Cowboy Bebop - Movie of the Week

First off, let me be clear about one thing - I’m recommending the television series for Cowboy Bebop and not the movie. While the movie version isn’t bad, it’s nowhere near as good as the original series.

So now you may be asking, “What the hell is Cowboy Bebop?” Well, it’s a Japanese anime (animated) series which debuted on television in 1998. Directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, it was popular enough to be brought to America and shown on the Cartoon Network’s fledgling Adult Swim program. The show proved as popular in the U.S. as in Japan, and a movie was later made to appease fans.

Now I know a lot of you might not be likely to commit to an entire 26-episode series, but you owe it to yourself to at least take a look at the first disc in the series. If nothing else, hop on over to YouTube and watch some of it.

COWBOY BEBOP - CAST AND PLOT

Throughout the show, we follow the adventures of the crew of the spaceship Bebop. They’re bounty hunters (also known as “Cowboys”) in the year 2071, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more distinct group of characters. The five main characters are:

Spike Spiegel - A former criminal, Spike is the resident hotshot of the group. Skilled in martial arts, he also knows a thing or two about piloting ships. An all-around badass, Spike is haunted by his past, especially an old flame named Julia and his former underworld colleague, Vicious.

Jet Black - Jet owns the Bebop, and he’s partners with Spike. In his mid-thirties, Jet is a former cop with a cybernetic arm (lost in the line of duty). He’s much more calm and reasonable than Spike, but he has demons of his own to contend with.

Faye Valentine - This sexy gal is nothing but trouble! Faye is an amnesiac who awoke from a 54-year cryogenic sleep and got tricked into assuming the debts of the man who woke her. Now she blows most of her money at casinos or the racetracks, but she always gets more by using her good looks (and a gun) to bring in the bad guys.

Edward - Ed is a 13-year-old girl who also happens to be a master hacker. When’s she’s not causing havoc on the web, she spends most of her time sleeping or eating. An odd character, but one of my favorites.

Ein - A Welsh Corgie, there’s a lot more to Ein than meets the eye.

Spike and Jet are around from the beginning, but it takes a while before the entire crew comes together. Still, it’s well worth the wait, as they fight the Syndicate (criminal underworld), telekinetic assassins, thieves, murderers and all manner of outer-space craziness. And that‘s in-between tracking down bounty heads (their name for bail jumpers)

POSITIVES

1. The Music - Music, especially jazz, plays a big part in the series. For a taste of what I’m taking about, click the link to see the Cowboy Bebop theme. If that doesn’t strike you as cool, then you probably shouldn’t bother watching the show.

2. The Characters - All the characters are unique and have their own background stories. Each one evolves as the series progresses, and you’ll find yourself really coming to care about this dysfunctional little family.

3. The Tone - While a lot of the episodes deal with matters of a serious nature, there’s also plenty of humor to be had. Frankly, there’s something for everybody when it comes to Cowboy Bebop. A word of warning, however - this show is aimed at adults, so young kids might not be as enthusiastic about it.

4. The Art - The animation for the series is top-notch. What else can I say? Granted, it’s not Akira, but it’s still pretty damned good and gives the world of the story its own unique look.

NEGATIVES

1. If you’re an impatient sort, then Bebop may not be for you. It takes six or seven episodes to get all the crew together, and many episodes move at a slower pace. This wasn’t a problem for me, but don’t say that I didn’t warn you.

2. I love anime, so I’m pretty used to the Japanese style of doing things. If you’re not, then you might have a hard time adjusting. Things aren’t always laid out as nice and neat as they are in American movies, and endings can tend to be ambiguous or just downright depressing. Once again, you have been warned.

3. Really, the only negative for me was that the show had to end. I wish they were still cranking out episodes!

SUMMARY

If you’re looking for something different, then you might consider giving this show a try. The writing and characterizations are strong, and the music will leave you tapping your foot. A really fun show, but one that also has a very sophisticated side. I just can’t believe that it took me almost a decade before I caught on to the brilliance that is Cowboy Bebop.

For more Movies of the Week, check out the following:

The Rundown

Cloverfield

Cowboy Bebop - Movie of the Week