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 :]

[@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.

[@science_bear]

Nobody who dates a bisexual knows their own worth.

[@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

[@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

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@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

[@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

[@fautex47]

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.

[@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.

[@science_bear]

That’s how straights bis pans and trans inherently are.

[@malaksafa4074]

Man.

[@Chaos_Fantasmic]

Now that's just hypocritical

[@science_bear]

@@Chaos_Fantasmic hypocritical is just another term for straight

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@doornumb]

Damn, he's four-dimensionally gay

[@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.

[@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 👍

[@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

[@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.

[@fishbutler6170]

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

[@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*"

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@joys761]

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

[@mercury4885]

his mother's very proud

[@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.

[@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.

[@nishanoire]

I am cis Hetero woman but I can also relate very much to this. I was raised Muslim and was told dating was bad. So I had to pretend like I didn’t have crushes on boys and I couldn’t go to school dances with any one. One time my dad found out I had a crush on a non-Muslim and the threatened to send me away. He didn’t though. But eventually I met someone and started dating them and I had to keep it a secret for a long time until finally my aunt found iut and persuaded my dad that it was ok. Society also isn’t kind to Muslims and sometimes I’m embarrassed to mention it. ,I’ve been told I’m the devil and going to hell. So sometimes I just pretend I’m not so no one will judge me or treat me badly.

[@RookieActor]

I think Melon is meant to play into the kind of personality that sees the world as eff-ed up and just gives in to what society deems him to be. And over time that just got worse and worse exponentially given he doesn't belong in either world. He views society as a cruel, twisted place that is constantly trying to pull, push, twist, and squeeze him back and forth between two sides due to stigma. In response to this, he has, in a way, divorced himself from both and lives by his own rules(which are few and none, because he doesn't want to follow any rules from any side). His lack of a sense of touch and taste could be allegorical to just being numb to the world which has pressured on him a lifetime of outward, stigmatic abuse. Legoshi on the other hand doesn't let the outside stigma pressure him into anything. He is stubborn and steadfast on what he wants and always tries to see the light at the end of the tunnel. He doesn't allow what turned Melon turn him. Legoshi has the mentality that the world can change and he will do what he can to make it better. Legoshi knows the world can change, but Melon doesn't share this belief. So much so, he can't fathom anyone that truly believes that. And if they do truly believe that, he is so (don't know the word) that he has to kill them to avoid his worldview from ever potentially being threatened again. Think of someone NOT heteronormative that is trying EXTREMELY desperately to be heteronormative. In this sense, Melon is just a murderous sociopath that is set off by anyone that makes him question himself and his worldview. This is just my take on Melon and I understand its a bit complicated. Maybe a bit different from what this video was trying to get at but that's why I like Melon. At the point in the story he's introduced, I do acknowledge that he is an obviously forced and maybe even weak foil to Legoshi at this point. They are both hybrids, they are both criminals with a meat consumption report to their name, they both didn't have the best mothers. the difference is how they see the world. Legoshi sees the world in a light grey view that can get lighter, while Melon just sees black to the point he refused to see anything else and shoots out any light bulb that turns on. Sorry for the length...

[@kirbylover5418]

I like your thoughts! I feel like jumping off this metaphor, there’s an interesting perpective that Legoshi’s potential children may not have the same steadfastness as him and stubborness, and perhaps be hurt by society in very direct ways. Especially with Legoshi “passing” as a gray wolf, but the hybrids we’ve seen who didn’t pass were beaten down by the world (Melon + Legoshi’s mom) I think the fear of how society could harm those who cannot conform could be an interesting take on Melon, and playing into a potential scary thing of society that Legoshi could be grappling with, if that makes sense :)

[@hassanalkhalaf1115]

So Melon is basically my homosexual self who tried so hard to pass as a homophobe online and argued with queer people just to please my religious friends

[@science_bear]

@@hassanalkhalaf1115 you never stopped being homophobic. Can you just close your mouth and stop talking?

[@the_sky_is_blue_and_so_am_I]

​@@hassanalkhalaf1115 yes

[@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.

