B: The Beginning

Genius investigator Keith Flick rejoins the royal police force just as serial killer "B" emerges. Mysterious youth Koku may be an ally, or a target.

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.

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

• Death Noteshared supernatural detective procedural with dark fantasy tone and anti hero protagonist
• Psycho-Passshared anime format with police investigation and secret organization intrigue
• Hellsing Ultimateshared dark fantasy tone with immortal conspiracies and violent mystery

Release Date

2018-03-02

Episode runtime

26 min

Rating

7.0 / 10 (191)

What is B: The Beginning about?

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.

What is B: The Beginning like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of B: The Beginning as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.

Is B: The Beginning violent?

Yes. Ember rates the violence in B: The Beginning as brutal.

What did critics think of B: The Beginning?

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

Which shows are like B: The Beginning?

Shows with a similar feel include Death Note, Psycho-Pass, and Hellsing Ultimate.

How long is B: The Beginning?

B: The Beginning: 2 seasons, 18 episodes.

Is B: The Beginning still running?

No, B: The Beginning has ended.

Where can I watch B: The Beginning?

In United States, B: The Beginning streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.