Well it has finally come to an end. The 'Beastars' anime, based off the manga by Paru Itagaki, has finally come to an end. The premiere of 'Beastars: The Final Season Part 2' (or season 4, as I like to refer to it) was over two weeks ago. I saw it the day it premiered. Some people have been asking me about my thoughts on it. I waited for a little while so people would have a chance to watch it before I shared my thoughts and spoiled much of it. So here are my thoughts on it.

I'll be posting this in 3 or 4 parts just so you all aren't reading too much at once.

*WARNING!!! SPOILERS!!! SPOILERS!!! SPOILERS!!!*

Summary: The season opens with Legoshi surviving being dropped in to the ocean by Melon. (*rolls eyes* Wow! Didn't see that old cliche coming). Legoshi tries to move on from the Melon case and continue his pursue of Haru's heart. But Melon also has his eyes on Haru. Meanwhile Louis is conflicting with his personal life with two lovers, Juno and Azuki, his connections with the Shishigumi, and being blackmailed by the mayor. Melon still plans chaos in the public and at the Black Market, and frames Legoshi of murders in the city. Now Legoshi is determined to face Melon for a final match and clear his name. Also Legoshi's best friend, Jack, is struggling with his own issues too. And the Cherryton drama club are preparing for a new play.

My thoughts on this season are... it's good, but still disappointing. I was really hoping for great finale because of course this is the final season. They have to end on a high note. It didn't.

I'll start off my thoughts with what I didn't like about the final season.

-Melon was too over-the-top.
He's not like this the entire time. The previous season and half of this season he is more intimidating when he's calm. But at the end he turns in to an over-the-top maniac. Always yelling, doing exaggerated body and arm movements, and doing the cliched evil talk. He seemed more like he was trying to do a Heath Ledger 'Joker' impression. I found myself laughing at him more than feeling creeped out by him.
I'm certain the filmmakers were watching 'The Dark Knight' when they were making Melon's scene. I was just glad when he shot himself in the chest and he finally shut up. Oh! And that gun shot should've killed him. But like the manga, he survived. He shot his heart area! How did he survive?!

-Haru hanging around with Melon made her look stupid.
I don't object to Haru being around Melon because she doesn't know about his murderous side. But what should've been a big give away is when Melon began acting psychotic around her. One scene, Melon grabs her unexpectedly from behind and holds on to her like he's about to eat her. Not only that, Melon then takes a razor and purposely stabs himself in the leg in front of her. Now she does the right thing and runs away. But the next day, she's hanging around with him again like nothing happened. A sensible person would avoid being around people who do crazy stuff like that. But not Haru. And then Melon admits to her that he wants to eat her as a birthday gift from her. AND SHE AGREES TO IT!!! She does admit to Louis that she was caught off guard when she agreed to Melon's request, but she still wants to go along with it because 'herbivores are met to be eaten'. WHAT?! Is Haru suicidal? Even Louis knew that was a stupid idea. So much so that Louis literally holds her against her will at his mansion to keep her from doing anything stupid. I like that they gave Haru is bigger part and personality this season, but man did they make her seem so stupid around Melon. She's probably been hanging around Legoshi too much and his stupidity is rubbing off on her.

-They reduced Yahya and Gosha's roles.
In the previous season we were introduced to Yahya the Beastar horse and Gosha the komobo dragon/Legoshi's grandfather. In that season it seemed like they were going to play a big part of the anime. Heck, they both had big parts in the final books of the manga. I was really looking forward to what roles they would have in the final season. Well... their roles were reduced down so much that it made their presence almost pointless this season. Now the moments they were on screen were good. I liked Legoshi and Yahya brief talk, and Gosha talking with Haru at his house was a cute moment. But it was way too short. The previous season mentioned about Yahya and Gosha's bitter feud with each other, and it seems like that was never resolved. They literally have only one scene together that is only a minute long. But nothing comes out of it. Two characters that I was looking forward to didn't happen. We didn't even get to see whether or not they made up as friends. They both could've just been left out of the final season. I'm certain they could've been featured a lot more. The manga did them better.

