Cowboy Bebop

"Masterpiece", "Classic", "thoughtful",... these are all thing i heard about this anime but it really turned out to be just an over-hyped garbage, i have never been so disappointed, it really had the potential to be a masterpiece THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS There are so many things wrong in this anime from story telling perspective and character development perspective The biggest mistake is that this anime is an episodic anime, it really shouldn't have been that way the reason being there is no overall plot, in the irrelevant episodes nothing adds to the story let me make it more clear In the anime "Violet Evergarden" the overall plot is learning about human emotion and in the last episode Violet is finally able to feel emotion so the anime being episodic makes sense, or in the anime "Monster" it's about finding the root of evil so all those experiences the protagonist goes through will impact The decision the hero has to take so it's okay for it to be episodic But in Cowboy bebop there is no overall plot, the last episode had nothing to do with the previous episodes, and the big problem is the confrontation between vicious and spike, it could have been 10000 times better, we know nothing about the villain, all we know is that spike was in a war with him a long time ago and we learn that with 2 second flashback that he has! this is so awful, the villain is literally apparent through the entire series for about 5 minute! who the hell is he? why Faye was so scared of him? why everyone keep saying he is colder than ice? we NEVER see anything from him to believe he is the cruelest of them all There is also a problem with character development and characters themselves, who in the world thought making a retarded kid whose legs and hands move randomly a main character, is a good idea? i can not stand that fucking kid, the most annoying character i've ever seen, i hope she suffers in that desert the next badly written character is Julia; the girl, the woman spike couldn't stop thinking about, the angelic demon, the demonic angel, surely we get to know about her personalit... don't waste your breath she only appears for about 5 minute and i hate the opening song, it's probably the worst op i have ever listened to In overall 20 minute of this anime is good and that 20 minute is good only because of the soundtrack! just watch episode 5 and 26, those are the only good episodes

“Actually, it’s a very long and dramatic story,” – Jet Black (Episode 23) I don’t think there has been a stronger unity between a series and its protagonist than the dramatic 26-episode story of Cowboy Bebop and Spike Spiegel, a series that is exactly like its protagonist and a protagonist that is exactly like its series. For example, Goku was the ideal fit for Dragon Ball Z, a powerful young man known for screaming while in combat and (on a lesser note) for not being there when he’s needed the most; the series is also known for the same two things, the second one being that the series lacks in plot and characterization when it needs it the most. Another example I have is Master Keaton and the titular character of that series, Taichi Keaton. Taichi is a man who should be interesting due to him being a man of many occupations but he comes across as boring just like how the series itself should be interesting due to it being a Naoki Urasawa work but it also comes across as boring. However, I think no protagonist is more suited to a series than Spike Spiegel is to Cowboy Bebop. Spike is a bounty hinter with a past as a former gangster, a native of Mars always hungry for some quick cash. With his wispy dark green Afro and a cigarette in his mouth, Spike journeys from planet to planet in a stylish red fighter plane searching for criminals to apprehend. In the beginning of Cowboy Bebop, Spike was simply a rambunctious young man with dislikes galore and an unceasingly stubborn attitude. Throughout the series, my appreciation for our hard-smoking protagonist grew as Spike became someone who easily flowed between exuding laid-back charm and rugged intensity, as someone who matured to appreciate what he once disliked (kids, dogs, and women with attitude), and as someone who alternated between simple methods and extravagant approaches to solve problems. Actor Steve Blum knows, above all else, how to make a character interesting and Blum was at his all-time best in his role as Bebop’s beloved bounty hunter. Spike Spiegel, the “space cowboy” that the series consistently references, dominated every scene of Cowboy Bebop from the first (a black-and-white shootout) to the last (where Spike spoke one final word, fueling memories of Citizen Kane). “They are sick and tired of conventional, fixed style jazz,” – Words in Theme Song Jazz is the definitive sound of Cowboy Bebop, a genre of music closely associated with the word “cool”, and the jazzy songs in Bebop are far from one-dimensional, the songs a passion-filled combination of fast-paced and slow. Bebop’s soundtrack not only contains jazz; there’s also western-themed tracks, hard rock, hypnotic blues, soft rock with English lyrics (extremely rare in anime), and even some bongo beats. At one point, Cowboy Bebop ventures into the classical genre at one point by sampling a famous piece (Tchaikovsky’s “Waltz of the Flowers” in episode 11). The two things I love most about Bebop’s soundtrack are the theme song and the ending theme. “The Real Folk Blues” has the enviable honor of being Bebop’s ending theme, a soulful soft rock song accompanied by a collection of grainy black-and-white images (My favorite part of the ending theme is when the singer says “The re-al FOLK! Blues…” Powerful stuff, man). If you’re reading this review, I know you’ve heard Bebop’s legendary theme song already, an intense, fast-paced jazzy track with a blues guitar in the beginning and a hyperactive horn near the end. Of course, there’s more to Cowboy Bebop than the theme song but man, what a theme song it is! “Don’t leave things in the fridge,” – Spike Spiegel (Episode 11) The four main characters don’t merely leave their pasts in the fridge; they allow it to linger until it comes back to bite them. Jet Black is an ex-cop/bounty hunter and the pilot/mechanic of the ship Bebop, a gruff Russian cook with a soft spot. I think actress Wendee Lee delivered a much better performance as Bebop member Faye Valentine, a cigarette-smoking enigma with a gambling addiction, than she ever did as the soft-spoken voice of Azusa Fuyutsuki in Great Teacher Onizuka (Faye’s first scene in Cowboy Bebop is simply unbelievable). As much as I like Spike, Jet, and Faye, my favorite character in the series has to be the one and only Edward Wong Hau Pepulu Tivrusky the Fourth (‘Edward’ or ‘Ed’ for short), a skinny red-headed adolescent girl who specializes in computer hacking, talks in the third person, and injects a unique enthusiasm into every scene she’s in. Throughout the series, a plethora of supporting characters are brought to the fold, from a talking computer program to a homely, rock-loving trucker (The most interesting of these are a trio of elderly Hispanic bickerers that show up in the series again and again). There are also characters in Cowboy Bebop that only appear for one episode but receive more depth than characters in different series earn in a season, like the eccentric cowboy Andy, Mad Pierrot the flying psychopath, Wen the immortal harmonica player (the spiritual predecessor to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’s Pride), and Elisa, Jet’s former girlfriend. Cowboy Bebop is so phenomenal a series that even characters that don’t amount to much end up being celebrated as classic examples of characterization. Of course, I’m talking about Bebop’s main antagonist Vicious, a white-haired swordsman who never really stood out to me besides having a creepy voice. Other than Vicious, Bebop’s characters are well-acted, complex, and (above all) interesting. You could argue that Cowboy Bebop isn’t a great series because of its overly episodic plot, the unresolved issues of some of the side stories, and its lack of a legitimately great villain. These are all good points to use in an argument but I’d have two words for you: screw you. Cowboy Bebop is the rare anime series that combines multiple genres into one: mystery, space western, film noir, comedy, blaxploitation, action, philosophical drama, pulp fiction, and even horror (only in episode 20). Every great series has classic scenes but very few series contain scenes as poignant as the ones in Cowboy Bebop; there’s the Cathedral Fall Scene (where images of Spike’s past are revealed with beautifully creepy singing), the Hidden Film Scene (where a younger version of a certain character encourages the viewer in what’s easily the most heartbreaking scene of Bebop), and the Final Fight scene (where Spike finally confronts his past by blowing away his enemies in dramatic fashion), these three scenes distinguishing themselves from the others. Even the episode previews are great, from Spike’s hilarious rant in the episode 6 preview to Jet’s critical review in the episode 18 preview, from Faye’s glorifying speech about love in the episode 15 preview (much to Spike and Jet’s displeasure) to Mad Pierrot’s unforgettable laughing in the episode 20 preview, and (my personal favorite) Edward’s announcement that the series is over during the episode 12 preview. While watching this series, the one thing that confused me the most was the issue of the characters running in motion during the theme song. “Why are they doing this?” I asked myself. Then I figured, “Maybe they too are trying to watch Cowboy Bebop.”

