BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad

The complete lack of motivation, the dull cycle of everyday life.. an average boy with average grades, average looks, average friends and a very average life. This is the story about that average boy and how he decides to make something out of it, transforming it, taking control of it, and discovering who he is as a person and who he can ultimately be. BECK, at its very core, is not a series about music, but a very well-done coming-of-age tale of a boy's journey through self-discovery. Story: The story follows Koyuki, the protagonist, and his band-mates, as they work to launch themselves into rock 'n' rollstardom. The story of BECK is special, for the simple reason that it (generally) depicts the road to gain fame as a prominent band very realistically. It shows that just because you have a sweet voice and some crazy guitarist does not mean you will skyrocket into the music scene and gain a legion of fans. There is much more work to do, finding a good manager, producer, and establishing good connections and making sure not to make the wrong enemies just to name some. Another prominent element of the story is the romantic relationship between Koyuki and Maho, this is where the melodrama accumulates in this story, some of the incidents are just too coincidental and it feels as if they are happening just for the sake of creating melodrama. Melodrama is fine, but the relationship becomes very predictable and boring by the end. The main storyline, thankfully, knows how to deliver the drama correctly and it can really get to you sometimes. It's unpredictable, it feels real, and that's what makes it great. The characters can be celebrating on one page only to have tempers rise in the next. Tidal waves of drama and emotions between the characters in this manga is what ultimately makes the story such a good one. On a side note, this manga is packed with fanservice. No, not as in panty-shots or anything perverted, but as in its references to popular music. Koyuki and the band travel from the grave of Jimi Hendrix to Abbey Road Studio, and with chapter covers filled with endless homages to album covers and bands, and backgrounds packed with references. There is even a dream containing all the deceased big name rock stars. It makes the series even a bit more fun to read. Art: Like a lot of manga series, the art starts out a bit shaky but eventually gains ground and becomes more defined as the series progresses. Backgrounds are carefully done, if not just for the author's love to add music references into them. What I liked a lot about the art is that the author takes notice to the character's growth, the manga covers around five years and the author makes sure as to show that through the character's height, hair length etc. Character: This is the central focus of the series, and what makes it so enjoyable. Sakuishi fleshes out all the band members very well and they're just simply very easy to relate to and three dimensional. Readers will all find a bit of themselves in the members of BECK; from the rash hotheadedness of Chiba, to the lack of faith in oneself sometimes found in Koyuki, or the aggressiveness of Ryusuke. Another thing about the characters that works so well is that so many different personalities are all packed into one cast, and it makes character interaction fun to read and interesting. Koyuki is the soft-spoken, well-meaning but sometimes misunderstood vocalist/guitarist, backed up by his kind and selfless drummer friend Saku; while lead vocalist Chiba is determined to prove himself and loudmouthed, matched only by the blunt, enigmatic, and sometimes troubled lead guitarist Ryusuke. All four of them being balanced by the cool-headed and collective bass player, Taira. Throw this clash of personalities together and you're in for a hell of a ride. The rest of the cast is pretty colorful too, but some feel out of place and I sometimes have a hard time imagining what's their purpose is in this story and why they were introduced in the first place. Of course the majority of the non-BECK cast is very intriguing and fun. From the intimidating Leon Sykes, to the charismatic Eddie Lee to the sheer assholery of Ran, the useful cast far than makes up for the uselessness of characters such as Saito, Sayaka and Izumi, who are there, really, for bad reasons or no reason at all. One loses all significance after the beginning chapters, another one is a plot device used to poof up more melodrama, and the final one seems like an early character that was scrapped from the story by the editor. Enjoyment: Very enjoyable, but some subplots are unnecessary and can get tiring, and one has to question why pages would be spent talking about Kurt Cobain besides the author getting a bit too self-indulgent. But overall this series is a fucking pleasure, you read and read and before you know it, it's already over. When the manga gets good, it is addictive. Overall: This is a great coming-of-age series about a boy's discovery of a passion for music he never knew he had, the importance of friends and values and how not to lose yourself in the midst of fame and recognition. The story is well-written, and exciting; only to be occasionally dragged down by some irritating subplots. The characters, however, are well worth reading this series for. Hell, just read it because it's a great series in general. So if you want less Bankai's, or Sharingan Arms, and more real life drama and struggles, or just something more down to earth, read this. Happy reading.

