Beastars

Beastars (stylized as BEASTARS) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Paru Itagaki. It was serialized in Akita Shoten's Weekly Shōnen Champion from September 2016 to October 2020, with its chapters collected in 22 tankōbon volumes as of October 2020. The story takes place in a world of modern, civilized, anthropomorphic animals with a cultural divide between carnivores and herbivores. The series takes its name from the in-universe rank of Beastar, an individual of great talent, service, and notoriety. The manga is licensed for English release in North America by Viz Media.

Beastars
Cover of the first manga tankōbon volume, featuring Legoshi
Genre
Manga
Written byParu Itagaki
Published byAkita Shoten
English publisher
ImprintShōnen Champion Comics
MagazineWeekly Shōnen Champion
DemographicShōnen
Original runSeptember 8, 2016 – October 8, 2020
Volumes22
Anime television series
Directed byShin'ichi Matsumi
Produced by
  • Shunsuke Hosoi
  • Hyuntae Kim
  • Kiyotaka Waki
  • Yoshinori Takeeda (Fuji TV)
Written byNanami Higuchi
Music bySatoru Kōsaki
StudioOrange
Licensed byNetflix
Original networkFuji TV (+Ultra), TNC, KTV, THK, UHB, BS Fuji
Original run October 10, 2019 – present
Episodes17

An anime television series adaptation by Orange aired from October to December 2019 on Fuji TV's +Ultra programming block. A second season premiered on January 2021. The anime series is licensed by Netflix, with the first season having premiered, outside of Japan, in March 2020, and the second season set to premiere in July 2021.

Beastars has won multiple awards in 2018, including the 11th Manga Taishō, being the first Akita Shoten title to received it, the New Creator Prize at the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, the 42nd Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category and the New Face Award at the Japan Media Arts Festival.

Plot

Legoshi, a large gray wolf, is a timid and quiet student of Cherryton Academy where he lives in a dorm with several other carnivorous students including his outgoing Labrador friend, Jack. As a member of the school's drama club, Legoshi works as a stagehand and supports the actors of the club headed by the star pupil Louis, a red deer.

Out of nowhere, Tem the alpaca is brutally murdered and devoured in the night, setting off a wave of unease and distrust between the herbivore and carnivore students. At the same time, Legoshi has a fateful encounter with Haru, a small dwarf rabbit who has been in love with Louis, and begins developing complex feelings for her.

Characters

Legoshi (レゴシ, Regoshi)

Voiced by: Chikahiro Kobayashi[3] (Japanese); Jonah Scott[4] (English)
Legoshi, 17 years old at the start of the story[5] but turns 18 years old in Volume 14,[6] is a towering gray wolf with a quiet personality contrasting his appearance. A second-year student, he works as a member of the drama club's stage crew, and enjoys watching tragic stories performed despite never having had to directly participate in them. He attempts to hide his more terrifying traits in order to better acquaint his herbivorous classmates. He takes it upon himself to solve the murder of Tem. Generally conflicted with his status as a carnivore, Legoshi wishes to suppress his predatory desires which become even more complicated as he develops confused feelings towards Haru.
Itagaki had first conceptualized a wolf character while she attended junior high school; the design ideas remained similar, but over time she had different ideas for the character's story. Itagaki stated that she chose to make a wolf character as their similarity to dogs make them familiar to readers and that wolves' "sneaking around" makes them "cute".[5] The name "Legoshi" refers to actor Bela Lugosi while she used Mathieu Amalric as a model for Legoshi's face. She stated "I sometimes think of Kenichi Matsuyama when I'm drawing the body."[5]

Haru (ハル)

Voiced by: Sayaka Senbongi[3] (Japanese); Lara Jill Miller[4] (English)
Haru, a third-year, is the lone member of Cherryton's gardening club and general outcast of the school due to her promiscuity. As a white dwarf rabbit, she often finds herself being treated as a fragile individual by society and wants to be validated as a person; she feels that having sex is the only way she can feel in control of herself. Haru tends to keep people at a distance, even those like Legoshi and Louis who wish to become closer with her.

