The Beastars manga series features an extensive cast of characters created by Paru Itagaki.
Legoshi (レゴシ, Regoshi) is a towering gray wolf and a second-year student at Cherryton Academy. A gentle and reserved member of the drama club's stage crew, he conceals his intimidating traits to coexist with his herbivorous classmates. Legoshi becomes invested in uncovering the truth behind the murder of his schoolmate, Tem. This investigation intensifies his internal conflict regarding his carnivorous nature and his predatory instincts, which are further complicated by his growing attachment to Haru. Legoshi was raised primarily by his Komodo dragon grandfather, Gosha, and possesses inherited traits such as distinctive reptilian eyes and an immunity to Komodo dragon venom.
Itagaki had first conceptualized a wolf character while she attended junior high school; the design ideas remained similar, but over time she had different ideas for the character's story. 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". [3] The name "Legoshi" refers to actor Bela Lugosi while she used Mathieu Amalric as a model for Legoshi's face. She stated "I sometimes think of Kenichi Matsuyama when I'm drawing the body." [3]
Haru (ハル), a third-year, is the lone member of Cherryton's gardening club and general outcast of the school due to her promiscuity. As a white dwarf rabbit, she often finds herself being treated as a fragile individual by society and wants to be validated as a person; she feels that having sex is the only way she can feel in control of herself. Haru tends to keep people at a distance, even those like Legoshi and Louis who wish to become closer with her.
Louis (ルイ, Rui) the red deer, 18 at the start of the story, [5] is a third-year student at Cherryton and star actor of the school's drama club. Prideful and confident, Louis has a dream to become the next Beastar. He tends to look down upon those around him and assert his dominance even as an herbivore surrounded by carnivores. Though typically manipulative for his own desires, Louis has shown compassion and respect (especially with Legoshi) that evolves over the course of the story. He has been romantically entangled with Haru.
Itagaki gives the character a "feminine" appearance, and that of the characters as of Volume 2 he "is the most difficult character[...] to draw" due to issues in making him show emotional characteristics, adding that she did not have difficulty drawing the actual parts of the character. [5] Itagaki stated that she chose the name "Louis" due to its upper class connotations. [5]
Juno (ジュノ) is a first-year female gray wolf student and new member of the drama club who falls in love with Legoshi at first sight after he protects her from bullies, having heard of him prior to meeting him. She is determined to win his heart and become a Beastar alongside him, to create a new peaceful era for all carnivores together.
Gohin (ゴウヒン, Gōhin) is a giant panda who works as a psychiatrist and back-alley doctor, who treats and rehabilitates carnivores whose predatory instincts start to overtake them. He first encounters Legoshi when he passes out in the Black Market, and at first assumes that Legoshi is one of many carnivores succumbing to their feral instincts, but soon develops something of a friendship with him, eventually becoming a mentor of sorts to him.
The Shishigumi are a back-alley gang of lions that are one of the four major criminal organizations that control the Black Market. Among its members are:
The Dokugumi are a gang of Komodo dragons that are one of the four major criminal organizations that control the Black Market. Each of its members wear gas masks or anything that can cover their mouths.
The Inarigumi are a gang of female foxes that are one of the four major criminal organizations that control the Black Market.
The Madaragumi are a gang of leopards and jaguars that are one of the four major criminal organizations that control the Black Market.