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BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad #5
Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad, Volume 5
When Beck plays its first gig as a five-piece, Koyuki's inexperience makes the band hit a wall of sound. But after the show, Koyuki displays his true talent with a new song about someone special... Later, an old nemesis resurfaces: Eiji unveils his new high-powered band, Belle Ame. Backed by a famous music producer, Belle Ame is flashy, stylish and heading its way up the charts. With the competition to get on the Dying Breed's tour fierce, has Beck performed its last waltz?
208 pages, Paperback
First published October 14, 2000
15 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Harold Sakuishi
224 books78 followersAssociated names :
哈罗德作石
HAROLD作石
Name (in native language) : ハロルド 作石
Birth Name : Sakuishi (作石) Takahiro (貴浩)
Blood type : AB
Sakuishi has a wide variety of interests which include baseball (he is a huge Chunichi Dragons fan), martial arts, MMA, and music (he is a huge Red Hot Chili Peppers fan).
Each of these has become the basis for his most popular series (baseball in Stopper Busujima, fighting in Bakaichi, and music in Beck).
His series also often include character cameos from his past works; one of the newspaper reporters in Beck is actually from Stopper Busujima and so on. Additionally, he's a big fan of Sangokushi (Romance of the Three Kingdoms) with an altered version of that story appearing in Beck written by "Christy Sakuishi".
In Beck he included many famous people in background crowds. These included many popular musicians, characters from Happy Sangokushi and MMA legends Royce Gracie and Kazushi Sakuraba.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 13, 2024
such a good volume
April 25, 2021
Still chugging along, mostly enjoying this, but sometimes not. I think mostly I'm impatient with it--I get tired of the bully plotlines and it's a little more fan service-y than I would prefer, but not too bad with that. This one also ends with some girl drama, which I'm not sure how I feel about. Koyuki is so clueless about all that, but it even took me awhile to figure out why Maho would be upset. I guess I'm kind of clueless too?
Anyway, I'm just really, really ready for more actual music stuff. I am enjoying the spoof album covers, though.
Anyway, I'm just really, really ready for more actual music stuff. I am enjoying the spoof album covers, though.
August 3, 2017
''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.''. --- Diane ™
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 wish to 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..
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 wish to 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..
August 30, 2018
I'm a kid of the 90ies and these books really speak to me. I grew up with a lot of the bands referenced in those books, I played the guitar for years and am still a rock and metal fan to this day.
"Beck" is a highly realistic and gripping account of the rise of a young Japanese rock band with great characterization and plot (plus some very interesting side plots). The art is amazing, realistic and very emotive. You can't help but root for Koyuki who is also very likeable. Even the sleazy and perverted side characters have their own (yet disgusting) charm. Sakuishi really brings a world alive that you can't help but be part of.
What else can I say, I'm completely addicted! It even made me get my old electric guitar out, a higher praise for a book cannot be sung.
It seems that I share a lot of Sakuishi's interests, looking at his martial arts manga Rin and the excellent "Seven Shakespeares". I have done eight years of kung fu and shaolin kung fu and only stopped because of injuries. Maybe those books speak to me so much because I had a similar upbringing half a globe away, who knows?
If you have Amazon Prime, at least in Germany all the books are included in Prime Reading and Sakuishi's other superb manga series "The Seven Shakespeares" is also available for free. I really cannot recommend them enough.
PS: I'm only gonna review one of the Beck mangas to make things shorter and easier, this was my favorite in the series so far!
Another side note: If you didn't grow up in the 90ies you might not get some references, my husband and I laughed out loud at this picture of Koyuki's guitar and swim teacher, if you're a millennial, this will probably just get a shrug and a puzzled look:
"Beck" is a highly realistic and gripping account of the rise of a young Japanese rock band with great characterization and plot (plus some very interesting side plots). The art is amazing, realistic and very emotive. You can't help but root for Koyuki who is also very likeable. Even the sleazy and perverted side characters have their own (yet disgusting) charm. Sakuishi really brings a world alive that you can't help but be part of.
What else can I say, I'm completely addicted! It even made me get my old electric guitar out, a higher praise for a book cannot be sung.
It seems that I share a lot of Sakuishi's interests, looking at his martial arts manga Rin and the excellent "Seven Shakespeares". I have done eight years of kung fu and shaolin kung fu and only stopped because of injuries. Maybe those books speak to me so much because I had a similar upbringing half a globe away, who knows?