-They made Agata one of the stupidest characters in the finale.
One moment in the manga that I did not like, or not understood, is the Shishigumi becoming loyal to Melon, even after all of the violent abuse he did to them. One moment was when Melon sliced the throat of one of the lion's, and that convinces them... to be loyal to him? What? Anyway, who did they give that role to? They gave that role to one of my favorite characters in the entire series... Agata. Oh man, I admit that this one pissed me off. Now Agata isn't the smartest of the Shishigumi, but he was so likeable and even charming. Again, half of the final season he's fine and still likeable. But then near the end it took a bad turn. Agata was going to be a stand-in leader of the Shishigumi since Melon was gone. (I was interested to see what Agata would've done as a subleader). But then Melon shows up... and shoots Agata's hand off. First of all, how did that small gun blow his hand off? I can see it blowing a hole in his hand and/or shoot off a few of his fingers. But his whole hand? I hated that Melon hurt my favorite lion again (first time was a fork stabbed into his hand), but then for some strange reason that convinces Agata that Melon... is a good guy? DUDE, MELON JUST SHOT YOUR HAND OFF?!!! HOW DOES THAT SUDDENLY MAKE HIM A GOOD LEADER?!!! Even the other lions were looking at Agata like 'is he crazy?' Now if Agata committed himself to Melon out of fear or as a trick, then I would get behind that. But Agata is completely convinced that Melon is good. But it doesn't stop there. Later during the ceremony at the Black Market, Melon then slices Agata's throat and blood sprays everywhere. The other lions become furious with Melon, but Agata stops them from attack Melon and is more concern about his blood giving their side a stronger scent, and let's Melon live. And he somehow survives getting his throat sliced, which should've been fatal. He's seen for a second at the end credits with a small bandage on his neck.
Oh my word! Agata what did they do to you?! In the manga he was a strong character all the way through, and was willing to take risks. But in the anime, he went from naive to plain stupid. I'm sorry Agata, but I think of you a bit less now. I even lost interest in a drawing I was doing of him.
Why do the Shishigumi need someone else to be their leader? Why couldn't they just choose someone in their group to take the leadership? What am I missing here?

-They did Juno dirty... AGAIN!!!
One thing that I really hated about the manga ending was Louis and Juno not becoming a couple. Louis decides not to see Juno anymore and they split up, and it's never made clear if they both ever see each other again. I felt so bad for poor Juno because she didn't deserve that kind of ending. Now if she was a bad character and unlikeable, then I wouldn't mind. But she is very likeable, and even tries to help make a difference in society. But no one seems to really take her seriously.
And this season, everyone seems to belittle her. The drama pressures her to get Pina back into the drama club, even though she doesn't want to. (Bill, I thought that was your job as club president to get Pina back). Pina ridicules her like it's a big joke to him. When she is given a big part in the new play, Pina just up and takes over her part. When she objects, the whole drama club side with Pina and she loses her big moment. And every time she tries to say something to help, Pina keeps butting in. And when she asks Louis for support, he doesn't give it to her.
The only one who actually listens to her was Haru at a cafe. That was a nice moment and a bit of fresh air for Juno.
I was really hoping that they would change that ending to where Louis and Juno become a couple, or at least hint that they become a couple. And for awhile it looked like they were going to go that route. Juno discusses to Haru about confessing her love towards Louis and she means him no harm. And Louis keeps thinking about Juno throughout the series. Even at one point it is hinted that Louis believed that the Shishigumi were holding Juno hostage and was willing to make a deal with them for her release (but it was Legoshi they were holding hostage). But all that. ALL THAT was nothing but a BIG middle finger to everyone. At the end of the finale, Louis break up with Juno... AGAIN!!!! However, this one seems worst than the manga. In the manga there is at least a reason. Louis' father dies and Louis feels that it is duty as the next heir to marry his chosen fiancé, Azuki, and take over his father's business. Therefore he can't be with Juno, and he breaks up with her. But in the anime, Louis' father is still alive at the end, therefore still owns the family business. And Azuki admits that she is aware that Louis doesn't love her, and isn't really committed to her. But yet, Louis still breaks up with Juno. And they never explained why! It's just 'we're done', and Juno walks off into the darkness, which I also didn't like because that gives the impression that Juno will go into depression now, and possibly be unhappy for a long time. And they show all that while happy music is playing.
Oh man, Juno! I don't understand why the writers hate her so much.

End of part 1
I'll post the rest of my dislikes in he next journal. So watch out for it in the next few days.