Cowboy Bebop

[Soviet Heavy]

So, I finally finished the series. I started watching it around two years ago, but I only just got to the end at last.

I am satisfied. Just about everything that was needed was there, and it was done perfectly. I wasn't thinking of it as a Sci-Fi series, or a drama, or as X meets Y in space. All I saw was Cowboy Bebop.

It's very rare that I can say that about something, that it defies conventions and genres to become something truly its own, but that's what happened. I can look at a show like Code Geass and say "Political Intrigue meets Mecha" or a show like Berserk and say "Grimdark Medieval Fantasy." Bebop just transcends genres, and I can't put a name on it.

I don't know why I'm writing this, but I can definitely see why it is held up as a classic.

EDIT. And I have now watched Knockin' On Heaven's Door as well, thus completing the saga. Imma go watch it from the beginning again so I catch all the references. The Three Old Men were off to sink the Bismark 150 years too late!

And damn, they really pulled out the stops for the intro animation.
That's some seriously impressive rotoscoping.

EDIT EDIT.
Does anyone think that Inspector Gadget looks like Spike with a hat?

 

[Kolby Jack]

Eh, personally I like Samurai Champloo better. If only because it's much funnier and has a happy ending, which I like. But Watanabe certainly has a talent for multi-layered, provocative stories.

 

[Cyael]

I adore Cowboy Bebop for its music...I can't get enough Yoko Kanno

Looking back I can always remember watching it with fondness but I'm afraid of going back & watching too closely...if you know what i mean

 

[Cyael]

Eh, personally I like Samurai Champloo better.

Ah, yet another Anime i adore for its muuuuusic. Nujabes <3

 

[Helmholtz Watson]

So, I finally finished the series. I started watching it around two years ago, but I only just got to the end at last.

I am satisfied. Just about everything that was needed was there, and it was done perfectly. I wasn't thinking of it as a Sci-Fi series, or a drama, or as X meets Y in space. All I saw was Cowboy Bebop.

It's very rare that I can say that about something, that it defies conventions and genres to become something truly its own, but that's what happened. I can look at a show like Code Geass and say "Political Intrigue meets Mecha" or a show like Berserk and say "Grimdark Medieval Fantasy." Bebop just transcends genres, and I can't put a name on it.

I don't know why I'm writing this, but I can definitely see why it is held up as a classic.

As some one who doesn't usually like anime, Cowboy Bebop is one of my favorites

 

[FireAza]

Bebop just transcends genres, and I can't put a name on it.

As the show itself put it:

The work, which becomes a new genre itself, will be called... Cowboy Bebop

 

[SckizoBoy]

Cowboy Bebop

Now go watch the movie Knockin' on Heaven's Door... I prefer it over the series (it's set some time in the middle-ish of the series and has Ed being more... well, 'Ed' if you get what I mean...)

 

[Teoes]

Looking back I can always remember watching it with fondness but I'm afraid of going back & watching too closely...if you know what i mean

On the contrary, I enjoyed it more the second time. It wasn't such a delightful surprise but it was still sublime. I was already attached to the characters and the setting, which gave me a better appreciation of all the little nuances. Definitely recommended, especially if it has been a long time since the last viewing.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Cowboy Bebop

Now go watch the movie Knockin' on Heaven's Door... I prefer it over the series (it's set some time in the middle-ish of the series and has Ed being more... well, 'Ed' if you get what I mean...)

I did see that. Interesting that it is Jennifer Hale's only anime role. Quite a sexy movie, even if it took its time. But then the show always had a sense of being laid back, so the slower pace of the film worked to its advantage.

And the three old men flying their crop duster was hilarious.

 

[SckizoBoy]

I did see that. Interesting that it is Jennifer Hale's only anime role. Quite a sexy movie, even if it took its time. But then the show always had a sense of being laid back, so the slower pace of the film worked to its advantage.

Really?! She was Electra?! Though I'm a little reluctant to watch the dub... >_>

Still, I rewatch it these days mostly for the dogfight near the end...

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I did see that. Interesting that it is Jennifer Hale's only anime role. Quite a sexy movie, even if it took its time. But then the show always had a sense of being laid back, so the slower pace of the film worked to its advantage.

Really?! She was Electra?! Though I'm a little reluctant to watch the dub... >_>

Still, I rewatch it these days mostly for the dogfight near the end...

Seriously, watch the dub. I don't care what the hell elitist sub-obsessors say, the dub is bloody fantastic.

 

[Infernai]

Cowboy Bebop and i have a funny history: I, at first, saw a picture of Spike and simply started thinking he looked rediculous and that there was no way i could take him or the series seriously.

And, strangely enough, once i sat down and watched it....I freaking loved it, Spike and every other character. Oddly enough, i actually saw alot of myself in Spike in some aspects of personality and he's since risen into the top five of my favorite anime characters. Plus, soundtrack was seventy-five flavors of awesome.

All in all, we had our rocky start but in the end once i actually sat down and watched it, i absolutely adored everything about it from beginning to end. In short, it was Perfect....It was Cowboy Bebop.

Cowboy Bebop

Now go watch the movie Knockin' on Heaven's Door... I prefer it over the series (it's set some time in the middle-ish of the series and has Ed being more... well, 'Ed' if you get what I mean...)

