# B: The Beginning (2018)

> A genius detective rejoins the royal police as a serial killer known only as B emerges, and a mysterious youth may be his ally or his target.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/67052

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 18
- Episode runtime: 26 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, action, crime, mystery, science fiction, fantasy
- Network: Netflix
- Cast: Asami Seto, Hiroaki Hirata, Yuki Kaji, Minoru Inaba, Toshiyuki Toyonaga, Hiroki Touchi, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Mitsuki Saiga
- TMDB rating: 7.0/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7944664/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: brutal
- Tone: dark, brooding, paranoid, violent, tense

## What critics say

Audience reception is mixed, with the first season well regarded for its dark mystery and the second season rated noticeably lower.

## Synopsis

B: The Beginning (2018-2021) is a Japanese anime detective series produced by Production I.G for Netflix. Genius investigator Keith Flick (Hiroaki Hirata) rejoins the royal police force just as a serial killer known only as B begins a campaign of murders. The engine of the show is Keith's hunt through a shadowy alternative present, where he must decide whether the enigmatic youth Koku (Yuki Kaji) is an ally or a target. Each episode unfolds as a investigation with clues, suspects and secret organizations, while supernatural powers and immortality hint at larger conspiracies beneath the official case files. The series runs two seasons across eighteen episodes, the first a longer run of twelve episodes and the second a shorter six-episode arc. Its tone is dark and brooding, with violent set pieces and an atmosphere of paranoia and moral unease. Fans of Death Note, Psycho-Pass and Hellsing Ultimate will find resonance in its blend of police procedure, anti hero ambiguity and dark fantasy menace. Viewers who enjoy mind bending mysteries with a sinister edge will find much to chew on here.

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