This is the quintessential anime. Yes, you heard it. The perfection in every way. A one time in a lifespan journey. A diamond in the anime world. A chest full of gold buried in a very deep hole that everyone forgot about. This is Cowboy Bebop. By the year of 2014, many people would rather watch One Piece or SAO or whatever they watch thats new, instead of watching Cowboy Bebop since its outdated to say the least. It doesn't have a sharp animation and the drawing is no way near what it is today. Well, if you think like this, then fuck you. You don't deserve to experience what this masterpiece has to offer. The other ones who can get past its look, be sure that the reward is higher than that. Cowboy Bebop doesn't follow a typical story, which only adds to its uniqueness. Its episodic and that means every episode = a new story to be told in this MASSIVE universe. Its strange how no one wants to do another series in this universe, not following the past characters. But i can understand that, because no one will repeat the succes of what Shinichiro Watanabe and Yoko Kanno did. Nonetheless, every episode is interesting and i wasn't bored a single time. The Art is amazing, but i can see that someone will not like it. Well, good then. The future is still very believable and i'd rather have this future than Star Wars and such. The Sound is as good as it gets. Seriously. No other anime has what CB has packed in 4 discs i believe. The Jazz... enough words. The Characters deserve a special spot in my soul. I will always remember the charming Spike, experienced Jet, lost Faye and crazy Ed. This is without a question, the best anime out there. Go watch it right now. You can thank me later.

Cowboy Bebop is one of those things that has not aged well. Not because it wasn't a high quality, groundbreaking show that helped to define the genre, but BECAUSE it helped to defined the genre. I'll say now: I didn't grow up with this show. By the time I got around to watching it, I was about 20 and have seen these formulas and characters over and over again. Did Cowboy Bebop do it first? Probably not. Did they do it well? The popularity suggests they did it very very well. However, over the years people have used this formula so many times that it has fallen into a cliche. To someone watching it (without nostalgia value) everything is predictable and gets painfully boring painfully fast. There wasn't anything shocking in it, nothing I couldn't see happening 5 episodes beforehand, and every character was one I had seen a million times before and wasn't interested in seeing again. If you're asking me for specifics on what I didn't like, I can't even give that many. It was, for me, a totally forgettable experience. While I would never deny someone their nostalgia, I'd warn newer viewers to check out something a little more fresh.

I'm going to be quite honest here, most episodic anime, such as Cowboy Bebop really doesn't do a whole lot for me. But it's strange, in all it's 26 episode glory, Cowboy Bebop has managed to do what no other anime has ever done and that is too ensnare me in it's word right from the beginning never failing in letting me go. Cowboy Bebop is, quite simply, my favorite Anime ever. No other anime has shown me such a perfectly balanced world, with such an awe-inspiring atmosphere dripping with originality like Cowboy Bebop has. For starters, it's entirely character driven. The show lives and dies by how it manages to get you to connect with its characters. Cowboy Bebop is one of those rare shows that you don't really need to have a favorite character (although we all do, mine is Spike like most people) because you love all the characters so much you being to sympathize and feel connected with every one of them. It's story is also mixed with a perfect marriage between drama and humor. I've seen people call Cowboy Bebop one of the most depressing anime they've ever seen and I've seen other people call Cowboy Bebop the funniest anime they've seen. The reason it can be so funny without intruding on the seriousness of the plot, is due to the fact that unlike most humor in anime, the humor in Cowboy Bebop is deftly subtle. There are really no instances where the show seems immature or chained to conventional anime humor cliches' and I really can't help but appreciate it all the more. You'll laugh, you'll smile, I wanna say you'll cry, but I didn't, your heart strings will definitely be tugged at a time or seven. The thing the series is most notable for, however, is definitely the music. It's more or less a blend of jazz, blues and contemporary rock that almost blends too naturally with the Space Cowboy setting. Each episode has a different musical theme and the Bebop series really gave me the majority of my favorite anime music. Listen, I can sit here and talk about how great Cowboy Bebop is all day, but the more I do that, the less time you'll have to sit down and watch it yourself. This is simply one of those anime series that you NEED to watch to call yourself a proper anime fan. I'm not saying you'll love it as much as I do, but if you don't at least give Cowboy Bebop a chance, you're a fool.

