Read on Twitter
now that #KemonoJihen is getting popular I see a lot of people getting into the series for aesthetic reasons so I’m making a thread to warn people of the darker, potentially triggering things to come later but I’ll mainly be highlighting Sho Aimoto’s writing style.
TW + Spoilers
TW + Spoilers
firstly I want to address the topic of Akira. Akira is one of my favorite characters simply because of what he represents. Akira is the embodiment of throwing away gender norms.
Akira is very pretty, he loves cute and sweet things but hates gross and dirty things. Akira was raised in a village where the only other male was his brother who protected him from any and all threats that would make Akira less of his pure untainted self.
His upbringing as a result has caused Akira to be very sheltered and insecure to the point that he barely uses his snow abilities. I see people sexualizing Akira because of his feminine looks and demeanor and I’m begging you all not to do that to him and I’ll explain why.
The Yuki-Onago tribe is exclusively female, a male is born to the tribe only every 100 years similar to the Gerudo tribe from The Legend Of Zelda. If the Yuki-Onago do not breed then obviously their species will die out which you can understand is a problem for them.
TW// Sexual Abuse of a minor
The way the Yuki-Onoko tribe avoid extinction is by using the sperm of young males from their tribe. This leads to Akira’s brother Yui being the one forced to breed with the women of the tribe against his will.
The way the Yuki-Onoko tribe avoid extinction is by using the sperm of young males from their tribe. This leads to Akira’s brother Yui being the one forced to breed with the women of the tribe against his will.
Yui is repulsed by these women and the things he has to do but endures so that Akira won’t have to go through the same horror. Akira has always been the singular light in Yui’s life so he sacrificed his own body and happiness to protect Akira.
A heartbreaking brotherly love story
A heartbreaking brotherly love story
After getting context into Akira & Yui’s past and the atrocities they had to experience, The Kemono Jihen fandom would greatly appreciate if people didn’t sexualize them any more than they already have been by their tribe. Let them be kids, together.
next up is Shiki and Aya’s complicated family matter.
If you’ve watched the anime you already know Shiki is a hanyo (half kemono + half human) but what you don’t know is Shiki has a younger sister who is also a hanyo, although Aya’s conception was much different than Shiki’s.
If you’ve watched the anime you already know Shiki is a hanyo (half kemono + half human) but what you don’t know is Shiki has a younger sister who is also a hanyo, although Aya’s conception was much different than Shiki’s.
when Shiki was young he had an illness that would claim his life if not treated. Kumi is an arachne kemono who could produce a thread with panacea like capabilities known as the “Golden Thread”. Shiki’s uncle approached her with this knowledge taking advantage of her situation.
TW// manipulation, Prostitution
Tademaru (fuck this dude
) is a scientist who plans to use the Golden Thread to become successful in his field. He puts Kumi through repeated trials of having sex with different Kemono breeds in order to produce The Golden Thread.
Tademaru (fuck this dude
) is a scientist who plans to use the Golden Thread to become successful in his field. He puts Kumi through repeated trials of having sex with different Kemono breeds in order to produce The Golden Thread.
Spoiler//
Eventually they accomplish “The Golden Thread” which manifests as a child Kumi loved so much that she knew her name after awaking from a coma despite meeting her. Aya’s thread has healing properties that almost defy reality.
Eventually they accomplish “The Golden Thread” which manifests as a child Kumi loved so much that she knew her name after awaking from a coma despite meeting her. Aya’s thread has healing properties that almost defy reality.
for her entire life Aya has been sheltered and not allowed to experience anything for her self. Everything in her life is decided for her from who she can speak to as far as how she dresses up until she meets her brother and is reunited with her family.
Aya starts to dress.. a bit immodestly to say the least 
and Shiki immediately voices his distaste for her new fashion sense (I fully agree with Shiki 
). This scene is very important to understanding how Sho Aimoto writes her story as well as understanding the characters.
and Shiki immediately voices his distaste for her new fashion sense (I fully agree with Shiki ). This scene is very important to understanding how Sho Aimoto writes her story as well as understanding the characters.
Firstly it’s important to understand Aya is a full blooded Kemono, she isn’t a hanyo like Shiki so in her own mind societal human norms don’t apply to her
Everyone has a different reaction to Aya’s choice of clothes. Akira is shocked that an 8 year old would wear something so bold, Kabane says Shiki should “stop her if he has the ability to” which is symbolically telling Shiki and the reader that you can’t control someone’s actions
Interestingly when Shiki asks Inugami-san to force Aya to change her clothes he chooses to listen to Aya. I think it’s very telling that the oldest and most mature person had no reaction to something so trivial. Inugami understands that clothes are just clothes and Aya is Aya.
I’ve seen people misunderstand Aya’s character and say things like “she’s acts too grown”. This is false and people only have this perception because of her crush on Kabane.
Aya has almost no interest in boys, she only has a crush on Kabane because of what he did for her family.
Aya has almost no interest in boys, she only has a crush on Kabane because of what he did for her family.
Sho Aimoto tackles a lot of very serious topics and handles them in a way that I find very creative and interesting. The way she represents equality, sexuality, and self expression is one of my favorite aspects of Kemono Jihen and it’s why Akira is one of my favorite characters
My only wish is that people don’t overreact and let surface level understanding of the themes being explored soil what i consider one of Jump’s best ongoing series.
If you made it to the end thanks for reading
Watch and Read Kemono Jihen
If you made it to the end thanks for reading
Watch and Read Kemono Jihen