[@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.

[@Zilkenian_Davenport]

One of the things I tell to many young men and boys is that a brave man is *not* the one who never sheds a tear, but the one who is not afraid to cry.

[@SamuelSamuelSamuel1]

I’m gay and grew up in a misandrist household where male sexuality was shamed and I cherish Beastars so much.

[@jackbyrley6441]

I'm a passing trans man who happens to be straight, the part about Rizzo's story hit hard, since I had a similar friendship that he did, albiet with a woman. I can fit in perfectly with cis het guys, excel in a male-dominated job, be overall accepted in society at least on a surface level, but at the end of the day I took a risk and just wanted someone to know the full me and not just the laidback straight guy everyone else does, and in some ways that hurt more than how I was treated when I was openly LGBT

[@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

[@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

[@MultiMattRogers]

I feel like part of the strength of Beastars is that the fundamental truth of struggling with ones identity in the face of oppressive societal expectation is upsettingly universal. So everyone sees themselves in it somewhere. That's not to say that the overt gay themes aren't there, but its really interesting that everyone seems to see themselves in this story somewhere.

[@koolkel00]

Holy shit you know as someone who has grown up as a lady, but who fixated on guy × guy comics in my teen years, I never realized there was a connection with that part of myself and my gender identity/ sexuality. I'm attracted to the male body but I find heteronormative masculinity repulsive and unappealing romantically and sexually. I just always assumed I was a lady cause that's what people called me. And I never felt like a dude. But something about the queer community always drew me to it, where I felt at home somehow, but I felt like a fraud because I didn't outright prefer girls necessarily. I've just always been me, and I've never felt like I fit in anywhere. I can never tell whether I'm masking my ADHD or some other part of me. I just kept waiting until I finally figure what box I fit into and kept on growing more lonely and detached the longer I waited to figure it out someday. But that day just never came. I'm still this nebulous undefined thing and eventually I came to the conclusion that maybe that's just what I am. It's not easy to explain to other people so I just let people use she/her pronouns and call me a lady because it's what's easiest. I just know what I feel and it's something other and so I prefer to just be unlabelled, when push comes to shove. I know I'm somebody's something. And I feel like relating to queer people is where I feel at home. Cause I'm weird and undefined and, I think that's okay. I still don't know where I fit in yet. But accepting that I'm just something else, regardless of what other people tell me I am, has given me a sense of peace inside. And I think that's what all queer people are looking for, deep down. Inner peace with one's self, and the freedom to exist in the world in a way that allows that peace to flourish and thrive. That's my experience anyway.

[@Kyosumari]

I just want to say that you're not alone. I experienced astonishingly similar scenarios. My first erotic explorations were of gay men and yaoi. I didn't enjoy, experience pleasure, or like my lady bits at all until i was much much older. I still don't think I'm JUST a girl. Im somewhere undefined and that's incredibly hard to explain to people or find camaraderie in. I did things in my childhood that were massive signs of being more than just "a girl" - I stuffed my panties before I even know what it meant. Had urges and feelings that couldn't be put into words for decades. I still do. I've reached for equipment that wasn't there, had my first wet dreams about having erections I couldn't experience IRL, and even more so about a GIRL first. These things were even more aggravated by the men in my life being terrible role models, abusers, and even assaulting me in my youth, leaving me in a complex place of being treated like something I knew I wasn't really and complicating my feeling with men and my own masculinity as well as driving even further conflicting feelings associated with my femininity. I remember when I finally embraced it, it was overly promiscuous at first, in attempts to take control over that part of myself and my scenario. (Don't worry i've had a lot of therapy since and I'm doing better each day) -- but gender and sexual identity and attraction are SUCH a wide and complex spectrum that no amount of neat little boxes designed to make the small minded feel comfy will ever full encompass that reality in any meaningfully representative way. Just let people be happy, and tell real stories in media, and we'll all benefit.

