Search - Beck: Box Set (Viridan Collection) on DVD

It all started with a dog...

trashcanman | Hanford, CA United States | 04/26/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad" is easily one of the finest animated series I've ever watched. In many ways, it may actually be the best. I don't believe I've ever seen a work of fiction that captures the energy, emotion, and passion of rock music in a more authentic way. Every person who had a hand in creating this show and bringing it to America should be extremely proud of themselves. If you've ever truly loved music, then don't hesitate to check this show out.

Koyuki is a puny, shy typical geek with no passion in his life at all until the day he meets a jacked-up dog named Beck. The dog's owner happens to be a shining star of the local rock scene and introduces him to a band named Dying Breed. It changes his life. The pop idol fanatic is instantly struck and begins learning to play guitar. It will be one hell of a journey. Beck's owner Ryusuke's (Ray for short) band has just fallen apart and the wannabe pro is on the lookout for the members to build "the ultimate band". Koyuki tags along and immerses himself in the local music scene, meeting Ray's gorgeous, charming, jet-setting sister Maho, who is a singer. The two hit it off, and the relationship will have it's ups, down, and hot and cold spots throughout the series. Eventually, the band BECK comes to be with a ragtag lineup that is impossible to resist. Ryusuke: the hot-as-lava lead guitar phenom. Taira: the ice cold pro on the bass. Chiba: local maniac with a rap-influenced vocal delivery on the mic whipping crowds into a frenzy. Saku: self-taught drummer and Koyuki's backbone. Koyuki: green as grass beginner whose vulnerable rhythm guitar and emotional singing will make BECK a sensation....if they can stay together. The cast of characters in the is series is amazing. There's even a rockin' cockatoo ( I call him a rockatoo) who shrieks "A$ZHOOOOOLE!!!!" constantly. Gotta love that. Each character is brought to life in the art, animation, and performances as lovingly as each beautiful musical instrument featured in the show. And once you see the close-ups of Ray's bullet-ridden Les Paul (which has a wild subplot all its own), you will see the artists are very much in love with guitars. I can relate.

If there is a single weak spot in "Beck", it's the anime cliche of a romance that never goes anywhere. I don't know how these things go in Japan, but where I come from, you don't only kiss a girl twice in three years and pretend nothing's there when there's almost instant electricity between you and nothing to stop you. There are other love interests, but they never go anywhere meaningful either. I was really excited by the prospect of a more mature look at romance from a show that is extremely mature in every other sense, but it didn't pan out that way. But I can say that I was pretty riveted by the whole thing which is to say that even the one negative turns into a positive when the storytelling is as effective as this show's and the characters are so fantastic.

Honestly, I was amazed at how realistically the music scene in "Beck" is portrayed. Anybody who has been in a band or had friends in bands and sat in on practices and gone to the local gigs should be floored by how the whole vibe is captured so perfectly. This show was very obviously created not only by music fans, but by serious musicians. It brought back a ton of great memories for me and made me wish more then I have in years and years that I had had the talent and commitment to start a band. Some of the best music you've ever heard is likely being played in front of a dozen or so drunks a few blocks from your house in a garage or bar and the band will probably break up with only a select few ever knowing how great they were together. That's the scene that this show portrays and the cast of characters could have come from any city in the world. It's ridiculously relatable.

After a staggering series of events "Beck" eventually climaxes at Japan's biggest music festival in one of the greatest performances I've ever seen from a band. And considering this band is animated and I couldn't begin to count how many non-animated performances I've watched that is saying a hell of a lot. The energy and passion is just amazing and I couldn't even stay in my seat; I really felt like I was watching a legendary performance from an amazing rock band. I've never, ever gotten that from a television show, live action or not. BECK hit it out of the park. I was sad to see it end and I can't wait to watch it all again and again.

The English dub on the American DVD's is better then the Japanese track. I said it. It's true. While the subtitles are a more literal translation and much of the dialogue is actually in English which leads to some issues with characters who speak different languages speaking the same language on the dub, the American cast, writers, and producers did a phenomenal job at punching up the dialogue to sound very natural and adding a lot of extra swear words to boot. Some may take offense, but the fact is that's how these sorts of people talk so it only adds to the realism in the end. There are some commentaries with the cast that are completely off-the-wall insane as well. Almost as funny as the show is. Each disc also has a BECK music video, all of which are sweet as hell.

"Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad" is everything an anime should be. It's anything any show can strive for. It strikes every chord perfectly, lays down a beat that'll make you want to follow it anywhere, and screams "WE WILL, WE WILL ROCK YOU!" At the top of it's lungs. It ain't lying, either. It's jam-packed with references to legendary bands and even has some cameos. The band shares a dream at one point featuring the likes of John Lennon, Sid Vicious, and Freddy Mercury among others. If you love rock music and are open in any way to animated entertainment then there is no excuse to pass this by.

And yeah, the music ROCKS. Japan is seriously kicking our a$z right now."

An anime about...forming a band?

Michael R. Grove | 12/29/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"That's the question I asked myself before slipping the disk into my dvd player. Honestly, I expected to struggle through a slice of life with limited action and amateur music.

HOW WRONG I WAS. The series grabbed me from the first second to the last. To give you a quick rundown,

Pros:
-Character Development- The main character was very realistic and likable. You feel how he feels while he's getting bullied, has his first kiss, has a fight with a good friend, etc. Not to mention how much you see him grow and mature throughout the series. Your with him every minute that he practices his guitar. As some of the previous reviews suggest, the support characters also have their own distinct personalities that set them apart from the norm. They each have their own distinguishing qualities that will make you love each and every one.

-Music - It was surprisingly good. I found myself humming "blue moon sways" for weeks after I watched the series... bah...I'm humming it now.

-Realistic - The characters are not masters of everything, each has their own strengths and weaknesses comparable to real-life individuals.

-Action - For an anime without any...it sure had alot. There were the constant intermingling conflicts with band members, record producers, mysteries of the past(Beck), and of course girls. Never did the series feel boring or drab.

-Dubbing - as the previous reviews suggested...amazing

Cons: I did have a few minor quips with the series...

- Ending? - It came too soon and the last two episodes were rushed. Seems to be an excellent setup for a season II.

- Mysteries revealed? - There were many things that were never revealed in the end. What significance did the two oddly colored dogs have (one of which being Beck of course)?


In conclusion, The series went far beyond all of my expectations. It kept me enraptured in the many plot twists and character developments. I loved every second of it and I'm sure you will to. Don't prejudge the series until you watch it and you should watch it. An excellent piece of anime that will surely become a classic.

"