*Warning: This Post Contains Spoilers*
Those of you who know me know that I am highly critical of anything that tells a story, especially various anime. As such, most anime hold little attraction for me. The simplest requirement is a standard 26 episode run because it shows planning on the part of the writer(s), but once the series is under way, I start worrying about how well the series is put together.
One of the most important things is characterization, how the characters make decisions, interpret the world, and interact with each other. Beck is a down to earth slice of life anime that follows the story of Yukio “Koyuki” Tanaka in his journey through relationships, the latter part of middle school, and to eventual rock-stardom. It doesn’t hurt that as one friend of mine put it, “it’s a high school anime without pink hair.” The other large draw for me is the fact that this anime proves that there is life outside of school; Yukio even forgoes high school and college for the sake of his band. Yukio is the only character who shows real growth throughout the series with each other character remaining fairly constant in their decisions.
The story begins with Koyuki as a stereotypical anime “hero” a boy who lacks confidence, is short, without significant or discernable talents; a blank slate that will eventually take shape. He longs for Izumi, the obligatory girl who is for some reason pretty, at the top of the class, and incredibly involved in some miscellaneous sport while still being one of the most well known and social people in school. Oh by the way they used to be best friends in diapers.
His character growth is catalyzed when Izumi remembers him and invites him out for a night with her friends. This ends at a bar hyped up as an avante garde, underground source for the goings on of the town. People go by pseudonyms, real names aren’t asked, and it is the place to be. Unless you watch past the fifth episode. Then it’s never mentioned again. However, it does serve as the introduction of Ryuusuke, who would be the lead guitarist and founder of the series’ namesake band, Beck. Currently, though, he’s involved in a band called Serial Mama with the series antagonist Eiji, another great guitarist. The next scene in the series is one of their concerts, called “lives,” where the two part ways as band mates, both declaring they would form the best band.
His younger sister, Maho, is introduced as a girl at the live that Koyuki is infatuated with, and he consequently shoves his foot down his throat on the first impression. Maho is shown to be a talented singer with many friends in the high society of pop culture, with the stereotypical shallow interests.
As the series progresses, Ryuusuke and Koyuki become better friends and Ryuusuke eventually lends Koyuki a guitar given to him by Eddie Lee, the guitarist for the most popular band in Japan and America titled The Dying Breed, commonly shortened to DyBree. Enthusiastic and reckless, he accidentally breaks the guitar by dropping it off of a bridge. He later fixes it, gets it broken again, then it’s found out that it was a replica the whole time. Deus ex machina has never been a very impressive literary device, and it’s no better here.
Ryuusuke has been hard at work and has enlisted the last parts of his band, which will be named Beck: a drummer of little consequence, Taira the bassist, and Chiba, a front man carbon copied from Rage against the Machine. Their music was good, but nothing special. Around this time Koyuki decides to pull a Shawshank Redemption reference, playing a DyBree song over the PA. He gets caught and slapped on the wrist and on his way out, is approached by a drummer of some consequence, Saku. They become fast friends and both eventually become members of Beck.
During this time, Yukio’s relationships with Maho and Izumi are resolved, forever distancing itself from the “harem” label. Izumi approaches Maho, and the two discuss their respective relationships with Koyuki, Izumi placing herself in the “older sister” role, leaving Koyuki to Maho. This actually characterizes the relationship between Koyuki and Maho; Koyuki seems to be unable to make any assertive moves, while Maho actually gets things done. One of the shortcomings of his character is his lack of ability to pursue Maho and it comes back to bite him. Midway through the series, Maho’s choice of friends resurfaces in the form of Yoshito, a soap opera star getting his 15 minutes of fame. Yoshito makes active advances and pursues her, everything that should be done, but instead of being honest and straightforward, he uses the most cut and dry, lame, and high school tricks in order to depress Koyuki.
It works. The romance between Maho and Yoshito, while never definitively stated or proved, is a constant cloud looming over Koyuki’s head. Maho also confuses Koyuki to no end, seemingly uninterested in Yoshito beyond a platonic friendship, going so far as to share a bed with Koyuki, kiss him on a few occasions, and repeatedly calling him cool (definitive proof of interest in anime. Cool apparently holds far more meaning in Japan). In fact, this drives Koyuki to first almost giving up, but eventually makes an assertive decision and confidently drags Maho into the woods for a romantic moment. Unfortunately, the series doesn’t give any definitive resolution on their relationship, but I guess that is to show how young they are and that their decisions may not last. Either way, I like closer out of endings.
Speaking of a lack of closure, the plot behind Ryuusuke is unnecessarily convoluted and remains in many ways unresolved. Simply put, Ryuusuke steals a famous, bullet-ridden guitar named “Lucille” and a stitched together dog that the band later takes its name from, “Beck.” The story behind Lucille is resolved, but Beck seems only secondary and the reason why he was taken from Ryuusuke as well is never explained. Another half-baked, animal-based plotline is that of Paige, a bird who will only sing along with great music. I don’t understand the reason behind why this bird is significant, but it must be a generic bit of anime symbolism.
All in all, Beck is an anime centering on one character, the decisions he makes, and his relationships with the members of his band and various love interests. Koyuki’s decisions make sense, he is a character that is easy to empathize with, and the story isn’t a generic one. This anime ranks well in my books.
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