There are quite a lot of anime that have a western setting, yet it is rare to see ones that contain the typical "wild west" feeling, much less portray in a convincing manner, in which viewers may associate it to adventure and mayhem, rash shootings and cowboys. While this may seem generic, Cowboy Bebop is a character driven story that came as a very pleasant surprise, as it managed to transmit magnificently such theme, with several tweaks to the setting itself. Furthermore, even when it was for the majority of the series of episodic nature, it managed to properly narrate a story with very interesting and varied episodes, whilst fleshing out its cast accordingly; which is difficult and rare in the medium. ~Story~ The story of Cowboy Bebop is centered on the members of the spaceship "The Bebop", Spike and Jet, a drifter and retired cyborg cop whose profession is bounty hunting for a living. They meet a lot of odd characters, in which Faye and Ed are one of the main highlights. As mentioned earlier, what is curious is the context of the series: it has its setting in the year 2071 in which humanity has left earth and settled themselves amongst the stars. What is more, it came together with the collapse of nations, and thus the emergence of disorder, violence, freedom and wild shootings - it has the typical western "cowboy" feeling attached to it. It also shares it moments of comedy here and there, which are subtly and well introduced in several occasions without breaking immersion in the story. This anime is for the major part of the series of episodic nature, yet what is remarkable is the variety within these. Each has its own unique and intriguing story, be it the virus that turn humans into monkeys, the classic parody to the Alien movie, the wacky cowboy, you name it. What further enhances the experience is the fact that each episode provides a feeling of continuity, including great world building showing the viewer how 2071 is, in addition to developing and fleshing its cast accordingly along the way. Some may argue that there are some episodes of lower quality, as it can be hit or miss, yet I found it to be in general of high quality. This doesn't mean the anime doesn't have its share of serious episodes in which actual story progression takes place regarding the characters, in particular that of Spike. These are brimming with life, action and love, giving viewers insight in the characters: it is filled with tension and intrigue. It is worth mentioning that the conclusion of the series is arguably of the most satisfying ones in the anime industry. ~Characters~ Cowboy Bebop is a character driven story, and thus the characters are of great importance to the story to make it work properly, and the anime managed to achieve this masterfully. Although the characters may be considered as stereotypes, in this case it is apparent that these can be very interesting when approached correctly. First of all, it must be mentioned that most of the characters have a mysterious background which is not apparent to viewers at first, yet as story progresses, it is slowly revealed in several bits. Ultimately, most of these are portrayed to audiences in a satisfying manner, yet not fully clarified in some cases, which is left for the viewer to imagine. This may be lacluster for some, but in this case it actually works in its favour to maintain the intrigue and splendid atmosphere of the anime. The members of the spaceship "Bebop" are composed of intriguing and entertaining characters, almost everyone being developed and fleshed out. There is Spike, a calm and cunning, somewhat lazy guy, yet immensely likeable whose motives on staying on the ship are not quite apparent at first, yet with am intriguing past. Then there is Jet, the hard-boiled and hardworking cop, now retired from the profession for bounty hunting instead. Other character of interest is Faye Valentine, a tomboy yet cunning woman, to being at times quite arrogant; but this is all because of her brittle past, which adds to the credibility of her character. Ultimately there is Ed, a superhacker girl, an energetic careless person who acts very childishly; she seems to be there for comical relief, yet it is apparent that she is slowly developed and as well as cunning, albeit in small measures. Other remarkable aspect of the anime are the interactions with the cast: all of the characters have such diverse personalities that is bizarre to see them all together and interact each other; what ties them together are their common goals, be it revenge, greed, profit, convenience, you name it. The relationships are slowly developed according to their personal development, which was a nice touch to the show. As for the secondary characters and "villains" if you may, these are for the majority quite interesting with sometimes motives, or intriguing past that showcase the hardships of society. Some either serve to enhance the comedy, world building, or the story plot itself. ~Animation and sound~ The animation quality of Cowboy Bebop is fantastic, even when considering in aired in the late 90's. The actions scenes, for both combat and space battles, are very fluid giving insight of the whole battle scene to the viewer. In addition, the choreography involved is detailed and feels realistic, further enhancing the experience. As for the art style itself, it is befitting of the atmosphere with very detailed backgrounds; not to mention the great usage of lighting effects to the anime that serves to intone the various atmospheres. The character designs are well done as well, varied and intriguing, matching with the corresponding personalities. However, there were times in which some backgrounds/characters were not as detailed, yet this was a small issue. Concerning the music score, it is truly outstanding: the use of jazz, blues and classic rock may seem odd considering its setting, yet it fits magnificently with the atmosphere. Each piece is also adjusted to the various situations. The fact that there are 4 CD's with over 80 different pieces composed for the series shows the dedication the studio had for the anime. As for the voice actors, these performed their roles splendidly, matching with the different personalities and intonations used. What came to me as a surprise, is the fact that the english dub was as good (or maybe even better) to the japanese one, which is noteworthy. The openings and endings of the anime were well executed and befitting of the theme, such as Tank!, surely one of the most famous ones. ~Enjoyment~ Cowboy Bebop was overall a great anime, with fantastic characters and their respective development and fleshing out. The soundtracks used in addition to the animation enhanced the viewing experience greatly; the fact that the anime managed to convey an intriguing story despite being of episodic nature was a huge bonus as well. Some viewers may be bothered by this and find them lackluster, as it can be hit/miss for some; the fact that the story is nothing extremely grandiose can be an issue as well, yet at a personal level this was never the case. So do I recommend this anime? I wholeheartedly do to anyone of any demographic, as the characters in conjunction with the animation and sound certainly makes it almost a must watch. Thank you for reading.

What can I say about this that hasn't been said before? This was the show that got me into anime, which looking back at how much time I've lost to it since might not have been such a good thing. There's just something about this, it's easy to feel but hard to pin down. The characters have incredible chemistry, the english dub is one of the best ever recorded, the art style is beautiful and stands up well for it's age, and the soundtrack is probably the strongest I've ever heard. You can tell that the creators had a lot of fun making this because there are so many unique pieces that all fit together in the end product. It's sort of timeless, and I don't think it'll ever stop feeling cool. I keep this show about 5 feet from the DVD player at all times, and this is the first show I recommend to anyone asking me about getting into anime. It's not nostalgia, it's just great. Without a doubt, it was the best of 1998, which had Trigun, Serial Experiments Lain, and Outlaw star all come out then too. If you haven't seen it, but you watch anime, what is wrong with you? This is one of the biggest pillars in anime history, you owe it to yourself to see it.

Cowboy Bebop is a popular high rated anime though many people finds it bad and it is dropped a lot. Am I surprised of either one of both? Actually not. I am one of the few who is in between of them. So I can understand the arguments of both sides. This is a difficult serie for me to rate. Since the things they have done good are extremely good however for the bad things counts the same. Trying to guide you aswell as me trough my thoughts. Isn’t the most obvious thing to do. But I will give it a try. So lets begin with the story: It is basically about bounty hunters from the year 2072. These bounty hunters are referred as cowboys a lot in the serie and bebop is the name of their spaceship, if I am not mistaken. So that is where the title comes from. I don’t think there is anything else important to know for now. The first thing I would like to tell you about the serie is that it is very episodic (If that is even a word). I meant that every episode tells its own story and all those stories gives an idea of their life. I personally don’t like that fact because then you cannot be sucked in the serie as it is supposed to be. That is another reason why I had difficulties to get into the serie and I think that is probably one of the reasons why so many people dropped this anime. On top of that some episodes felt bad and a lot felt like they are fillers. However the good episodes where very good and very amusing to watch. Thats why it is very difficult to criticize the story. Simply because it exist out of 24 different stories. I just don’t like to put a number on the whole bunch and if I would do it on the whole serie it won’t be good either, since it doesn’t has a real plot or something because of this. But I can tell that my rating of these stories goes from 3 to 9 with the higher numbers in the end. Probably cause I started to appreciate the style more. Though the end isn’t built up as good as the other anime series, it is really good and suits the anime perfectly. I am not really a sci-fi fan, especially things like star wars. This was completely different though. They didn’t put any attention to the future gadgets. I think they did it just for some more spectacular action scenes with those ships. It gave me actually more the feeling that it happened in the past then in the future. especially with those old (beautiful) drawings and the jazz, blues, classic background music. This is all positive in my opinion though. I really like the serie way better as it is. Guess it is time to go more positive now the worse part of it is done. The best part of the serie for me was without doubt the music. The way they make blues, jazz and classic music exiting is unbelievable! Or is it that what makes the serie exciting? To be honest I don’t know, the only thing I know is that it perfectly suits each other. The way they made the combination let even me enjoy classic music. They really overmastered James Bond with it. Cowboy Bebop just puted Jazz music in the action scenes While James Bond need those good action scenes to get popular. The way they add those weird random sounds at it is really risky. But it is done so great that I love it. The fact that it is so original makes it good. I can understand that a lot of people (especially the younger ones) cannot appreciate that music and surely not in this way. But for me it just made the serie. The characters are pretty good to. Especially Jet and Spike (the main characters) in my opinion. the other ones aren’t bad but they didn’t got me that much. Probably because The episodes where a new character joins are boring in my opinion. But I must admit that they are all very original. The episodes that goes about Jet and Spike and the way they develop them (slowly but good and full of charm) are very good. That is one of the reasons I absolutely fell in love with those characters. However the drawings are old and not that good at first sight, I really started to like them. Spike his look, his hair, his poses, his fights, his cigarettes, … It is all just drawn so beautiful. It may look old but it is still full of charm and emotion. Not only Spike is well drawn but he is just the climax of the drawings in this serie. So that is why I have double feelings for this wonderful seinen serie. See You Space Cowboy...

