“In a world where beastfolk are thought to be superior to humans, human office worker Saki Oki struggles to remain afloat in a company where she is belittled and tormented by her beastfolk colleagues and superiors. And so, when she is called into the CEO's office, she's prepared for the worst—but instead of firing Saki, he acknowledges her hard work and makes her his private secretary! She's delighted by his praise…but could that really be the only reason her heart is racing so fast? ” (Yen Press)
“Beauty and The Beast” meet office politics in Shiroinu's “Me and My Beast Boss”, a romantic comedy set in the corporate world where humans are looked down upon by the ‘beastmen'. It is here that a woman finds herself the secretary of the head of the company, Mr. Atlas, a large daunting lion-like figure whose mere presence terrifies everyone around him. This conflict is core to Shiroinu's “Me and My Beast Boss” and will either enrapture readers with a tale of forbidden love or come across as one-note and slightly fetishistic.
Putting aside perceptions based on anthropomorphic romance, Shiroinu's writing is polished and flows perfectly to capture the drama between Saki and her boss. The focus is less on titillating with interspecies mingling and more on developing strong characters to build the relationship in a meaningful way. Consequently, Saki and Mr. Atlas perfectly complement each other, with much empathy afforded to both through the pressure and discrimination both feel in their workplace, albeit in drastically different ways.
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Removing the beastly veneer of Mr. Atlas, the series would still thrive as a workplace drama/romance, as the CEO is just an endearingly kind persona that only wants the best for Saki. This element speaks volumes to Shiroinu's ability as a storyteller while also giving the series validity beyond those approaching it as a romance between two species. Still, the awkwardness of a large daunting figure trying to romance a human less than a quarter its size is bound to be a deterrent for those not really keen on these types of stories. “Me and My Beast Boss”, unfortunately, is unlikely to win over new readers outside of those who are already seeking out content of this ilk.
The art style of Shiroinu is somewhat inconsistent when it comes to depicting Mr. Atlas as his size seems to fluctuate depending on the situation. In moments of kindness, he appears smaller and able to hold Saki with the height differential not being as heavily noticeable, yet in moments where he is meant to be intimidating, Mr. Atlas is significantly larger in physical presence. This could, arguably, be put to the perception of Saki, a play on her own fluctuating impressions of her boss, yet this seems to be giving the benefit of the doubt. Comparatively, Shironui does a rather remarkable job of injecting personality into Saki, both in expression and design. Saki is, by all means, beautiful, expressive, and determined through the art of Shiroinu, making her an accessible protagonist both through visuals and dialogue.
There is a lot to appreciate within “My and My Beast Boss” and it is unfortunate a lot of that gets drowned in the interspecies mingling that will be a decisive factor for many whether they will even give the series a shot. Regardless, Shironui proves to be a pretty unique talent and someone to keep an eye on, as this debut series has ample charm without leaning on the anthropomorphic elements that already have a built-in fan base.
