Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad [TV]
Tanaka Yukio, better known by his nickname Koyuki is a 14-year-old who feels disconnected from life itself. 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.
About the Show
BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad is an anime series adapted from the manga of the same title by Harold Sakuishi. This series was composed of 26 episodes. BECK was first aired on TV Tokyo in Japan on October 7, 2004, with the episode “The view at 14”, and concluded with “America” on March 31, 2005. It’s first premiered in English on March 9, 2007, on Much Music in Canada. The first DVD was released in July 2007.
Season of Episodes
Episode 1: The View at 14
Koyuki Tanaka is at a dead end. At the age of fourteen, he’s already lost his passion for life. But Koyuki’s chance encounter with a young musician named Ryusuke is about to open up a whole new road in front of him.
Episode 2: Live House
When Koyuki accepts Ryusuke’s invitation to see his band perform live, he unwittingly sets down a path of self-discovery. But what Koyuki finds both disturbs and intrigues him, as the youngster uncovers the best and worst aspects of human nature.
Episode 3: Moon on the Water
Koyuki hangs out with Ryusuke and finds out more about music, and meets his sister, Maho, who later takes Koyuki to see Beck, her brother’s dog.
Episode 4: Strum the Guitar
While Koyuki takes his first tentative steps toward learning guitar, Maho suggests that he’d be the perfect lead vocalist for Ryusuke’s new band. But an accident threatens to shatter Ryusuke and Koyuki’s friendship forever, as well as putting an end to Koyuki’s musical aspirations-until help comes from a very unexpected source.
Episode 5: Beck
Koyuki’s guitar training is coming along slowly but surely until you decide to speed things up by entering him to play in the annual festival. Meanwhile, Ryusuke and Chiba put their heads together to come up with a name for their new band. After the festival, Koyuki and
Maho become closer while having a nude midnight swim together in the school pool.
Episode 6: Hyodo and the Jaguar
After enjoying their swim together, Maho gives Koyuki a special pick of hers. Taira, the newest member of Beck and the others have their first session together to start the band off on a good note. Koyuki’s teacher is on maternity leave and a new cute teacher is introduced.
Episode 7: Lucille
Koyuki tries to memorize the scales at Saitou’s office. Later we can see Koyuki talking with the bullies and then scolded int the teacher’s office. Maho meets with him, and at Saitou’s place, Koyuki tells her why he started to work for the old man.
Episode 8: Broadcast in the School
Koyuki visits an instrument shop and practices some more. The school year ends. Next Momoko meets Koyuki accidentally going in Saitou’s place and decides to go with him to check whether he works there. Koyuki tries to sell off Saitou’s pornographic magazines.
Episode 9: The Night Before LIVE
Koyuki and Saku become friends. Koyuki gets nominated for the most difficult swimming races in the school’s competition and is cheered on by Maho. Koyuki takes Saku to see Beck’s show.
Episode 10: Face
After the show, Koyuki is sad about his guitar playing and Maho notices that he’s wearing the pick she gave him as a necklace. Everybody is stunned by his singing ability and even Taira is finally convinced that Koyuki should be the part of Beck.
Episode 11: Summer Holidays
The band tries to raise some money and Chiba finds out that Dying Breed is coming to Japan. Later on, Koyuki talks to a teacher about his decreasing grades. Momoko asks the band to enter the school festival. The band meets Dying Breed for the first time.
Episode 12: Secret Live
Dying Breed performs in concert life in Japan, with Koyuki unexpectedly guessing singing. Later on, Koyuki and Izumi meet again and she invites him for night-swimming, much to Maho’s chagrin when she finds out. Meanwhile, Ryusuke finds out that somebody close to him has died.
Episode 13: Ciel Bleu
Ryusuke’s been bothered by Erica Blige’s death and often checks the news. At school, Saku and Koyuki form a band for the cultural festival with Tanabe and a bassist. Tanabe names the band “Ciel Bleu”. Hyodo tries to ruin Ciel Bleu’s practice.
