Usually I would avoid something like Beck Mongolian Chop Squad because I tend to shy away from the so called slice-of-life type shows. There are a few exceptions, of course, but the idea of a show about teenagers going about their regular lives is never a selling point for me. On top of that, you add that this involves kids starting up a band and I couldn’t be any less interested. How many times growing up did you want to start a band? We’ve all been there and done that and that shit never goes anywhere. It’s fun for a while, but then it gets hard, everyone gets lazy, and your rock dreams fade away. It would have been a huge mistake if I had gone with my instincts and ignored this show because Beck ended up being one of my favorite anime series of all time.
What immediately makes this series stand out from others is the music. What good would an anime series about a band be without kick-ass music (I'm looking at you, K-ON!)? Well, they definitely got that part right. The soundtrack may very well be the best aspect of this show. It's a mix of rock and hip hop with a few ballads thrown in there to be well-rounded. While the music is great in Japanese, it is a lot better in the English dub. A lot of the song lyrics are Engrish to begin with, so it seemed natural to dub them. It also helped that Funimation chose voice actors that were familiar with music like professional DJ, Greg Ayres and Johnny Yong Bosch, who plays guitar and sings for his band, Eyeshine.
Beck isn’t just about music though, it’s also a coming-of-age tale about a boy named Koyuki. He’s your normal middle school student; kind of bored with life. That is, until he saves an unusual Frankenstein looking dog named Beck from some punk kids and befriends his owner, Ryusuke. Ryusuke is really into music and he shares his passion. That has an incredible influence on Koyuki. Eventually, Ryusuke lends a guitar to Koyuki and he becomes obsessed with practicing.
It’s later revealed that Ryusuke used to be in this band. When they broke up, he made a bet with one of the other members to see who could create the ultimate band. So part of the show is Ryusuke looking around for the perfect band members. When Koyuki gets good enough with the guitar, he offers to let him join. Once the band is formed, they name it Beck after Ryusuke’s monster dog. The rest of the show follows the story of the band in their pursuit of becoming better musicians. You see them playing sets in small clubs, to getting signed to an indie label, to the series climax as Beck plays at a major music venue.
While music is the main focus, it’s important to note isn’t the only aspect in Beck. It’s also about the trials and tribulations of the band members. There are five members: Ryusuke, Koyuki, Saku, Taira, and Chiba. They all have their own subplots and these help to flesh out their characters and commitment to the band. The characters are second only to the awesome music in Beck.
All the members of Beck are cool and each person will have their favorite. Ryusuke is the leader of the band and the lead guitarist. He’s a perfectionist when it comes to his music and a ladies man. Koyuki is the rhythm guitarist and back up vocalist. At first he’s your typical pathetic anime protagonist, but as the series progresses he grows emotionally and becomes more confident through playing with Beck. Saku plays the drums and is a friend and classmate of Koyuki’s. Taira plays bass and is a chill dude that goes with the flow. Chiba is the main vocalist and is just plain awesome. He has a lot of energy and an amazing stage presence that he uses to get crowds hyped. As the series goes on and you find out more about each member you see their ties of friendship strengthen and their drive to make music deepen.
Beck is a fantastic show. It’s about a realistic set of characters in a realistic situation. Everyone can relate to being awkward or aspiring to musical greatness. There are no epic fights or planets blowing up, but not everything can be Dragon Ball Z or Fist of the North Star. There are epic moments; they’re just more grounded in reality. But for me, Beck isn’t about any of that shit; it’s about the music man. Just listen to Spice of Life, Brainstorm or Slip Out and tell me that you didn’t immediately download that shit and rock the fuck out.
Beck is super cheap! You can get the whole series for less than $20 here. If you purchase Beck using that link, a percentage of the sale will go to fightbait.com.
