BNA: Brand New Animal

BNA: Brand New Animal (Japanese: BNA ビー・エヌ・エー, Hepburn: Bī Enu Ē), or simply known as BNA by Netflix internationally, is an original Japanese anime television series produced by Studio Trigger. Licensed by Netflix and directed by Yoh Yoshinari, the 12-episode first season aired its first six episodes on Netflix in Japan in March 2020, followed by the remaining six in May of the same year. The series also aired on Fuji TV's +Ultra anime programming block from April to June 2020.

BNA: Brand New Animal
Promotional poster
BNA ビー・エヌ・エー
(Bī Enu Ē)
Genre
Created byStudio Trigger
Anime television series
BNA
Directed byYoh Yoshinari
Produced byAkito Takahashi
Yukiko Takase
Written byKazuki Nakashima
Music bymabanua
StudioTrigger
Licensed byNetflix
Original networkFuji TV (+Ultra), BS Fuji, KTV, Tokai TV, TNC, UHB, ABA
Original run April 8, 2020 – Present
Episodes12
Light novel
BNA ZERO Massara ni Narenai Kemono-tachi
Written byNekise Ise
Illustrated byTRIGGER
Published byShueisha
ImprintDash X Bunko
DemographicMale
PublishedApril 23, 2020
Manga
Written byAsano
Published byShueisha
ImprintJump Comics
MagazineTonari no Young Jump
DemographicSeinen
Original runMay 29, 2020 – present

Premise

Set in a world where humanoid animals (known as beastmen) and humans both co-exist and inhabit Earth, the series centers on Michiru Kagemori, a young teenage girl who one day suddenly starts turning into a tanuki beastman. Running away, she seeks refuge in Anima City, a city built for beastmen to be able to live peacefully as themselves, and ends up meeting a wolf beastman named Shirou Ogami. Together, they investigate how and why Michiru became a beastman, becoming mixed up in even stranger events in the process.[2]

