BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad
Encyclopedia
BECK is a manga
by Harold Sakuishi
published by Kodansha
in Monthly Shōnen Magazine. It was adapted as an anime
television series with the title BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad (the subtitle being the name by which the band is known in the United States, in the story, possibly to avoid confusion with Beck Hansen, despite being named after a fictional guitarist's dog). It tells the story of a group of Japanese teenagers who form a rock band
. The manga
was licensed in North America by Tokyopop
, but after the release of the 12th volume in June 2008, the manga went on a hiatus.The series has also spawned three guidebooks. The manga won the 2002 Kodansha Manga Award
for shōnen
.
The 26-episode anime television series was aired on Japan's TV Tokyo from October 2004 to March 2005. It was directed by Osamu Kobayashi
, animated by Madhouse
and produced by Takeshi Shukuri and Yoshimi Nakajima.
A live-action film adaptation was released in 2010. The film stars Hiro Mizushima as Ryusuke and Takeru Satoh
as Koyuki.
band named BECK, and Koyuki's relationships with the members of the band, in particular Ryûsuke Minami and his sister, Maho Minami.
from Rage Against the Machine
, and the way Koyuki holds his guitar is based on Tom Morello
of the same band. Also, the band's first song, "Spice of Life", has a guitar riff similar to that of Rage's "Bulls on Parade
", except that the notes' tones progressively ascend instead of descending. Ryuusuke is based on Led Zeppelin
's Jimmy Page
(he is even acknowledged by some as "the Japanese Jimmy Page"), though also resembles Tom Morello
in some of his playing — though, at times, he can be cocky (as seen when he tries to name the band after himself), like Yngwie Malmsteen or Noel Gallagher
. Also, his attitude towards guitar playing and his playing style can be seen as similar to John Frusciante
.
The manga contains many references and tributes to classic rock and popular culture. Nearly every other chapter has a mock cover of a popular rock album with characters from the manga in place of the people usually pictured, including Radiohead's The Bends
, The Beatles
' Rubber Soul
, Oasis
' Definitely Maybe
and many more. Other artworks contain parodies of famous moments within music, including one moment lifted from the music video for "Karma Police
" by Radiohead, which shows Saito running away from the car instead. A particular dream sequence of Koyuki's in the manga (seen in episode 14 of the anime as well) features various deceased rock idols such as Kurt Cobain
, Jimi Hendrix
, John Lennon
, Bob Marley
, Sid Vicious
and Freddie Mercury
picking up garbage, meaning they were there "to clean up after Beck". In more recent volumes a character named George Graham, dubbed the "king of funk
", shows a huge resemblance to George Clinton
of Parliament Funkadelic and shares the last name of Larry Graham
, one of the innovators of slap bass. He comments on the band that he never heard such an amazing groove as when he heard Beck/MCS play. The manga also contains hundreds of references to rock culture, and existing bands. Throughout the series, references to real albums, including one sequence where Koyuki has a pile of albums lying on his bedroom floor that include Radiohead
's Kid A
and Sigur Rós
' Takk...
.
Even in the anime, lots of musical influences can be seen, not only on the characters themselves: some of Koyuki's shirts have altered names for real bands, like "Ramonne
" (subtitled "Johnny
"), "Radiohead
" changed to Rodiohead and Radioheat, and "Pixis" and a fictional band called Long Boy has a similar banana looking logo to the iconic cover art of The Velvet Underground and Nico
. Koyuki's pose when he is singing without playing guitar is an homage to Oasis
frontman Liam Gallagher
, who puts his hands behind his back while singing. In the ending sequence, some rock icons like Freddie Mercury, Sid Vicious, The Residents
, The Beatles
, Bob Marley
and Kurt Cobain
(who closes the slideshow) can be seen sketched on the slideshow. Also, some of the names Ryuusuke suggests for the band (before they decide to settle on "Beck") include R.E.M. (standing for "Ryuusuke Excellent Minami" instead of "Rapid Eye Movement"), Ryuusuke's Snake Pit
, Minami Ryuusuke Orchestra (may be a take on Electric Light Orchestra
as well) and Minami Ryuusuke and Family
. Also, in episode 5 titled "BECK", The Hives
' appearance is clearly parodied on the cover of an early CD by the Rocket Boys, a 1960s rock band and Saitou's favorite band ("Follow Me" By the Rocketboys is sung by Koyuki and Maho at a summer Festival at one point in the series). "Bomb the World"
can be heard at the Grateful Sound, and The Who
's "Sparks" is also heard in episode one. In the seventeenth episode Koyuki can be heard playing the main riff from Rage Against the Machine
's "Bombtrack". Female indie-singer Jewel
also makes an appearance at Grateful Sound in the 23rd episode (Koyuki borrows her acoustic guitar to step up on stage later on). An acquaintance of Ryuusuke, Erica Blige, a successful pop/R&B American singer of whom he receives news of the death, possibly had her name inspired by two real-life pop singers, Erykah Badu
and Mary J. Blige
(as well as other characters mentioned by Sykes in he manga, like "P.
