Legoshi

{{multiple image|total_width = 300

|footer = Mathieu Amalric (left) and Kenichi Matsuyama served as influences to Legoshi.

|image1 = Mathieu Amalric at Lisbon Film Festival 2017.jpg

|alt1 = Mathieu Amalric

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|image2 = Matsuyama Kenichi from "Satoshi- A Move for Tomorrow" at Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo International Film Festival 2016 (33260944430).jpg

|alt2 = Kenichi Matsuyama

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Paru Itagaki said that her main inspiration for Legoshi was Mathieu Amalric. She first saw the actor's work through Le Scaphandre et le papillon, a film in which he plays a completely paralyzed character who can only get his messages and his emotions through the eyes. This inspired the quiet Legoshi, so she had to find a way to make him expressive by the look. The author thinks that it was this point that interested her a lot in the work at eye level. Certain characters, like Legoshi, were planned in mind during her adolescence. For example, some of these characters appeared in her doujinshi series Beast Complex; the prototype of Legoshi was in the twenties and working as a stylist assistant.{{cite journal|last=Itagaki|first=Paru|title=糸電話の回線乱れております|journal=Weekly Shōnen Champion|trans-title=Their String-Can Telephone Isn't Working|language=ja}} They have evolved since then, and the author have gradually created a story for them and Beastars is the perfect opportunity to stage them.{{cite web|last=Cailleaud|first=Nicolas|date=January 25, 2019|title=FESTIVAL D'ANGOULÊME : LA MANGAKA PARU ITAGAKI SE CONFIE AUTOUR DE BEASTARS|url=https://www.cnews.fr/culture/2019-01-25/festival-dangouleme-la-mangaka-paru-itagaki-se-confie-autour-de-beastars-807066|access-date=December 16, 2021|website=CNews}}

The story develops in a world of anthropomorphic animals that live in perfect harmony, starts with the murder of Tem the Alpaca. Instantaneously, all focus shifts to the carnivore closest to the young one that is no other than Legoshi. However, the gray wolf is a sensitive and reserved person incapable of killing anybody, representing the total opposite of a ferocious carnivore. For this reason, the history is led by a character such as Legoshi, whose vision of the world, the author recognized.{{cite web|last=Serra|date=September 11, 2019|title=Entrevista a Paru Itagaki, autora de Beastars|url=https://ramenparados.com/entrevista-a-paru-itagaki-autora-de-beastars/|access-date=December 16, 2021|website=Ramen Para Dos}} Itagaki said most importantly, she felt shy about having Legoshi do anything that seemed "manly". He certainly did not go out of his way to act as such. The author further thinks there was some distance in character between himself and Legoshi. She thinks he has grown to be a proper protagonist.{{Cite web|last=Lehecka|first=Eddie|date=February 28, 2020|title=Special Talk Session: EXILE SEKAI Speaks With BEASTARS Creator Paru Itagaki|url=https://www.otaquest.com/exile-sekai-paru-itagaki-beastars-interview/|access-date=February 28, 2020|website=Otaquest}} Itagaki split down the series for gender, and she was glad so many people sympathize with Legoshi. In regard to the character's design, Legoshi feels more beastlike in color. Had the author made up their colors, it would feel fake. Itagaki stated that she chose to make a wolf character as their similarity to dogs make them familiar to readers and that wolves' "sneaking around" makes them "cute". The name "Legoshi" refers to actor Bela Lugosi while she used Amalric as a model for Legoshi's face. She stated, "I sometimes think of Kenichi Matsuyama when I'm drawing the body."

File:Jonah Scott (53590821678).jpg

The character is voiced by Chikahiro Kobayashi in Japanese.{{cite web|last=Pineda|first=Rafael Antonio l|date=July 8, 2019|title=Chikahiro Kobayashi, Sayaka Senbongi Star in BEASTARS Anime|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-07-07/chikahiro-kobayashi-sayaka-senbongi-star-in-beastars-anime/.148771|access-date=July 8, 2019|website=Anime News Network}} Kobayashi auditioned in the studio, but just before recording the audition tape, it happened to appear on the recommended display displayed in the advertisement on the internet which surprised him. He was told that he could take both with Louis, but he only received Legoshi, as he found easier to interpret for being less cool. His impressions of the role were that Legoshi was a very complex wolf due to the setting and to the handling of animals. In regard to his personality, Kobayashi found him as a clumsy child, which changed upon meeting Haru. In the case of Legoshi, he did not find many changes in the narrative as he felt his arc delicate and stubborn. He related Legoshi to his own youth. He found the love triangle between Legoshi, Haru and Louis complex due to how close all the three are. In the first episode, Legoshi becomes obesessed with eating Haru upon smelling something which gave him a strong impression in regard to what is Legoshi's true self. At first, the impression he got reading the script was that Legoshi should be mysterious. He added he was kind of creepy, too different in the drama club with none of them knowing his depths. Kobayashi often tried sounding calmer or stronger in different scenes from the first season, as he noted Legoshi tended to act differently based on the character he is related with. His final impression of Legoshi was that he was hard to express emotions, which is why it is misleading and clumsy, so even though he had played so far, Kobayashi wonder if this can be conveyed while playing. The actor used different tools while recording the anime to produce the pitch he needed.{{cite web|date=October 9, 2019|title=秋アニメ『BEASTARS』レゴシ役・小林親弘さんインタビュー｜プレスコ収録での小野友樹さんの演技を受け「挑戦できることは全部挑戦」で臨んだ新鮮な収録現場！|url=https://www.animatetimes.com/news/details.php?id=1570051766|access-date=December 16, 2021|website=Animate Times|language=ja}}