Characters
Michiru Kagemori (影森 みちる, Kagemori Michiru)
Voiced by: Sumire Morohoshi[3] (Japanese); Cherami Leigh (English)
A human high schooler who one day turned into a tanuki beastman and came to Anima City to find a way to turn herself back to normal. She spends the series looking for a cure to what she assumes to be a "disease", while learning the harsh reality of the seemingly utopic Anima City. Michiru has the ability to transform parts of herself into that of any animals and stretch her form to massive lengths.
Shirou Ogami (大神 士郎, Ōgami Shirō)
Voiced by: Yoshimasa Hosoya[3] (Japanese); Ben Diskin (English)
A wolf beastman with a very keen sense of smell. He also has immense strength to surpass a lion and a rhino and possesses an immortal body with self-regeneration abilities. It is revealed that he has lived for nearly a thousand years, first living life as a normal wolf beastman before he was killed by Raymond Sylvasta along with the rest of Nirvasyl. He was later resurrected as Ginrou, possessing immense power that he normally keeps sealed away after his body absorbed the blood of 1,000 Nirvasyl beastmen corpses.
Nazuna Hiwatashi (日渡 なずな, Hiwatashi Nazuna)
Voiced by: Maria Naganawa[3] (Japanese); Xanthe Huynh (English)
Michiru's best friend and classmate since childhood who, like her, one day turned into a kitsune beastman. She was taken by government agents and sent to a research facility for study but was saved by Cliff and joined the Silver Wolf cult. Seeing potential in her abilities, Cliff trained her, helped her hone her abilities and taught her everything he knew, making her what she is today. She became the guru of the cult under the name of Déesse Louve, transforming her appearance to resemble the silver wolf of legend, Ginrou. Like Michiru, she can shapeshift into any animal she can think of, though she is more refined and experienced than Michiru due to her receiving special training from Cliff.
Alan Sylvasta (アラン・シルヴァスタ, Aran Shiruvuasuta)
Voiced by: Kaito Ishikawa[3] (Japanese); Robbie Daymond (English)
A rich, enigmatic entrepreneur and president of Sylvasta Pharmaceutics as well as the main antagonist of series. He has taken an interest in Michiru and Shirou for their unique physical capabilities beyond any beastman he has ever seen and has big plans for them. His ancestor, Raymond Sylvasta was the general responsible for destroying Nirvasyl village, Shirou's original home after the beastmen began to go berserk due to territorial aggression and started slaughtering each other and humans indiscriminately. He is also aware that Shirou is the sole survivor of Nirvasyl and the legendary silver wolf, Ginrou.
Barbara Rose (バルバレイ・ロゼ, Barubarei Roze)
Voiced by: Gara Takashima[4] (Japanese); Cindy Robinson (English)
The mayor of Anima City, a naked mole-rat beastman. She also knows that Michiru and Nazuna are originally human girls turned into beastman by an alleged beastmen disease. She, along with Shirou insisted Michiru's origins and transformation powers must stay secret or risk mass panic if the public found out that humans can be turned into beastmen at any moment. She is currently researching a cure for Michiru's beastman disease. She is one of the few people who knows Shirou is actually Ginrou.
Marie Itami (マリー伊丹, Marī Itami)
Voiced by: Michiyo Murase[4] (Japanese); Reba Buhr (English)
A mink beastman who is involved in all sorts of shady dealings. She helps Michiru from time to time but also asks for a favor in exchange for her help.
Yūji Tachiki (立木 勇次, Tachiki Yūji)
Voiced by: Hiroshi Naka[5] (Japanese); Jake Green (English)
A Great Dane beastman who is a police inspector and sometimes relies on Ogami for help.
Gem Horner (ジェム・ホーナー, Jemu Hōnā)
Voiced by: Hiroshi Yanaka[5] (Japanese); Keith Silverstein (English)
A cockerel beastman and Melissa's husband, who give Michiru a place to stay. He and his wife are devoted believers and worshipers of Ginrou the silver wolf.
Melissa Horner (メリッサ・ホーナー, Merissa Hōnā)
Voiced by: Kimiko Saitō[5] (Japanese); Laura Post (English)
A wombat beastman and Gem's wife. She and her husband are devoted believers and worshipers of Ginrou the silver wolf.
Giuliano Flip (ジュリアーノ・フリップ, Juriāno Furippu)
Voiced by: Yōhei Tadano[5] (Japanese); Taylor Henry (English)
A beluga whale beastman who is the head of a powerful gang and Nina's doting and overprotective father. He has an immense hatred for humans because his father-(Nina's grandfather) was killed by beastman hunters and was then cooked and eaten shortly after, though his daughter says that did not actually happen but that is the story she was told by him.
Prime Minister Shiramizu (白水 総理, Shiramizu Sōri)
Voiced by: Hōchū Ōtsuka[5] (Japanese); Joseph Whimms (English)
A human who is the presiding leader of Japan in the series. He worked with Mayor Rose to establish Anima City but harbors an eternal distrust towards beastmen and isn't afraid to infringe on their rights.
Nina Flip (ニナ・フリップ, Nina Furippu)
Voiced by: Ami Maeshima[6] (Japanese); Erika Harlacher (English)
A dolphin beastman who is the daughter of Giuliano Flip and has never been outside of Anima City. Nina is a friend of Michiru.
Jackie (ジャッキー, Jakkī)
Voiced by: Megumi Han[7] (Japanese); Erika Harlacher (English)
A young and naive bear beastman that Michiru often encounters.
Boris Cliff (ボリス・クリフ, Borisu Kurifu)
Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu[8] (Japanese); Griffin Puatu (English)
A snake beastman and head priest of the Silver Wolf Order cult, who has taken a strong interest in Nazuna.
Pinga (ピンガ, Pinga)
Voiced by: Daisuke Namikawa[9] (Japanese); Tony Azzolino (English)
An albatross beastman who was once a soldier that fought against anti-beastmen radicals, but has since become disillusioned with the government.

Media

Netflix

During Anime Expo 2019, Trigger revealed that they are producing a new original anime television series that is directed by Yoh Yoshinari and written by Kazuki Nakashima.[10] Yusuke Yoshigaki is designing the characters, and mabanua is composing the series' music.[4] The theme song, "Ready To", is performed by Sumire Morohoshi as Michiru Kagemori, while electronic musician AAAMYYY does the ending theme, "Night Running".[11]

It premiered on Fuji TV's +Ultra anime programming block, BS Fuji, and other channels from April 8 to June 24, 2020.[12][5] Prior to its Japanese television debut, the show's first season six episodes were streamed on Netflix in Japan on March 21, 2020.[5] The other six were later available on May 6, 2020.[13]

