Based on the multi-awarded manga by Paru Itagaki, “Beastars” is a rather original anime, both for having anthropomorphic animals as its protagonists and by taking place in a world that seems Victorian as much as US college-like.
The story takes place in Cherryton Academy, a place inhabited by all kinds of anthropomorphic animals that are coexisting, despite being divided between carnivores and herbivores, in a world where eating meat is forbidden by law. The main protagonists is Legoshi, a large gray wolf who, despite being a carnivore, is actually quiet, introvert and timid. Legoshi is a member of the crew of the drama club, where Louis, a red deer, is the undisputed star. Louis is also the favorite for the title of Beastar, a yearly honorific title that is bestowed on an individual of great talent, service and notoriety, but also a rather enigmatic personality despite its star-status. One night, out of nowhere, Tem the alpaca, another member of the drama club, is brutally murdered and devoured, a crime that puts much strain on the relationships of carnivores and herbivores, which are soon proven to have been tenser than they initially appeared.
Apart from that, Legoshi's meeting with Haru, a small dwarf rabbit who is soon proven to have had sexual encounters with multiple students and actually being bullied from other females in the school for her deeds, unfolds a series of erotic connections that also involve Louis and Juno, a female gray wolf that has just joined the drama club. As the opening of the drama and a big celebration approach, tension mounts while all characters have to deal with both their nature and a number of intense events.
Giving human characteristics to animals is not exactly something that happens for the first time, but it the case of “Beastars”, the amalgam that emerges is quite unique, since the characters combine elements from both animals and humans. In that regard, Legoshi is struggling with both his shy and his carnivore nature, while his encounter with Haru forces him to deal with his sexuality, as it forces him, essentially, to grow up. Louis may revel in the lights of popularity but also seems to carry the burden of the whole world in his shoulders, which constantly threatens to pin him down, both psychologically and physically. The interest that he takes in Legoshi, in an effort to make the wolf acknowledge his true nature and become stronger is one of the most interesting aspects of the narrative, as it also leads to a rather unusual relationship that lingers between friendship and rivalry.
Haru is one of the catalysts of the aforementioned relationship, but also a rather interesting character on her own, since she is naturally weak but never gives up even when she is bullied, while the way she uses sex, in essence to survive, is one of the most interesting parts of the story. Her character also serves to highlight the elitist premises of the Academy, where the animals who are the rarest are in the top and the more common ones in the bottom, in an element that is also an eloquent comment about the concept of class in general.
The mystery regarding the murder and the way it unfolds induces the narrative with elements that point towards an Agatha Christie novel, although in this case, there is no Poirot to investigate. Furthermore, the Victorian aspect is also intensified by the way the characters are dressed and conduct themselves, with Nao Ootsu's character design and CG Studio Orange's animation working excellently in that regard, as much as the overall coloring of the series, where the pastel colors seem to dominate.
As soon as the characters start moving outside the school premises, the anime turns more into an action adventure, while a number of other comments regarding the higher-ups of society and the way the system works are also presented, through a number of elaborate metaphors. The way appearances affect public opinion is one of the most interesting ones in that regard. The action aspect also benefits the most by the animation, where the combination of CGI and hand-drawn elements works quite impressively.
“Beastars” is one of the most impressive anime we have seen during the latest years, as it highlights its contextual and technical prowess in the most eloquent way.