[@aceup1]

You won't read this because this video came out months ago, but thank you. I feel so seen and heard by everything in this video. The Beastars manga consumed me from the first page and I had no idea why, just that there was *something* there, something deeper. This reading may not be Paru's own, but it makes for a more compelling story than any alternative. Thank you for coming out, both as gay and as a furry. I've been tackling the same feelings for years, and your bravery is so inspirational. I came out to a few trusted friends and family during the height of the pandemic, when I just couldn't take it anymore. Once the initial euphoria of coming out died down, so too did my spirit. Your section about internalized homophobia really recontextualized a lot of the strange and self depricating emotions that I've really been struggling with, and as a result of reevaluating how much I've wilted, your video has really encouraged me to bloom again. Thank you for that. It's such a perilous and difficult journey ahead, but let's all Be Stars (ch. 180 pun intended) and continue to shine, no matter how dark the night sky can get.

[@malsummers6515]

That Desire Paths to Shipping analogy is so good I'm gonna be repeating it a lot, liked and subbed for that alone.

[@naiadic6964]

i cant even begin to express how the last 20 minutes of this video made me feel, like, as someone whose always just kinda been called a furry without really understanding what that meant and feeling fundamentally ashamed cuz it was always thrown as an insult im just....feeling like maybe its time to really dig into the community in a meaningful way like im spiraling into an identity crisis becayse of this (in a positive way??? im shaking man help)

[@amirataamirzadeh9477]

I'm watching the beastars is gay essay tonight.

[@darkshadowjoselynedelgadil8671]

i've been in the speedrun community (watching speedruns, donating to streamers, following advances in routes, seeing games being broken) since i was very young, i was lucky to grow up in a gamer household. My two older brothers used to get all their friends in the house for the summer games done quick, and i can say that those were some of the happiest days of my childhood. Over the course of time, i saw many runners come out as trans or being openly gay in their social media, and i can't even begin to tell you how much that meant to me as a trans gay man. I saw people like me do what i liked and being happy, and when i came out and my relationship with my mom completely fell apart, i had speedruns to comfort me and reassure me that being trans and gay was ok, and that i wasn't alone. They may not be the gayest, but they are definitely out there!! It's amazing how much these communities do for us queer folk.

[@SillyGoofyCatt]

Watched the entire thing through in one sitting. This really did open my eyes and see things with a new perspective. I also learned a bit about myself. Thank you for making this.

[@tatiblack6087]

Welcome to the "I watched a 3hr video and my life will never be the same" club. We have a snacks in the corner there 🥐🥖🥯🧇🍕🥨🌭🥪🌮🫔🌯🥙🍝

[@SillyGoofyCatt]

@@tatiblack6087THATS SO REAL I LOVE IT HERE

[@HaleyCT]

This might be the best video you've ever made, Keith. And I think that final section is what makes what is otherwise just a damn good essay something that will stick with me for a while. It really resonated with my experience as a teenager, realising I liked men, and similarly, a dark place led me to the furry fandom. My circumstances were very different, of course, but it still hit me, especially as I hit a new roadblock of no longer feeling cisgender and realising I feel happier somewhere between. Your analysis of Beastars was great, but your story made me feel something. Also, imagine being old enough to have read Fur-Piled while it was ongoing. Could never be me.

[@mOoOoOoOoO-tr3jq]

Gosh i felt a shock of electricity in my entire body when you mentioned ao3 [archive of our own] bc i use that thing daily and it never ever crossed my mind hearing that name in a 3 hour youtube video abt the queerness of beastars but here we are ☠️

[@bingle_loid]

"if i wait for the world to be ready for me, ill die in the closet." i really, *really* needed that. no more waiting. :,)

[@cissmophy2975]

As a straight cis person watching this video was very interesting. Because it really highlights for me how important direct representation is of queer relationships. When you pointed out the queer motive in the movie Luca I was astonished. It never occurred to me and its so obvious once you see it. Same with legosi, just because Haru is there my straight programmed mind has dismissed all the obvious gay signs. Even the kiss!! How did my mind just accept the 'yeah well he has to find the killer' excuse so easily? Its very odd how I can consume all this media, enjoy it, but completely miss the message somehow.

