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B: The Beginning
B: The Average Show
Series in a Sentence
Keith Flick, a genius yet distant detective, is tasked with solving a string of murders committed by an individual who is only identified by the “B” he leaves behind at the scenes of the killings.
What I Liked
Man, I loved the individual and unique animation flairs and gimmicks that Koku and Keith brought to the table. While I said before that the series wasn’t as smart as I had hoped, the overlaid text showcasing Keith’s thought process was a really nice touch and I found myself enjoying each little insight into his unique mind. Likewise, for Koku, any time he transformed was a highlight. From his wings bursting from his back to his arm transforming into a blade and catching on fire only to cool to a blue hue, the spectacle surrounding Koku’s battles was a sight to behold. This series really nailed the aesthetic in each genre that it tried to present. Visual appeal aside, the ending interaction between Keith and Gilbert, as well as the battle between Koku and Laica, was both dramatic, suspenseful, and well-written if not a bit too predictable. While the show as a whole faltered by trying to do too much in too many different genres, the wrap-ups of each plotline were true to form for their genre.
What I Didn’t Like
Although I said I liked the ending interactions between the characters, some moments were far too predictable or could have been handled differently. In particular, I wish that Gilbert and Keith’s confrontation had ended with Keith winning by not killing Gilbert. I get the reason why he ultimately killed him, and with a sequel teased I’d imagine that this could have some mental repercussions, but Keith could have easily grabbed Gilbert’s outstretched arm to mess up his aim. It felt like a forced and easily avoidable killing to me. Smaller things throughout the series took away from the overall feel, too, like Keith getting hit by a car into a fountain with no real consequence or Keith falling down the steps of the library after crossing paths with Koku. I know it’s nitpicky, but little moments that aim to get a laugh during times of suspense or drama added to the feeling that the series couldn’t really settle on a genre or a tone and took away from what had immediately just occurred or was occurring at the moment.
Overall Feelings
I can sum my feelings for this series up simply by saying that I wish that only one of the plots was the focus of the series. Both were fine on their own, but the forced connection of the murder of Keith’s sister and Koku’s quest to rescue Yuna made me wish that the studio just went with one. Sure, having Keith’s father be the one to essentially raise Koku and the other children linked the stories but I feel like the link was unnecessary. Why not focus on the battle-heavy sci-fi plot surrounding Koku and make Keith a side character solely investigating Market Maker? Why not get rid of the Koku plotline entirely and just focus on the murder of Keith’s sister? Focus would have gone a long way in elevating this series but instead what was put out felt like a series aimed at catching the eye of as many people as possible without actually fully realizing any genre. I would call this series a jack of all trades and a master of none, but even that phrase feels like it’s giving more credit than I want to. In the end, I enjoyed B: The Beginning but it’s not a series that was anything special. If anything, like the reason I ended up binging it, B: The Beginning is a rainy/snowy day watch and not a buy. Before setting your sights on doing more than one thing, make sure you can do at least one of those things well.