After watching the Beck movie, I immediately watched Beck anime again. Though it's not my first time watching it, watching it again gave me a new form of excitement and enjoyment.
Story: (8/10) – Good
Tanaka Yukio, better known by his nickname Koyuki, is a 14 year old who feels disconnected from life in general. Through the act of saving a mismatched dog, he meets guitarist Minami Ryuusuke, and becomes involved in Ryuusuke's new band Beck. Koyuki's life starts to change as the band struggles towards fame.
What I really like about Beck is how it realistically portrays the obstacles and problems faced by a band. However, I do feel that the story is a little too lopsided as it focuses too much on Koyuki.
Characters: (8/10) – Good
I like all the band members of Beck, but sadly, too much attention is paid to Koyuki and the other band members hardly went through any character development (in particular Taira and Sakurai).
The band members of Beck:
Koyuki - I didn't really like him initially as he was timid and indecisive. However, as the series progresses, he matured a lot.
Ryuusuke - He's pretty cool but his short-temperament makes him look uncool at times.
Chiba - I like his straight-forwardness!
Taira - He looks cool and he's probably the most mature member.
Sakurai - He's very plain looking and he's also given the least attention. (poor thing!)
Art/Animation: (7/10) – Fairly Good
I tried reading the manga before but I couldn't get into it as the art wasn't to my liking. The characters look much better in the anime than in the manga! The animation, in general is not too bad. I think the animation of the band members playing the instrument is pretty well-done.
Music: (10/10) – Great
Music is the source of life for this anime and it's the main reason why I like Beck. Most of the songs are in English and even though bad pronunciation is a problem, the quality of the voice and tune more than makes up for it. Other than the songs performed in the anime, I also like the Opening theme "Hit in the USA" by Beat Crusaders. It's really sad that Beat Crusaders has already broken up!
The part about Koyuki dealing with his relationship problems is a little draggy but other than that, I had a good time watching the anime. I especially like those scenes when the band is performing.
Overall: (9/10) – Very Good
Good story + Great music = WIN! It's a must watch if you enjoy rock-punk music!