Dre
" and "Missy
Timberland
"). It should be noted here that the character Tetsuo Kuroki, vocalist for the band Room 13, wears a Converge
t-shirt on his first appearance. This character is also known for being a howler, and Room 13 is probably, judging from both this and the "illogical" playing style, a mathcore
band.
Harold Sakuishi himself has admitted that the band is inspired in part by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
. Sakuishi admits that they are his favorite band; their music, specifically the song "Under the Bridge
", helped him through a difficult time in his life. A one-shot manga also called Under the Bridge was written by Sakuishi and narrates his first meeting with the band
. This influence is widely seen in Beck, not only in the band's musical style, but also in the fact that Taira heavily resembles a younger version of Flea
, the Chili Peppers' own bassist, both in looks (he is mostly seen playing shirtless and has his hair bleached blonde, as Flea used to have his own) and in playing style. The band that Taira joins in the final episode is The Pillows
, who are mostly famous in America for their FLCL
soundtrack work. Later in the episode a roadie tells Taira that their guitarist, Yoshiaki Manabe
, is looking for him, proving that Taira is supposed to be playing with the actual Pillows.
Alt-rock band Boys Night Out
also makes an appearance. During Koyuki's slideshow in the same episode, pictures from a live at CBGB's reveal men that resemble Joey Ramone
and Iggy Pop
, where Maho would ask curiously who they are, but Koyuki would answer with "some New York punks".
2006, U.S.-based anime distributor FUNimation Entertainment
announced that they have acquired the license for the BECK anime series. Taliesin Jaffe
(known for directing the dub of Hellsing
) and Christopher Bevins
(known for directing the dubs of Speed Grapher
and Samurai 7
) are the directors of the English version. The first DVD was released in 2007. The English dub will be released by Revelation films
in the UK and Madman Entertainment
in Australia and New Zealand.
BECK made its North American television debut on Canadian music channel, MuchMusic
, on March 9, 2007. The series finished on June 3. Despite the fact that this is a shōnen series, the show was rated TV-14 for its language and violence, but the DVD edition is rated TV-MA for strong language, including near-constant use of the word fuck
in the first episode and frequently in subsequent episodes.
In the English adaptation, many songs were re-recorded with English lyrics. The sung lyrics of some English songs in the anime, such as Moon on the Water and Follow Me, were slightly altered to correct grammar, although the incorrect grammar
still appears in the English subtitles
.
The Beatles' song "I've Got a Feeling" has the lyrics replaced in the American DVDs.
who has directed manga to film adaptations in the past. Hiro Mizushima and Takeru Satoh
headline the film as Ryusuke and Koyuki respectively. Kenta Kiritani portrays Chiba, Aoi Nakamura
portrays Saku, and Osamu Mukai
portrays Taira. Nearly 30 new songs were performed by the actors.
Beck premiered in Japanese movie theaters on September 4, 2010.
The movie was released on DVD
and Blu-ray
on February 2, 2011. The DVD came in Standard and Luxury editions. The Luxury edition included a bonus DVD.
has produced two BECK signature guitars so far. A Fender Telecaster
, and a Fender Mustang
which were played by Tanaka Yukio. The signature is written on the back of these guitars' headstock
.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
by Harold Sakuishi
Harold Sakuishi
, better known by his pen name , is a Japanese manga artist. Sakuishi has a wide variety of interests which include baseball , martial arts, MMA, and music . Each of these has become the basis for his most popular series...
published by Kodansha
Kodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
in Monthly Shōnen Magazine. It was adapted as an anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
television series with the title BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad (the subtitle being the name by which the band is known in the United States, in the story, possibly to avoid confusion with Beck Hansen, despite being named after a fictional guitarist's dog). It tells the story of a group of Japanese teenagers who form a rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
. The manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
was licensed in North America by Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
, but after the release of the 12th volume in June 2008, the manga went on a hiatus.The series has also spawned three guidebooks. The manga won the 2002 Kodansha Manga Award
Kodansha Manga Award
is an annual award for serialized manga published in the previous year, sponsored by the publisher Kodansha. It is currently awarded in four categories: children's, shōnen, shōjo, and general. The awards began in 1977, initially with categories for shōnen and shōjo. The first award for the...
for shōnen
Shonen
The term refers to manga marketed to a male audience aged roughly 10 and up. The Kanji characters literally mean "few" and "year", respectively, where the characters generally mean "comic"...
