Beck (Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad)

Fourteen-year-old Yukio "Koyuki" Tanaka is a dispirited young boy with no goals in life. However, this all changes when Koyuki saves a strange-looking dog named Beck from being harassed by a group of local kids. The dog's owner, 16-year-old Ryuusuke "Ray" Minami, is an emerging guitarist and the former member of a popular rock band.

After Koyuki meets Ray again in a diner, the older boy leads him to his former band's meeting place and dazzles Koyuki with his amazing guitar skills. Slowly becoming interested in the glamour of western rock culture, Koyuki decides to start playing the guitar while helping Ray achieve his dream of leading the ultimate rock band. Together with Ray's younger sister Maho and a few other members, the two boys launch their career into the world of rock by forming a band called BECK. Beck follows the group's struggles and successes as they spread their fame across Japan.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Beck

More characters

Characters & Voice Actors

Tanaka, Yukio

Main

Namikawa, Daisuke
Japanese

Minami, Maho

Main

Saiki, Miho
Japanese

Minami, Ryuusuke

Main

Ueno, Yuuma
Japanese

Chiba, Tsunemi

Main

Oohata, Shintarou
Japanese

Taira, Yoshiyuki

Main

Nojima, Kenji
Japanese

Sakurai, Yuuji

Main

Nara, Tooru
Japanese

Lee, Eddie

Supporting

Vickers, Jamie
Japanese

Saitou, Kenichi

Supporting

Okite, Porche
Japanese

Reed, Matt

Supporting

Masuoka, Hiromi

Supporting

Yamakawa, Kotomi
Japanese

More staff

Staff

Cook, Justin

Producer

Harp, Clarine

Producer

Nakajima, Yoshimi

Producer

Kobayashi, Osamu

Director, Episode Director, Script, Storyboard, Series Composition, Key Animation, Animation Director, Character Design

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Opening Theme

"Hit in the USA" by Beat Crusaders

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Ending Theme

	1: "My World Down" by Meister (eps 1-20)
	2: "Moon on the Water" by Sowelu (eps 21-25)
	3: "Slip Out" by Beck/Mongolian Chop Squad (eps 26)

Reviews

Dec 12, 2023

Keith06

Recommended

This is an anime that holds a special place in my heart and, I suspect, in the hearts of many of you who share a deep connection with music. "Beck/Chop Mongolian Squad" is not just an anime; it's a love letter to the power of music and the transformative impact it can have on our lives. Beck isn't just an anime; it's a soul-stirring journey through the power of music, and for me, it hits all the right notes.

From the very beginning, this anime grabbed me by the heartstrings. Koyuki's journey feels like my own, a testament to the transformative power of music in ... our lives. The narrative is a nostalgic trip down memory lane, resonating with those of us who grew up with a deep, almost spiritual connection to the tunes that shaped our existence.

The soundtrack, oh man, the soundtrack. It's not just a playlist; it's the heartbeat of the series. The way it weaves through genres, capturing the evolution of the characters and their musical tastes, is nothing short of magical. The inclusion of English songs sung by the Japanese cast with genuine emotion adds a layer of authenticity that speaks directly to the soul.

And the characters, don't get me started. Koyuki's growth feels like my own journey – from that shy kid to a frontman with stage presence. The supporting cast, each with their quirks and charm, felt like friends I've known forever. The relationships were so genuine that I found myself laughing with them, crying with them, and cheering them on in their musical odyssey.

The animation, my friends, is a visual symphony. Madhouse brought the concert scenes to life with such energy and passion. The fluid animation, the dynamic camera angles – it's like being in the front row, feeling the music pulse through your veins. I can't help but get emotional thinking about those moments that resonated with the music lover in me.

Beck" isn't flawless. Some might find the pacing a bit slow, but for me, every moment was a chance to savor the beauty of the journey. The ending, oh, the ending. It's bittersweet, leaving you with a longing for more, much like the feeling you get when your favorite song fades out.

In conclusion, "Beck/Chop Mongolian Squad" is not just an anime; it's a love letter to the music that shapes us, the friendships that define us, and the journey that transforms us. For me, it's not just a series; it's a piece of my soul. If you have a passion for music, if you've felt its profound impact on your life, this anime will strike a chord deep within you. "Beck" is an emotional masterpiece that I, much like you, hold close to my heart.

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Jan 3, 2024

ReinKitamura

Mixed Feelings

Beck was an up-and-down rollercoaster for me. Some moments feel like a 9 out of 10 and some moments feel like a 5 out of 10.

The Good:
The premise is great.
The concept is awesome; especially if you love music.
The basis for most characters is decent.
There are great emotional moments.
It expresses social problems like bullying as well as social issues very well.

