This is not exactly a review in the conventional sense, as it mostly focuses on analyzing the series as a whole rather than exploring the technicalities of each aspect which makes up the series.
**This “review” is SPOILER-HEAVY and is recommended for those who have already seen the series. A very large number of events will be referred to and will be used as examples.**
**This “review” is also FAR from complete and I will be continually updating it in the future as I better collect more of my thoughts.**
This analysis may be somewhat messily written or seem to lack any sort of overarching structure. It is merely my personal thoughts and things I've realized while watching the series.
Kemono no Souja Erin’s story can easily be enjoyed on the surface level, but I feel that there is far more lurking beneath the surface. Despite initially appearing as a simple bildungsroman, in actuality, it is a tale of far more, encompassing existentialism, the will to live and is concerned with inspiring change, shattering codes, boundaries and obtaining free will.
There is a huge emphasis on codes and restrictions through the series. Beastinarians of Ake Village, including Soyon, are required by code to raise Touda with the silent whistle and benetrophic water. Additionally, Kiba’s must be taken care of extra carefully as they are a prized possession to the Grand Duke. However, Soyon breaks the Aohroh Code in two instances when she dissociates with the Aohroh by marrying into the village, and again by using the Renditioner’s skill to save Erin during Touda Trial. Soyon is consistently seen to be in deep thought, questioning her job and reaffirming whether she wants Erin to follow in her footsteps or not. She states that by taking care of the Touda with benetrophic water, they get stronger on the outside, but something weakens elsewhere. This “something” is connection, which is further emphasized throughout the series. She does not hesitate to blow the silent whistle in instances of danger, demonstrating that she truly understands the circumstances of her job, despite also stating that she dislikes using the whistle. Right before being taken to Touda Trial, Soyon tosses away her silent whistle. By tossing away the silent whistle, Soyon finally rejects the codes and pursues her own ideals. The aforementioned instance when she commits the crime, serves as an act of rebellion, solidifying her resolve.
The series also uses nature to parallel the situations and events of individuals. On many occasions, flora and fauna are used metaphorically, such as in the case of when a cocoon lays in a tree and a bird waits to attack it, Erin herself portrayed as the cocoon, in turn, representing Erin’s vulnerability and sensitivity regarding the death of Soyon. In another case, two leaves diverge on a river’s surface and a tree which Shunan and Nugan had grown together, is chopped down, symbolizing the change in mindset of the two, deciding to take different paths. For Nugan, this is him breaking away from reliance on his brother, stating that he always thought his brother made the correct decisions. This change signifies that he can think for himself. Another example is when Jone sets up a new beehive and Erin watches the queen bee enter it, waiting and watching as the rest of the bees to follow her in. She then asks why the bees don’t simply escape. Jone replies by saying that the bees follow the queen. Jone teaches Erin that both the queen bee and worker bees were born the same, yet the queen is what determines everything. This reflects the way the citizens of the kingdom follow the Shin-Oh, almost blindly. Codes are shown to be broken with Psy-Gamul, considered traitors, who turn against the Shin-Oh and instead find the Grand Duke to be a more suitable ruler. This causes them to support a revolution.
Nugan’s dependence on himself is shown in the instance he obeys Damiya in deploying a second Touda battalion in the final episode. He declares that he has thought through his decisions on his own and takes the opposite path of his brother, demonstrating his free will. On the other hand, Shunan represents “breaking free” when he turns against Seimiya and later joins with her, overwriting what it means to be the queen. The view of Seimiya’s line being a god, is shattered by the act of joining with Shunan, a normal human being. This, in turn shows signs of rebellion for both Shunan and Seimiya as they reject their sacred ancestry. The Shin-Oh herself, is revealed to be “blind” when she ventures outside the palace in order to visit the newborn Ohju in Kazalm. She is astonished by how beautiful the country is, revealing that she was largely unaware of outside matters. This is further exemplified when she remains unaware of the danger an Ohju presents and also by the fact of not knowing why the Ohju Canon’s were created as well as how her ancestors descended from Aphon Noa and history of Ophalon. Her character ties in with Seimiya and Tahya, portrayed as a bird trapped in a cage. The Shin-Oh and Seimiya were trapped within the palace, which served as a cage. Damiya sends a model of the palace to Seimiya as a present, revealing how he has her entangled. Damiya also appears to be the cause of the Shin-Oh’s obliviousness and in this way, he manages to entrap her as well. The Shin-Oh, in learning about the past as well as experiencing the outside world for the first time, to a degree, frees herself from her own ignorance. Damiya is also shown to break the codes, though necessarily in an optimistic sense, by constructing an elaborate scheme to take the throne. His approach is treasonous, breaking moral codes, as he calculates the attack on the Shin-Oh, one of his own kin, eventually leading to her death, as well as the hidden, aforementioned secondary Touda unit. He also breaks boundaries by attempting to engage with an incestuous relationship with Seimiya, incest being something usually out of the ordinary.
