I think one of the great stuff in Beck is the music. Try listening to the Japanese versions. Well, I preferred them over the English versions.

It is understandable how the music are very similar sounding. It was mostly worked on by Beat Crusaders, if I am not mistaken. For one group of musicians working on a project with varying music styles, I'd say they did a good job.

The anime stopped half-way of the manga. That could be the reason why it felt like it was rushed. I felt it too, and when I saw new material in the manga, it made me wish there was a second season or something.

But yeah, awesome story on rock and roll.

You listened to the english songs only?

And then you look onto the internet and find out that Koyuki's super long song with the long band entrances at the concert was actually originally "I've Got a Feeling" by the Beatles. But then the obvious licensing troubles meant that that wasn't gonna happen.

YouTube it. It's an epic cover.

Also, YAY BECK!

@Schultzie:

Yeah, and BECK doesn't do just the obvious rock homages either. You've got Koyuki with a Pixies shirt (well, "Pixis", but obviously it's supposed to be Pixies), and my personal favorite, a shot of The Residents in the ED sequence. How many anime fans -- Japanese, American or otherwise -- know The Residents? That's awesome.

I love BECK, its one series I can watch again and again. The references and homages to classic rock bands are abundant and wonderful to me as a fan of those bands. Especially when I first saw Koyuki in a "Who's Next" hoodie. That is an epic win in my book.

I think a lot of the animation setbacks also came from when they showed the band perform, the closeup of the guitar playing seemed to have been roto-scoped because it was incredibly accurate. And they got the rights to use actual brand names on the instruments, stuff like that costs serious money.

And like you said, the rise is a bit fast, but in the time line of the show, it lasts a little over two years. The time line in the manga takes Koyuki to 19-20 by the end of it.

Batou from Anime Pulse once said that K-On! is the Moe cousin of BECK, especially because of Yui getting a Gibson Les Paul. Of course the music is really different, and so Moe its not even fair. But really, K-On! is the closest I can think of.

If you cant tell, I love BECK. Very well written review, Shin.

I really need to bump this show up on my list and start watching it in the near future. ROCK N' ROLL!

... Darn comment box won't let me do the hand gesture. >>;