Episode 03

Preview image 1 taken from the Beastars anime website.

**A Wolf is Born** (オスオオカミ 出生のとき, *Osuōkami shussei no toki*?) is the third episode of the *Beastars* anime.

## Synopsis

Legoshi is pressed by Haru in the gardening club. However, the situation cannot be swallowed, and he escapes. On the other hand, the regular performance of the drama club is in two days, but Louis's injury during training is getting worse. Louis wants to hide it somehow...

## Plot

Kibi pulls a strand of fur off the back of his friend, noting it's not his. His friend, Mizuchi's boyfriend says he went on a date with a cute dwarf rabbit girl the day before, not caring he has a girlfriend. Another friend asks questions about the rabbit, and they realize they both were involved with Haru. As Mizuchi's boyfriend panics, his friend cautions Kibi to watch out because girls like Haru are more ferocious than carnivores inside. Kibi tells himself Legoshi will be fine alone with Haru and nothing would happen between them.

Haru asks Legoshi if he's nervous and tells him to relax since it's her first time with a carnivore too. As she unbuttons his shirt and admires his stomach, he wonders if it's some sort of greeting by small animals until she starts to pull his pants down. Legoshi freaks out and pulls his pants up, only for Haru to scold him for not helping set the mood. Haru realizes she must have jumped to a conclusion, but is confused why he didn't go along with it since she was already that far along. Legoshi sneaks past her, puts a sheet over her and runs out, accidentally slamming his tail in the door on the way. Haru feels bad but wonders about why he would run away after she came onto him before laughing at his strangeness.

Legoshi catches his breath wondering what just happened when Kibi approaches him asking if anything happened. He denies it to Kibi's relief as he tells Legoshi about the rumors surrounding Haru's involvement with many men. Legoshi thinks about how caring she was towards the flowers and says he's going to tell the others to give up on getting roses from her because she must be going through a lot but seemed kind. Alone, Legoshi thinks about how the rumors don't do her justice, even though he has no right to talk given that he tried to eat her and has no experience with women.

Headmaster Gon presents the Cherryton School Honorary Award to Louis for his contributions to the school and tells him he expects great things from the drama club. Louis gives a speech to the crowd saying they are stronger together and will show the importance of it on the stage. Afterward, Kai rejects this notion because Louis removed him from acting. He asks if Legoshi ever thought of acting and if he was surprised when he got scouted and explains that the club needs "worthy" members. Surprised that Legoshi wasn't aware, he gives examples: Sheila, a cheetah who worked as a dominatrix at age 14; Mina, a giraffe who can't look at herself because of trypophobia; Moro, a rhino that thinks her horn is a guardian spirit; and himself, a mongoose that was abandoned and raised by hyenas. After reiterating everyone in the club has special circumstances or issues, Kai asks what Legoshi's secret is. Legoshi wonders aloud if this means that even Louis has something he can't tell anyone.

At the newspaper club, the club director yells at the club members for not getting a close up of Louis's face at the awards ceremony and directs them to follow Louis's every move to get a scoop that will earn them money. After the meeting one of the club members' cameras is acting up, so she won't be able to shoot until the second day when the newspaper is almost finished. However, she says she might be able to get a better photo then with everyone's guard down because if Louis messes up, it would be the scandal of the century.

Louis lies on the floor with his leg wrapped up. He says he faked it this long, but the more he practices, the worse his body breaks down. Although he resents it, Louis knows his body was made to be prey, not to fight, no matter how hard he tries to be a predator.

Legoshi enters the room to ask what type of lighting Louis would prefer for the show. Though Legoshi's words are unsure and deferring to the deer's opinion, Louis watches the movement of the wolf's hands as he speaks, observing that his body constantly tries to assert itself. Legoshi apologizes and says that despite trimming his claws, they quickly grow back and Louis asks if this means Legoshi can't fight his wild side. Backing Legoshi against the wall, Louis asks if it bothers him that he can't suppress his wild side and why he is so reluctant to use his strength, telling him to bare his fangs. When Legoshi protests that baring his fangs at an herbivore is against the rules, Louis yells not to dismiss him as an herbivore and tries to get Legoshi to bite him. After lightly biting Louis, Legoshi apologizes, explaining there is no pride in a wolf being strong, but there is great significance to Louis being strong and that everyone will see that righteous strength when he performs. Apologizing once more for saying too much, Legoshi leaves and Louis mutters he didn't need to be told by Legoshi.

