Cowboy Bebop

Cowboy Bebop is a hugely influential anime from the late 90s. It was brought to us by Sunrise. Yes, them again. You'd think they'd been around since the 70s and had done a tonne of works. But yes, the Dirty Pair, Gundam, Love Live & Witch Hunter Robin studio is back. Now, I have seen Cowboy Bebop before so I won't be going into it blind. Rather, it'll be one of those series I re-watch. I will say that I remember it being quite good but it's possible that that'll change since it's been about a decade since I saw it last. Let's find out. Story: we open with our heroes, Spike & Jet in a state of financial trouble. Fortunately for them, they have a plan to get some credits to their name. They just have to go out and hunt some bounties. This is one of those series where there's not much in terms of an underlying story. Most of the episodes deal with the Bebop crew going on various missions to hunt bounties and they follow a linear path with certain missions very clearly taking place after others. One of the most impressive elements in the series is the way it handles tone. Cowboy Bebop has some more comedic portions. It also has some dark and depressing moments and it handles all of them, and the transitions betwixt them, very well. A big part of that is simply that it doesn't go too extreme with either. Its comedic moments are more of the “life can be weird & fun” variety. It avoids the over the top zany type of comedy. And its dark scenes aren't the super dark “we're trying far too hard to be edgy and extreme” type and are more subdued. And that's what the success with tone comes down to, Cowboy Bebop excels at having scenes that feel pretty true to life. In spite of involving a crew of bounty hunters travelling in a space ship and, in a couple cases, science derived super powers. The emotional crux of the scenes, whether jovial or tragic, still feels very relatable Let's go into a bit more detail about the episodic nature of the series. Cowboy Bebop is one of those shows that has a lot of ideas for its episodes and does them all really well. There isn't a single episode that I can point to and say “that one wasn't very good.” There's not even one I can point to and say “that one was just good, not great but good.” Then again, this was written by Nobumoto Keiko, who also wrote Wolf's Rain & worked on the script for Tokyo Godfathers. The series also has some interesting, subtle things that are symbolically important. Including Spike's heterochromia which gets brought up fairly early and comes into play for the finale. Incidentally, the finale is absolutely phenomenal. I also really like the way the series does chase sequences. They can be kind of absurd but they hit that sweet spot where they have just the right levels of absurdity & intensity to be amazing. Characters: Let's begin our discussion with the most divisive character in the series, Edward. There are quite a few people in the fan base who don't much care for her because she's a bit childish, weird & generally a high energy “space case.” And you're probably thinking I'm one of those since I don't like children in general but I actually like her quite a bit. I find her to be a pretty delightful character. And I appreciate that she has complexity to her. There are elements to her back story that explain why she is the way she is and she is, in many ways, a prodigy but in others she acts her age. There aren't a lot of child prodigy characters who are still allowed to be children. They're usually shown as prodigies by being far more mature than anyone their age should be. So, I can appreciate this kind of take on it. The rest of the characters get similar treatment. They have very well developed back stories that you get glimpses of in various missions, eventually having them come into the spotlight for big character moments. These past events also explain a lot of the stranger facets of their personalities and they do have complex, developed personalties. And it's not just the major characters who are multi-faceted & compelling. The major characters they encounter in various missions get the same kind of treatment. To a lesser extent, for obvious reasons but they are brilliantly written characters. Art: I know I'd normally criticise the fan-service outfits, but I can't really in this case. See, they do play up Faye's sexiness a bit with her outfit and such, but they do it in ways that actually suit her character and they do show restraint even in the most risqué scenes. So, I can't really complain about it. Because Faye isn't a practical minded woman so you don't really expect her to dress in practical attire. It's not often I encounter a series that manages to have fan-service elements but makes them work and shows class with them. The backgrounds and sci-fi dressings are fantastic. The action sequences, particularly in the last episode are phenomenal and the character designs are memorable for all the right reasons. And Ein is absolutely adorable. I want to pat his furry little head. Sound: If a certain other popular sci-fi series gave us Hayashibara Megumi's worst performance, this easily gives us one of her best. And it's not just her. Tada Aoi, Yamadera Kouichi, Ishizuka Unshou, Wakamoto Norio and many, many actors for side characters are all fantastic in this. This series also has some of the best music I've heard in an anime. And not jut because the beats are thoroughly solid but because it's very good at using its incidental music to add that perfect final touch to any given action sequence. There are times where you're watching the action get started and the music kicks in at just the right time to elevate the scene beyond what it could possibly achieve with visuals alone. In fact, it happens a lot. Ho-yay: There's a little bit. They encounter some gay guys during missions. I have to say, I appreciate that Spike's reaction to a man hitting on him is just an awkward disinterest in the dude. There are too many things that play up an exaggerated disgust in that kind of situation instead of having the character handle it like an adult. Final Thoughts: Those of you who are familiar with my work know that I won't praise something solely because it's popular. In this case, I am going to join with the majority and sing the praises of this series. It's easily among the best science fiction works I've seen.. It just does everything really damn well and with very little room for improvement. For my final rating, I have to go with a full 10/10. Next week, D-Frag.

Let Cowboy Bebop serve as an example of why I consider praise for a series to be a spoiler in and of itself. For decades I have heard nothing but exaltation for Cowboy Bebop, and in the face of that kind of overwhelming critical and cult acclamation... it's hard not to be disappointed. If someone leads you to believe you will have your mind blown and your life changed, anything less makes the whole thing feel like they've made you put on a damp sweater. Maybe Cowboy Bebop is best considered within a particular social timeframe and cultural mindset. Maybe Cowboy Bebop is great because of the effect it had on a genre. Because I came to Cowboy Bebop almost two-decades late, however, none of that can bear upon my review of it. I can only review it as I experienced it. This is to say, I thought Cowboy Bebop was on the high side of okay. I like the characters. They're fun, they're interesting, they have some depth (but not a lot of growth). I like the world and the setting. The series passed the time. That's kind of where it ends for me. Perhaps it's a matter of taste, but I'm not very interested in episodic, short-term story telling and I wish that there'd been a series-long arc covering the dealings with the Syndicate to tie everything together. As it is, each episode is just a cast of characters doing a bunch of random crap and remaining unchanged as a result. This kind of storytelling is deeply dissatisfying for me--there's a reason why serialized dramas are ruling TV these days and why self-contained procedural dramas don't win awards. Ultimately, I was disappointed that Cowboy Bebop didn't strive to do more, to BE more, given the perfect cast, setting, and set-up for an engaging high-concept story. Bebop is a series that is better discovered at random--late night on TV or on a shelf in a 00's video store--than it is discovered due to its acclaim. It's better experienced for what it is than for what it could or should have been.