Nukku and Mokku, despite usually being called out as annoying comedic relief characters throughout the series, actually show some minor development in episode 25, when they run an errand. They lose the money they were given and are forced into labor to try and earn it back. This is when they realize the value of “hard work.” Their backstory shows them constantly slacking off and running away from the task at hand, but a change is reflected when they commit to clearing out an entire field. Erin serves as a catalyst which allows Nukku and Mokku to break away from the old, lazy versions of themselves, inspiring them to work harder at Kazalm. Later on, after Erin receives her graduation diploma, it is revealed that the two have been promoted to full-time chore boys, in turn, further reflecting their growth. The change from passiveness to putting forward action is another key topic touched upon within the series, explained in a bit more detail later.
Kirik himself is also portrayed in a similar way of being manipulated by Damiya, while believing that he is doing justice. His ideals lead to creating his own personal cage and he only realizes this after failing to finish off Ialu. Kirik shows development throughout the series as he questions whether he himself is the cage which binds Erin, when he poisons an incoming Ohju and reports details to Damiya in the palace. The flashback of Tahya is played repeatedly, emphasizing how obsessed he has become with “breaking free” and creating a society in which the “pure” can live. He later realizes that Erin is the most “pure” one as he sees her flying on Lilan, Tahya’s image reflecting from within her. He addresses the sincerity of her intentions, feeding into his eventual changing of sides. Ialu makes this clear and breaks his mask, representing Kirik “breaking free” from his role. He is later shown to trust Erin when he visits her upon being wounded. This is the instance which represents the aforementioned “changing of sides”, and he proceeds to assist Ialu in fighting off the newly employed Sezans.
Aside from Soyon, there are two mentors who also assist in guiding Erin’s development through the series. Jone being the first, who takes after Erin and gradually acts as the foundation, expanding her view of the world. He is shown to be extremely passionate about teaching, to the degree of hiding a room of teaching material and deeply pondering whether he wants to tutor Erin or not. Honesty and dedication is shown through his backstory in which he was fired from being a teacher due to a student of his who attempts to commit suicide. This student abuses his parents’ authority to obtain test questions ahead of time, and Jone realizes this, causing him to swap his test before distribution. Jone realizes that if his students cheat they will only be lying to themselves, and in turn, will never be able to reach their full potential. Jone acts as a role model for Erin, while Erin re-ignites his passion for teaching. Jone is even seen as a father, as “father” is what Erin calls him at the end of episode 27, indicating the degree in which Jone has impacted her life. He is the key which helps Erin break out of her psychological trap, explained in more detail later on, allowing her to move on. This is further demonstrated after his death, in which Erin visits his secret base, thanks him for everything he has done, and commits to working the hardest she can. Esal, like Jone, acts as a mentor for Erin, and she is shown to be a respectable character, wanting only the best for her students, yet challenging them in various ways. She is what allows Kazalm to appear similar to a safe haven in Erin’s eyes. Upon admitting Erin, Esal instructs her students to disregard the fact that Erin is of the Aohroh, and this later contributes to Erin realizing that “it’s okay to be different.” Esal also tries not to treat Erin specially just because she has the responsibilities of taking care of Lilan, and expects her to still manage to keep up with the rest of her peers, confronting her when her grades begin to slip and allowing her to fully understand what comes with her job when she asks her to prepare a will. In this will, she tells Erin to acknowledge that it is her own stupidity which brought her to the grave, and this helps reinforce the reality of potential death. She also thinks several steps ahead, carefully considering the danger stemming from Erin’s disobedience of the Canons, yet still allows Erin to pursue her ideals. However, the relationship between Esal and Erin is not simply of teacher and student, but rather of teacher and teacher. There are many situations in which Esal is clueless of what to do, such as when Lilan refuses to eat despite all the methods she and Tomura attempt, and also when Lilan gives birth and she admits that she lacks the knowledge to do anything. Erin helps Esal realize that she had believed that humans and Ohju could not be connected, merely because there was no evidence of it; the only experiences the Ohju had with the teachers was being knocked out by the silent whistle, only to later find food mysteriously appear. Erin’s treatment of Lilan shatters her beliefs as she acts more like a mother figure, directly feeding and playing with Lilan. This causes Esal to work with her towards studying Ohju in a new light, exploring the idea of treating the Ohju more humanely. By episode 43, Esal also grows to deeply respect Erin’s character after Erin loses her fingers, yet still remains determined to set Lilan free.
