In this new episode of Anime Breakfast, we want to retrace the glories of the space western with you and go back to talking, albeit briefly, about Cowboy Bebop: and no, not Netflix’s Live Action
In this world the law of the jungle reigns: to deceive and be deceived is the logic of life. Putting trust in others doesn’t bring any gain: this is my imperative.
Faye
Never forget things that can go bad in the fridge: this is my moral imperative…
Spike
The live action mania has not only affected Disney, but also a long series of Japanese productions deliberately re-proposed in a more… real sauce. If we are all waiting for One Piece in this period (because let’s face it, it seems to be less worse than expected), the (at least questionable) revival of Cowboy Bebop arrived some time ago, again on Netflix. And, precisely for this reason, the writer asked himself: but why not talk, in an Anime Breakfast, about the original series of Shinichiro Watanabe? And so here we are. Let’s talk, come on.
Space Lion | Anime Breakfast: Cowboy Bebop
The series was born in 1998 in Japan, when on TV Tokyo it was broadcast for the first time in a cut version, due to some controversial episodes. Produced by Sunrise and shot by the aforementioned Shinichiro Watanabe (does that ring a bell for Samurai Champloo?), Cowboy Bebop then gave life to a universe that also includes a film, two video games released on PlayStation 2 at the time and the aforementioned live action product from Netflix. At the character design we find Toshihiro Kawamato, while at the mecha design Kimitoshi Yamane. The soundtrack, on the other hand, was composed by Yoko Kanno… and we will have ample opportunity to talk about it in the next few lines.
Set in 2071, in which humanity no longer lives on Earth due to the destruction of the Moon which, either for the impact of the debris, or for all the natural consequences, has completely razed it to the ground, also decimating the world population , Cowboy Bebop transports us to a world where hyperspace travel is king. Spike and Jet are two cowboys, or rather two bounty hunters, rather skilled who travel from planet to planet in search of known criminals aboard their ship: the Bebop. During the various vicissitudes, masterfully narrated during each episode, a Corgi, Ein, a con artist, Faye, and a teenage hacker, Edward, will also be added to them. What a crew!
Piano Black | Anime Breakfast: Cowboy Bebop
The profit will be small, we assure you. And we are only talking in economic terms for our protagonists, because if we talk about entertainment Cowboy Bebop has reached the Olympus of series not to be missed for any anime fan in the course of a lifetime. Although bounties will hardly be collected, each of the protagonists will be able to come to terms with their past or with character sides that have remained hiddenhidden behind a blanket of vehemence, sensuality or superfine intelligence.
And this is one of the focal points on which all the architecture of Cowboy Bebop stands: Sunrise’s masterful ability to skilfully alternate moments of lightness with facets so mature that it makes you shiver. The sense of loss, the pain of lost love, the awareness of not being able to love anymore, the lack of confidence in one’s own existence, the fear of abandonment and that of growth: all themes that form the background to the episodes and which are remarked on several times, from many points of view.
Pot City | Anime Breakfast: Cowboy Bebop
To be emphasized further is the sense of loneliness and isolation and we’re not just talking about that of space, boundless, dark and distressing. The sense of emptiness that each character feels is internal and alienating from the world around them. Their own personal demons, revealed during the episodes, allow each of them to create an empathic bond with the audience which, if in the first episodes it finds itself exclusively laughing due to the sagacity and irony that characterizes them, will find itself hand more and more involved.
In this context, Spike, Jet and the entire Bebop crew, as well as confronting their past, are led to wonder who they really are, who they belong to. And this is precisely the meaning they seek in Bebop: belonging. Personal fulfilment, which goes beyond the continuous failures in the search for sizes, is something that they can only find in themselves, but by placing their existence side by side with that of their companions.
The journey, in this sense, becomes a metaphor for life itself. The constant movement of the protagonists, driven by circumstances, by their desires or by the simple need to eat something, allows them to grow, to improve and constantly evolve. A universal value and in which anyone curiously looking at the Cowboy Bebop series can be reflected.
Cats on Mars | Anime Breakfast: Cowboy Bebop
What makes Cowboy Bebop universally recognizable is undoubtedly its style, both from an aesthetic point of view and, as already mentioned at the beginning, from a sound point of view. But let’s go step by step. Technically speaking, Bebop consists of a very high level of animation, direction and design. The detail of the backgrounds and the excellent choreography of the action scenes, composed of a mix of martial arts, acrobatics and the classic shootings, give a frenetic, engaging and never banal rhythm and always keeping the viewer’s attention. Toshihiro Kawamoto’s character design is unique, unrepeatable and iconic and is able to give an expressiveness so visceral as to make the characters almost alive.
Finally: the soundtrack. Impossible to forget tracks like “Tank!” and “The Real Folk Blues”, which have become almost generational anthems for all fans who grew up on bread and souls in the late 90s. Yoko Kanno’s mastery juggles with an all-jazz soundtrack, which further embellish the unlikely western/space setting of the series. Unique atmospheres underlined by unique traces, which exponentially increase the emotional impact of a long series of scenes, even and especially the most touching ones.
Forever Broke
In short: why watch Cowboy Bebop 25 years later? Simply because, looking back on it, not a day has really gone by on the Watanabe and Sunrise series. You want mature themes, you want unforgettable characters, you want an author’s soundtrack, Cowboy Bebop represents one of those must-haves, those intrinsic masterpieces that it is impossible to miss if you really want to be a fan. Forget the Live Action and throw yourself directly here: the Bebop awaits you.
If you want to see it for the first time or, why not, re-immerse yourself in the story of Cowboy Bebop, find the original anime series also streaming on Netflix! Let us know what you think of Shinichiro Watanabe’s masterpiece and continue to follow us here on TechGameWorld.com for all the news on the subject of cinema and TV series!
See you, Space Cowboy.
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