Here's the thing though..i thought everyone hated that film? I mean, i honestly thought it was an awesome film but whenever i've heard it brought up by some Bebop fans they seem to speak of it only with contempt for some reason. Eh, opinions are opinions i guess..

I did see that. Interesting that it is Jennifer Hale's only anime role. Quite a sexy movie, even if it took its time. But then the show always had a sense of being laid back, so the slower pace of the film worked to its advantage.

Really?! She was Electra?! Though I'm a little reluctant to watch the dub... >_>

Still, I rewatch it these days mostly for the dogfight near the end...

Seriously, watch the dub. I don't care what the hell elitist sub-obsessors say, the dub is bloody fantastic.

I'm in agreement. While i do admit to liking Subs more, there are just some cases where the English Dub nails it so perfectly it's better then the Sub. Cowboy Bebop was one such time the Dub Nailed it.

 

[VladG]

Liked Samurai Champloo better (one of the two anime series I actually liked), though I must say I only watched some 3 episodes. I do want to give it another chance someday.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Here's the thing though..i thought everyone hated that film? I mean, i honestly thought it was an awesome film but whenever i've heard it brought up by some Bebop fans they seem to speak of it only with contempt for some reason. Eh, opinions are opinions i guess..

I can see why people might dislike it. It plays like an extended two part episode with better animation. But I kinda liked that. The slow pace gave more time for the characters to interact with each other, even if the plot was sloooow.

And it had some fantastic music as well.

 

[SckizoBoy]

Here's the thing though..i thought everyone hated that film? I mean, i honestly thought it was an awesome film but whenever i've heard it brought up by some Bebop fans they seem to speak of it only with contempt for some reason. Eh, opinions are opinions i guess...

See, I don't know that many people who've watched the film, but all of them that did loved it. So, depends who you ask, I guess. It certainly has a crisper look to it than the series and a couple of aesthetic differences, but overall, brilliant piece of animated theatre, where the series has a rather candid, rugged, borderline indescribable... thing... to it.

... and I'll look into the dub... (after I've marathoned a whole load of Chinese films that I bought earlier this week... >_> ... <_< ...)

 

[standokan]

Yeah I agree, I'm thinking of watching it whole a second time, this time with proper video quality.

 

[Blunderboy]

So, I finally finished the series. I started watching it around two years ago, but I only just got to the end at last.

I am satisfied. Just about everything that was needed was there, and it was done perfectly. I wasn't thinking of it as a Sci-Fi series, or a drama, or as X meets Y in space. All I saw was Cowboy Bebop.

It's very rare that I can say that about something, that it defies conventions and genres to become something truly its own, but that's what happened. I can look at a show like Code Geass and say "Political Intrigue meets Mecha" or a show like Berserk and say "Grimdark Medieval Fantasy." Bebop just transcends genres, and I can't put a name on it.

I don't know why I'm writing this, but I can definitely see why it is held up as a classic.

As some one who doesn't usually like anime, Cowboy Bebop is one of my favorites

You stole my exact words.
Cowboy Bebop is the reason I gave other animes a chance.

 

[[Kira Must Die]]

I really enjoyed the series, but I didn't love it like almost everyone who've seen it. Part of it being that I seen it when it first aired on Adult Swim, and I was around 9 or 10 at the time. Even though at the time I was also watching shows like Fullmetal Alchemist, FLCL, Trigun, etc, I just couldn't get that into Cowboy Bebop. It wasn't because I thought it was a bad show, but it seemed like a show I wasn't quite ready for. Of course, since then I've already seen the majority of the show and spoilers, so it kinda took away all the surprises and suspense when I finally decided to sit down and watch it from start to finish. While that keeps me from loving the series, it only slightly ruined my experience with the show, as I still ended up really liking it.

As for the movie, I only seen small snip-its as a kid, and I had just seen it recently, and I absolutely loved it. I honestly can't see why people would hate it, since I thought it was perfect, but then again that's just me.

 

[Crenelate]

Even though I'd consider myself an anime fan for about 7 years now, I've only just watched cowboy Bebop (finished about 2 days ago). I cried and cried all night. I didn't realise how attached I was getting to the show all the way through, then as it reached the end I had this ominous feeling it wasn't going to be happy (I resisted spoiling it for myself). I'm a weepy person but I'm usually ok with animated stuff.

Bebop just transcends genres, and I can't put a name on it.

As the show itself put it:

The work, which becomes a new genre itself, will be called... Cowboy Bebop

I got really wasted one night and watched a couple of eps (had to rewatch them because I could not remember a thing), and the next morning I found a scribbled note on the living room floor which I could not read. It was only when I watched the episodes again I realised it was that quote. Clearly it meant something to me in my drunken stupor.

 

[ZehMadScientist]

Ah... Cowboy Bebop. Those were the days... A true masterpiece, indeed. Not much else to say.

Slightly off-topic here, but Shinichiro Watanabe and Yoko Kanno are once again teaming up for a new series slated for the this years' spring season, called Sakamichi no Apollon. [http://myanimelist.net/anime/12531/Sakamichi_no_Apollon/characters]... A drama.