The appeal and reviews of "B: the Beginning": A suspenseful anime you can't miss

"B: The Beginning" - Beginning from the Abyss

The anime "B: The Beginning", which was released on Netflix on March 2, 2018, has been a hot topic due to its captivating storyline and detailed visuals. Set in the archipelago nation of Cremona, the anime revolves around the story of genius investigator Keith Flick, who is pursuing a mysterious culprit known as "Killer B" who is killing heinous criminals one after another, and Kuroba, a boy with peculiar powers. Below, we will introduce detailed information and the appeal of this work.

■ Public Media

WEB

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ First appearance date

March 2, 2018
0:00～

■ How it first appeared

NETFLIX

■Frequencies

27 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 12

■Original Story

Kazuto Nakazawa, Production IG

■ Director

Kazuto Nakazawa and Yoshiki Yamakawa

■ Production

・Animation production: Production IG

■Works

© Kazuto Nakazawa / Production IG

■ Story

In the archipelago nation of Cremona, a series of murders involving violent criminals have been occurring, and the perpetrators have been nicknamed "Killer B" because they carve the letter "B" into the crime scene. Keith Flick, a genius investigator, returns to the Royal Police Special Crimes Investigation Division (commonly known as "RIS") to pursue the mystery of "Killer B". Meanwhile, a boy named Kuroba has been coming and going as an apprentice to the violin workshop of Keith's colleague, Hoshina Lily's family. Kuroba, who has the power to transform into a grotesque form, has been running around the city at night searching for a certain person. Minazuki, the leader of the terrorist organization "Market Maker", has been pursuing Kuroba with a certain hatred.

■Explanation

"B: The Beginning" is a Japanese anime series that began streaming on Netflix on March 2, 2018. A second season has also been announced. The series is characterized by Production IG's high-quality animation and director Kazuto Nakazawa's unique visual style, and has been praised for its engaging storytelling. The series also delves deeply into the complex character backgrounds and psychological portrayals, providing viewers with plenty of room for reflection.

■Cast

Keith Kazama Flick/Hiroaki HirataKuroba/Yuki KajiLily Hoshina/Asami SetoEric Toga/Hiroki TochiBoris Meier/Minoru InabaYoshinagaKaela/Ami KoshimizuBrian Brandon/Toshiyuki ToyonagaMario Luis Zurita/Shintaro TanakaJean-Henri Richard/Atsushi GotoGilbert Ross/Tomoyuki MorikawaMinazuki/Kaito IshikawaYuna/Satomi SatoRaika/Yu KitadaIzanami/Mitsuki SaigaKamui/Kazuya NakaiTakeru/Nozomi KamedaQuen/Makoto Awane

■ Main staff

Original work: Kazuto Nakazawa x Production IG
Directors: Kazuto Nakazawa and Yoshiki Yamakawa Producer: Rui Kuroki Series composition and scriptwriting: Katsuya Ishida Character design and chief animation director: Kazuto Nakazawa Art design: Kura Ii Mechanical design: Shinobu Tsuneki Prop design: Miori Tsusaka and Shuko Tomita Color design: Narumi Sakai Art supervision: Takanori Tanaka
3DCG Director / Kaneji Isobe Director of Photography / Eiji Arai Chief Sound Director / Yukio Saki Music / Yoshihiro Ike Editor / Junichi Uematsu

■ Main Characters

Kuroba: The protagonist of this work. A boy who attends the violin workshop run by Lily's father as an apprentice craftsman. He has the power to transform into a strange being and has lost his memory of the past.
Keith Kazama Flick The other main character of this work. He retired after a certain big incident, but returned to the Special Crimes Investigation Division after the "Killer B" incident. Although he has a genius mind, he is not good at sports. He does not like Lily and avoids her at all costs. His close friends call him "Genie", which means genius in German.
Rookie investigator, Hoshina Lily. Although she is insensitive, she has ideas and tenacity that others do not have. Keith finds her annoying.
Eric Toga: On-site commander and Keith's apprentice.
Boris Meyer is an elderly detective nearing retirement. He is an old friend of Keith and knows the incident that led to him retiring.
・Detective Yoshinaga Kaela.
- Agent Mario Luis Zurita.
- Detective Jean-Henri Richard.
- Agent Brian Brandon.
Gilbert Ross: A staff member at the Royal Institute of Forensic Science and an acquaintance of Keith since their student days. Minazuki: The leader of the market makers, he hates Kuroba.
Yuna: A quiet girl who is a subordinate of Minazuki. Like Minazuki, she hates Kuroba.
・Raika Minazuki's loyal subordinate. She wears sunglasses of different colors on each side.
・Izanami Minazuki's subordinate. She corners Kuroba as if it were a game.
A subordinate of Kamui Minazuki. He likes to be the center of attention, and even when he commits murders, he does so in a flashy way.
Takeru: A pair of twins who work under Minazuki. They are skilled in shooting together.
Kuen is a subordinate of Minazuki. He is the first in the organization to come into contact with Kuroba. He has a cross painted on his face.