(7.0/10) Cowboy Bebop was one of the first few anime that I properly sat down and watched. After the horrible atrocity that was Fate/Zero I asked my friend to give me something "a little different", perhaps a little more "western" in its storytelling. Mainly because I had some pretty ignorant assumptions on cultural storytelling back then. Well, he was nice enough to give me Cowboy Bebop. A show he described as, "the most western anime ever." Cool. I sat down and watched it in about a week. I left with a few mixed feelings, but overall, it was a positive experience that I think many anime fans rightfully call a "classic" in the medium. Much like the show, i'll break up this review into small digestible chunks. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ PART 1 : The Purpose of a Genre Television works in funny ways. Well, not really funny as much as generic, obvious, and pandering. Even in Japan, where the entire culture is different than America's, the way television (and film) is created is still similar. The demographic of the script is determined, the show/film gets its director and production company, it gets funded, and the shooting begins. That's one of the many ways something can get started. The key term here is demographic. Everything is made for an audience, and that audience is everything for what's being made. Put simply, if no one is watching and buying; then your product is caput. The way you make sure that at least someone will watch and buy is by determining something called a demographic. Which pretty much means the sex and age range of an audience. For example, a show like Sword Art Online is made with the 13-17 male demographic, however, it has reaches into the 18-27 male demographic as well. The show is adapted from the manga(or is it a LN i'm not sure) with the same key demographic. So a bunch of people come together and talk about what people in that age like. Titties : Check Loud anime yelling : Check Self-insert wish fulfillment : Check Flashy animation when fighting actually happens : Check ... With these concepts they created the most generic and marketable show possible. Their show is the literal equivalent of oatmeal with nothing on it. Something that's easily edible. But the point is that these people created this show with this audience in mind. This means that the show excels (hopefully) at these certain things. If you need fan service to appeal to a bunch of horny teenage boys, then you try your best to make it be some really damn good fan service! If you need loud moralistic anime protagonist, you better get the most generic possible self-insert wish-fulfilling protagonist you can! So while this show may suck massive meat-wagons its still a show that excels at those things. ... This leads me to Cowboy Bebop. A show that doesn't really excel at anything. A show that doesn't really fit in a base genre. Sure people sometimes call it a "space opera" but that's a horribly defined genre, in my opinion. It pretty much encapsulates every possible base genre. It has comedy, horror, drama, action, and mystery. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ PART 2 : Lack of a Flavor is More of a Flavor So what exactly does "it just kinda does everything pretty good", mean? Well for one it means that I came out of the show thoroughly...fine. Nothing really stood out as mind-blowing or even great, but everything flowed decently well that I never really found the show to be a slog to sit through. The entire thing felt so harmless. Its attempts at emotion were fine, its action was generally pretty good, the detours into more experimental one-off episodes was fairly pleasing as well. It had a decently designed cast with a cute little dog cause signature pets are cool to have. It had a story that flowed well, although wasn't given enough time to actually become something special. It followed an episodic structure that felt good to watch but ultimately didn't add much to the show... more on that later. With this lack of focused genre, it really felt like the show was just middle-of-the-pack on everything. Which is why I can't really bring myself to criticize all too much. It quite literally does almost everything well enough that I don't have much to say on it. Our titular protagonist is a charming semi-douche that is ultimately more like-able and interesting than most anime protagonists. His companions are all fairly engaging too. Faye has a great character design, Jet has a nice presence, Edward is ultimately the comedic relief and so on. Point is, the show is just good. Throughout all the episodes, which play out very episodically, I found myself not having any disdain towards any of them. Sure most of them weren't all too memorable... the standouts being one with mushrooms, one with a fridge, and one with a fat man floating around like a balloon. But overall, they had some decent sci-fi storylines with decent execution. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ PART 3 : Story Without Story So the one thing that bugged me about the show was its execution of the main storyline. While its episodic by nature, every half-way point we have a story-driven episode that revolves around our protagonist, Spike. I won't spoil what its about but it involves love and heartbreak, duh. So with these story-driven episodes, the show shifts from meandering fourth gear to a full-out lore-mode fifth gear. The switch doesn't often feel natural, but the episodes themselves are all generally pretty good. However, the biggest issue is that the writers don't give these stories enough time. I can think of a handful of disconnected episodes that could've been cut in favor of creating a more interesting and believable story. Since this whole story-arc literally takes only five episodes to resolve, the other twenty one episodes are just kind of there. Five episodes is hardly enough time to create any believable characters or engaging interactions that lead to a very bombastic conclusion in a way that feels emotionally powerful. Specifically, Spike's love from his past, Julia, gets a truly pitiful amount of development. This creates scenes that are meant to be emotional into yet another "ok" scene. It doesn't feel bad as much as it just feels "ok". But the reason I feel like i can't give a show a pass for this is because they played this entire thing out like it was supposed to be something bigger. A big arc. But they didn't give it enough time. Why do an episodic series of twenty six episodes and only give the story five? Especially if you only want one season? It felt like a nonsensical idea to me. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Conclusion : Honestly, this review seems harsher than it needs to be. Saying the show is "mediocre" would mean its a 5.0/10. Its not mediocre. Its definitely above average, and the character interaction, for the most part, is good enough to elevate the show. It has some very well choreographed fight sequences and some very genuine moments. Its overall a very pleasant show to watch. For me, it isn't the untouchable classic that many may call it, its still a good time that i'd recommend to any fan of television. It may have not thought out its base storyline enough to make it something special, but some of the standout episodic episodes do more than enough to create a smooth and memorable experience. See you in the internet, bubbo.

