In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing #QuarantineLife, I finally got to my backlog of must-watch TV shows and movies. One of the first on my list was the 1998 anime series Cowboy Bebop, a 26-episode classic following a ragtag group of bounty hunters…in space. I just finished the last episode this past weekend and was blown away by the quality, emotional impact, and brilliance of the series. It’s not surprising to me that Cowboy Bebop is frequently cited as one of the best anime series of all time. And with fans ranging from Rian Johnson (Stars Wars: The Last Jedi, Knives Out) to Quentin Tarantino to the late Robin Williams, it’s pretty clear the series has influenced countless films and shows since.
What’s the best way to describe Cowboy Bebop? Take a cowboy western, mash it with elements of detective film noir, and sprinkle in various bits of familiar crime movie tropes, from mob wars to revenge quests to love triangles. Set it in a slightly-dystopian cyberpunk space future, and then top it all off with fight scenes set to bebop jazz. It’s no wonder the series was hailed as a genre-bender. The animation makes it that much better. Similar to the gem of a movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Cowboy Bebop really highlights how animation done well and with style can capture so much more nuance than live action.
Spike Spiegel and Jet Black are two bounty hunters roving the solar system in search of their next big catch – and potential multi-million payoff. Through mishaps and chance encounters along the way, the team grows into a motley crew of outcasts and eccentrics. We’re soon introduced to femme fatale Faye Valentine, hacker/child-genius Radical Edward, and even a lab-engineered hyperintelligent corgi named Ein. They battle a myriad of villains, often encountering old friends and foes that draw us deeper into the crew’s own backstories.
The creators of Cowboy Bebop could have developed the series up to this point and called it a day. But what truly sets the show apart was how it bucked the norms of its time. It was unflinchingly violent but emotionally authentic. It wasn’t afraid to tackle more difficult themes, ranging from the double-edged impact of technology to gender identity to the pain of not belonging. It flipped gender roles. And as the episodes progress, the series subtly builds on each character’s backstories with emotional authenticity. We soon see that appearances are deceiving, and we feel for the characters as they grapple with their past and future.
Because Cowboy Bebop explored more universal and challenging topics, its timelessness shines through even in 2020, with chatter about the breakdown of globalization, larger corporations stiffing the working class, and the environment going down the drain. As I watched the series, I couldn’t help but compare some of the storylines and settings to much more recent films as wide-ranging as Marriage Story and Ad Astra. I was mind-blown at just how prescient this show turned out to be.
At the same time, I could appreciate many of the references in the series that paid homage to past influences – those spaghetti westerns, blaxploitation films, and mob movies of yesteryear. And the music, oh the music! The retro big-band theme song starts each episode off with a bang. The soundtrack is a diverse mix of rock, funk, pop, country, and more, all spanning decades of styles. It’s obvious there’s a clear love for culture, movies, and music through and through.
And there it is folks. You don’t need to be an anime expert to thoroughly enjoy Cowboy Bebop. I definitely didn’t have many anime reference points myself. But because of its timeless exploration of very universal – and very human – topics, along with its excellent pacing, character development, and familiar cultural references, it’s a series that can be picked up and enjoyed by anyone interested in film, music, action, humor, and good storytelling.
Post script: There’s a live action Cowboy Bebop Netflix series in the works, starring John Cho as Spike! While a 2020 release isn’t likely, hopefully we’ll be able to enjoy the completed series soon.