Cowboy Bebop was an interesting watch. It's definitely one of the anime that requires you to read in between the lines as not everything is presented to you at face value like most anime nowadays. However because of that it may be hard to grasp some of the overarching themes in this show without having to watch an explanation video of the entire series. For this reason I gave it a 7, as personally I believe that a piece should portray it's themes clearly, otherwise it'd probably be an 8 or 9. But the more I think about the show I can see why people enjoy it so much. The approach to this anime is very realistic in it's portrayal. In fact I could say that in the far fetched future this could very well be the life of someone out there floating in space if we ever advance that far scientifically. As the anime has its boring episodes where it doesn't really add anything to the plot point, episodes with action aplenty as you would expect from a life as a bounty hunter, and finally episodes that build at the overarching theme, which is rather quite similar to the life we live ourselves; minus the gun slinging action for most of us of course. Looking back at it in that perspective it's almost as though we are just witnessing a portion their lives through a scope and it somewhat makes those boring episodes more bearable. As if we are just watching someone live out their life to the best of their abilities. Overall I would say to give it a shot. I can see why this anime can hold a special place in people's hearts, but Cowboy Bebop is definitely starting to show its age.

---------------------------------------SPOILER FREE I usually dont write reviews because if the show is good i just enjoy it and if the show is bad i just ignore it... but its been long since a show ending was so stupid that made me angry.. CB in general is a story with no real meaning behind it more than show the adventures of the most incompetent ream i've seen since Team Rocket, they fail on almost every job making every episode a repetition that make you facepalm over and over and over again. Sometimes they throw some flashback about characters but that's it, they dont really go deeper than that, until you reach episode 25 and suddenly the story matters and they rush it so bad that the amount of story wholes they leave behind is so big that make me regret starting to watch this show in the first place and i dont wanna even start to talk about how the story ending developed. I really entered this show with positive hopes and ended up disappointed in a way i didnt think possible. I can now say i really REALLY dont understand what people like about this, it really doesnt deserve the 8 it has, not even a 5 and if im really realistic not even a 4. i really wanted to like this show and even when i was half way through and i wanted to drop it because of how unentertaining it is, i didnt because i really thought i was gonna finish and at least say "you know what, after all, it is not a bad show" but i cant, i really cant. Dont watch this show, not even because you wanna say "yeah i watched it", is not even worth that.

Spike Spiegel is a bounty hunter with a dark, violent past. Nowadays, he roams between the seedier colonies of space along with his partner Jet Black and their spaceship Bebop as they try to catch a bounty or two, barely making a living at it. Some of their bounties, like the mysterious Faye Valentine and the intelligent 'data dog', Ein, end up as fellow partners. Is Spike trying to justify prior misdeeds by working for the right side of the law? What will happen when his past catches up to him? And what of the pasts of his fellow shipmates? Will any of them survive long enough to find out? Cowboy Bebop has been often referred to as the new anime noir, a title that does fit, but doesn't even begin to fully describe it. Equal parts film noir, spaghetti western, and 70's cop show; Cowboy Bebop is both retro and fresh at the same time. A very stylish, beautifully crafted series that deserves much more attention than it gets. If ever there was a series more deserving to be a sleeper hit, Bebop is it. Cowboy Bebop is well suited to TV. Each episode manages to stand alone, but at the same time link together an overall larger story. Even if you only see two or three episodes, not exactly in order, one wouldn't be lost, and would find enjoyment in them. In order to truly appreciate it, though, one must see it through. Cowboy Bebop also presents a realistic view of the future. Spike and Jet travel in what to us would be a highly sophisticated craft, but to them is the modern day equivalent of a 1976 El Camino. The places they visit are far from what one would expect. Instead of Neo-Tokyo with its shiny, impossibly tall skyscrapers that never end, we have Neo-Tijuana, with its dusty dirt roads, run down shacks and migrant workers. Space is ethnic, but not in the Star Trek sanitized for the sake of politically correctness way. Each colony reflects a melting pot more akin to Los Angeles or New York City than any Blade Runner wannabe ever could. This striving for realism also is reflected in the character designs. Spike is lanky and handsome in his own way, but by no means is he a slender pretty boy. Faye is sexy and curvy, but she's no large breasted bimbo. Jet is burly, not fat, and has traits that would make one think he is of Russian descent. Ein can easily be recognized as a Welsh corgi, and not just another undistinguishable mutt. The only one who looks remotely like a 'cartoony' character is Ed, and even then no one would ever mistake her as anything -but- a scrawny preteen tomboy. (And to see her name and appearance, you'd think she just got off the boat from the Philippines.) The animation is beyond superb. Its quality excels over most current releases. Cowboy Bebop uses computer graphics, but does so in such a fluid, breathtaking manner. There are practically no scenes that feel 'artificial', like what's going on in the foreground is totally separate from the background. Many computer-generated anime can't seem to shake the look that the characters are just floating in front of the background stills. Everything in Cowboy Bebop seems to breathe with life and motion, even in otherwise stoic scenes, and it's a rarity and a marvel to behold. Another bonus Cowboy Bebop has going for it is the soundtrack. Yoko Kanno scores (literally) again with her work for this series. The opening theme alone is already one of *the* best intro pieces I have ever heard. The blend of jazz and blues is absolutely perfect in setting the mood of the series. I ask you, has this woman ever -done- any bad music? (Of course not!) Then there's the storyline. Even though each episode stands quite well on its own, with poignant moments interspersed with exciting action, the underlying theme of Spike Spiegel and his motivations for what he does is absolutely intriguing. With each flashback, you get one more piece of the puzzle, from Spike's shady origins to the loves that influenced the way he is. Maybe his bounty hunting is really a search for identity as much as a way of life he has chosen. The plot and characterization in Cowboy Bebop have a sophistication and subtlety that is practically one-of-a-kind. It's hard to find movies this involving, much less animated television series. Cowboy Bebop simply puts most anime...and Hollywood, to shame. On the surface, it's easy to dismiss as '70s retro fluff. "Hey, there's Vega$ all over again!" And yes, many a Japanese and American movie star or feature is lampooned in one form or another during each episode. Cases in point: Spike Spiegel is a postmodern Lupin III. And in the first episode alone, Asimov Sorenson and Katarina.... can we say Desperado, kids? (Heck, even Quentin Tarantino seems to have a cameo!) But beneath that noir veneer is a very human drama that has just enough humor and clever dialogue to be realistic, yet highly entertaining. This is a must-have for any serious collector of Japanese animation. Simply put, this anime is one of the best.