''If you have never been at the bottom, you can't get to the top. If you've never lost hope, you can't understand what's truly important.'' Ahh, BECK. After rewatching anime two times, i finally gave BECK manga a shot. I don't regret one bit. The story in manga goes 70 chapters onward. Everyone who has watched anime and wants to know what happens with our loved characters afterwards should give this manga a try, too. And if you don't know anything about this story - think about this: Have you ever wondered what would it feel like to be in a band? If you ever wishto find out, BECK would be your choice. I've seen quite many anime and manga already and this is one of the best among, really. ~The story starts with a boy who doesn't have a goal in his life. One day he meets a very strange stitched up dog and its mysterious owner. That meeting has an important meaning to his days onward. Our main character Koyuki and the readers of the manga get introduced to the music world.~ The thing you learn most of it is that going through a hard path is something that gives you the best results. Don't give up and just go forward! Be true to yourself! That kind of stories are one of the best ones because they can leave an impact in your life as well. Something i also noticed was that when you are nice to your enemies it can even be more effective than just having a fight with them. For example, when someone says something insulting to you and you reply like Koyuki: '' Still, you are one of the best i know because ..'' or ''But, you are excellent at what you are doing..'' etc it can actually make the other person think of what he/she said wrong to you. It's weird but it works! So overall 10/10, STORY was truly a masterpiece, nicely wrapped into 103 chapters, which 33 first chapters you can see in anime. A hard path where something good can't always be on top. Something that is always on top is not always the best. Good things, bad things happen but in the end you need to believe in yourself and give it your best to make something amazing happen. It really makes you interested in music. Not to mention, this manga is the perfect example of showing why anything that is ''popular'' isn't always the best. Usually the real gems are hidden somewhere below the surface. ''Sometimes the greatest trial can lead to the greatest success.'' ART what i truly liked is how you can see characters grow, change as they mature. There are so many manga and anime where characters look the same for years, I'm happy BECK isn't one of them. This just shows how close to real life can sometimes story be. CHARACTERS are one of the best parts of this. You will start to like every character in their own way. Its how different people make up a great group. ''I'll follow my own inspiration. It's okay for a person to have a different way of living.'' - Koyuki Koyuki was just too good for the world he lived in ; Ryusuke was so called the ''bad boy'' who got all the girls and got into deep ****; Taira was a collected person and the most mature one. He had really nice skills. He followed by his own instincts not how others told him to (i think i want try out bass guitar one day because of him hehe); Chiba was that mambo-jambo drunken kung-fu panda - anyways, very charismatic and funny character; Yuji - always smiling, growing talent, close relative to Takeshi from Pokemon - never opened his eyes, except one chapter but I was not sure if it was him. Maho was interesting female lead, really excentric, something that you don't see in every story. ENJOYMENT I'm not sure if I'll enjoy any other manga or anime like I enjoyed this one. Those face-drawings they made were just hilarious. And those city ''parkours'' when Koyuki was in hurry to somewhere and a cop was chasing him. Also that great sensation which not many stories give - I think that is what makes this manga great - that unexplainable feeling of reading something nice that you won't regret. I think it's the power of band. Of a group. You feel like you are there, with them and never wishing to leave! This was just so great! I think the questions that anime left unanswered were: Why did that dog look so weird? Because hey, that dog looked really weird.. What was it about the dream they all saw? .. Beck was a silly name but if you decide to read this manga you will find out why it was perfect for them.

At the first I watch Beck's anime by chance and when I loved the anime and when it's come to end I quickly jumped to manga and read it with an enthusiasm cuz it was an overwhelming joyable story.This manga is one of my favourites and here's my review... Story: This story centered about Tanaka Yukio(Koyuki) and the band named Beck(Mongolian Chop Squad).The story starts slowly with main characters acrossed each other and slowly developed but strong friendships and not too much but enjoyable love parts.Even if it's a manga about music life and even it's music's part was great/awesome/amazing the relation parts was the most effectiveson me and I enjoyed it till the end. Characters: Every character in this manga have it's own attractiveness about it(main/supporting doesn't matter).I love this manga cuz you can find a character to bond yourself to him/her.This is important cuz if you cant bond your toughts to an anime/manga you can't enjoy it fullfilly(atleast that's what I think). Drawing: The drawing was good and fit for manga's reading age gap.Atleast I can say Sakuishi Harold did a great job in this manga's drawings.(I wrote but I don't find right for writting about drawings cuz every people has his/her own taste so it doesn't matter how it's drow) Enjoyment: There is nothing much to say I already say over and over this manga full of enjoy ;D In The End: It's a manga worthy of reading(i didn't mean when u bored you can read this,this manga will be your best enjoy treasure when u read it ^^)and I know if you read this manga because of me you will thank me(don't think bad :D)cuz when my friend lend me this manga and after I finished it I was really thankful to that guy for letting me enjoy this kind of pleasure...

Beck is a unique gem of a niche market. In the vastness of manga, that is translated into English, I can't think of another one that A) is about a band and B) hits the specific tone and atmosphere of underground music. It genuinely feels like a niche within a niche, even though it's following the usual shonen character arc. The festivals and creation of music with all the band members are where this piece really shines. In between these big moments, and character goals, are an assortment of side characters, love interests, and gang upheavals. Some of it works, some of it feels likea plot device, and other times it feels like the author forgot a certain side character arc and decided to write their next leg in eventually. The anime covers about the first 10 or 11 volumes and those are indeed the best the series has to offer. There is a similar festival near the end where the quality comes very close to that first third high before having a very solid ending. The middle part is definitely hard to get through because the band is constantly thrown into situations where one member breaks off, does their own thing, they have to all come together again, which is repeated about three times. From a storytelling perspective, it's definitely a solid way to show your characters pushing through some struggle, but it's honestly irritating how planned it all felt. Another aspect that I felt was fairly weak, especially in the second half, was the romance. Of all the characters Saku and Hiromi have the best relationship. Koyuki and Maho are a great couple, and one of the few couples in manga where I can genuinely feel their chemistry through the pages, especially in a shonen story, but for the love of god their relationship isn't written well. The second half is all about keeping them separated and falling for the same "won't he/won't she" misunderstandings where none of them talk to each other to make up. It does lead to some romantic reunions, but at the end of the day it seriously felt like their relationship was all a plot device. Which sucks, because I think they're great characters that are great together, I just couldn't handle the rinse, wash, repeat of their roller coaster love. The music and the festival are fire though. The author really knows how to set up tension and create a ticking clock that makes each performance feels like it has the weight of the world on the band's shoulders. I loved meeting new bands and each musician had a unique way of performing that made them all memorable. Overall, the manga felt down to earth, music was great, romance not so much, there is a ton I didn't even cover but it is certainly an experience I would recommend.