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readingrobin 's review for:

BEASTARS, Vol. 1 by Paru Itagaki
4.0
dark mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This manga has such a unique, charming style that gives each character a lot of personality. I've seen the first season of the anime and have basically just been dragging my feet getting to the manga, so I have an idea of where the story is eventually going to go. It's an intriguing concept, a world of anthropomorphized animals trying to live in harmony despite the ever looming threat of instincts taking over. It's introduced well in this first volume, the danger immediately established at the beginning when a herbivore student is killed by a carnivore on school grounds. I'm interested to see what sort of nuances will appear in this society and ultimately where the allegory will end up.