*In this review I will be switching to a different reviewing system/format. Cowboy Bebop is often considered one of the greatest anime of all time. I’ve considered watching it for a long time, but I never really got around to it until recently. And now that I’ve finally watched it, I regret not watching the show sooner, not only because it was a good series, but also because I think that if it had been one of the first anime that I watched I would’ve liked it a lot more. Story: The story takes place all over the universe in the year 2071. Cowboy Bebop’s story revolves around four main characters, Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine, and Edward. They are all bounty hunters aboard Jet’s ship the Bebop. My main issue with the series as a whole is how the story is told. It’s told in a way that makes every episode seem like a small stand-alone story. The series was too episodic, and there were very few episodes that actually felt connected to each other. That being said, my favorite episodes were the ones that focused on the backgrounds of the characters, even though an overall plot really didn’t connect all of them. I just wished that Cowboy Bebop had a more focused narrative. Animation: I’d heard nothing but good things about the animation in Cowboy Bebop; but, since it came out in 1998, I wasn’t sure how much I would like it. I’m glad to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the animation. There were times where I thought, “Wow, this was made in 1998?” But there were other times where I thought, “Yeah, this was made in 1998.” Overall, the animation is solid throughout the entire series. Sound: The sound in Cowboy Bebop is one of the best parts of this series. The whole sound track has a soulful and jazzy vibe. The only issue I have with the sound is that the only songs that you hear multiple times are the songs of the opening and ending. This isn’t really a bad thing. The opening and ending are both really good, but there are just so many good songs you hear throughout the series that I wish that they would’ve used more often. Most of the songs are episode specific, so the music definitely fits the overall themes and tones of the episode, but you’ll probably never hear those songs again throughout the entire series. Characters: The characters are the most interesting part of this series. They all and have totally different personalities, and reasons for becoming bounty hunters. All of them have a mysterious past, which they are either not willing to talk about or just don’t remember. As I said earlier, my favorite episodes in the series are the ones that focus on the backgrounds of the characters. This is partially because these episodes feel the most connected in terms of an overarching narrative, and also partially because I found those episodes the most entertaining. Spike’s background episodes in particular had the some of, if not, the best action scenes in the entire series. There are also several supporting and side characters in the series, but you usually won’t see them in more than one episode. This is fine because during that one episode that they are in their entire story or reason for being there is explained pretty well. Enjoyment: Like I said earlier, I think that if this had been one of the first anime that I’d ever watched I would’ve liked this series a lot more than I do. Don’t get me wrong, Cowboy Bebop is an entertaining series, but it has a very episodic format that took away some of the enjoyment for me. Verdict & Breakdown: Story: 3.4/5 Animation: 3.5/5 Sound: 4/5 Characters: 4/5 Enjoyment: 3.5/5 Verdict: 3.7/5 Even though I don’t think this series is a masterpiece, Cowboy Bebop is a classic anime that is definitely worth checking out. Favorite Episodes: Ballad of Fallen Angels, Hard Luck Woman, and The Real Folk Blues Parts 1-2.

The almighty and legendary Cowboy Bebop. Well, here goes my best shot. Story: 7,5 At first to me it seemed like Cowboy Bebop will be an episodic anime, which ones are usually plain bad and become boring after a few episodes. But Cowboy Bebop is a proof that anime mustn't evolve a single plot straight only to conclusion. Truth be said most of the Cowboy Bebop episodes are fillers, but not to the bad meaning of the fillers that you usually see in Naruto or Bleach or any other anime. In Cowboy Bebop these episodes are more like expansions off the characters and mini stories with their own thoughts and meaning. Almost all of the episodes have some points to make and are relevant to the characters. They allow you to get more attached to characters. Sometimes you get small flashbacks in some episodes and they improve your understanding of how human and realistic these characters are. As for the plot relevant episodes I would really have wanted more of them, because they seemed to answer a lot of questions, but not enough to satisfy my curiosity. I really would want to know more about Spikes past. And the ending even though very cool and memorable for me seemed a bit dissapointing. Also if you think about it the main story is kinda cliche if not for the ending. Visuals: 9,25 The visuals are more then you should ask for. Cowboy Bebop was made in 1998 and truth be it has put to shame other anime since 1998 to even now as for the visuals. The best I liked about it was how detailed it was, all the characters are easy to distinguish and backgrounds are very beautiful too. Backgrounds change a lot of times as the Bebop crew goes from different planets starting to mostly deserted planets to snowy cold planets. As for the animation it is very smooth and fluid, the action is very well choreographed and only once I saw repeated movement and I think it was done on purpose to make Ed look silly, not because the animators were lazy. Sound: 10 Everything about sound is just WOW and awesome to the extreme. The opening is great and I didn't skip it once for all 26 episodes. As for the background music there is a lot of it and even though it mostly consists of jazz, bebop and bluze it also had one episode with heavy metal and some other music too. The background music usually surprised me of how good it was all out through the series. That background music just made every major moment in this anime just so much more memorable and enjoyable.That's what you get from Yoko Kanno. I personally only have seen the dub, but from what I heard it is one of the best, if not the best dubs out there . I think that Steve Blumes role as Spike Spiegel is his best. Characters: 8 It's not like you really get a lot of time spent on building up the characters, but somehow on the way you pick up pieces about Spike, Faye, Jet and Ed. As the series progresses you get some parts of there back-stories, but you don't get all of it. Well at least I thought that there could of been more back-stories for them. But I have to admit that it helped for extra realism that you don't know all about these characters from the start even to the end there are a lot mystery around them. As for other characters they show up and disappear very soon except Vicous the villain ( his name sounds like a villain already) who I didn't like, because a real villain needs to have a fucking good reason to be a villain, but all I got from him is that he has bad past with Spike, which really doesn't explain a lot, because we don't know much about Spikes past except for few flashbacks. Enjoyment: 9 I enjoyed this anime a lot. Never did I get bored watching it and most of the time I was stuck to screen sitting on the edge of my seat. But I have to say that once the episode was done I wasn't that reluctant to go watch the next episode, because there wasn't an overarching plot that would connect from one episode to the next. Overall: 9 The best part about Cowboy Bebop was the music and animation. The production value for this anime was very high even for nowadays standards. I have to say that I didn't like the story that much because I found it cliche a bit and the characters even though cool and pretty much realistic they didn't really relate to me. But also I must admit that this anime has something that you really can't categorize and that is style. And that style just makes all those bad things I said about it almost meaningless. I would recommend this anime to every anime fan and even to people that haven't seen any anime, because it has a lot of good qualities that could interest non-anime people into watching it. As for those people who care more about the stories morals and what it has to tell you about everything I would not advise you to jump in watching this anime with high expectations, because Cowboy Bebop is more about style over matter.

Frankly, I'm not sure how I can do a show like Cowboy Bebop justice in reviewing it in such tiny space. I think Cowboy Bebop is absolutely a product of genius. I think genius minds conceived and executed the concepts, story, and production of this series, and I believe it will always mean a great deal to me. I say this with the utmost concern for nostalgia and trying to disappate it, judging the show by its merits and not for the time at which I watched it and how radical it was at the time, but rather for what it continues to be based on its true merits. For one, I can see why others may dislike elements of the show, but those are the same elements I think are justified. The show is episodic, yes, but rather than being a bunch of completely unrelated adventures that just feature the core cast in different situations, the episodes are more like a series of short little films that each reveal a little more of the bigger picture, not necessarily of the main underlying plot, but something much more important, which is the world and atmosphere, the environment and attitudes which are pervasive in the show. The very lives of the characters are "episodic", but an episode rarely ends without having made some headway in unveiling more of the tapestry of this world the characters live in. The main plot, the plot of Spike's past with the Red Dragon, that's something that keeps together the threads, but ultimately only exemplifies- well, perhaps more than that, epitomizes- the grander attitude of the entire work. Given more time to breath, perhaps a more traditionally strong narrative would have worked its way out, which is probably the only flaw I can find with this show. However, it's barely a flaw, because it serves as a great and tragic sword of Damocles over the throne of the viewer. However, unlike that sword, it does certainly strike, and surely, and with consequence. The production values are quite breathtaking, some still by today's standards. The music is especially spellbinding. The show is very stylish, and so more cynical folks may be lured into believing the show is "style over substance", but the style becomes part of its substance, much in the way a Tarintino film both indulges in and skewers pop art culture. It's a show that feels almost as new every new time I watch as it did the first time. Sure, now I've been exposed to several anime that closely rival its greatness. But none of them quite manage to match or surpass it. Cowboy Bebop is a stellar series. Perhaps the most representative of what anime can accomplish, It is both entertaining and provocative. It's a rousing jazzy ballad of the bizarre and the sorrowful. It's a must see for anyone.