Louis (ルイ, Rui)

Voiced by: Yūki Ono[7] (Japanese); Griffin Puatu[4] (English)
Louis the red deer, 18 at the start of the story,[8] is a third-year student at Cherryton and star actor of the school's drama club. Prideful and confident, Louis has a dream to become the next Beastar. He tends to look down upon those around him and assert his dominance even as an herbivore surrounded by carnivores. Though typically manipulative for his own desires, Louis has shown kindness and admiration (especially with Legoshi) that evolves over the course of the story. He has been romantically entangled with Haru.
Itagaki gives the character a "feminine" appearance, and that of the characters as of Volume 2 he "is the most difficult character[...]to draw" due to issues in making him show emotional characteristics, adding that she did not have difficulty drawing the actual parts of the character.[8] Itagaki stated that she chose the name "Louis" due to its upper class connotations.[8]

Juno (ジュノ)

Voiced by: Atsumi Tanezaki[7] (Japanese); Lauren Landa[9] (English)
Juno is a first-year female gray wolf student and new member of the drama club who falls in love with Legoshi at first sight after he protects her from bullies, having heard of him prior to meeting him. She is determined to win his heart and become a Beastar alongside him, to create a new peaceful era for all carnivores together.

Gohin (ゴウヒン, Gōhin)

Voiced by: Akio Ōtsuka[7] (Japanese); Keith Silverstein[4] (English)
A giant panda who works as a psychiatrist and back-alley doctor, who treats and rehabilitates carnivores whose predatory instincts start to overtake them. He first encounters Legoshi when he passes out in the Black Market, and at first assumes that Legoshi is one of many carnivores succumbing to their feral instincts, but soon develops something of a friendship with him, eventually becoming a mentor of sorts to him.

Jack (ジャック, Jakku)

Voiced by: Junya Enoki[7] (Japanese); Ben Diskin[4] (English)
Jack is a Labrador Retriever, and also Legoshi's closest friend. The two have been acquaintances since their childhood. He is very friendly and wants the best for Legoshi, supporting him no matter what.

Bill (ビル, Biru)

Voiced by: Takaaki Kojima[7] (Japanese); Kaiji Tang[4] (English)
Bill is a Bengal tiger and second-year student at Cherryton Academy. He is also a member of the drama club's acting division and desires to become the next Beastar in order to prove the worth of all carnivores. He even comes to view Legoshi as a rival in terms of acting skill.

Collot (コロ, Koro)

Voiced by: Takeo Ōtsuka[7] (Japanese); Kyle McCarley[10] (English)
An Old English Sheepdog and friend of Legoshi's who lives in the same dorm.

Voss (ボス, Bosu)

Voiced by: Yoshiyuki Shimozuma[7] (Japanese); Kyle Hebert[10] (English)
A fennec fox and friend of Legoshi's who lives in the same dorm.

Miguno (ミグノ)

Voiced by: Yuma Uchida[7] (Japanese); Michael Chapman[10] (English)
A spotted hyena and friend of Legoshi's who lives in the same dorm.

Durham (ダラム, Daramu)

Voiced by: Naoto Kobayashi[7] (Japanese); Billy Kametz[10] (English)
A coyote and friend of Legoshi's who lives in the same dorm.

Sanu (サヌ)

Voiced by: Fukushi Ochiai[7] (Japanese); Kyle Hebert[11] (English)
A pelican and head director of the drama club.

Kai (カイ)

Voiced by: Nobuhiko Okamoto[7] (Japanese); Daman Mills[4] (English)
Kai is a mongoose. Formerly part of the drama club acting team, he is demoted by Louis to working as a stagehand and supporting the actors of the club.

Els (エルス, Erusu)

Voiced by: Sayumi Watabe[7] (Japanese); Erika Harlacher[4] (English)
Els is an Angora goat who was the object of Tem's affection. She initially feared Legoshi following Tem's murder, but she changed her mind and forgave the wolf when he gave her Tem's love letter.

Dom (ドーム, Dōmu)

Voiced by: Genki Muro[7] (Japanese); Brian Beacock[11] (English)
A third-year peafowl and the stage crew leader of the drama club.

Kibi (キビ)

Voiced by: Yūichi Iguchi[7] (Japanese); Bryce Papenbrook[10] (English)
An anteater member of the drama club's stage crew.