Short Review: (I know, I know, I gave Cowboy Bebop less than a 10/10) Almost everything about this anime is of extremely high quality, especially considering we're talking about an anime that's more than 15 years old. Pitch-perfect English dub, a vast bout incredible OST, unique characters, and incredibly fluid animation. HOWEVER. I did not expect an episodic story, and this led me to almost hate the anime at times. Looooooooong review: Story: Before watching this anime, my expectations for Cowboy Bebop were astronomically high, pun somewhat intended. Having known this cult classic's reputation, I was sorely disappointed to find out Cowboy Bebop is an episodic series, something that was conveniently left out in every review I had come across (I don't really like episodic shows). I was expecting this epic space opera tale filled with drama and complex characters, which Bebop only fully delivered the latter. A lot of this anime's story goes something like, "There's a new bounty on a criminal!" "Let's catch him/her!" Stuff goes wrong, fights ensue, then things look up, the problem is (somewhat) solved, and in the end, the crew gets (almost) nothing. Episodes that do not involve trying to catch a criminal usually involve the antics of one of the crew members, something which the writers must have had a lot of fun coming up with. Occasionally, some other stuff is sprinkled in, mostly involving someone/thing from one of the crew's past. This is where the main theme of the show comes in, as every crew member gets at least 1 episode dealing with their past and how they handle it. This method of storytelling left much to desired from me, because for every great and very enjoyable episode, there was one that made me feel very annoyed and facepalm a lot. And there were only about 10 "plot" episodes in the whole series. However, the anime did keep me interested by ending the episodes in a way that most people wouldn't expect. This was probably the most interesting part of the show. The narrative of Cowboy Bebop does not ever do the "info dump" many sci-fi series are guilty of. Because of this, the writing may seem "masterful" but for me, a few times I spent the first few minutes of an episode wondering just what was going on. Once again, maybe I just wasn't "mature enough" for this anime. Cowboy Bebop makes the unique genres of Space Western and Neo-Noir work together exceedingly well, which is probably what contributed to this anime's popularity. As for the ending, I don't think I could have written a better ending to this anime. It's just one of those where it lightly hangs in the air, waiting for its full effect to sink in. It felt like everything was tied up in the story, but not in the "fast-forward" way others shows end. Characters: I do give praise to the characters in Cowboy Bebop, as every one of them is unique and not lazily written. They all have their deep motivations for why they do what they do, and it's usually isn't a cliche reason. The best part about this is as you see more about the characters, it becomes more interesting to watch their dynamic, them growing and reacting to their surroundings, because everyone is so non-cliche. Every member of the Bebop crew is very likable and has a fleshed-out personality, with Spike being effortlessly smooth and cool, Jet being a (reluctant) voice of reason, Faye being the strong female lead with no romantic feelings for Spike (shocker), and Ed being ridiculously enigmatic and childish, but never annoying. Even Ein had his moments of being very necessary to what was going on throughout this anime. It's because everyone aboard the Bebop is so different from one another, this rag-tag team feeling did push the story into many great moments and episodes. They highlight each other's flaws, but also make each other stronger, despite all their bickering. Secondary characters are usually in only one episode each, because this is an episodic series. Characters siding with our protagonists usually change by the end of an episode, and the "bad guys" were all unique, mostly memorable, and fun to watch get chased down by the Bebop crew. The real bad guys, Vicious and the Red Dragon syndicate, made interesting antagonists, despite their roots in western movie cliches. They were threatening, but not enough that it becomes the focus of the show. All the character designs were both unique and creative, which brings me to my next point... Art: I really do have to tip my hat (if I was wearing one right now) to the art style of this anime. It's very 90's, while having its own unique style. Yes, it very much looks like anime, but the style is also westernized, blending the two in a beautiful harmony. The one thing that Cowboy Bebop really left an impression on me is that the art (actually, most of this anime) is undeniably stylish and unique. I really loved how all the sci-fi elements looked gritty and realistic, while the aspects closer to present-day were incredibly detailed, almost as if the animators took real buildings and setting and transformed them into anime. The art perfectly blends the western and sci-fi elements in a way I would have thought would never have worked. Animation: Cowboy Bebop is one of the last anime series to be made entirely by traditional cel animation, drawing each and every single frame by hand. But for it's time, the animation is incredibly fluid and consistent throughout the entire series, something which was a problem for other shows using the same animation method (cough Evangelion cough). Heck, I'd even say the animation quality of Cowboy Bebop is equal to, if not greater than some of the stuff that's being made today, 16 years later. All the action is as effortless as Spike's fighting style, and the animators took great care in making sure everything in this anime looked realistic, somewhat gritty, and absolutely amazing. Only very few clips of recycled animation were used, and the only ones I can think of are when the Bebop flies through hyperspace and those yellow gates. Clearly Cowboy Bebop had a large budget, and it was used to its full potential by not skimping on animation. Voice: This is a no-brainer, but I say watch Cowboy Bebop dubbed. Part of the reason this anime is so famous here in the west is because of its amazing dub. While it actually took me a few episodes to get used to the voices, especially when a new member of the crew was introduced, the dub quickly grew on me, but did did hit a few bumps in the road here and there. Steve Blum is probably most well known for playing Spike, and the same can be said about Wendee Lee playing Faye. All the voice actors clearly had a lot of fun dubbing this, and they gave it their all and it payed off. The script is witty, the delivery for all the actors was (95% of the time) pitch-perfect, and added to the style and overall feel of the anime. The dub just feels so much more stylish, while reading subs usually just give you the raw translation. With a western prime audience in mind, Bandai made sure this dub was of the best quality, and it is one that is considered the best dubs in all of anime. Even Shinichiro Watanabe, the Japanese director, says the English dub is better. Music: The opening theme, "Tank!" has lent itself to be one of the most iconic anime openings of all time, being a) instrumental and b) as stylish and jazzy as the rest of the show. In case the title of this anime didn't clue you in, almost the entire soundtrack is inspired from jazz or classic western movie music. Even some of the episode names are classic American rock songs (Bohemian Rhapsody) or albums (Toys in the Attic). Yes, this does lend this anime "cool" points, but the sheer number of tracks in the OST (93!!!) means that you won't hear a lot of them very often. There are a few exceptions, like the music box theme whenever Spike's past came up. Some songs are slow, some are quick, some are sad, and some are kinda goofy. Yoko Kanno has proven that s…

There are only two anime series/OVA/movie I've seen. Cowboy Bebop and Fullmetal Alchemist are the only ones. Cowboy Bebop follows Spike, Jet, Faye and Edward as bounty hunters aboard the spaceship Bebop. Now onto the many reasons why this anime series is perfect. First the story: Which blends comedy, drama, action, adventure, Sci-fi and even some romance perfectly like no other show. Most of the series are one episode stories yet I think are all connected in the development of the characters. The story of each individual episode is done perfectly giving a beginning a middle and end with no lose ends. The action is brilliant and I still haven't seen anything to compare to it. Finally we have the last few episodes leading to the ending. I won't give anything away to the people who unfortunately haven't seen this series, just it will blow you away. Second the characters: Again done perfectly. Each character has their own unique personality who grows as the show goes along. Spike who used to work for Red Dragon crime organization and his haunted by his past. Jet a former police officer who is now working with a criminal, and his haunted by the mistake he made in the past. Faye who awakes from a 54 year cryogenic sleep with no memory of her past, who lives for the moment. Finally Edward a eccentric computer genius, who ran away from her father. Each character brings life to the series and draws you in caring about what happens to each of them. Third the animation: The animation done by Sunrise is simply brilliant, and is still amazing after 10 years. Forth the soundtrack: The music to the series is the perhaps the greatest soundtrack to anime series ever. It has a little of everything from Rock, classic, Jazz, Heavy Metal and others. Each adding something extra to the series. I even have the soundtrack to the series Fifth the Influence: Cowboy Bebop has Influenced many series much like Trigun. Shows like BLACK LAGOON, SAMURAI CHAMPLOO, and others. I think that's a great compliment. Overall Cowboy Bebop is a perfect anime series and is must to any anime fan.

