Legoshi is Gay: A Queer Reading of Beastars

[@my_username_was_already_taken]

Who's that Enro fellow seems kinda cringe

[@my_username_was_already_taken]

Nah but fr, I'm honestly so happy for you and honored that I could be a part of this whole journey lately. Thanks outer wilds for being the domino to set it all off lmao Also I feel like I can appreciate Beastars more for what it is and what its saying after your explanations for its underlying tones and real-world metaphors that I didn't really pick up on myself (I'm dense). Can't wait for season 3 to come out so I can come back and rewatch this, although I do kinda want to go ahead read the manga lol

[@DigitalHawk96]

Very cringe But also Quite pretty

[@VernonFoxx]

Caff

[@jktech2117]

since ur pinned i will leave my message here, do not forget of otherkins aswell... been hard in this side of the world

[@MelvaCross]

I have not anticipated seeing the name of an artist I've been following on Twitter for years be featured on a 3-hour long video essay about Beastars.

[@__-be1gk]

One of the best things about Beastars is that you can write a 3 hour video on how it's about homosexuality, someone else could write a 3 hour video on how it's about racism, and someone else could write a 3 hour video on how it's about accepting yourself, and it goes on and on

[@Muniaczek90]

And all are correct.

[@supereggtartersauce6464]

Literally intersectionality

[@airplanes_aren.t_real]

And a 6 hour video on its effects on the furry community

[@Pongocity.]

It’s if you took zootopia and expanded upon it

[@krampus5531]

i i would listen to every one of them while animating :]

[@milkiiiteaa]

can't believe the gay wolf and the deer solved homophobia how'd they manage that

[@beepbopboop9134]

i know right??

[@s0ry_4bad_inglish19]

with the power of empathy

[@starmars5]

bam, 1k likes~

[@JuanThaSilva]

““With the power of love”” XD

[@conorburke8220]

and it only took one murder

[@CloudCuckooCountry]

That connection between popular ships and "desire paths" was actually really clever

[@BoringKeith]

It hit me during a drive and I just kept repeating it to myself until I could write it down lol

[@nikodemuslosev]

@@BoringKeith i totally agree, you usually dont see shipping culture portrayed in a compassionate way ("the straight girls fetishizists are at it again!" or "the gays are projecting again!") but i really think not only is the desire path allegory very well thought out but also very respectful :) even if a lot of shipping culture is really, really bad

[@doodleplayer4014]

​@@BoringKeith Smart idea to keep repeating it to yourself. I often forget my best ideas before I get the chance to scribble it on a sticky note.

[@PleaseLeaveMeAlonee]

To be honest, I didn't get that part😭 Idk, my maybe-autism is autism-ing (???English yes???? Idk help???)

[@noaburr]

​@@PleaseLeaveMeAlonee A desire path is created when the intended path doesn't fulfil the needs of the people using it, so they create their own. In the same vein popular (non-canon/subtextual) ships spring up when people become more invested in pairings that weren't intended, so they make (write, draw, etc) their own.

[@saharawilcock1463]

Rizz being a gay analogy is even better if you know gay slang. He is literally a bear

[@RobinTheBot]

A bear named Rizz 😭

[@Ace_not_awake]

Bro really got that freddy fazbear rizz🐻

[@BeatrixJagusah]

Rizz has got a type

[@ezzyshian]

He is he is.

[@Kolbatsu]

Dude was so gay he ate his boyfriend

[@cubiesings]

Louie being drawn as visibly feminine is probably not about gay stereotypes, but about the fact that men with feminine features are considered attractive.

[@runjennierun07]

also probably cause deers have features that, in a stylistic sense, are commonly associated with feminine characters

[@merriquelynn]

Bishounen. He’s Beastar Bishounen. Björn Andresen helped launched the anime and manga trope. You can definitely see it in an influx of pretty boys after he hit the scene. One of the more famous examples would probably be Griffith from Berserk. There’s a movie about him called “The Most Beautiful Boy in the World”.

[@vixxcelacea2778]

Correct. In humans, females are generally the primary attractor or peacock of our species. It's not a hard and fast rule anymore, but there are remnants of it. Feminine features on a person generally causes us to be attracted to them, even if not sexually, but aesthetically. Most people like soft, curves and delicate details regardless of what it's on. The stereotype comes about because there are some gay men who absolutely take on more feminine mannerisms, qualities or grooming habits. Why that happens, I'm unsure if it's correlated to the brain structure or if it's cultural, possibly as an identifier to show that they are gay in a more outward way, since it in most cultures would juxtapose against the male figure they contain. But not all of them do that, so I think it's more cultural. If your identity and self of self is predicated on a typical norm, you'd generally buck against that by showing the opposite to signify yourself more. Think goth and punk/rock styles, how they are a direct opposite to typical expected soft, acceptable and normal looks for a reason. When you don't feel welcomed for who you are, usually your instinct to both signify to others in that boat and to the world is to not just be different, but opposite of what's expected of you. I think in cultures that are much more accepting, feminine gays might not be as much of a stereotype, but I could be wrong Either way, Louie being feminine doesn't have to be a play on that, considering deer are more "feminine" in their body composition than other creatures, being slim, seemingly delicate. Also, plays with the whole predator prey being respectively more masculine/feminine in a plethora of cultures and stories told. Feminine and masculine also don't have to directly correlate to being male/female, as in sex wise. Especially since everyone has qualities from both, both biologically as well as in personality. Fun fact that is tangentially related to sex and terminology: Man was the term for ALL humans, as it's a short for human. Men were actually called weremen and women woman. Were means man, as in male. That's why it's werewolf and shewolf.

[@ItsBAndBees]

I personally think there’s a lot about deer that can be read as masculine. They have the horns as a huge visual signifier. I think of how Bryan Fuller and his team used the aesthetics of the stag in NBCs Hannibal was unique and a great use of the symbolism of the animal. I think the only thing that makes many people associate the deer with feminine energy is because it’s a prey animal. I don’t see women that way so it’s easy to identify the very masculine features that deer can emulate. I think this struggle is perfectly shown with in the show. Maybe he’s being coded as something he doesn’t identify with and that’s why he overcompensates with his aggressiveness? I’m all for the idea that Louie and Legoshi are repressed gays but also sexists. They’re both using these ingrained thoughts of whose “supposed” to be the predator and the pray to define or subvert who they’re supposed to be. The people that really get the shirt stick are those that are female AND prey animals..

[@EmpressOfCatsup]

It's easy to read the predator-prey conflict in Beastars as an analogy for gender relations. Many of the fears prey have about predators and how predators are portrayed as having uncontrollable urges that cause them to victimize prey mirror a sexist view of gender relations. The author even admits that one scene where Seven tries to get Legoshi to eat her on a train is directly from her own life where she made a similar gesture to a large man on a train.

[@vickytoria8691]

Louis and Haru feels like a "closeted gay x straight girl who doesn't know her own worth" alliance

[@bamshablam5977]

@Tommy Taffy Kek

[@redballoon9007]

After that stage scene with Haru watching Juno, I’d argue that Haru is also deep the closet -

[@basementdwellercosplay]

I feel Haru would totally be fine being his beard, she just seems totally fine with that to me

[@rainbowkittycat627]

@@basementdwellercosplay the issue is they have to be explicit and open and honest, ya know? (Or I guess implicitly explicit cuz media analysis lol) because like, if louis came out to her off screen and we see scenes of them being like weirdly non-romantic in private or it referenced as putting on a show to please another group, I would absolutely agree with you, but right now I more interpret it as closeted louis with haru thinking they are in a real relationship.

[@afoolishfopdoodle3284]

That's a really good interpretation

[@cupidcalling5599]

"cringe is the inevitable byproduct of sincerity" is such a banger-ass quote. thanks for such an incredible video :)

[@felixhenson9926]

YES. EXACTLY THIS.

[@TindraSan]

"I'm cringe, but I'm free"

[@thewildcard600]

Re;Zero in a nutshell

[@YevhenRawrs]

It's absolutely accurate and very succinct

[@rattttooooo]

EXACTLY, it's like, you can cringe and be comfortable in it. I think people are desensitized to the feeling of cringe, and just outright reject it. They view it in an extremely negative light.

[@fixingpipes]

The story of Rizz is so sad, cruel and depressing. It’s unbelievably painful and relatable

[@JAIL_FACE]

lmao rizz

[@dumbnoodleman]

shhh.. stop it /j@@JAIL_FACE

[@IL0V3MYG1RLFRI3ND]

rizz 😭😭😭

[@bounzl4200]

Im so happy it ended on a lighter tone though, showing that he still has a future where he has a personal connection he never had before

[@Iechugaa]

In relation to that "Legoshi talks like a girl" bit, Japanese is a semi-gendered language. There are word choices and self identifying pronouns in Japanese that generally come off as more masculine or more feminine than others, and it is not uncommon for queer or gender non-conforming people to choose to speak in a manner that is not conventional to their perceived gender. I’m inclined to believe Itagaki had the intent of portraying Legoshi as someone who doesn’t prioritize upholding society's imposed standards of masculinity rather than the more western interpretation that implies him being somewhat effeminate is just a funny and quirky 🤪, or even otherizing trait.

