Killing Bites Review: The height of action and suspense

Killing Bites - The fierce battles of beast fighters and their appeal

■Overview of the work

"Killing Bites" is a TV anime series based on the manga by Shinya Murata and Kazuasa Sumida. It aired on TBS and BS-TBS from January 13 to March 31, 2018. It has 12 episodes, each 30 minutes long, and was broadcast at 2:25 a.m., garnering attention as a work that was both popular and had high viewer ratings. The animation was produced by LIDEN FILMS and directed by Nishikata Yasuto.

■ Story

One day, Nomoto Yuya, an ordinary college student, meets a mysterious girl named Hitomi. When Nomoto witnesses her transforming into a beast and fighting a lion monster, he learns that she is a "Brute" with a human mind and a beast's fangs. Hitomi is a "Honey Badger" - a beast fighter with the strongest fighting instincts. By meeting her, Nomoto is also drawn into a fierce battle called "Killing Bites."

The beast fighters are employed by the four major conglomerates (Mikado, Yabishi, Kakuto, and Ishida) that have dominated the Japanese economy since ancient times, and have fought duels on their behalf to gain supremacy. Nomoto and Hitomi will throw themselves into this brutal battle.

■ Characters

Hitomi Uzaki / Honey Badger

She is a beast fighter of the small mammal "Honey Badger", and although she is a rookie, she has incredible defensive power and fearless aggression, and fights on equal terms with higher-ranking beast fighters. Her special move is a counter attack called "Honey Slash", which cuts with her sharp claws. She usually lives as a high school girl, but she has the same competitive and arrogant personality as when she was transformed into a beast. She changes completely in front of Shido, who is crazy about sweets.

Yuya Nomoto

He is an ordinary second-year university student who meets Hitomi during a certain incident and ends up participating in "Killing Bites." Although he is timid, lacks initiative, and lacks any outstanding talent, he teams up with Hitomi to achieve unexpected results. He is a student in the Faculty of Economics and Department of Economics at university, and is a member of the "Mangaken Q Club."

Nakanishi Uza (Elsa) / Hunting Leopard (Cheetah)

A "Cheetah" beast fighter, she is the fastest hunter on earth, running in all directions with her super-speed running techniques and taking down her prey in an instant. She is a good rival of Hitomi, and her brother is one of the strongest beast fighters, "Tiger (Tiger)", and her respect for him has reached the level of a brocon.

Inaba Hajime/Rabbit

A "rabbit" beast fighter, he lacks physical strength and no fangs or claws, making him a poor fighter, but he is highly skilled as a spy, using his long ears to search for enemies, escaping by "escape," and digging holes. Perhaps due to the nature of a weak animal, he is timid and a crybaby, but he also gets excited while digging a hole and tends to forget his purpose.

Other major characters

Shinozaki Mai is a subordinate of Shido who belongs to the Killing Bites Management Bureau, Okajima Ichinosuke is a beast fighter who belongs to the Ishida Foundation, Nakanishi Taiga is a Tiger beast fighter who belongs to the Yabishi Foundation and Erza's older brother, Nozuma Oshie is a high school girl who has a crush on her classmate Hitomi, Mikado Youko is the granddaughter of Mikado Zaibatsu head Yousan and is deeply involved in Killing Bites, and Shido Reiichi is the head of the Killing Bites Management Bureau who cooperates with the four major zaibatsu but has a secret intention in his heart.

■ Production staff

The film is based on a manga serialized in Monthly Heroes by Murata Shinya and Sumida Kazuasa, directed by Nishikata Yasuto, series composition by Shuhaku Aoi, character design by Watanabe Kazuo, art director Yokomatsu Norihiko, art setting by Ikeda Yuji, backgrounds by Studio Y.S., color design by Shinohara Aiko, CG director Goto Taisuke, modeling supervisor Kane Tadao, 3D CG by Shiitake Digital, 2D design and monitor graphics by Sato Natsuko, director of photography Masumoto Yukihiro, cinematography by Graphinica, editing by Hasegawa Mai, sound director Aketagawa Jin, sound effects by Koyama Yasumasa, sound production by Magic Capsule, music by Takanashi Koji, the opening theme is "killing bites" by fripSide, the ending theme is "Kedamono Damono" by Kitsunetsuki, animation production by LIDEN FILMS, and production by the Killing Bites Production Committee.