Cowboy Bebop is by far my favorite anime. Its got a great story that keeps the viewer entertained, laughing, and at some parts on the verge of tears that said I would like to say that I love the jazzy kinda dark feel of the overall anime and think that it was done very well. On the other hand I feel like it was pretty short... which isn\'t necessarily a bad thing because they didn\'t milk it for every dime like some newer anime but It leaves the viewer yearning for more.

This show left me with such an odd mix of emotions. I want to care. I reaaaaally want to care. The art was gorgeous, the sound design so unique, the character design so attractive, the setting so complex and intriguing, but I finished it feeling empty, and not the kind of empty that you feel when you were so absorbed in a show that its end leaves a hole in you. None of the characters develop really at all. Worse than that, the show doesn't let the audience get to know them. Everything is so blasé. They live together, almost die together countless times, and yet it feels like they're all strangers. There is no emotional weight to anything they do. Every episode starts with a reset from the previous one, as if everything the audience just saw never happened, even if the conflict from the previous episode is still somewhat unresolved - it never gets addressed again. I like when a story doesn't tell you everything point-blank, leaving the audience to piece things together, but in this case fishing any meaning from their interactions feels pointless. It was a fun watch, a feast for the eyes, but I find myself pretty disappointed overall.

** Minor spoilers alert ** Story (2/10) | This was the thing that, other than friends recommending me to watch this, made me start watching Cowboy Bebop: bounty hunting in space. I really love the idea, it is different and really creative, but unluckily it was poorly executed. The first episode is really good. It starts off great and there's lots of action. Then I moved on to the second episode and again, I was impressed. Then I moved to the third one and I started getting bored. Why? Because I had just seen the same thing three episodes in a row, just with different animation. We don't get an introduction to the story, just 1 hour of Spike "working" (I put it in quotes since when he goes bounty hunting he fails miserably really often). I'm not asking that at episode three I should know every single detail about the plot, but I want to at least know what the characters are trying to achieve, I want a reason to care about them. I'm no professional critic, but I'd say that this is really poor writing since, until episode 20, all we get from Cowboy Bebop, excluding a few decent/really good episodes, is filler. As a result of all this filler, the story has a really slow pacing. We get a few details about the actual plot of the show about 5 episodes in and nothing else until the last episodes, which is a thing that is unjustifiable for a show that has a mean rating of 8.78 and holds the 26th place in the "Top Anime" section. There are a few exceptions, though. Faye's backstory episodes were really good and they are my favorite ones (which is why I rated the story a 2/10 and not 1/10). The last episodes are well written, but unfortunately they feel quite rushed as 6 episodes are simply not enough to develop the entire story. Characters (3/10) | The cast of this show revolves around four characters: Spike, Jet, Faye and Ed. I'll start by saying that I think they have some chemistry, they make for a slightly above average cast when you put them together, but when you look at them individually they are plain, one dimensional characters. I'll start by talking about Spike. I don't get why he receives this much love from fans of Cowboy Bebop. Is it because he smokes? Is it because he says "cool" (edgy would be more appropriate to be honest) stuff all the time? Is it because he has a cool design? Is it because he is considered the most "philosophical" character of the show? I don't know. A show is not philosophical because the main character says stuff with a relaxed but intimidating voice while smoking a cigarette. Just no. The only things that we know about him is that he was involved with the mafia, that he fell in love with his brother's girlfriend and that he's stupidly good at fighting, and it makes no sense. I'm okay if the main character is really strong, but not as strong as he is. Don’t get me wrong, there are shows that manage to create an awesome show even if the main character is overpowered, but what Cowboy Bebop wants you to do is empathize with the characters. Do you empathize with Spike? Are you some kind of god-like martial arts fighter? I’m pretty sure that the correct answer for both questions is “No”. He can't be killed, just lightly injured, he can get out of dangerous situations with ease and a really laid back attitude, almost as if his life wasn't on the line. Then comes Jet. He is the "mommy" of the group. When Spike makes a mess, he is always there to clean up after him and save his ass. He is an okay character. Even though he might seem really rude he's a gentle giant, and deep down he is really kind and cares for his friends. Plus his backstory episode was really detailed. Faye, on the other hand, is a bitch. Despite being my favorite character (mainly because of her backstory episodes which were just amazing), she is completely unnecessary. All she does is bounty hunting with Spike and Jet, then steal what they earned together and leave for a few days/weeks, then come back and repeat. She doesn't serve any real purpose development of the story. She doesn't have any particular abilities and could have been left out in my opinion. All Jet and Spike do with her, they could do without. I particularly hated Ed. Not as much as Spike, but I still hated him a lot. Spike, Jet and Faye went to Earth and Ed happens to live there. After he met them, he just asked if he could join their group. First of all, he joins the cast in the middle of the show for absolutely no reason. Why is this? We don't know, I assume he just... liked them (?). Then they were like "No, fuck you", but he forced them to take him with them. What? No, that's just not how it works. This is just a forced way to introduce a new character. You may be thinking "But at least he serves a purpose, right?". Yes, he does. Too bad he is a deus ex machina. Bad situation is happening on the spaceship? Don't worry! Ed the Genius is going to do some computer stuff and everything will be okay! Also, he screams way too much. Annoying, boring and poorly written character. I'm not going to talk about Julie and Vicious. They get very little screen time and it'd be just a waste of time. Ein is... cute, I guess? Sound (10/10) | I can't judge the voice acting unfortunately, I haven't seen either the Japanese or the English dub. Not everything was bad about the show, though. The soundtrack was absolutely amazing, and probably Yoko Kanno's best work. Jazz music with traces of blues, bop, swing, and other genres. This is really good stuff, absolutely nothing to say about the sound department. Just perfect. One of my favorite OSTs. Art (9/10) | The art is old, but it's still solid even compared to today's standards. I really liked the retro-futuristic style that was adopted. Together with the dark color palette, it contributes to give the show this decadent look which fits really well with the sad vibe and the feeling of "being lost" the show gives off. Just like for the sound department, I have nothing to say, it's amazing. Enjoyment (2/10) | What can I say? Apart from backstory episodes, and a couple "normal" episodes, I was bored all the time. I've never felt sleepy watching anime, but Cowboy Bebop managed to make me pass out. Unfortunately for this show, in my rating story and characters are worth way more than sound and art. The creative side of the show was amazing, the rest was a complete mess. This show is probably the most disappointing anime I've ever watched. Value in % of each category: a. Story: 25% b. Characters: 25% c. Sound: 5% d. Art: 10% e. Enjoyment: 35% Final rating (weighted): 3.35 -> 3 (rounded) Thanks for reading! Hope you liked my review.

