BNA – 10

「Rabid Wolf」

We’re finally getting into the meat and potatoes of BNA‘s central conflict. Although Alan’s plan to divide and irradicate beastmen comes together too perfectly, it does provide some level of substance to the final conflict as the last arc of the series begins.

Maybe it’s because we know better as the audience, but it felt like a majority of the cast was extremely gullible when it came to believing Alan and his pharmaceutical company about Nirvasyl Syndrome. Even with the number of smoking guns in this scenario, believing the notion that Nirvasyl Syndrome wasn’t a weapon of bioterrorism, but rather a product of diversity feels like a desperate push to get the Mayor to make a drastic decision to dismantle the city.

It’s so obvious, but because we can’t have a big climax without a high-stakes plot, the Mayor is fully ready to dismantle the city and allow Alan to create a chemical to turn beastmen into humans. Alan is a mediocre liar, but gets away with it because instead of losing his cool, he responds calmly as he frames his love for experimentation and creating bioweapons as part of a larger picture to save Anima City from the threats that he also helps create.

Speaking of taking people for face value, it’s no surprise that Michiru falls off the wagon during the final act. Because she has experience with Shirou being moody, she uses it constantly as ammo to shut down any of his ideas despite having been alive long enough to know what exactly happened in Nirvasyl. She wants to help him infiltrate safely, but as soon as he has any opinions of his own, they are promptly shut down and he’s accused of being angry and bitter. He hit below the belt by saying that it’s within Michiru’s human side to only be concerned about getting rid of her beastman qualities, but at this point, she has made it habit of selling him out even when he’s willing to give her the leeway to make her own dangerous decisions.

Another telegraphed move that Michiru falls for hook, line, and sinker is using Nazuna to have the two join for a live presentation for the cult. It’s the first time Nazuna’s been talkative and chatty with Michiru since she started constantly treating her like a piece of toilet paper stuck to her shoe. It’s also within reason to jump to the conclusion that the presentation is going to demonstrate just how the serum works, falling in line with why exactly these two girls were chosen to be transformed from humans to beastmen to begin with. With these events coinciding with the Mayor’s detainment after announcing her decision to dismantle Anima City (with the Minister’s disapproval to have beastmen move into human areas), it’ll be no surprise if Michiru and Nazuna weren’t just going to put on a show. With Shirou having to join up with the mafia, it’ll also be no surprise that the remaining episodes of BNA are bound to be eventful and have all parties clash together in one gigantic spectacle.