BNA: Brand New Animal was released worldwide on June 30, 2020 on Netflix.[14]

Episode list
No. Title Original air date
1"Runaway Raccoon"
March 21, 2020 (2020-03-21) (Netflix Japan)
April 8, 2020 (2020-04-08) (+Ultra)
In a world where both humans and beastmen exist, a tanuki beastman named Michiru Kagemori travels to the beastmen-dedicated city, Anima-City, with help from shady mink beastman Marie Itami who also saved her from beastmen hunters. Upon arriving in the city, which is holding a festival celebrating its tenth anniversary, Michiru's wallet is stolen. While trying to track down the thief, Michiru is caught up in a bombing, where she is saved by a wolf beastman named Shirou Ogami. Discovering that the bomb was planted by beastmen mercenaries paid by anti-beastmen humans to sabotage the festival, Shirou violently beats up the attackers before he is stopped by Michiru, who reveals she used to be human.
2"Rabbit Town"
March 21, 2020 (2020-03-21) (Netflix Japan)
April 15, 2020 (2020-04-15) (+Ultra)
As Shirou remains doubtful of Michiru's claims that she is a human, Michiru is told by Marie to meet with Gram Grandma in Rabbit Town to retrieve her stolen wallet. Michiru begins teaching orphan kids how to read and write, until Gram Grandma decides to sell them all off to pay off a debt to a gang. While attempting to escape with the children in tow, Michiru becomes able to change the size of her arms to free herself. After Gram Grandma is arrested, Michiru becomes upset with Shirou for not intervening sooner, proving with her student ID that she was human. She then declares her hatred for beastmen due to their cruelty and disregard of life, she vows to fix the problems of Anima City, cure her beastman illness, leave the city shortly after and never return.
3"Rhino Melancholy"
March 21, 2020 (2020-03-21) (Netflix Japan)
April 22, 2020 (2020-04-22) (+Ultra)
The mayor of Anima-City, Barbaray Rose, approaches Shirou about stopping bombers from attacking the city's medical center. Feeling the center could help cure her alleged disease, Michiru reveals her condition to Barbaray and insists she aid. Although Michiru and Shirou stop a gang from sneaking into the center, an explosion still goes off, which Shirou deduces was caused by two of the doctors trying to eliminate evidence. Yaba, one of the doctors, tries to take Michiru hostage, but Shirou manages to save her.
4"Dolphin Daydream"
March 21, 2020 (2020-03-21) (Netflix Japan)
April 29, 2020 (2020-04-29) (+Ultra)
Michiru meets and befriends Nina, the dolphin beastman daughter of the gang boss Giuliano Flip, who has been posting to social media in human form near her location. Managing to regain the ability to turn into human form, Michiru joins Nina as she attends a human party, which initially seems to accept Nina even after she accidentally reveals herself as a beastman. During the party however, one of the girls puts Nina into a fishtank without realizing she can't actually breathe as she is a mammal who doesn't have gills, forcing Michiru to use her transformation powers to save her. Despite the incident, Nina feels happy about the small bit of shining she got to experience.
5"Greedy Bears"
March 21, 2020 (2020-03-21) (Netflix Japan)
May 6, 2020 (2020-05-06) (+Ultra)
While watching a deadly baseball game, Michiru's powers catch the attention of the Bears team, helping them win their match as their pitcher. Enjoying the feeling, Michiru continues to play with them, unaware that their coach has been gambling on them losing. Shirou discovers that Dante was the first beastman to play professional baseball, but ultimately removed from the game after violently lashing out at his hecklers. During a finals match, where the team is being bribed to lose, an incident in which coach Dante attempts to steal all the gambled money for himself leads to the crowd going angry for having their money stolen. As Shirou resolves this matter, Michiru shows the importance of what baseball truly means, and despite the Bears ultimately losing, they appreciate playing fair and square. Coach Dante, inspired by Michiru's courage and dedication to the game, has rekindled his love of baseball. After that, he quits baseball gambling to train his team for real and make them win the championship next time.
6"Fox Waltz"
March 21, 2020 (2020-03-21) (Netflix Japan)
May 13, 2020 (2020-05-13) (+Ultra)
Michiru discovers that Nazuna Hiwatashi, her best friend and classmate from school who caught the beastmen disease before she did. She has the ability to turn into a white fox and has become the figurehead of the Silver Wolf cult dedicated to the mythology of the silver wolf Ginrou, sacred deity of the beastmen. Wanting to help cure Nazuna's condition too, Michiru arranges for Nazuna to meet with Barbaray. However, Nazuna takes advantage of the situation to secure a settlement for Silver Wolf. She states that she prefers being an idol having no need of friendship, leaving Michiru downhearted. In anger, she renounces her friendship to Nazuna over her selfish actions.
7"Easy Albatross"