[@LadyGameshine]

And now I want to play Pathologic, based on that last scene alone. But dang, this video is so long, I'll need to watch again to be able to properly comprehend all that there is here. I haven't seen or read Beastars, but I have been somewhat interested for a while now. This just gave me a lot of reason to read it some day, and it makes me feel more comfortable with myself too. I think I have a lot to do to fully understand myself better, but it's nice to see someone who has gone through a lot of life telling him he doesn't belong, and he manages to push along and survive anyway. I'm really happy to have found you and your videos, and I hope your life will be a happy one.

[@luxill0s]

Wait… there’s Pathologic content in this video? I stumbled onto a gold mine. This video is everything I could ever want it’s beautiful

[@thiscarnivorestudent7586]

This is my first video by you, and I just got to the "hello" section. I hate coming out, and seeing you do it so publicly is making me actually sob. Thanks

[@chrissolace]

I don't have much of a social life being a university student, so I've had little opportunity to interact with the LGBTQ community. But through a friend, I've been exposed to them (and the furry community too) and, while I still say I'm a far cry from being a member in the community, I've become a supporter of their struggles and can only hope to better understand them and don't incorrectly insult them. I've grown up with people calling "furry" as an insult and it definitely was foreign to me so I never questioned it, but now, I can see it's just a way people like to express themselves and it'll only be as weird as it is foreign to people. I've watched some of Beastars and, while I liked it, I didn't feel a strong sense to continue the story and definitely fell behind due to work. But after experiencing the story through this video essay, I really regret not watching it, since the messaging and themes are really impressive and really hit my feelings... pretty hard. I think you did a great job with this video essay and I think you're getting better with every essay you release. I was worried about the length of the video, but once I pressed play, it was hard to tear my eyes away or pause the video. In fact, I would say that now that I've experienced the story of Beastars through the lens and analysis you've presented it in, I'm satisfied enough to where I don't feel the need to watch the original source material now. And the ending with your announcement of your coming out of the closet was really resonating, especially with the message that there is no good time to come out to the world, since you could die in the closet. I honestly couldn't be a more proud member of your community (even though I struggled to keep up with the amount of content you upload), and it's really sweet that your friend group were so accepting of you.

[@vezara4932]

Thank you for being an ally

[@RainyUmbrella]

This video essay was a rollercoaster of emotions. I loved your analysis of the manga and anime, I appreciated you acknowledging the importance of translation and not withholding any puns that came up while writing the script. Coming out like this, being true to yourself and being visible to those who might need it, might have been hard to do, but I'm glad you were able to do it! Also really enjoyed you gushing about your fursona and that joy honestly brought a tear to my eye. I'm so happy for you and I hope you'll have lots of more art of and fun with your character~! 💖

[@yukennad6412]

I’m not a furry, nor someone in the lgbt community. But this was a beautiful video essay. Thank you for telling your story. On here. In front of so many people. Damn you’re brave!❤

[@oriazelin4466]

In reality, I clicked on this video to milk the Legoshi and Louis ship but man.... this was a beautifully composed video. I learned so much about the world and It has made me more open minded. I loved what you had to say. I've been, for the most part, conforming to the usual societal norms besides being bisexual lol. Wow I JUST LOVE THIS AND U. First video of yours I've watched!

[@masonyork6543]

1:28:44 fun fact deer will eat meat given the opportunity, i just think this is a fun fact given the context lol helps maintain metabolism and nutrience during scarcity, or just cause

[@oWhoAreYouo]

This was beautiful. I really don't know where to start. I clicked on the video just looking for a distraction while doing something else and was so engaged by the content and touched by your final self struggles and perspectives at the end that my ADHD brain managed to finish this entire video in one sitting. You make so many important points and your story is touching and relatable. I know I'm just a stranger but you have earned a sub from me and my admiration. Thank you for that wonderful video.

[@dabroster8427]

Same story here. My ADHD brain enjoyed every second of it. And here I was thinking the 3hrs would drag. But this video actually taught me so much. With the sincerity at the end being a rainbow tied into a bow, to bring it all together. And as a neurodivergent I found similar shelter in the furry Fandom.

