Kemono Friends is a popular anime series featuring animals in the form of girls. Among the characters, the only ones that are not animals but artificial are the Lucky Beasts. They go on great adventures alongside Kaban and Serval, and at times hold important keys to the story, making them impossible to take your eyes off of. In this article, we'll introduce you to just who the Lucky Beasts are.
Lucky Beasts are Robots
Source: Kemono Friends © Kemono Friends Project
Since episode 2, Lucky Beasts have accompanied Kaban and Serval on their journey, calling themselves Japari Park's guide robots. As a guide, they know the park's maps, topography, and building locations, and can even drive the Japari Bus, making them an indispensable part of their journey. As guide robots, there are many of the same type, connected by a network.
Lucky Beasts are the bosses of the Friends
Source: Kemono Friends © Kemono Friends Project
In fact, the Friends call Lucky Beasts "Boss." Perhaps this is because they hand out Japari Buns, the Friends' food. However, they don't seem to respect him, and he's usually treated roughly.
Lucky Beast's Surprising Behavior
Source: Kemono Friends © Kemono Friends Project
Lucky Beasts are equipped with AI, so they can converse with people. When they met the human figure, they introduced themselves and conversed normally. However, Serval, upon seeing this, exclaimed in surprise, "He spoke!" Since Lucky Beasts only speak with people, the Friends were surprised to see him speak. As guide robots, they are designed to avoid unnecessary interference with the Friends. However, they can make exceptions and intervene when people are in danger.
Lucky Beasts also manage the park
Operate the park's machinery
Source: Kemono Friends ©Kemono Friends Project
The Japari Bus, an essential part of the journey, is driven by the Lucky Beasts, who link up with the bus. It also knows the locations of the ropeway and solar power generation system. As it is the park's guide robot, it disappears or does not give hints during the park's attractions (such as the maze where the bags get lost and the quiz) to keep people entertained. This suggests that the park itself was designed as an amusement park-like facility.
Hidden features?
Source: Kemono Friends © Kemono Friends Project
In episode 3, there's a scene where the Lucky Beast cuts the grass while yelling, "Weeding, weeding." While no blades are used, the grass is beautifully cleared wherever the Lucky Beast passes. In addition to being able to drive the Japari Bus, the system also has various park management features, such as adding caterpillar tracks to the bus's tires for snowy roads.
Ingredient Management
Source: Kemono Friends ©Kemono Friends Project
Lucky Beasts not only make and distribute Japari Buns, the food of the Friends, but also produce the ingredients for Japari Buns. They also manage the park's fields and grow vegetables. It's unclear where and how the ingredients are processed into Japari Buns.
Lucky Beast's Incompetence
Freezes Immediately
Source: Kemono Friends © Kemono Friends Project
Though he appears to be a capable character, he is surprisingly mentally fragile. In episode 2, he confidently offers to guide others, but when the terrain changes and they reach a dead end, he freezes up and cries out, "Mama, mama, mama..." In episode 3, when they tried to use the ropeway while climbing a mountain but couldn't find it, he just said "Searching, searching..." to get around it. It's cute how he looks reliable but is actually a complete wreck.
Clumsy
Source: Kemono Friends ©Kemono Friends Project
In addition to freezing up easily, he's also quite clumsy, getting tangled in vines and hanging from the ceiling in the jungle, getting stuck in the sand with his bus tires in the desert and burning up completely (he's depressed), and freezing up completely on a snowy mountain.
Lucky Beasts Protect People
Source: Kemono Friends © Kemono Friends Project
As a guide robot for the park, it may sound an alarm and instruct people to escape if it determines that people are in danger. In episode 11, when the concentration of Sand Star Law increased and a large Cerulean was predicted to appear, it sounded an alarm telling people to flee to their bags. It can be a reliable guide robot at times.
Lucky Beasts' Memories
Source: Kemono Friends © Kemono Friends Project
Japari Park was once inhabited, and research on Friends and Ceruleans was conducted there. However, after a certain incident, people left the park, and the Lucky Beasts were left behind to manage the park. During that incident, Mirai, a park employee, recorded footage of the incident on the Lucky Beasts. The footage contained important information that foreshadowed the story, including the chaos surrounding the park due to the attack of the large Ceruleans, Mirai and the Friends' struggle against them, and the people who ultimately decided to retreat from the park.
The Lucky Beast's Decision...
Source: Kemono Friends ©Kemono Friends Project
During the battle with the large Ceruleans in episodes 11 and 12, the Lucky Beast begins to develop emotions. As the three of them traveled together with Kaban and Serval, they formed a bond. However, in order to defeat Cerulean, Lucky Beast decided to sacrifice himself and sink Cerulean into the sea. "It was a fun journey for the three of us," he told Serval, and just before sinking, he tried to call out their names, saying "Ka..., Sa...", and Lucky Beast was also sad to be separated from them, but he still sank into the sea in their place.
The Lucky Beasts Are Alive
Source: Kemono Friends © Kemono Friends Project
Unable to accept their separation from the Lucky Beasts, Kaban and his friends search for them on the beach. Occasionally, they spot a Lucky Beast, but it's not the Lucky Beast that traveled with them. Then, they discover a square brooch-like object hanging from the Lucky Beast's neck. At that moment, a voice calls out, "Good morning, bag." Surprised, Serval throws the brooch away (it is later picked up safely). In fact, this brooch is the Lucky Beast's AI. Its rabbit-like body was designed to allow it to move and have other functions.
Kaban and Lucky Beast Set Off on a Journey Again
Source: Kemono Friends ©Kemono Friends Project
Lucky Beast, now with no body but only AI, can now be attached to Kaban's wrist like a watch, allowing him to communicate as before. He'll be Kaban's constant companion on his journey to the far reaches of the world, providing constant support. Whether he'll be reliable or not is another matter...
Looking forward to the new Lucky Beasts
Source: Kemono Friends ©Kemono Friends Project
The new setting, Gokoguchi-chiho, is an uncharted territory for the Lucky Beasts, so the journey will be full of surprises for the trio. The new series will also feature the trio's hectic journey. Additionally, a new pink Lucky Beast, Type III, has also appeared in the app version. Perhaps a different form of Lucky Beast will appear in the new series as the person in charge of Japanese language communication. Although he has lost his body, Lucky Beast's clumsy side is still alive and well, as he doesn't anticipate the bus's battery running out. We can't take our eyes off him!
