If I had a son, I would suggest that he watch Beastars because it covers the female side of sex politics SO gosh-darn well, and in an easy to understand allegory. The whole disambiguation between carnal desire and love is something that even adults struggle with - and as an "herbivore" (i.e. a woman) I've felt the danger of being around "carnivores." I've had to explain to so many well-meaning male friends that I consider violence and rape from men a very real danger in my life. And no amount of "well you're safe around me" or "you have to not wear certain things" changes that. In this show, there are characters who ignore the danger of carnivores, characters who try to fight it, characters that have been permanently scarred by it, and then there is Legosi - the one character who faces it head-on and tries to completely overcome it.
Aside from the herbivore/carnivore allegory, I want to mention the fact that sex in this show is not used merely as an expression of love or the "prize to be won," but is much closer to real life and real relationships. Sex can be a chore. Sex can be a gesture. Sex can be used to express gratitude. Sex can be used to understand someone else...Honestly I don't think I've ever seen a more healthy portrayal of a sexually active anime character than that of Haru. She has sex not because she is horny all the time - like I think guys think that women who sleep around must have a voracious sexual appetite. This is not so with Haru!! If anything, she uses the fact that her partners crave sex with her as her method to deepen her understanding of them. She is not seductive, even in her scenes in her underwear. She is not even machinating either. She is just direct and communicative.
And Itagaki got that right.
