Beck: Finale

And BECK takes its final bow…

As suggested in the previous episode, Koyuki with the help of Maho becomes the force that will reunite the fallen band. His first step, get Chiba.

Talk is useless when Maho urged Chiba to reconsider his decision. Koyuki, then, tries another attempt and succeeds. The vocalist even admits that he finally saw the ‘dream’, not that it matters to Koyuki. Now that Chiba is hooked, next stop: Taira.

Even before Koyuki explains himself, Taira remarks that he’ll return with BECK as soon as he finishes his commitment with his temp band, Heroes. On one condition, he’ll only play if all the original members are gathered. A little bit tough, but Koyuki has an ace up his sleeve and has managed to convince the bassist.

Our resident drummer needs no unnecessary begging. Saku unexpectedly phones Koyuki one day and joins the band. With four members back, it’s back to business as usual. And then, the call to tour the U.S. is received. What band can say no to an incredulous offer? So off they go (but not without a little English lesson from Maho).

The final act of the episode utilizes still images where Koyuki narrates to Maho snippets of info from their American tour. He tell her about the life on the road, the coincidental meeting with Ryuusuke at Jimi Hendrix’s gravesite, Leon Sykes arrest, and the return of BECK’s genius guitarist, Lucille, and the band’s namesake while performing at Seattle. The American Tour is pretty much compressed in to a three-minute slideshow which is an oddly satisfying coda to the entire show.

Since I have poor vocabulary (looking at the dictionary while watching an episode is not fun at all), I most likely missed some vital parts. And if anyone spots mistakes, I’d be happy if I’d be informed of the correction. As for the final thoughts, I’d try to collect and articulate them in a separate entry (b/c this post is getting way too long).

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BECK’s finale is far from the climactic ending I had anticipated. The riveting atmosphere and the excitement of the Greatful Sound arc has been long gone. Instead, the series ends in a slow and leisurely pace which is rather surprising even with the compression of the American tour.

Unconventional shots (for anime, at least) are used for finale. Still shots pepper the entire half hour. Often, conversations are heard while a single image plays on the screen. Sometimes, the subjects will appear slightly unfocused and even faces are turned away from the camera. The episode appears as if the camera becomes a quiet lurker catching a few snapshots of the band’s precious moments.

Theoretically speaking, the treatment for the concluding episode seems inadequate. Yet, it somehow captures the essence that is BECK. The glitz and the bright lights may be a part of this world but it is the little details, the smaller moments, and the quiet conversations which has endeared thousands to Harold Sukuishi’s manga.