In my mind, Cowboy Bebop is the perfect show for people you know who say "Anime? What are you, 12?" It's slick, it's funny, it's serious, and it knows how to avoid anime stereotypes. It has characters that you'll never get tired of, plot twists that will keep you watching up late at night, epic fight scenes, and a soundtrack that is worth shelling out for. With that said, let's roll. Story: 9 Though it wanders on occasion, I'd like to say that nearly 100% of the time it's to develop characters further or to add a bit of humor. The Star Trek parody episode was a bit over the top (but enjoyable), and to me it's hard to enjoy enjoy the filler episodes as much as the ones where sh*t really gets real. But let's delve into those. WOW. The last two episodes of the show are as good as it gets in anime. Not to mention the 5th episode, or the back-to-back ones that take place on Mars. I won't ruin any story elements, but look forward to these. If you take anything from this review, take this: those 5 episodes are worth watching over, and over, and over, for any anime fan. Art: 8 It's tough to write a review now for a show that took place as long ago as it did, but I'll give it a shot. It's well drawn, and well animated, but it's nothing mindblowing. I remember seeing the first episode fight scenes and being thoroughly impressed, but for me the main draws of the show were always the music, the characters, and the story. I can't say I've ever been much of an art critic, but for the most part is was aesthetically pleasing. I was certainly impressed by the character design, and the world that the artists created was both interesting and desirable. Sound: 10 Yoko Kanno honestly outdid herself this time. In all my years of watching anime, this is the first time I've really felt like I NEEDED the soundtrack. Great OP, great songs throughout, great everything. So impressed with what she did here. Character: 9 How can you not love Spike Spiegel or Faye Valentine? They're the ones that you'd like to be in real life. To me, it's not just how badass the characters are, it's the ideals they represent. Honor, bravery, and an unwillingness to let anything stand before something that you know in your heart is right. The only comparison that I can make here is a show called Firefly, which isn't an anime but in some ways reminds me of Bebop. Great design, great execution, and I wouldn't get sick of any of them even if the show went on for 100 eps.

*Next Episode Preview* "An anime that was delivered to the bebop with no return address. Because we wanted to view the tape, things took a turn for the unexpected. Well actually it doesn't go anywhere, at first glance the story is pointless, the action is on a small scale and the ending is forced but then again what conclusions will you draw from it?" - Jet Black Next episode: I don't give a shit because there is nothing to look forward to in this anime, the narrative; I kid you not, actually made me fall asleep TWICE. A total clusterfuck of forgettable side characters and unintriguing world building completely carried by its OST & iconic opening theme song. I usually empathize with most characters (hence my giant bloated favorites list), but I could not care for any of the cast - not even the core 5. I felt nothing when any of them was in danger or dying. Who would've guessed an episodic show where characters stay relatively the same - have 0 macro & micro stakes - with minimal entertainment value - would fail to resonate with me. Even Viscious the main-plot-relevant 'big bad' was also just a one-dimensional edgelord who is bad for the sake of being bad. Oh-but the "vibes" and "aesthetic" and "it's a classic" stfu man lmao. When examining episodic storytelling, there's often a trade-off between depth and complexity, as the focus is primarily on crafting self-contained episodes with their own narratives. However, when executed effectively - these individual encounters can enrich the overarching story and develop intriguing characters all while maintaining the charm of short stories. Unfortunately, this is not the case with Cowboy Bebop imo as most self-contained eps leave your mind pretty quickly with stagnant characters you constantly beg for a smidge of development - but never receive. The series lacks a cohesive, overarching plot, with only a handful of poorly written and superficial episodes towards the end attempting to fill that void. The villains are thinly developed and fail to evoke any genuine interest or investment from me, instead coming across as mere cartoonishly evil edgelords with most notably Viscious. The foreshadowing of past events is shallow and predictable while offering little substance or intrigue. The main characters themselves feel more like stylish caricatures than fully fleshed-out individuals and further exacerbated by inconsistencies, annoying theatrics, and contrived storytelling. The laid-back atmosphere, intended to lend the series a relaxed vibe, often trivializes important plot points, only to later elevate them to central narrative drivers. This disparity undermines CB's coherence - leading to jarring shifts in tone and pacing. While such elements may work in more leisurely episodes, they become glaring flaws when integrated into the main plotline. Attempts to portray the characters as "cool" ultimately fall flat too - reducing them to superficial stereotypes without meaningful depth or development. Spike; our MC, is characterized primarily by his smoking habit and rebellious smooth demeanor, with little else to distinguish him as a complex individual. The frequent depiction of cigarette smoking, while visually striking, serves as a shallow attempt to imbue the characters with a sense of style, rather than genuine depth. Wowee he said "BANG" KINOOOOO what a great character! Guys he said bang he's so cool and stylish with the music complementing him wow what a peak character.... The fact that I even got through this entire slogfest is a miracle. Back when I finished this - I used to get get swayed by public opinion alot, like if an anime gets really high ratings and I watch it, I would give it a rating higher than I thought it was. It was a dumb mindset but Cowboy Bebop was such a let down, so jarring of an experience that I just couldn’t lie about my feelings. So yes, it is banal and it is overrated.