■ Episode

The subtitles of each episode and their contents are as follows:

1st Bite/The one with the sharpest fangs wins

Nomoto Yuya, an ordinary college student, gets caught up in an incident and meets a mysterious high school girl named Hitomi. In a deserted junkyard, he witnesses her transform into a beast and engage in a deadly battle with a lion monster. Their true identities are beastmen with human minds and beast fangs, and Hitomi is a beast fighter called a "Honey Badger" who possesses the strongest fighting instinct. After meeting Hitomi, Nomoto becomes embroiled in a fierce battle between these beastmen called "Killing Bites."

2nd Bite/I'm falling in love

Having met Hitomi, Nomoto becomes an investor (player) of "Honey Badger (Honey Harvest)", and that night he is attacked by the beastman "Rowdy". Rowdy tries to get information about the honey badger from Nomoto, but Hitomi appears and a fight breaks out between the honey badger and Rowdy. In the midst of this, Nomoto is also targeted by Rowdy, but a new giant, Okajima, appears and saves Nomoto. Having saved Nomoto, Okajima asks Hitomi for a wish.

3rd Bite/I really have no redeeming qualities

After a catfight with Nakanishi Erza, a "Cheetah" beastman whom Hitomi met at Nomoto's university, she learns of the "Killing Bites Destroyal", a battle between the four major conglomerates. Hitomi decides to participate with Okajima from the Ishida Foundation, but Killing Bites Destroyal is a team battle between three people. They need one more beastman to participate, but they have a hard time finding a member. Meanwhile, Okajima contacts Inaba Hajime, a "Rabbit" beastman.

4th Bite/That's why I told you to quit, you idiot!

Before the start of the beastmen's annihilation battle (survival match) "Destroyal", Hitomi and Nomoto were at a party on a luxury cruise ship heading to the match venue. On board, the elite members of each camp, including the previous winner, "Tiger" beastman, Nakanishi Taiga, were already in a murderous mood. Eventually, they arrived at the isolated island "Hoteijima", where the match takes place, and when the Beastmen's Prison begins, Nomoto comes up with an unexpected plan, contrary to the expectations of the other investors (players)...!?

5th Bite/No matter how you do it, you're free

Following the battle between the Honey Badger (Honey Badger) and the Bear (Bear), in another location, the Hippopotamus from Ishida's camp, the Crocodile from Tsunomoto's camp, and the Gorilla from Mikado's camp face off against the Tiger from Yabishi's camp. By chance, the three factions join forces to challenge the previous year's winner. Despite being at a disadvantage, Tiga shows off his overwhelming strength, but on board the ship, Nomoto notices something strange...

6th Bite/Who cares?

Attacked by the Cobra and Gecko, the Hunting Leopard (Cheetah) was in a difficult situation, but was saved by his enemy, the Honey Badger (Honey Badger). The two teamed up to fight, but were forced into a difficult battle against the unexpected attacks of their opponents. Meanwhile, the battle between the Tiger (Tiga) and the three forces seemed to be a crushing victory for Tiga, but a scheme by the Kakutomo camp put Tiga in a difficult situation. At that moment, the Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus) made an unexpected move.

7th Bite/Because... that's the way I feel

After "Tiger" leaves, a battle between "Hippopotamus" and "Crocodile" unfolds. Then Kido from Mikado's camp and Yabe, a beastman of the "Gorilla" who was once defeated, appear. Crocodile, who has been interrupted in the battle, bares his fangs at Kido. Meanwhile, the battles between "Cobra" vs. "Honey Badger" and "Gecko" vs. "Cheetah" are intensifying.

8th Bite/Oh no...oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no!

