Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi. Cowboy Bebop stands the test of time as one of the greatest masterpieces in entertainment and anime history! The story follows lallygagging bounty hunters Spike and Jet and they travel the galaxy to make some coin and simply enjoy life. Throughout their travels the meet the infamous Faye Valentine, and Ed, charismatic characters in their own right as the group go about their daily lives traversing the galaxy. And don't forget our bestest boy Ein, one of the greatest anime pets ever to grace the screen! I personally would also like to add in the Comedy, and Thriller genre to the mix, as the show integrates them so incredibly well!
#What I loved about the series
Everything! The series is one of the absolute best to ever be created. The first thing I'll talk about is the format. The early going is a simple episodic format where you get to know the characters and their backgrounds. Its such a fun time getting swept along with the journey that our cast experiences that you cant help but smile when watching! As the show itself gets deeper, we meet our infamous storylines that begin to develop. And let me say boy oh boy is it a GOOD STORY! I obviously will not be going into detail regarding it, but I will say that the show houses one of my favorite villains in all of anime who I shall leave unnamed.
The characters are one of the best aspects of the show! First off, Spike is one of the greatest characters ever in my humble opinion, and for good reason. As you get deeper and deeper into his story, you really get a sense of what he stands for and what his beliefs are. His motivations become clear and you really get to connect with a character on a depth you thought wasn't possible in only 26 episodes! Plus his character was modeled after The legend himself, BRUCE LEE!! What't not to love! The dude was a cool cat at all times, and I instantly found a guy who I could get behind as a role model! Funny enough, he was part of the reason why I took up Krav Maga, and was eventually going to transition to Jeet Kune Do. Plus who doesn't love a dude who can kick ass in style with his Blue leisure suit (also featured in my Best Anime Drip series).
Jet, Faye, and Ed are no less impressive. Each one has a storied past that brings this random crew together. Honestly it was one fo the coolest things for me, as I got to see such a diverse cast of individuals work tougher, live together, and experience life together. Ultimately that's one of the best draws to the series for me! It was the experiences that they all shared, and how their journeys brought them together! Faye is something else, I mean my god she is drop dead gorgeous! I'll admit that I had a thing for her as a young child, so no surprise she absolutely takes the claim as the PRIME WAIFU CANDIDATE of the series! But she is also one of the best rounded characters in the series. Her past is incredible by anyone's standards, and considering just how well she's doing for herself shows you that she means business! Jet is the wise level headed guy in the group. With a storied past of his own, he's the perfect running mate that Spike could've asked for! It's the perfect combo of two bros cruising the galaxy looking to get their hands dirty! And Ed was a such an awesome addition to the cast. I absolutely loved Ed's character. A child genius with a troubled past, makes for great characterization opportunities not to mention flawless comedic timing! The growth and progression shown by all the characters in the show just goes to show you that sometimes you can really do a lot with a little, especially given the show's prowess for 26 episodes.
It was a trip that I never expected would bring me this much joy, pain, and resolve! The story is something to behold, and honestly I applaud the author for creating such a wonderful show! The art style was the old school flair but it was done masterfully. I loved the integration of the dark and light tones as well as the black and white to really highlight impactful moments! The animation was as clean and composed as you will ever see for any show, especially given it was 1998 when it debuted. Standing the test of time, it still looks as gorgeous as the day I first saw it! I have so many wonderful memories of it.
One of the absolute best parts of the show was the quality and originality of its musical score! The OST is one of the greatest single pieces of work any entertainment format has seen. The tracks are varied, funky, emotional, thrilling, groovy, and whatever other adjectives you could use to describe them! They're so iconic in my mind, that I can to this day, recall many of the scenes that they are used in simply by hearing the first 5 seconds of one! And of course who can forget one of the single greatest anime openings in the history of anime, "Tank". Not only is it an amazing song, but it managed to be so mainstream that it was used as an olympic skater's song for a skating competition, like how cool is that, that an anime like Bebop was able to have this kind of reach! And the ending song, "The Real Folk Blues" is equally as iconic. The vocals, and accompaniment is fantastic and creates its own vibe. Cowboy Bebop gets top tier marks for their integration of blues and jazz pieces and it was impressive to see the western influence on an eastern piece of art. It set the tone for some of the greatest anime soundtracks to come in the future, such as Champloo's OST by Nujabes! The music was simply wonderful, and the OST did a phenomenal job by creating a cinematic anime experience that was unlike anything the world has ever seen!
Here is Kevin Reynold's performance using the song "Tank". ▶
And lastly, I want to highlight the fact that Bebop has one of the most unique and unexpected endings you will see. I can honestly say this, as I fully believe supporting the creators vision (Looking at you Isayama haters!) and I think they ended it wonderfully for how the story was meant to be conveyed! Oh and the comedic timing of our favorite bounty hunter hosts Punch and Judy were some of my favorite moments in episodes!
The story teaches us that everyone has a past they either look back on or run from. But that doesn't define who you are, and it's important to continue to live as best as you can no matter what life throws at you! Cowboy Bebop changed my life, and I am forever grateful for all of the memories from one of the greatest shows ever.
#What I would have liked to have seen
Simply put, there is nothing I would change. The show is perfect the way it is, but I yearned for more, so I was glad a movie ended up coming out a few years later, to allow me to revisit my favorite crew!
#Recommendations
The DUB is the correct way to watch Bebop in my personal opinion, as Steve Blum is Spike Spiegel personified. Having heard both sub and dub I can say this with 100% certainly, the dub is the choice watching method! Oh and do yourself a favor and buy the Blu-ray of the series!
Pop a bag of popcorn, sit back, relax, and enjoy one of the greatest anime journeys you will ever experience! This is one of those choice few shows I wish I could go back and watch for the first time.
