Cowboy Bebop

**Cowboy Bebop** is a neo-noir sci-fi space western anime released in 1998 during a time when anime was starting to

    get real popular in the west during the late 90s and was the "gateway drug" to anime fans in the west.

## Plot

The main story is about 4 bounty hunters named Spike, Jet, Faye and Ed, along with their pet Corgi Ein, who travel around the Milky Way galaxy looking for one bounty after another, barely making it out in each episode.

## Why It Rocks

1. Awesome characters with a deep ambiguous mysterious backstory for each of them.
2. Intense action.
3. Great animation even in today it still looks amazing.
4. Funny moments.
5. Tragic overarching story.
6. Wild west setting in a futuristic world.
7. Amazing jazz music by Yoko Kanno.
8. Intense spaceflights.
9. Ein the dog is the reason why many Welsh Pembroke Corgis are named Ein because of how smart and cute he is.
10. Excellent voice acting, especially in the English dub.
11. Many pop culture references and the episode *Ballad of Fallen Angels* is a massive tribute to John Woo.
12. The ending is tragic and ambiguous.
13. Well-balanced serious and comedic moments.

## Reception

### Critical Reception

The series received universal critical acclaim. Anime News Network's Mike Crandol gave the series an 'A+' rating for the dubbed version, and an 'A' rating for the subbed version. He claimed the series was "one of the most popular and respected anime titles in history," before adding that it was "a unique television show which skillfully transcends all kinds of genres." Crandol praised its characters as "some of the most endearing characters to ever grace an anime," and commended the voice acting, especially the "flawless English cast." He also complimented the series' "movie-quality" animation, "sophisticated" writing, and its "incredible" musical score. Crandol hailed *Cowboy Bebop* as a "landmark" anime "that will be remembered long after many others have been forgotten", and went on to call it "one of the greatest anime titles ever."[85] Additionally, Michael Toole of Anime News Networknamed *Cowboy Bebop* as one of the most important anime of the 1990s.[86]

T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews gave the entire series a perfect score of 5 out of 5 stars, with reviewer Christina Carpenter believing *Cowboy Bebop* as "one of the best [anime]" and touting it as a masterpiece that "puts most anime...and Hollywood, to shame." She described it as a "very stylish, beautifully crafted series that deserves much more attention than it gets." Carpenter praised the animation as "a rarity and a marvel to behold" and that it was "beyond superb," and the plot and characterization as having "a sophistication and subtlety that is practically one-of-a-kind." She also praised the soundtrack, and hailed the opening theme as one of the best intro pieces she had ever heard. Carpenter went to say that *Bebop* was a "must-have for any serious collector of Japanese animation."[87]

In his article "Asteroid Blues: The Lasting Legacy of Cowboy Bebop", *The Atlantic* writer Alex Suskind states, "On paper, *Cowboy Bebop*, the legendary cult anime series from Shinichirō Watanabe, reads like something John Wayne, Elmore Leonard, and Philip K. Dick came up with during a wild, all-night whiskey bender." He goes on to write, "The response from critics and fans may have sounded hyperbolic—the word 'masterpiece' was thrown around a great deal—but the praise was justified. First-time solo director Watanabe had created a gorgeous tale of morality, romance, and violence–a dark look at the lives of outlaws that's shot like an independent film."[88]

In January 2015, television writer Kyle Mills of DVD Talk awarded the series five stars upon review. He stated, "Regardless of the medium, be it live action television, film, or animation, *Cowboy Bebop* is simply one of the finest examples of storytelling ever created." In his review, he describes the finale as "one of the best in television history," referring to it as a "widely revered" ending that "still sparks fan conversation, resonating with viewers 15 years on." He closes by writing, "*Cowboy Bebop* ends with a bang."[89]

### Accolades

In the 1999 Anime Grand Prix awards for the anime of 1998, *Cowboy Bebop* won two 1st place awards: Spike Spiegel was awarded the best male character; and Megumi Hayashibara was awarded the best voice actor for her role as Faye Valentine. *Cowboy Bebop* also received rankings in other categories: the series itself was awarded the 2nd best anime series; Faye Valentine and Ed were ranked the 5th and 9th best female characters respectively; "Tank!" and "The Real Folk Blues" were ranked the 3rd and 15th best songsrespectively; and "Ballad of Fallen Angels", "Speak Like a Child", "Jamming with Edward" and "Mish-Mash Blues" were ranked the 2nd, 8th, 18th and 20th best episodesrespectively.[90]

In the 2000 Anime Grand Prix awards for the anime of 1999, *Cowboy Bebop* won the same two 1st place awards again: best male character for Spike Spiegel; and best voice actor for Megumi Hayashibara. Other rankings the series received are: 2nd best anime series; 6th best female character for Faye Valentine; 7th and 12th best song for "Tank!" and "Blue" respectively; and 3rd and 17th best episode for "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)" and "Hard Luck Woman" respectively.[91] In the 2000 Seiun Awards, Cowboy Bebop was awarded for Best Media of the Year.[92]

