Beastars

In a world where anthropomorphic animals live in a modern society, the line between predator and prey is a tense one. Paru Itagaki's manga Beastars explores this divide through the eyes of Legoshi, a large gray wolf who is gentle at heart but struggles with his carnivorous instincts. The story unfolds at Cherryton Academy, where a brutal murder of an alpaca student sends shockwaves through the school, forcing Legoshi to confront his own nature and the societal taboos surrounding meat-eating. Itagaki's narrative weaves together themes of identity, desire, and the fragile peace between species, creating a coming-of-age tale that is both dark and deeply human.

Beastars was serialized in Akita Shoten's Weekly Shōnen Champion from September 2016 to October 2020, with its chapters collected into 22 tankōbon volumes. The English edition is published by Viz Media. The manga shares its universe with Itagaki's earlier work, Beast Complex, which serves as a thematic predecessor. The series has been widely praised for its nuanced characters and thought-provoking story, and it has sold over 7.5 million copies worldwide.

The manga's success led to an anime adaptation by Studio Orange, which premiered on Fuji TV's +Ultra block in October 2019. The second season followed in January 2021, and the final season's first half arrived in December 2024, with the second half set for March 2026. Netflix has streamed the anime globally since March 2020. Beastars has also earned critical acclaim, winning the 11th Manga Taishō in 2018 and the 42nd Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category, among other honors. [edit]