[@yari4046]

lol i was about to comment something like this as well, i dont speak japanese well but i understand enough to notice the way legoshi speaks in the japanese dub of the anime and it's quite noticeable if you know what to look for

[@heatherlee2047]

+

[@trawrtster6097]

According to his info page, his first person pronoun is 俺, which is strictly a masculine pronoun. It says in that middle box that it's a part of him that shows his "sadistic side" since that pronoun sort of embodies an archetypal "alpha male" vibe, and that the fact that he uses it with everyone (even though in Japanese society, people use different first person pronouns around different types of people) shows his social awkwardness. As for his "feminine ways of speaking", it's really just a way of showing that he's soft-spoken. The author doesn't explicitly say this, but I don't think it's because he's subverting social expectations more than that he's trying to not sound intimidating, which goes along with his character as a whole.

[@enzotoro791]

@@trawrtster6097 He have this Soft-spoke, and is clearly influence of his grandpa, who (As some people know) have this soft and pleasent type of speaking bc his specie is considerate very dangeous

[@thizguy519]

Or just being raised by girls

[@viveleshistoires4874]

Holy shit. « The cringe is the inevitable byproduct of sincerity » This quote resonates with me so much. I love it. It’s phrased _so_ perfectly.

[@mimszanadunstedt441]

Cringe is what one feels when they fear social repercussion, which is processed highly similarly to physical pain. The Super-ego is just cultural ego, which includes narcissism, narcissism inherently devalues others. And its a natural part of a religion that considers itself superior to nature, which is what my research tells me. In this case, 'Dogs' are christians.

[@Mendoxs_]

ngl I wished someone would've told me that sooner

[@ShivShrike]

As a gay author who writes fanfiction, I can safely say, we do it because we like to see more content of what we like when none will ever be made

[@randokun6430]

thats how it should be though, you dont see something just make it if theres a demand for it, you obviously want it so worrying about it never being made is weird.. never made by who? people like your self?

[@grAnita-]

I diden’t understand what you mean

[@sarkaztik3228]

@@randokun6430 What were you even trying to say?

[@ShivShrike]

@@grAnita- Let’s says, “Oh I like how Character A and Character B interact, and they have good romantic chemistry” but they have Character A go for Character C; so now you create art or fanfiction of Character A and Character B as a romantic couple

[@grAnita-]

@@ShivShrike understood

[@Tiglopoon]

Wasn't prepared for the James Somerton jump scare

[@Clownzzi]

Same

[@nighthawk4744]

I know. THANK YOU for mentioning it. I don’t think he knew about everything James did when he made this video. Hell I didn’t even know until Hbomberguy dropped the bomb. I don’t hold that jumpscare (or the previous sentiment of straight woman writing gay fanfics even though it is 100% BS and he clearly got it from James) against him since he is clearly a far better person than James ever was.

[@alilaro]

@@nighthawk4744 I mean yeah, I doubt he knew much, if anything at all. This video is 2 years old, to be fair lmao

[@justsomecreatureofthisearth]

Me neither. Then I looked at when this video was published and thought: oh, he didn't know yet, did he? none of us knew.

[@Cyburim]

????when????

[@JimFaindel]

Dude was on the theater club despite being built for a sports scholarship, that should've been everyone's first clue.

[@neroxyx3085]

Stawwwppp

[@OtioseFanatic]

Accurate

[@leafybeef1089]

D ECEASED, youre not even wrong

[@Petrichorus-]

LMFAOO

[@starandeath4735]

A year later I am your 500 like

[@bossrosslp]

Bi as hell was my reading. Dude fawns (pun, haha) over Louis, but definitely still has something for Haru. I think that's what makes the triangle compelling; all three just kinda love each other, for similar but very different reasons.

[@BrotherMag]

Same

[@Leanor90]

For real, my first viewing I saw him as bi

[@Leanor90]

@Science Bear what? Lmfao I didn’t even say anything to you

[@ithinkiwoulddie9196]

@Science Bear bi

[@ithinkiwoulddie9196]

i don’t think Louis likes legoshi from what I’ve seen

[@ladysorka]

I'm a lesbian about 10 years older than you, and your experience with the furry community was basically my experience with the fanfiction community starting in the late 90s. It's amazing how much these niche online communities became such refuges.

[@Zenith7jpg]

there was FANFICTION in the 90's!? i never knew that.. pretty cool!

[@slimeprivilege]

@@Zenith7jpg fan fiction as we know it got it's start way back in the 60s with Star Trek but the concept has kind of been kicking around for even longer than that. you should look up the history of it it's a super interesting topic

[@aihoshinoirl]

@@slimeprivilege Ooooo

[@stickysocks6369]

@@Zenith7jpg if we squint hard enough, Dante's inferno is a bible fanfiction 🤣🤣

[@rezrezzy7781]

@@stickysocks6369 might I say, as a straight dude, the devil makes me take three head turns and many clorths to wipe my forehead lol.

[@Fraxxle]

rewatching this and being told to go watch a James Somerton video took me out at the knees

[@milkiiiteaa]

when i watched this the first time i said oh i’ve seen that video😊😊 well done me!! but now…

[@WolfBoy-om6dw]

@@milkiiiteaa Yeah same here

[@peccantis]

The notes on Legoshi's "girl words" means he has a habit of softer language use than one would expect for his status and situations. Contextual assertiveness is a bit more complicated than just gender norms, but that is for sure one of its aspects. Japanese has loads of different ways to say the same thing, even separate vocabularies for the most formal and reverent politeness. Ending your sentences with "desho" is very similar in use and connotation to using question tags like "X isn't Y, is it?" and "you're Z, aren't you?" Using "nano" feels similar to using "it's like X" type statements. Compare and contrast "Scouts are gonna win this season for sure." and "Looks like Scouts may have a shot at winning this season, don't ya think?" This sort of language is not only expected of girls and women, as a sign of acceptable femininity (especially when elders or males are present; girl to girl interactions can feature much freer and coarser language, as can private exchanges between grannies who have known each other forever), but also of any person when they're talking to their customers, seniors, or bosses and in any other situation where the social context demands it. That Legoshi tends to use a degree or two more submissive language than would be expected for a young adult male predator speaks more to his personality and temperament than his gender expression. Maybe he has insecurities (so far fetched, I knooowww) or maybe he's just a soft boi at heart. in any case he's not overcompensating that with linguistic posturing and I love that for him AND for Beastars as a work. It's an interesting feature of his character (much like putting a pretty-boy deer at the head of a literal muscle daddy lion mafia), and I wish it didn't get squished into "he uses some girly words".

[@brown7180]

The voice acting for Legoshi was honestly what drew me in. Soft/gently-spoken masc characters are like butter on the bread of my androphillic life.

[@The_Man_Who_Sold_the_World.]

Yeah, I tend to speak in a more "softer" "feminine" tone too. I only do it to come off as less intimidating, it has nothing to do with being gay or not.

[@SluggedNugg]

Isnt the reason he's submissive because he doesn't want to be seen as a threat? I recall that being established in episode one.

[@carna-9501]

​@@SluggedNugghe does a lot more to come off as submissive or non threatening. "I clip my nails every day and they just grow back sharper." Fuckn love this show

[@vixxcelacea2778]

Not to mention how sexist it becomes outright by saying that it's somehow lower, lesser or degrading of him to use "girly" vernacular or verbal formation. The whole "Gay dudes acting like women is bad, because women aren't real men" just shows how deep that sexism actually runs and how it in the same breath adversely affects males and females by trying to tell them how to be. It's the whole women are just sensitive emotional hormonal wrecks and guys should be emotionless aggressive horny beasts. Not to mention how incredibly binary and non-nuanced it becomes to just put people in boxes of "girl and guy" in actions, thought processes and mannerisms. Legosi being polite and respectful for the culture makes perfect sense for his character and how he feels about being uncomfortable as a wolf. He's got a ton of strength, a typically masculine trait and usually associated to being male, for actually being polite and respectful. He's controlling his own urges and tempering his fear of himself by facing it overtime, but keeping his demeanor that shows he really does care for others, despite his nature and biology. I prefer the terms feminine and masculine, because they don't have to mean an ascription to a specific gender identity, due to the fact that everyone has typical qualities from both in spades.

[@goshdarnmorti5106]

I came for the "Beastars is queer", stayed for the honestly brilliant writing and delivery, and was hit like a TRUCK at the end by the "furry got me through some of the darkest times in my life". Because, same.