Jonah Scott voices the character in English.{{cite web|last=Mateo|first=Alex|title=BEASTARS Anime Reveals English Dub Cast|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-02-20/beastars-anime-reveals-english-dub-cast/.156674|website=Anime News Network|access-date=February 20, 2020|date=February 20, 2020}} Scott originally auditioned for three roles and became nervous when learning that Legoshi, his chosen part, was the lead of the series, something which left a major impact in his career and no knowledge about it. He was primiarly attracted by his role due to how Beastars explores sexuality and love in a way that will attract the youth audience.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsJTF6EkO2c|title=Jonah Scott (Voice of Legoshi from Beastars) Interview Behind the Voice|via=YouTube|date=June 6, 2020|access-date=December 16, 2021}} Scott was impressed by the anime's replay style as different actors did the character's facial expressions and movements and thus had less experience than the Japanese actors. As a result, Scott practised several of Legoshi's scenes with other actors besides recording the lines. However, they avoided replicating violent scenes. Nevertheless, Scott found that having a good physical body was useful for his work. He also researched the manga and read Japanese clips. The lipsynch and framerate often provided difficult to the actor. Legoshi became one of Scott's most popular works as it was his first time as a protagonist in the anime.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8vQT2Nl2Rw|title=JTalking with the Voice of Legosi! - Jonah Scott Interview|via=YouTube|work=The Cartoon Cipher|access-date=December 13, 2024}}

Legoshi, 17 years old at the start of the story{{cite book|author=Itagaki, Paru|translator=Tomoko Kimura|title=Beastars|language=en|publisher=VIZ Media|date=July 2019|volume=1|page=204}} - First printing, and Annette Roman did the adaptation, but turns 18 years old in Volume 14,Volume 14, Chapter 120, Page 16. is a towering gray wolf. A second-year student, Legoshi works as a member of the drama club's stage crew, and enjoys watching tragic stories performed despite never having had to directly participate in them. He attempts to hide his more terrifying traits in order to better acquaint his herbivore classmates. He takes it upon himself to solve the murder of Tem. Generally conflicted with his status as a carnivore, Legoshi wishes to suppress his predatory desires, which become even more complicated as he develops confused feelings towards a dwarf rabbit named Haru. Legoshi also has a complicated past, having mostly been raised by his Komodo dragon maternal grandfather Gosha, as Legoshi's hybrid wolf-Komodo dragon mother Leano had mostly withdrawn from life and committed suicide when Legoshi was 12. Legoshi inherited Gosha's Komodo dragon eyes with small pupils and an immunity to Komodo dragon venom, though Legoshi himself is not venomous. Jack knows about Legoshi's heritage, but few others do, and at school Legoshi is registered only as a gray wolf.

Legoshi was nominated for the 5th Crunchyroll Anime Awards, under the category of the Best Male Character.{{Cite web|last=Loveridge|first=Lynzee|date=February 19, 2021|title=Crunchyroll Awards Crown Jujutsu Kaisen as Anime of the Year|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2021-02-19/crunchyroll-awards-crown-jujutsu-kaisen-as-anime-of-the-year/.169710|access-date=November 17, 2022|website=Anime News Network}}{{Cite web|last=Luster|first=Joseph|date=February 20, 2021|title=Rewatch the 2021 Anime Awards Here (and Find Out Who Won!)|url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2021/02/19-1/rewatch-the-2021-anime-awards-here-and-find-out-who-won|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220073813/https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2021/02/19-1/rewatch-the-2021-anime-awards-here-and-find-out-who-won|archive-date=February 20, 2021|access-date=February 21, 2021|website=Crunchyroll}}{{Cite web|last=Goslin|first=Austen|date=February 19, 2021|title=Jujutsu Kaisen takes home top prize at Crunchyroll's Anime Awards|url=https://www.polygon.com/2021/2/19/22291749/anime-awards-winners-list-2021|access-date=November 17, 2022|website=Polygon}} Legoshi and Haru were also voted as one of the Best Couples in anime in Anitrendz.{{cite web|url=https://anitrendz.net/charts/couple-ship/2021-02-18|title=Couple Ship Charts|website=AniTrendZ|access-date=December 16, 2021}}