A 2004 poll in *Newtype USA*, the US edition of the Japanese magazine *Newtype*, asked its readers to vote the "Top 25 Anime Titles of All Time"; *Cowboy Bebop* ranked 2nd on the list (after *Neon Genesis Evangelion*), placing it as one of the most socially relevant and influential anime series ever created.[93] During that same year, *Cinefantastique* listed the anime as one of the "10 Essential Animations", citing the series' "gleeful mix of noir-style, culture-hopping inclusiveness and music".[94] In 2007, the American Anime magazine *Anime Insider* listed the "50 Best Anime Ever" by compiling lists of industry regulars and magazine staff, and ranked *Cowboy Bebop* as the #1 anime of all time.[95] In 2012, Madman Entertainment compiled the votes of fans online for "The Top 20 Madman Anime Titles" and ranked *Cowboy Bebop* at #7.[96]

*Cowboy Bebop* has been featured in several lists published by IGN. In the 2009 "Top 100 Animated TV Series" list, *Cowboy Bebop*, labelled as "a very original -- and arguably one of the best -- anime", was placed 14th, making it the second highest ranking anime on the list (after *Evangelion*) and one of the most influential series of the 1990s.[97] In 2011, *Bebop* was ranked 29th in the "Top 50 Sci-Fi TV Shows" list, once again being the second highest ranking anime on the list (after *Evangelion*).[98] In 2006, *Cowboy Bebop'*s soundtrack was ranked #1 in "Top Ten Anime Themes and Soundtracks of All-Time" list, with the series being commented as "one of the best anime ever and certainly is tops when it comes to music."[99] Spike Spiegel was ranked 4th place in the "Top 25 Anime Characters of All Time" article.[100] IGN Movies also placed *Cowboy Bebop* in their list of "10 Cartoon Adaptations We'd Like to See".[101]

WatchMojo.com has also placed *Cowboy Bebop* on multiple ranking lists. In 2013, the show ranked #6 on their "Top 10 Anime Series" list.[102] They also ranked the character of Vicious as #6 on their "Top 10 Anime Villains".[103] In 2014 respectively, the company also ranked the show's opening theme sequence as #9 on their "Top 10 Anime Opening Theme Songs"[104] and gave Spike Speigel an honorable mention in their "Top 10 Anime Anti-Heroes" list.[105] On a revised 2017 listing for Top 10 Anime Series of All Time, the show was ranked at #2.[106]

### Analysis

The series has been subject to study and analysis since its debut, with the main focus being on its style and mixture of genres. Miguel Douglas, describing the series style in a review, said that "the series distinctly establishes itself outside the realm of conventional Japanese animation and instead chooses to forge its own path. With a setting within the realm of science fiction, the series wisely offers a world that seems entirely realistic considering our present time. Free from many of the elements that accompany science fiction in general — whether that be space aliens, giant robots, or laser guns — the series delegates itself towards presenting a world that is quite similar to our own albeit showcasing some technological advances. Certainly not as pristine a future we would see in other series or films, *Cowboy Bebop* decides to deliver a future that closely reflects that of our own time. This aspect of familiarity does wonders in terms of relating to the viewer, and it presents a world that certainly resembles our very own."[107] Daryl Surat of *Otaku USA*, commenting on the series' appeal, said that it was "that rare breed of science-fiction: "accessible". Unlike many anime titles, viewers weren't expected to have knowledge of Asian culture — character names, signs, and the like were primarily in English to begin with — or have seen any other anime series prior."[108] Michelle Onley Pirkle, in her book *Science Fiction Film, Television, and Adaptation: Across the Screens*, said that "[*Cowboy Bebop*] is taking a new take on genre, not by creating unique images and sounds, but by playing "freely" with, "remixing", or adapting the images and sounds of other familiar genres in a dynamic way."[109]:164 Robert Baigent, writing for the *Graduate Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies*, said that the series' appeal likely stemmed from the trend in anime to emulate Western fiction.[21]

## Legacy

In March 2009, the print and web editions of The Onion's *The A.V. Club* called *Cowboy Bebop* "rightly a huge hit", and listed it as a gateway series to understanding the medium of anime as a whole.[12] Suskind said: "It was unlike anything the genre had seen before. It even approached its music differently. The show kicked off with a wormhole of a theme song, and the soundtrack moves so seamlessly through genres, from rock to country to pop to jazz to funk, it's shocking to learn that one set of musicians is behind it all". In an interview, producer Sean Akins also states that the series "created a whole new world". "It's hard for me to quantify the impact that I think it has had. It changed anime. I think people began to think about what shows would be cool. I think it redefined cool within animation, not only in Japan but in the States".[88]

American film director, screenwriter, and producer Rian Johnson has cited *Cowboy Bebop* as a visual influence on his films, most notably *Brick*.[110] *Ender's Game* writer, novelist, critic, playwright, and poet Orson Scott Card also praised the series. He states that the series is "better than most sci-fi films out there". He goes on to say that he "found this series brilliant, but what held me was a combination of strong relationship-based storytelling, a moody visual style that never got old and really smart dialogue".[88]

After the creation of the series, an interviewer asked Watanabe if he had any plans to create more *Cowboy Bebop* material. Watanabe responded by saying that he does not believe that he "should just keep on making *Cowboy Bebop* sequels for the sake of it". Watanabe added that ending production and "to quit while we're ahead when people still want more" is more "in keeping with the *Bebop* spirit".[111] In a more recent interview from 2006 with *The Daily Texan*, Watanabe was asked if there would ever be more *Cowboy Bebop*. Watanabe's answer was "someday...maybe, someday".[112]