At Kazalm, we also have Erin’s fellow classmates who serve to assist and cheer her on during her struggles, as well as Tomura, who initially undertook care of Lilan. Upon meeting Erin for the first time, Tomura pays little attention to her, but quickly feels jealous once his role of taking care of Lilan is threatened. He believes that nobody can take better care of Lilan than he can and is stubborn in attempting to solve the problem of making her eat. Lilan had been injured prior to arriving to Kazalm and was nearly starving to death. She was afraid being in a new place and movement would cause her wounds to re-open. Tomura sticks to the conventional methods described in the Ohju Canons of blowing the Silent Whistle to knock out the Ohju before feeding them. As previously described, as a result of this, the Ohju had little actual interaction with humans and Lilan needed a sort of mother figure in order to eat. However, Erin shines light on different methods of care and connection, shattering Tomura’s perception that he is best fit to take care of Lilan, and similarly to Esal, calls upon the idea that humans can interact with Ohju. In the end, he fully yields Lilan’s care over to Erin and breaks free from his pride and stubbornness which would have otherwise killed Lilan if it had continued. He comes to accept defeat in this case and gradually grows to respect Erin, encouraging her as a fellow classmate.
The series also transcends gender roles. It is implied that women in such society are typically married off at an early age, Erin and Jone visit town and someone states that 14 is an age suitable for marriage. The question of marriage is brought up again when Jone asks Erin at one point whether she wants to continue with him and be married off, or pursue her own path. Erin decided to reject the marriage resulting in her stay in Kazalm and her studying under Esal. She, and Esal, break the said gender roles by becoming instructors, and Shiron by fighting expectations enforced upon her. Shiron struggles with gender roles as her father states that women cannot become teachers. This causes her to study at Kazalm to prove a point by wanting to quickly take care of an Ohju. Her development sparks from learning genuineness and the will to live. She initially attempts to study by the book, but later discovers that there are things which one must experience to truly learn; Erin’s class takes place outdoors, in which her students are allowed to explore on their own, reflecting her character and beliefs that seeing something with one’s own’s eyes can be just as effective as conventional studying. Shiron remarks that the books state nothing about Ohjus giving birth, which brings up the contrast between “experiencing something” and “learning about an experience.” By the end of the episode, both Erin and Shiron’s characters are developed. Erin is shown through another lens, taking on the role of a teacher for the first time and her bravery is shown when she assists Lilan in giving birth as she gets continuously battered, yet gets up each and every time without fail. This causes Shiron to recognize that it is Erin’s resolve which made her into a teacher at Kazalm, not her grades. She is shown to adopt Erin’s way of thinking when she gives up her book and decides to see things with her own eyes.
Ialu is shown to break codes when he refuses to follow the orders of his superiors, by making a fuss and failing to eliminate Nukku and Mokku. He fails to protect the queen on the ship and later leaves the Sezan code through marriage, as he states that the Sezan are not allowed to marry. Sezans are typically supposed to protect the queen until death, and at one point, the Shin-Oh ponders upon how much of Ialu’s life has been wasted protecting her. Later, he is dismissed from his role as Sezan and this can be seen as another act of “breaking free.” He is given the ability to pursue a life of his own for the first time instead of being chained down to the duty of protecting the royalty. Ialu also seems to experience change due to Erin. He acts coldly to mostly everyone around him, but holds a soft spot for Erin and gradually opens up over time, the two become comfortable enough to share secrets with one another, Erin with her past and Ialu with his. In another instance, when Erin attempts to explain the significance of the Ohju Canons, she calls in Ialu to the table-side, showing the connection they share. This gradual change in Ialu representing him, breaking away from his old self. Ialu is even shown to be accepted by Lilan in the instance when he is being pursued and Lilan is able to hide him beneath her.