[@basspuppy133]

That segment on "waiting" absolutely rinsed me. I have written so many vents and poems about this subject matter over the years, so I just can't describe how carnal and raw this analysis is for me. I honestly feel like you must know exactly how I feel, and exactly how to view these things. I feel both simultaneously seen and exposed. Extremely poignant work, it elevated my enjoyment of this video to a deep appreciation.

[@redbananaboomerang3278]

Honestly kudos for coming out Keith. I have been watching you for 6 years now and funnily enough, I started watching you when I came out of the closet after years of hating myself for my own sexuality. It was extremely hard for me growing up in a religious household and after years of hating myself due to my conflicting religious beliefs and my obvious attraction towards men. One day I had a complete and total mental breakdown due to it, and afterwards, after all the crying and picking up the pieces. I knew that two things about me had changed, I wasn't religious and that I was tired of hiding myself. Luckily my family was fine, at least the family I lived with. More distant family wasn't as friendly. However due to me being open about being gay, I have been dealt with so much hate since then. But I am not going to hide, because that's what those who hate us for being ourselves want. Also I read Furpiled when I was coming out, it comforted me greatly tbh

[@itakru]

This is a great video but man, that Somerton recommendation aged like milk--ESPECIALLY given the queer focus of this video.

[@ericharris1721]

Real...

[@emmamiller368]

I rewatch this video every couple months and it’s the single most comforting, informative, emotional video essay I have ever seen

[@goodie4319]

Perfect moment there (1:48:04) for fun facts! and to mention that male lions with darker manes are actually supposed to be more desirable as mates because they have stronger and fitter genes, therefore the darker male Agata in reality should be stronger (hence his anxieties toward living up to that standard based slightly in truth). Love the video by the way!

[@frogge3978]

2:13:00 >recommends james somerton Aged like milk otherwise, great video

[@hazesummer8328]

why so?

[@frogge3978]

@@hazesummer8328kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3XTZJZ4ast7jrM

[@jeil5082]

​@hazesummer8328 he spread misinformation and mysagyny while engaging in plagiarism. he then made and deleted an " unfortunate " apology video. H bomb made a expose on him. It's unfortunate, because I remember liking some of his videos

[@alejandrapedroza14]

The gender performance part (50:30) with the story of the chicken (legom) was just amazing! It could've only been better if there was a parallel showing another classmate with a less accepted gender reaffirming activity or in this case, a product It would be a great commentary on how cis people constantly reaffirm their gender and is seen as normal and even a need, some people just take it further than others, but when trans people do it, is seen as wrong (for the record: most gender affirming surgeries, that are not related to the genitals, were first created and performed on cis people and only later used by trans people) So like idk, maybe following the episode plot, there's a komodo dragon who wants to sell her eggs at the cafeteria as well but since she's a carnivore, is seen as weird and gross, maybe even Legom feels threatened (even though it literally won't affect her "scheduled egg day" because they would be sold in a different day of the week) the same way terfs feel threatened by the idea of trans woman and how their whole concept of feminity turns out damaging other woman, but I'm getting ahead of myself there, the analogy still stands! Definitely convinced me to watch beastars

[@iyozero]

This is incredibly impressive, Keith! So very, very cool. Speaking as an English Literary Analysis bachelor graduate, this is the type of nuance I love to see in other's work. You can FEEL the sheer amount of drafting and passion that had to go into this, so you should be very proud of yourself! Strong, solid points, and a great message. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@cowrly]

i don't know you and you won't see this but i'm proud of you. this video made me cry more than twice. thank you for sharing your view on beastars and for sharing your story.

