BNA

Throughout history, humans have been at odds with Beastmen—a species capable of changing shape due to their genetic "Beast Factor." Because of this conflict, Beastmen have been forced into hiding. Anima City serves as a safe haven for these oppressed individuals to live free from human interference.

During a festival celebrating the town's 10th anniversary, Michiru Kagemori, a human who suddenly turned into a tanuki, finds that Anima City is a far cry from paradise. After witnessing an explosion in the square, she is confronted by Shirou Ogami, a seemingly indestructible wolf and sworn protector of all Beastmen. As they pursue the criminals behind the bombing, the two discover that Michiru is anything but an ordinary Beastman, and look to investigate her mysterious past and uncanny abilities. Could she turn out to be the missing link between Humans and Beastmen?

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Kagemori, Michiru Main

Morohoshi, Sumire Japanese

Ogami, Shirou Main

Hosoya, Yoshimasa Japanese

Hiwatashi, Nazuna Supporting

Naganawa, Maria Japanese

Itami, Marie Supporting

Murase, Michiyo Japanese

Jackie Supporting

Han, Megumi Japanese

Flip, Nina Supporting

Maeshima, Ami Japanese

Sylvasta, Alan Supporting

Ishikawa, Kaito Japanese

Kuro Supporting

Motohashi, Daisuke Japanese

Flip, Giuliano Supporting

Tadano, Youhei Japanese

Cliff, Boris Supporting

Koyasu, Takehito Japanese

Tsutsumi, Naoko Producer

Yoshinari, You Director, Storyboard, Key Animation

Ootsuka, Masahiko Sound Director, Episode Director, Storyboard, Executive Producer