Episode 14: Dream
Mitty brings the cover design for the Beck Band Logo. Izumi meets up with Maho to clear the misunderstanding between them. During practice, there’s some tension between band members, who are pressured by the recording of the new album.
Episode 15: Back to School
Koyuki tries to learn for his exams, but it doesn’t go well. At school, there’s a rumor about Momoko working in a lingerie pub. Koyuki goes to a new school, it turns out Aku goes to the same school and so does Chiba.
Episode 16: Indies
Gordie comes to see Eddie about the stolen stuff including Lucille. Then Eddie and Ryusuke talk about it on the phone. Koyuki still works hard to earn cash for the Telecaster and we can see the girl who works next door for the second time.
Episode 17: Three Days
Ryusuke wants to release Beck’s album in America. Koyuki finally buys the Telecaster. Koyuki sees at school the same girl, named Hiromi, who he saw in the doughnut store next to his workplace. Ryusuke learns that Beck’s album is ready selling in America, and we learn about Lucille and her history.
Episode 18: Leon Sykes
Koyuki talks with his boss about his band. Beck is allowed to perform at the Marquee’s evening show as Hitode’s support because the manager really liked Koyuki’s singing. Maho meets with record company executives.
Episode 19: Blues
Ryusuke gets kidnapped by Sykes, who takes him to meet his uncle, the bluesman John Lee Davis, who wanted to know who had stolen Lucille. Upon Meeting Davis, one of his musical inspiration, Ryusuke has a jam session which overwhelms his idol, so much so he convinces Sykes not to kill him. So, four days after his kidnapping, Ryusuke is returned, badly beaten, but alive.
Episode 20: Grateful Sound
At the fishing pond the band talks with Kazuo about Grateful Sound. She wants Ryusuke to ask Eddie to come. Ryusuke agrees, but he also wants Beck to play although Ran is strongly against it. Ryusuke says that he’ll get Sykes’ support in order to get Beck to play.
Episode 21: Write Music
Ryusuke talks with Chiba and Taira, about his talk with Sykes. Back at school, Hiromi talks with Koyuki and Saku about playing guitar. Ryusuke wants to make a new CD and proposes they write new songs for it. Despite the amateurism of the production, this song gives Ryusuke the push he needs to take Beck into Grateful Sound.
Episode 22: Performance Eve Festival
Ryusuke talks with Chiba and Taira about his talk with Sykes. Back at school, Hiromi talks with Koyuki and Saku about playing guitar. That night, when Maho comes over to Koyuki’s house again, Page files off and they go looking for him, while they commenting on how common Koyuki thinks himself to be, though Maho has quite an opposite opinion.
Episode 23: Festival
The Grateful Sound festival is on, with Belle Ame on the primary stage, Malcolm on the second stage, and Beck on the smallest third stage. Veteran Beck members think that if they fail to get more people than the other stages they should retire. Ryusuke mentions that he agreed to the bet because of the dream and then says some harsh words to Chiba, who runs away.
Episode 24: Third Stage
After the band seems to break up before their time on the third stage, the band is slowly reforming just in time to plays their hearts out of the growing crowd. Ryusuke has returned after being given Lucille to play on and Chiba races back to the third stage after thwarting his kidnappers.
Episode 25: Slip Out
As Beck’s set finishes up, the reality that it’s Beck’s last performance finally sets in. Koyuki and Maho realize their love for each other and time go on and the members of BECK move on with their lives. One month and a half later, Koyuki gets an unexpected phone call from Kazuo Sato, who takes her to a meeting with none other than Sykes, who had seen him perform at Grateful Sound and express his desire to produce a solo album for Koyuki, but he politely refuses.
Episode 26: America
Koyuki plans to revive Beck and sets out to get the band together. After talking to Chiba and Taira and getting them to join, Saku finally makes his way back to town to join up with the others and the band is finally back together. Leon and Sykes also get arrested. Beck plays a gig, all of them including Ryusuke, their future is told in the manga.