[@Jinx-il9jo]

I just wanted to add a tiny little detail that I noticed: when they are finding a love hotel to stay at Haru specifies that that one accepts mixed-species couples which is actually a significant little detail because in Japan a lot of love hotels do not accept same-sex couples and will tell them to leave, and while Japan did change the laws in like 2018 so that it no love hotel could reject customers based on sex, race, and or religion, to this day there are love hotels that will still reject same-sex couples regardless, and it used to be that most love hotels would blatantly deny service to same-sex couples except for the rare few. So that specific detail definitely reflects on how the the show uses interspecies relationships as an allegory for more than just race (I'm sorry if that started falling apart towards the end it's like 2:00 a.m. and I'm exhausted)

[@Jinx-il9jo]

Also Japan as a whole very much has a 'don't ask, don't tell' mentality when it comes to anything seen as "deviant" everyone knows the things exist and might hear mention of it, and might even discuss it and/or participate in it but in general don't speak of it, whether it's fetishes, non-cishet sexualities, mental health issues, ETC

[@mimszanadunstedt441]

parallels are not allegory fully.

[@Jinx-il9jo]

@@mimszanadunstedt441 thats the word i was looking for thank you

[@lemonlypop]

Unrelated to this video, but that reminded me of a whacky weekend of Connor (CDawgVA) and Chris (Abroad in Japan) where they went to various (love hotels I think) hotels and several rejected them for being men.

[@Jinx-il9jo]

@@lemonlypop lol yeah I love Connor and Chris

[@TriggerCrazedLunatic]

Holy shit that James Somerton recommendation hit me like a damn truck lmao. Things changed in 3 years! (To be 100% clear I'm not blaming you or saying the vido is ruined now or anything, this is one of my all-time favorite videos and I watch it like once every few months, it's just wild hearing his name spoken in a light where he isn't being taken down for plagiarism!)

[@michaelw.5030]

came here to look for a comment like this

[@ragmondead]

An hour into the video about how the wolf is gay you drop one of the most profound lines I’ve ever heard. “The man became a mirror he could punch more than once.”

[@Katzunowo]

The way you composed this video and delivered the script was extremely well done. You’re very enjoyable to listen to and thank you for validating us gay beastars truthers

[@estratega5833]

Oh shit, wasn't expecting to find Katzun in the "Most Recent First" comment section. A pleasant surprise.

[@wildberri3513]

Neat seeing you here! :)

[@sunnydeee_]

Hi katzunnnnn

[@paulbaker7626]

What your still alive glad to see loved your content keep being your awesome self 🙂

[@Elleh_meno_pee]

Wasn’t expecting you here :D

[@skynonameisnotafurry]

"Beastars always associates devouring with sex" "One might come away with the idea that Paru Itagaki is doing this on purpose" really just gonna expose a girl's vore fetish like that huh

[@yannah8903]

Omg james sometron rec came like a jumpscare 😭 really makes you understand how fucking insidious and harmful his behaviour was to the queer community. No hate to Keith, i love you video, watching it for the 3rd time, i cant imagine what it feels like to learn that the people you recommend to others are ... Like that.

[@JamieSwitzer]

yeah it must be painful.

[@WinterPains]

What happened?

[@guggelguggel7491]

​@@WinterPains James somerton was exposes as a con artist who blatantly stole other, less known queer analysists work, as well as just reading wikipedia at you or blatant misinformation. Pretty much all his vids are him reading stiched together articles he pasted into his script in a daisy chain of lies. He also had a Kickstarter "queer film studio" where he seems to have taken the money and ran.

[@BewilderedCitrus]

@@WinterPains I think there have been some videos on the topic, but admittedly, I haven't seen them yet so I'm not really aware of what happened either.

[@doubleslashkarma]

​@@WinterPains Got outed as a rampat plagiarist, despite having previously been a very respected member of the LGBTQ+ community in KZbin

[@42Tonyallen42]

Jonah Scott (Legosi's voice actor, who is Bi in real life) even said outright he read legosi as a Bi character, and tried his best to portray that in his voice work

[@peter_panda3069]

but hes just a voice actor, doesnt mean shit what he thinks, the only person with authority when it comes to information is the manga author

[@42Tonyallen42]

@@peter_panda3069 well it does "mean shit" because this clearly queer coded character is being portrayed by a bi sexual man and if you actually looked into the making of the anime, they changed alot of things and allowed Jonah to read the character the way he wanted to and that shows in how the voice work portrays Legoshi's love of Louis and Haru at the same time

[@nibblitman]

I wouldn’t really agree with him as strictly gay, but I could totally see a read for him as bi though with basically no question.

[@42Tonyallen42]

@@nibblitman right and thats what I said, Jonah Scott read Legoshi as bisexual

[@peter_panda3069]

@@42Tonyallen42 The dub is not the main source of information, espacially not the english dub. What does it matter what kind of sexuality the eng.VA has??? Just because he "portraited him as bi" doesnt mean legoshi is bi. I read legoshi as straight and the german VA for legoshi is straight. So I guess legoshi is straight now based on your logic... You see how thats stupid.

[@le_quill8968]

As a long time beastar fan all I will say is “Legoshi has two hands”. That’s it, nice video and good day

[@mintyfresh2357]

🖐🤚 two hands

[@yugiohboyfriendappreciator7739]

Two of them

[@harwog3333]

Two hands to hold both Louis hands

[@darladay4766]

Agreed and same

[@carcinogenicoak3057]

Facts

[@LT-jr3yb]

Haru is Bi as hell too. Y’all I read the whole manga from start to finish, a lot of the characters are queer coded.

[@LT-jr3yb]

Intentionally too.

[@twentyonetortas5921]

@@LT-jr3yb which character is coded, what are they coded as, and how?

[@shoe2009]

@Cecelia45x what

[@The_Man_Who_Sold_the_World.]

@@twentyonetortas5921 They're just projecting, they have no proof, just their own interpretations and headcanons of things.

[@nikolastokic4209]

Remember when Juno said that she will keep away from Haru so she doesn't get "charmed" by her like Legoshi did. Juno BIcon

[@doornumb]

Damn, he's four-dimensionally gay

[@1kokokala10]

Circling back to the sexuality with devouring and Louis being a child when he was being set to devour. It makes a clear connection to child sex trafficking. He was "saved" from that from his adoptive father other to have that threat being used as a punishment.

[@tgs7515]

There's also something to be said about people who live through sexual abuse as children and grow up into adults who have...interesting kinks involving control, domination, etc, which mirror their traumas in a way that seems to regain the power of it for themselves. I've always seen Louis the same way with his upbringing and what devouring means to him - and why he's constantly daring Legoshi and other carnivores to eat him. He's taking that power away from them by claiming it, himself.

[@Rikorage]

Dang, that's dark, eye-opening, and kinda hot. Darn you, Internet!

[@1kokokala10]

@@Rikorage what did he saayyyy?!?!

[@emocatproductions2080]

@@Rikorage dude what

[@hanakoskokeshidoll]

@@Rikorage excuze me

[@Noah60]

made me laugh so much at the "loving haru is gay" made me think of the meme "is it gay to kiss a girl". but the temptress who would destroy eden makes so much sense especially since she is litterally the only one taking care of the gardening club, and juno flees the garden leaving haru alone in it

[@AmberFoxxo]

I was a bit skeptical because of the furry warning. However, Beastars taught me to never judge a book by its cover. Beastars itself is a masterpiece, as is the production and delivery of this video. Not at all expecting to see Monti and Bardic in your video. Your last chapter was truly the cherry on top. Didn't feel like 3 hours at all. Good job!

[@BoringKeith]

Sometimes I like to include a joke in the content warning just to check if people are paying attention lol

[@vezara4932]

Same about Monti xD

[@kaiyodei]

without a trigger warning someone might get exposed and die of panic

[@r3n837]

that last arc is such a mess, but i still enjoyed it lmao

[@r3n837]

the ending's dissapointing and was definitely rushed, i wish paru extended and put more time to flesh out the story and characters even more.

[@liasafespace3311]

their relationship transcend any friendships and romantic relationships. i think the scene where Legoshi ate Louis's leg is very evident of that. they grew respects for each other very quietly without fully ever expressing it to each other (Legoshi did from time to time but i think there were important things that if he did say out loud, would probably change the way Louis see him way earlier). they realize their feelings without vocalizing it to each other and thus gave them more time to think about their emotions. what that "hate" Louis thought was love and for someone like him to admit that sparks more than just your average platonic and romantic relationship. i genuinely think they're soulmates, more than just as friends or love partners.

