Successfully Bridging the Anime and Furry Fandom Gap- Beastars

 

There has been some crossover between the furry fandom and anime fandom, especially with properties such as “Wolf’s Rain,” “Fruits Basket,” and “Spice and Wolf” providing examples of “hybridization,” with certain characters having a combination of being both a human and an animal, along with some sort of transformation thrown in for good measure.  More commonly it has been limited to anime with distinct human and non-human characters (I don’t say animal to encompass shows like “Digimon” or “Pokemon”) or human characters with a few animal features tacked on such as ears and a tail.  But the series “Beastars,” has firmly bridged the gap that existed between these two fandoms, featuring a series with only anthropomorphic animals that take on the human traits of talking and walking only on two legs.  This series taps into a similar vein of issues as “Zootopia” did 4 years ago, while combining issues of high school drama, identity, and puberty.  So how did this series fare?

 

 

What first gripped my attention is the juxtaposition between the stylistically different opening theme versus the drawings of the anime.  Whereas the jazzy opening theme featured heavily textured and somewhat roughshod animation to give the look of 3-D objects and characters (think a parallel to “The Nightmare Before Christmas”), the anime itself featured much smoother animation and the look of 2-D objects and characters.  Now, the budget was spent well when it came to scenes with much swifter actions such as when characters lunge at each other, with motions that conveyed senses of grace and purpose, even if character personalities say otherwise.  While the snappy and unique opening drew my interest into “Beastars,” the story had the right amount of get-up-and-go to keep my interest.  The plotline gave the right amount of forward push to set the story in motion, and then steadily progressed from there, introducing one element at a time to not overwhelm the viewer.  The transitions between scenes, though oftentimes not done with any attempt to tie said scenes together, somehow didn’t result in a lumpy or jerky plotline and managed to keep a great sense of cohesion.  Perhaps it is the fact that the setting remains the same, with a vast majority of scenes, especially in the early episodes, taking place at school.

 

Now, the character designs of “Beastars” are detailed enough, and the scenes themselves feel cohesive, with characters integrating themselves into the settings and background very well indeed.  Extra focus was given to scenes in the dark or ones with poor lighting and these scenes really seem to come alive, greatly increasing the show’s drama and tension.  The majority of action scenes take place in these conditions, whether they be attacks or battles, and sparingly adding in things like light trails and dim, oftentimes haunting artificial lights give these scenes a great rawness to them that make them the best of the bunch.  Contrast that with scenes that have good lighting and take place in the middle of the day, where the series focuses on drama, reflection, and contemplation amongst the characters, leading to extensive debates and arguments.

 

 

It is here where each character establishes himself or herself, exposing their personalities and struggles, with perhaps the biggest extremes being the very introverted wolf Legoshi and the very extroverted buck Louis.  Their contrasting personalities can be seen in their personal philosophies, the actions they take in times of stress, and even in how they speak.  The characters themselves differ significantly not only in these areas but especially in appearance and species, and there is little attempt at trying to reconcile these differences (not many species are duplicated characterwise) and bring them together as a group beyond being students at the same school.  Somehow this mix of oil and water works to the series’ benefit as each character is able to strongly stand on their own, and somehow, each character seems to be able to establish at least some sort of relationship to the other characters, even if it is just casual conversation.  This “pick-and-choose” format and very good compatibility amongst characters results in excellent dialogue, and when character chemistry does take place, it can result in a wide variety of possibilities.  Many of the characters put their weaknesses, struggles, and issues on prominent display (and not just when participating in their drama club activities), leading to a very realistic, approachable feel to “Beastars”…  and quite a lot of awkward interactions.  There are certainly some moments of laughter and snickering in the show, but quite a lot more eyebrow-raising moments or moments of extreme awkwardness, especially when characters reveal one layer after another about themselves.  More prominent is the back-and-forth romantic feelings of Legoshi towards Haru the rabbit and the moves he makes…  along with his sexual naivety.  The prominence of sex as a theme in this series straddles a fine line between relationships in other anime and either a fanservice-centric or HYY anime, focusing instead on the aforementioned promiscuousness, intimacy, and ethics of a sexual relationship, which is also made more complicated when taking into account the inherent predator-prey relationship of various characters.  The show successfully straddles this line and oftentimes sways back and forth on this tightrope, but navigates it successfully, as each character has a solid personality that shines through and stays consistent throughout the series.

 

 

Also consistent is the stable and steady plotline, which while quite slow actually allows one to see how things are laid out across a wide swath of the student body and make it feel like an enormous game of chess.  Characters can truly express themselves, show their true colors, and just expose their vulnerabilities.  The characters’ issues make them seem genuine, and the sluggish plotline means that one can really get into their minds and just see how multi-dimensional these characters are.  Perhaps the best example is Louis, who personifies a Freudian excuse better than any fictional character in recent memory.  Or should I say animalification, especially when his flashbacks are revealed?  Thankfully, his flashbacks are well-placed, and the series does not overuse this element, instead tactically employing it to flesh out the plot even more and build backstory only in areas that would benefit from it well, so it doesn’t feel formulaic.  Now, the storyline transition in the plotline’s second half is nice and buttery smooth, making good use of the fleshed-out characters from the first half of the show by answering the question, “What do you do when push comes to shove?”

 

But by the time the storyline in the second half of “Beastars” was nearing the end, it highlights one of the shortcomings of the show’s slow pacing:  that it felt like little was accomplished.  Now, the ending for the series is conclusive and well-timed, but most if not all of the major plotlines are left hanging.  Sure, the series could have sped up slightly to fit more things in but it would have taken away a key plus point of the series and much of what made it so enjoyable.  “Beastars” is a series both to be savored and discussed, though can still be casually enjoyed at the same time, not only by furries but also by anime fans, no matter what level of involvement one is in for either fandom.  At only 12 episodes, it is well worth your time but the short length works against the series, which is crying out for a second season.  Thankfully, it is getting one, as it can easily sustain another 12, perhaps even 24 episodes.  Let’s see how long we’ll have to wait.