Chapter 163 (Beastars)

Don't Look Down, Your Hair Will Get into Your Eyes (下を向くな毛先が目に入るから) is Chapter 163 of the manga Beastars written and illustrated by Paru Itagaki, published in the Weekly Shōnen Champion of the Akita Shoten publishing house.

Synopsis
After telling the Shishigumi the story of how he killed his mother and how she never lose her smile even after death, Agata wonders why Melon is now telling them his past with his mother. As far as they know, it might be all fake, and even he doubts if he would really make up such a story for them. Even is he was just feeling emotional from catching a scent that reminded him of his mother, this all seems too convenient, so Agata suspects that Melon is already aware of their plan to kill him today.

Not knowing what to do, Agata reaffirms the resentment and hatred that he feels towards Melon, remembering how he did not allow them to eat anything but Melons and how he killed Dolph for the turf war. So fed up, the lions decide to kill Melon and make a divination to choose who would be in charge of killing him, but Agata, not convinced of this, offered to do it himself.

Having Melon in front of him, Agata nervous and sweaty, feels an immense heat that really makes him want to trim his mane. Taking off his blazer, Agata reflects on how all male lions are cowards, get nervous easily, which makes their bodies get hot, wondering why lions even have manes, meaningless decorations that are just hot and annoying, which wouldn't be a problem if they made the lions strong. He wonders how they just amuse themselves with divinations and gambling while relying on their feline supernatural sense. Melon points out that Agata is acting strangely and Agata, seeing his fellow lions, reflects on how much they have suffered from the weight of being called "the king of beasts".

Reflecting on the time when he was a child, Agata remembers when he was nominated to be the class rep despite not having the best grades, while at home his mother had a lot more authority than his father, and ruled the household like a fearsome tyrant. In adolescence, he became a delinquent as an act of rebellion and, despite his unimpressive strength, he got a few followers. As he continued to walk the path of evil, Agata discovered that even in the Black Market male lions are feared and as he started talking to them, he discovered that they had similar roots and those lions were the Shishigumi. These "kings of beasts" who complained about things that they would never tell any other species and sympathized with them, Dolph paid special attention to him since he was the youngest lion. Dolph convinced him not to trim his mane, claiming that the darker the color of the mane, the stronger the lion, so every male lion, from the day he is born, wants to look good in a mane and become a true king of beasts. For these reasons, Agata feels that if he doesn't avenge Dolph now, his mane will stay a suffocating decoration for the rest of his life.

Agata berates Melon for killing Dolph, one of his precious comrades, without the slightest remorse, but Melon excuses himself by stating that they needed a lot of blood at the time and asks Agata if he doubts his leadership and if he is thinking of overthrowing him. Agata totally terrified by the Melon's presence, thinks about the Meat-Loving Day and how he thought that Melon is a demon that fits just in the Black Market, and ever since that day, more carnivores as starting to worship the Shishigumi and Melon. Before Agata concludes that Melon, being the offspring of a carnivore and an herbivore, is a genuine king of beasts, Dolph shows up after two weeks of absence, surprising everyone. Dolph turns to Melon and states that their bodies are not weak enough to let him cut through their necks, and that their manes are not just for show. Dolph states that Melon being a complete villain and they having the bodies of kings of beasts, proposes to make up and rebuild the Shishigumi, accepting Melon's cruelty. Melon accepts the pact and all the Shishigumi kneel before Melon, including Agata who understands why Dolph convinced him not to trim his mane, so he decides not to trim his mane until he becomes a king of beasts in the Black Market with Melon.

Characters

 * Melon
 * Melon's Mother (flashback)
 * Agata
 * Miguel
 * Free
 * Dolph
 * Jinma
 * Hino (cameo)
 * Ibuki (flashback)

Important Events

 * It is revealed that the Shishigumi set out to kill Melon on their own. However, they fail.
 * It is revealed that Melon's influence has grown in the Black Market.
 * It is revealed that Dolph is still alive and returns to the Shishigumi.
 * The Shishigumi give up their desire to overthrow Melon and submit to his cruel leadership.

Trivia

 * Two weeks have passed since the turf war in Chapter 156.
 * In Agata's flashback, Dolph can be seen in his current appearance instead of his previous short-haired appearance.
 * How Dolph survived Melon slitting his throat is not revealed, but it is implied that Gohin saved him.