The Classic Space Anime Leaving Netflix Fans Get One Last Chance To Watch
Cowboy Bebop is largely considered a masterpiece, both in anime and in any artistic medium, really. The entire series is currently streaming on Netflix, but it won’t be available for too much longer. If you’ve missed out on this seminal anime or if you want to do a nice autumn rewatch, you’ll have until October 20 to check out on the streamer.
Cowboy Bebop comes from the combined creative genius of director Shinichirō Watanabe, screenwriter Keiko Nobumoto, character designer Toshihiro Kawamoto, mechanical designer Kimitoshi Yamane, and composer Yoko Kanno, who are collectively billed as Hajime Yatate. Each of these creators is vital to the fabric that created one of the best anime series of all time. Everything from the dynamic action scenes to the eclectic score and engaging story combine to make the anime an instant classic that you can rewatch over and over again.
October 30 is the last day to stream the Cowboy Bebop anime on Netflix.
Cowboy Bebop follows the crew of the Bebop, a group of space bounty hunters that includes Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Edward, and their corgi, Ein. The series covers just about every genre you can imagine — westerns, sci-fi, and even horror — in its brief but impactful 26 episodes. While many of the best episodes are episodic in nature (though still build the characters of the main crew), there is also a serialized storyline that delves into Spike’s past and his fierce rivalry with the criminal, Vicious.
While not every episode is a masterpiece, many are, and many come close. In any case, Cowboy Bebop is one of the most consistently high-quality anime series throughout its run, and the storylines keep you engaged throughout. The incredible, timeless animation and the awesome characters make it something that you’ll want to rewatch time and time again.
Also, Cowboy Bebop is one of the rare anime shows where the dub is universally considered at least equal, if not better, than the original Japanese-language version of the series. Credit to the casting department for making sure the English dub of one of the most revered anime series of all time was up to snuff. A particular highlight is Steve Blum as Spike, which many consider to be the definitive voice of the character.
Yoko Kanno and the Seatbelts deserve a separate mention for the music in Cowboy Bebop. Kanno’s genres that she covers in the score are as eclectic as the episodes themselves, with everything from jazz to opera to blues used throughout the series. Kanno’s score is absolutely iconic and absolutely worth listening to, even separate from the series.
Cowboy Bebop is one of the rare anime shows where the dub is universally considered at least equal, if not better, than the original Japanese-language version of the series.
The fact that Cowboy Bebop is so revered and considered close to perfect made it even more baffling when Netflix made the bold decision to make a live-action adaptation of the series. As soon as the live-action adaptation was announced, it was immediately met with heavy skepticism from fans. Despite the cast giving it their best effort and the high cost of production, the live-action adaptation ended up being an absolute flop, and Netflix subsequently canceled it after just one season.
It’s not surprising that the live-action Cowboy Bebop adaptation ended up being a critical failure since it had to fill such big shoes that couldn’t possibly be filled. It’s hard to imagine a live-action adaptation of the series ever working, so Netflix will likely be the last to attempt bringing the series to that particular medium. However, Netflix was able to later redeem itself in the live-action anime genre with the recently released One Piece adaptation, but Cowboy Bebop fans still have a bad taste in their mouths.
The fact that Cowboy Bebop is so revered and considered close to perfect made it even more baffling when Netflix made the bold decision to make a live-action adaptation of the series.
The fact is, Cowboy Bebop is perfect as it is, and there’s really no reason to revisit anything other than the original series and the film Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door, which was released in 2001. It’s not often that a series is near-universally praised and regarded, but Cowboy Bebop is in that rare air. This means it’s well worth streaming as soon as possible if you haven’t already.
As mentioned, Cowboy Bebop will say, “see you, space cowboy,” to Netflix on October 20, which is plenty of time to take down all 26 episodes. While Netflix will still have the live-action adaptation available to stream, that isn’t really much solace to anyone. Check out the original series while you can.