Upon his introduction, Anime News Network commented on Legoshi's characterization due to how he is presented. While his attraction to Haru is obvious, the way he reacts towards her sexual intercourse proposal, makes him come across as a more active character, making the narrative more interesting.{{cite web|last=Silverman|first=Rebecca|date=September 19, 2019|title=BEASTARS GNs 1-2|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/beastars/gns-1-2/.151246|access-date=December 16, 2021|website=Anime News Network}} In another review of the manga where the narrative explores Legoshi's dilemma in regard to his attraction towards Haru, Anime News Network stated that it further explores the world building and the possibility of a carnivore developing such interest for Haru, or it is just his instincts deceiving his mind. However, when Legoshi once again interacts with Haru, the critic commented that the comments Legoshi does not understand about Haru are directly linked to real life women who fear being attacked in contrast to the social norms of males and carnivores. In conclusion, the writer felt that by those volumes, Itagaki did not provide a message to the readers in regard to Legoshi's desire, listing it as a con.{{cite web|last=Hopper|first=Faye|date=June 20, 2020|title=BEASTARS GNs 3-4|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/beastars-volumes-3-4/.160797|access-date=December 16, 2021|website=Anime News Network}}{{Cite web|last=Douresseaux|first=Leroy|date=March 19, 2020|title=Beastars: Volume 5 manga review|url=http://www.comicbookbin.com/beastars005.html|access-date=November 17, 2022|website=Comic Book Bin}} Thrillist simply described Legoshi as "a conflicted grey wolf and the antisocial protagonist that 2020 deserves" and praised how the anime makes a major change in Legoshi when he decides to win Haru's attraction rather than being passive and not staying close to her.{{Cite web|last=Robinson|first=Joshua|date=March 17, 2020|title=Netflix's 'Beastars' Is the Weird Anthropomorphic Anime Escape We Could All Use Now|url=https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/beastars-review-netflix-anime|access-date=November 17, 2022|website=Thrillist}} HobbyConsolas also praised the relationship between Haru and Legoshi as the best part of the series due to how it is portrayed;{{Cite web|last=Pozo|first=José Carlos|date=March 14, 2020|title=Crítica de Beastars temporada 1, el bestial anime de Netflix|url=https://www.hobbyconsolas.com/reviews/critica-beastars-temporada-1-bestial-anime-netflix-600755|access-date=November 17, 2022|website=HobbyConsolas|language=es}} while The Collider found it as a subversion of common tropes often found in fiction due to Legoshi's shy personality and Haru's interest in sex, and stated "The Beast, in this case, is Legoshi, a rather shy and sensitive gray wolf who spends time alongside carnivores and herbivores alike at Cherryton School's drama club. Legoshi struggles to come to terms with his innate, natural instincts as a carnivore and the conflicting feelings of love and sexual attraction to the diminutive rabbit".{{cite web|last=Trumbore|first=Dave|date=March 13, 2020|title='Beastars' Review: Devour This Fantastic Furry Series Immediately, Now on Netflix|url=https://collider.com/beastars-review-netflix-furry-series/|access-date=December 16, 2021|website=Collider}}

