'Beastars' Is the Dark and Daring Version of 'Zootopia'

When I first described Beastars, I simply referred to it as “basically anime Zootopia.”  And depending on how that came off to you, it either undersold or nailed what Beastars is.  For me, the phrase should be apt in summing up this anime.

Like Zootopia, Beastars is set in a modern world of anthropomorphic animals, wherein carnivores and herbivores have supposedly learned to live side by side in harmony, although deep inside, they are suppressing or harboring prejudice, fear, appetite, or ferocity.  Another obvious parallel that Beastars has with Zootopia is that its central duo is a canine – albeit a wolf, not a fox – and a bunny.  And considering the similarity in premises, there are also similar themes being explored.

Nevertheless, since it’s an anime, Beastars profits from the room for audacity and idiosyncrasy that’s provided by the art form.  It’s not bounded by Disney, ought-to-be-kid-friendly restraints.  In other words, when I refer to it as “anime Zootopia”, I’m essentially saying that it’s “dark, daring Zootopia.”

Beastars follows the gray wolf Legoshi, a timid 17-year-old student of Cherryton Academy and a stagehand for the school’s drama club.  One day, he meets the dwarf rabbit Haru, the sole member of the gardening club and who’s notorious for her promiscuity.  The two begin an awkward friendship, and eventually develop complex feelings for each other, in which romantic emotions become intertwined with crude predator-prey instincts.

I enjoyed the 12-episode debut season immensely.  It’s either second to or tied with Kabukichou Sherlock as my favorite new anime show from fall 2019.  It really got me engrossed with the peculiar yet imaginative concepts it raised and explored.  And its genre-bending attributes – ranging from character study drama to comedy to mystery to psychological thriller to even horror – never failed to electrify.

Regardless of its likeness with Zootopia, Beastars is quite fresh.  The plot is intriguing, intense, and novel.  The characters are rich, intricate, and well-layered.  The CG animation is slick, engaging, and compelling.  And its OP is outstandingly memorable.  It might not have managed to make my list for top 10 anime series of the year, but it’s undoubtedly a noteworthy anime of 2019.