Part 2 of "BEASTARS FINAL SEASON," the concluding season of the anime "BEASTARS," based on the manga by Paru Itagaki serialized in "Weekly Shonen Champion" (Akita Shoten), has begun streaming exclusively on Netflix. Approximately seven years have passed since the first season of the anime began airing in 2019, and it has finally come to an end. One of the major appeals of the series is the complex and deep relationship of trust between the carnivorous protagonist Legoshi and the herbivorous Louis, which transcends their "carnivore and herbivore" status. We asked Yuki Ono, who has played Louis for about seven years, about his thoughts on the series.
◇A hungry spirit at its core
--The anime series, which ran for approximately seven years, has now concluded.
I still can't quite believe it... The recording took place quite a while ago, and in a way, the emotional conclusion was reached at that time. Including the auditions, it's been about eight years in total, and now that it's finally reached everyone, I'm looking forward to hearing your reactions.
--What does Louis mean to you, Ono-san?
I think Louis has undergone the most complex growth. Considering his upbringing, his insecurities, and his relationships with the other characters, his situation has changed the most, and I think it's been a very turbulent period for him.
--He's a complex character, but how do you perceive Louis's core essence?
At his core, he has a hungry spirit. Initially, he appears as a handsome, star student and leading figure in the drama club, and his slightly arrogant side is noticeable, but that's a survival strategy, a manifestation of the feeling that "I can't stay here unless I'm someone." Because of his inherent seriousness and stoicism, he was able to grow up without becoming jaded. I think he's a miraculous man; I feel that he's fundamentally a gritty character. He struggles, he gets hurt, and he chooses reckless methods. His intelligence, nobility, and beauty are just on the surface, but at his core, he has the spirit of a weed. That's why it's so easy to empathize with him when acting. I think he's more human than anyone else.
-- Do you yourself like gritty characters like Louis, Mr. Ono?
Of course I love him. He's the leader of the Shishi-gumi, almost forced into a political marriage, and does spy-like things; he's dynamically changing and the most active of them all. Legoshi has the powerful energy befitting a protagonist, but Louis, with his skinny build, charges in headfirst, which makes me incredibly uneasy at times. But somehow, he always manages to pull through. While there are many animal fighters, he's all brains. He seems rational, but he's also completely off the rails. What's so exciting is that it's not for the good of the world, but ultimately for Legoshi. He himself realizes that the grand cause doesn't matter. It's great that his emotions are so clearly visible.
-- Are there any difficulties in playing this role?
There are a few scenes, though not many, where the character says something different from what they're actually thinking, and I had to consider whether or not to include that in the portrayal. For example, when the character is portrayed as being calm despite being anxious inside, the question was how much of that should be conveyed through their voice. However, I think it's generally easy to understand.
--What were your impressions after reading the script for "FINAL SEASON"?
The plot is different from the original, so I thought, "This is where the original storyline comes in!" In the anime, the behind-the-scenes actions are clearly shown, which made it easier for me as an actor to follow the developments.
--Have there been any changes in your approach to playing Louis?
I don't really think of my approach as something too complicated; it changes depending on the scene and the moment. I do prepare things beforehand, but it all comes down to what happens in front of the microphone. Of course, Louis has the image that everyone has of him—he speaks with authority and dignity in front of other characters, and there are those kinds of symbolic approaches I take.
◇ "4" on the sole of the foot
--I heard that it was a pre-scoring process where the voices were recorded first. What are some of your most memorable experiences?
It's the scene at the end of the first season where Legoshi eats Louis's leg. I lay down myself, offered my leg to Chikahiro-kun (Chikahiro Kobayashi, who plays Legoshi), and quickly took off my sock. I had written the number "4" on the sole of my foot. It was memorable that Louis was sold as "number 4," so when I showed Chikahiro-kun the "4," he was genuinely flustered. It was a recording session where the other person could see my actions, and it was a scene where I needed to evoke some kind of shock, so I thought I'd try adding a surprise. There was also a time when we had a futon laid out and recorded with us lying on top and bottom.
--This recording process is unlike that of a typical anime.
The engineer used a shotgun microphone to record from various positions. Sometimes the microphone was pointed from below. Normally, I stand in front of the microphone and put all my emotions into my voice, but this time I decided to try something different. This is just my interpretation, but 3DCG characters have more movement and blur than 2D animated characters. I was conscious of incorporating that blur into my performance. They're not completely still, but have human-like movements. Some actors prefer to perform in front of the microphone as they normally would, so it wasn't forced this time. They let us do what was easiest for us.
--What were your impressions of working with Mr. Kobayashi, who plays Legoshi?
Chikahiro is a man who has presence in every word he speaks, and I wanted Legoshi to be the same. Actually, I auditioned for both Legoshi and Louis, and I had a feeling that challenging myself with Legoshi would open up a new form of expression within me. When I actually heard Chikahiro's acting, I thought, "I'm lucky."
--Is that lucky?
I feel that the relationship between Louis and Legoshi can be described as "yin and yang." He had a presence that I couldn't achieve without some effort, but it came out naturally. I thought, "So this is it!" and learned a lot about Legoshi. I was lucky to hear Chikahiro's interpretation of Legoshi up close. I honestly thought it was really good.
◇The depth of the ending theme "Tiny Light"
--SEVENTEEN's ending theme song, "Tiny Light," has also been a hot topic.
Watching the video, I was wondering where Louis would appear, and then Legoshi starts running, and just when he thinks he can't go on, Louis gives him a push from behind. I was happy to see their relationship expressed in the video. The lyrics are amazing too; Legoshi and Haru are tossed about by being a carnivore and a herbivore, and there are times when they don't understand each other, but I feel that they will definitely find each other, and the way the chorus rhymes is done is really beautiful. When you listen to the full version, the development before the final chorus might be expressing the theme of this work, "Is it possible for herbivores and carnivores to coexist?" It doesn't go up, but down. It brings in a sound that feels like it's fighting. I felt that there was an intention behind this.
--What do you feel are the appealing aspects of this work?
The conflict between herbivores and carnivores continues. From a viewer's perspective, the setting is incredible. There's a constant sense of tension. Just seeing herbivores and carnivores together makes the viewer feel the tension. Herbivores might be eaten. Carnivores might eat them. Even after the story ends, that tension continues within them. I think the author drew this with great resolve. (Manami Anima/MANTANWEB)
