Cowboy Bebop
Some people call me a space cowboy...
Review by: Craig "Spike-wannabe" Norris
Length: 26 episodes
Genre: Action
Watched: Episodes 1-26, dubbed
My opinion of Cartoon Network was fading fast. It seemed to me that they had abandoned all diversity and surrendered to the task of catering to DBZ fans exclusively. The idea of Adult Swim sounded like a last gasp in the vain effort to save this
sinking ship. So, my expectations were not high when I sat down to watch its debut.
And then I met Spike.
Plot synopsis: It is the year 2071. Mankind has long since colonized the solar system. Ex-police officer Jet Black has retrofitted the space trawler Bebop into his base of operations for tracking down bounties. His partner is Spike Spiegel, a
former gangster with a mysterious past. During their many travels, they are joined by Ein, a mysterious Welsh Corgie known as a "data dog," femme fatale Faye Valentine, and teenage computer genius Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV. This rogue's
gallery of interstellar misfits travels from place to place, looking for the next big score. Or, at least, something to put food on their plates.
Artwork: The artwork for this television series rivals that of most OAVs and movies. The fluidity and detail present in the animation constantly left me speechless. The in-betweeners did their jobs like key animators, and the key animators did
their jobs like renaissance painters. CG is used sporadically but well. Overall the show is a feast for the eyes.
Music: Best soundtrack ever. Period. Of course, with Yoko Kanno in charge of the music, that's to be expected. Each episode seems to have an underlying tone, and the music composed for each complements it perfectly. Jazz and big-band are the
staple elements of the soundtrack, and at four CDs long, you know there's a lot of it. The high-energy opening theme, "Tank," sets the tone for the whole show. Most of all, the way the music is used within the episodes is genius. Pay particular
attention to episode 5, where the dramatic climax is coupled with a choir singing in Latin. Even with new songs introduced on a liberal basis, Cowboy Bebop never seems to run out of fantastic music to present. If you purchase the series on DVD,
make sure you have enough left to buy the soundtrack later; you WILL want it.
Characters: This is one of the few shows where I genuinely liked all the main characters. Spike is the very embodiment of cool. He approaches everything with a laid-back, devil-may-care attitude which makes him seem almost godlike. The few
times that he is frazzled, his intensity makes him a man to be feared. Jet is definitely the most sensible of the main characters, most likely due to his former position with the ISSP (Inter Solar System Police). His nickname of "Black Dog" (once
he bites, he never lets go) describes him well. Faye is a strong-willed woman who loves to gamble, and is not afraid to use her feminine wiles to get what she wants. She cannot remember her past, because she was cryogenically frozen after a
serious accident. Edward is a strange character, indeed. She (yes, Edward is a she) is a quirky computer hacker who often defies definite description. She says strange things, moves in strange ways, and is just all-around strange. But, she is a
tremendous help on more than one occasion. Ein is much more than just a dog, often exhibiting intelligence and problem-solving abilities that rival that of humans.
Of course, a hero is only as good as his villain, and Vicious is one of the best villains I've seen. Vicious is Spike's old partner from organized crime, but turns against him over the enigmatic Julia, who was both Vicious' and Spike's love
interest. Vicious' struggle for power within the organization makes an interesting backdrop as he wages his personal vendetta against Spike. If anyone is a worthy adversary of the slick and collected Spike, it is he.
Plot: Most of Cowboy Bebop is episodic, but a handful of episodes deal with the pasts of the characters, so there is an incentive to watch them in order. However, most can be enjoyed one at a time. Each adventure the Bebop crew gets involved in
presents a unique element, which keeps the show fresh for its entire run. Some episodes are dramatic, some are violent, and some are very comedic. For example, one episode deals with the consequences of unwittingly ingesting hallucinogenic
mushrooms. In stark contrast, a few episodes later we are brought the tale of a mentally-disturbed assassin with superhuman abilities. But most intriguing are the handful of episodes that deal with Spike's past. In fact, just about all the
episodes that deal with the past of a main character are noteworthy. Cowboy Bebop is one of the few series I have seen that is almost purely character driven. One regrettable aspect of the show is that there were not more episodes that dealt with
them directly. Despite that, the situations they get mixed up in are absolutely fantastic, and make for great entertainment.
CHICKS!: Cowboy Bebop has only one noteworthy chick that we see regularly. But what a chick she is! Faye Valentine is, I'm sure, what God was thinking of when he created Eve. She is, without a doubt, one of the most gorgeous anime women ever
created. Her casual attire, consisting of a tight yellow tank-top with matching hot pants, more than shows off her womanly assets, providing gratification comparable to the average Victoria's Secret catalog. As far as eye candy goes, Faye is as
good as it gets. Just don't stare at her too long, or she might pull a gun on you! Aside from Faye, the only other head-turners the show has to offer are Judy, the bubble-headed blonde co-host of "Big Shots," the show that dispenses valuable
information on active bounties, and Julia, Spike's former love interest, who is often seen with a very dour look on her face. However, as long as Faye is on screen, the relative lack of chicks will not be felt. Quality over quantity.
Overall: This show had me hooked from the very first episode, and kept my interest through the very last scene. Though it takes place in the future, it can hardly be called science fiction; aside from the show taking place on other planets,
everything else seems grounded in the present, down to the weaponry (for example, Spike's weapon of choice is an IMI Jericho 941 pistol). Any fans of the action genre owe it to themselves to check this show out; it is a guaranteed hit! It looks
good, it sounds good, it IS good. See you, Space Cowboy...
IN A NUTSHELL
+ Great animation quality
+ Unbelievable soundtrack
+ Enjoyable characters
- Not enough episodes dealing with characters
- It ended
Rating: 10/10
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