The Not So Good:
...

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Jun 26, 2023

ThatAnimeSnobRE

Not Recommended

Funny

Beck is a slice-of-life/romance/motivational show about everyday teenagers aiming to become *random shounen lead pops up* THE BEST MUSIC BAND IN THE WORLD! Now before I start I have to clarify how slice-of-life is for me the dullest genre imaginable. What saves face is when they try to mix it with something else besides that. Romance is the easy way most of them head for. We can’t have a series about everyday people who can’t have love problems, right? And since this is an anime, we just can’t have a show without an indecisive lead or the world will come to an end. Ok, we ... might as well throw in some youths who want to accomplish something great and awesome that will inspire the audience to cheer for them. All that sound just fine and we can have something good if all go well.

… And guess what, they didn’t. It is a fine romcom of a show if this is all you ask for, which is at best a completely average anime for me. Teen flicks are not exactly the brightest or most well made shows, you see. Reasons?

The production values are messy. There is a huge quality gap in several episodes and the result just makes you think they were running out of money half the time. It is also very confusing to see them looking cool in one scene and like stupid caricatures in another. Something which does not count as artistic choice but plain laziness.

The songs are not as awesome as they are supposed to be. For a series about a band that claims to aim for the top and doing pretty well in terms of popularity, the songs don’t exactly excuse it. They don’t sound as amazing as they are supposed to. In fact, most sound pretty average so you can only think they are popular only because people with no taste cheer for them.

Their English pronunciation plain sucks! They aim to be the best in America when they can’t even talk properly. Maho in particular is supposed to know it perfectly and she obviously can’t speak English. I know that the songs and the language are “supposed” to sound great and that the viewer is “supposed” to suspend his disbelief long enough to accept a series where the band is a lot better than it sounds. But come on, it’s not like we couldn’t get a far better soundtrack or proper English-speaking voice actors. This again feels lazy.

The romance part is completely useless. Seriously, it is there but it never seems to matter. EVER! This is the story of some teens who want to be the best in the world and not to score with some girl (who conveniently is in the same band). In fact, they can get all the romance they want from groupies as soon as they succeed. Instead of that we get this juvenile romantic triangle of sorts which doesn’t matter. It’s also counter-productive for many, since idols have to be virgins and pure for their fans to like them.

The main lead is too indecisive. Seriously, Yukio is shown to be antisocial and reluctant most of the time and yet we are supposed to think he wants to show his worth and cheer for him as he struggles for acceptance. Sorry but I can’t suspend my disbelief that much. People who want to take over the world (at least the musical one) are supposed to be cocky sons of bitches and not these frail chickens.

The story is very simple and is even left incomplete. Well, there is no need to further analyze that; simple stories are easy to get over and incomplete ones are extremely annoying. Yes, you can still read the continuation in the manga but this is a review of the anime.

The anime is not very motivational. Seriously, it ain’t. If its goal is to make you cheer for some simple guys who aim for the top, then the whole thing is done lazily. Just compare it to the far greater response other music band anime had. Detroit Metal City, Suzumiya Haruhi, K-on, shows that inspired thousands to either start their own band or at least scream in joy every time they hear one of their songs. Beck didn’t have this effect because the songs weren’t that good and the protagonist was neither a death metal king of demons nor a cute loli. HE WAS A CHICKEN!

The anime is not realistic. In case you wonder “It’s anime, of course and it isn’t” I just have to mention this because most people who like it keep yapping about its realism. The above anime I mentioned are to them too unreal but Beck is down to earth for having average everyday people. That is so sweet; too bad they are drawn lazily half the time, their songs are not that great, their English is terrible, the romance is out of place, the lead is a chicken, the story is incomplete, and I don’t dance like an idiot every time I hear them perform. And for Pete’s sake, WHAT DOES A MOTIVATIONAL SHOW HAVE TO DO WITH REALISM? They aim to take over the music world; does that sound like something everyday normal people would do? Normal people just want a job, money, sex, and/or lots of time wasted on their hobbies. Jeez, get your facts straight already.

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Poll: Beck Episode 26 Discussion ( 1 2 3 ) aero - Aug 18, 2008	139 replies	by Archean-Return »» Mar 9, 8:40 PM
Poll: Beck Episode 23 Discussion aero - Aug 18, 2008	42 replies	by Archean-Return »» Mar 9, 4:44 PM
Poll: Beck Episode 22 Discussion aero - Aug 18, 2008	47 replies	by Archean-Return »» Mar 9, 3:09 PM
Poll: Beck Episode 21 Discussion aero - Aug 18, 2008	40 replies	by Archean-Return »» Mar 9, 4:06 AM
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