REVIEW: ‘The King’s Beast’ Volume 7

For the last five volumes, I’ve been pretty frustrated with the lack of romance in The King’s Beast. Having been promoted as a romantic thriller circling a revenge plot, Volume 6 left a sour taste in my mouth with its use of sexual assault. Last volume, Kougai attacked Rangetsu, making her ingest an aphrodisiac. Luckily she was able to fight off the effects of the potion, and in The King’s Beast Volume 7, we find out why she was able to do so. The series is created, written, and illustrated by Rei Toma based in their existing world from the Dawn of Arcana. The King’s Beast Volume 6 is published and localized in English by VIZ Media, translated & adapted by JN Productions, and features touch-up & lettering by Monaliza De Asis.

In addition, to Kougai’s attack, which confirmed his suspicion, Rangetsu was forced to forge an uneasy truce. While the secrets began to emerge slowly in the last volume, The King’s Beast Volume 7 is all about the truth about Sogestu’s supposed murder, Kougai, and his beast servant, Boku, and the power that has laid dormant inside of Rangetsu. But Boku’s confession about what he saw the night Sogetsu sent Rangetsu spiraling.

The King’s Beast Volume 7 is a turning point for the series. While I had been wavering on my investment in the series, this volume pulls everything together. Here, we get to see the weight and guilt that Rangetsu carries. We get a twist that pays off, and we get Rangetsu to become something beautiful and powerful. But for me, the most important part is that we get to see Tenyou and Rangetsu finally bridge the romantic gap between them.

First things first, Rangetsu has been shown as extremely emotional in the last few volumes while also being deeply determined to avenge her brother. With him dead, Rangetsu carries that unprocessed grief of surviving when he did not, and at the same time, Sogetsu needs to be dead to warrant all of Rangetsu’s sacrifices. Every time Rangetsu compromised herself was worth it because revenge was at the end. But what do you do at the prospect that he may be alive?

Toma expertly captures that pain and complexity as Rangetsu runs through the halls crying. She’s beautiful and wounded but also feral. There is so much grief there that is captured beautifully through internal monologue and Toma’s illustrative ability. And her pain is met by immense kindness when Tenyou embraces her after crossing the water without thought of his standing.

Overall, The King’s Beast Volume 7 is the best volume to come out yet, and it has me gasping for where the story will go next. Additionally, the play on gender seems to be getting deeper, and I can’t wait for more. There is a lot of exciting and assuredly tragic that will be coming to the series, and that’s the most exciting prospect since the series’ introduction.

 The King’s Beast Volume 7 is available wherever books are sold both physically and digitally now.