BEASTARS

Abstract

Carnivorous and herbivorous animals live together in civilized society. The most deserving and honored of them can hope to acquire the rank of “Beastar”, an individual of great talent recognized by other animals. However, under this facade of perfect acceptance and well-orchestrated worldliness, resentments and the divide between the two major types of diet in the animal world do not take long to reappear.

What’s the story?

A student and member of the Cherryton Institute Drama Club, Gray Wolf Legoshi is calm and seems a bit strange for this world. When the murder of a herbivorous student, perpetrated by a carnivore, takes place within the school itself, tensions between the high school students increase. Legoshi, as a canine and close to the victim, becomes suspected, but what worries him the most are the feelings he begins to develop for the dwarf rabbit Haru, as well as the special attention paid to him by Louis, the red deer, star of the institute.

History and success

The 22 volumes of Beastars, from the manga artist Paru Itagaki, were released between September 2016 and October 2020 in the magazine Weekly Shōnen Champion. The completed series is edited by Ki-oon in French and Viz Media in North America.

2018 was the year of awards for Beastars as the manga won the 11th edition of the Manga Taishō for recently created series; the “New Creator Award” at the Osamu Tezuka Cultural Award as well as the “Best Manga Shōnen” award from Manga Kōdansha. Finally, the saga also won a “New Face Award” at the Japan Media Arts Festival Awards.

As of March 2021, the series achieved 6 million printed copies.

The story arcs

• The theater club – Setting up the decor: Volumes 1 to 3
• The Meteorite Festival – Peripheries: Volumes 3 to 6
• Solving the Predation Case: Volumes 6 to 12
• Inter-species relations – Disruptive elements: Volumes 12 to 14
• Revenge of the failed love – Grand finale and curtain wall: Volumes 15 to 22

Characters

Legoshi, a Carnivore & Gray Wolf, resigned to being seen as a predator, yet he never uses his strength and his gentle and discreet temperament contrasts with his imposing physique. Listening and ready to help his comrades, he comes out of his loneliness following the death of his alpaca friend Tem and he will discover new feelings when he meets the rabbit Haru and the passionate deer Louis.

Louis, Herbivore; A red deer who runs the theater club and is aiming for the title of Beastar. A true star of Charryton, he is unifying as well as manipulating. This perfectionist will take Legoshi under his wing so that he can use his peculiarities to his advantage.

Jack, Carnivore, Labrador, Legoshi’s best friend, he shares the same dormitory with him with other carnivores. Very attentive to his friend and his states of mind, he will notice his change of temperament and he will be the keeper of his secrets.

Haru, Herbivore, Dwarf Rabbit, the only member of the gardening club, the other students avoid her because of the rumours who follow her. She can’t stand being treated like a fragile little herbivore anymore and will be enterprising and joyous with the dark Legoshi.

Juno, Carnivore, a grey wolf with curly fur, part of the same theater club as Legoshi, she is as sociable as her male counterpart is misanthropic. She can be kind and gentle, but also ambitious and calculating. Her feelings for Legoshi fluctuate, although she inevitably draws closer to him.

The mangaka

Paru Itagaki was born in September 1993 and intended to study cinema. To be able to express herself more freely, as a Mangaka’s daughter (Keisuke Itagaki, author of the manga Grappler Baki) turned to the pen. In 2016, she began to develop her universe of anthropomorphic animals with short stories published under the name Beast Complex. Less than a year later, she released Beastars.

Paru Itagaki is an animal lover who drew from a young age and is as low-key as her main character Legoshi, having a habit of hiding her face behind a chicken mask during her public appearances.

The name Legoshi is inspired by actor Béla Lugosi, known for his role as Dracula, while his facial features are based on those of French actor Mathieu Amalric.

Derivatives

An anime was premiered in 2019, directed by Shinichi Matsumi with scripts by Nanami Higuchi. The season was released in October 2019 in Japan and season 2 in January 2021.

A collaboration with the online video game Caravan Stories for an event was set up in 2020 in Japan and a Beastars card game was released.

There are also a good number of figurines of the star animals of the manga.

Our recommendation

Paru Itagaki’s particular line work  fits perfectly with the universe she created for her work. There is a struggle against its condition very well transmitted in its main characters such as  a strange and conciliatory wolf, a deer with carnivorous ambitions and even a dwarf rabbit in the role of hunter. The anthropomorphic animals of Beastars sometimes show more humanity and emotion than some characters from other manga!