Beastars

[MFauli]

ynopsis
In a world populated by anthropomorphic animals, herbivores and carnivores coexist. For the adolescences of Cherryton Academy, school life is filled with hope, romance, distrust, and uneasiness.

The main character is Legoshi the wolf, a member of the drama club. Despite his menacing appearance, he has a very gentle heart. Throughout most of his life, he has always been an object to be feared and hated by other animals, and he has become quite accustomed to that lifestyle. But following the murder of a classmate, he finds himself becoming more involved with his other peers, who have their own share of insecurities, and finds his life in school changing slowly.

Just watched episode 1. I think this might be the secret sleeper hit of the season, just like Hoseki no Kuni was. Why am.I mentioning that anime? Because Beastars, even though cgi animation, also looks REALLY good and has a smooth framerate. The cgi actually enhances the liveliness of the world.

Speaking of which, I find the setting super exciting. All the racism/classism and how it comes naturally from the animals' kind. There's a lot to be asked abour this world, but I'm sure we'll find out eventually.

Main character Legoshi looks cool and likeable. And while I'm a fan of sexy furry girls, too, I like how the animal characters here are more realistic and less fap-baity than I've come used to with anime.

Apparently ep 2 and 3 are out, too, so I guess I'll catch up :]

[Munsu]

I was about to check it out myself after I saw a random comment about it around.

[DarthEnderX]

Heh, at first I thought this thread was about Kemono Michi: Rise Up and MFauli was making up his own name for the series again.

[Munsu]

Watched the first 3 episodes, liking it so far.

Seems like episode 4 will be out soon as well.

[MFauli]

Episode 4:

Omg, so good. These episodes feel so short

I honestly wonder how their society works, because if the adult life outside of school is similar, murder must be frequent and tension at a permanent high.

Honestly feel a bit bad for the tiger. He was under a lot of pressure and felt left alone, plus having had to stay back as a herbivore tool all the spotlight. We haven't seen him outside of this play, so I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he's not as bad as he's been here.

Rabbit blood as a drug, though. I'd LOVE to learn about this society's past and how everything came to be. Because at some point it must have been a dramatic, gruesome eternal battle between carnivores and herbivores. The latter living like the people in Attack on Titan, whereas carnivores felt it to be entirely normal to murder 'the others' and est them, too. And then something happened and made everyone into vegans?

Legosi really is such a great protagonist, too. Love his design. And he's got a fierce side on top of his usual calm, observing self.

Really THE top anime for me atm.

[David75]

I wonder what message is behind that show.

Another note: is it really ok by this world/society to use eggs and milk as a food source ? Do they have Hens and Cows selling their production with labor rules and all ?

[MFauli]

I wonder what message is behind that show.

Another note: is it really ok by this world/society to use eggs and milk as a food source ? Do they have Hens and Cows selling their production with labor rules and all ?

I didn't pay attention, have we seen milk.and eggs?

About the message: if this was a western-made netflix show the message would in-your-face 'eating meat bad, racism bad' type of shit. Since It's a Japanese show, I'm hopeful it's something more interesting.

[Munsu]

My only complaint for now is that they kinda dropped the whole murder thing subplot. I'm sure it'll come back, but aside from the first episode, it seems to have been thoroughly dismissed other than a mention here and there in passing.

Is there an investigation going? Or do we just move on from it?

[David75]

Ep2 or 3 when they are all in the cafeteria and they discuss meals and we see soy alternatives to meat, there are also egg and milk based items.
As for the message, if any, we'll now by the end of the season I guess.

Regarding the first murder, it feels like it could have been Bill himself as the shadow line feels similar to his head/ears and upper body build. Could also be a bear, but their carnivorous instincts are more as opportunists as they are omnivorous, so less likely I'd say, and we didn't see a bear like character to my knowledge, or as background characters at most.

But my Bill asumptions are only based on circumstancial evidences:
-feels too confortable with his predator/carnivorous instincts and claims he's cool with them when we feel it might be impossible...
-posses rabbit blood, akin to cocaïn or crack
-fits the shadow in the Tem murder

Another culprit could be the principal himself, deeper implication if the one in command of that utopian highschool commits the greatest taboo crime against its core principle. Why I think about hip, shadow again...

As for the investigation, we do not know much about their society outside that highschool/academy walls.
They might be in a part of their world testing the cohabitation of predators and preys in a civilised society. Thus they might not have investigators or police dedicated to your normal predator kills prey events for the outside world.

