Do you like forbidden love stories? Can you imagine a world where carnivores and herbivores have to coexist together? Then you might want to know about Beastars.
What is Beastars?
Beastars is a manga and anime series set in a world of anthropomorphic animals, where carnivores and herbivores must coexist, with all the problems that entails. The story follows Legoshi, a gray wolf who attends Cherryton Academy and is part of the drama club. As he starts to feel his most basic instincts arise and struggles against them, he meets Haru, a white rabbit who awakens conflicting feelings in him. At the same time, the school is shaken by the terrible murder of an herbivorous student, which creates tension and mistrust among the students.
The manga series was written and illustrated by Paru Itagaki, a young mangaka who debuted in 2016 with this story in the Shūkan Shōnen Champion magazine. It was published until 2020, with a total of 22 volumes. The anime series was produced by the studio Orange and aired on Fuji TV’s +Ultra block in 2019 and 2020, with two seasons of 12 episodes each. The anime is currently licensed by Netflix and can be streamed on their platform in various languages. It has been praised for its visual quality, soundtrack, and faithfulness to the original manga.
Beastars is a series that explores themes such as identity, discrimination, instinct, desire, and morality through complex and charismatic characters. The manga has received several major awards, such as the Manga Taishō in 2018, the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize for New Creator, and the Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category.
The Protagonists
We’ve already talked about Legoshi, a 17-year-old gray wolf who studies and is a set designer in the Cherryton Academy drama club. Despite his intimidating appearance, he is very shy and gentle. His life changes when he meets Haru, a rabbit for whom he feels an attraction that makes him question his carnivorous nature. In the story, he is often portrayed as a tormented being struggling to express his emotions.
The second protagonist is Haru. She is an 18-year-old white rabbit who also attends Cherryton Academy and is the president of the gardening club. Due to her small size and species, she is seen as weak and vulnerable by others, leading to discrimination and harassment. To escape from this reality, she seeks refuge in sexual relationships, which has given her a bad reputation that further increases the bullying she receives. However, despite her situation, she is a strong and independent girl who won’t let anyone manipulate her.
And as a two-legged chair can’t stand, let’s introduce our third protagonist, Louis. Louis is an 18-year-old red deer who is the leader of the drama club and the star actor in the plays. He is the strongest candidate to become the next Beastar, a title given to the most talented and respected individual in society. He is a proud and ambitious herbivore, hiding a dark past and deep insecurity. He often portrays someone who feels the duty to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders at all times. One could say he has a rivalry with Legoshi, but his disdain often reveals a part of admiration.
Although these are the main characters of Beastars, there are many more worth getting to know, such as Juno, Jack, Gohin, or Pina. Each one has their peculiarities and helps to color the wonderful story they are part of.
One of the Best Fan Communities
We have already mentioned many aspects of the series without giving away spoilers, but how has Beastars been received by the audience? What has made this series a worldwide phenomenon?
The anime has been incredibly well-received by the public. Fans have devoted themselves to bringing the universe to life and expanding it. In the future, I will post an article about the best fan arts, cosplays, and more that I have found for this series, but now let’s make a list of what I believe are the reasons for its success:
- An original and complex universe: Beastars introduces us to a world where animals have human characteristics but also retain their natural instincts. This creates a series of tensions and moral dilemmas that enrich the narrative and make it more profound. For example, how can peaceful coexistence be achieved when some are predators and others are prey? What happens when a carnivore falls in love with an herbivore? What role does society play in defining each individual’s identity? These are some of the questions that Beastars raises and makes us reflect on our own reality.
- Charismatic and complex characters: Another strong point of Beastars is its well-developed characters who have distinct and believable personalities. We have already talked about some of them, but even the most inconspicuous character has their unique personality, motivations, and desires.
- Innovative and spectacular animation: Beastars is a series that stands out for its visual quality as it combines traditional animation with 3D animation. The studio (Orange) has managed to create a unique and stunning style that brings the characters and settings to life. The 3D animation captures the movements and expressions of the animals with great realism, while traditional animation is used to add more dynamism and fluidity to the scenes. The result is a masterpiece that leaves no one indifferent.
- An incredible and varied soundtrack: Music is another key element to the success of Beastars, as it perfectly accompanies the emotions and situations the characters experience. The soundtrack is composed by Satoru Kousaki, who has created themes ranging from jazz to rock, pop, and rap. Moreover, the opening and ending songs are catchy and original, especially the first one, “Wild Side,” performed by ALI, a Japanese hip hop band.
If you want to enjoy a different, exciting, and touching story, don’t hesitate to watch Beastars. Below you can see some of the designs that have inspired us from this series. If you’re left wanting more, you can read the manga or wait for the third season of the anime, which has already been confirmed. You won’t regret it!”
