in truth, he is not. Louis is a slave to his perceived fragility, creating an identity crisis in which he desperately seeks power to prove himself to others. It is a quest that will, most likely, lead to self-destruction if he does not accept his limitations. Another herbivore that seeks to transcend her limitations, is Haru. A bunny-girl that feels looked down upon (physically and emotionally) by society. This was accentuated beautifully in episode 10, when Haru chronicled her life’s story in the anticipation of impending death. But her plight for acceptance is different from Louis, as she utilizes lust to achieve ‘equality.’ A desire that provides temporary benefits, yet no lasting returns. And this self-destructive cycle not only precludes an endearing relationship, but it also tarnishes her reputation among her classmates — creating social isolation. All in all, Haru does more damage to herself via overcompensation. A theme that is pervasive in all three main characters (four, if you count Juno). Needless to say, I was completely engrossed by the changing dynamics of Beastars, and how it utilized symbolism and subtext to emphasize its core themes. While the show featured different species of animals to underscore the hardships of carnivores and herbivores living together, it really showcased the same trials and tribulations that we face as humans. Hence, why it is crucial to watch these types of anime for proper perspective. “The tendency to live within one’s own reality is a dangerous notion, and without proper grounding from outside influences — we can easily foster our own emotional seppuku.” — Krunchyman

This show is so fucking good. The characters are great and the story is oddly dark. There are many anime with animal characters like Aggretsuko. But none of those anime inspect the food portion of the world. What do they eat? In this universe Carnivores and Herbivores live in peace. Only problem is that carnivores crave meat but they need to eat the same food as herbivores. Sometimes their carnivore instincts take over and they eat a herbivore. They also have somewhat of a clever solution for this problem and it is THE BLACK MARKET. There you can buy meat. But it will have side effects. Thereare few important characters: Legosi is the main character whose life we follow. Legosi is this awkward wolf who has troubles keeping his instincts inside him. Then we have Louis. Louis is this deer and a candidate for the next Beastar. He is in the same club as Legosi. He is also the most famous student in the school. He is respected by both Herbivores and Carnivores. Then we have Haru. Haru is a rabbit and also the main love interest of this show. Haru is also rumored to be sleeping with multiple guys. Haru is a fun and sweet character. She must be protected. Gouhin is the black markets therapist. He is a panda and a badass. Jack is a golden retriever and Legosis best friend. He has known him since childhood. Jack is a good boy. The OST is fucking good. The opening is catchy as hell. The ending changes every episode which is cool. The background music is very fitting and greatly chosen for each scene. For some stupid reason when all the characters speak to each other it feels more natural than any other anime. It really does feel like they were talking and randomly the mic was still on. I have no idea what the story is supposed to be about. I think its just about becoming a Beastar. Even though its more of a battle manga right now. The main theme is still becoming a beastar but for some while it was saving haru from the shinshigumi which is a gang of lions. Many may look at this show and think oh it is a filthy furry anime but it is some much more than that. The story and characters are all good. Also some may be turned off by the cgi but in this show the animation is supreme. Orange is one rare studio that can use cgi well. Do I recommend this anime? Hell yes. It is an amazing series.

Spoiler warning: I will speak on certain spoilers about the story, so therefore I would recommend you to watch the show before you read this review. I also would like to encourage the reader to not blindly follow my or anyone else their opinions. I believe that my opinion is neither correct nor incorrect. I apologise in advance for any grammar or vocabulary mistakes as English is not my native language. After reading some other reviews on MAL, the overall conclusion seems to be that Beastars is one of the best anime’s this season has offered. I dare to disagree with this as Beastars turned outto be a show with a lot of potential that got wasted on a very cliché story. My biggest critique with this show is that it tries way too much in a series that only has 12 episodes, therefore a lot of subjects and characters turn out to be quite useless in the end. The main goal of Beastars in my opinion is that it tries to tell you that stereotypes exist and that one can either break free from this or be stuck in it forever. Legoshi the main character is a wolf that prefers being quiet and peaceful instead of showing dominance as one would expect from a wolf. As he grows up, he discovers his true nature as a carnivore in the first episode. The problem I have with this part of the story is that it does not progresses throughout the series expect for a couple minor scenes. It just does not show enough moments where Legoshi seems to suffer from a thirst for blood as a normal wolf would do. I believe the main focus should have been on this subject as it would have shown an instinctual conflict of a beast. The story instead decides to put its main focus on Legoshi and his feelings for a rabbit. This again touches upon a stereotype, ‘a big bad guy can not be with a small cute girl’. Instead of developing a cute romance story, it feels to me like a forced relationship. The conversations are awkward and Legoshi barely had any contact with Haru the rabbit before he decides he is in ‘love’. Love does not just happen because you saw a girl naked or because you saw her once or twice. Love takes time to develop and in this case it’s just a simple crush that seemed way too forced. Nonetheless Legoshi has the correct mindset and he is not bad character at all, he admits he is not perfect and for this I praise the show. Haru is by far the worst character in this show. I can understand that one must feel frustrated if they always get looked down upon and people pity her but the way she deals with it just is god awful. A girl selling her body to be more on an equal foot with male is honestly a disgusting thing. The show could have focused more on Haru being a smart and helpful girl that tells u: “no matter how small u are, u can have a meaning in life”. It is also weird to me how she ends with feelings for Legoshi while Louis disappearing seems to not bother her at all. For context: in episode 10 she admits to being in love with Louis. Louis is your typical perfect deer (guy) with a strong sense of justice. This makes him most of the time very boring and predictable. He has a troubled past that still haunts him but tries to overcome this with his pride and his outstanding acting performances on and off stage. The most interesting part about him is that he does in fact put herbivores as a species over a single rabbit. This does strengthen his image of a strong leader but goes against the idea of him being an actual good guy. His ending scene confuses me, but I guess his troubled past got to him in the end and he cracked under the pressure. Apart from these 3 characters the others were mostly useless. The tiger had a fight with Legoshi but after that nothing happened. The female wolf tried to make Legoshi get feelings for him but not at a single point did the male grey wolf show interest towards her. The dog friend just heard Legoshi out about his problems. The list goes on, but I hope you understand my point. I do have to give credits to ‘panda Gouhin’ as his individual story sounded very interesting. The whole herbivore versus carnivore subject felt like it never got the attention it deserved. Apart from some bullying scenes, this subject never mattered. Overall the sound was enjoyable but nothing special. The art was pretty bad most of the time as I felt it looked ‘laggy’ and their movements did not seem natural. There were some aesthetical scenes for which I have to credit them. The ending was quite interesting. It went from a useless ‘knight saving a princess from a dragon’ to a rabbit and a wolf almost having sexual intercourse, to a very awkward love situation. Since there is season 2 coming it is quite easy to finish with this kind of ending. The show does not need to explain because it can just explain it next season. Overall Beastars is not a bad show. It just tried too much with too little time and ended with a lot of holes and uselessness making it me therefore give it a 6. I still recommend it because overall it was an enjoyable show, I just wish they kept it simpler and gave the series an actual direction.

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