Months following its original airing in Japan, the long-awaited second season of Orange studio's anthropomorphic high school drama was released to the West on Netflix.
Right off the bat, Beastars season 2 succeeds in all the same ways its previous season had; with Orange's CGI elevating mangaka Paru Itagaki's original stylistic character designs with a sense of realism and weight that truly lends itself to Beastars bustling world. While the series' choice to utilise CGI is at the centre of a topic of extreme divisiveness in the realm of Japanese anime, Beastars undoubtably benefits from the freedom of movement that the craft offers, allowing for its characters to truly feel alive and behave in the skittish and flexible way that many animals do.
However, while visually Beastars season 2 maintains the same attention to detail it had come to be known for (including its use of comic-strip-style split screens and inverted colour palettes), the same cannot entirely be said for the season's plot, which regrettably falters in some areas. Season 2 takes a much grander approach to story than its predecessor, with protagonist Legoshi's understanding of the world much more matured following his run-in with lion crime syndicate the Shishi-Gumi.
Settled into a not-so-official relationship with dwarf rabbit Haru, Legoshi remains restless by the responsibility he feels to protect those around him, in particular his herbivore friends. Legoshi's determination to unmask the killer of alpaca Tem- who was massacred in the the pilot episode's very opening scene- cements itself as the focal point of the season. Its a gripping cat-and-mouse chase (or rather, wolf and *spoilers* bear), and one that took many unexpected turns as the season unfolded. The seemingly loveable Brown bear Riz makes incredibly worthwhile villain for Beastars second season, and one immediately more memorable than Legoshi's old schoolyard rivalry with tiger Bill or the vile ex-crime boss of the Shishi-Gumi. Riz's struggle to compartmentalise his murderous acts verses his sincere love for Tem was heartbreaking to watch, and really helped to flesh out Paru Itagaki's anthropomorphic world of violent inequalities.
Meanwhile, on the drastically more melodramatic note, Beastars season 2 sees deuteragonist deer Louis fully embrace the life of the seedy black market that raised him, becoming the new boss of the Shishi-Gumi following his execution of its original leader. While Louis's character is indeed one of Beastars strongest (and most beloved), and his motivations both sympathetic and entertaining; when compared to that of Legoshi's character journey during season 2, Louis's feels somewhat lacking.
The short series format of Beastars anime adaptation does have its strengths- such as its attention to visual detail and quality- however, when compared to the continuous pace of Itagaki's manga, this means that some of the nuances of Beastars' story are sadly lost in translation. Season 2 sees multiple subplots and new side character introduced and soon disregarded without a second glance back. New faces such as the promiscuous Pina and school security guard Rokume are lost within much of the high-stakes drama, despite both having a vital role within the arc. Meanwhile, sub-plots such as first-year student wolf Juno's drive to become the next converted Beastar are disregarded as the season progresses.
While Haru plays a much smaller role than she did in Beastars' first season, every scene shared between her and Legoshi are tooth-achingly sweet, and their relationship is indeed a highlight of the season. Similarly, Louis's softening and climactic reunion with Legoshi is an absolute scene-stealer, with their contrasting personalities and strong bond aiding in cementing Louis as the series' worthy secondary protagonist.
Ultimately Beastars season 2 was as enjoyable- if not more so- than its predecessor. And while certain characters and relationships (particularly those of Louis and the Shishi-Gumi) leave something to be desired, the strong narrative journeys of its core cast, high-stakes action, and teenage melodrama more than make up for its occasional hiccups. There is a lot of unnecessary stigma surrounding Beastars- be that its animation style or its animal-centric content- however for those willing to look beyond any of these surface-level assessments, there lies and incredibly entertaining and genuinely unique anime series that is well-deserving of all the praise it receives from its fans.
Beastars seasons 1 and 2 are both available to stream in their entirety in the UK over on Netflix.
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