.
The 26-episode anime television series was aired on Japan's TV Tokyo from October 2004 to March 2005. It was directed by Osamu Kobayashi
Osamu Kobayashi (illustrator)
is a Japanese animator, illustrator, mechanic designer, and animation director. He originally directed avant garde shorts and music videos for Studio 4°C and has more recently done two TV series for Madhouse Studios....
, animated by Madhouse
Madhouse (company)
is a Japanese animation studio, founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro animators including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. It has created and helped to produce many well known shows, starting with TV anime series Ace o Nerae! in 1973, and including western favourites Ninja...
and produced by Takeshi Shukuri and Yoshimi Nakajima.
A live-action film adaptation was released in 2010. The film stars Hiro Mizushima as Ryusuke and Takeru Satoh
Takeru Satoh
is a Japanese actor. His debut role was as the lead in Kamen Rider Den-O, and is known for his subsequent roles in the dramatizations of Q10 and Ryōmaden.- Career :...
as Koyuki.
Overview
Yukio, known by his friends as "Koyuki", is a regular 14-year-old Japanese boy who enters junior high school with two childhood acquaintances. One is a pervert, and ironically the other is a highly sought after female student. Koyuki's boring life is changed when he saves an odd-looking dog, named Beck, from some kids. Beck's owner turns out to be an emerging rock musician, Ryūsuke Minami, who soon influences Koyuki to start playing the guitar, and even gives one to him. The story focuses on the trials and tribulations of their rockRock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band named BECK, and Koyuki's relationships with the members of the band, in particular Ryûsuke Minami and his sister, Maho Minami.
Characters
- The main character; the series follows his rapid development from living an average life to becoming an outstanding guitarist. He is the fourth member recruited into BECK, playing rhythm guitar and singing slower songs. He also seems like a person that doesn't know much about life. In the Japanese version of the anime, Koyuki is voiced by Daisuke NamikawaDaisuke Namikawais a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Across Entertainment.He started acting in 1984. He is sometimes mistaken for fellow voice actor Daisuke Hirakawa, as their names only differ by one character when written in kanji. Despite his wide range of voice casting, he is usually cast as young,...
, with Kazuya Hirabayashi providing his singing voice, and by Greg AyresGreg AyresGregory Scott Ayres is an American voice actor who works for anime series at Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, Seraphim Digital, and OkraTron 5000. He has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films...
in the English Adaptation. He is portrayed in the live action performance by Takeru SatohTakeru Satohis a Japanese actor. His debut role was as the lead in Kamen Rider Den-O, and is known for his subsequent roles in the dramatizations of Q10 and Ryōmaden.- Career :...
.
- A slacker, but incredibly talented guitarist, he inspires Koyuki to begin playing guitar. He is the lead guitarist of BECK as well as its founding member. A large amount of the story revolves around him and his Gibson Les PaulGibson Les PaulThe Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
guitar, named Prudence (Lucille in the original version, which is the same name of B.B. King's famous black Gibson), that has a somewhat dark history. He also played a Fender StratocasterFender StratocasterThe Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
while jamming with his influence John Lee Davis. He is voiced by Yuuma Ueno in the Japanese version of the anime and by Eric ValeEric ValeChristopher Eric Johnson better known by his stage name Eric Vale, is an American voice actor, ADR Director, Script, and Head Writer who is affiliated with Funimation Entertainment...
in the English adaptation. In the live-action film, he is portrayed by Hiro Mizushima.
- Maho is Ryûsuke's younger sister and a talented singer. She is brash but emotionally fragile, and gradually builds a romantic relationship with Koyuki. In the Japanese version of the anime, Maho is voiced by Miho Saeki, with Sowelu providing her singing voice, and by Brina PalenciaBrina PalenciaBrina Michelle Palencia is an American voice actress, singer, and ADR director who works for Funimation Entertainment. She has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films and television series.Apart from her adult female voices, she has been cast in younger...
in the English adaptation. In the live-action film, she is portrayed by Shiori Kutsuna.