If you have Amazon Prime, at least in Germany all the books are included in Prime Reading and Sakuishi's other superb manga series "The Seven Shakespeares" is also available for free. I really cannot recommend them enough.
PS: I'm only gonna review one of the Beck mangas to make things shorter and easier, this was my favorite in the series so far!
Another side note: If you didn't grow up in the 90ies you might not get some references, my husband and I laughed out loud at this picture of Koyuki's guitar and swim teacher, if you're a millennial, this will probably just get a shrug and a puzzled look:
January 26, 2022
Things look up
Finally Koyuki's life starts taking a turn. He's got friendship, a love of music, and a thirst for performing. He gets to meet his hero and do really amazing, brag-worthy things. There are so many great panels in this volume, it's hard not to binge it all.
Like DUDE. DYING BREED.
Finally Koyuki's life starts taking a turn. He's got friendship, a love of music, and a thirst for performing. He gets to meet his hero and do really amazing, brag-worthy things. There are so many great panels in this volume, it's hard not to binge it all.
Like DUDE. DYING BREED.
August 21, 2024
Another solid volume. Koyuki is starting to have things go his way. He stands up to a bully, makes progress with Beck, and goes on a date. Dying Breed makes their way to Japan and there are many good dialogue moments with the various band members. The cliffhanger at the end was a big one and O can't wait to see how it's resolved.
January 23, 2019
A must read for any music lover🎧🥁🎸 Pretty great rock and roll manga, good art and pretty good story!😁🤟💕
June 10, 2020
This series continues to be ridiculously charming with just a hint of sexy.
September 9, 2023
Ostia, Jim Jarmusch XD
February 17, 2025
Triángulo amoroso, vamos no me jodas
June 23, 2025
🔥🔥🔥
July 22, 2025
I LOVE U MATT
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2025
He better choose maho
May 13, 2008
Overall Rating: A+
Synopsis: Beck is a manga by Harold Sakuishi that follows Koyuki, a junior high nerd. At the beginning of the series, Koyuki leads a boring life, with a pervert as his only friend. That all changes when he saves a strange looking dog named Beck, and meets the dog's owner, Ryuusuke. The two become friends, and Koyuki starts down the path to being cool.
Beck centers around a band formed by Ryuusuke, and its rise to fame, but that's not what the series is about. The manga primarily follows Koyuki, and focuses on his trouble with girls, trying to learn to play the guitar, getting extorted for money by a bully, and his failing grades. Oh, yeah, and his swimming lessons from Saitou-san. The series touches on Koyuki's struggles in a way that makes the fact that he is becoming famous (at least at his school and in underground clubs) for his singing.
As the story progresses, it focuses more and more on the fledgling band, and its rise in popularity. At the end of volume 7, there is even an interesting subplot based around Ryuusuke's guitar, Lucille. It's these little things, subplots that don't focus on the band itself, but on its members that make Beck one of the better manga out there. It makes the characters intriguing, and I identify with the geek in Koyuki. Maybe one day, I can be in a Japanese punk band...
For more manga and anime reviews, please check out Hobotaku.
Synopsis: Beck is a manga by Harold Sakuishi that follows Koyuki, a junior high nerd. At the beginning of the series, Koyuki leads a boring life, with a pervert as his only friend. That all changes when he saves a strange looking dog named Beck, and meets the dog's owner, Ryuusuke. The two become friends, and Koyuki starts down the path to being cool.
Beck centers around a band formed by Ryuusuke, and its rise to fame, but that's not what the series is about. The manga primarily follows Koyuki, and focuses on his trouble with girls, trying to learn to play the guitar, getting extorted for money by a bully, and his failing grades. Oh, yeah, and his swimming lessons from Saitou-san. The series touches on Koyuki's struggles in a way that makes the fact that he is becoming famous (at least at his school and in underground clubs) for his singing.
As the story progresses, it focuses more and more on the fledgling band, and its rise in popularity. At the end of volume 7, there is even an interesting subplot based around Ryuusuke's guitar, Lucille. It's these little things, subplots that don't focus on the band itself, but on its members that make Beck one of the better manga out there. It makes the characters intriguing, and I identify with the geek in Koyuki. Maybe one day, I can be in a Japanese punk band...
For more manga and anime reviews, please check out Hobotaku.
April 23, 2020
Pretty good one. I liked the intro of Ryusuke's and Maho's American friends. Plus, the beginning of an actual love triangle. Koyuki is getting it, finally.
September 14, 2011
The best band in manga :)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews