Why do people say Cowboy Bebop is awesome?

[emeraldrafael]

Thats just it. you're five episodes in.

First off, you have to see it through the audience's view. When this came out, alot of us (i'm goign to say this is g4's demographic of 18-34), were either in our preteens, teens, or young/mid 20s. It was an edgy dark show for the time, full of plot, story, violence, action. It was the classic Cowboy tale, but in space. it was a space opera in a way.

Besides that, almost every episode is based of some kinda music, and that in itself was inventive.

Also, it was just good old fashioned fun. It knew its audience, but it never took itself seriously. Each episode could have been a one show special (cept the last two since the were part one and part two, but even then that could be easily made intoa cool one hour for tv special). Its basically nostalgia (like anything else in life) that makes it seem great now, but its also a show that aged well.

 

[Nannernade]

One word and one word only, Ed.

 

[The Deadpool]

SPOILERS

spikes falling out of a church window in the Sympathy for the Devil episode.

Ballad of Fallen Angels. Sympathy for the Devil is the NEXT episode (one he hasn't seen). And while not the ONLY source of info on Spike, Julia and Vicious (there ARE two other two-parter episodes that deal with it too), it IS a major source.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

It is good. It's not my best anime, but it is awesome.

But compared to Outlaw Star, I think Bebop could learn several tips.

 

[Marowit]

Please, watch the whole series, and then come back and if you still feel the same way then so be it. 5 Episodes in...You have barely scratched the surface of the characters and their back-stories.

Personally, I love it cause each character is so well defined, developed, and followed through upon. I am an unabashed Cowboy Bebop fanboy, so I am probably not that great at being objective towards it, but please watch it all and then come back and repost.

 

[Croaker42]

I am sure someone has said it in these three pages of text, but just wait. Keep watching and you will start to see the indepth story and then the end hits you.

Oh yes I do so love beebop

I am going to make a suggestion after you finish that, and if you feel like a gritty gun happy anime, check out Black Lagoon.

 

[NotSoNimble]

Because it was "everyones first anime"

What does that mean?

 

[BlumiereBleck]

Because it was "everyones first anime"

What does that mean?

It means exactly what it says. Everyone only cares about it because it was probably the first anime they ever saw

 

[NotSoNimble]

Because it was "everyones first anime"

What does that mean?

It means exactly what it says. Everyone only cares about it because it was probably the first anime they ever saw

Ouch, that sounds shallow for those people. I figured most had watched Dragonball (or Z) first.

 

[The Deadpool]

Yeah, not buying the first anime thing... Cowboy BeBop didn't even make my first ten...

 

[BlumiereBleck]

Because it was "everyones first anime"

What does that mean?

It means exactly what it says. Everyone only cares about it because it was probably the first anime they ever saw

Ouch, that sounds shallow for those people. I figured most had watched Dragonball (or Z) first.

That too. Dragon Ball Z turned a generation of kids on to metal.

 

[300lb. Samoan]

I think most people (such as myself) get way into it because it is a Japanese production that proudly indulges Western tropes almost exclusively, which makes it much more accessible than the average anime. Also features an amazing soundtrack that fuses jazz, blues and tradition Japanese music in wonderful ways. Then you factor in the Tarantino-esque style and sheer hipness of the source material - there's plenty for hipster douches to like as well as anime-avids and otherwise-disinterested-parties (that'd be me).

Cowboy Bebop is the only anime that I've watched end-to-end (besides FlCl, which is only 6 episodes and which is wonderful for TOTALLY different reasons.) I really want to go rent it, I only have it in Japanese V.O. w/ sub-titles and it REALLY IS NOT meant to be watched that way. The dialogue... so... awkward...

 

[EHKOS]

What is the deal with Toys in the Attic anyways? I didn't understand the ending.

 

[Eggsnham]

Its the only anime I think is watchable. According to wikipedia it has almost universal acclaim. Starwars wasn't that great but look how it is recieved. How do you get on probation. Ive been trying but so far no luck.

How to get probated:

Make a post that doesn't fit uniformly with the mods' mysterious and sometimes ridiculous standards. I joke, I joke.

But really, just go against the forum rules; make personal attacks, blank or "low content posts" etc.

I don't see why one would want to though...

OT: I've only ever seen one episode of Cowboy Bebop, and that was a long time ago. But I did like it.

 

[Frybird]

With 5 Episodes in, i'd just say watch the rest and then you hopefully know.

That said, also check out the movie. While it is just "a very long episode", it's still pretty great in a Summer Blockbuster way.

Oh, and it has more awesome music.

 

[TheLaofKazi]

Diversity, bro.

Bebop is one of those rare finds that stretches all across the emotional spectrum. Every episode is, literally, russian roulette. It could be largely comical (Mushroom Samba,) disturbingly dark (Pierrot Le Fou,) or even uncomfortably isolating (Toys in the Attic,) and it plays off of these so well.

Maybe it's the fact that it feels like a long, arduous odyssey rather than just a series of events slapped together that draws people into it.

I know I'm one of 'em.

This. The show gets way better later on, the underlying, unifying plot develops more, and you get to know the character's back stories. Keep going man, the next episode is one of my favorites.

But my favorite part of the show are the emotional themes it explores. It's not just space-cowboy action and crime. When I think back on that show, so many feelings are brought back, a lot of the moments in the show for have an existential feel to it. Under all the action, the crime, the comedy, the love stories, there's just four people on a ship trying to escape loneliness and starvation.

With most great things, it isn't going to provide instant-gratification. It has to build, it has to get you attached to the characters before it can do anything significant. Episode 18, "Speak like a Child" hit me particularly hard. And I remember watching "Pierrot le Fou" long ago before I decided to watch the entire series, and the whole episodes evokes such a disturbing, but dream-like feel. I could go on for pretty much every episode.

 

[The Deadpool]

What is the deal with Toys in the Attic anyways? I didn't understand the ending.

Not one of the strongest episodes. It really has no point... Just meant to be weird and fun.

There's a bit of a homage to Alien and those kind of monster movies going on, kind of a gag with the whole "secret monster you don't get to see but looks totally badass for half a second" except for the, y'know, punchline... But otherwise, not much going on.

 

[Ultra_Caboose]

To Narrow down my problem a bit more, here it is. I don't like how each episode is a separate story. I find that the best part of anime is that they can tell a story better then a movie because they can flesh things out, and not drag on for hundreds of episodes with no real story with an end like most TV shows.

Though some anime are like this, namely the most popular like Naruto, Dbz, Bleach. etc
I've never actually gotten into any of them except i got into Naruto for about 40 episodes and gave up because it was endless patting.

I think the pacing on Bebop is quite nice. Now that I think about it, only a few episodes do relate to the Spike's central story line, but the events happen over time. Not everything is going to happen at once, and those events aren't the only thing going on in the lives of these characters.

Keep watching. It's a show that gets better the more you watch it, and don't make any final judgements until you see the ending.

 

[chinangel]

Because it was "everyones first anime"

Mine was Sailor Moon o.o

anyways, OT: It's considered a great anime because of how unpredictable it is.

 

[The Deadpool]

With most great things, it isn't going to provide instant-gratification. It has to build, it has to get you attached to the characters before it can do anything significant. Episode 18, "Speak like a Child" hit me particularly hard.

Speak Like a Child and Hard Luck Woman are probably two of my favorite episodes. The scene with Call Me, Call Me on Hard Luck Woman is particularly gut-wrenching to me. Hell, it's what made me look up Steve Conte...

I'm an odd duck. I'm a big fan of Jupiter Jazz. The relationship between Spike and Jet is one of the most realistic "men who aren't in touch with their feelings" kind of bonding I've ever seen... Also, Waltz for Venus is friggin awesome. Not the most popular of episodes, but I dig...