Cowboy Bebop was really one of the first "good" animes I watched right after Gurren Lagann. And it truly influenced a generation of anime, as well as people. The story is interesting and involves the pasts of all of the main characters. The music (composed by Yoko Kanno, one of my favorite artists) is amazing and complements the style of anime that the developers wanted to achieve.
The art style and graphics are amazing for the time it was made in. I still love watching the fighting scenes, because they are done so beautifully.
Overall, Cowboy Bebop has many cultural references, as well as literary references that make the series interesting and intelligent at the same time, which few animes today succeed at.
By far the best anime I have ever watched.