- Saitou teaches Koyuki both guitar and swimming. Though he can be a demanding instructor, he opens up to Koyuki, even asking him for relationship advice on occasion. He is voiced by Porsche Okite in the Japanese version of the anime, and by R. Bruce ElliottR. Bruce ElliottRobert Bruce Elliott is an American Actor and voice actor who works for Funimation Entertainment. He has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films...
in the English adaptation. In the live-action film, he is portrayed by Takanori Takeyama.
- BECK's bassist, Taira is the first member recruited by Ryûsuke. Although he can sometimes seem uncaring or apathetic, he is actually the most mature of the band members and often offers helpful advice. He usually performs shirtless, much like the character he is based on: Flea of RHCP. His main live bass is a white Musicman Stingray (a 1993-1996 model as identified from the type of bridge) with 3-band EQ and a trans bridge. In the Japanese version of the anime, Taira is voiced by Kenji NojimaKenji Nojimais a Japanese seiyū who was born in Tokyo. He is employed by Japanese voice talent agency Aoni Production. He is the son of veteran seiyū Akio Nojima and is the younger brother of seiyū Hirofumi Nojima...
, and Jerry JewellJerry JewellJerry Dean Jewell is an American actor, Singer, and voice actor who works for Funimation Entertainment...
in the English adaptation. In the live-action film, he is portrayed by Osamu MukaiOsamu Mukaiis a Japanese actor. He was born in Kanagawa, Japan. Graduated from Meiji University.-Summary:Mukai's first main role was in the 2006 Japanese television drama Nodame Cantabile...
.
- The main vocalist for BECK, Chiba's vocals are more punk- and rap-oriented than Koyuki's and thus more fitting for the majority of Beck's songs. Chiba's inclusion in the band was that originally during a baseball game early in the series it was brought to Ryusuke's attention that he was a vocalist with a great presence on stage. He is voiced by Shintaro Ohata in the Japanese version of the anime, with Tatsuzo of YKZ providing his singing voice, and by Justin CookJustin CookJustin Ryan Cook is an American Producer, Voice Actor, Line Producer, ADR Director, and Engineer who works for Funimation Entertainment and OkraTron 5000...
in the English Adaptation. In the live-action film, he is portrayed by Kenta Kiritani.
- Saku is BECK's drummer and last member to join apart from Koyuki. He and Koyuki are good friends and classmates; Saku was the first person to talk to Koyuki after school bullies impose a school-wide silent treatment. He is voiced by Tōru Nara in the Japanese version of the anime, and by Johnny Yong BoschJohnny Yong BoschJohnny Yong Bosch is an American actor, voice actor, martial artist, and musician.He may be best known for portraying Adam Park in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and being the English voice of Ichigo Kurosaki in the hit anime series Bleach, Vash the Stampede in Trigun and Lelouch Lamperouge in Code...
in the English adaptation. In the live-action film, he is portrayed by Aoi NakamuraAoi Nakamurais a Japanese actor.-Biography:Nakamura portrays Hibiki Akagi in Boys Esté.He appears in Perfect Blue a television movie based on a novel by Miyuki Miyabe...
.
Musical influence
Harold Sakushi, the author of the original manga, has confirmed in an interview with Tokyopop, that Chiba's attitude, style, and appearance was based on Zack De La RochaZack de la Rocha
Zacarías Manuel "Zack" de la Rocha is an American rapper, musician, poet, and activist best known as the vocalist and lyricist of Rage Against the Machine.-Early life and childhood:...
from Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
, and the way Koyuki holds his guitar is based on Tom Morello
Tom Morello
Thomas Baptiste "Tom" Morello is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist best known for his tenure with the bands Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, his acoustic solo act The Nightwatchman, and his newest group, Street Sweeper Social Club...
of the same band. Also, the band's first song, "Spice of Life", has a guitar riff similar to that of Rage's "Bulls on Parade
Bulls on Parade
"Bulls on Parade" is a song released by Rage Against the Machine in 1996, and can be found on their second album Evil Empire.-Context:"Bulls on Parade" addresses the American military-industrial complex, a situation in which industry urges government to take military action, with the intent of...
", except that the notes' tones progressively ascend instead of descending. Ryuusuke is based on Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
's Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
(he is even acknowledged by some as "the Japanese Jimmy Page"), though also resembles Tom Morello
Tom Morello
Thomas Baptiste "Tom" Morello is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist best known for his tenure with the bands Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, his acoustic solo act The Nightwatchman, and his newest group, Street Sweeper Social Club...
in some of his playing — though, at times, he can be cocky (as seen when he tries to name the band after himself), like Yngwie Malmsteen or Noel Gallagher
Noel Gallagher
Noel Thomas David Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, formerly the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and principal songwriter of the English rock band Oasis. He is currently fronting his solo project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.Raised in Burnage, Manchester with his...
. Also, his attitude towards guitar playing and his playing style can be seen as similar to John Frusciante
John Frusciante
John Anthony Frusciante is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, record and film producer. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, with whom he had been for a number of years and recorded five studio albums...
.
The manga contains many references and tributes to classic rock and popular culture. Nearly every other chapter has a mock cover of a popular rock album with characters from the manga in place of the people usually pictured, including Radiohead's The Bends
The Bends
The Bends is the second studio album by the English alternative rock band Radiohead, released on 13 March 1995 by Parlophone. The Bends was produced by John Leckie at EMI's studios in London, and engineered by Nigel Godrich, who would go on to produce all future albums by the band...
, The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' Rubber Soul
Rubber Soul
Rubber Soul is the sixth studio album by the English rock group The Beatles, released in December 1965. Produced by George Martin, Rubber Soul had been recorded in just over four weeks to make the Christmas market...
, Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
' Definitely Maybe
Definitely Maybe
Definitely Maybe is the debut album by English rock band Oasis, released in August 1994. It was an immediate commercial and critical success in the UK, having followed on the heels of singles "Supersonic", "Shakermaker" and "Live Forever"....
and many more. Other artworks contain parodies of famous moments within music, including one moment lifted from the music video for "Karma Police
Karma Police
"Karma Police" is a song by English alternative rock band Radiohead from their 1997 third studio album OK Computer. The song's title and lyrics derive from an in-joke among the band, referring to the Hindu theory of retributive enforcement, known as karma....
" by Radiohead, which shows Saito running away from the car instead. A particular dream sequence of Koyuki's in the manga (seen in episode 14 of the anime as well) features various deceased rock idols such as Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
, Sid Vicious
Sid Vicious
Sid Vicious was an English musician best known as the bassist of the influential punk rock group Sex Pistols...
and Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
picking up garbage, meaning they were there "to clean up after Beck". In more recent volumes a character named George Graham, dubbed the "king of funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
", shows a huge resemblance to George Clinton
George Clinton (funk musician)
George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
of Parliament Funkadelic and shares the last name of Larry Graham
Larry Graham
Larry Graham, Jr. is an African American bass guitar player, both with the popular and influential psychedelic soul/funk band Sly & the Family Stone, and as the founder and frontman of Graham Central Station...
, one of the innovators of slap bass. He comments on the band that he never heard such an amazing groove as when he heard Beck/MCS play. The manga also contains hundreds of references to rock culture, and existing bands. Throughout the series, references to real albums, including one sequence where Koyuki has a pile of albums lying on his bedroom floor that include Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
's Kid A
Kid A
Kid A is the fourth studio album by the English rock band Radiohead, released in October 2000 by the Parlophone label. A commercial success worldwide, Kid A went platinum in its first week of release in the United Kingdom. Despite the lack of an official single or music video as publicity, Kid A...
and Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós is an Icelandic post-rock band with classicaland minimalist elements. The band is known for its ethereal sound, and frontman Jónsi Birgisson's falsetto vocals and use of bowed guitar. In January 2010, the band announced that they will be on hiatus. Since then, it has since been announced...
' Takk...
Takk...
Takk... is the fourth full-length studio album by the Icelandic band Sigur Rós. The first singles, "Glósóli" and "Sæglópur", were released on August 15, 2005 and August 16, 2005 respectively, the former worldwide and the latter only in the United States. The single "Hoppípolla" was released in the...
.
Even in the anime, lots of musical influences can be seen, not only on the characters themselves: some of Koyuki's shirts have altered names for real bands, like "Ramonne
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
" (subtitled "Johnny
Johnny Ramone
John William Cummings , better known by his stage name Johnny Ramone, was an American guitarist and songwriter, best known for being the guitarist for the punk rock band the Ramones. He was a founding member of the band, and remained a member throughout the band's entire career...
