Episode 09

**Into the Lion's Den** (エレベーター最上階の戦慄, *Erebētā saijōkai no senritsu*?) is the ninth episode of the *Beastars* anime.

## Synopsis

Louis recalls his harrowing past, and Legoshi makes a personal vow despite conflicting feelings. Meanwhile, Haru is kidnapped by carnivores.

## Plot

Louis wakes up from a nightmare about carnivores searching for Number 4. He reflects on the hellish nature of the number engraved on his foot 13 years ago.

While walking down the hall with flowers, Louis has a flashback of his time being raised as livestock on the Black Market. As a 5-year-old child, he didn't know how to speak or read and witnessed other children being dragged from their cages to be given sleeping pills and fed to carnivores. Louis remembers one day an esteemed herbivore appeared at the facility. He fought back when his friend was being pulled out of the cage. His sense of justice impresses the deer, who decides to buy Louis. He throws Louis into a room full of carnivores armed with a knife and watches as Louis prepares to take his own life rather than be eaten alive. Once again impressed, Ogma tells Louis he will raise him as his biological son and believes he can change the world. Ending the flashback, Louis lays flowers at Tem's memorial and promises to remember him and change the world.

Legoshi walks down the hall thinking three months have passed since Tem's death. Recalling Tem's wait for the right time to confess his feelings, Legoshi muses that Haru expressed her feelings during the blackout. He supposes she and Louis have known each other long before Legoshi met her and asks Tem for advice.

Seeing Louis at the memorial, Legoshi hides behind a classroom door, noting that Louis still brings flowers for Tem. He sees a jaguar about to attack Louis and tackles him. The jaguar tries to escape, asking when Louis got a bodyguard. Legoshi says he's Louis's junior and asks why the jaguar attacked. He roughhouses the jaguar into telling him that many carnivores are after Louis because if he becomes a Beastar, the carnivores will lose power. Legoshi reflects on how Louis is fit to be a Beastar and determines to protect him, even at the expense of his love. While Legoshi is lost in thought, the jaguar punches him and escapes saying Legoshi can't protect Louis alone.

Legoshi visits Haru's gardening booth at the festival grounds. She asks about his nose while he worries about confessing to her. He tries to tell her his feelings, but she interrupts him twice, complaining her arms and ears itch because of mosquitos. Legoshi asks Haru if she's intentionally interrupting him, to which Haru asks why he would suddenly talk about something so important with a tissue up his nose. He explains that he doesn't want to ruin their relationship, hurt her, or disrespect Louis and asks her to meet him the next evening to talk about it. She agrees and they part ways.

Haru worries about what she will do the next day, thinking she hasn't been worked up over a guy in a long time. Despite Legoshi's declaration not to harm her, Haru thinks it's impossible because as long as instincts exist, everyone will only hurt themselves and others. A pair of large hands grab Haru, covering her mouth. Two lions run away carrying Haru, leaving only one of her shoes behind.

Mizuchi's boyfriend brings Haru's shoe to a member of the festival's staff, saying they need to report it to the police. His friend gives the staff member a card, which he recognizes as the Shishigumi symbol. The mayor arrives, telling the students to leave the matter to him and keep it to themselves for safety. Trusting him to take care of her, the others leave. The mayor says he refuses to let anything interfere with the festival and thinks it's too late to save Haru. He tears up the card, determined not to let a gang destroy things. As Mizuchi's boyfriend and the others walk back, Legoshi overhears them mention Haru was kidnapped.

At the Shishigumi lair, one of the members who caused the blackout asks if they think Haru is enough of a meal for the boss. Another responds that it's hard to find an animal with a fully white coat. A third lion, grabs Haru by the ears, telling her she will be a delicious meal. Haru tries to flee but is quickly stopped. One of the lions threatens to break her legs and lifts her skirt, asking if he should do a full-body inspection. The boss walks in and apologizes for his subordinates. Once they are alone, the boss tries to make small talk with Haru before telling her to take off her clothes, so he can inspect her and have her take a bath full of flower petals as part of her meal preparation.

The mayor tells Louis about Haru's kidnapping. He says that if Louis becomes a Beastar, he will have to deal with the Shishigumi and asks if he knew her. Louis says that concealing things won't solve the matter and asks what can be done. The mayor tells Louis that they need to keep a handle on what information reaches the public and asks Louis to keep silent. He reveals that he replaced his fangs and underwent plastic surgery to achieve a softer face in order to become mayor. He explains there would be chaos between carnivores and herbivores if the image he built up of lions was destroyed. As a final measure, he shows Louis a record of the Black Market where he is still listed and promises to have Louis's file removed if he keeps silent. Louis reluctantly agrees.

Legoshi finds Louis just after he leaves and tells him they have to go save Haru. Louis tells him it's too late but that if he wants to go, he can do it alone. Legoshi angrily asks if he loves Haru, saying she loves him. Louis punches Legoshi, yelling not to act like he knows everything. He insists they can't do anything and cause trouble in the city for one life, trying to convince himself just as much as Legoshi that lies and deception are necessary for peace. He says Legoshi does it too by pretending to be weak to fit in. Legoshi says he will show Louis the kind of danger Haru is facing and punches him without holding back. The two exchange blows while Legoshi wonders why Louis vents his frustration about not being able to save Haru on him. Other animals rush to break up their fight. Legoshi realizes that if Louis walks this path, he cannot be relied on. Therefore, Legoshi declares that Haru will be his.

## Anime/Manga Differences

* In the manga, the animals looking for a Number 4 jersey are a cat and a dog while in the anime, they are both canines.
* In the manga, Louis thinks about Bill saying he found his secret and mentally prepares himself for the worst.
* In the manga, the carnivore taking number 7 to be eaten tells Louis he isn't allowed special treatment regardless of value.
* In the manga, when Ogma buys Louis, Louis resists leaving another fawn behind if it means he lives and the other dies. In the anime, Louis fights back when the other fawn is initially pulled out by a predator, leading Ogma to choose him.
* The scene of Legoshi walking down the hall thinking about Tem and Haru only happens in the anime.
* In the manga, the jaguar is standing upright when Legoshi notices and restrains him. In the anime, Legoshi sees the jaguar crouched below the door and grabs him mid-air after the jaguar pounces before tumbling to the other side of the hallway.
* In the manga, Haru's scene with the Shishigumi happens before her shoe is found.
* In the manga, Haru's shoe is found by other festival workers who recognize it whereas in the anime, Mizuchi's boyfriend, his friend, and Kibi bring it to the staff's attention, and it's his friend who recognizes her scent.
* In the manga, the Mayor explicitly says he's worked too hard to let the gang ruin the public image of lions. In the anime, he is vaguer about what he has built.
* In the manga, Legoshi witnesses the Mayor tear the card from above in a tree.
* There are fewer Shishigumi lions in the anime than the manga.
* In the manga, the lions try to forcefully strip Haru for a full-body check before the boss enters. In the anime, only Dolph pulls her skirt up to scrutinize her fur.
* In the manga, the Shishigumi boss is more violent and angry with Haru.
* In the anime, the boss reveals a rose bath as part of Haru's preparation for consumption.
* In the manga, the Mayor speaks with Louis in a skyscraper office, whereas in the anime they are still at the festival grounds.
* In the manga, after making his declaration, Legoshi breaks free and runs away. Louis says to let him go and counts on Legoshi to save Haru.