[@LyleShnub]

Yooooo, first of all, congrats! Now as others have said, before this video, I didn't know the first thing about Beastars as an anime nor as a manga. Regardless, it was really enjoyable to take a look at it through your lens. The analysis was super well paced. You relating the show to real word events/topics and your own personal experiences did a lot for it. I can't believe I watched/listened to the whole thing despite initially knowing nothing about Beastars, lol. I think you really hit the nail on the head about the furry community being a kind of refuge for people with marginalized identities. Although I'm not personally in the community, I know and know of a few folks who've made similar remarks. There's definitely a bunch of LGBTQ+ folks as well as neurodiverse folks who are able to find some comfort in the furry community - and other similar fandom groups. I know you said you were a little anxious over stepping on toes with your own reading of the show/manga, but at least speaking as someone covered under the BIPOC umbrella, I think you did a great job. Obviously, I can't speak for everybody and I'm probably at least a little biased in your favor since I'm among your existing let's play viewership lol. I think you took plenty of care to validate other readings on the overall material and specific details, all while still making great cases for your own takes. If anything, I appreciated how clear you made it that readings on race weren't mutually exclusive with readings on queerness, and that the source material affords plenty of space for them to intertwine. Anyway, congrats again (all the Blaidd Twitter likes I've seen recently from you absolutely make even more sense now lol) and your use of lighting and puns was immensely powerful.

[@BoringKeith]

Yup. Sometimes I'll hear someone say "but the creator said this scene means ___!" But one scene can have so many layers to it. The text: what's happening in the literal story, the author's intent, and then a venn diagram of readings for queerness, race, gender, and neurodivergence when applicable. I often had to split chunks of my script off into potential future essays because they were readings that are absolutely there in the source material, but they were just too divergent from the topic of this one. I deeply relate to Legoshi for non-queer reasons, too, and maybe that script will see the light of day someday.

[@xX_Berrie_Black_Xx]

45:12 I read "gray wolf" as "gay wolf." Help.

[@lemonshiplusc5180]

The part where you talked about how Legoshi projects his self hatred on other people made something click in my head, as I said oh so that's what it's called. It made me cry, thanks for this beautiful video.

[@xpiece1109]

We needed that analysis, thank you! 🙏♥️

[@asiimovfox]

I think I just watched a guy come out as gay for three hours STRAIGHT (pun wasn't intended but had to put it in there once I realised). I can't complain though, it was thoroughly entertaining and I respect your strength! Coming out was probably the hardest thing in my life and I still don't/haven't told most people in my life

[@tophat6511]

wtf why do I treat this video essay like a movie, I've gone back to watch it multiple times, and I always cry at the end-

[@agnesingeraxelsdottir6342]

This is definitely my favourite video essay I have ever watched (I watch a lot) it is long, yet filled with constant discussions and info, great job!

[@linkkenni]

2 hours 40 minutes in hit me harder than I expected. I never let myself look for anyone that was within my interests until I came of age. I never looked at characters either, as even that hit too close to "that's gay". It's rough to bare your soul this way. Thanks for being out there.

[@emiliamatlock8566]

I just want you to know that this is such a masterfully created video essay that I come back to it at least twice a month. You display the themes in Beastars so clearly, and you introduce each one with its own significance it makes me love the source material that much more. Really made me want to read the entire manga the first time I saw it (still waiting, it’s expensive). Yet within the following weeks I couldn’t stop thinking about every point you made, and every now and again I still think about Legoshi and his mother in reference to this video and it just resurges my love for it. Thank you, and I especially appreciate your vulnerability and openness at the end. Really inspiring stuff, I just love it!

[@renmizuki5852]

this was an amazing analysis, and the really honest ending took me by surprise. i really enjoyed listening to all 3+ hours of this analysis, and i really hope you'll be making more!

[@TheRealSalfang]

This was worth the watch, especially for the end. It really warmed my heart to see such a similar story of acceptance. I've only recently gotten my fursona as well, after over a decade of being in the fandom. Now I'm excited to get more commissions! Great video and great story

[@masterofmages729]

The dopamine spikes you get from art updates is so real though, like the journey is almost as fun as the destination

[@aratinatophat1072]

As someone who’s 10, 15 years younger than you, (you seem like you’re in your late 20s maybe 30s lmao) video essays like this have helped me so much with my queerness, as a trans bi person representation really really matters man. Shows like Steven Universe and Adventure time with openly queer characters really helped me become myself

[@mrcnfier4330]

Is "delicious 'EGG'" 51:11 in reference to hbomberguy's Pathologic video? I sat on how similar it felt for over an hour till you're showing off the figure and your sona's pin. I didn't see anyone else mention it.

