BEM: BECOME HUMAN is the follow-up to the TV series BEM, the 2019 reboot of the Humanoid Monster Bem franchise. As such, it is not a stand-alone effort and is unlikely to be fully understood by those who have not seen the TV series first. It is, however, required viewing for those who are fans of the most recent TV incarnation, as it puts a much more definitive cap on the story that the TV series told. How it ends feels right even if it may not be the completely happy ending fans may hope for.

The plot of the movie is almost entirely independent from that of the TV series, so the main handicap that newcomers would face is not knowing who (and in some cases what) the established characters are and how they are related. The movie spends only the barest amount of time on recapping this (and then it is only about BEM, Bela, and Belo as part of a briefing for a VIP), so even established fans may want to review a bit first. The movie also, unfortunately, does not explain what became of Harazy, the little girl with the special powers who was last seen in Sonia's company. Instead it jumps straight into Sonia's continuing quest to look for BEM and the others and how that leads her to the setting for the story.

That also means that Sonia continues to be a magnet for trouble. A total of four times in the movie she is in a potentially life-threatening situation, and only one of those times does she get free entirely on her own power. She may be justice-minded and committed to making things good with BEM, but she has a serious lack of self-preservation to go with it, something which her boss prophetically mentions at the beginning of the movie. However, her presence is also absolutely crucial to the way things play out for a number of reasons, so she is not a disposable character, either.

The main plot focuses on BEM, who has somehow ended up in an oddly Truman Show-like situation after splitting with Bela and Belo. That nothing can be taken at face value in such a scenario is obvious, so the only mystery here is what gimmick is being played and why. Ironically, BEM may have been more susceptible to this scenario because it is basically the ideal he was longing for. To break free from what he is trapped in, he must destroy one enticing manifestation of his dream. Another possible approach to achieving his wish to become human presents itself later on, but will he be willing to accept the cost? And how does his regard for Sonia, who will no longer shy away from his monster form, play into this?

Meanwhile, the other two are pursuing their own goals in their own ways, and each gets a chance to interact with Sonia individually before they all come together for the climactic battle at the end. Belo, despite being the most cynical of the lot and the most reluctant to help the humans at first in the TV series, is now the one who has remained active in the shadows as he investigates what Doracho is up to, at first independently of Sonia. Meanwhile, Bela is back to adopting a human identity, this time as a waitress in a diner. She has come to take a hands-off, “whatever makes you happy” attitude concerning the other two, and so, even though she will freely talk to Sonia, she will not get involved until the final battle.

The basic theme of the movie is the same as for the TV series: when it comes to humanoid monsters, humans are often the more truly monstrous ones. That means the whacko Dr. Recycle is back in the picture, though the true mastermind behind the current incident is a new character. Sadly, his scheme winds up being rather generic in the end, and some well-executed action sequences do not change that. At least the schemer reveals more about the origin of BEM and the others, and the movie does better at exploring the way BEM confronts his fake family and portraying his anguish when things really go south. The final resolution is also effectively poignant.

Though most of the key staff return from the TV series, animation production has shifted from LandQ studios to Production I.G. Some combination of that and having more time (and possibly budget?) makes a distinct difference in the animation quality. Every aspect of both it and the general artistry – whether the CG elements, the color, or the more rounded and detailed character designs – has received a significant upgrade. That, combined with the well-choreographed action scenes, makes for an impressive visual presentation. The only slight disappointment is that there is nothing fresh on the monster design front. As with the TV series, the content can sometimes get quite graphically violent, and some scenes of monsters melting can be extreme, but thankfully such content makes up only a few bursts of action in the movie. Music support is fine but not memorable.

Funimation has dubbed the TV series, so presumably they will eventually do so with this movie. However, such a dub was not available as of the time of this writing.

With a running time of around 90 minutes, BEM: BECOME HUMAN does not overstay its welcome. While I might have liked to see the main villain and his motives developed a little more, the movie is generally paced well and fully completes its intended story. I can easily recommend it to those who liked the TV series.