“Four COWBOYS, four BOUNTY HUNTERS, four HEARTS, four NOTES…” So began the Cartoon Network promo clip for Watanabe Shinichiro’s signature work – COWBOY BEBOP. A groundbreaking title that has etched itself into the annals of anime history as one of the greatest anime series ever produced. Oozing class, style and an undeniably cool and hip vibe – COWBOY BEBOP will rock your world. Satisfaction guaranteed.

So, it’s all really simple. The year is 2071; Earth is all but shattered and sundered by endless showers of meteorites, consequent of an apocalyptic “Hyperspace Gateway” disaster that removed a sizeable chunk of the Moon and deposited it into Earth orbit. Its 5.6 billion human inhabitants (actually much less, since a fair portion of them were victims of the disaster) are now disgruntled occupants of several barely hospitable planets and moons in the Solar System. From Venus to Mars, Callisto to Ganymede; traversing such extreme distances is made possible by Hyperspace Gates allowing superspeed space travel. Law and order is consigned to history, as the I.S.S.P (Inter Solar System Police) can do no better than become reluctant spectators to a myriad of violent acts and crimes. The logical solution? Reinstating the age-old bounty system and let bounty hunters (a.k.a. cowboys) do the dirty and dangerous work of reining in the evildoers that now roam the Solar System with impunity. For financial rewards, of course…there’s no free lunch in this world.


"Er, Houston..."

Enter the Bebop, an ex-fishing trawler converted into a bounty hunting ship, and its crew. The series begins with Spike Spiegel and Jet Black, two luckless but nonetheless very competent bounty hunters, who are the original crewmembers of the ship. That is, until three other cuddly, cute and lovable characters dropped in (incidentally, each adjective applies to only one of the three characters). They are Ein, a super-intelligent “data” dog, Faye Valentine, a voluptuous babe and compulsive gambler and…Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tiruvsky IV, a genius kid hacker. (She’s a girl, by the way…No. Really.) This rag-tag crime busting team may not look the part, but they do pack the punch and firepower…well, that is if you can forgive the fact that they almost always fail to get the reward that should have accompanied their arrests. Not to matter though, for their antics never fail to bring a good laugh and they always manage to get by.


Dangerous Liaisons.

As David H. Rosenthal describes in his book, Hard Bop, bebop (it’s a style of music) is “characterized by fast tempos, complex harmonies, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections” and is “often labyrinthine, full of surprising twists and turns.” Watanabe must have had this in mind when he directed this series, for the result is a charming, intriguing and humorous anime series that runs with a serious, grave and melancholic undertone. Fully fleshed out, distinctive yet believable and with depth, Bebop characters inevitably endear themselves to the viewers, regardless of their significance and importance to the plot. Minor and supporting cast are no less convincing than the primary bounty hunting gang; each with their own intriguing backgrounds and quirks. Beneath the seemingly aimless and episodic comedy that occupy much of the series, the main plot surfaces intermittently, and it revolves around the sinister and mysterious past of Spike, an ex-syndicate member, his enmity with his nemesis Vicious and his search for an elusive woman, Julia. The other overtly “filler” episodes are in fact key episodes for character development of the other crewmembers, as their individual pasts are explored in similarly poignant fashion. Why did Jet quit the I.S.S.P? Who really was Faye Valentine? Even oddball Ed has a past to uncover; someone waiting for her, somewhere where she belongs…


Usual Suspects.

