Although viewers in the US and other countries will have to wait until early 2020 to watch the anime version on Netflix, many manga fans outside of Japan are already hooked on Paru Itagaki's "Beastars," the first three volumes of which have already been published by Viz Media with a fourth one coming out on January 21st.

Since it began to be serialized in Weekly Shonen Champion in 2016, the gripping series about a high school literally divided between predators and prey, has gained attention both at home and abroad, and picked up many prizes along the way, most notably the new talent prize at the 22nd Osamu Tezuka Awards.

The Cherryton Butlers Cafe

If you're a "Beastars" fan and happen to be visiting Tokyo or Osaka during this winter holidays / New Year's season, you're in for a treat at the Cherryton Butlers Cafe.

In a special collaboration, the GOOD SMILE x animate cafe space is hosting this cafe based on the Beastars animated series at both its Akihabara, Tokyo and its Nippombashi, Osaka locations through to January 13th, 2020.

We couldn't pass on the opportunity to try it for ourselves. For the benefit of our readers (and especially fans of the series), we headed for Akihabara and boarded the elevator of the Akiba Cultures Zone building up to the 5th floor.

Entrance area

We decided to aim for dinner time and reserved a 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm time slot. (Reservations have already ended, so it's first come first serve now). There was a line of fans eagerly waiting for the doors to open.

This sign tells you which slots are still open (in red with white letters).

While you wait, a staff member will check your name and give you a token. You can use this time to review the food and drink menu as well as the list of exclusive collaboration goods you can buy inside (you can see them in more detail here):

Finally, it was time to go inside.

When you go through the doors, a staff member will collect your token and guide you to your seat.

Collaboration goods

For fans eager to buy exclusive Beastars goods, there is plenty to choose from. Here, on the top and middle shelf you can see Trading paw button pins (700 ea.):

On the bottom shelf, you can see boxes of tea cookies (1,000 JPY), which come with a bookmark card of Legosi or Louis.

There are acrylic stands of Legosi and Louis (1,600 JPY ea.)

And let's not forget one of the highlights of the merch lineup, Legosi's Shippōchi (3,500 JPY). In case you're wondering what a shippōchi is, the Japanese word for tail is shippo しっぽ, and the word for pouch bag is pōchi ポーチ, so a shippōchi is pouch bag with a tail attached to it!

Interior

The cafe has lots of eye candy to gaze at. Beginning with these large tapestries of Legosi, Haru, Louis (off camera)...

...as well as Jack, Juno, Gouhin and Bill (off camera)

And the front stage area where you'll see these cardboard panels featuring the cafe-exclusive original illustrations of Legosi and Louis looking very dapper in their "Cherryton Butlers Cafe" formalwear.

Stretching across the length of the opposite wall, you'll find shelves displaying memorable scenes from the Beastars anime, along with mini-panels of Legosi, Haru, Louis, Bill, Juno, Jack and Gouhin in their Cherryton Butlers Cafe uniforms. There's a table in the cafe with another set of these panels which you're free to take to your table while you drink or dine.

---

Table service

With every menu item you order, you'll get one of these coasters which you can take home with you:

This was our view from our table near the front stage

And our menu. As you can see, the tables are also decorated with various panels from the anime. Each table features different scenes, so it's the luck of the draw.

The waitstaff will politely explain the rules of the cafe and give you a tablet device with which you can place your order. The tablet stays with you during your time at the table so you are free to order additional items during your 90 minute slot.

Dinner time

Since we were hungry as a grey wolf, we ordered two dishes.

First up was the " 'Bite it at once' instinct-stimulating diced steak" (一噛みでいけよ 本能を刺激するサイコロステーキ) for 1,100 JPY. Inspired by the meat Black Market, this plate is decorated with an image of Legosi giving in to his feral instincts. The steak was juicy and well-seasoned with a side of cabbage and soybean sprouts. You could also make it into a sandwich with the accompanying bread and lettuce:

We brought Haru along to keep Legosi company.

We also ordered a vegetarian dish for a balanced meal. Here's the Cherryton Academy Cafeteria Herbivore Menu (チェリートン学園 食堂のごはん 草食用) for 980 JPY. It featured a healthy and delicious medley of broccoli, carrot, cherry tomato, lotus root, kabocha pumpkin, potato and baby corn, with two dipping options: sweet onion sauce and Bagna càuda. You also get soymilk donuts, a side of soymilk, and a wafer printed with the Cherryton Academy logo.

Legosi's mini-panel joined us later.

Finally, we ended with a sweet and soothing Louis' vanilla milk tea (ルイのバニラミルクティー) for 600 JPY. Topped with whipped cream, sprinkled with cocoa and festooned with a pair of wafer antlers, it's was the perfect close to our delightful Beastars dinner.

Of course, we made sure Louis stopped by...

---

Cafe Details

• Name: BEASTARS GOOD SMILE x animate cafe (Cherryton Butlers Cafe)
• Dates: Until January 13th, 2020
• Locations: GOOD SMILE x animate cafe (Tokyo, Akihabara and Osaka, Nippombashi)
• Official website: Cherryton Butlers Cafe

Address

Tokyo:

〒101-0021 東京都千代田区外神田1-7-6 AKIBAカルチャーズZONE 5F
5F Akiba Culture Zone 1-7-6 Sotokanda Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0021

Osaka:

〒556-0005 大阪府大阪市浪速区日本橋4-15-17 2F
2F Nipponbashi, 4−15−17 Naniwa Ward, Nippombashi, Osaka 556-0005