Chapter 187 (Beastars)

An Examination of the Phrase "Running Like a Rabbit" (「脱兎のごとく」の考察) is Chapter 187 of the manga Beastars written and illustrated by Paru Itagaki, published in the Weekly Shōnen Champion of the Akita Shoten publishing house.

Synopsis
Louis and Kyuu run into the Black Market. Louis, recalling how many times Legoshi had been wounded in his previous fights, is left wondering about his condition at this point in his fight with Melon. The two stop, and Louis is shocked to see a bleeding and heavily injured Legoshi running away from Melon. The two can only stand and watch the chase.

As Melon pursues Legoshi, the wolf remarks to himself that he is getting weaker as Melon is getting stronger, and that he cannot fight on an even level now. Melon taunts Legoshi, stating that his hunting instincts inherited from his mother are in high gear. He quickly catches up to Legoshi and pins him by the throat, demonstrating his superior strength by lifting Legoshi with just one hand. Melon begins to violently strangle the wolf while psychotically ranting about how placing pressure on the neck is a sign of love and death, and how his mother was the kind of female who no one ever should have associated with. Legoshi struggles to escape from Melon's grip, but already weak and injured, his strength falters and he begins to black out.

As his consciousness fades, Legoshi notes that all he can see is his hands in front of him. He begins to recall how every time he felt clueless and anxious, especially regarding the relationship between herbivores and carnivores, his hands would always be right in front of him―the anxiety he felt due to how his clawed hands could take a life if he desired. He questions how insignificant they really are compared to the fear of one's life about to be taken away.

Limp and on the verge of death, Legoshi begins to whine and whimper. Melon gloats at Legoshi's cowardice, but Kyuu quietly notes that this display of fear was what Legoshi was lacking all along: a survival instinct. She states that only strong animals have cowardly hearts. Melon is stunned when Legoshi suddenly reawakens and breaks free. Legoshi finally declares his will to live.

Outside the entrance to the Black Market, Gosha and Yahya are being hassled by a TV crew who are begging to be let in. As he denies them entrance, Yahya becomes suspicious when he spots an older man with distinctive horns in the crowd who strongly resembles Melon.

Characters

 * Legoshi
 * Louis
 * Kyuu
 * Bill/Adler (flashback)
 * Shishigumi (flashback)
 * Melon
 * Haru (flashback)
 * Gosha
 * Yahya
 * Melon's Father (debut)

Important Events

 * Louis arrives at Legoshi's fight only to see that Legoshi is running away terrified of Melon.
 * Melon gets stronger and stronger and dominates his fight against Legoshi.
 * After momentarily losing strength, and the courage to fight, Legoshi regains his will to live.
 * Yahya spots a possible relative of Melon's.

Trivia

 * Numerous flashbacks from previous chapters are shown in this chapter:
 * Legoshi and Bill's onstage fight in Chapter 15.
 * Legoshi and a Shishigumi lion's header in Chapter 40.
 * Legoshi after having eaten Louis's leg in Chapter 95.
 * The saiga antelope old man from Chapter 22.
 * Haru sitting on the stairs in Chapter 83.