[@MateusDrake]

Ok, this video not only helped me rethink my opinion about my disappointment with season 2's ending, but helped me see the whole series by a new lens, while providing information about our own world, fandoms and a heartfelt life experience by one individual. Its lenght, its topic and its language make it hard for me to share it with people I know, but it was really special for me. I subscribed.

[@Gamasix]

Now I get that obsession to meet with Blaidd, the Wolf knight constantly eluded in Elden Ring loading screen. This kind of very deep thought video are rarely in my recommended, and this was refreshing. This new affirmation of your self is welcome, I hope it release a weight on your chest.

[@nettle8236]

Long comment ahoy! Told myself I would only watch the first hour today and watch the rest after work tomorrow, but here we are 3 hours later and I regret nothing. I thought the flow between the different topics/sections was really good. The transitions between them felt natural and the time spent on each section was just about perfect imo. So... holy shit, the part about passing hit hard. Most of my relationships have been with women and thus spent with that good ol' boot on the neck when together in public. For a long time I kind of just... assumed random harrassment was the default? Then I dated a guy for a while, and the difference was ridiculous. Suddenly there was no need to constantly appraise whether it would be safe to show affection. I remember how fucking unfair it felt. And, well, it is. The furry part was honestly really interesting. As someone who never really interacted with the furry side of the internet, but always felt a little icky about how VERY judgemental people are towards furries for seemingly no reason, it was interesting to get some context there. Also your hyena is super cute. Amazing video, really. Belated happy birthday wishes, and of course massive congrats on coming out! (On a completely different note, "Legoshi's himbofication is complete" is the perfect sentence)

[@BoringKeith]

It's pretty dark to live with a constant sense of surveillance, something that people can't comprehend when they don't have to deal with it. The concept of a panopticon has haunted me ever since I learned about it.

[@nettle8236]

@@BoringKeith Oh yeah absolutely. Carrying that anxiety around feels like crap. Even so, personally I've never regretted coming out. Representation is obviously super valuable in changing things for the better, but I also imagine that sharing such a personal message with thousands of strangers online is beyond terrifying. But judging by the comments, I'm not exactly alone in being grateful for this video

[@satyestru]

I'm a writer, and this was so incredible that it shook my confidence, haha. I appreciate you showing me the depth and complexity in Bs. And I don't mean this in a condescending way, but I'm so proud of you! I started telling people I was bi a year or two ago, and I've never caught open flak for it, but I know many queer folx do. Thank you for your advocacy.

[@darienmask]

Keith, thank you. That was incredible. Your ability to get your message across in a thoughtful, powerful way is wonderful. And thank you for using your platform to help reduce that stigma. I grew up in the 80s, closeted and determined to stay that way. After Matthew Shepard in 1998, I really had no hope I'd ever be safe, or happy being gay. I came out to my family in the mid 2000s, and then Prop 8 happened. Even from NY, you could feel the weight of every one of those 7 million yes votes. It hurt, and it took years to undo that damage, what could be undone, that is. It sounds sad to say, but it's empowering to see queer people just being able to be happy. We need more positive influences in our community. I'm not sure I've ever heard your sound happier than when you were showing off Marrow. So happy birthday, and I'm thrilled you were able to share with us the real you.

[@sourcandy1083]

I went into this video with almost zero context, mainly just interested in listening to a 3 hour queer theory crafting video. I knew of Beastars, but nothing outside of the name. I now know like half the story from this video alone, but definitely something I’ll have to pick up to fill in the gaps. I left this video with a huge smile; your coming out story was so relatable and heartwarming. I literally stopped what I was doing to watch and go, “wow, me too!” Needless to say, you got a new follower, looking forward to watching your content, sending love and good vibes 💖

[@mamsl__11037]

I comment now to boost the algorithm cause I still need to watch the show. When I am done ill definitely be watching the entire video! Keep up the good work. We appreciate it!

