Beastars Vs. BNA

I recently saw two anime shows on Netflix. One is called Beastars and the other is called BNA: Brand New Animal. Both shows have one thing in common, and that is they have some similarities to Zootopia: both depict anthropomorphic animals living in a city, and have themes of bigotry. But which is the best? Let's compare and contrast, shall we?

Art direction: Beastars incorporates CGI animation that creates stunning visuals and background art, but the character animation look stiff, like they're moving in water. BNA is much more cartoony and over the top, which fits the tone of the show, but it might be too much for some people.

Characters: The first season of Beastars devotes the majority of its time to character development, particularly Haru and Legoshi who contend with discrimination, and both are well rounded and lovable. BNA admittedly doesn't focus enough time to establishing the characters, so the anime admittedly can feel emotionally empty. However, one thing the show has going for is plenty of fun and proactive female characters. Haru was disappointingly a damsel in distress for Legoshi to save in the end, while BNA has some kickass heroines like Michiru, Nazuna, Mayor Rose, Jackie, and Marie.

Themes: Unlike Zootopia which uses its setting to talk about the causes of bigotry, Beastars introduces the audience to a very grim and serious world, and creates a compelling story from there. It's more of a social drama as opposed to an allegorical commentary. BNA on the other hand does much more with the whole racism angle, bringing up topics such as impeded rights of minorities, class disparity, the role of religion, amoral science, pure blood races, history, and corrupt politics.

Story: Beastars is more character driven, focusing on how the characters play a part in their world. I thought the story as grim but had some heart to it. BNA is an over the top action thrill ride. What I liked most about BNA is that it kept me guessing from beginning to end, leading me to so many red herrings that it left me wondering where the story was heading, and I love it for that.

My conclusion: Both shows have their strengths and weaknesses, and I do enjoy them both for different reasons. But if you were to twist my arm and force me to pick one, I would say BNA is the best for its madcap fun, themes, and its unpredictable story. What do you guys think? Which is your favorite?