Episode 1

Kabane (夏羽,) is the first episode of Kemono Jihen anime series.

Synopsis
Kohachi Inugami, a detective specializing in supernatural matters, is hired to investigate some animal mutilations in a rural village. His investigation leads to an unusual boy, nicknamed "Dorotabo," who is ostracized by the other villagers.

Summary
Kids are hearing that a guy from Tokyo is comming and are getting excited, wanting to come and see him at Yataro's village. Yataro agrees as long they don't disturb the guest. He sees Kabane and tells him to stay there as he stinks.

Meanwhile, the man from Tokyo, Kohachi Inugami, gets a flat tire, but Mrs. Kusaka, his client and hostess of Kanoko Villa, takes him with his car. On their way, she explains that rotting livestock bodies have been appearing and people are getting scared, but are keeping it a secret from the children. At the villa, Inugami sees Kabane in the field and greets him, but Kabane just bows, causing Inugami to think that he is either shy or hard worker who doesn't even go to school. While taking a bath in the hot spring, Yataro comes and introduces himself as the hostess' son and that he will be taking care of him during his stay. Yataro happily talks about Tokyo and how he wants to live there. Inugami asks him about the other boy and Yataro explains he is "Dorotabo", a nickname like a yokai that lives in the fields. But as he also has bad odor, they can't him do any work with guests. After the bath, Inugami requests that "Dorotabo" to take care of him from now on.

In the morning, Kabane takes a bath and brings breakfast to Inugami. Inugami then introduces himself and explains that he is there on an investigation and asks Kabane is he had seen anything strange. Kabane wants to leave and talk after breakfast due to his odor as other people can't eat while he is around, but Inugami explains he doesn't mind it. Kabane guesses the investigation is about the rotting corpses and explains he is in charge of disposing them, but they always appear after new moon. There is a new moon in five days and Inugami decides to stay and starts helping with Kabane's daily work.

While working on the field, Inugami notices the stone around Kabane's neck. Kabane tells him it probably belonged to his parents and they gave it to him when he was abandoned. Inugami wants to inspect it and realizes it a rare Life Calculus, which is formed only under special circumstances. As its precious, his parents wouldn't had left it on him, which means he wasn't abandoned. Inugami asks Kabane if he wishes to meet his parents, and while not fully sure, Kabane guesses he may want to see them.

On the night of the new moon, while waiting for Inugami, Yataro approaches Kabane and blames him for ruining his chances in going to Tokyo and ends up taking Kabane's life calculus. Kabane then punches Yataro and starts to transform into a monster, wanting the life calculus back. Yataro runs scared, leaving the calculus and once Kabane takes it back, he returns to normal. A bit later, Inugami finds Kabane, who blames himself and states he is the culprit. Inugami shows him that he has a tail and explains that Kemono exist and usually they don't get involved with people. He tells Kabane that he is a hybrid between human and ghoul, that his life calculus prevents his "thirst" from manifesting and that there is another culprit. Kabane gets worried about Yataro as he doesn't know about the incidents occurring during new moon.

While running, Yataro recalls how he accidentally had killed Kabane when he was younger, but later that day, he came back like nothing had happened. Yataro then gets attacked by two infected dogs, but Inugami shoots and decapitates one, while Kabane breaks the neck of the other. They hear some noise and see a monster deer eating a dog. The deer then attacks them and Inugami shoots at its neck, almost decapitating her. Kabane then jumps in, putting his hand into the deer mouth and then ripping its head from the body.

While returning, Kabane comments he can't stay as Yataro knows what he is and they will blame all on him. Inugami then points his gun at Kabane, telling him that Mrs. Kusaka had hired him to kill him as she also knew what he was as her older sister had told her when she left Kabane with her. As the incidents occured, she feared it may have been Kabane and decided to kill him. Even though the culprit is dead, she won't believe that its not Kabane. Kabane understands and accept it. Inugami asks him about his name and if he wishes to see his parents, but Kabane denies and wants to be killed, after which Inugami shoots him in the head. Inugami shows Kabane's body to Mrs Kusaka and tells her he will dispose of the body.

Kabane later wakes in Inugami's car, who tells him that he is a ghoul and can't die, but "Dorotabo" is dead. Inugami takes Kabane to his counseling office and gives him some clothes. As he change clothes, two other boys come in and wonder who is Kabane.

Manga and Anime Differences

 * In the manga, Kabane shows the rotten peach realizing he is the monster. However, this is not shown in the anime.
 * In the manga, Kabane helps Inugami in a job before meeting Akira and Shiki. In the anime, he meets them as soon as he settled in the office.