I shall review Beck 4

Well, this book was about on par with the last book. Though we do get a bit more character development, a bit less beating on Koyuki, and a new loveable character.

Things are progressing nicely with the band, and now that Koyuki isn't terrified to face Ryusuke anymore the two of them are hanging out. After Saitou-san comes through again in a huge way and indefinitely loans Koyuki one of the most beautiful guitars ever made, the Gretsch Falcon (on the clause that Koyuki arrange more meetings between Saitou-san and Momoko-sensei introduced in last volume), Ryusuke even invites Koyuki to practice with his band at the studio. Maho and Ryusuke see that Koyuki has huge potential, but the other guys are a bit more skeptical. Don't worry though, the soundtrack tells me that they'll come around. The new character addition of Saku is great too. He's a third year like Koyuki, but he's a transfer student and he's not in Koyuki's class. Actually, Koyuki meets him because of a highly amusing set of circumstances involving having to come up with 50,000 yen in 3 days to pay for Rikiya's guitar that he broke (according to Hyodou). In order to do this, Koyuki uses the fact that Saitou-san likes his teacher to convince him to let Koyuki get rid of his porn magazine collection. After selling that Koyuki came up with 46,000 yen (that's a lot of porn) to pay Hyodou. He also got a tape of a very rare Dying Breed CD from Maho (that's a whole other set of hilarious events that will be mentioned later) to appease Hyodou. But....Koyuki decides to stand up for himself and when Hyodou isn't satisfied with 46,000 and gets the entire school to completely shun Koyuki, Koyuki gets pissed and goes to listen to the Dying Breed tape instead of giving it to Hyodou. This somehow leads to him accidentally broadcasting it over the school loudspeaker system....which of course he gets in trouble for, but everyone in the school loves. So now, Saku is his friend, and the two of them talk music all the time. When he takes Saku to the studio to see the band, Saku pretty much tells him that the drummer is holding them back, and that Chiba's vocals aren't very good, but he's got good presence. It was an amusing analysis of the band at least. And he was wearing a Rage Against the Machine shirt.....yet another Rage reference for a band that sounds like Rage. I believe Saku actually compares Ryusuke's guitar sound to Rage. Which he should. He should ACTUALLY compare the base to Rage, but comparing Ryusuke is good enough. Anyway.........Koyuki has a new friend, Todo (the drummer) quits the band and everyone thinks Beck will break up, Saku steps up to the plate. Koyuki somehow manages to save the day yet again.

On to Koyuki and Maho. These two are STILL funny. Koyuki might kinda be starting to get it. Though he's still got his thing for Izumi even though she's gone now and in high school. Funniest thing here is that the band is noticing that Koyuki and Maho are together a lot. At which point they tell Ryusuke that he might have a new brother in law soon. Ryusuke laughs, but his actions show that he's acknowledged this too. In that....he gives Koyuki a condom cause he's been hanging out with his sister a lot. This is HILARIOUS because it's Koyuki and he's SO not going to do anything. It also gets Koyuki into trouble later on when he's at Maho's house getting the Dying Breed tape and he accidentally drops the condom out of his pocket. And then she tries to beat him to death with a chair (I believe it was a chair). Oh silly awkward Koyuki. She forgives him though, and even goes to his swim tournament where Saitou-san uses her as bait and incentive for Koyuki to win his last race. If Koyuki wins he gets to make Maho do whatever he wants. So, at first Koyuki is swimming to make Saitou-san proud....but then he see's Maho (who's wearing a bikini for no good reason) and starts swimming for his goal. See, he's coming around to liking the girl.

Alright....well, that's done. Now...random things I liked and disliked:

Disliked:
-Koyuki testing guitars that he can't afford and playing the Gibson SG (which really does stand for "Solid Guitar") then deciding it's an "instant buy"...even though he can't buy it. I mean, you know you can't buy them....why go in. Though, I'd totally do it to...and I do. Go in to look at things you can't afford even though you know it will make you depressed. It's like Wayne's World where everytime they drove by the Strat in the window Wayne would get out of the car and look at it or play it. Yes, I just compared manga to Wayne's World.
-Saitou-san and the teacher. Kinda creepy.
-Hyodou....still a dick. Still don't like him
-The fact that I can pretty much see through their plot devices. ie they want you to think that Koyuki is gonna get another ass kicking......I know he won't. Things like that.
-Koyuki practicing karate on a tree because another guy asked Izumi out even though she didn't say yes and she asked Koyuki what he thought about it. OK...I understand that sucks, but still.
-Maho wearing a bikini to WATCH Koyuki's swim meet. And the gratuitous crotch shots that ensued. I know they did it to make the you win Maho part more of an incentive, but who wears a bikini to watch a swim meet when they aren't even getting in the damn pool. Put some clothes on.

Liked:
-Koyuki testing guitars that he can't afford and playing the Gibson SG (which really does stand for "Solid Guitar") then deciding it's an "instant buy"...even though he can't buy it. See above regarding the Wayne's World reference.
-Saitou-san's withdrawal when Koyuki takes away his porn AND cigarettes AND alcohol.
-Saitou-san giving K the Falcon...it's sorta like Koyuki got his Gibson.
-The first person Koyuki runs into (yes, he's running with a guitar again) when he gets the Falcon is Ryusuke...so he gets to show it off
-Ryusuke telling the band that Koyuki is playing with them
-Koyuki and Maho...a little more
-Ryusuke giving Koyuki a condom cause he's hanging out with his sister all the time
-Koyuki scheming on how to get money and convincing Saitou-san to let him sell the porn
-Maho beating Koyuki for having the condom that her brother gave him
-Maho calling Koyuki a "nutless wuss" even though I still don't know what he did to make her say that.
-Saku with the Rage shirt AND the Rage reference
-End dialogue between Koyuki and Ryusuke about Saku's drumming:
-R: "When I asked him, 'Do you play?' he said, 'A little'."
-K: "What's little about it?!"

Ok...Beck 4...things are happening. Good read. Finally we're putting together the band as I know it.....soon soon there will be awesome rocking.

This ends Beck 4 review.