Sheila (シイラ, Shīra)

Voiced by: Yuko Hara[7] (Japanese); Cristina Vee[12] (English)
A third-year cheetah and a high ranked member of the drama club serving as the choreographer.

Aoba (アオバ)

Voiced by: Ikuto Kanemasa[7] (Japanese); Tony Azzolino[11] (English)
A bald eagle second-year student and friend to both Legoshi and Bill.

Ellen (エレン, Eren)

Voiced by: Akane Ōchi[7] (Japanese); Lauren Landa[11] (English)
Ellen is a second-year zebra student at Cherryton Academy. She is a member of the drama club who holds great respect from the herbivore side (though not nearly as much as Louis). She is shown to be easily scared of carnivores and is the first to blame one of them for Tem's death.

Mizuchi (ミズチ)

Voiced by: Hibiku Yamamura[7] (Japanese); Cherami Leigh[10] (English)
A paranoid Harlequin rabbit student at Cherryton Academy in Haru's grade who believes herself an endangered species and enjoys belittling Haru as inferior to her.

Legom (レゴム, Regomu)

Voiced by: Sakura Andou[7] (Japanese); Reba Buhr[10] (English)
A Leghorn chicken student at Cherryton High School who sits next to Legoshi because the seats are arranged alphabetically. Every Wednesday, she sells her eggs to the school store, where Legoshi buys eggs from to make egg sandwiches. Although they seldom interact with one another, Legom appreciates Legoshi's affinity for her eggs.

Tem (テム, Temu)

Voiced by: Takeo Ōtsuka (Japanese); Kyle McCarley[10] (English)
Tem is an alpaca who was mysteriously murdered. Before his death, he had feelings for Els and made a love letter (which Legoshi knew and gave to Els afterward). Later in the series, the murderer is revealed amidst plenty of intrigue.

Zoe (ゾーイ, Zōi)

Voiced by: Genki Muro (Japanese); Kylen Deporter[10] (English)
Zoe is a goat and member of Cherryton Academy's drama club.

Tao (タオ)

Voiced by: Naoto Kobayashi (Japanese); Bryce Papenbrook[11] (English)
Tao is a black panther second-year student at Cherryton Academy as well as a member of the drama club.

Gon (ゴン)

The Siberian tiger Headmaster of Cherryton Academy who is also a member of the All-Organism Council that helps in selecting new Beastars each year.

Mayor (市長, Shichō)

Voiced by: Mitsuaki Hoshino[7] (Japanese); Billy Kametz[10] (English)
The unnamed lion mayor who selfishly ignores any negative behavior of other carnivores (especially lions) for the sake of preserving the peace. He admits to spending an exorbitant amount of money on plastic surgery to make himself look more like an herbivore for the sole purpose of appearing less threatening, and therefore more "electable".

Ogma (オグマ, Oguma)

Voiced by: Kenyu Horiuchi[7] (Japanese); Bob Buchholz[10] (English)
A red deer who is the owner and head of the Horns Conglomerate. Being infertile and in need of having a successor, he adopted Louis from the Back Market Alley when the latter was very little.

Ibuki (イブキ)

Voiced by: Taiten Kusunoki[13]
Member of the Shishigumi that operates in the black market. Ibuki is a clever and calm lion among its reckless members. He has a strong father/son-like relationship with Louis.

Free (フリー, Furī)

Voiced by: Subaru Kimura[13]
Member of the Shishigumi who is a quick-tempered lion that actively takes on the lead in turf wars. Aggressive but also likes to joke around.

Pina (ピナ)

Voiced by: Yūki Kaji[14]
Pina is a dall sheep first-year student and a new member of the drama club.

Rokume (ロクメ)

Voiced by: Kujira
A rattlesnake who is the security guard of Cherryton Academy and has become fascinated by Legoshi. Her name - "Six Eyes" - refers to the eye-like markings on her body.

