Ho Yay
- The killer and Tem's relationship really puts the Interplay of Sex and Violence themes on display, almost looking like a Coming-Out Story gone horribly wrong.
- Chapter 77: Riz was required to take meds to keep his strength in check. Tem and him grew close when he started confiding in him about everything, which alleviated the side-effects Riz needed honey to deal with. Chapter 77, which describes their story, actually show makes Riz's narration making quite romantic sounding descriptions of them, like saying his words were sweeter than honey, and that on the night he died, his eyes were the most beautiful he'd ever seen. The scene where Riz wanted to show himself fully to Tem was also framed strangely similar to a confession of love. It's worth noting that when Riz snapped and devoured Tem, it seemed to come from being overwhelmed by the sheer joy of being wholly accepted by him, they were actually hugging when it happened. Granted, that's just how Riz's Self-Serving Memory remembers it.
- Subsequently, you have the killer looking back at the event very fondly, which he often describes as "precious memories" and "sweet". Riz doesn't see killing Tem as an act of violence, but as a consensual act through which they've solidified their friendship, in an oddly sexual description.
"The act was gentle, peaceful, and therefore consensual." - Yafya's contempt for Gosha stems from the fact that Gosha abandoned their dream of becoming Beastars together in favor of settling and having a family (which eventually leads to Legoshi, the grandson of Gosha). However, he still burns with loving passion whenever he is contact with Gosha, and has an oddly similar feeling with Legoshi, making his relationship with Gosha feel like one of a bitter ex-lover.Yafya (as he sizes up Legosi): "So this grandson is the result of the mixed-species family he (Gosha) chose over me."
- When they meet in chapter 112, after removing his bandages, Yafya briefly sees Gosha with Love Bubbles-like effects.
- Yafya's homoromantic subtexts with Gosha seem to carry over to the latter's grandson as well. In chapter 128, Yafya and Legosi infiltrate a costume party for upper-class elites who are... having fun while wearing masks that hide their identities. Then Yafya drags Legosi into a partner dance, saying that they're pretending to be a gay couple to blend in. Not helping was that (1) Yafya's already got tons of subtexts with Gosha and (2) he's constantly remarking how Legosi reminds him of the komodo dragon.
- Just Yafya and Legosi in general. Yafya has developed a strange obsession with Legosi the moment he learned of the grey wolf's exploits.
- In the anime, if one pays close attention, Kibi places his hand on Legoshi's crotch while talking to him.
- In chapter 60 Legoshi has a flashback to a time where he felt Tem's chest wool, and comments on how he should have treasured their relationship more.
- Another constant generator of this is Pina
- In chapter 63, Pina gets Legoshi in a room and tells Legoshi he has the urge to kiss whenever he's alone with a female. He then closes the shades and asks if Legoshi wants to eat him, shoving his hands in Legoshi's mouth.
- Earlier, Legoshi blushes in conversation with Pina and a background drawing shows both their paw prints walking towards one another.
- There seems to be an unwritten rule that every time his presence is revealed must be followed by a dramatic overreaction by a nearby male carnivore (usually Legoshi or Bill)
- Chapter 155 is one big example of this, as Pina subtly forces Bill to spare a sick chick accidentally packed in his food. They both proceed to force Aoba to nurse it with them. Bill even comments that they've become a family, as Pina denies it while sleeping on Aoba.
- In Chapter 182, Pina refers to Riz as his "初めて出来た男友達" which can mean both "my first boyfriend" or "my first boy(male) friend." While it's likely that Pina didn't mean too much by it (especially considering Riz's lack of a reaction to this statement), it's still a very shippy and Ho Yay statement due to the fact that Pina should already have male friends in Legoshi, Bill and Aoba, making the "my first" part confusing and contradictory unless taken romantically. Essentially, either Pina had some special meaning behind it, or he doesn't consider any of his male acquaintances to be his friends. Which one makes more sense is up to the reader.
- In the final volume, Paru writes some farewell notes about each character. Pina's reads "This character changed a ton, didn't he? Perhaps his outer mask (or shell) was peeled away when Riz sucked on his finger. Did that finger sucking have some magic power behind it?" It's not too big of a stretch to basically read this as "Riz awakened something sexual in Pina."
- In chapter 63, Pina gets Legoshi in a room and tells Legoshi he has the urge to kiss whenever he's alone with a female. He then closes the shades and asks if Legoshi wants to eat him, shoving his hands in Legoshi's mouth.
- Chapter 140 opens with Legoshi having a mental image of himself, shirtless, being hugged from behind by an also shirtless Melon, who is whispering his year about his desires.
- During the Turf War in chapter 177, Legoshi briefly ogles the Dokugumi boss's muscular arms, saying how beautiful his scales look under the light of the torches. It comes across a bit as if he was briefly Distracted by the Sexy.
- Beast Complex 8, has very strong homoerotic tones to it, with the chapter essentially being about having a pig's life changed by the beauty of a (male) Peacock, even going as far as to buy him 500 flowers. Though the hint of romantic attraction isn't quite as strong, Beast Complex 20 has its moments as well, with the final 6 pages having a panther and an otter find comfort in holding each others hands.
Louis-specific examples
Louis seems to be an excellent generator of this.
