The storytelling approach to Bebop was unique for its time (and still holds up to this day) as many titles in the 1990s either offered an ongoing plot line or focused on episodic developments with its cast. Here in Bebop though, the storytelling focus is more fragmented as episodes are either devoted to exploring the Bebop crew going after a bounty that are mostly self-contained or dealing with issues related to their past that offer more ongoing development as the series progresses, particularly with Spike and Faye's stories. Each episode helps to explore more to the world of the series or flesh out another major element to one of the Bebop crew's developments. They also have varying moods and themes explored throughout the show's run, offering a mix of film noir, westerns, sci-fi, horror, comedy, action, mind screw and drama throughout the show's run. The show is heavily influenced through Western pop culture, and it shows with its homages and parodies to popular Western media franchises and figures like Batman, Gunsmoke, Alien and Bruce Lee.
Bebop depicts a realistic approach to its sci-fi world, preferring to apply a mix of scientific advances like astral gates and spaceships with settings that closely resemble those found within the modern era unlike the futuristic settings that titles like Akira or Outlaw Star would portray. Planets and moons colonized by humanity look more like modern era cities, each having their own varying issues with criminals, poverty and corruption. In addition, ships like the Bebop and Spike's Swordfish ship are regarded as relics of a past era by those having more modern spaceships via the standards of their time period.
Visually, Cowboy Bebop is easily among one of the 1990s most impressive looking titles. It offers vast settings that have a good deal of detail and take place in a variety of settings that include space, cities, mountains and sewers. Many characters are drawn with lifelike and realistic details, not sporting the typical “big eyed” anime look you would expect of many titles with characters sporting a variety of looks and some being attractive without going overboard with the looks, like Faye and Spike. Animation is consistently fluid throughout the series and applied in a variety of ways throughout Bebop's run that include physical fights, gun fights, spaceship fights, realistic physics applied to floating in space and evading incoming obstacles like gunfire or wreckage. CG animation is employed for some of the show's more elaborate animated sequences like computer screens and space wreckage, but these bits are rendered so well that they fit seamlessly in with the show's regular animation.
The soundtrack to Bebop is just as excellent, taking on the same Western influences that the show's storytelling elements employ as it milks use of Western genres like jazz, blues, country and hard rock to flow along with its presentation. Composed by famous anime composer Yoko Kanno, Bebop is easily among one of anime's best soundtracks that you can listen to, whether watching the series or enjoying just the music itself.
With its high-quality presentation and storytelling that are heavily Western influenced, Cowboy Bebop is easily among the very best offerings that the medium of anime has to offer with its excellent storytelling, visuals, soundtrack and characterization for a TV anime that is easily accessible to both newcomer and veteran alike.