Media

Manga
Main article: List of Beastars chapters

Paru Itagaki launched the manga in Akita Shoten's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Champion on September 8, 2016.[15] In a September 2019 interview with Spanish website Ramen Para Dos, Itagaki stated that the manga would have "at most twenty volumes."[16] In a January 2020 chapter's author's note Itagaki commented that the "end is in sight".[17] The series finished with its 196th chapter on October 8, 2020.[14][18][19] Akita Shoten has compiled its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on January 6, 2017. The 22nd and final volume was released on January 8, 2021.

During their panel at Anime NYC 2018, Viz Media announced that they have licensed the manga.[20] The first volume was released on July 16, 2019.[21]

Anime
Main article: List of Beastars episodes

In the 10th issue of 2019 of Weekly Shōnen Champion, it was announced that Beastars would get an anime television series adaptation[22] animated by CG studio Orange.[23] Shin'ichi Matsumi directed the series, with Nanami Higuchi handling series composition, Nao Ootsu designing the characters, and Satoru Kōsaki composing the series' music.[24] The series aired from October 10 to December 26, 2019 and aired on Fuji TV's +Ultra anime programming block and other channels. The first season was 12 episodes in total, with the Netflix release outside of Japan on March 13, 2020.[25][26] At the conclusion of the TV broadcast, a second season was announced.[27][28] Animation studio Orange will be returning to produce the second season, which premiered on January 7, 2021.[29][30][31]

ALI performed the series' opening theme song "Wild side", while YURiKA performed the series' ending theme songs "Le zoo" (ep. 2, 5, 8 and 9), "Sleeping instinct" (ep. 3, 7 and 10), "Marble" (ep. 4, 6 and 11) and "Floating Story on the Moon" (ep. 12).[32] The opening and ending theme song for the second season is "Monster" (怪物, "Kaibutsu") performed by YOASOBI.[33]

Season 1 of Beastars was released on March 13, 2020 on Netflix outside of Japan. Its second season is scheduled for an international release on the streaming service in July 2021.[34]

Stage play

On December 4, 2019, the first 2020 magazine issue of Weekly Shōnen Champion announced that a stage play based on the manga was in development. It was originally scheduled for an April 2020 debut running through May in Tokyo and Osaka.[35] In late March 2020, it was announced that the play has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are plans to have it postponed instead.[36]

Reception

The series had 1.3 million copies in print as of April 2018.[37]

In December 2017, the series placed second in the list of top male-targeted manga for 2018 in the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! guidebook, placing after The Promised Neverland.[38] The series won the 11th annual Manga Taishō in March 2018, the first time a series from Akita Shoten took the award.[39] In April 2018, it won the New Creator Prize at the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prizes.[40] In May 2018, it won the award for Best Shōnen Manga at the 42nd annual Kodansha Manga Awards.[41] It also won a New Face Award at the Japan Media Arts Festival Awards in March 2018.[42]