Since being a critic means writing tons of words, people often think of us as pretentious assholes who can’t have fun. Some critics swallow that crap and then write meaningless bullcrap instead of admitting they enjoyed a stylish, flashy story. The easiest way to recognize it is when a series is said to be about ‘existentialism’. That’s so general, but so useful. After all, that stream of philosophy is huge and you can insert anything into it. Since I don’t care about my image, I’m not going to claim Cowboy Bebop is about ‘existentialism’ when I can’t back it up. I have no shame in admitting I love a story that’s all about flash, action and amusing characters. That’s what Cowboy Bebop is and it’s proof that mere storytelling is an art too. There are a few touching moments and the last episodes push for something more profound, but until then there isn’t any depth. Why should it have any when “Mushroom Samba” is one of the best anime episodes ever? Watanabe taglined the show as “a new genre unto itself” and later called it an exaggeration. That’s like the fastest runner in the world saying he’s slow. Cowboy Bebop never runs out of steam or ideas. It always has a wide-eyed sense of wonder and always excited what other stories it can tell. Many of the tropes are recognizable, but nothing is a missed chance. The approach is akin to a band that tries a new genre with every song. People who complain about the episodic nature miss the point. The series has a wider reach than nearly every anime out there. Pretty much every episode is a whole different genre. The characters and art style are the same, but even the color schemes change. “Mushroom Samba” and “Cowboy Funk” are experiments with Comedy and have brighter colors. “Toys in the Attic” experiments with horror and is noticeably darker. Even pacing and side-character design changes. The aforementioned “Mushroom Samba” has far wackier character design than “Speak Like a Child”, one of the more introspective episodes. The series doesn’t simply borrow a lot from Western fiction but distills it to one show. It had mass appeal because it had a wide reach – whoever you are, there’s something to like her. Convincing the viewer that the world in your anime exists is difficult. Calling things ‘realistic’ or ‘unrealistic’ isn’t enough, since you first have to know what reality is (or, more correctly, how people perceive reality). The solid blocks don’t define reality. Spaceships and cities on the moon aren’t automatically ‘unrealistic’. If you told people from 1000 years ago that anime will exist they’ll think you’re possessed by a devil. Reality and real life go deeper than this. Reality is, among things, confusing and has a lot of sides. If it didn’t we wouldn’t need to create art. The most realistic anime are the most far-reaching ones. An anime is more realistic the more it can contain different moods and different people. It doesn’t matter whether you live as a drifter or in a small community – life has all kinds of things going for it. The show has bounty hunters in space, loud gunfights and a failed experiment that learned to fly. It’s still more realistic – and thus more alive than most anime out there. The variety in mood and texture of the events brings it to life. I couldn’t imagine a show having a fat balloon assassin feeling realistic. The cast is also a prime example of how to have an ensemble. Spike isn’t the main character. They’re all are. Their personalities aren’t simply different but connected, there is chemistry here. Jet isn’t just a contrast to Spike’s apathy, but a more warm figure for the damaged Faye and the young Ed. Spike’s apathy and cockiness is what puts him at odds with Faye but their greed is what they share and what unites them. Ed herself is a sun in the group of depressed individuals. The characters don’t act out of convenience but on their inner drives, and each of their reactions is uniquely theirs. Variety itself isn’t enough, of course. You need more than the basics of having different episodes with different styles and moods. The narratives are always tightly focused. The world is full of great anime, but few deserve the award of ‘no useless shots’. Except for the plot-heavy episodes (which don’t really work anyway), every shot equals progress. It’s worth noting that Cowboy Bebop isn’t a dialogue-heavy show. It borrowed this from the film noire genre. Unlike noire’s bad side, Bebop doesn’t rely on dark shots to let you things are dark. Rather, it doesn’t use a lot of dialogue because it doesn’t need to. The shots are informative enough, and so are never boring. The series’ only flaw is the grand story behind it focusing on Spike’s past. The series doesn’t exactly lose focus, but confidence. Up until then the defining trait was elegance. Everything was small, but it was enough that counted for a lot. Suddenly we have this huge backstory of broken hearts and smoking guns and overthrowing a criminal syndicate. The last two episodes, while having decent actions, end up mostly as a collection of serious dialogue and dark staring. It survives only on the show’s natural charm. This is one route that demanded a whole new way of storytelling. It’s nice of Watanabe to try but it didn’t work. Cowboy Bebop is a great anime not because it’s philosophical, influential or borrows a lot from Western fiction. It’s brilliant because it’s a masterpiece of pure storytelling. There are no useless parts in these 23 or so episodes. Each story is different both in events, pacing and mood. People who are uncomfortable with this will make stuff up about ‘existentialism’ but it’s their loss. Regardless of who you are, there’s something to enjoy here. 4.5 trippy mushrooms out of 5

Cowboy Bebop is a whole collection of classic genres, all mixed into one series and all done right, to the point that it breathes new life into a very stale genre. If ever there was a series more deserving to be a sleeper hit, Bebop is it. Many times have I visited Cowboy Bebop, and every time we've parted company I leave with a sense of how great a conversationalist Cowboy Bebop truly is. How it tells beautiful stories with nothing but ink, paint, computers, and sound. How it seems to transcend it's own media and become something unto itself. Nothing to be worshiped or canonized, but to be viewed with a measure of respect, and perhaps awe, that such a thing ever took place at all. Cowboy Bebop, that's the story. There are cowboys and there is bebop, set against the backdrop of the future and space. The series concerns itself with the lives of Jet Black, Spike Spiegal, Faye Valentine, and Ed. The series itself tends to revolve around sorting out each characters past and reconciling it with their present selves. What sets Cowboy Bebop apart from similar series such as Outlaw Star is that these stories are actually interesting. The places they visit are far from what one would expect. Instead of Neo-Tokyo with its shiny, impossibly tall skyscrapers that never end, we have Neo-Tijuana, with its dusty dirt roads, run down shacks and migrant workers. Space is ethnic, but not in the Star Trek sanitized for the sake of politically correctness way. Each colony reflects a melting pot more akin to Los Angeles or New York City than any Blade Runner wannabe ever could. Characters from Cowboy Bebop each have stories to tell. Each deals with its past and present as best they can, although often times not very well at all. The plot is linear as far as the time line is concerned, but there isn't a penultimate goal sought after. In terms of the classic definitions of conflict, Cowboy Bebop tends towards the man versus himself, or man versus man types of conflict. The principles of Cowboy Bebop do not seek paradigm shifts, do not seek to change the world for the better or worse, but simply to live to see another day. This struggle to live on is what makes Cowboy Bebop so enjoyable, and what gives a humanity to the principle characters that they would otherwise lack. Animation directors strive for different goals. Some, like Hayou Miyazaki seek a balance between we humans and nature. The director of Ghost in the Shell, Mamoru Oshii forewarned us that advancement without restraint presented dillemas with no solutions. Shincihiro Wantanbe gave us, with Cowboy Bebop, twenty-six pictures of a world coming to terms with its past. The methods vary, with death, resignation, and an eyes wide shut attitude dominating. But never are these heady themes forced upon us with a heavy hand. They are at many times hidden behind sharp humor, attention to detail, and jaw dropping animation. Only two times are these themes truly brought to a head: at the twelfth and thirteenth episodes (parts one and two of Jupiter Jazz), and episodes twenty-five and twenty-six (parts one and two of The Real Folk Blues). And at these moments the music gets better, the animation sharper, and like true climactic moments, they stay with us long after we finish watching them. Everything in Cowboy Bebop seems to breathe with life and motion, even in otherwise stoic scenes, and it's a rarity and a marvel to behold. Never before or since has such a catalog of music been assembled for an anime, any anime. The principle creator of Cowboy Bebop's music, Yoko Kanno, took the high-road. She hopped from genre to genre in leaps and bounds while never taking from the animation itself, but infusing it with a pulse that at all times seemed perfect. Sometimes characters are defined through music, like Gren, whose sax playing pronounces him melancholy, disillusioned, and cavalier. Three original soundtracks were put together for this anime, each one is distinct and non-repetitious. Listening to them on their own gives you new appreciation on the quality of Yoko Kannos gift. The concept of Cowboy Bebop is not original, but its execution is outstanding. The characters are not original, but how they interact with the world around them is. The music can be defined by genre, but the impact on the individual cannot. The animation has been topped over the years, the cgi definitely shows its age, but there are still moments of raw beauty that are still unparalleled. Cowboy Bebop is not a rite of passage in anime fandom, but it should be a signpost, showing you the difference between the sublime and the ordinary.

