Perhaps what can best summarize Cowboy Bebop is one big free style jam session. In Cowboy Bebop, film noir, gangster flick, slapstick, martial arts, thriller, western, horror, screwball comedy, all see at least one episode with heavy influence from said genre. Primarily the biggest of these influences would be film noir and screwball comedy with a dose of action. This may sound like a mess, but it means that Cowboy Bebop gives us something different and wonderful each episode. Of course, this is just part of the show, the music is another element that MUST be talked about. Again, a jam session, the music cherry picks the best of music styles, bringing unique sounds to each episode, all supervised by the eminent composer Yoko Kanno(this was the first Television soundtrack I bought.) What can I say but, WOW. You don't know how good it is until you listen to it on its own. Visually the show has a great flair, terrific animation, and excellent directing that sometimes is evocative of old film noir. They smoke cigarettes, femme fatales, witty banter, tragic tales, a look reminiscent of 1940's America, almost every episode has a gun being fired... how could I not mention film noir?? !!
Wait! I haven't even written about the concept yet. It's 2071, Earth is a wasteland after an accident with the moon, and humanity has moved to such places as Venus, Mars, Io, Ganymede, and the asteroids. Despite this, humanity still goes through the same struggles we do today, gangs, drug use, terrorism, wars, and economic woes. Spike Spiegel is a bounty hunter with a dark past, who uses his martial arts and marksmanship to bring in bounty heads. Together with the pilot and owner of their ship the Bebop, (former police officer)Jet Black, they travel around the solar system in search of the next bounty. Eventually they are joined by the super smart pooch Ein, femme fatale Faye Valentine, and hacker wiz kid Edward.
I personally prefer the English Dub of Cowboy Bebop, but whatever floats your boat. Great animation, Superb soundtrack, good writing, fantastic direction, but most importantly, style! Not your Saturday morning cartoon fare(this aired at midnight in Japan,) Cowboy Bebop is an anime for adults, and well recommended for animation or film noir lovers.
Wait! I haven't even written about the concept yet. It's 2071, Earth is a wasteland after an accident with the moon, and humanity has moved to such places as Venus, Mars, Io, Ganymede, and the asteroids. Despite this, humanity still goes through the same struggles we do today, gangs, drug use, terrorism, wars, and economic woes. Spike Spiegel is a bounty hunter with a dark past, who uses his martial arts and marksmanship to bring in bounty heads. Together with the pilot and owner of their ship the Bebop, (former police officer)Jet Black, they travel around the solar system in search of the next bounty. Eventually they are joined by the super smart pooch Ein, femme fatale Faye Valentine, and hacker wiz kid Edward.
I personally prefer the English Dub of Cowboy Bebop, but whatever floats your boat. Great animation, Superb soundtrack, good writing, fantastic direction, but most importantly, style! Not your Saturday morning cartoon fare(this aired at midnight in Japan,) Cowboy Bebop is an anime for adults, and well recommended for animation or film noir lovers.