Erin herself stands as the greatest heroine I’ve seen in the entirety of anime. She shows an obvious curious side, but also a subtle “rebellious” side throughout the series as well when she sneaks into the Touda pits to search for the missing baby Touda against Soyon’s words. She also deliberately looks in the room which Jone bars off and stands up against Ialu when Nukku and Mokku are threatened. Like Soyon, she struggles a lot with codes. Upon arriving at Kazalm, she realizes that there are rules that she needs to obey, and spends time learning them; she is overly curious and spends too much time in the library, causing her to be late for meals and she asks too many questions in class, not realizing that she is not in a private tutor session and that there are other students trying to learn as well. She breaks the Ohju canons by raising Lilan without the silent whistle and instead employs her own methods of treating her like a wild beast. Her approach emphasizes connection, something which the Aohroh were working to prevent. The series demonstrates the importance of said connection, as the bond between Erin and Lilan is strengthened throughout the series. Kazalm itself, also breaks the code by refusing to report Erin to the palace and attempting to hide her when the Shin-Oh visits. For a long stretch of episodes, Erin also struggles to deal with Soyon’s death, the same scene being put on repeat and she appears to be stuck in a psychological trap. In episode 27 however, she seems to be liberated from the trap, with her newfound experiences with Jone as the way out, Erin resolves to living in the present rather than the past. She recognizes that she cannot change the past, but can change the future, which is further pondered upon towards the end of the series. Erin realizes that the beast and beastinarian experience both joys and sorrows TOGETHER. She is shown to break the codes again when she breaks her own moral code, by blowing the silent whistle and using it as a tool to control Lilan. The fact that Erin dislikes using the whistle and initially resolved to not blowing, and also that Lilan refuses to disobey those who blow the whistle, reflects the shared suffering between the two. However, Lilan also breaks her “codes” when she breaks away from her natural instinct. Upon attacking the Touda riders, Lilan initially succumbs to bloodlust and goes berserk, just as how the tragedy occurred. This serves as a reminder to Erin that Lilan is a wild beast as she had looked upon Lilan as if she would not purposefully harm anything; she remarks that “looking at them now, it’s like it never happened.” Prior to the attack on the ship, instances of danger Lilan presented were purely accidental, Lilan attacking Erin due to being pricked by the brush. After the attack, however, Erin is reminded of the danger which comes with her responsibilities, similarly to how she seems to develop a fear of Touda after experiencing Touda Trial. Early on in the show as well, Erin learns that Touda aren’t just cute wild animals. When she realizes that Lulu’s ear web must be cut off, she recognizes the degree in which humans manipulate the fates of such beasts, and in that, she sympathizes with them. Seeing Lilan overtaken with bloodlust creates a rift between Erin and Lilan and Erin finds it difficult to approach the cage for several days. The incident with the whistle further expands the crack in their relationship, causing Lilan to this time, show signs of rebellion, having an ill-attitude towards Erin’s commands up until the final episode. However, by the end of the series, signs are shown of their relationship being repaired. This is revealed when Lilan breaks free from her inner nature. In episode 50, upon being forcefully sent away with the silent whistle, Lilan does not succumb to bloodlust and is able to rescue Erin, rebuilding the trust the two thought they had lost.
The series has a lot to say about relationships as a whole with the Canons and fear of the Ohju representing the social barriers restricting a person from forming relationships. These barriers lead to a lack of understanding, in turn, causing the country to divide and clash. There appears to be discrimination between “Wajyaku” and “Holon,” the discrimination itself showing how they are bound by barriers, preventing a deeper understanding between the two groups. The Aohroh wish not to repeat the tragedy, leading them into creating the Canons in the first place, barring relationships and representing how people shy away from such connection. They choose to “sacrifice” the connection in order to prevent the tragedy, instead of embracing the connection to create said understanding. Erin focuses on the latter option, breaking these said barriers by forming a relationship with Lilan, something never seen before and overwriting the “known” fact being that beasts will never befriend humans. The beasts themselves, confined, also embody how people are confined. Erin asks whether beasts were created for the sake of people, and it is only when humanity breaks free from this mentality in which relationships can be formed. Instead of approaching the Ohju with fear, she approaches them with care and compassion as shown when Erin attempts to demonstrate that she is an Akun Mei Chai with special powers. In this case, Erin knows that Ohju are sensitive to emotion as well as the fact that they have a circle of personal space and that they generally do not listen to those who blow the silent whistle. This understanding allows her to play her harp and remain safe as she approaches. The person following her, who demonstrates “a lack of understanding of Ohju,” violates personal space and is nearly killed as a result. In another instance, when Erin visits Seimiya as she is bathing, she assists in shattering the barriers once again, making her aware of her history and in a broader sense, acts as a kind of mediator which allows Seimiya to accept Shunan’s proposal. It is the destruction of such barriers which allows their joining, which symbolizes the “understanding” and “relationships” that people refrain from developing. By breaking down these barriers, Erin emphasizes taking the first steps in forming connection instead of shying away as this connection is essential for a greater understanding of one another.
