Omega-Beta (Season 4)

The fourth season of the British-Japanese anime series *Omega-Beta* aired from June 18 to October 1, 2024 for a total of 16 episodes in a variety of regions, including TV Tokyo in Japan, BBC Two in the United Kingdom and Adult Swim in the US. The season was written and directed by Jay Stevenson, the series' creator, and produced by J-Animations. The season is a psychological thriller, and features a soundtrack composed by Susumu Hirasawa. The season's opening ("Dream Island Obsessional Park") and ending ("KING") themes were performed by Susumu Hirasawa.

The series takes place in a near-future society where androids are common place. One major use for them is the ability to have files containing data of a human uploaded into them, which will give the android the appearance, personality and memories of said human. These files can also be fabricated, which allows the protagonist McCulloch to assume various original identities. The fourth season follows McCulloch as he assumes the identity of Detective Inspector Mick Colour who is tasked with investigating a serial murder case in Sandleson alongside a team of fellow officers, including Mikhail Wolden, Yuki Asaka, Gabriella Pyra and Selena McGuire. As the murder investigation progresses, the investigative team identify the culprit, nicknamed 'Pouncer' for their unnaturally quick running speed which enables them to outrun their victims, and spend the remainder of the season trying to capture him. One by one, the investigative team are killed by Pouncer, but McCulloch is spared, as Pouncer reveals it is a rogue android who is murdering victims in order to steal their identities. Pouncer notes that McCulloch can't have his identity stolen as he does not have one, leading McCulloch to confront his paranoia and fear that leads him to changing identities when he feels cornered. McCulloch ultimately faces his fears and kills Pouncer, before resigning from his job when Gabriella, the only remaining member of the investigative team, discovers he is an android and advises him to leave before Pouncer's true identity is released to the public.

Griffin Burns returns for the fourth season of the series, adopting a grittier voice in comparison to the previous season. The season's supporting cast includes Keith Silverstein as Mikhail Wolden, Dallas Reid as Yuki Asaka, Kate Higgins as Gabriella Pyra and Ellyn Stern as Selena McGuire.

The fourth season of *Omega-Beta* received positive reviews from critics. McCulloch's reinvention was again praised, and many enjoyed how the season's arc explored the psychological effects of changing one's identity. Pouncer was praised as an antagonist: the twist that Pouncer was a murderous android just like McCulloch had been was widely enjoyed by audiences. The season's supporting cast received mixed reviews: whilst their dynamic was enjoyed, many felt that their character development was lackluster. The season's narrative was initially praised, but was seen to have become more convoluted as the story progressed, with some criticising the plot as being "too confusing" and "at times unnecessary". The art direction received immense praise, with critics highlighting the darker colour palette and grittier animation that suited the change in tone of the series well. The setting of Sandleson was also the recipient of positive feedback - the tone of the series turned Sandleson from a bright and clean city into something creepy and unsettling, and many highlighted that this change represents the true disfunctions of major international cities that are hidden by a "glossy exterior". The soundtrack received acclaim as the best in the series thus far.

The season was a commercial success, averaging just under 40 million viewers per episode internationally. It was nominated for a variety of awards at the 2024 International Anime Awards, including Anime of the Year. Retrospectively, the season is viewed as the weakest in the "Omega-Beta Golden Era" that spanned the first five seasons, with a cast that has been mostly overshadowed by characters from the previous two seasons and the subsequent season, and a plot that has been criticised as overly complex. The season however was noteworthy for being more successful overseas than domestically in Japan. The series was collected into two blu-ray volumes, and began streaming on BBC iPlayer, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video the following year. It was succeeded by a fifth season in 2025.