Set in an era where mankind has colonized space and other planets, the story of Cowboy Bebop is told in the storytelling format in episodic fashion. Many anime fault the standalone episode way due to poor character development and lack thereof for any story. In the case of Bebop, this is done to almost perfection with the viewer able to jump into just about any episode. Sometimes an episode will focus on one character just to develop their character and explain their past. Our main characters are bounty hunters, referred to as “cowboys” in which help out tracking down criminals and such to get their payday. The achievement of this series to gain such a connection between episodes and to the characters themselves is what many other anime have trouble doing in a regular story. This speaks volumes to the high quality Bebop has.
Art and sound hits the viewer instantly when the opening to the series begins, and never lets up. Animation still holds up with some of the best ever. Compared to an anime like Outlaw Star which was running at the time shows volume to how high Bebop set the bar. Sound and music were very unique where a band was literally created for the show. Its’ mixture of rock, blues, and jazz somehow matches the space action, and even the drama the anime sets in between. Not many anime can honestly hold up animation or even for the music to be so memorable. Even the voice acting, whether it’s watched in Japanese or English, is also among the best example set in anime. Mixing in the sound effects ranging from crazy gun fights to the waves hitting rocks in the sea, almost everything in this anime is done to almost perfection.
Considered an anime classic, it is hard to argue why. The only fault that Cowboy Bebop has is the lack of a continuous story, but that’s not what this sci-fi western adventure is. If that isn’t what a fan is into then still give Cowboy Bebop a chance at the very least. There is so much to love and being one of the most watched anime of all time, it’s easy to see why.
