The Beast Player (獣の奏者) is a Japanese novel series written by Nahoko Uehashi and published by Kodansha between 2006 and 2009. It focuses on a girl who can control the greatest of beasts as she gets involved in a war between two territories of one kingdom. The original novel has been adapted as a manga serialized in Kodansha's Monthly Shōnen Sirius since October 25, 2008, and as an anime television series, called Erin (獣の奏者エリン) produced by Production I.G and Trans Arts that aired in Japan on NHK from January 10 to December 26, 2009.

Plot

The original novel

10-year-old Elin lives with her mother Sohyon in the kingdom of Lyoza. They live in territory governed by the Aluhan, the Grand Duke. Their village raises Toda, dragon-like creatures ridden by the Aluhan's army. Sohyon, who is from a secretive nomadic tribe called the Ahlyo, is the head Toda Steward. One night, the Toda under her care mysteriously die. Sohyon is blamed for their death and sentenced to be eaten alive by wild Toda. On the day of the execution, Elin attempts to save her mother, but Toda surround them before they can escape. Sohyon warns Elin that what she is about to do is a mortal sin: She whistles to the Toda, and for a moment they become calm. She places Elin on the back of a Toda, and it carries Elin away while the remaining Toda devour Sohyon. Elin washes ashore in land governed directly by the Yojeh, the divine ruler of Lyoza. An elderly beekeeper named Joeun adopts her. He teaches her how to play the harp. One summer, Joeun and Elin take their bees deep into the mountains. They see wild Royal Beasts, dangerous and majestic creatures that are symbols of the Yojeh. When Toda attack a Royal Beast cub, the cub's mother whistles, causing the Toda to tamely submit while the mother slaughters them. Elin turns 14. She enrolls at Kazalumu Beast Sanctuary to become a beast doctor. She meets Leelan, an injured young Royal Beast. Leelan has refused to eat since her injury and is near death. Elin begs the headmistress Esalu to be allowed to care for Leelan. Esalu agrees. When Elin uses her harp to imitate the sounds of wild Beasts, Leelan eats. Elin begins raising Leelan like a wild Beast. She refuses to use the Silent Whistle, which protects beast doctors by paralyzing the Beasts, or to give Leelan tokujisui, a potion required by the Royal Beast Canon. Leelan becomes unusually attached to Elin, allowing Elin to approach and even touch her. When Elin is 18, Leelan learns to fly, a skill unheard of in captive Beasts. An Ahlyo approaches Elin. He tells her that communicating with Beasts is a mortal sin, and he warns her that allowing Leelan to fly will cause unspeakable disaster. That winter, an injured wild Royal Beast named Eku is brought to Kazalumu for treatment. Eku mates with Leelan, who becomes the first captive beast to ever become pregnant. Elin graduates at the top of her class. So that she may continue to care for Leelan, she becomes a teacher at Kazalumu. Leelan bears a cub, Alu. The elderly Yojeh Halumiya visits Kazalumu to see Alu. When the Yojeh and her adult nephew Damiya approach, Eku moves to protect his cub. Everyone sees Elin calm Eku with her harp. Damiya tries to convince Elin to move herself and Leelan to Lazalu Beast Sanctuary, near the capital, but Elin refuses. As the Yojeh returns home, Toda riders ambush her. Elin rides Leelan into battle. Leelan slaughters the attackers, but the Yojeh suffers a concussion. When the Yojeh recovers, she asks Elin to protect her with Leelan. Elin refuses. Alone with the Yojeh and the Yojeh's bodyguard Ialu, Elin explains that the Yojeh's ancestor designed the Royal Beast Canon so that beasts would never fly, bear young, or become friendly with humans. She retells the story the Ahlyo told her. The Yojeh decides that she does not need Leelan's protection, but she dies suddenly upon reaching home. Her granddaughter Seimiya becomes the new Yojeh. The Aluhan is the only person who commands Toda troops, so he is widely suspected of having ordered Yojeh Halumiya's assassination. When Yojeh Seimiya rejects his peace offerings, he sends his eldest son Shunan. Shunan, who has been in love with Seimiya for years, delivers an ultimatum: In four months, Seimiya must either marry him or meet him in battle on the plain of Tahai Azeh. Damiya demands that Elin train an army of Beasts and threatens to kill Esalu if she does not. Elin says she is the only one who can talk to the beasts. As proof, she attempts to teach Ohooli, the head of Lazalu Beast Sanctuary, to calm beasts with her harp. He fails. Damiya attempts to assassinate Ialu, who hides with Elin in Leelan's stable. When Damiya comes searching for Ialu, Elin hides him under Leelan's wings. That night, Ialu explains that he has been investigating Damiya and that Damiya was behind Yojeh Harumiya's assassination. Elin secretly visits Seimiya. She recounts the story the Ahylo told her: The king of Ofahlon, threatened by his neighbors, asked the Toga mi Lyo tribe to raise an army of Toda. The victorious king built an empire, but the remorseful Toga mi Lyo rebelled. The king fled. He formed an alliance with a young priestess from a Beast-riding tribe. When her army invaded Ofahlon, the Toda and Beasts did not stop fighting until Ofahlon had been annihilated. The Toga mi Lyo swore to never again reveal how to control Toda and Beasts, and they became known as the Ahlyo. The repentant priestess became the first Yojeh and wrote the Royal Beast Canon. Elin concludes by accusing Damiya of assassinating Seimiya's grandmother. Seimiya promises that Elin will not need to fly into battle. The Aluhan's forces assemble on Tahai Azeh. The Yojeh asks her servant for a flag of surrender, but Damiya wrenches it away. Ialu shoots Damiya's hand with an arrow, and Seimiya raises the flag. The Aluhan and Shunan halt their troops, but the Aluhan's younger son Nugan slays his father. Seimiya pleads with Elin to save Shunan. Elin rides Leelan to Shunan. Since Leelan can carry only one, Elin gets off Leelan's back so that Shunan can mount. She is struck by an arrow and crumples to the ground. Leelan, having delivered Shunan, returns. She delicately lifts Elin in her mouth and, purring, flies away from Tahai Azeh.

Characters

Main characters

Yojeh territory

Aluhan territory

Supporting characters

Groups

Media

Novels

The original novel was published in two volumes by Kodansha on November 21, 2006. They have since been reprinted in bunkoban format. The sequel, titled The Beast Warrior in English publications, was published on August 10, 2009.

Tankōbon (novels)

Manga

Written and drawn by Itoe Takemoto, a manga adaptation of the novel series was serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine Monthly Shōnen Sirius. On September 12, 2014, Kodansha started republishing the series in bunkoban format. Kodansha started publishing the series in English on their newly-launched K Manga website and app in 2023. In April 2024, Kodansha USA announced that they licensed the manga for digital English publication, with the first volume being released on May 14.

Tankōbon (manga)

Bunkoban (manga)

Anime

Directed by Takayuki Hamana, the series aired on NHK from January 10 to December 26, 2009. The opening theme is "Shizuku" (雫) by Sukima Switch, and the ending theme is "After the Rain" by cossami. Under the title of Erin, the series became available on Crunchyroll with English subtitles on September 4, 2009.

Reception and awards

The US edition of The Beast Player was the 2020 Michael L. Printz Award honor book for best young adult novel.