For the second season of the anime series, which focused on the mystery genre, IGN enjoyed Legoshi's role as he searched for the murderer of his friend, Tem, and noted that his obsession towards his goal pushes Haru away from him.{{Cite web|last=Lawanson|first=Akeem|date=July 15, 2021|title=Beastars Season 2 Review|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/beastars-season-2-review-netflix|access-date=November 17, 2022|website=IGN}} Otaquest called Legoshi and Louis "the main focus of the second season", and enjoyed the handling of Legoshi as he searches for Tem's murderer.{{Cite web|last=Parker-Dalton|first=Jacob|date=May 17, 2021|title=BEASTARS Season 2 Review: Everything Good Gets Better|url=https://www.otaquest.com/beastars-season-2-review/|access-date=November 17, 2022|website=Otaquest}} In regard to the final battle, Comic Book Resources enjoyed the handling of the friendship between Legoshi and Louis as the latter offers his own flesh to help the former become stronger and defeat the killing, sealing it as their sign of friendship.{{Cite web|last=Matadeen|first=Renaldo|date=July 20, 2021|title=Beastars: Season 2's Bloody, Emotional Ending, Explained|url=https://www.cbr.com/beastars-season-2-ending-explained/|access-date=November 17, 2022|website=Comic Book Resources}} The Fandom Post felt that Legoshi's bond with Louis produced both tension and comedy due to how Legoshi reacts when learning that the missing Louis was alive and working with the Shishigumi.{{Cite web|last=Eries|first=Sakura|date=April 7, 2021|title=Beastars Vol. #09 Manga Review|url=https://www.fandompost.com/2021/04/07/beastars-vol-09-manga-review/|access-date=November 17, 2022|website=The Fandom Post}} Vincent Jule of the French newspaper 20 minutes praised the personality of the character and described him as "like the students of Cherryton School, consumption of meat prohibited, dormitories separated according to diets. Everything is done to repress the instinct of carnivores, starting with the hero Legoshi who, behind the big bad wolf, hides a sensitive, shy, and clumsy personality".{{Cite web|last=Jule|first=Vincent|date=January 31, 2020|title=Emma (" Promised Neverland ") et Legoshi (" Beastars ") bousculent le manga|url=https://www.20minutes.fr/arts-stars/culture/2704839-20200131-video-festival-angouleme-emma-promised-neverland-legoshi-beastars-bousculent-shonen-manga|access-date=November 18, 2022|website=20 minutes|language=fr|archive-date=February 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203143017/https://www.20minutes.fr/arts-stars/culture/2704839-20200131-video-festival-angouleme-emma-promised-neverland-legoshi-beastars-bousculent-shonen-manga|url-status=live}} In another article, Collider describes that the use of animal motifs helped Legoshi become one of the best representation of teenagers in manga and anime, citing how his puberty is explored when meeting Haru and struggling with the feelings of love he develops. The difference between these two characters makes the male one cite his own identity for the first time in his life. Through Gohin, Legoshi starts to consider the feelings he has for Haru but starts to question his saviour complex which leads to create several issues. Nevertheless, Legoshi's personality makes the character likable enough for the audience to root for him.{{cite web|last=Lynn|first=David|date=August 1, 2021|title=How 'BEASTARS' Uses Anthropomorphic Animals to Create an Authentic Teenage Protagonist|url=https://collider.com/beastars-netflix-anime-legoshi-best-teenage-protagonist/|access-date=December 16, 2021|website=Collider}}

Jonah Scott noted the character's popularity by reading fans' comments in Twitter much to his surprise as there were several response charmed by the protagonist's sex appeal enough to avoid mentioning such lines due to how obscene they were.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2LiPmLspq8&t=13s|title=Anime Voice Actor Reads Your Thirst Tweets|work=Jonah Scott|via=YouTube|access-date=December 12, 2024}} Anime News Network noted the heavy parallels Beastars has with the film Zootopia with the leading characters Legoshi and Haru having a similar dynamic as Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde due to how different they are yet they remain close. This is further addressed by how both of their societies judges such characters' races. The narrative of Beastars emphasizes primarily on Legoshi's own impulses he was given which are also explored by other characters like Rea Sanka from Sankarea or Shiki Ryougi from Kara no Kyoukai.{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2020-05-27/how-similar-is-beastars-to-zootopia-really/.159668|title=How Similar is Beastars to Zootopia, Really?|work=Anime News Network|access-date=December 12, 2024}} Juan Francisco Hernández from University of the Andes (Colombia) stated noted Legoshi suffers a major struggle in his life in Beastars not only due to Tem's death in the series' beginning but also because of when he attacks Haru in the first chapters and embarks on a journey to become a proper member of the society. In exploring the character's personality and design, Hernandez noted that the protagonist's shy personality and wolf look is intentional as Japanese folklore use the wolf, alternatively called Ōkami, a wolf-like creature that chase humans and Legoshi is channeled through it to decide whether or not they should hurt others in need.{{cite web|url=https://historiadelarte.uniandes.edu.co/clio/la-influencia-del-folklore-japones-en-los-personajes-zoo-antropomorfos-de-beastars/|title=La influencia del folklore japonés en los personajes zoo antropomorfos de Beastars|work=Historia del Aerte|access-date=December 12, 2024|language=Spanish|author=Hernandez, Juan Francisco}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.akitashoten.co.jp/works/beastars/#character_sp|Legoshi at Beastars official manga website}} {{in lang|ja}}
• {{Official website|https://bst-anime.com/sp/character/|Legoshi at Beastars official anime website}} {{in lang|ja}}

{{Beastars}}

Category:Anime and manga characters introduced in 2016

Category:Anthropomorphic wolves

Category:Anthropomorphic lizards

Category:Beastars characters

Category:Fictional wolves

Category:Fictional lizards

Category:Hybrid characters in comics

Category:Male characters in anime and manga

Category:Male characters in television

Category:Orphan characters in anime and manga

Category:Orphan characters in television

Category:Teenage characters in anime and manga

Category:Teenage characters in television