Louis/Legoshi
- In general, Louis is shown early to have a strange fixation with Legoshi, putting him in suggestive positions, asserting dominance, and calling him "Dog". 8 minutes of the anime alone is enough to demonstrate this
. - Most notably, the scene where Louis stops Legoshi from leaving his office by grabbing him by the tail and subsequently grabbing him by the tie and pulling him down to eye level with him is a scene that comes across as very much flirty, and ridden with subtext, especially since it almost seems as if Louis is about to kiss Legoshi.
- Also in general, the fact that Louis is shown to be unable to make out with a deer, whilst being passionately excited about kissing a Wolf makes his relationship with Legoshi a wee bit more suggestive than it already was.
- In Chapter 2, Louis comments that Legoshi has a "ferocious beast inside of him, even though he normally acts docile" directly after Legoshi stops Kai from punching Louis. He then proceeds to grab Legoshi's tail and says Legoshi is a "Big Bad Wolf, and he knows how to put that to good use." The chapter ends thereafter those few panels of Louis looking smug and Legoshi looking confused, and we never see the rest of that scene.
- Chapter 27: The logical conclusion to Legoshi's lack of personal space, is evidently sniffing Louis's neck deeply with his eyes closed◊. The anime takes this scene up to eleven as Legoshi gets... very into it. A fragment of the scene downright makes it looks like Legoshi is trying to kiss Louis.
- Chapter 75: Louis and Legoshi re-unite after a long time where Legoshi thought he'd never see Louis again. Legoshi's immediate answer is to be so happy he unwittingly wags his tail so much it embarrasses everyone involved, even the Shishigumi lions. When they are finally alone after dinner, Louis believes Legoshi might hit him, but he actually hug-tackles Louis, still with his tail wagging in happiness. Even the narration for the scene is oddly romantic sounding. In the following chapter, Legoshi even asks Louis if he doesn't want them to run away together.Only the moon sees them now.
- Later on, Legoshi dresses in drag in order to talk to Louis in private.
- In chapter 113 one of the most infamous images of the Louis/Legoshi ship teasing shows upnote . Louis is leaning against Legoshi's crotch with a ridiculously flirtatious expression, telling him to be mad, while Legoshi removes his shirt.
- In Chapter 114, Louis offers Legoshi food, and jokingly asks if Legoshi'd like to eat the Fruit Jelly, the Castella, or him. Legoshi's reaction is a spit-take.
- From the same chapter, Legoshi gazes at Louis and remises on how "herbivores are such beautiful lifeforms".
- He then realizes aloud he has an herbivore fetish. Louis's only response is astonishment that Legoshi is only now realizing this. (Complete with a "you dumb dog")
- The chapter ends with Legoshi promising to protect the herbivores and their beautiful smiles, staring directly at Louis. Awwwwwwww.
- In chapter 158, Louis falls to the floor straight on top of Legoshi from an old elevator shaft. Ignoring the fact that they were standing nowhere near one another before falling, without context the sequence looks like... something else is happening.◊
- After eating Louis' leg, Legoshi has developed a habit of, when talking about the subject, referring to Louis as "his first and last", referring to eating meat.
- During the Melon fight, Legoshi outright states that he loves Louis and doesn't want him to die. This is after Louis heads into a turf war to support him incidentally.
- After Louis is forced to confront reality with Juno, Juno notes that he'll be unable to enjoy a kiss without fangs... the curse of a cute wolf. It's obvious she's referring to herself, but the description fits Legoshi perfectly as well.
Louis/Others
- In Chapter 3, Louis grabs Zoe's cheeks and asks him to open his mouth, ostensibly to check to see if he ate his script... despite the unlikelihood of his having the script still in his mouth by that point.
- In the same chapter, he infamously says if he offered Legoshi his leg, he'd happily accept it with drool dripping from his teeth. All while pulling Legoshi towards Louis's face by his tie.
- In Chapter 5, he stops Zoe from falling off of the stage, receiving a serious injury in the process. He claims he only did it so he wouldn't have to see Zoe cry.
- In chapter 30, there's... this image◊. Absolutely not helped by Louis's "Lick the floor you filthy cat".
- In chapter 143, Louis agrees to help the Shishigumi, but in exchange, he tells them that they have to "comfort [him] for the entire night."
- Chapter 144 starts with this line of thought from Louis: "I have really gone crazy. Embracing a female red deer in a hotel makes me uncomfortable, and yet, being surrounded by male carnivores makes me extremely comfortable." And to top it off, he's blushing.
- During chapter 157, Louis' father asks him if he dislikes females. Louis is momentarily shocked by the question and quickly changes the subject without answering.
Les Yay
- Shiira and Peaches in chapter 70.
- Chapter 78 "A Lingerie-to-Lingerie to Talk":
- Juno tries to understand what is so attractive about Haru, and ends up helping her on the gardening club, which Haru is happy to oblige. When asked whether her helplessness is what Legoshi finds attractive, Haru takes off her shirt to clean up her sweat and asks if Juno is now attracted to her.
- When the two later are sharing food, Juno finally comes to the realization that in a way, herbivores are superior when she does cleans a Romance-Inducing Smudge from Haru's cheek and holds her face in her hands, as if she was having a sexual awakening.
I wanted to stay ignorant of an herbivore's charms.Juno: You're so cute... - During the Meteorite Festival, Haru watches Juno's dance and internally remarks about how pretty she is.
