If you are on TikTok, you may have encountered a particular cover of the song “Beggin’” as an audio clip. The band who made this iteration of the song is none other than Måneskin, an Italian rock band formed in Rome. Earlier this year, they dropped their third studio album, Rush! “TIMEZONE”, a single off the new album, recently got its own music video. However, instead of the video featuring band members like usual, this features clips from the BEASTARS manga. So, you may be asking, what is BEASTARS and how did these two worlds collide?
Background
BEASTARS is a Japanese series written and illustrated by Paru Itagaki. It is about anthropomorphic animals and the divide between herbivores and carnivores, similar to Zootopia. The main character, Legoshi, is a timid gray wolf who defies the predator stereotype that they are aggressive creatures. One night, an alpaca is brutally murdered and devoured, setting off a wave of distrust between the students. It is an all-in-one mystery, drama, and romance story. No spoilers!
The Music Video
Since the anime is partially a love story, it shows clips of Legoshi and Haru, a dwarf rabbit. The video aligns with the lyrics, as lead vocalist Damiano David sings about losing his mind while Legoshi goes crazy as he tries not to eat Haru. The chorus line, “Only thing that keeps us apart,” shows Legoshi saving Haru from the villains. As the song progresses, it offers more clips of their romance as the characters get closer. David said that BEASTARS is one of his favorite animes and thinks the characters are more human than us, even if they are animals.
When I watch it, I actually forget that they are animals; there are so many things relatable as humans. I think it’s one of the deepest in terms of meaning and structure in the anime I have seen; it’s really meaningful and emotional.”
Damiano David with Sony Music Japan
So how do beastars and “timezone” work together?
“TIMEZONE” is about a long-distance romance where David is separated by “7000 miles” and in “a different timezone.” The thing that is keeping them apart is his profession in music because of touring. He wants to be with the person, but his lifestyle doesn’t match. Ultimately, he asserts that “this fame” is less important than his lover. The story has similarities with BEASTARS, where the two lovers are naturally predator and prey, but they try to make the relationship work. Because of David’s love for the anime, Itagaki and Måneskin met backstage at their concert in Japan. The illustrator created the drawing of the band and main characters together, and gave it to them to sign and keep.
Final Thoughts
I love the sound of this song. It is somber but still has that rock feel to it. The chorus has this explosive sound that contrasts with the slow plucking at the beginning. David’s voice has emotion behind it as he longs for someone he can’t be with. Guitarist Thomas Raggi has a solo near the end, matching the song’s mood and adding a little flare. I think artists should do more out-of-the-box collaborations to intrigue fans. Most artists partner with clothing brands which made this one surprising. I’m excited to see what the future holds!
