Melon

Melon (メロン) is the main antagonist of the fifth arc of the Beastars manga. He is introducted in Chapter 124 as a worker in the illegal ivory trade. He also earns money quickly by working in other professions with people such as a therapistand university lecturer. A half breed consisting of gazelle and leopard genes, Melon is an antisocial criminal who goes undercover and keeps his identity secret by wearing a surgical mask to hide his mouth. "It's strange, isn't it? Carnivores and herbivores should get along, yet their children are treated like freaks."

- Melon venting to Legoshi

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Appearance
Melon is a hybrid with features of both species, including horns, a narrow skull, and sharp claws and teeth. Physically, he has a tall, slender body shape like that of a leopard's and has a long tail. His fur is coloured yellow and has leopard marks all over his body. To cover them up, Melon goes to a tattoiist who covers them with melons.

To hide his identity in public, he wears a surgical mask not to scare anyone or be treated like an outcast because of how he looks.

History
Melon was said to born to a gazelle father and a leopard mother, yet nothing else is said about his past. However, upon his introduction in chapter 124, it's seen that he murders others for the ivory tusk trade.

Personality
Melon is a sly, dangerous criminal who has no qualms in using others for getting what he wants and killing others when they're deemed to be of no use to him such as murdering an innocent elephant to nearly killing Legoshi twice by shooting him in the ear and stomach. Because the society in Beastars doesn't promote hybrid families and children, Melon often feels as an outcast as a herbivore-carnivore hybrid. Melon makes a great effort to cover up his physical appearance, from wearing a surgical mask to getting tattoos that cover the leopard prints on his torso.

Trivia

 * Melon has murdered the most in the BEASTARS franchise, following the Shishigumi.
 * Melon most likely has ASPD, with symptoms like having no remorse and empathy, manipulation of others' emotion, and putting up a facade.