Watanabe’s unique narrative style is as captivating as it is unorthodox; a refreshing and intriguing break from the mainstream anime storytelling. Gone are the unnecessary small talk and pointless explanatory dialogues, as plot development is pushed along with subtlety and craft through imagery, music and indirect dialogue inferences. The depth of Bebop is one to behold. Its wide range of cultural, musical and film influences are reflected in innumerable tributes and references. Famous jazz and blues artistes, real life criminals and crimes, classic songs and albums, celebrated films and anime, legendary characters and memorable film scenes are subjects of homage in episode titles, plot lines, scene influences, backdrop designs, characters’ names or simply dialogue mention. Charlie Parker, Star Trek, the Unabomber, Heaven’s Gate cult, Bonnie and Clyde, Bruce Lee and even the Space Shuttle are but a few instances of such witty storytelling. Widespread and abound across all 26 episodes, this amazing array of homage adds a unique dash of colour and flavour to Bebop that is sadly absent from so many other works. Even episode previews have given a whole new meaning in Bebop. Unlike the convention, humour is the benchmark to meet for Bebop previews – Slapstick, ludicrous, effective. All in all, the director masterfully combines top-notch cell animation, state of the art computer graphics, a unique narrative style as well as inspirational musical accompaniment to produce a endearing tale, filled with laughs and yet all too ready to end in tears.


Fallen Angels.

Music is more than a theme of this series. It is the very soul of Bebop. Before any of the stylish animation and revolutionary narrative style gets to you, the stunningly groovy jazz opening theme “Tank”! will literally blow you away. At once, one will realise the one factor that truly sets Bebop apart is none other than its breathtaking soundtrack. Kanno Yoko, the genius behind the inspiration on air, wrote an incredible collection of background scores and songs with a distinct jazz and blues theme to give life to the animation by Watanabe. Renowned for her work on Macross Plus, Escaflowne and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Kanno can only be described as totally mesmerising. One only needs to hear the ethereal chorals of “Green Bird” or experience the spiritual uplifting of “Blue” to be absolutely convinced of her talents. Character designer Kawamoto Toshihiro once expressed that he believed that the series was popular in part due to in its simple script where feelings and ideas are communicated without dialogue, but through facial expressions and sound. True to his words, from the ass-kicking action scenes to the soulful moments of penitence and sorrow, Kanno’s music expresses far more passion and sentiment than any words can convey. If Watanabe Shinichiro is synonymous with anime excellence, Kanno Yoko is a guarantee of music master class. Anime music has never been more inspirational and soulful, and never before so deeply intertwined and seamlessly integrated into the story.


Flashdance in the skies.

With the story set in a futuristic space age world largely based on imagination and science fiction, the series is kept firmly on the ground with a of myriad convincing details and elements that gives it a realistic vibe. Attention to detail has always been a hallmark of excellence of Japanese animation and Bebop makes no exception. Urban landscapes modelled after real-life cities, slums, ghettos. Every scene and every setting are elaborately planned and painstakingly animated to the fullest detail. Mecha, aircraft and spacecraft alike are the fruits of meticulous designing and revisions. Guns used are all existing real-life models, while "blink-and-you'll-miss-it" product placements are aplenty, including the Sony Playstation, Coca-Cola and Marlboro cigarettes, to be spotted by keen-eyed viewers.


See it? It's a Sony.

Winning the ‘Best Animation Award’ at the annual Animation Kobe event in 1998, its ranking 2nd only to Neon Genesis Evangelion in Newtype USA’s Top 25 Anime of All Time poll in 2005, as well as making regular appearances in Newtype Japan’s Top 20 Anime monthly polls in the 8 years subsequent to its original release are testament to the longevity and extraordinary quality of this classic. If sceptics need any more proof of its immense popularity, look no further than the fact that this stellar anime has already been fully reran on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim timeslots twice, and still is running today.


"...all good things must come to an end..."

As the text from the opening sequence goes, the series “becomes a new genre in itself”. Indeed, Bebop is in a class of its own – in all aspects. Be it the animation, narrative style or music. There is hardly any equal. Be a part of the Bebop experience now. “One ship, one crew, one destiny – Cowboy Bebop.”




Useful reference sites:
Scripts, detailed lists of plot influences and homages - COWBOY BEBOP - The Real Folk Blues
Interesting musings and plot analysis - Last Train Home: Cowboy Bebop

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