Anime Retrospective Review: Cowboy Bebop

I remember when anime focused on storytelling and character development instead of cramming every marketable cliché into the series to get fans to buy every piece of merchandise related to that anime. Overly cute schoolgirls, anime in-jokes, sugary sweet dance music for the opening or closings, never ending story arcs, and an excessive number of characters with character relationships requiring a flowchart to understand are five things that Shinichiro Watanabe's Cowboy Bebop does not have and makes it one of the great classic anime series brought to the United States. What Cowboy Bebop does have is a small yet memorable cast of characters that develop during the series, a variety of topics explored in each episode, a stylized vision of the western genre, and an excellent jazzy soundtrack.

Released into the US courtesy of Bandai Entertainment, Cowboy Bebop is set as a space western where bounty hunters travel the solar system upholding the law by bringing criminals to justice. The series follows the misadventures of a team of bounty hunters as they struggle to earn cash, survive dangerous encounters, delve into their pasts, and attempt to stand each other's company.

Each episode plays like a impromptu jazz session-hence why each episode is referred to as a session-that serves as a window into life aboard the spaceship Bebop. Despite having a sequential order, most sessions are easily viewed independently and hold well on their own. The viewer gets to see how each character acts, reacts, and interacts during each session whether the crew is chasing down a bounty for cash or encountering something bizarre in outer space. Whether watching just one episode to kill time or devoting an afternoon and evening to watch the series, the sessions of Cowboy Bebop satisfies either attention span. Stories that unfold during sessions include battling against crime syndicates, reuniting with a lost love, the differences between beta and VHS, and the hunt for a dangerous creature that evolved from refrigerator mold. When the series is viewed in order, the viewer watches as the main characters meet, work, bond, and eventually resolve a situation that has hung above them.

Although the series is about 10 years old, the characters of Cowboy Bebop are still ingrained into anime fans of today. The easy going Spike Spiegel flows through life like a river with a motto of "Whatever happens, happens." But when push comes to shove, his martial arts, gun mastery, and piloting skills assures victory. His partner Jet Black plays the father figure of the crew who scolds the careless actions of his team yet puts up with them nevertheless. He carries emotional baggage from his past involving jilted love and betrayal. The sultry Faye Valentine is an impulsive gambler who burns through money faster than she earns it as her mysterious past unravels during the series. Filling in as a cute animal mascot is the intellectually enhanced Ein, a Welsh Corgi whose superior intellect is undermined by the lack of acknowledgement its human companions give it. Rounding out the cast is Ed, whose antics and quirky mannerisms can only be described as Ed. Throughout the series, the ragtag group grow in front of the viewing audience as the past catches up with them.

The animation creates spectacular visual sequences. Martial arts flow fluidly akin to Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do style. Contrary to a space setting, spaceships still use conventional bullets and missiles for dogfights instead of lasers. Character designs and action sequences reference several Hollywood films. One of the earlier fights between Spike Spiegel and a tall, African man in an afro is a direct nod towards Bruce Lee fighting Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in The Game of Death. Gun battles have a gritty intensity and are choreographed as an homage to Hong Kong director John Woo's gun-fu gangster films.

Music plays an important part of Cowboy Bebop. Every session is titled after a famous album, song, or music style and the soundtrack follows it. Composer Yoko Kanno creates a variety of songs themed for each session ranging from heavy metal, classical, jazz, and even country western for the cowboy feel. Some songs are familiar classics while other experimental works provide a unique experience.

Whether starting out on anime or looking for a classic series to pick up, Cowboy Bebop is an excellent anime series to watch whether English dubbed or subbed. At least it will prepare viewers for the Cowboy Bebop live action movie starring Keanu Reeves as Spike Spiegel.