[@thatb1h855]

that's fair, but I also think it's important to acknowledge how they're physically drawn to one another as well, and that the predation/eating is sexual as much as it is spiritual. I see a lot of ppl dismiss queer pairings- usually men- as smth "beyond the physical", as if the fact that they have sex diminishes their bond, which wouldn't at all be the case if they were heterosexual

[@Xx_Sterling_xX]

About Legom and her eggs, I think there's something to be said about the gender presentation there and the fact that (unfertilized) eggs are effectively a chickens menstrual cycle. When people first get their periods, they're often told "you're a woman now", despite the fact that basically every person begins menstruation when they are a child. Many people internalize that idea, which leads to many trying to confirm to rigid gender roles and ideas of "womanly expectations". Legom is a highschool teenager, many of whom are afflicted by this exact phenomenon. Young girls trying to be this idea of what a Woman is supposed to be, and basing their self worth on it to an unhealthy degree.

[@GuiSmith]

This is an issue increasingly noteworthy today. Not only is our definition of adulthood and responsibility for adults growing relatively older, but nutrition has driven human adolescence (and thus menstruation) to begin at a younger age. In many places around the world, the gap between menstrual capacity and what we call reaching adulthood has grown about 3 years in the last 70. This all only makes the gap between the “you’re a woman now” moment and actually being a capable adult (whatever you determine that to be) worse; it gives more time to really screw with what you imagine it feels like to be a mature adult and to take more time to consider what you will “be like.”

[@TrueUnderDawgGaming]

Legom is a self-insert of the writer. She even wears the mask when making public appearances. Her character in the story is a reflection of her workaholic nature. She wants to make the best product possible even if it means missing out on time with her friends.

[@24blackberries16]

When he said that ‘tell one person you’re gay, that’s it’ I remembered when I came out to my mom and then suddenly my entire family knew. That was when I realized my mom was a gossip. In hindsight, I appreciate it. The thought of coming out to my grandparents fills me with panic, but now I hear them correct themselves when they say my deadname.

[@waterisntwet8947]

@@wolfandraven891 I'm quite certain op meant it in the context of being transgender, not gay

[@fifietlili]

I absolutely don't want to be rude and please, tell me if I cross the line (you can decline to answer), but : You didn't want People to know ?

[@lemonlypop]

@@fifietlili From the perspective of another trans person, coming out is just very hard thing if you're uncertain on how your family might react. Some don't want to come out because they know how homophobic or transphobic their family is, others do it with more ease, but it's certainly nerve wrecking at some level for most.

[@SenkaBandit]

why not legally change your name if you haven’t already

[@lemonlypop]

@@SenkaBandit paperwork, lots and lots of paperwork, probably why. That also doesn’t make people magically stop deadnaming you…

[@anthares96]

the allegory between gosha's venom = AIDS was an amazing interpretation, and fits too perfectly to be a coincidence

[@HyperboreanJihad]

It especially fits when there’s those “bugchasers” that like to call viral transmissible semen venom

[@bonnie1clyde]

The thing is, I believe Melon is a symbolism of mixed children and the troubles that they may go through if you have a parent who fetishized the other parent. Melon's mother basically saw his gazelle father in him and would give herself sexual gratification by using Melon. One exhibit is that weird scene where he undoes the bra strap. Melon is basically is fucked up do to the environment he grew up with. He even says that despite what he eats it all taste like ash. Mix children usually feels that despite being apart of one or another of their culture they don't truly fit in.

[@KurosakiYukigo]

Content warning: Furries Me: _crossed fursuit arms_

[@BoringKeith]

That's a dangerous gesture, the next person you touch is in for a S H O C K.

[@typhoonfox6478]

*glares in furry*

[@stageplay262]

As a bisexual, there’s actually something somewhat... comforting? To seeing Haru and Legoshi’s relationship still be read through a queer lens, despite it technically being “heterosexual”. I am AFAB, and while the gender situation is still up in the air fat the minute, I still present in a way that’s easily read as feminine. I also love dudes, I really do. I think guys can be cool, cute and sexy as hell. I know that if I entered a relationship with a guy, we could easily pass as a “straight” couple. The thing is though, being in that relationship would not make me any less queer. My attraction to men doesn’t make me any less queer, it’s a part of it, just as my attraction to women is. So, yeah, it’s nice being able to be able to see a “straight” relationship still be read as queer in nature. Thank you. :)

[@cata0rostika]

YES (i-dont-know-your-pronouns) PREACH, BI SIBLING

[@stageplay262]

@@cata0rostika She/they! And thank you!

[@syhknox]

As a pansexual nonbinary afab person with long hair and a cis boyfriend, I hear you

[@zarek3899]

My gender is god

[@stageplay262]

@@zarek3899 nice

[@rabbitmyrabbit]

I've been a furry for like a decade but I've been real DL about it? Like low-key ashamed?? But then I saw you geeking out over your fursona for 20 minutes straight and decided I wanted that for myself and immediately made me a fursona. I'm going to embrace my furry cringe self and I'm going to make it everyone's problem, I'm so happy this video exists

[@paen8547]

hell yeah dude, go for it

[@sussybaka425]

666th like

[@sussybaka425]

I like to say "to be cringe is to be FREE"-me

[@ThatOneCatInATopHat]

Hell yeah! What's your fursona?

[@derpherpington3129]

Good on ya!

[@sidney4357]

i don't even go here, why am i crying over gay beaststars lore. jokes aside, this is an amazingly well-written video, and you deserve all the flowers for it. so much courage needed for using this as your coming out video as well. i have never watched your content before but it takes so much courage to be true to yourself so publically in that way. long live the furries, congratulations on your gayness, and thank you for being the representation for your group of queer people.

[@paper2941]

For an anime about a Wolf wanting to bone a Rabbit, there’s a surprising amount of gay tension in the show.

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

I know lol

[@prepare_for_trouble_and_ma7750]

my childhood is ruined

[@anonymousfellow8879]

I mean. Bisexuals and pansexuals exist, so

[@jeronimomontalvo7587]

Ooohhh chile

[@ChunkSchuldinga]

@@anonymousfellow8879 No we don't. 😜

[@6666animefreak]

The section about passing made me remember a time in middle school, when my then-girlfriend and I were in music class, and I had my arm around her, and another girl, loudly, yelled "Straight couples aren't allowed to show PDA and neither should you guys." She said this, despite the fact that her and whatever boy she was dating at the time, were constantly all over each other. And all I was doing, was putting an arm around my girlfriend because she was having a hard time.

[@malaksafa4074]

Man.

[@Chaos_Fantasmic]

Now that's just hypocritical

[@francegamer]

I just boo anybody I see holding hands on principle, not sure what I would do if I saw a couple of homosexuals holding hands but It would probably also be booing.

[@ADMmachine]

@@francegamer If you do it to straight couples, I incite you to boo gay couples too (obviously as long as it isn't cus they're gay). It helps normalize us lol

[@francegamer]

@@ADMmachine Gotta maintain consistency.

[@ScoldedLuck]

I used to constantly have moments like Legoshi and Juno with my best friend when we were younger up until we finally made everyone believe we were cousins and had done it for so long and gone so deep that it was fun sometimes just to break it to close friends that we were not related at all. I was already out as a gay guy because I found out really early on about my attraction, and they are now NB/Trans. It's stupid having to remind people that a guy and a girl can just be friends, but the facade we put up was always the funniest thing for us when we just wanted people to stop tell us we were dating.

[@petrfedor1851]

I have basicly oposite experience. I am pretty close friend with my sister and we often go together hang out with friends and amout of times new people tought we are couple Is disturbing. We have si similiar faces we could cosolay together as transition timeline for Perun sake.

[@luisrafaelferminmontilla7987]

straight guy here, I've also had something similar with one of my best friends. sort of annoying to be honest.

[@AmazingJayce]

My best friend and I did this same thing in middle school, we convinced the kids in our grade we were siblings so they’d stop asking if we were dating. He ended up coming out as gay later on, and I ended up queer as well lol, funny to see someone else have an experience echo ours so closely

[@lemonlypop]

Yeah, I used to pass as a straight cis girl, and had to convince many people that I wasn't dating my guy friends, but now that I look less "feminine" people look at me more judgingly for not passing or being a short man.

[@doodling-gods]

ok but we need to talk about Paru Itagaki's Chicken fursona that she has a fursuit for and ONLY is seen in public wearing it. UNDERUTILIZED IN VIDEO ESSAYS. This girl is big in the Japanese furry scene

[@bluefox8011]

I identify from the part about Legoshi getting upset over dessert. The example of someone having lost a bunch of weight suddenly being noticed and people giving them a smile and just free things is something I understand. I had lost over 100 pounds back when i was in school since I had seen my own grandfather die a vegetable from diabetes. Because of my life changing decision all the years of being made fun of for being fat and shamed for my looks and then the opposite is infuriating. I do understand that being big isn't healthy and you can die sooner from staying that way for a certain amount of time but it still doesn't change how differently people will treat you because of societal norms.