Miyajima, Yoshihiro Episode Director, Storyboard

Reviews

Jul 12, 2025

AshParth

Recommended

This was another anime that I remember watching a long while ago, and as it turns out, it is now around five years old. I figured why not give this a watch, dub back-to-back, a second time to refresh on how unique this was. Made by Studio Trigger, in case you're wondering. Same people who had given us Kill la Kill. This was unique as it was like Zootopia, but with beastman, who you may remember being common in fantasy anime. So, if you love furries, this might catch your interest.
Jokes aside, the story revolves around Michiru, who was human ... but was tuned into a beastman due to what will be revealed later in the show, running her way into Anima City, where beastman thrive without worries. Okay, crime does exist like anywhere, but where no humans are allowed unless it's politically important. Upon her arrival, she meets up with a wolf named Shirou, who might be more than he seems to be, with a sole duty to protect Anima City and its residents. With the help of Mayor Rose, who is a naked mole rat, a mink who deals in shady business named Marie, and husband and wife, Gem and Melissa, a cockerel and wombat, Michiru now settles in as a new resident.
But trouble comes around any corner whether Michiru has to get involved, whether it involves a crime boss named Flip, a beluga whale, or involving the president of Sylvesta named Alan. During her time, she looks for her friend named Nazuna as well as to find a cure to beastmanitis, which all of that has been revealed later in the series. What surprises her the most is that she can do more than what she can do as a tanuki. Matter of fact, she can run like a cheetah, fly like a falcon, camouflage like a chameleon, deliver punches like a gorilla, and possibly much more thanks to her current DNA. Or should I say BNA.
The story is consistent with how much shenanigans Michiru can get into with or without Shirou before finding the cure as well as finding Nazuna. Though it might sound odd that I kinda wanted more. Like a few more episodes. There is no pacing issue, before you ask. I feel like there is more to her discovering more animal abilities besides what I've listed in the last paragraph as well as bringing out more character between her and everyone else. We do know more about Mayor Rose, Shirou, Nazuna, the church that she is in, and Alan. Though I will admit, in the last episode, there is a reveal that felt like a last minute add-in since it was a trend that involves a true villain, or rather, what the villain really is, that gripes me a lot. This wasn't the anime that started that trend, though. Even seeing it now had me feeling some backlash, saying, "Where the hell did that come from?" I know they were building the character up as the main antagonist, but that reveal felt like it came out of nowhere. But I digress. The story is well-written and constructed. I just wanted a little more.
The animation is as you would expect from Studio Trigger, as you've seen from Kill la Kill. Except it feels like an improvement when you look between the two series. Making the beastman behave like their given animalistic behavior as well as being as human as they can change themselves to be. Not to mention that there was this disease called Nirvasyl Syndrome that comes into play and cranks up the animation up to eleven. The same goes for the action. Whether fighting off other regular beastman, beastman who is suffering from the disease, robots, and regular humans.
And yes, there is a message on tackling racism as you'd see it from fantasy anime when beastman are always viewed as bad. Though it's a good one since beastman are just as human as, well, humans. Even the ending of the anime works well, even for that brief moment. I do admit that some of the side characters that show up in their own episode are forgettable, yet still make the episodes go. Some of the jokes don't work out well, like mistaking Marie as something else but a mink.
The voice cast is, in my honest opinion, great. Sumire Morohoshi and Cherami Leigh as Michiru. Yoshimasa Hosoya and Benjamin Diskin as Shirou. Maria Naganawa and Xanthe Huynh as Nazuna. Kaito Ishikawa and Robbie Daymond as Alan. Garage Takashima and Cindy Robinson as Mayor Rose. Everyone on both ends played well. There was a speculation that Jackie was mistaken as either gender as in Japanese, Jackie is a girl, and in English, she was referred to as he. the Trigger BNA Livestream did reveal that Jackie was female. It was international yet kept ambiguous during design and production as she has both masculine and feminine traits. Honestly, that sounds like Ed from Cowboy Bebop as she was an ambiguous character, and even Shinichiro Watanabe shrugged it off and said, "Whether Ed is a boy or girl, Ed is Ed." Guess that could be the same for Jackie as Jackie is Jackie.
Overall, this is still a great anime involving beastman in their own city like you'd see in Zootopia or in BEASTARS. Seeing Michiru going through with her new life is fun while also cool to see her wield more than just being a tanuki. Funny thing, in various media, tanuki can change to anything else like the Tanuki Suit in Super Mario or the Tanuki in Pom Poko. The cast are likable as well as seeing what goes on with their lives. Sure, there are things that do make me nitpick, but it doesn't stop me from having fun with this anime. Whether you're into furries or not, I'd recommend this.
With that said, I'm giving this anime eight smug Michiru before batting out of ten. 8/10.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Nov 26, 2025

Rombonn

Mixed Feelings

BNA is a show that's honestly pretty decent but like while I was watching through the season, the thought of "I could be watching beastars instead" repeatedly came up. This is because BNA is kinda like beastars if it were worse in story but also if it had a great art style. If I'm being honest, the fact that studio trigger made it was like 90% of the reason I watched this show. The Slice of Life elements with Michiru trying to blend into Anima City is great, I wont lie, but a decent amount of the plot points in the latter half of the ... show bored me. These plot points kinda make me think they saw what beastars and like zootopia did and thought "we've gotta do that too!!", when they really didnt need to. I think this show would've been great as more of a Slice of Life with the beastmen's stuggle mixed in, rather than the Slice of Life element being sidelined by like episode 5. Overall still an enjoyable watch, but I just think its competitors did the 'animals in a city but they all hate each other for one reason or another' genre better.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Mar 7, 2023

TheLazyCommunist

Not Recommended

I'm convinced that Trigger has some of the most talented artists in the industry and some of the worst writers. Or pushiest executives. The show is gorgeous, vivid, and genuinely a breath of fresh air compared to some of the art styles of the modern era. The writing, on the other hand, really needs to have some more room to explore what it is its even trying to say. There is such a non committal game being played with the messaging and themes that it makes me believe an original story was had, and was great, but a room full of studio execs pulled it ... apart until it was such a shadow of itself that it became no longer recognizable. And it truly is a shame. Another victim of selective artistic expression due to a drive to be universally marketable from those who only see art as a commodity.

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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