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Title: Cowboy Bebop
Genre: Space/Bounty Hunter
Company:Sunrise Entertainment
Format:26 episodes
Year:1999
Spike Spiegel, an ex-syndicate bounty hunter; Jet Black, a retired ISSP policeman; Faye Valentine, a hard luck woman running from her debts
; Ed, the playful X year old girl and master hacker; Ein, the
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"I lost my woman, life sux."
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notoriously intelligent and hungry data dog. Gather these characters together on one ship, the Bebop, add one of the best plots ever devised and a masterful soundtrack and you have Cowboy Bebop.
Vicious antagonists (catch the pun) and the reality of a bounty hunter existance. The Bebop is always floating
with the music into a very special place in our animé hearts. - summary by Otaku Alex
Otaku Alex
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Plot
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C. Development
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Music
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Animation
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Premise
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Mean
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9
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9
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10
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9
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10
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9.4
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Cowboy Bebop is a daring and, I believe, quite successful expansion upon the common bounty hunter style animé. Most people who have seen the series will consent its almost magnetic
ability to draw the viewer into the engrossing plot and charismatic characters. Its heavy overtones of reality add a layer of understanding and sympathy that are lacking in so many modern fantasy animés.
After watching such a painful failure as .hack//SIGN, one holds dear the lack of cryptic
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"I need a cigarrette, and my life back."
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subliminal themes in Cowboy Bebop. Although some would argue that the series is composed of disjointed filler episodes, I would strongly disagree with that statement. Every episode adds to the image established by the animé, allowing for personalities to play out against one another and reflect on the characters and their past
experiances.
When it comes to character development, this is one of the best. The pacing is close to perfect, revealing the characters' backgrounds and motivation without leaving large empty holes of filler episodes. All of the characters' stories reach a conclusion in the three most powerful ending episodes ever.
The ending succeeds in wrapping up the intriquite plot, each character reaching an ultimate enlightenment, or, as in Spike's case, death. Although one wonders about Jet's and Faye's future, I believe a conclusion episode, as the one in Outlaw Star, would have ruined the overall effect created. Once again, Sunrise Entertainment
has proven their mastership of modern animé.
When it comes to animation and music, one must stand in complete awe. The three CD sountracks of Yokko Kanno created from the series are my favorite animé soundtracks. Also, Faye Valentine is played by my hands down favorite seiyuu, Megumi Hayashibara. Animation
wise - there is absolutely no lack of eye candy. From the startling sky-skapes, to the agressive shading, and to the choreography of the fight scenes the animé flows smoothly and coherantly.
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"Dogfood for Ed and Ein!"
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I would strongly suggest this animé for all levels of animé viewers, from beginner to expert. This is not a work to be passen over; in fact, it should be given a genre of this own. On a personal note, the evening of October 21, 2003 will be the sixth time I have seen Cowboy Bebop - but don't believe me, see for yourself.
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