The Boy & the Beast was a 2015 fantasy-adventure film released in Japan to critical and popular acclaim. It was released in the US the following year, along with a new manga series, of which three volumes are currently available (this review covers books one and two).
The story begins with Ren, devastated by the loss of his mother, running away from her cruel family. He follows two mysterious creatures into Jutengai, the land of beasts, where anthropomorphic animals live, fight, and sometimes become gods. Ren is renamed Kyuta by the brash and unpredictable Kumatetsu the bear, who wants to take Kyuta as his disciple. But Kyuta, angry and lashing out, and Kumatetsu, undisciplined and thinking only of himself, seem to be a doomed match. Will Kyuta choose to remain in Jutengai as an apprentice, or will he return to the human world?
In the second volume, Kyuta has decided to become Kumatetsu’s apprentice, but the two face a stormy path together and sometimes it seems Kyuta teaches as much as he learns. However, eight years of apprenticeship pass by quickly, and Kyuta—now 17 and an experienced warrior—slips back into the human world. Torn between his life in Jutengai and the possibility of school, friends, and a normal human life, will Kyuta/Ren find a true home in either place?
Kyuta/Ren starts out as a lost and helpless child whose uncoordinated movements, slumped shoulders, tousled hair, and haunted expression display his feelings of loneliness, loss, and anger. Kumatetsu is a giant bear creature, his bulk and uncertain temper mixed with more human expressions of uncertainty and impatience. Other animal characters also embody a mix of human and animal motivations, from the noble-yet-aggressive demeanor of Iozen—the great lord and mountain boar who is Kumatetsu’s rival—to Kumatetsu’s sketchy and sly monkey friend, and the quiet behavior of the pig-monk. Kyuta/Ren’s progression to adult in the second book shows him becoming more controlled and coordinated, but his inner feelings of loss and uncertainty still show in his expressions and the droop of his shoulders.
While in some ways, The Boy & the Beast is a typical adventure-fantasy, I found a couple points in the manga to be confusing, which may be because it’s an anime tie-in. Ren’s break with his family is not really fleshed out, and while the synopsis calls them abusive, readers don’t see strong evidence of that. The sudden jump from Kyuta-as-apprentice to Kyuta-as-young-adult was also jarring, and there wasn’t a clear explanation for how he ended up back in the human world (although that might be clarified in later volumes). Several characters seem to jump in and out without much development, and there are many hints as to mysteries around Iozen and his children, which seem to be ignored in the first volumes.
In general, the emphasis is on the action, fantasy, and a few points of mystery with hints of romance developing in the second book. While Yen Press says this is all ages, I’d put it firmly in middle grade (about 5th to 8th grade). It will appeal most strongly to readers who like action and adventure and fans of the movie who want to revisit their favorite characters. There are some philosophical discussions about what it really means to be strong, but they don’t overshadow the essential action and excitement of the story. The fight scenes are exciting without being gory and, at least in the first two volumes, there are no sexual references. While it’s not particularly outstanding, there are limited options for manga for younger readers, and I’d recommend adding it to your library collection for that reason alone.
The Boy & the Beast
by Mamoru Hosoda
Art by Renji Asai
vol 1 ISBN: 9780316358200
vol 2 ISBN: 9780316545181
Yen Press, 2016
Publisher Age Rating: All Ages (10+)