[@BoringKeith]

Frankly, no one that treats your worse for your weight is doing it "for your health." They do it because they've had decades of fatphobia drilled into them that always assumes the worst of the overweight person. When you get to the core of it, they've been taught to think that fat people are worse people.

[@Velociraptorgurl]

I had a very similar experience, except I was at what society considers an average weight when I started work. I was happy with my weight, and had muscle definition from work outs, yet due to the sheer amount of duties at my job, I was working 12 hours on my feet without food (and it was a physically exhausting job) I lost too much weight that I lost coloration in my face, lost my muscles, and my doctor pointed out that I had lost too much weight too quickly, becoming underweight. At that point, I started getting compliments for being so "thin and pretty" and it fucked with me mentally. Here I was, missing my average weight/slightly muscular body and being told my appearance "improved". Managers started noticing me more and offering avenues to lead to promotion. I constantly got complimented on my appearance, was asked for advice on my weight loss, etc. It fucked with me so much. It was because of how abusive work was that I lost the weight. Needless to say, I left that toxic place, but the damage to my mentality has already been done.

[@bluefox8011]

@@Velociraptorgurl it is mentally confusing how ones perception of the standard of beauty is of sickness and depletion of all necessities in order to be seen as "pretty" still to this day I struggle with my self image as when I was at my lowest point in life and being noticed as 'pretty" was because of poor health as what happened to you, I went days without eating due to no money to live off of because it is a necessity though I initially lost weight to better myself at first, I never thought that the coming years after graduation would become as brutal as it did to me but yes, malnourished and mentally withdrawn but, considered beautiful and the ideal body type. It was such a gross thing to experience and confused me so much. My life has gotten better since then that was over 10 years ago now but having people ask you how you stay so "healthy" and so lean....I just tell don't eat

[@ariasinistra]

shipping characters that have never met/interacted in any meaningful way or aren't in the same universe is not unheard of i recently saw someone talk about this subject and i agree that nowadays we're too focused on shipping characters who do actually know each other, shipping is mostly for fun and there shouldn't be rules that say "oh this pairing doesn't make sense they're not even from the same show you can't ship them"

[@tarotsushima3332]

I like to think of shipping as an exercise in character study. I think the creator was onto something by saying people who write fanfiction are often the best look at a certain character and a fandom as a whole bc you usually have to have some in depth knowledge on said character to extrapolate on it. That said, I've been in the Sherlock fandom before, infamous for having a whole mini fandom spawn from people pretending a character that didn't actually exist in the show did and was paired with the main villain as well as two characters who literally never even appeared in the same scene as each other. It can be for fun, or because you think these characters' traits can pair well together or to extrapolate on said characters. And having canon possibility be a dealbreaker in shipping kinda stands against the whole concept of it.

[@itskogaleeray398]

What do you mean? Legoshi and Louis are from the same show and know each other??? 😂 this comment confuses me.

[@painttedHyena1974]

​@@itskogaleeray398 This was in reference to Pina x Tem that was mentioned in the video.

[@Regigigas_YT]

That's why I ship Doom Slayer x Samus

[@naolucillerandom5280]

​@@Regigigas_YT ships of characters that aren't from the same series or even the same media are just pure chaos and I love that

[@spellmanshadows5567]

As a bi person while watching Beastars I found myself thinking “yeah that’s really gay” almost ever scene, and as a psychology major I find everything about the show to be interesting and accurate in terms of animal vs human psychology and in how it portrays that psychological contrast/similarity

[@spellmanshadows5567]

@Science Bear did you- did you literally not read the first sentence

[@afoolishfopdoodle3284]

@Science Bear Girl, do you not know that identities outside of just gay still experience same sex attraction? Also, they've got more credentials to back their claims up than you do, because they're actually studying how the brain works

[@halle6095]

@sciencebear1645this is a WILD take

[@alchemy3368]

@Science Bear bro can you like. Shut up. I see comments from you from 6 Months ago. You’re still here having garbage takes about bisexuality. Grow up

[@ammynaten8392]

@Science Bear imagine putting a source you haven't even cited over a psych major. I'm pretty sure they have far more Ethos than you. Assuming your article told you what that word even means of course.

[@remithefrog350]

This was one the most well made video essays I've watched in a while. Not to get all 'identity-politics-y' but as a teenage, trans, gay man getting used to being an independent adult it hit really hard. I really loved the end where you just talked about the things that made you happy, how much joy art has brought you. I struggle to appreciate drawing as a worthwhile pursuit, even though I've always loved it. It's so wonderful to hear about artists making people so happy and helping them feel comfortable.

[@miraak6587]

I personally believe beastars is a much better allegory for sexism against women as well as men, especially internally, involving maleness and it’s relations to violence. It does fit homophobia better at times.

[@blinkfilms1]

I think that those two issues are inherently linked, so it's really about both

[@justinwhite915]

@@blinkfilms1 It may not be perfect, but it addresses a lot of issues.

[@mimszanadunstedt441]

And dogs are christian fundamentalists. Ever think of that?

[@miraak6587]

@@mimszanadunstedt441 they are closer to a nazi eugenics project, Christian fundamentalists aren’t bred to be emotionless, they are quite passionate and in cases of the churches often thought as Christian fundamentalists are also quite violent, something dogs arent meant to do.

[@miraak6587]

Allegorically they are possibly meant to represent those which society suppresses/oppresses into quiet cooperation or otherwise indoctrinates into the ideology, which I suppose could be Christian fundamentalism but could just as well be any majority group of passive followers.

[@theonionqueen3519]

I’m telling you all to give Beastars a try in dub. Jonah Scott, voice actor for Legoshi, puts his all into his performance as Legoshi. It’s truly an incredible thing to hear. Plus, my boy Jonah is bisexual!

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

Jonah is bi?!

[@theonionqueen3519]

@@ultimatebishoujo29 yusss he’s such a king

[@darladay4766]

How fitting

[@samanthagalicia6151]

Beastars has the best dub i have ever heard. Both the english and spanish dub are GOLD🤍

[@birb.9684]

Jonah rlly declared legosi bi bc he was bi what a king

[@wingedbunny6211]

As someone who has consumed almost no Beastars media, this was an incredible video to watch. I was able to understand every single point you made while only knowing the story and characters based off of your storytelling. Seriously, give all props to you. I literally could not stop watching this video.

[@Joblerone]

"But werewolves aren't men" is about the size of what I told myself when I was denying my own identity - but for me, it was "see? You're just gay, not *trans*"

[@LilitheAmara]

I think you legit fixed season 2 for me! Thank you so much! I always thought Legoshi and Louie had way more chemistry than either with Haru. I felt like Legoshi would eventually figure out that he and Louie were meant to be together after they each had come to terms with their own demons. Or at least have some sort of a thruple because they are all connected to each other. So often Legoshi finds himself thinking about Louie, even at seemingly inappropriate times like he did with Haru.

[@MonAhgasInsomniAroELF]

agreed! it really should have ended like that. personally, in my mind, it did.

[@ting-ting7001]

Omg they do. I read mostly romance and shoujo and I even found they had way more chemistry! They’re the reasons I’m even reading the manga!!

[@ting-ting7001]

If you read the manga, volume 12 or 13 had Legoshi exploring that he might be gay. Because suddenly he feels free and liberated when he meets the sea otter.

[@purplenutria1351]

all the series involve legoshi and haru relationship and how fixated legoshi is on haru, also louie and legoshi understand what they feel towards camaradery and not sexual tension. it sucks to see more and more people wanting same sex close friendship gay ignoring all the context and world building

[@Kyosumari]

I'd argue people insisting that Legoshi and Louie didn't have ANY gay undertones are the ones ignoring context and world building. Legoshi canonically questions his sexuality anyways. @@purplenutria1351

[@kiiogato]

This is likely the most invested I've ever been in a video essay. I really just sat down and absorbed all 3 hours of this, thank you so much for putting the work into verbalizing what a lot of us queer fans felt about Beastars but couldn't quite put a pin on. You've practically hit the nail on the head, Legoshi/Haru is very much queer, in it's own way in the end. And bravo for helping me feel a bit better about the ending, I've been tied up about it for the longest time- but your points I feel definitely make me reconsider my feelings about some aspects of it. And congratulations, on coming out. It's never an easy thing, but as someone new to your community (stumbled upon your Iron Lung playthrough, then came here to this channel) I am so happy that I stumbled onto someone amazing and relatable. Thanks for being you, and for sharing your celebration of queerness with us!!

[@BoringKeith]

I'm glad the Haru stuff is comprehensible. It took a lot of setup to get there lol

[@Dan-zc3ou]

I'm a 21 years old, closeted, italian guy who's into Fanfictions and furries and whose childhood was a mirror image of the movie Luca so, yeah.