An announcement rings calling all students to head underground for their environmental time. As Legoshi sits in the Wolf Room, he thinks about Louis. Another wolf wonders if there are rabbits on the moon, shifting Legoshi's thoughts to Haru as he looks up. He reflects that his exchange with her was the first time he was treated like a male and realizes that he is many things, including a male wolf. He realizes that he is happy and wants to see Haru again.

In the changing room, Louis prepares himself for the play, refusing to fail despite his injury. He tells himself that he only needs to get through these two performances before going to the hospital and nothing else matters. He can only believe in one thing - himself.

Louis gives a pep talk to the cast before the curtain rises, praising them to their faces while thinking to himself that he is the only one that matters. Legoshi feels like Louis said those things to convince himself as Louis finishes his makeup. Louis gives a flawless performance but as soon as the curtains fall, he collapses.

## Anime/Manga Differences

* In the manga, Mizuchi's boyfriend panics when he finds Haru's fur on his back. He does not panic over it in the anime. Also, five other students pass by the three as they talk in the manga; that does not happen in the anime.
* Kibi does not back up Legoshi against the wall in the manga.
* When Haru makes suggestive moves on Legoshi in the anime, there is a close-up of her palming the fur on Legoshi's tummy which is not in the manga.
* While thinking about Haru, Legoshi passes a couple in the corridors in the manga while in the anime, he sits outside.
* In the manga, after Legoshi speaks his thoughts on Haru to Kibi he leaves Kibi speechless. In the anime, he calls Legoshi strange.
* Legoshi does not look up Haru's sexual attempt on the internet in the anime.
* During the award ceremony, Legoshi is seen wearing a jacket in the manga.
* Legoshi doesn't freak Kai out by turning off the lights in the anime.
* In the anime, Sheila's past as a dominatrix has her dressed in a more defined outfit and wielding a whip
* Legoshi goes into territory time after Haru's sexual attempt in the manga. In the anime, he goes into territory time after Louis forced attempt to bite him.
* In the manga, the Wolf Room of territory time has a large florescent light circle around a spherical power source to provide light. In the anime, the ceiling of the room is designed to look like a starry evening with the center having a large light shaped and designed like a full moon.
* In the manga, Legoshi makes a monologue explaining the purpose of the "territory time" (known as "environmental time" in the anime); whereas he doesn't in the anime.
* In the manga, the lion who greets Legoshi as he enters his assigned room is leaving his respective room having finished his "territory time". In the anime, the lion is about to attend his at the same time as Legoshi while they greet each other.
* In the manga, the male wolf sitting next to Legoshi expresses how euphoric bathing in the moonlight feels to him while Legoshi inwardly admits that it gives him peace to clear his mind. In the anime, it is the female wolf sitting next to Legoshi who speaks first and comments on the idea of rabbits inhabiting the moon as she reads while the male wolf on Legoshi's other side questions how possible the notion would be.
* In the anime, when Legoshi muses on how Haru was the first to ever treat him like a man he envisions her on the face of the artificial moon.
* In the manga, the male wolf next to Legoshi takes notice of his intent to leave early with a couple of the others noticing one by one. In the anime, both the male and female wolves at Legoshi's sides notice him rising from his seat yet make no attempt to question or stop him as well as none of the other wolves not taking notice of his departure.
* The two members of the newspaper club talks about the play inside the building while passing out newspapers in the manga. In the anime, they are outside and not passing out the newspapers.
* There is no framed picture of Louis and the rest of the actors in the manga. The entire scene of Louis mentally prepping himself in front of the picture was entirely for the anime.
* Aoba doesn't call out to Louis before the play's opening in the anime.
* The attires of the other actors in the play from the manga have been drastically altered for the anime.