This was a tough watch for me, basically because I'm not into episodic storys and most of the episodes seemed like more or less good fillers. In the end i wished i only watched the 5 very enjoyable Vicious episodes and maybe the Jet and Faye background arcs. Especially episode 5 was a great 9/10. The optics were mostly good except for the computer generated parts that was horribly upscaled for the bluray release, animation was superb and the soundtrack was a pleasant experience. I would recommend to watch only the 10 best rated episodes to make it not as protracted.

Ok, I knew this was an episodic anime going into it. I'm not the biggest fan of those but with everything I've heard about the show and how great it is I decided to give it a go. First couple episodes were pretty good so I thought 'I can get through this.' Cut to ep. 15 and now I'm struggling to finish it. The sound and dub are amazing, I'm not denying that but the story suffers majorly here. There's no real over arcing story line other than Faye's story and Spike's and even then they are really only mentioned in the second half with everything else feeling like they're fillers. The animation was nice with it before the digitization age with it feeling dark and everything with no real noticeable flaws. When we first see Julia and thereafter, I couldn't of cared less about her even after everything. I knew nothing about her or anything. Spike's backstory was jammed into the last two episodes with a couple hints throughout the anime so when the final two episodes happened it just seemed out of the blue which might be why I was so annoyed at the ending. I thought that something else was going to happen and it didn't. I especially didn't care didn't care about Edward. When she left I couldn't help but cheer. What was the point to her character being on Bebop? I couldn't understand. Yes, she's a hacker but that's all. And the way she spoke rubbed me the wrong way and felt so childish and out of place in the show. Not to mention she wasn't there for very long so again, I wondered what her purpose there was. Faye was amazing. I know some people don't like her but I enjoyed her character especially after we learn parts of her backstory which made her more intriguing in my mind. Her character was consistent through the show but there was some character development which was nice (unlike Edward). I couldn't help but laugh at her and Spike going back and forth. Jet is an interesting one because even though he owns the ship Spike seemed to be the one in charge-most of the time. Jet will put his foot down and argue if he has to. There's a few other things that I can't think of right now but suffice to say I enjoyed him. Spike...pretty much a walking contradiction until the last couple episodes but I won't grip about that here. He can be ruthless but compassionate. He tells Faye to stop living in the past when that's all he does and so forth. The show down between him and Vicious felt cheap I'm not going to lie but it did. The very ending I wasn't expecting but again, I felt a but cheated with how quick everything went. If that story line was the over arcing one throughout the whole series and that finale was stretched to three episodes instead of two than I think it could have worked better and flesh out Vicious a bit more because I couldn't of care less when the fight was going on since he didn't really seem like a villain to me. Maybe it's because I didn't watch the movie but he didn't really do it for me as a bad guy. Overall, if you like Bebop that's good. I had trouble with it because it was so light humoured until the last couple episodes so the tone was everywhere and it was purely episodic. Not to mention some of the characters did it in for me so I can gladly say I watched it but probably won't be one I'll rewatch.

The short ass review: I love this show. 10/10 The actual review: I love me some 90's anime, its quite good. I could go on for ages on how much I goddamn love this show. I could be a grown ass man by the time I'm done. But instead, I'll give a short 5 paragraph version of why I love this show. Cowboy Bebop takes place in space with 2 bounty hunters (Spike & Jet) making cash off killing people. Later on they find a bad-ass women (Faye), a person who still after 17 years, nobody has any idea of it's sex (Edward) and a goddamn dog. We're given enough information to work with for these characters as we meet them. It's not too much nor too little. As the show goes on, we delve deeper and deeper into the characters as we learn about their pasts. And that's really what the show revolves around, the history of a bounty hunter (Spike Spiegel) who has done a lot of bad shit which I won't talk about cause duh, spoilers. But it is real emotional. It even gets emotional for the other characters. I love every character in this show, extra, side, main, doesn't matter. Each character has a personality and a backstory to them. Spike is a wise man with badass karate moves, life lessons and generally a backstory to cry over. Jet, man, who doesn't wanna be this guy? He's just cool and chill, he gets the job done, handles situations. Just a cool character. Faye Valentine is really a broken character who is trying to learn her past. And when you do learn it, you feel so sad for this character. Edward is wacky and love them. Enough said. The animation is really well done even for a 1999 anime. For being some of the last anime to use hand drawn animation, it really is impressive. The music, ah. Man, the music. It's a mix of jazz and blues. Fuck me it's amazing. Each track is filled to the brim with amazing music. The opening is orgasmic and the ending is calming and just a beauty. Overall, this show is just bad-ass. That's the one word I can say about this show. It has good storytelling, likable characters, superb animation and orgasmic music. If I can say a couple of minor issues. The first 4 episodes are extremely slow paced and try to introduce you to the show, but trust me. It sure may be a little boring, but after those 4 episodes. Episodes 5 & 6 are simply not only some of the best episodes of the show, but the best episodes in all of anime and TV. That's the only complaint I have with this show. So please, do yourself a favor and go watch this masterpiece. Also, watch the English dub, this is one of the only times I prefer dub over sub.

I will get heat for saying this is how I truly feel. Cowboy Bebop is good but overrated for me. First of all, the characters, artwork, music, sound effects were absolutely incredible and way ahead of it's time. SHOUT OUT TO THE THEME SONG!!!! But the story just didn't do it for me. The main villain I felt was not developed enough to make me care about him and it's because of this, the conflict between the protagonist and antagonist just didn't resonate. I will say the final episode was very well done and entertaining but in the end, I couldn't help but feel unsatisfied by the whole show. I can't say in my right mind that I'd recommend it to everyone. For people who love episodic shows, this is as close to heaven as you can get. But for some that don't love that sort of format, I'd recommend to at least give it a shot as there is some high quality material to be found here. In the end, it was still an enjoyable experience and that's why I give it a 7.