[@christpierre]

Bravo

[@foxfairchild2458]

Your a disgrace to us all lolzz

[@spacejasontodd]

Sono in grato che tu sia qui con noi :)

[@Dan-zc3ou]

@@spacejasontodd Close enough! thank you very much

[@TindraSan]

2:13:15 god now I'm just wondering what articles and videos James Somerton stole from to make that video

[@mercedeswalt6621]

Yeah, me too! My favorite was his Harry Potter video, and I can’t stand that something so seemingly authentic and sincere was just a patched up farce stolen from who knows how many people.

[@Aichi1138]

Holy fucking hell, this essay went WAAAY harder than I was expecting "Hopeful video essayist" if this is the level of quality of the essays to expect Please PLEASE do more

[@johnathonjordon8148]

2:01:00 I actually think this is looking more at racism more than homophobia like how his physical appearance is what people point out more and look at more than if he had aids or was gay. Also him sitting at the back of restaurants or not even being allowed in restaurants was very common or expected in his time for black people or people of colour.

[@noxiean]

I though that as well In my mind at least, poisonous or venomous animals are going to be dealing with segregation.

[@thepandaclub7335]

it's about prejudice in general so both interpretations are correct

[@teywn]

He said he wasn't going to look at the series being about race issues though he thinks it's a perfectly valid lens

[@ScaraBrush]

Small note, since I've heard the term "herbivore" and "carnivore" in japanese relationships context: "herbivore" tends to refer to a man who isn't actively seeking women or gets hit on by women instead of the opposite. Aditionally he may have more traditionally considered "feminine" hobbies or tastes (for example, a man who likes to cook for his girlfriend or is into sewing). Whereas a "carnivore" is a man who constantly does nanpa (hits on random women on the street basically, this can be a bit... too agressive at times, but it's mostly harmless I think?) and is the stereotype of masculinity. I remember watching a video about this because I saw one where women said how they much preferred "herbivore" man and it inmediately caught my curiosity. Edit: fixed spelling mistake ^^;

[@malaksafa4074]

Is nanpa cat calling?

[@ScaraBrush]

@@malaksafa4074 To my knowledge, nanpa is like saying "picking up/hitting on (girls)", it's flirting but more intense with even physical contact sometimes. It's normally aggresive as in, they won't stop until you go with them to wherever they want. I'm afraid I don't live in Japan so I don't know from personal experience, but I know it can get pretty bad, sometimes these men won't leave unless there's another person with you and they're a male. Cat calling I feel is more like, doing gestures or saying "flirty" things that can be quite offensive but from afar without really trying to get a date.

[@malaksafa4074]

@@ScaraBrush oh dear.

[@timothymarzelli3874]

Herb. *Herbivore*, not hervibore.

[@ScaraBrush]

@@timothymarzelli3874 Oh right! my bad

[@VVVVV99611]

You call yourself boring? I watched this *entire* video with ADHD with full attention. No distractions. If someone messaged me, I paused and skipped none of this incredible video. Well made! This was deeply profound to me and I will be reflecting on this. Wow.

[@TheQuietTyper]

I am searing "The cringe is compulsory, the inevitable byproduct of sincerity." into my brain for the sake my my mental health.

[@PhilipEos]

I listened to that part of the video like 5 times that was so wonderful to hear

[@ablueduckyy]

I strongly relate to your experience of growing up gay and finding some form of solace in the furry community. I grew up in the Middle East, where being gay wasn’t exactly pleasant to put it mildly. Aside from IRL issues, there was a lot of internet censorship and anything remotely LGBT was blocked. However, online furry communities in sites like Tumblr and Twitter managed to slip through the cracks somehow. For the first time, I felt accepted and safe. I never even interacted with anyone in the community, but just seeing other people like me was enough. I’m not sure why I’m sharing all this since y’all are internet strangers, and I honestly feel low key embarrassed typing this out… I guess this is just my long-winded way of saying: Thank you. You articulated (quite eloquently) thoughts and feelings I’ve struggled with for a long time. Thank you for making this video!

[@ckinggaming5bucketmadness766]

Yeah, and “what is a furry” is a good question and why I will probably never say with 100% sureness that I am a furry, I don’t want to identify as something I’m not, the more you ask if im a furry, the less sure of my answer I’ll be.

[@moosesues8887]

Hehe serperior in pfp

[@Salthat]

God huge mood I’m a queer middle eastern guy too 💀 at least my country is poor enough to not be able to do that kind of censorship lol

[@BlackDowry]

Absolutely enjoyed watching this and listening. As a sis gender mother in a heterosexual marriage, I want to acknowledge your community and accept the damage that our parents did to you. I am raising my children to accept others for who they are and to never judge others. The change has to be with us parents. We have to raise better people.

[@perronhoskins3429]

As a queer trans person who's parents have been unaccepting to the point of having to leave home in order to pursue the healthcare I need. This. What you just said is so important. Thank you for doing the work.

[@srig3649]

Thank you. I wish you every happiness.

[@hahaweedlol4933]

As who is not cisgender or hrterosexual as defined by society, i really deeply appreciate you loving your children for who they become and who they are. I'm coming to terms with losing my parents over something that is not my own fault. I cannot express how much I appreciate your comment.

[@megansaysyall]

Thank you. We need more like you.

[@joys761]

shout out to my man James somerton doing what he does best: reading someone else's writing :⁠^⁠)

[@mercury4885]

his mother's very proud

[@LegoManiac_101]

I’m not kidding when I say this: “Legosi has more chemistry with both Louis and Pina than he does with Haru and Juno.” EDIT: I would sometimes ship Pina with Riz, Legosi, and Bill

[@EsPaRtAnO2009]

Ah!, so you are too a Riz/Pina enjoyer

[@christpierre]

Who doesn't have more chemistry with their homies? If you're straight you choose your male friends by their personality and your chemistry rather than their looks and sexual organs Edit: I'm never said women don't have personalities or people shouldn't choose their partners for their personality but OFTENLY enough they don't have the NECESSITY to COMPENSATE with personality when they already have something of value you already want Legoshi has a fkin bunny fetish ffs

[@sarkaztik3228]

@@christpierre If you choose partners that way, I feel sad for you.

[@trashdumpster2245]

@@christpierre did you know that women can have personalities too? and a surprising amount of men care about that more than about looks

[@virginiafernandez6846]

I know, but my bisexual little ass loves Haru way to much. So shipping those two is as close as I’ll ever get to dating her (jk). Nah, but I do like Haru and Legoshi’s relationship, just as much as Legoshi and Louis’. They’re both super fun.

[@plzleavemealone9660]

There are different ways to say "I" in Japanese. Boku-> usually used by men and boys. If used by a men it's usually seen as more "feminine" or rather softish (this also depends on age tho). When (rarely happens) woman use this it's considered more masculine. Ore-> Masculine, almost never used by woman. Uchi-> Feminine. Specifically considered ''cute''. Not used by men at all. It seems to be used more frequently by woman depending on where you are in Japan. Watashi-> Seen as more feminine if used in a casual setting but when talking with your superior it's a requirement to use watshi for both men and woman. There is also Atashi which is only used by woman in casual settings. It's basically the same word pronounced differently. Then there are also probably a few different ways of saying "I" in different parts of Japan. And more ways to say "I" professionally, depending on the social setting and the person you're talking to. You can basically choose how to say "I" depending on what you feel like. Since I'm more feminine I always use "uchi" but my best friend who's female actually uses "ore" and "watashi" depending on her mood. You can also just refer to yourself by saying your own name instead of "I" but that's usually only done by children and people who try to act as such. Or maybe if you're talking with your family.

[@samueloconner1482]

More comment sections need educational comments like this

[@midnight4685]

To add, 'boku' can also be used in the workplace (masculine), though it depends on the workplace. Not in a highly formal, stiff workplace, you'd just have to find the acceptable standpoint. It's considered somewhat polite, which is why it can be considered feminine/soft in highly casual (usually masculine) conversations.

[@plzleavemealone9660]

@@midnight4685 I think it's also only acceptable for younger men. Older men in general seem to be expected to use "watshi" more then the younger men. Although this could also be a new generation vs older generation thing.

[@midnight4685]

@@plzleavemealone9660 As far as I know, it's a generational thing, but yes it is seen as much more youthful, I guess would be the word

[@yeen.7209]

i've also briefly read someplace where a girl using 'boku' is considered extremely cute?

[@felix_a_fiend]

Legoshi is my comfort gay-coded character, and no one can stop me from loving this interpretation of him. It helps that I feel like we have similar personalities, and I’m a little queer kid myself.

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

I’m with you there

[@handsomeboi3767]

The cool and all but it’s kinda like grasping at something that isn’t there and how is legoshi gay? Because he is close and intimate with his male friends so that makes him gay guess that me and the boys are gay I suppose

[@felix_a_fiend]

@@handsomeboi3767 I mean… I’m just going to assume you didn’t watch the video.

