“I was watching a dream I could never wake up from. Before I knew it, the dream was over.”
Cowboy Bepop is not for everyone, and I sincerely mean that. The reason why it is regarded as a cult classic amongst the diehard fans of the genre is an enigma in itself. A 90’s anime boasting gunslinging space cowboys and thrilling fight sequences seems like the tools used to create a decent anime. However, chief director Shinichirō Watanabe utilised these staples of the shonen genre in order to create something so needlessly melancholic that not only does it shatter our perceptions of the suave protagonists we wish to be, but the very nature of life itself.
Plot 8/10
Mellow and carefree Spike Spiegel and his boisterous and pragmatic counterpart, Jet Black, try to make a living by chasing bounties across the galaxy in the year 2071 aboard their ship, the Bepop. As they travel, they reluctantly welcome others aboard who share more in common than they think.
Cowboy Bepop is fairly episodic in nature, each episode there’s a new bounty to collect and on the surface, there seems to be no overarching plot. The crew aboard the ship are merely used as vessels by Mr Watanabe in order to give us a glimpse into a minor character’s life and help them achieve their goal. Whilst this is enjoyable to watch, the overall theme of the show is one of despair, episode after episode, a relentless barrage of excessive heartache as another minor character loses something they once cherished, only to be forgotten after the credits roll. Even the crew themselves are not exempt from this grief, Mr Watanabe reminds us that no one can escape this harsh reality as every now and again he turns his focus to the very past the space cowboys try so hard to suppress.
Characters 9/10
The entire Bepop crew is filled with unique characters that complement each other quite well. For every calculated measure there is a spontaneous decision, for every suave action there is an uproar of laughter. It’s fun watching their interactions and how each of them behave in a certain situation. However, beyond that each member has a past life that calls out to them, longing for them to return in order to complete their story. Reminders are placed intermittently throughout the anime simply to showcase that they cannot run away without losing something, and whether they answer the call or not… well that’s for you to find out.
The supporting characters within this anime are an excellent means of a plot device for each episode, where all of them have been uniquely created with their own wants and desires. I found most episodes enjoyable and discovered that the key to gauging how good an episode is, is by how distinctive each supporting character’s goals are. Episode “Pierrot Le Fou” comes to mind.
Art and Sound 9/10
Being a late 90’s anime, Cowboy Bepop’s art style is much different to what you’re probably used to, but it holds up well to this day. The anime features a beautiful array of different planets across the galaxy with an imaginative display of how each society functions. Metropolitan planets are teeming with corporations whilst barren planets are left for those who are only focused on surviving. The imagery within the anime itself is very strong, each episode uses a different gradient scheme and highlights objects that make their appearances throughout the entire show and serve as aforementioned reminders to the characters.
The Bepop type of jazz, identifiable by its complex harmony and rhythms, is a heavy influence for this anime. Evidently seen in the spaceship’s name, episode’s titles, and most importantly, the music. Bepop is littered throughout the soundtrack and it is an amazing experience to listen to it both within the context of the anime and by itself. The soundtrack is full of energy lending to the intense fights scenes, whilst also toning itself back when required during a sombre moment.
Final Remarks
Cowboy Bepop is by far an excellent anime, full of vibrant sceneries and exciting action scenes with the unique flair the crew carries. But underneath that is what turns a decent anime into, well… a cult classic. The lasting impression that sets Cowboy Bepop apart leaves is sad and frankly, uncalled for. The thought that upsets the natural progression of shonen animes in order to address the bleakness of life and how…
“Whatever happens, happens.”