~No Spoiler~ The storyline is great. If you want to know if you're going to like Cowboy Bebop, I suggest to watch the first 4 episodes, they are a small introducing to the rest to the series. The story is about a space cowboy named spike, he is a bounty hunter on the ship the bebop. Together with Faye and Jet he collects bounty's, this isn't going that well all the time, therefore Cowboy bebop has a lot of humor, unlike most anime. The episodes selves are all different stories in one storyline, that's what makes Cowboy bebop unique. Every episode has got a lot of action in it, so it'll never bore you! It's really different from the other anime, but it's still good. All characters in the Bebop has his own backstory, which all get's unraveled during the series. I really enjoyed watching this serie and I highly suggest you to watch it. It has everything, again! Action, a bit romance, depression, humor and even horror (it's my opionon of horror ;)) So if you want a good anime, I suggest this one.

Story: 8/10 A Series that was made in the late 90s and looking at that time where the anime was made, it had a quite interesting and nice story. The anime haves the old style of airing episodes, where almost every episode is for itself, just like in marvel shows. Every single episode was really great in its own way. Some are really funny, some are sad and some are just epic and interesting. The cowboy + space combination was really great if you ask me. I totally enjoyed the story and was really sad because there wasn't more and not everything was explained. That is actually the only reason why i give it a 8 out of 10. Characters 9/10 Characters in this anime are really great, not because they are "cool" or something. I'm talking about the different kinds of characters they made, and all of them special on their own and all them together make the perfect combination. The balance between funny/cool/sad and and and was perfect. I only wish i could learn more about every character, cause their individual story and past is such touching. Music: 10/10 Giving it a 10 because i'm a huge Jazz/Blues/Metal fan and this anime had all of it. I was thinking that such music couldn't fit that great with anime, but it really can, and this anime is the proof for it. Animation: 9/10 It was made in the 90's and for that, it had animations that are really nice made, from the movement of the characters to the fighting scenes and the surroundings, the space and the nature...it was all really nice to see and watch. I respect them for making it with such quality even back then.

After watching first episode, I thought this is just another episodic animes, which doesn't have any relation with one another. But it wasn't. It will take you by surprise, by how the story travels, how the characters relate, how the story is or the best of all, how the awesome sound gels with the story and give it a high value. I prefer this to any anime newcomer and I don't deny it will take them as a surprise. Story: 8/10 The first few episodes you will feel like, is there any story at all. But I bet, it is, and damn what a story it is. At first glance, it is just another bounty hunter in alternate universe, but it so much more than that. And it is hard to explain without giving spoilers, so I contain myself not to reveal, but it is one hell of a story. Art: 8/10 I was quite awestruck with the art style. Can't believe it came a decade ago, but nonetheless, it is refreshing. It is far better than lot of crap, that is being aired these days. Sound: 9/10 One of the best OST in anime,I have ever heard. Don't go by my Anime List, I have heard a lot and it is easily one of the best. I seriously doubt this show would have received such accolades if not for the OST. Character: 8/10 Characters are unique yet not so hard to understand. Each of the have nice back story which unfold over time. And all of them all excellent and it cruise along with the story. It compliments the story and does great job. Enjoyment: 9/10 Damn, this anime has everything. Humor, Action and what not. I thoroughly enjoyed it and except a couple of filler episodes, I was totally blasted away with the show. I binge-watched the show after certain episode. as I couldn't wait any longer. It is seriously addictive. Overall: 8/10 I enjoyed watching the show. Do I recommend it? Yes.

The Music: Jazz, blues, acoustic ballads, hard rock, country funk. Yoko Kannos' work is pure genius.(You might also be aware of her work from The Ghost in shell series) From the opening theme song "Tank", to chase sequence music such as "Bad Dog No Biscuit", to "Space lion" or the awesome "What planet is this?". The music is pitch perfect and suits the setting of the anime elegantly. The Characters: Cowboy Bebop's characters are as realistic a one can get. What is great about the series is that it maintains the mortality of main characters. This team is not a bunch of all powerful god like super-humans who can kick anyone's ass simply by their "will power" (Goku..cough cough..Naruto cough cough...Shonen cough cough) This team is all too real, they have their problems, they can be overpowered and they can die. The Voice Actors: I have never seen another anime which compares to the same level of English dub as this this series, okay maybe Baccano! The voice actors used have done a really really good job. I just cannot picture Spike Spiegel without Steve Blums' voice in my head. I mean really, one of the best dubs evaaarr. The Bruce Lee element: Chances are you find Spike Spiegel's fighting style jaw-dropping awesome. Have you ever wondered what what type of style is that? It's Jeet Kun do which "is an electric/hybrid style of no style and philosophy of life founded by martial artist [The great]Bruce Lee." That is not the best part. Not only is Spike practitoner of Jeet Kun Do but also follows Bruce Lee's philosophy of life. Noir-CyperPunk-SpaceWestern: Holy shit, this anime has all three of them. The technology depicted in the anime is fascinating probably because it still uses wires which gives it an interesting aspect because we all know the future will be nothing like that. Humor: Cowboy Bebop is anything if not funny. The classic Spike and Jet situations are very humorous. Not only that, the recurring characters such as the three old men, and Punch and Judy from the T.V show Big Shot can put a smile to anyone's face. For me Cowboy Bebop has evolved beyond as an anime. It is a culture.

