Title: The King’s Beast Vol. 18
Author: Rei Toma
Publisher: Viz Media
Language: English
Format: Paperback
Pages: 171
Genre: Romance, Fantasy
Publication Date: July 7, 2026
Final Thoughts
We have finally arrived at the last volume of The King’s Beast! This final volume only contained two chapters along with quite a bit of bonus content… mainly some “special” scenes to satisfy those who wanted to see Tenyou and Rangetsu spend some “quality time” together.
While it was only two main chapters, I have to say… I can’t believe that the succession games actually returned. Sure, it took until the very last chapter of the series, but it’s nice to know they were never truly forgotten. I will say I was a bit surprised by the outcome, but at the same time, the goals our characters set for themselves were met, so all is well that ends well!
Reflecting on this series, I have to say that I truly enjoyed it. Rangetsu was a great character who simply wanted to know what happened to her brother. She trusted no one, not even Prince Tenyou. He had to win her over slowly, and even though he thought she was a guy the entire time, you could still tell how gentle he was for a prince. The early stages of the series placed Rangetsu’s true gender as the big mystery. We all knew that it would eventually get revealed, but when it did, it didn’t feel like this huge grand affair. Instead, I was quite surprised to see so many people working together to try to protect her.
Then, we got the war arc with Rangetsu going off to the battlefield. Because of this and the war arc’s aftermath, we saw two transitions of power, but I liked how Ajin weren’t immediately accepted. In the realm of fiction, it’s easy to just have things go your way, but to have the commoners not fully take to the idea that Ajin should be treated as equals is something that we face here in everyday life when it comes to cross culture.
That realistic element was handled quite well, and it planted some seeds of doubt into Tenyou’s goals. I felt that the series could have elaborated on this a bit more than it did to truly drive home the tensions, but I’m still satisfied with what we received.
As for the romance aspect of this series, I felt it was really well done. The respect and patience of Tenyou is a rare virtue among men, and how he did everything he could to make Rangetsu feel special and appreciated was also endearing. Even when they had a bit of a falling out early-to-mid series, he still made making up with her his top priority. Rangetsu came into the imperial capital with vengeance on her mind, and Tenyou only had one thought… easing her tension. He was truly the counterbalance to her, and his influence slowly shaped her character in a very satisfying slow burn.
Overall, this was a fantasy romance done very well. Every part of the story felt equally important, with each aspect taking its turn in the spotlight. While it did, nothing felt disjointed, and it flowed smoothly. All of the characters were well-written and made you believe in them, too.
One thing that I will mention is that Romantasy (or Fantasy Romance) is not a genre that I particularly enjoy. Something about princes and dukes, and royal hierarchies are quite off-putting for me. I much prefer typical slice-of-life fantasy, and yet, something about The King’s Beast drew me in and made an enjoyer out of me.
If you don’t believe me, then here… have my final score.
Overall Score: 4 / 5
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This item was provided for review by VIZ Media