[MFauli]

That's the issue: We really haven't seen much of the wider society. I can totally see plot twist where carnivores actually only engaged in all of it to pretend that herbivores are save ... only to more easily "harvest" them. Because it probably was quite an effort to attain prey under past circumstances, with both sides fighting for their lives. Even a Neverland-twist seems possible, where this school is just an artificial environment. And Legosi ends up one of the few, maybe only, carnivores to truly side with herbivores, because he realizes it's wrong to kill other intelligent life.

Lots of potential.

I don't think the murder was really dropped, though. It constantly lingers over every episode, making you think "omg, who did it? omg, will it happen again now?!" and so on.

[MFauli]

Episode 5:

Not much plot progression, but I guess this set up future drama for when poor Legosi finds out Haru has been sleeping with Louis Damn bunny slut. (the Harlequin bunny is way prettier! /furry)

[David75]

Well, Haru is only living true to her instincts: she's fast to sex because numbers mean survival of the species...
The antropomorphism applied to the story then creates all kind of paradoxes, choices and contradiction that should increase the fun.
I think Haru feels just a little too mature in how she copes with those harlequins brats and how she's able to cope with her most primitive fear instincts.

Minor detail from a precious question of mine about animal products: it seems normal to sell anything of value your body creates as they sell their winter fur as it sheds come spring. I guess it also works for eggs and milk.

[MFauli]

"Mhm, your milk is delicious" - something you'd only encounter in hentai till now ;i

Tbh I wonder how procreation works. Considering differing species are gavinh sex, can they also cross-breed?

My theory: Yes, they can, but the offspring always follows one parent, no mixing. Otherwise we'd have noticed chimeras by now (although maybe there's a twist where these students are the elite of the elite and rare pure blooded citizens).

[David75]

Imagine the same scene eggs

Regarding sex and cross breeding, hard to tell.

I don't remember seeing much reptiles ? Maybe I didn't notice them.

[MFauli]

Uff, I couldn't swear on it, but I'm pretty sure I saw a lizard guy at some point.

[MFauli]

Episode 6:

Fuck, this show isso freakin' good. The characters are actually complex and not the usual 1-dimensional tropes. I especially loved buff panda's test. It sounds like a silly fan-service-y thing at first, but it's actually real sound advice. Bust a nut to what you think you love or realize that it's something else.

What I found weird is how easily accessible the black market is, also how it was insinuated that most adult carnivores eat meat, therefore their inner peace. For one, it must be supee shocking for any herbivore to see that. Secondly, it paints the picture of a terrible, scary society. 'Ah, hi, Mr Antilope. I just ate some of your species yesterday, it was delicious' :/

Honestly, I'd hope that this series wasn't focused on Legosi's drama and more about the larger development of this society because it's bomb waiting to explode.

That said: Buff Panda. Magnificent. Character of the Season.

[David75]

I understand you'd like to have a proper description of that world/society.
But it would probably not work well from an entertainment POV.
Somehow, from Aoba/Bill/Legosi's POV's, we get a pretty clear picture, don't you think ?
We even get preys' sides, black market, panda... and we're only 6 eps in.

[MFauli]

Yeah, you're right, It's a balance with focus on Legosi. Still a bit of a bummer. This ought to be a 50+ episode series so it can flesh out the world.

Btw is nobody but us watching this masterpiece or did everyone die?

[MFauli]

Episode 7:

Fuck, what an amazing episode. Spends the most time on fleshing out the worls (yay( and then gives us some real drama. And omg, I've never seen someone confess love with THAT look on his face, haha.

On another note, dance advisor Legosi was super hot 🙈

[David75]

Fun, drama, blood, romance... Packed ep.
And I've got my answer for eggs.

It feels like every ep has some for of violence and/or blood. So a darker conclusion is not out of the window. At least for some characters.

I was telling to myself that prey+love is a recipe to disaster. Legosi might not be able to restrain his instincts against Louis when jealousy mixes with his carnivorous instincts. That grey wolf girly might have the same reaction against Haru.
Legosi himself is not so sure about his instincts being love or thirst for prey flesh. We don't even know if the results of the bunny porn test, or if he even tried.
Also, it seems Legosi might have a short fuse at times. First ep with Haru, on stage fight against Bill and now his mad wolf jealousy reaction. I wonder what happens when reason can't repress that natural violence anymore.