[@jfryk]

Same here

[@josssoto1598]

Im a cis female. I’m not straight, but I’m not entirely homosexual either (I’m still discovering myself ^^), and this video was so enlightening to me. Thank you so much for your bravery and hard work!! Happy late birthday as well ❤

[@Kuh-night]

Holy shit. I was not prepared for this video. I didn't expect to relate so strongly to your reading of Beastars and its characters, and I doubly wasn't ready for the 'Hello' section to hit so close to home. Particularly, your point about waiting to come out has basically blindsided me in its applicability to my current situation. And the fact that it was so surprising to me is made especially salient by the sentiment being so obvious--So obvious that I had told my self some variation of those exact words before. The difference was, when I said it, it wasn't to motivate myself, but to grimly mock myself for my implicit resolution to stay in the closet in my in-person life. But hearing it restated so much more sincerely was truly inspiring. So, thank you for that, Keith. And, before I have the chance to regret this, I guess I will come out here: basically, I'm non-binary. I feel like there's supposed to be more to it than that, but that is pretty much it. So um, all of you have a good one, and happy birthday, Keith.

[@BoringKeith]

I'm so happy for you! And I'm sorry you've been shamed into hiding yourself. The world is bad for stupid reasons, and I wish I had any idea how to improve it. Unfortunately we get one chance, and we have to live in the era in which we were born. Best of luck. I'm still figuring out the way forward myself.

[@justadragonryu]

I love that devouring is literally natural and society had to adapt around it.

[@alexjensen1524]

The pure psychic damage from the few seconds of CATS (2019)….

[@babybemy3693]

I’ve been following you for like… 5-6 years and you have no idea how happy it makes me know that one of my favorite KZbinrs is so similar to me. I’m so glad that you feel comfortable enough to do this so unabashedly and able to gush about all the things you love. I’m already out as gay, but I do struggle to accept that fact that I love the furry fandom. Having someone that I look up to come out and say the things I wish I could say to my friends means a lot. Thank you.

[@babybemy3693]

As a side, I’m absolutely giggling at the part you said where similar people tend to congregate! Because literally in the past 2 months, you’re now the 3rd of my favorite KZbinrs that’s come out now!

[@WaitingforMia]

happy birthday keith! i don't remember if i've ever commented on one of your videos before. i originally found you back in 2017 when i started being interested in yakuza and found your let's play of yakuza 0. i've been watching and following you ever since, though my youtube watching has dwindled lately. but as an artist i can't say no to a three hours long video i can listen to while drawing, AND i'm a beastars fan so i was really curious about this project whenever i saw you mention it on twitter. i don't know how to fully convey how watching this made me feel, i'll probably have to watch it again, but i want to say first of all that it was extremely insightful on the beastars front. i definitely agree with your reading of the series. but mostly i wanted to say congratulations! the later part of this video was really moving. i did NOT think i'd ever get teary-eyed seeing someone show off their fursona, and yet. as someone for whom fandom has also played a big part in discovering and accepting my queer identity it really hit home, i think. it's a bit late in the day for me and i'm tired but i'll definitely draw your fursona tomorrow as a late birthday present. thank you so much for all of your hard work over the years. i wish you lots of happiness for the future! 🏳️‍🌈💗

[@Oblico1Morale]

I can't help but notice the usage of Soviet cartoon "Ну погоди!" in your intermissions. As someone who grew up in Russia, I was immediately grabbed by this unexpected, but very poignant choice of yours. Then you got me to engage with a work of art through a lens I don't normally use, for several hours. Good choice

[@KurosakiYukigo]

I already watched the majority of this on Patreon but I'm definitely gonna watch it again now that it's finished. Beastars is one of my favorite mangas, period, but I never really got why, apart from the, y'know, furry bait. But this video helped my understand as a queer person why it resonated so strongly with me and why I love that adorable dumbass Legoshi. Louis needs a hug too, poor guy.

[@baksoBoy]

I have re-watched this video probably 4-5 times at this point... just every time I remember this video I just think "hmm I should probably watch it again!"