[@handsomeboi3767]

@@felix_a_fiend I watched a good amount but it’s too long and is the title serious about legoshi being gay? And why are you ignoring the authors interpretation of legoshi?

[@felix_a_fiend]

@@handsomeboi3767 hasn’t the author said in the past she was going to make them gay but the publishers didn’t let her? And aside from that, she made it very clear that this story isn’t meant to be taken literally (as in, not animals), and this story clearly didn’t make the animals a race thing, but a gender and sexuality thing. Seeing as you can’t even watch this very well written analysis, I don’t think you understand the author’s own interpretation of this story.

[@wesleycook278]

I want you to know that this is my 4th time watching this video. It’s literally so comforting to me. I love the way you talk and explain everything and it makes me so happy

[@thedarkvoid1565]

2:24:50 "Legoshi has been denying himself, telling himself to wait, again and again, ever since he was a kid. Back when he was a student we saw him gazing at an interspecies couple at a restaurant, as if to tell himself everything will be alright if he can just wait until after graduation. Fuck man. That hurt. As a trans teen I've been struggling with suicide/depression for a while, and to cope I've been promising myself, "I'll be able to do what I want if I can just finish high school." I've grown a fear of never being able to reach that point, that I'll be stuck in a loop of endlessly giving myself goals until I've wasted away my life. Either that, or that when I finally finish high school I'll be so fucked from depression, anxiety and a shit-load of other stuff that I'll still be scared to live my life. I still have 3+ years until I can leave my (kind of?) transphobic family and do what I want, dress what how I want, BE who I want, so I'm still holding out on that. I know this isn't really about the video (which is great by the way. I usually speed up videos cause ADHD but somehow you made me listen for three whole hours without getting the urge to check my phone) but I just wanted to leave a comment for any other teenager who feels at least similar to my situation. Maybe your situation is shit. Maybe you think that nothing can get better, or that nothing will change. Maybe you're so tired from all the bullshit that life and other's keep giving you. But as long as you keep hold of that dream (whatever it may be) you can make it. You can get to a point in your life where you don't feel like k!lling yourself every day. You can find people who actually care about you and are willing to do anything for you. Just keep holding on until adulthood, because YOU (yes you) are gonna do better than anyone else, because YOU ARE YOU! And nothing can erase that. Sorry for the long comment lmao. Just wanted to vent I suppose. TLDR; that one part about Legoshi made me want to cry, and keep living until you feel accomplished or whatever you wanna do. Again, incredible video and I hope you keep making amazing videos like this.

[@valartman2671]

Man, I relate so much to everything you said. I live in Russia (war situation sucks obviously, I wish it never fucking happened) and I just graduated from school, going to a uni now. It's incredibly hard to transition here, especially since the economy is in a really bad state now. I'm non-binary, and it makes it much harder to come out since people usually have no idea what it is. There are so many things I'm terrified of, but I am also tired of waiting. Every day I'm thinking about ending this whole thing. Then maybe I would rest a bit. I really hope your situation gets better, and you will get a chance to get away from your toxic surroundings comfortably and sooner than planned. Hang in there!

[@thedarkvoid1565]

@@valartman2671 Thank you, and I hope the same for you :)

[@Shade_sShadow]

I know how hard it can be to hear someone tell you to wait to be yourself but your first priority is your safety and well being. So always take care of yourself first. Then once you leave you can sound out people from your old life like your family and see if any of them are deserving of a continued relationship. But most importantly you can do that on your own terms and in your own time. It does get so much easier to be yourself when you no longer are living in a potentially dangerous situation.

[@tecc9999]

nice pfp

[@АлександраГришина-с5р]

I feel like I'm trans but I'm scared.

[@Fujiwara-no-Moko]

im bi in a really homophobic country and family and i also have a (long distance) same sex relationship, so seeing people coming out and being happy makes me feel really happy for them. in general every person ive meet on the internet was kind and accepting and that made me accept who i am and be really open on the web, but the idea of being out in real life is really scary. no idea why am i typing this, tbh, but im really happy for you! also that wasnt the thing i expected at the end, when i was recomended my "chores background video", so i had a lot of fun listening to the video itself too.

[@SarahMaeBea]

As an anxious ace who doesn't like gore, "psycho sexual thriller" had me nervous but from the amount of time you put into it I could tell this video was really important to you. I was immediately absorbed by this incredible worldbuilding and your very considered and thorough presentation of it. Hello, happy birthday, and thank you so much for sharing this part of yourself.

[@l1z4rd67]

mae pfp mae pfp lets go trash mammal

[@LettaLeeJoy]

Unfortunate James Somerton reference at 2:13:15 aside, this was pretty great. Thanks for doing this deep dive, I genuinely have an even stronger appreciation for Beastars now.

[@fishbutler6170]

“apparently a leg is like- 10% bone and 90% trauma”

[@0dd594]

Haru is the literal "white rabbit" to match the metaphor. The life altering path that changes everything of one's self.

[@LiterallyMarty]

This was an incredible ride. I knew nothing about Beastars when you asked me to be a part of this project, but I watched every minute of this finished masterpiece! It is thoughtful, heartfelt, and really has one of the best endings that you could hope for from a KZbin video.

[@Venabap]

I've tripped over this video a year after it's release, but I adore it all entirely. Thank you for this.

[@Venabap]

Update; I just got to where you reveal your furaffinity page and the absolute joy you express for your fursona; Marrow is very heartwarming, reminds me of how I feel about my own funny critter!

[@MaliUrum]

same

[@ems3376]

I loved your thoughtful interpretation of this series. It resonated with me as a gay woman. People sexualize you, regardless of what you do. Haru is an important character. Regardless of what she does, she’s sexualized, even though she is a white rabbit (an innocent character inherently). (Also are a lot of Sailor Moon characters that are so queer.) While I’m not a furry, (they seem like nice, chill people) I realized that there are people living in the fringes of society that need a place where they belong. I really liked Beastars. It was so well done and nuanced. If you’re not queer, you might not see it. Historically, I’m sure people will. As a queer cis woman, people hunting you down was really scary. And I get it. I hated myself. I wanted to be anything else. Now I love who I am. Now I’m open. I’m queer. Good for you bro. Tell people. It’s good for your spirit.

[@Jonathan_Wall]

Wow Keith. This is legitimately a masterpiece. The ending brought the purpose of this video into sharp focus, and made me reevaluate a lot of my assumptions. I appreciate your courage and thank you for making this so entertaining and informative. It's stuff like this from perspectives I don't have naturally that helps me work out the empathy muscle for people who are different than me, so in a way teaching me how to view societal pressures through the lens of a marginalized group is literally making me and others who watch this a better person. Keep being awesome, man

[@BoringKeith]

This is a great compliment! It's exactly why I watch a lot of the essayists that I do.

[@Julia.diesesfelderforderlich]

"If I wait for the world to feel ready for me, I'll die in the closet." Wow. There's way more to say. But most of it is stuff I read into what you said, I guess that's how art works, and I'd not have the right words to express what I mean. But this, right there. For me it says something different, because what keeps me in my closet is something way different. Strangely, it still applies. Thank you for that.

[@ManleyReviews]

Insanely good video. never have i watched something so long yet so concisely well spoken. Made me consider some stuff from a different angle.

[@weeaboh]

me: i have terrible focus theres no way i can watch this 20 minute episode of a show i love and adore also me: watches this entire 3 hour video about a series i never even finished just because its so well put together and engaging. it was so fun watching this and connecting dots in my head in real time that you would go over later in the video.

[@HelloBeatriceHere]

I’m a year late but I just wanted to add that in the heteronormativity section with Jack and how he gets into the elite group of students learning new things… this reminded me so much of of being an AP & Dual student. I would learn one thing in my ap class and my friends taking the regular level for the same course would be learning the same thing but framed in a completely different way. Or they would have VERY important topics taken out and we would be told the full context that makes our history look even worse but since we have devoted so much time and trust into education we do not feel as upset about the topics under the view of “they wouldn’t show something harmful to us. Right?” Also similar to how all the elite students were dogs, at the many schools I’ve been to all the AP or advanced students were white even when I went to a majority black school (btw, I’m black and my best friend is Asian and we immediately bonded over our weird experiences in our AP classes)

[@Thishandle_isnt_available]

The sad part is if everyone learned the extra details, everyone would have a better understanding

[@harm0ny_]

Beastars’ representation of repressed sexuality is one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen in media to be honest. And I like the acknowledgment that Haru and Legoshi’s relationship is undeniably queer because both characters are undeniably queer. They both explore taboo relationships and are looked down on for wanting to be apart of a relationship society doesn’t expect, and even if they’re a man and a woman that doesn’t mean their relationship is heterosexual in the way the world interprets the idea.

[@chestnut4860]

Wait what? So m/f relationship between to parties who are both exclusively heterosexual (not bisexuals in an m/f relationship) can be gay?