The nonchalant Spike, The righteous Jet, The sneaky Faye, and witty Edward.... These beloved characters have in-printed themselves onto my heart slowly but surely. CowBoy Bebop is an anime that was recommended to me by various sources. Knowing that the anime was about 14 years old, I was hesitant to start it up. Eventually, with the consistent nagging of my buddies and fellow anime fan, I started Cowboy Bebop. Took me three days to marathon it, and boy what a ride it was!! Story: There only has been a few animes that were in a “episodic” style that I really enjoyed. Mushi shi was one, xxxholic was another, and I guess we can count Tsubasa chronicles as another. Besides those cherished anime, I have been left unimpressed by that style of storytelling. Little did I know that cowboy Bebop was the revolutionary anime that introduced this style to the animation world. Not only did it introduced, but it was executed perfectly most of the time. There were episodes that I could have done without, some of the earlier episodes to be specific, and few random episodes in the mid section of the anime. This is not a problem since most the episodes were great and done a very aesthetically pleasing manner. The story in these episodes were less about plot and more about characters. These mini stories helped us understand and get to know the main characters in a unique manner. Nothing was handed to us, we had to decipher a lot of their backstory episode by episode, and we had to piece the stories ourselves. In the end, however, everything came in a crash, and the entirety of these small plots came into a flashy dystopic climax! Art/Animation: The animation was flawless. Even without considering that this a show made 14 years ago, I was thoroughly impressed with the fluidity of every episodes. All of the fighting sequences left me breathless, and kept me at the edge of my feet! The character designs reminded me a lot of Samurai Champloo...and I was pleasantly surprised to read that there are of similar origins, same director. I will add that this anime, out of all the animes that I've watched so far, had the greatest amount of diversity in terms of characters. It was not all just Japanese people who conquered and repopulated the universe but also Indians, Arabs, Africans, and Americans ( thinking of a certain cowboy hehehe) I really enjoyed seeing this diversity because that is more representative of how the world actually is. A lot of anime directors nowdays should take not of how to budget and direct these episodes, CB showed the way. This is how you get it done guys! Sound: Just like every anime review that I do, I stress the importance of sound/bgm as a contributor of the making of a masterpiece. Without a great accompany soundtrack, an anime cannot be called a masterpiece in my eyes. Sound sets the atmosphere faster than any of the senses that we have. It is of the utmost importance to have the best compatible soundtrack. CowBoy Bebop doesn't disappoint on this end either. The soundtrack is strong. It is a mixture of different sounds from the sixties, a lot of jazzy records, and soothing blues. The soundtrack really contributes to the effects that CB is portraying, the smoothness of Spike, the sneakiness of Faye, and the tough righteousness of Jet are all represented well through the music. There are couple of pieces that I will later try to find for personal enjoyment. Really smooth soundtrack. Characters: This anime is made by and for the characters. We don't have any ingenious plot line, or any non-fulfilling fan service...what we have is plenty of character development. Obviously, this is going to be the biggest part of the review since I will discuss in detail my opinion of each character. Edward: Is this a person a girl or a boy? The ambiguity of her gender plagued my thoughts throughout the show. Anytime I was convinced that she was a girl, someone would come along and challenge those beliefs. In all practicality, she was probably a girl. I really expected a lot from her when she was introduced, she seemed witty and smart, but also caring. She, however, did not live up to my expectations, probably becoming the least of the main characters in CB. Faye: I didn't enjoy her at first. She seemed too snotty for her own good. Usually characters of her type bring nothing but randomness and chaos to a story line, and I've never been a fan of that. She did surprise me around mid series however. She was a lot more deep than what I gave her credit for. Without delving into any spoilers, I found myself empathizing with her emotional distraught about her past life and ended up becoming a big fan of hers. I wish that she would have had more episodes where she was a bit more honest with her feelings, the tough girl act can only take you so far, but due to the 26 episode limit, I was thoroughly satisfied by the end with this character's development. Jet: My favorite character of the series. Jet is a balding middle age gentleman with a huge biceps and a big personality to follow along with it. At first, I thought he was going to stay one dimensional, usually characters of his type are not examined enough in anime, but again CB surprised me by giving me a glimpse of who Jet was in the past, and some of his reasoning. We saw him grow as he finally decided to not look to the past anymore, and I related a lot with that. A lot of the time, in my personal life, I've been tied to the past, whether it was a past version of myself, a past friend, a past job or school...a past lover....I found myself always looking back and reminiscing and it hasn't been until recently that I decided to put the past where it belongs, learn from it, and strive for the future. I love Jet because his development is an incarnation of the feelings that I've also developed. His friendship with Jet was unorthodox but really enjoyable to see. Sometimes, the people with opposite personalities find ways to become the closest of friends. Their constant bickering was like classical music to my ears, and their silence was brutally sad. They seemed to be really good at synchronizing with each other. Spike: The main character of the show, and the man with few words. Spike is a really interesting character because of his nonchalant attitude. It is really enjoyable to see him in action, he is so smooth in his fighting style that you are surprised by his efficiency. He is one smooth mamajama. His story intrigued me the most, I was really curious to know what his relationship to Julia was and why she was so important. Unfortunately, by the end, I didn't see why Julia was so important. It could have been better to maybe have separate episodes with just her, so we could understand better and empathize with who she was. Maybe it wasn't the director's intent for us to understand Julia but rather understand the emotional connection that Spike had with her. If that is the case, then yes, I did get that Spike really loved her...to the point that he would have died a thousand times to be with her. Spike was always indifferent to most situations, but any time Vicious, and Julia was mentioned he would go into ape mode or get moody. Nothing is wrong with that, but I would have liked further knowledge about that story line. I think if I rewatched the series, I would not recall these issues. All in all, I do like Spike as a character, he's funny, witty, and a good person at heart. A classy main character. Side characters: Most of the side characters were just introduced and left in the same episode, very few carried over to other episode, and I guess that's the point of the episodic format. CB really did a good job of fleshing out these characters during the one shot episodes and making them deep and relatable. This wasn't achieved in all of the episodes, but it was well done in most. Enjoyment: The episodes that I enjoyed....I enjoyed to its fullest extent, but the ones that I didn't like were reall…

I hazard to award any series a full-blown ten, as I see the ranking more as a place to compare everything else to than an actual spot where anything belongs. Unless it's Cowboy Bebop... The episodic structure gradually reveals more and more about the characters while bouncing between tones and still being able to be taken as seriously or silly as it wants. With a plot that isn't exceptionally complicated, the pacing and delivery manages to make it exceptionally compelling. The visual style screams "cool" with fights given loving attention and characters moving around and interacting with interesting worlds. The music... Sublime standing by itself, the Seatbelts blend of jazzy cool, contemporary mixes, and some American cowboy couldn't be imitated and hasn't been done since. The characters are excellently portrayed and acted, with personalities that are crystal clear and enjoyable to watch. I honestly can't think of much else to say that won't come across as gushing; they're superb! This series blew so many standard prejudices I had against anime out of the water. Here is an anime, where less is more. Less talking, less byzantine plots, less tacked-on elements, just tons of atmosphere and personality. Truly the bearer of the cup of which to baptize neophyte western Otaku, Cowboy Bebop is a series I cherish to revisit alone and with friends, and plan to do so for many years to come. Now I just have to wait for one of those $300+ blue-ray collections to fall into my lap and get Steve Blum to sign it...