This was the first anime I ever watched that made me completely re-evaluate what was possible in an animated medium. Not only that but despite the improvements in computers and technology that have allowed anime to become more visually astouding, cowboy bebop managed to achieve the same levels of detail and motion of modern anime over a decade ago. Do not approach cowboy bebop as being anime. It is animated, but really it is more like live action then a cartoon. The creators of this show did not skimp when it came to fully animating fight scenes, space battles, or even some of the more idle moments. There is never a moment where footage is recycled or cheesy backgrounds go flying by while characters strike a pose, nor are there any chibi or emoted moments. Cowboy Bebop is also best if not rushed through, there IS an overall story arc, but most of the episodes are self contained, and do not really require rapid succession. Also when you complete this anime you will surely feel that the show is concluded, and that a sequel or serialization of the series is unnecessary. This show is good enough to re-watch and still find the same enjoyment as the first time you saw it. Usually its difficult to fully decide how to rank anime since there are many ways to do it, such as by overall plot (i HATE cop-out endings which are typical of most shows.. curse you school rumble!), quality of art/animation/ visual excellence, music, voice talent, dub (if applicable), characters/character development, and something that is sometimes neglected is depth (how much do you have to allready know to fully enjoy an anime). However, Cowboy Bebop excels in every one of these areas, so it makes it easy for me to give this show 10's across the board, it truly is a masterpiece, and is not as difficult as EVA to fully appreciate, as it does not require you to wikipedia info on Jewish Mythology, Kabalism, Sephiroths, ect. and can be watched in English without sacrificing any aspect of the show, which also makes this show a great candidate for newbies to serious (non serialized) anime. ON A SPECIAL NOTE: Yoko Kanno is quite possibly one of the greatest film composers, and wrote a ludicrous amount of FULL LENGTH music for this show. If the quality of the anime isn't enough to get your rocks off there are about 8 cd's worth of top notch music, (mostly jazz, blues, and gospel) all origional work composed for this series which I also recommend to you audiophiles. The Seatbelts are awesome...

Episodic series are complicated. On one hand, there's a huge degree of freedom that can go into them that you don't obtain quite as easily in semi-episodic or comparatively linear narratives, but on the other they run the risk of running dry due to a lack of variety in their narratives, uninteresting subplots or characters that remain stagnant throughout the show's run. Cowboy Bebop is interesting because in many ways it encapsulates both the best and worst things about episodic series within its runtime. The premise is simple enough and works perfectly for the kind of story Cowboy Bebop is - one about these drifting mercenaries simply doing odd jobs across the universe, with no overarching goal beyond living paycheck to paycheck. The cast are a colorful bunch and have a fair amount of fun interactions with each other, and the episodic stories vary wildly in terms of what they're about. Good enough, so what then is the issue? The episodic stories are incredibly inconsistent in terms of quality, some being excellent, others being mediocre if not outright bad. The more comedy-focused episodic stories are fine, but act as a kind of mood whiplash with the darker parts of the series - but then there's ones that are outright pretty damn bad, standouts including the infamous Feng Shui episode or the episode Edward's introduced in. This lack of consistency (to say nothing of most episodes following a certain format, more on that later) make Cowboy Bebop an incredibly difficult show to sit down and get engrossed in. That's to say nothing of how the central narrative is structured - this show is episodic in the true sense of the term and from what I can gather not even told in chronological order, which while makes sense to an extent (the entire point is that these characters are static and numb to what's happening around them) means that the central narrative and random episodic stories have a clear, thick dividing line between them, with the narrative essentially coming out of nowhere at random. There's an argument to be made about how this fits the idea of Spike trying to run away from his past, with his past finding a way to chase after him anyway - this is a weak argument that isn't helped by a certain issue in how the story is presented. You don't get to see virtually any of the side cast outside the scope of the episodic parts they're introduced in, and this includes characters who are relevant to the central narrative outside of a few quick flashbacks. This was a deliberate design choice and I heavily disagree with it because it leaves the viewer thoroughly disengaged from everything happening in the story, meaning when the main narrative does return and kick back in full force, I have no reason to care about it beyond being an observer to Spike's mistakes. Why should I care about his emotional investment to Julia, or rivalry with Vicious, when his dynamic with Jet and Faye are what I see much more of anyway? And while there can be an argument that much like them being observers to all the tragedies that happen and growing numb to it, we're placed in a position where we too are growing numb to their issues, it also makes it impossible to relate to these characters despite the themes about overcoming the past being general and easy to relate to - the distance the story uses to invoke this message is paradoxically both its strongest asset and worst enemy. The central cast are a largely static bunch in a sense - they do progress slightly over the course of whatever there is for a narrative, Jet has several episodic arcs dedicated to that in particular - but their dynamic stays as that of a pack of strangers keeping their distance from one another while awkwardly trying to get closer only to drift further. This isn't necessarily a problem in and of itself, but the way the series presents this is through the cast (and by cast I really just mean Spike and Faye) rushing headlong like headless chickens over and over again into making mistakes as other cast members (which happens to be consistently Jet) tries to stop either of them from doing so. This very quickly gets old and I refuse to digest the idea that this is repetition for the sake of emphasis because it happens so many times that the viewer is likely to get really sick of it really quickly - Faye going off gambling is one of the most unfunny gags in the history of anime and she's such an annoying character with such a thoroughly uninteresting backstory that it baffles me to the moon that people can point at her and claim she's one of the greatest female characters in anime history. That backstory is relevant to the themes of the story, but it's so emotionally uninteresting and overdone that it's shocking that it isn't shat on harder by fans and detractors of this alike. This isn't to say that there's no positives to Cowboy Bebop - hell, I'd dare say there's more positives than negatives. Spike does manage to be an engaging character from start to finish, even if there's issues I already went over in how his arc is presented. Jet's actually a character I didn't have much of an issue with - his tolerance for Faye's bullshit notwithstanding, his comradery with Spike was authentic and genuine, and several of the best moments in the series were with him and Spike bickering over how horrid the food is. Ed's actually somewhat entertaining after her debut episode - the cringe factor still occasionally comes back, but it's nowhere near as bad as some people would have you believe. And Ein, well, being a dog aside, is pretty fun. The visuals are absolutely stunning and have aged magnificently - the backgrounds are beautiful, the animation's gorgeous and the way the series does worldbuilding is actually something I find pretty underrated - there's no massive infodump on the world, just scattered pieces of exposition as the cast explore random parts of the setting, with said setting having extremely varied locations and cultures that always if nothing else showed a nice, new thing for the viewer to look at. The soundtrack is spectacular and great, there's a fuckton of neat references to Western pop culture, the action is usually absolutely gorgeous and varies from gun fights to spaceship battles to hand-to-hand combat, all of which is done insanely well. The central narrative despite all my issues with it is still decently engaging, and the ending is memorable as hell and among the most iconic in anime history for a reason. If this review comes off as harsh, it's because Cowboy Bebop is put on such a high pedestal insofar as episodic anime goes that it comes off as baffling - not even by the fanbase, but even by the series itself, which claims in random transition slides that it will be a new work that will invent a genre of its own (which by any standard is a shockingly narcisstic thing to put in there, influential and classic this show may be it certainly did not do that). There's better episodic anime out there (Natsume and Mushishi) and better cautionary tales out there (Fate/Zero and Gundam IBO) than this series, and they're not nearly as infuriating to watch at points as this is, nor do they have a strange theme about the maturity of accepting the status quo as is - which while makes sense in the context of what the series is trying to preach about humans being cogs in a machine, interesting that everyone from the environmental activists, revolutionaries and terrorists is just portrayed as though their fight is pointless and nothing can or will ever change. The political implications of such an attitude is obvious, and while the series doesn't portray such an attitude positively, it also provides no real counter to it. In a way, that's the highest I can say about a show like Cowboy Bebop - for all its talk about being revolutionary, the show is in many ways more of the same if you've seen a sizeable number of episodic shows or cautionary tales. And that's just about the biggest slight I can mak…