■ Theme songs and music

"The Perfect World"
Composition and Arrangement: Marty Friedman Vocals and Lyrics: Jean-Ken Johnny

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"B: The Beginning" has attracted many viewers with its unique visuals and deep storyline. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and reviews of the work.

Visuals and animation

The animation by Production IG is of extremely high quality, with director Kazuto Nakazawa's visual style particularly standing out. Scenes such as Kuroba's transformation into a grotesque form, the streets of Cremona, and the depiction of the "Killer B" crime scene all have a strong visual impact and draw the viewer in. 3DCG is also used effectively, with the action scenes especially feeling realistic and powerful.

Storytelling

The story unfolds from multiple perspectives, providing viewers with plenty of mystery and room for thought. While Keith Flick pursues "Killer B," Kuroba's past, the origin of his powers, and his connection to the terrorist organization "Market Makers" are gradually revealed. These elements are skillfully intertwined, and the storytelling has been praised for keeping viewers hooked until the very end. In addition, a new mystery is presented at the end of each episode, building anticipation for the next episode.

character

Each character in this series has a deep background and psychology, which leaves a strong impression on the viewer. The characters of Kuroba and Keith Flick in particular are at the center of the story, and their growth and conflicts resonate with the viewer. Other appealing aspects include the portrayal of Hoshina Lily's insensitivity and tenacity, Minazuki's hatred and purpose, and the unique personalities of the Market Maker members. The voice actors for each character are also excellent, with the performances of Hirata Hiroaki's Keith Flick, Kaji Yuki's Kuroba, and Seto Asami's Hoshina Lily being particularly well-received.

music

The theme song "The Perfect World" is composed and arranged by Marty Friedman and features vocals and lyrics by Jean-Ken Johnny, which perfectly match the atmosphere of the film. In addition, the soundtrack by Ike Yoshihiro also effectively creates tension and emotion as the story progresses. The music in the scene where Kuroba transforms into a grotesque form and the scene where Keith approaches the truth of the incident have the power to shake the viewers' emotions.

■ Background and production secrets of the work

"B: The Beginning" is an original anime produced by Production IG and director Kazuto Nakazawa. Below, we will introduce the background of the work and the behind-the-scenes story of its production.

History of the production

Director Kazuto Nakazawa has taken on the challenge of creating a new original anime, drawing on his experience working with Production IG for many years. The director chose the Netflix platform to make the most of his visual style and storytelling. Taking into account Netflix's global distribution capabilities and the diversity of its audience, the production was carried out with a focus on the content and visuals of the work.

The difficulties of production

The production of this work is said to have been particularly challenging in terms of visuals. A technique combining 3DCG and 2D animation was used to depict Kuroba's strange appearance and the cityscape of Cremona. This allowed for realistic movement and beautiful visuals, but the production team said they had difficulty in adjusting them. In addition, a lot of time and effort was spent on composing the script to depict the complexity of the story and the depth of the characters.

Viewers' reactions

"B: The Beginning" was highly praised by many viewers after it began streaming on Netflix. It was especially praised for its beautiful visuals and the depth of its story, and was so popular that the production of a second season was confirmed. It was also highly praised by viewers overseas, making it a global success. Viewers shared many comments about the appeal of the characters and the development of the story, sparking much discussion on social media.

■ Recommendations and related works

"B: The Beginning" is a work that attracts many viewers with its unique visuals and deep storyline. Below, we will introduce the recommended points and related works.

Recommended points

・Beautiful visuals and high quality animation ・Complex story and character depth ・Quality of music and impact of theme song ・Engaging storytelling ・Highly praised by global audiences

Related Titles

For fans of "B: The Beginning," here are some other related works that we recommend. These works also have unique visuals and deep storylines that draw viewers in.

"PSYCHO-PASS"

This sci-fi anime by Production IG is set in a future Japan and the story revolves around the "Sibyl System," a system that measures crime rates. It has been praised for its beautiful visuals and deep storyline.

Ghost in the Shell

This sci-fi anime by Production IG depicts the issues of cyber terrorism and human consciousness. It has been praised for its high quality visuals and deep storyline, and has gained a large fan base.

"death note"

The story is about a genius high school student who gets hold of a "Death Note" and tries to change the world. The beautiful visuals and tense story have been highly praised, attracting many viewers.

"Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion"

The work depicts strategy and psychological warfare, and has been praised for its beautiful visuals and deep storyline. In particular, the character growth and conflicts resonate with viewers.

Conclusion

"B: The Beginning" is an original anime created by Production IG and director Kazuto Nakazawa, and has attracted many viewers with its beautiful visuals and deep story. The story of Kuroba and Keith Flick offers many mysteries and room for speculation, and has the power to draw viewers in until the end. In addition, the charm of the characters and the quality of the music were also highly praised by global audiences. The production of Season 2 has also been decided, and expectations are high for future developments. By enjoying related works as well, you will be able to gain a deeper understanding and be moved by the story.