In the VIP room on the ship, the heads of the four major conglomerates, including Chairman Mikado Yosan of the Mikado Conglomerate, were watching the "Destroyal". This Beast Prison was also a proxy war between the conglomerates to gain decision-making power in the beastification business, which is expected to generate huge profits in the future. On the island where the deadly battle continues, Taiga joins Elsa, who has been bewildered by the "Sibetton Rap", and Hitomi is put in a difficult situation with a 3 against 1. Taiga turns his hostility towards Hitomi, who says she has defeated her nemesis, "Leo".

9th Bite/I will never bend that!

Finally, the battle between "Tiger (Tiger)" and "Honey Hunter (Honey Hunter)" has begun. The Ratel stands up even after receiving Tiga's special move "Tiger Cannon (Kohou)", but the difference in strength is clear. The Ratel is gradually cornered by Tiga's overwhelming power. Nomoto, who is watching the situation from inside the ship, is conflicted about whether to let the Ratel go. And finally, Nomoto makes a decision.

10th Bite/Let's go together

The Sankado Zaibatsu's ultimate weapon, the Pangolin, bursts into the battle between the Honey Badger (Honey Honey Badger) and the Tiger (Tiger). The Pangolin, which defeated the Honey Badger with one blow, is covered in scales that allow it to attack and defend freely, so Tiga's claw attacks are ineffective. The Chief of the Killing Bites Administration Bureau, Shido, who was watching the battle from the monitor room, remembered the time when he met Hitomi before she became a Honey Badger (Honey Honey Badger).

11th Bite/Don't Bully Mommy

The battle between the "Honey Badger" and the "Pangolin", who have both been resurrected as "Origin Beasts", is extremely fierce. The Pangolin overwhelms the Ratel with its extraordinary power, but the Ratel seems to enjoy the fight with gusto, even against such a powerful enemy. As the battle heats up, Pangolin is reminded of the horrible memories of his childhood. The final showdown of the "Destroyal" will be decided!

12th Bite/Thank you for everything

The time has finally come for the conclusion of the turbulent "Destroyal". However, right after the winner is decided, the live broadcast from the scene stops. There is a plot to eliminate the participating beastmen along with the filming crew, and nullify the Beast Prison. The hand of evil is closing in on Hitomi and her friends who have fought through the fierce match. And the political struggle over the beastification surgery, with "Killing Bites" as a proxy war, is also developing rapidly, and a new era is beginning.

■ Theme songs and music

The opening theme is "killing bites" by fripSide, with lyrics, composition, and arrangement by Satoshi Yaginuma. The ending theme is "Kedamono Damono" by Kitsunetsuki, with lyrics by Takuro Sugawara and composition by Yoshimitsu Taki. Both songs are used throughout all 12 episodes, and are important elements in creating the atmosphere of the series.

■ Evaluation and appeal

"Killing Bites" has attracted many viewers with its unique worldview and extreme fighting scenes. The battles between the beast fighters are not just violent, but also deeply depict each character's background and feelings, leaving a strong impression on viewers. In addition, the setting of a proxy war between the four major conglomerates successfully enhances the entertainment value while incorporating social themes.

The individuality of the characters is also one of the attractions, and in particular the contrast between Hitomi's strength and fragility, and Nomoto's growth story have attracted many fans. In addition, the supporting characters such as Erza and Inaba Hajime each have their own attractive backgrounds, enriching the story.

The technical skills of the production staff were also highly praised, and the battle scenes, especially those that made full use of CGI, were realistic and powerful, making a visual impact. The music also matched the atmosphere of the work, and the theme songs "Killing Bites" and "Kedamono Damono" became popular among anime fans.

■Reasons for recommendation

"Killing Bites" is a work that combines intense fighting scenes with a deep story and attractive characters. It is especially recommended for those who like action and survival movies. It will also be enjoyed by those who like stories with social themes in the background. In addition, the quality of the CGI and music is high, making it a work that can be enjoyed visually and aurally. Please give it a watch.