The will to live is also explored throughout the series. Soyon’s final words to Erin were to “live on and find happiness.” There words stuck with Erin and this causes her keep on living, no matter how harsh the circumstances become. Despite being in a seemingly hopeless situation after being impaled with in arrow in the final episode, in the middle of the battlefield, bleeding out while being chased by a gigantic hoard of Touda, Erin still retains the will to live on. The will to live is also shown with her encounter with Ialu. Erin convinces him that there are “still things he can protect with his hands” after tending to his injuries. In a second encounter with Erin, Ialu discovers the will to live he decides to keep on fighting until the end, while also telling Kyle that he plans to return alive. His duels with the new Sezan and Kirik demonstrate his strong resolve to keep going. Erin also seems to imbed the will to live in Kirik, when he turns to her for medical support and she tells him not to die. Kirik plans to commit suicide by taking on Ialu, but Ialu convinces him otherwise. He provides him with an escape route and against all odds, manages to survive and see the sunrise. He is later shown to have lived on as a medicine seller in the epilogue, helping to cure people rather than poisoning them, demonstrating his reformation.
Another question brought up is “action vs. passiveness.” This is a contrast between the Aohroh and Erin as the Aohroh have already submit to merely “watching” things play out, while Erin seeks to make change through her own actions. Erin confronts Nason by explaining that he has already “submit,” meaning that the Aohroh have accepted things as they are, and have given up without even trying. Erin however, is shown to believe that effort can make a difference. She is shown in many instances, going against what is considered to be acceptable, in one case, even refusing to protect the queen (something considered to be betrayal) to preserve her own moral values. The series challenges and breaks free from the idea of a pre-determined future as it questions the “futility” of action. Early on, Erin recognizes the entire life cycle of the Touda. They are domesticated in villages with the silent whistle and benetrophic water. They are raised and trained, and then eventually sent into battle where they fight until death. She recognizes how futile the act is of attempting to make connection with such beasts as she knows they will be killed off eventually anyway. Similar questioning occurs when Erin realizes that Lilan will never be able to live in the wild and questions whether all her efforts are in vain. However, the concept of futility acts as another barrier within the series in which Erin breaks. She comes to a realization that even if putting forward effort may be rendered useless in the end, the act of NOT putting forward the effort is even worse and completely erases the possibility of change all together. She also decides that hope does exist, and, contrasting with the Aohroh, concludes to not give up on trying to make a change. Despite resolving to never using Ohju as tools of war, she “breaks” her own statement, resolving to make a change when she sends Lilan to save Shunan. This displays how she truly believes her actions can make a difference. Her mentality even touches upon life itself, as she “struggles to live in any way she can” throughout the series and is not concerned with what it all means. This demonstrates how she has transcended meaning itself, in other words, she does not even need meaning to live on. Even if there is no light at the end of tunnel and even if everything is worth nothing in the end, Erin tries her best to live the best life she can. This is one such series which has really hit me the way Texhnolyze has.
Kemono no Souja Erin is a series about breaking codes, living and liberating oneself. One interesting aspect is how the show itself is transcendent of age. With its child-like storybook-esque presentation, the series can easily be assumed to be targeted towards a younger audience. However, it is a series which breaks conventional age restrictions by being applicable to everyone. It encompasses universal subjects in building relationships, yet still remains layered so that an older audience can appreciate it. The series places a large emphasis on challenging what one opposes. It says to stand against things which one believes deserves a change. Throughout the series, Erin is shown to display great care for the beasts she tends to, and disdains the idea of binding them by human codes. She then works towards changing society with efforts. Erin’s name, in the context of the show, means “mountain apple” and she symbolizes such in various instances, such as the opening and final scene as the show. Erin herself can be the “fruits of labor” as she calls to action herself, and those around her. Interestingly enough, Lilan’s name means, “light” and light is something which plants need to grow. Lilan allows Erin to break free from her childhood innocence, and illuminates the harsh realities of the world, causing her to conjure the determination to make a change. This series is powerful and inspirational, a flawed masterpiece in the truest sense of the word.
It is a series which has truly made its mark on me and one I will continue to analyze in the future. :)
