Just the best, weirdest series around. 

If you’ve ever read my reveiws before, you know how much I love manga and especially long running series manga. Beastars is probably my favorite series right now, only coming behind My Hero Academia. Beastars is relatively new and has such a fun, different approach, I can’t help but be constantly interested in what the author has coming next.

In volumes 7 & 8, we see smaller characters stepping into the limelight which is the best way to approach a series like this. The more characters we can care about, the longer shelf life this series will have. Juno, the grey wolf, becomes one of the front runners to become the next Beastar and develops and odd and strained relationship with everyone’s favorite red deer, Louis. Louis is still running a mafia style gang rather than going to school, and his constant struggle between who he is and who he is expected to be remains fascinating. Louis is far and away, for me, the best and most interesting character to read about.

The relationship between Haru and Legoshi becomes more tense after Haru cannot deny she still has feelings for Louis, whild Legoshi is continually trying to figure out if he is in love with her, despite her being his prey, or if it’s merely his wolf side coming to the surface.

Legoshi begins training with Gohin, the giant panda in order to grow stronger, though he is told he must eat meat to do so, something he tries to avoid at all costs. Louis and Legoshi have a staredown situation in which Louis is angry with Legoshi for betraying his kind and eating meat, eventhough Louis has been doing the same to win the respect of his gang. Louis is shown to be doing everything he can to be taken seriously as a gang leader, yet goes out of his way to save the life of a stripper. Legoshi asks Haru to marry him after they graduate in the most awkward and badly calculated way ever and she does not respond well. There’s also side stories happening with Shelia, the new leopard in school, her new friend Peach and the beautifully ambiguous sheep, Pina.

Basically this series just has to be read to be understood. It’s fascinating and weird and fun and compelling and it’s so hard to talk and write about without giving so much away! So go read it fellow nerds! Or watch the anime which I am just about to start as I wanted to read all the manga issues that the first season covers. Cannot wait!

Title:  Beastars (Volumes 7 & 8)
Author: Paru Itagaki
Format: Paperback
Pages: 208 // 208
ISBN: 9781974708048 // 9781974708055

Three Descriptors: Artful, Creative, Fascinating