Approaching 15 years since first broadcast, Bebop's art still rivals the best of current productions. Fully CG backgrounds, when used, are largely well integrated into the show's artistry. To be fair, of course, there are a few places where you can see the infancy of the medium when comparing it to Shingeki no Kyojin or Psycho Pass, but you have to be looking to find it. The CG never detracts from the story.
Of course, what truly brings Cowboy Bebop together is its music. Yoko Kanno's instrumentation are superb - and they fit so seamlessly into the story you feel almost as if the scenes were designed for the music rather than the usual music designed for scenes. A Jazz fan myself, I couldn't be happier with the score, though you needn't have studied Jazz to enjoy the music.
At heart, this is a character driven show, but don't let that fool you into thinking there isn't an overarching story. Some episodes are more obviously connected with the backbone, while others only lightly touch upon it. Yet every episode contributes to a story that truly deserves its place among the masterpieces of anime, and indeed of all cinema.
Those who haven't seen it yet, or who stopped within a few episodes wondering what the hype is about, I suggest you ride the show out. While I can't say you'll think the same way I do by the end, I'm confident you'll understand how compelling the story is by the time you finish. Some shows don't deserve the hype they get. Cowboy Bebop proves, even at 15 years old, that not all hype is undeserved.
