I finished CB not so long ago, and it quickly became my favorite anime so far, and for very good reasons.
Story: 9/10
The storytelling in this anime is one of its crowning achievements. It follows the crew of the Bebop and their struggle to make a living out of bounty hunting, showing a different "case" in almost every episode. There's a criminal on the loose, they go out to get him, at some point things go wrong (no wonder there's a recurrent theme of luck/lack of luck in this show) and after all they've done they either get a very small bounty, waste it all in one day, or get nothing at all. It sounds comical and even repetitive, but trust me, it's not. And that's because CB is a character-driven show - each of this "cases" serve to reveal a thing or two about the main characters, and how they deal with their past, which is, for most of them, pretty tragic. The "main" plot, however, is focused on Spike Spiegel, his forbidden romance, his downfall and his ascension. And it is beautifully done. It doesn't rely on clichés to get an emotional reaction out of you, it does not spoonfeed you with everything you need to know, it follows the "show, don't tell" rule to a tee... BUT exactly because of that it can also be a little slow in the beginning, so you have to be aware of that when you decide to watch it.
Characters: 9/10
The one word I can say to describe the characters in Cowboy Bebop is REAL. They look and feel real. My biggest surprise was Faye Valentine. At first she looks like a shallow woman who's willing to do anything to survive, but as the plot progresses and you get to know her past, you notice how complex she actually is. I was only a little disappointed with the lack of focus given to Ed, who could've been a little more developed, and Julia, who felt to me was just there to be Spike's love interest. Vicious, the main villain, also felt a bit cliché. Apart from that, most of the characters, including Spike, of course, are brilliant and very well developed. And I'm not talking only about the main characters. A lot of the side characters are also very interesting and memorable.
Art: 10/10
This anime was made in 1998, and it has better art than many anime from the 2010's. This is certainly something. The animation is incredibly fluid, the colors are spot on... I really have no complaints AT ALL in this area.
Sound: 10/10
CB's soundtrack is one of its most famous aspects, and rightly so. It's very unique and varied, with songs ranging from jazz to bossa nova (!). Yoko Kanno's score brings personality to a very music-oriented show, making an already memorable scene become even more memorable. I still listen to some of the songs in this soundtrack daily. That's how good it is.
Enjoyment: 9/10
Like I mentioned before, Cowboy Bebop has a rather slow start. But it gets better, and even at its most "boring" moments, it has a level of intrigue that will make you come back to it and eventually enjoy it a lot. It's definitely a very rewatchable show, and it gives a lot of "food for thought" too.
Overall, there's nothing else for me to say about this anime. It's a MASTERPIECE, in every sense of the word, and a definite must-watch for anime fans, and even for those who don't like anime.
Cowboy Bebop is a 10/10!
See You Space Cowboy!