References
  1. "ANIME NEWS: Second season of 'Beastars' animal anime gets the go-ahead". Anime Anime Japan via The Asahi Shimbun. March 1, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020. It is an ensemble coming-of-age story set in a world where carnivorous and herbivorous animals coexist.
  2. "The Official Website for Beastars". Viz Media. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  3. "Chikahiro Kobayashi, Sayaka Senbongi Star in BEASTARS Anime". Anime News Network. July 8, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
  4. Mateo, Alex (February 20, 2020). "BEASTARS Anime Reveals English Dub Cast". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  5. Itagaki, Paru (July 2019). Beastars. 1. Translated by Tomoko Kimura. VIZ Media. p. 204. - First printing, and Annette Roman did the adaptation,
  6. Volume 14, Chapter 120, Page 16.
  7. "BEASTARS Anime Reveals More Cast Members, 3rd Promo Video". Anime News Network. August 6, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
  8. Itagaki, Paru (July 2019). Beastars. 2. Translated by Tomoko Kimura. VIZ Media. p. 190. - First printing, and Annette Roman did the adaptation.
  9. Landa, Lauren (2020-02-20). "I told ya'll 2020 would be crazy! I am so excited to FINALLY announce that I voice Juno in the @NXOnNetflix Dub of #BEASTARS !!! I love this show so much! Thank you @thereubeh and @SDIMediaGroup !! To quote @ImMrTransistor : AWOOOOO!!". Twitter. Retrieved 2020-02-21.
  10. "Beastars (2020)". Behind The Voice Actors. March 24, 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  11. "Beastars (2020)". Behind The Voice Actors. February 27, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  12. Vee, Cristina (2020-02-20). "Yo I'm Sheila in Beastars! I love this show!". Twitter. Retrieved 2020-02-21.
  13. "Beastars Anime's 2nd Season Premieres in 2021". Anime News Network. March 20, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  14. Mateo, Alex (September 23, 2020). "Beastars Manga Ends in 3 Chapters, Anime Casts Yuuki Kaji". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  15. Green, Scott (August 31, 2016). ""Squid Girl" Author Prepares New Manga". Crunchyroll. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  16. "Entrevista a Paru Itagaki, autora de Beastars". Ramen Para Dos (in Spanish). September 10, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  17. "BEASTARS Manga Creator Paru Itagaki: 'End Is in Sight'". Anime News Network. January 23, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  18. Paru, Itakagi [@itaparu99] (October 8, 2020). BEASTARS(ビースターズ) 今週をもちまして無事に完結いたしました。約4年間読んでくださったヒト科の皆様、本当にありがとうございました！！！ (Tweet) (in Japanese) – via Twitter.
  19. 板垣巴留「BEASTARS」完結！1月より「BEAST COMPLEX」短期集中連載. Natalie (in Japanese). October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  20. Sherman, Jennifer (November 17, 2018). "Viz Media Licenses My Hero Academia: Smash!!, Komi Can't Communicate, Beastars Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
  21. "BEASTARS Vol. 1". Viz Media.
  22. Ressler, Karen (February 5, 2019). "BEASTARS Manga Gets Anime Adaptation". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  23. Sherman, Jennifer (February 6, 2019). "BEASTARS Anime's 1st Promo Video Streamed". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  24. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 25, 2019). "BEASTARS TV Anime Reveals New Visual, Staff". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  25. Luster, Joseph (November 6, 2019). "Beastars Anime Makes Its Netflix Debut Outside of Japan in Early 2020". Crunchyroll. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  26. Mateo, Alex (January 13, 2020). "BEASTARS Anime Premieres on Netflix Outside of Japan on March 13". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  27. Loo, Egan (December 25, 2019). "BEASTARS Anime Gets 2nd Season". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  28. https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2019/12/25-1/beastars-anime-will-return-for-a-second-season
  29. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (2020-03-20). "Beastars Anime's 2nd Season Premieres in 2021". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  30. Mateo, Alex (2020-08-05). "Beastars Anime Season 2 Premieres in January 2021". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
  31. Loo, Egan (2020-11-05). "Beastars Anime Season 2's New Video Announces January 5 Premiere". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
  32. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (September 16, 2019). "BEASTARS Anime's Video Reveals Opening Song, October 8 Premiere". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  33. "Terebi Anime "BEASTARS Bīsutāzu"" TVアニメ「BEASTARS ビースターズ」 [TV Anime "BEASTARS"]. bst-anime.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  34. Frye, Patrick (December 10, 2020). "BEASTARS Season 2 release date on Netflix U.S. set for July 2021: BEASTARS manga's ending released by Paru Itagaki". Monsters and Critics. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  35. Pineda, Rafael (December 4, 2019). "BEASTARS Manga Gets Stage Play". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  36. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (April 9, 2020). "Beastars, Durarara!!, Shield Hero, Haikyu!!, More Stage Plays Cancelled or Postponed". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  37. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (May 7, 2018). "Roundup of Newly Revealed Print Counts for Manga, Light Novel Series (March - May 2018)". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
  38. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (December 8, 2017). "Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Reveals 2018's Series Ranking for Male Readers". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  39. Loo, Egan; Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 22, 2018). "Paru Itagaki's BEASTARS Wins 11th Manga Taisho Awards". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  40. Ressler, Karen (April 24, 2018). "Golden Kamuy Wins 22nd Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize's Top Award". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  41. Sherman, Jennifer (May 10, 2018). "42nd Annual Kodansha Manga Awards' Winners Announced". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  42. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 16, 2018). "In This Corner of the World, Lu over the wall, 'Nee, Mama' Win Media Arts Awards". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
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