May 6, 2020 (2020-05-06) (Netflix Japan)
May 20, 2020 (2020-05-20) (+Ultra)
Michiru meets a albatross beastman named Pinga, whose species has faced trouble migrating due to flight restrictions placed on them. Meanwhile, Alan Sylvasta, head of Sylvasta Pharmaceuticals meets with Barbaray and Shirou and advises against giving the Silver Wolf cult refuge. Pinga flies Michiru across the city, however Shirou suspects that Pinga may be a terrorist. Spotting Pinga approach the Mayor's office, Shirou stops him with the help of Michiru's surprising new flight ability. Finding his planned terrorism was a bluff to meet the mayor, Shirou decides to let him go. Meanwhile, Alan is attacked by a flying hitman but is rescued by Nazuna.
8"The Mole Rat Speaks"
May 6, 2020 (2020-05-06) (Netflix Japan)
May 27, 2020 (2020-05-27) (+Ultra)
Following Alan's rescue, support for the Silver Wolf cult increases, leading to their refuge being approved. Just as Shirou and Michiru go to visit the prison to find out the assassin's motives, Yaba, one of the doctors that Shirou stopped before, goes berserk following a visit from Silver Wolf priest Cliff Boris. As both Shirou and Michiru struggle against the powered up Yaba, Shirou is forced to reveal his true identity as the legendary wolf Ginrou in order to defeat him. While Shirou recovers, Barbaray explains to Michiru how Shirou became Ginrou over a thousand years ago, when the beastmen of Nirvasyl were allegedly wiped out by humans.
9"Human Scapegoat"
May 6, 2020 (2020-05-06) (Netflix Japan)
June 3, 2020 (2020-06-03) (+Ultra)
While Shirou investigates what made Yaba go berserk, Michiru attempts to convince Nazuna that Ginrou is real, but fails. She then sees Nazuna apparently being abducted and breaks into the medical center to rescue her, only to discover she is there for an MRI scan. Alan then tells Michiru that she and Nazuna became beastmen as a result of a Sylvasta Pharmaceutics blood transfusion mishap and he is working with Nazuna to develop a cure. He reveals that it was his idea to have Nazuna pretend to be Ginrou to give the beastmen something to believe in to. Meanwhile, Alan has a clandestine meeting with Prime Minister Shiramizu and offers him some new technology.
10"Rabid Wolf"
May 6, 2020 (2020-05-06) (Netflix Japan)
June 10, 2020 (2020-06-10) (+Ultra)
Michiru and Shirou encounter another berserk beastmen and attempt to take it down when a group of drones called Engel Machines appear and capture it with tranquilizer darts. They follow the drones to the medical center where they find that the drones were sent by Alan. He claims that the berserk effect its due to the "Nirvasyl Syndrome" which is the result of stress caused by several species of beastmen massed together, and is what wiped out Shirou's village. Alan reveals he intends to prevent the syndrome by developing a vaccine to turn beastmen into regular humans but Shirou becomes furious at the idea. Alan asks Michiru and Nazuna to hold a concert to calm the beastmen until the vaccine is complete. Meanwhile, Barbaray plans on dismantling Anima-City to disperse the beastmen to keep them safe. However, when Barbaray goes to inform Prime Minister Shiramizu of her decision, he places her under arrest, revealing that he is working with Alan.
11"A Beastly Feast"
May 6, 2020 (2020-05-06) (Netflix Japan)
June 17, 2020 (2020-06-17) (+Ultra)
Barbaray escapes from captivity and heads back to Anima-City with Pinga's help. Marie informs Shirou that Nazuna is planned to reveal that she is a human to calm the beastmen, but Shirou informs Michiru that Nazuna's confession will actually trigger the Nirvasyl Syndrome. Michiru convinces Nazuna not to make the confession, only for Boris to expose her himself. This sets off a chain reaction of the syndrome within the beastmen. This shock reawakens Shirou's memory revealing that beastmen were the ones who destroyed his village not humans as he believed, Shirou falls into despair before also succumbing to the syndrome, and he attacks and bites Michiru.
12"Anima-City"
May 6, 2020 (2020-05-06) (Netflix Japan)
June 24, 2020 (2020-06-24) (+Ultra)
Shirou suddenly returns to normal after biting Michiru. Meanwhile, while Alan informs Shiramizu that their plan to elimanate all beastmen has been implemented. Barbaray discovers that Michiru's and Nazuna's blood can neutralize the savage tendences in beastmen and cure Nirvasyl Syndrome. Michiru and Shirou confront Alan at the center, who reveals himself to be a purebred beastman not a hybrid like Shirou. Michiru finds that a recording on her phone of Shirou's howling can calm the affected beastmen's rampage, so she works with Nazuna and Marie to broadcast it across the city. Alan in his beastman form attempts to stop it, however Shirou defeats him aided by Michiru's antibodies now in his blood. He then uses his howl to calm the beastmen until the serum can be widely administered. With Alan's conspiracy revealed to the public, Barbaray works towards a reconciliation between beastmen and humans, and Michiru decides to stay the way she is.

