Jyu-Oh-Sei: The Complete Series

Emily Balistrieri February 13, 2009

Planet of the Beast King: I didn’t go so far as to expect furries, but I will say that I at least anticipated some wolf men or something-cat girls, hyena goofballs, foxy tricksters, rabbit children-something! Instead, the planet is ruled by violent plants; only the strongest of the “beasts” survive on Chimaera, and this is where Thor and his twin brother Rai find themselves after their parents are murdered back on their home colony.

It’s hard to get into the plot at all without at least a little spoiling, so beware this paragraph if the idea of a sci-fi show about escaping a prison planet and unmasking a secret government experiment sounds like something you’d be into. Rai is dispensed with shortly after arrival (by the show, not his brother; although colder hearted Zagi advises that Thor abandon the weakling, the boy ends up dying in a plant accident) and we are left with how Thor adapts on his own to the brutal society of prisoners.

The human population is split into “Rings” based on color, and each ring has a Third, Second, and Top who rule. And yes, that designation is hilarious, especially when Tiz, who hearts our hero, shouts, “Don’t forget Thor-you’re my Top! I’ll follow you wherever you lead me!” Anyone can challenge the Top to a fight to the death, so it can be quite the struggle to maintain the position. Apparently, if you can beat all the other Tops, you are proclaimed Beast King and given an official escort off the planet. This winning scenario is brought into question later on via some insider info, but since it seems to be the only possibility for escape, Thor sets his sights on attaining that rank. About halfway through the show, time fast-forwards a few years-guess that’s why it’s only 11 episodes-and eventually we get to see the truth about the beast kings.

Along the way there is actually quite a bit of that “something for everyone” vibe. Romance (in the form of women who actually also consider themselves baby factories and are generally respected enough to have their choice of mate come the “month of joining”), plant monster boss battles, and political drama all play a part in what turned out to be a pretty compelling series.

The characters have the pointiest noses since Escaflowne, but it’s not entirely unpleasant in that same slightly awkward way. Somehow, they remain attractive. Unfortunately during the first half of the series they become ridiculous when experienced via dub-the twins are both voiced by girls, so even Thor, the tough one, sounds like a tomboy instead of an actual boy, whereas Rai comes off as a total damsel in distress. Things even out after the age gap, but Japanese is generally preferred.

Since it’s a short show, the box is a slim two disks. The extras department is equally slim, however, so if you’re picking this up it’s definitely just to experience the story. Even without actual beast men, though, it managed to be intriguing the whole way through. Sometimes the plot twists are ones you see coming, and sometimes they aren’t, which makes the show especially fun to watch with a friend. While not being a complete stand-out, must-have affair, Jyu-Oh-Sei is definitely recommendable for a rainy day.

Studio/Company: FUNimation
Available: Now