Jyu-Oh-Sei - Planet Of The Beast King Complete Series

It's nice to watch an anime mini-series with such a cohesive story arc across two discs, with no delay waiting for additional discs. 'Jyu-Oh-Sei' is really compulsive viewing, with every episode adding a new twist to the arc. It's certainly an ambitious animation, going for a rich, wide-scoped narrative that barely fits into the constraints of its 11 episodes.

In common with just about every anime series I've seen, Jyu-Oh-Sei is based on a popular manga, on this occasion, one that's been penned by Natsumi Itsuki, and entitled 'Chimera', the name of the hostile planet where all the action takes place. It's a planet that the crew of the original 'Star Trek' would have hated, full of man-eating plants and poisons, as well as being in pitch-black darkness for half the year. Oh - and there's lots of political survivalist shenanigans going on too, so chances of survival are extremely slim.

But I'm racing ahead of myself. Let's fill in some back-story without spoiling too much of the plot (I hope!).

350 years have passed since humans first settled the Balkan star system, located approximately 150 light years from Earth, where a number of planets have been "terraformed" to resemble Earth. Two 12-year-old twins, Thor and Rai, live on a space colony called Juno until they come home to find their parents have been murdered. Unknown assailants gas the children knocking them out. They wake up in Chimera, a secret planet used as a penal colony.

The boys are attacked by the planet's carnivorous plants, as well as humans known as the "Wildlings". Lead by Zagi, the group consists of younger adults and kids who were abandoned by one of the four groups of humans, called "Rings" who keep up some form of civilised life on the planet. These Rings (Ochre Ring, Sun Ring, Blanc Ring and Night Ring) are tribes based on skin colour.

The Wildlings beat Rai after he spills water, a precious commodity. When Zagi warns Thor that Rai will hold him back and that the others will "cull" him during the next night phase, the boys leave. Rai has always been the weaker of the two twins.

While trying to escape an attack from the Blanc Ring, one of the two boys (Rai) is killed by a plant, and Thos is unable to save him. So suddenly the story of two little boys is all about just one.
Thor is rescued by a woman named Tiz who, along with a man named 'Third' (who is the third most important leader in his 'Ring') takes him to the Ochre Ring, which is the one they belong to. After treating Thor's wounds, they explain the planet's politics to him. He learns that each ring is lead by three people: the Top, Second, and Third. He also learns that due to woman making up only 20% of the population, they are considered extremely special, and they live apart from men. In fact not only do they 'breed' in just one month of the year, they choose their own husbands, and when they do, it's not good form to refuse. But that's exactly what the spirited Thor does when Tiz chooses him (though their relationship eventually moves on...but I don't want to spoil things!).



It transpires that time is running out for Thor. He has not received medication and he discovers that without some the medical care he is unlikely to survive more than a few years. He is determined to uncover the person behind his parents' murder and find out why he and his brother were left to die on a planet kept secret from the general populace of their home planet, Juno.

The Third of the Ochre ring who helps save Thor with the help of the female Tiz seems to have his own agenda. He appears to be a laid back and genuinely supportive but the maybe all is not as it seems. Who can Thor trust?

Before long, through his spirited refusal to play by any rules but his own, Thor has made his own ring, a group that will help him get to the Dragon Pagoda, the tower that reaches out into space where he hopes to find his answers and gain revenge - against a man named Odin, once a friend of his Fathers. (Thor vs. Odin? Where have I heard that before?!).



Five years into his time on the planet, his advanced aging now has him looking like a young and handsome man. He has done much for the Ring and has made himself a life on this inhospitable planet. But still he yearns for the truth and for that he needs to get to space, which means that he needs to become the Beast King.

Despite the fast moving narrative, and the endlessly satisfying and very grand story arc, there is much in Jyu-Oh-Sei in terms character development and relationships. It's a veritable sci-fi soap.
The near legendary 'Bones' collective worked on the animation and it's very striking with really impressive colouring and lots of imaginative conception going way beyond the norm.
Bonus features include clean opening and closing animation, FUNimation trailers, and original Japanese commercials. In other words, not much. But with six episodes on the first disc, and five on the second, it's a well packed packaged set already.

Overall, I would really recommend this to both lovers of the genre as well as to newcomers who may well find out what all the fuss is about and why anime can be so horribly addictive!  A first class release which will please fans of anime old and new. Definitely recommended!