"), "Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
" changed to Rodiohead and Radioheat, and "Pixis" and a fictional band called Long Boy has a similar banana looking logo to the iconic cover art of The Velvet Underground and Nico
The Velvet Underground and Nico
The Velvet Underground & Nico is the debut album by American rock band The Velvet Underground and vocal collaborator Nico. It was originally released in March 1967 by Verve Records...
. Koyuki's pose when he is singing without playing guitar is an homage to Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
frontman Liam Gallagher
Liam Gallagher
William John Paul "Liam" Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, the former frontman of the English rock band Oasis and currently of the band Beady Eye. Gallagher's erratic behaviour, distinctive singing style, and abrasive attitude have been the subject of commentary in the press...
, who puts his hands behind his back while singing. In the ending sequence, some rock icons like Freddie Mercury, Sid Vicious, The Residents
The Residents
The Residents is an American art collective best known for avant-garde music and multimedia works. The first official release under the name of The Residents was in 1972, and the group has since released over sixty albums, numerous music videos and short films, three CD-ROM projects and ten DVDs....
, The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
and Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
(who closes the slideshow) can be seen sketched on the slideshow. Also, some of the names Ryuusuke suggests for the band (before they decide to settle on "Beck") include R.E.M. (standing for "Ryuusuke Excellent Minami" instead of "Rapid Eye Movement"), Ryuusuke's Snake Pit
Slash's Snakepit
Slash's Snakepit were an American rock supergroup from Los Angeles, California, formed by then-Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash in 1993. Though often described as a solo or side project, Slash stated that Snakepit was a band, with equal contributions by all members...
, Minami Ryuusuke Orchestra (may be a take on Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
as well) and Minami Ryuusuke and Family
Sly & the Family Stone
Sly and the Family Stone were an American rock, funk, and soul band from San Francisco, California. Active from 1966 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the development of soul, funk, and psychedelic music...
. Also, in episode 5 titled "BECK", The Hives
The Hives
The Hives are a Swedish garage rock band that first garnered attention in the early 2000s as a prominent group of the garage rock revival. Their mainstream success came with the release of the "greatest hits" album Your New Favourite Band, featuring their most well-known song "Hate to Say I Told...
' appearance is clearly parodied on the cover of an early CD by the Rocket Boys, a 1960s rock band and Saitou's favorite band ("Follow Me" By the Rocketboys is sung by Koyuki and Maho at a summer Festival at one point in the series). "Bomb the World"
Michael Franti
Michael Franti is an American poet, musician, and composer. He is the creator and lead vocalist of Michael Franti & Spearhead, a band that blends hip hop with a variety of other styles including funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock...
can be heard at the Grateful Sound, and The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
's "Sparks" is also heard in episode one. In the seventeenth episode Koyuki can be heard playing the main riff from Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
's "Bombtrack". Female indie-singer Jewel
Jewel (singer)
Jewel Kilcher , professionally known as Jewel, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress and poet...
also makes an appearance at Grateful Sound in the 23rd episode (Koyuki borrows her acoustic guitar to step up on stage later on). An acquaintance of Ryuusuke, Erica Blige, a successful pop/R&B American singer of whom he receives news of the death, possibly had her name inspired by two real-life pop singers, Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical...
and Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
(as well as other characters mentioned by Sykes in he manga, like "P.
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
" and "Missy
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott , is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actressA five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have five albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one...
Timberland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
"). It should be noted here that the character Tetsuo Kuroki, vocalist for the band Room 13, wears a Converge
Converge (band)
Converge is an American band from Salem, Massachusetts. Playing a blend of hardcore punk and metal since 1990, Converge has helped to define many of the elements of the metalcore genre.-Description:...
t-shirt on his first appearance. This character is also known for being a howler, and Room 13 is probably, judging from both this and the "illogical" playing style, a mathcore
Mathcore
Mathcore is a rhythmically complex and dissonant fusion style of hardcore punk and Metal. It has its roots in bands such as Converge, Botch, and The Dillinger Escape Plan. The term mathcore is suggested by analogy with math rock. Both math rock and mathcore make use of unusual time signatures...
band.
Harold Sakuishi himself has admitted that the band is inspired in part by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
. Sakuishi admits that they are his favorite band; their music, specifically the song "Under the Bridge
Under the Bridge
"Under the Bridge" is a song by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on March 10, 1992 as the second single from the group's fifth studio album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Vocalist Anthony Kiedis wrote the lyrics to express a feeling of loneliness and despondency, and to reflect on...