[@harm0ny_]

@@chestnut4860 Buddy this comment is SO old how did you find this? And I was obviously referencing the fact that both of them are queer. Meaning they’re both attracted to the same gender and likely bisexual.

[@risacooper]

I want to erase my memory of this video so I can watch it all over again

[@alexandrert8252]

Me with everything I watch

[@margotklein2331]

who knew a 3 hour beastars video essay would end in my sobbing! I wish more then anything people could accept queerness fully. Not commercialization of queerness, or exploitation, just love and understanding.

[@RainyUmbrella]

Same here, but that's what community is for. And from there, we'll have to keep doing our best to spread the love and understanding to the rest of society. There's still a long way to go, but we've also come a long way from where we were. Hang in there! 💖

[@smrodan]

I studied queer theory at an academic level in my undergrad years (I was an in denial trans guy totally inexplicably drawn to the subject) so let me just say congrats on your communication skills, it's not at all easy to convey these concepts to a general audience and the work you put into the script is very apparent and appreciated! Also for your Hello chapter, bruh, my heart grew three sizes!

[@elisesan8217]

This video is really really great. I’m a straight cis woman who just had two really important people come out to me. My partner is struggling with gender identity issues and my brother came out as bisexual. I thought I was very open minded, but I was still shocked to learn these things. We need to normalize these identities, and this video helped me a lot. Also the way my brother came out to me was because I borrowed his laptop and his discord was popping off. He was in a ton of furry discord chats and I learned he was a furry and bi in one night. Iconic coming out right there.

[@blueismefavoritecolor8860]

Glad to see that you’re out there trying to educate yourself! I really do appreciate it and a lot of folks do as well!!

[@mekmmerkrk]

I am a 22 year old lesbian woman and honestly? This video inspired me to draw myself a fursona 😅

[@SpoopySquid]

8 months late but I hope you were successful 👍

[@yariban9735]

Fuck, the entire “Hello” section has me just silently sobbing at 2am. I was asking the same questions you were, the whole, “Why am I so invested in Beastars?” and it felt like you just elaborated and cleared up what I’ve been dealing with what feels like forever. Hell, even the childhood thing for werewolves, having people close to you openly speak against being queer, etc. Suppression and self-denial, even having some very personal “climax of Luca” moments, all these memories were just being shot to the fore as you talked through the video. It’s like this oppressive fog that’s been my mental state ever since the start of high school is starting to clear up now. Thanks. Seriously.

[@aiyokai7332]

I came for the Beastars essay but stayed for the ending You dug into and analysed so many interesting parts of the queer-coded material of Beastars, but when you "introduced" yourself and talked unabashedly about your interests and your oc, something in me clicked and I actually started crying. 10/10

[@ArclightLeopard]

I’m 34 I was born in a pre gay right era as well, a closeted furry, and gay even though I knew what I was since I was 16 two failed marriages and a five year old son later I’ve finally came out to my parents as openly gay. I was more than moved to tears several times throughout this video because I felt the weight and impact of every word. All I can say is, thank you for everything you’ve done here and said.

[@cgdragneel]

Thank you for this video. Thanks for having the courage for coming out. Now, you can completely be you. I watched my best friend become a totally different and better person when he came out to me. So I understand how coming out of the closet is a life changer. Legoshi is one of my top favorite anime characters. This Beastars analysis was informative and pawesome.

[@lain13]

The part where you talked about your homosexuality makes me really emotional. I'm a lesbian teenager and I can relate to some things you said. Many people don't get how important representation is for someone like me and you and so many other people. Everytime there is a lesbian character (no matter if hinted or canon) in an anime or manga I like I'm so happy just to go on the Internet and see how many people say bad things about the show/manga or character or deny that the character is gay. I'm kinda crying right now while thinking about being lesbian since I'll probably never get over the self hatred and the hatred from others. I don't live in America and where I live lgbt+ people aren't being discriminated against by the law. I don't have to be scared of homosexuality being banned or anything like that right now but every election I'm scared that a "group" (I don't know the English word for the thing I mean) that is known for being homophobic, racist and antisemitic will get elected especially since last year their votes has been really high in comparison to before. It's so scary I can't imagine how scary it must be in America or other country's where it's already banned to be lgbt+.

[@howthetubbiestelly]

I’m in America and also a lesbian, and I hope you know your voice deserves to be heard. You will survive, historically we’ve been hurt, but we have survived and thrived regardless.

[@lazyrat6687]

girl, it's not that serious

[@malchickoleander]

@@lazyrat6687 It is that serious. Many people don't have access to see themselves in media, they're hated in person and online, and they don't feel free to be themselves. You really watched this video and came away with the thought "It's not that serious"?? God damn dude.

[@lazyrat6687]

​@@malchickoleander a majority of the population thinks that LGBTQ is perfectly okay. people act like their being discriminated, but their really not most of the time. their promoted all over the world in almost every show these days. yes, a lot of places refuse LGBTQ and the world isn't perfect. before you say LGBTQ are being discriminated, PEOPLE are gonna hate PEOPLE no matter what the hell they believe in. you can't fix that. I'd say you guys should stop being a cry baby over it because you act like everyone hates you but in reality no one gives a shit. gah damn. I have homophobic parents, but that doesn't change the fact that everyone around me actually accepts me. people really act like their being mobbed by homophobic people as an excuse too get attention for themselves because they are 'different and unique' and 'woe is me.' you guys are safe, omfg

[@malchickoleander]

@@lazyrat6687 Gay people get murdered constantly. Just for being gay. Michael Knowels said "transness needs to be eradicated from society." People are calling for a re-banning of gay marriage. Over 400 anti-LGBT bills were passed in 2022 alone. That's just in the US. You ddon't know what you're talking about.

[@rougarou8439]

I never realty vibed with Beastars. It just never really jived with me and I hated the conflating of sex and primal hunger, but this video really made me appreciate the poetry of the show. I really want to thank you for the insight. I also SUPER relate to your coming out story. I'm a gay furry artist amd grew up fawning over werewolves and creeping on furry art forums since I was in high school and it wasn't until I finished grad school I finally started to come out and only 1 year since I completely came out. I feel so liberated now, I even started to show off a lot of my anthro art on my normie art accounts. I really want to become more active in the furry community now. I want to be a full time artist and I really want to start making furry comics and I'm slowly taking those steps. I think your story is very important one to tell amd needs to be heard by as many people as possible especially people stuck in the closet like I was.

[@nightsofsilver1573]

hearing your personal connection and seeing you come out was amazing, I'm happy for you and hope being true to yourself has helped you find peace in life

[@ian-online]

I never really realized why beasters as a show and manga ment so much to me, it was one of the most intense, dramatic and explicit shows i've watched but it olds a special place in my heart. You put into words how much legoshi as a character meant to me. Loved this video

[@rowankunz-peek9052]

I watched beastars when I was going through a time where I came to terms with my homosexuality and this video helped me understand why beastars is so special to me and why it’s so nostalgic. Thank you for making this video.

[@ian-online]

same

[@jacobwas809]

2:58:00 “… I kinda want to work on my own body image issues and normalize seeing myself the way I am, **contradictory as that might seem on an animal character**.” I relate to this. I am a fellow “good student” who let it define my identity, or lack thereof. I learned of the Furry community from people demonizing them, yet Fursonas were an intoxicating concept. They are an external embodiment of your sense of self, a form that you choose. And the choice of species communicates much about your personality. But shame is powerful, and I never looked further. I was drawn to Beastarz when it first came out, but was too ashamed to check it out. I am thankful for you providing a nuanced view of this wonderful story. Your courage in coming out (twice?) is inspiring. I am honored to hear of Marrow and the journey you took to find them. I think you have achieved the title of “video essayist” after this dissertation. My attention was sustained for the entire 3 hours, which is insane for my ADHD brain. Your love for the show is infectious. The entire script flowed smooth as butter. As first impressions go, this is a home run.

[@DontTouchMyCroissant]

21:29 As a former "straight woman" writing gay shit, until I realized I was neither of those things, I can tell you that there's way fewer straight cis women in fandom than you'd think.

[@vrgssmnncht]

Right?? It's so funny when people say that it's mostly cishet women in fandom, especially when it comes to gay fic. A *lot* of the supposed "straight women" are queer, or not even women at all

[@Vivigreeny25]

Oh GOD I know. I devoured tens of thousands of trans fics on Ao3 with this constant lingering… guilt? Or shame? For being so invested in a topic I didn’t have any actual stakes in. I thought all the time about writing my own fics and just digging into gender euphoria and nonconformity and just- GENDER, but since I was a cis girl I always felt like it’d be… wrong to write stories _about_ a marginalized identity that I am not part of. And then, you’ll NEVER guess what I realized at 2 am while mulling over how much I liked the singing voices of some of my favourite male singers,