These are just my vague thoughts about the show, not particularly organized or backed up with specific details from the show itself. Probably not the best way to write a review, but I am basically just here to praise the show and state what I liked :] Amazing series. Despite the fact it's episodic, you can see a connected story line through the characters and the way they and their relationships develop. I truly loved every character on the Bebop-- they all filled different roles without seeming forced. They all had pasts that affected them even if we don't ever fully learn what their past is. Character relationships and growth are what I look for in a series, and this one nailed it. Also, this series has Edward! Can anybody NOT love her? I don't think so. Cowboy Bebop had a really nice mix of humor, seriousness, darkness, and suspense. The jokes and the banter between the characters always felt genuine and made me smile. The show really knew how to have silly moments while still remaining mature. I am not a big fan of tons of action and gun fights or space-themed things. But this series made me like it. It made it believable-- the story's universe was built so well that everything felt real while watching it. The show can be appreciated for the individual episodes as well as the overall themes, the biggest of which is whether or not your past makes you who you are. An over-done theme, perhaps, but Bebop's take on it was really well done because you could see it from so many points of view. I'm not one to normally notice soundtracks because I am so focused on the story and the visuals, but Cowboy Bebop's soundtrack definitely stuck out to me. I loved it. The music always helped improve the scenes and the mood and was never a distraction. The art is unique and beautiful in its own way, especially from being nearly 15 years old now. In the end, I would recommend this series to anyone and everyone. It started off slow for me but when I took the time and patience to appreciate it, I couldn't turn it off. I definitely think there's a lot of rewatch value in the series as well, and I can't wait to show it to more people.

While Cowboy Bebop is a series that really deserves its legendary status, it never fully worked for me due to narrative inconsistency. Cowboy Bebop is often praised as a timeless classic and a must-watch anime. While I understand why, my experience with the series was more complicated. I appreciate its atmosphere, characters, and presentation, but its storytelling stopped me from becoming fully invested. This review comes from the perspective of someone who strongly prefers cohesive narratives, deep character development and stories that consistently move forward. Story and Structure – 6/10 The biggest problem I have with Cowboy Bebop is its episodic structure. Many episodes feel entirely optional, to the point where skipping them wouldnt change the story or the characters in any meaningful way. The series can be divided into two categories of episodes: 1. Relevant episodes – episodes that directly enter and deal with the pasts of the main characters, are crucial for their character development, and move the narrative forward. Some of these episodes are: Ballad of Fallen Angels, Jupiter Jazz, the final arc The Real Folk Blues etc. These episodes are consistently the strongest and feel like Cowboy Bebop at its peaks. 2. Standalone episodes – episodes that introduce temporary conflicts or characters, feature little to no character development, and dont move the story forward in any way. Episodes like Toys in the Attic or Boogie Woogie Feng Shui are prime example of this category. The existence of standalone episodes is not the issue. The real problem is how much they outnumber the story-relevant ones. As a result, there is not much time dedicated to episodes that actually matter. The main narrative feels underdeveloped, despite having strong anchor points. Show’s ideas, points and philosophy is constantly interrupted by the standalone episodes to the point where i thought about dropping the show multiple times. Main reason why i completed is the adult themes, philosophy of inevitable past and atmosphere, if it was not for this issue i have with Cowboy Bebop, it would definitely be in my top 10. Lets just say this imbalance is the biggest reason why Cowboy Bebop disappointed me. Characters – 7/10 The main cast is one of the show’s strongest elements. The characters arent neither simplistic or over-complicated. Spike, Jet, and Faye are all well-written, with distinct personalities and depth that is revealed over time. That said, the episodic structure limits how much these characters can actually grow. Their development is often implied rather than trully explored. The potential for deeper character arcs is clearly there, but the narrative makes it impossible. This issue with episodic structure applies to other characters as well. Many interesting side characters appear for only one to two episodes and are never mentioned again, not even in flashbacks. Vicious, supposed main antagonist feels VERY underused. His limited screen time is not really a problem, many praised antagonists have less screen time (im looking at you Johan :D). The main problem is that he doesnt really influence the story, not even from the background. As the main antagonist, I expected him to have a stronger impact on the overal story. Vicious’ role in the story was really dissapointing for me (i have a fetish on well-written antagonists). Atmosphere – 11/10 What Cowboy Bebop excels at the most is atmosphere. Its melancholic tone, loneliness, and focus on unresolved pasts are beautifully executed and consistently shown throughout the series. The anime knows exactly what emotions it wants to evoke. Humorous parts actually feel funny and serious ones really set the tone well. Even when I wasnt invested in the story itself, the atmosphere alone carried many episodes and made them at least memorable. Visuals & Sound – 9/10 The visuals and sound design are outstanding. The animation is to this day phenomenal, and the art style remains stylish and unique, especially character designs, which are are highly unique and often reflect personalities of the characters. The worldbuilding shines as well. Planets, locations, ships, and technology all feel unique and thoughtfully designed, making the universe feel alive. The soundtrack is phenomenal and easily one of the best aspects of the series. It enhances the atmosphere and sets the tone the show has estabilished. Opening and ending are memorable and perfectly fit the show. Ending – 8/10 The final arc of Cowboy Bebop, The Real Folk Blues represents what the series main point was. It brings up the core ideas of the show - unresolved pasts, emotional unavailability, and the inability to move on from something. Spike’s confrontation with his past feels inevitable which fits with the series’ idea. However, the ending also underlines my biggest issue with the structure of the story. The conclusion is there, but the buildup is not. Vicious’ attempt to take control of the Syndicate should have been demonstrated way more throughout the series. As the main antagonist, his presence feels close to none, his influence on the story is negligible excluding few key episodes. The problem is not in his screen time, but the lack of overal influence he had on he story throughout the show. I loved his design and position in the story, but his conclusion is not satisfying unlike Spike’s. Because of this, the finale feels more like the conclusion of a storyline that appears in few episodes, instead of a natural end of a consistently developed narrative. The ending works emotionally, but it also reveals the missed potential caused by reliance on episodic narrative. Overall: Cowboy Bebop is a beautifully crafted anime with flawless main characters, unforgettable music, and a very unique atmosphere. However, its heavy focus on episodic storytelling and the dominance of episodes with not impact prevent it from reaching its full potential. I would recommend the show to viewers who prioritize mood, style, and enjoyment over story. However, for those who prioritize cohesive storytelling and consistent narrative progression, the experience may feel a bit frustrating, like it did for me. Favourite characters: Whole main cast, Vicious, Chessmaster Hex, Mad Pierott Favourite episode: Ballad of Fallen Angels Least favourite episode: Toys in the Attic