", helped him through a difficult time in his life. A one-shot manga also called Under the Bridge was written by Sakuishi and narrates his first meeting with the band
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
. This influence is widely seen in Beck, not only in the band's musical style, but also in the fact that Taira heavily resembles a younger version of Flea
Flea (musician)
Michael Peter Balzary , better known by his stage name Flea, is an Australian-American musician and occasional actor. He is best known as the bassist, co-founding member, and one of the composers of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers...
, the Chili Peppers' own bassist, both in looks (he is mostly seen playing shirtless and has his hair bleached blonde, as Flea used to have his own) and in playing style. The band that Taira joins in the final episode is The Pillows
The Pillows
The Pillows are a Japanese rock band. The group has released more than a dozen original studio albums, along with several EPs, singles and compilations...
, who are mostly famous in America for their FLCL
FLCL
is an original video animation series written by Yōji Enokido, directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki and produced by the FLCL Production Committee, which included Gainax, Production I.G, and Starchild Records....
soundtrack work. Later in the episode a roadie tells Taira that their guitarist, Yoshiaki Manabe
Yoshiaki Manabe
is the lead guitarist for the Japanese rock band The Pillows. As a mixing engineer, Manabe has worked on albums by The Pillows and The Stereo Future. He enjoys reading in his free time and is an enormous fan of Bob Marley. He also has his own signature guitar made by Sago New Material...
, is looking for him, proving that Taira is supposed to be playing with the actual Pillows.
Alt-rock band Boys Night Out
Boys Night Out
Boys Night Out may refer to:* Boys Night Out , a Canadian emo/post-hardcore band** Boys Night Out , their self-titled album* Boys' Night Out , a 1962 comedy...
also makes an appearance. During Koyuki's slideshow in the same episode, pictures from a live at CBGB's reveal men that resemble Joey Ramone
Joey Ramone
Joey Ramone was an American vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist in the punk rock band the Ramones. Joey Ramone's image, voice and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon.-Early life:Joey Ramone was born Jeffry Hyman to parents Noel and Charlotte Hyman...
and Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
, where Maho would ask curiously who they are, but Koyuki would answer with "some New York punks".
English adaptation
On Saturday, May 27 at Anime BostonAnime Boston
Anime Boston is an annual three-day anime fan convention held in the spring in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The convention features a number of events which include a masquerade, an anime music video contest, video programming rooms, an artists' alley and art show, karaoke, game shows,...
2006, U.S.-based anime distributor FUNimation Entertainment
FUNimation Entertainment
Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...
announced that they have acquired the license for the BECK anime series. Taliesin Jaffe
Taliesin Jaffe
Taliesin Jaffe is an American voice director, script writer, voice actor, and former child actor.Jaffe was born in Los Angeles, California. He is known for directing and writing many English language anime titles for New Generation Pictures, most notably R.O.D the TV and Hellsing...
(known for directing the dub of Hellsing
Hellsing
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kouta Hirano. It first premiered in Young King Ours in 1997 and ended in September 2008. The individual chapters are collected and published in tankōbon volumes by Shōnen Gahosha. As of March 2009 all chapters have been released in 10 volumes in...
) and Christopher Bevins
Christopher Bevins
Christopher Bevins is an American voice actor and ADR director who is also known as Chris Bevins...
(known for directing the dubs of Speed Grapher
Speed Grapher
is a 2005 anime series created by Gonzo. The series ran for 24 episodes from April to October 2005 on TV Asahi. In 2006, it was licensed for release in North America by Funimation Entertainment and aired on the Independent Film Channel between March 7 and August 15, 2008...
and Samurai 7
Samurai 7
is a 2004 anime TV series, produced by Gonzo and based on Akira Kurosawa's highly regarded 1954 movie Seven Samurai. The series was directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and its music was composed by Kaoru Wada and Eitetsu Hayashi...
) are the directors of the English version. The first DVD was released in 2007. The English dub will be released by Revelation films
Revelation Films
Revelation Films is a British distributor of entertainment programmes on DVD.It was perhaps most well known as the company through which as of November 2006, the American anime company FUNimation Entertainment has launched its titles in the United Kingdom on region 2 DVD...
in the UK and Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment is an Australian company that distributes international films as well as Japanese anime and manga in Australia and New Zealand. The company is owned by Funtastic Limited and is one of the major entertainment companies in Australia. It employs 130 people and has an annual...
in Australia and New Zealand.
