“Once upon a time, there was a city in grave peril…until a great hero saved the day. Now, Juso City's protector has become its mayor, and alongside his two secretaries, he's hard at work making his town a place anyone would want to live! Elsewhere, a young elf and her wolfman butler act out a real-life romcom, and a dragonian wrestler teams up with a bard to form an unlikely musical duo. Beings of all stripes and scales live in harmony in Juso City, lending surprise and adventure to everyday life. But when another disaster threatens to strike, will these citizens become part of an all-new legend?” (Yen Press)
In the afterword at the end of “Beastrings”, Shikaku Yamamoto acknowledges that the project is his attempt as an artist to create a manga. This proves to be a vital starting point to understanding the release, as behind the beauty of the full-color pages with sharp visuals is a profound lack of talent as a storyteller. However, that is not to say that the book is entirely irredeemable, as it still has charms that will speak to specific audiences regardless of the writing.
It is undeniable that Shikaku Yamamoto is a skilled visual artist, which is beautifully presented in the color scheme here. There is an instant joy in the lush and rich art that allows it to be picked up at any point and casually flipped through, moments that give pause to admire the amount of detail in the wonderfully expressive characters and detailed backgrounds. This helps disguise the disjointed storytelling, as one can get the initial impression that the awkward flow results from having a book that demands to be engaged on an artistic level before addressing the narrative.
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The other element that will work for a particular audience is the fetishization of fantasy and anthropomorphized charchters. “Beastrings” boasts a ‘sexy mouse,' a dog/elf relationship, and plenty of fan service shots of various citizens of Juso City. Those seeking just that kind of content will not see any issues with the poor writing as long as it leads to giant mice tits spreading across the page. It is crass and not entirely graphic, but it will thrill certain readers looking for such content.
Still, for those looking for a manga with an engaging narrative, the quality of “Beastrings” falls painfully short. The vision is there, but the execution is lacking. Separating into an anthology layout, which often helps a more simple concept work, does not keep the release from being a complete slog, with each segment adding to the overwhelming sense of uninspired and unskilled storytelling. The manga only works as a showcase for the art of Shikaku Yamamoto with an extra draw for fetishists; as a narrative, it fails horribly.
Approaching the work from my sentiments and taste, the sexualization of animals is a part of the manga/anime world that I have always held in contention as being questionable at best and grossly deviant at its most perverse. In addition, writing will always trump visuals, and even the most crudely drawn works will draw me in with a competent story over flashy visuals with little substance. This release was objectively not for me, though I can acknowledge the visual prowess and potential appeal of the work.
Regardless, the lack of any competent story makes this release a specifically tailored work that will either thrill or bore its audience. Knowing the content and focus of the title is all one will need to know before deciding the quality of the content on offer. Still, those hoping to be convinced of the value of fetishized art through storytelling will only find fuel for their distaste. Shikaku Yamamoto should seriously consider working with a more skilled writer in future projects if he wishes to make his mark in manga.