Home media

Distributed by Toho, the series will be in three volumes on DVD and Blu-ray in Japan. The first volume was released on August 19, 2020, while the other two gets a September 16 and October 14 release respectively.[15]

Manga

A manga adaptation illustrated by Asano began in Shueisha's Tonari no Young Jump web magazine on May 29, 2020.[16]

Novel

A prequel novel BNA Zero: Massara ni Narenai Kemono-tachi (The Animals That Can't Be Brand New) written by Nekise Ise was released on April 23, 2020.[17][18]

Soundtrack

The show's soundtrack was released on June 24, 2020.[19]

References
  1. Ashcraft, Brian (April 10, 2020). "Your Autumn 2020 Anime Guide". Kotaku. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  2. "Studio Trigger's BNA Confirms Key Casting! | Tokyo Otaku Mode News". otakumode.com. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  3. "Yoh Yoshinari, Trigger's BNA: Brand New Animal Anime Reveals Cast, Visual, Story, April 2020 Debut". Anime News Network. December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  4. "Trigger's BNA: Brand New Animal Anime Reveals More Cast, Staff, Netflix Streaming in 1st Promo Video". Anime News Network. January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  5. "Yoh Yoshinari, Trigger's BNA: Brand New Animal Anime Reveals More Cast, March 21 Premiere on Netflix". Anime News Network. March 10, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  6. "BNA: Brand New Animal Anime Casts Ami Maeshima". Anime News Network. April 22, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  7. "BNA: Brand New Animal Anime Casts Megumi Han". Anime News Network. April 30, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  8. "BNA: Brand New Animal Anime Casts Takehito Koyasu". Anime News Network. May 6, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  9. "BNA: Brand New Animal Anime Casts Daisuke Namikawa". Anime News Network. May 13, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  10. "Yoh Yoshinari, Trigger Reveal Brand New Animal Original TV Anime for 2020". Anime News Network. July 6, 2019. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
  11. "Studio Trigger's BNA: Brand New Animal Anime Reveals Theme Song Artists in 2nd Video". Anime News Network. March 18, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  12. ON AIR｜アニメ『BNA ビー・エヌ・エー』. bna-anime.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2020-05-06. Retrieved 2020-05-05. 5月6日より7話～12話独占先行配信
  13. "Trigger Premieres BNA: Brand New Animal Anime Episodes 7-12 on Wednesday". Anime News Network. May 5, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  14. "Trigger's BNA: Brand New Animal Anime Sets Worldwide Netflix Date". Crunchyroll. May 15, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  15. "TOHO Reveals First 'BNA – Brand New Animal' Anime DVD/BD Release Packaging". Fandom Post. July 1, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  16. "Trigger's BNA: Brand New Animal Anime Gets Manga". Anime News Network. May 29, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  17. "TVアニメ『BNA ビー・エヌ・エー』スピンオフ小説の発売が4月23日（木）に決定しました！". bna-anime.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  18. "Studio Trigger's BNA: Brand New Animal Anime Gets Prequel Novel". Anime News Network. March 21, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  19. "アニメ『BNA ビー・エヌ・エー』Complete album". Amazon.com. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
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