When creator Kazuto Nakazawa started developing B: The Beginning for Netflix, he decided to not let himself be bound by the popular styles of his native Japan. As this series was going to be available globally, he wanted to blend eastern and western styles in a way that properly represented his personal vision for this story. Nakazawa is no stranger to western audiences, having animated portions of The Animatrix and directing the anime sequence in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Volume 1. At its core, B: The Beginning introduces itself as a police procedural and expands into something wholly inventive and surprising. This is a story filled with morally complicated individuals and thrilling turns that keep you on your toes throughout the twelve episode first season. With its blending of genre and expansive mythology, anime fans will find a lot to engage with and parse through, even as the plot gets slightly unwieldy in the end.
In the opening moments of the show, we find a young woman being pursued through the woods by some sadistic individuals as a shadowy figure watches the action from a surveillance effort in the back of a van. This woman is in the final moments of her life until an unknown entity descends upon the assailants and completely eviscerates them. When the police arrive on the scene, there is not much to go on except for the calling card of a terror known as Killer B. Our series takes place in the fictional country of Cremona, where the Royal Investigation Service is tasked with keeping citizens safe from the horrors of the world. This investigation has prompted the return of infamous investigator Keith Kazama Flick to the unit after a personal tragedy sidelined him several years prior. Flick is the anchor of this series who keeps pushing his team towards the inconceivable developments that keep unveiling themselves with each move. Throughout the season, Flick and the team at the RIS must find a way to come together and face a bigger threat than they ever could have imagined.
What starts out as a fairly straightforward crime procedural soon evolves into a crazy blend of mythical fantasy, sci-fi, action and suspense. Due to our inherent knowledge of the medium, it is not jarring when a winged-character comes into the story that completely changes the trajectory of the narrative. The series may start intending to pursue a serial killer, but the story twists and turns into a deeper mythology filled with biologically enhanced characters and secret organizations hell bent on creating a society where crime can thrive. This series is incredibly dense as it tries to service the backstory of a slew of different characters in this brief season. If there is a complaint to lodge at this series, it would be that character development is occasionally sacrificed in favor of barreling forward to the next revelation, which ultimately makes certain developments less impactful. It feels like certain plot points are not as fully formed as they should be at the end of the day. Also, I am not ashamed to admit that I found myself lost at times as the show churned through plot at a rapid pace. It could be said that the fault lies with me, but I still contend that a more delicately balanced pace would have made a world of difference.
Despite a few plot issues, the show is overall quite compelling from beginning to end. When I first watched the initial episode, I could have never guessed where the show ended up in the finale. While a well-done crime procedural would have been fun enough, the opening up of the world to larger stakes really elevated the show to something more essential for me. The journey is filled with some truly stunning animation and some thrilling action set pieces. Most importantly, the show provides you with characters that you become invested in very quickly. While the show has been renewed for a second season, the first season gives you enough closure to appreciate this as a complete story. This creative team really delivered with this initial season, and I look forward to seeing where they can go from here.
Video Quality
B: The Beginning comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of Shout! Factory with a gorgeous 1080p transfer. The colors present in this transfer are quite pleasing if not a bit subdued due to the many darker settings. Delineation during these sequences is noteworthy, though, as all the information is rendered accurately. The textures, from the character designs to the environments, are extremely impressive and give the series a real sense of depth. One of the areas where the series really shines is the fluidity of the character designs. Black levels are strong, but the transfer does contend a bit with some unfortunate banding. When compared to the Netflix stream, the Blu-Ray does offer a nice uptick in quality overall. There may be a few minor compression issues, but this Blu-Ray provides a nice presentation for fans of the show.
Audio Quality
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless track is presented here in its original Japanese along with an English dub with optional English subtitles for both. The track is a lovely sounding experience that brings the series to life perfectly. Dialogue comes through crystal clear at all times without being overshadowed by any of the intense action sound effects or the score. There are some really fun panning effects in the rear channels that add a nice layer to the story. The score is an important part of the series that is precise in its placement throughout the room as it envelops the audience. The track employs some good activity in the low end when the things get a little more kinetic. There is also a nice amount of environmental detail in the surround channels as the action sequences create a powerful sonic landscape. The English-language cast does a decent job, but stick with the original Japanese language for maximum enjoyment. This is a stellar sounding release that should more than please fans of the show.
Special Features
- Interview: A 24-minute interview with director Kazuto Nakazawa that was recorded at the 2018 Scotland Loves Anime film festival. The questions posed give greater insight into how Nakazawa got the idea for the project, his expectations for an international audience, his early experience in the industry, his relationship with western media, working with Tarantino on Kill Bill: Volume 1 and more. This is an excellent addition to the set that fans of the series should enjoy.
- Test Film: A two-minute look at an early project that evolved into B: The Beginning. This was intended for internal use only, but I am glad it was included here. It is a blast to see where things started out.
- Textless Ending: You can view the end credit scroll without the actual text if you want to get a better look at the beautiful animation.
Final Thoughts
B: The Beginning is a thrilling series with many tricks up its sleeve along the way. The show occasionally tries to tackle a bit too much at one time, but the way in which it blends multiple genres while providing compelling characters mostly makes up for it. Shout! Factory has provided a satisfying Blu-Ray set with a winning A/V presentation and some entertaining extras. Anime fans who are looking for something with frequent action and a compelling mythology should give this one a shot. Recommended
B: The Beginning – The Complete First Season is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray + DVD Combo Pack and in a special Ultimate Collection.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Shout! Factory has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
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