To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts (Katsute Kami Datta Kemono-tachi e) is a dark fantasy manga series written and illustrated by Maybe. The anime adaptation is directed by Jun Shishido and written by Shigeru Murakoshi. Season 1 began airing July 1st, 2019 with the final episode of the season airing on September 16th, 2019.
You want to watch a depressing anime? Then by all means, watch To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts. No, seriously, it’s great, but it punches you right in the feels like halfway through episode 1. Now, the plot for this series isn’t complicated but it does require some explaining for those who haven’t seen it, so bear with me for a couple paragraphs. Or just go watch the first episode because they cover all of this immediately, which I appreciate, but the plot doesn’t really make sense without the background. I mean, war is involved, and to explain a war without context or history behind it makes no sense. But also if you know American history, this story will sound familiar…minus the monsters.
So, 100 years ago, settlers ventured to a new the continent of Patria, swiftly established a democratic nation and everything was totally fine. Until an energy source they called, “Somnium ore” was discovered. Somnium ore ignited a conflict between the industrial Northern Union and the Southern Confederation mining towns (sounds awfully familiar, maybe) and Patria was thrust into civil war. The South had vast numbers and were backing the North into a corner (seriously, so familiar), that is, until the North unleashed a secret weapon: Incarnates (and now things get anime), which were created by Dr. Elaine Bluelake (Voiced by Mamiko Noto).
Incarnates were genetically altered human soldiers with the ability to transform into giant mythical beasts. The Incarnates were a small group, but they were powerful enough to destroy entire enemy strongholds with just a couple of them. Finally, a peace treaty was negotiated, but the terms of the treaty involved the destruction of the Incarnates, who had slowly begun to lose their humanity and turn into the beasts whose forms they took. This is clearly a plan that would go smoothly and no one would be upset about being turned into a literal monster and then being murdered because of it. Suffice to say, it didn’t go over well with everyone.
In particular, Vice-Captain Cain Madhouse (Voiced by Yuichi Nakamura) – what a name – had other plans. Rather than be killed, Cain shot Elaine and left her and his Captain, Hank Henriette (Voiced by Katsuyuki Konishi), for dead, fleeing with the surviving Incarnates across the continent to create their own society. Despite what should have been a fatal wound, Hank survived.
Now he must fill the promise he made to the Incarnates, those who were his team and his friends, that should they lose themselves and become beasts, they will be killed by their own. Hank isn’t alone though. A young woman named Nancy Schaal Bancroft (Voiced by Ai Kakuma) – daughter of John William Bancroft, who was an Incarnate – decides to travel with him to hunt down the beasts. Initially, it is because she hates Hank for killing her father but slowly, she begins to understand why Hank needs to do this and why his has to kill those who were once his dear comrades.
The fight scenes between the Incarnates are just enthralling to watch, and they happen often so it’s not like we have to wait 10 episodes (lookin’ at you DBZ) for Hank to fight one opponent. While Nancy starts off kind of useless and annoying, she slowly begins to develop into a character you like, brave and a fierce fighter with her elephant gun. The emotional conflict is strong with this series.
Of course, you see Hank’s history with his team and you watch as they slowly turn into mindless monsters, but there’s that shred of their humanity left that makes it hard to accept that Hank has to kill them. On the other hand, some of them, like Cain, embrace their monstrous instincts and do as they please (mainly killing innocents) without remorse. It’s quite the moral dilemma of a series and like I said in the beginning, be ready to feel all the sads.
OVERALL SCORE: 8 / 10
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