BECK made its North American television debut on Canadian music channel, MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
, on March 9, 2007. The series finished on June 3. Despite the fact that this is a shōnen series, the show was rated TV-14 for its language and violence, but the DVD edition is rated TV-MA for strong language, including near-constant use of the word fuck
Fuck
"Fuck" is an English word that is generally considered obscene which, in its most literal meaning, refers to the act of sexual intercourse. By extension it may be used to negatively characterize anything that can be dismissed, disdained, defiled, or destroyed."Fuck" can be used as a verb, adverb,...
in the first episode and frequently in subsequent episodes.
In the English adaptation, many songs were re-recorded with English lyrics. The sung lyrics of some English songs in the anime, such as Moon on the Water and Follow Me, were slightly altered to correct grammar, although the incorrect grammar
Engrish
refers to unusual forms of English language usage by native speakers of some East Asian languages. The term itself relates to Japanese speakers' tendency to inadvertently substitute the English phonemes "R" and "L" for one another, because the Japanese language has one alveolar consonant in place...
still appears in the English subtitles
Subtitle (captioning)
Subtitles are textual versions of the dialog in films and television programs, usually displayed at the bottom of the screen. They can either be a form of written translation of a dialog in a foreign language, or a written rendering of the dialog in the same language, with or without added...
.
The Beatles' song "I've Got a Feeling" has the lyrics replaced in the American DVDs.
Live action film
A live action film was produced and directed by Yukihiko TsutsumiYukihiko Tsutsumi
is a Japanese television and film director. He began directing commercials and music promotion videos as an employee of Nihon Television. After spending time abroad, he returned and started his own production company, Crescendo, from which he works independently...
who has directed manga to film adaptations in the past. Hiro Mizushima and Takeru Satoh
Takeru Satoh
is a Japanese actor. His debut role was as the lead in Kamen Rider Den-O, and is known for his subsequent roles in the dramatizations of Q10 and Ryōmaden.- Career :...
headline the film as Ryusuke and Koyuki respectively. Kenta Kiritani portrays Chiba, Aoi Nakamura
Aoi Nakamura
is a Japanese actor.-Biography:Nakamura portrays Hibiki Akagi in Boys Esté.He appears in Perfect Blue a television movie based on a novel by Miyuki Miyabe...
portrays Saku, and Osamu Mukai
Osamu Mukai
is a Japanese actor. He was born in Kanagawa, Japan. Graduated from Meiji University.-Summary:Mukai's first main role was in the 2006 Japanese television drama Nodame Cantabile...
portrays Taira. Nearly 30 new songs were performed by the actors.
Beck premiered in Japanese movie theaters on September 4, 2010.
The movie was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
on February 2, 2011. The DVD came in Standard and Luxury editions. The Luxury edition included a bonus DVD.
Signature guitars
Fender JapanFender Japan
Fender Japan is the Japanese division of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.-History:Fender Japan was officially created in March 1982 and consists of two Japanese Music companies that handle the ordering and distribution. The two companies are Yamano Gakki and Kanda Shokai...
has produced two BECK signature guitars so far. A Fender Telecaster
Fender Telecaster
The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender.Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music...
, and a Fender Mustang
Fender Mustang
The Fender Mustang is an electric guitar by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, introduced in 1964 as the basis of a major redesign of Fender's student models then consisting of the Musicmaster and Duo-Sonic. It was produced until 1982 and reissued in 1990.In the 1960s, it was used in Surf...
which were played by Tanaka Yukio. The signature is written on the back of these guitars' headstock
Headstock
Headstock or peghead is a part of guitar or similar stringed instrument. The main function of a headstock is holding the instrument's strings. Strings go from the bridge past the nut and are usually fixed on machine heads on headstock...
.
Reception
| Source | Reviewer | Grade / Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anime News Network | Carl Kimlinger | Overall (dub): A- Overall (sub): B+ Story: B+ Animation: B+ Art: A- Music: A- |
DVD/Anime Review of Volume 1 (Episodes 1-5) |
| AnimeOnDVD | Chris Beveridge | Content: A- Audio: A- Video: C Packaging: B+ Menus: B+ Extras: B+ |
DVD/Anime Review of Volume 1 (Episodes 1-5) |