Anime Origins
If you live in the states like I do. Your first introduction to Cowboy Bebop would most likely be from Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim in the early 2000s. Where It gained high praise. It’s worth noting that this anime has a great English dub. It’s credited with helping introduce anime to the western audience. It has a western-noir in space style. It’s rather mature, specially for the kiddie shows we were used to back in those days.
Cowboy Bebop was Watanabe’s first project as solo director. It’s funny that the project was originally created with the idea of selling spacecraft toys. Watanabe recalled his only instruction was “So long as there’s a spaceship in it, you can do whatever you want.”
The music for Cowboy Bebop was composed by Yoko Kano. The genres she used for its composition were western, opera, and jazz. The sound track is awesome in this anime. In 2006, Cowboy Bebop’s soundtrack was ranked #1 in “Top Ten Anime Themes and Soundtracks of All-Time” .
A Strong Cast
Which brings us to Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop Live Action Remake:
John Cho plays our main character Spike Spiegel also known as “Fearless”.
Mustafa Shakir as Jet Black, Spike’s partner, former ISSP detective, and captain of the Bebop, who has a cybernetic arm. He spent 5 years in prison over a wrongful conviction.
Daniella Pineda as Faye Valentine a bounty hunter who woke up without her memories after being revived from cryo sleep.
Elena Satine as Julia, a femme fatale who is as smart as she is beautiful. She has a complicated past with Spike and Vicious and is the object of both of their affections.
Alex Hassell as Vicious, Spike’s nemesis, a power-hungry gangster from the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate who was Spike’s closest friend before their falling out.
Not the Most Stellar Track Record
Netflix has been hit and miss with with its anime remakes. Death Note…. what did they do to Death Note!? Full metal alchemist wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t good. But truth be told. I love animes . I want these live action remakes to do good. That way Netflix can continue trying. But mostly I want these to “be” good. So I can enjoy watching them. I mean we’ll get Yu Yu Hakusho in 2023! And my all time favorite, One Piece live action to look forward to. If Netflix can get this right . I’ll be in live action anime heaven.
So does all this amount to it being a good adaptation?
Live Action Done Right
Let me start with saying this. They kept the intro from the anime! I say this with tears in my eyes. Because, anyone that has seen cowboy bebop can tell you that song kicks ass! That’s right it is retrodude certified badass! I was so excited when this started playing! Needless to say. This song is a staple in my anime playlist. The series kept the jazzy theme from the anime in a beautiful way. With Yoko Kano returning to grace us with her talents.
Visually its a beautiful looking show. They did not go for the G rating. They throw the F word around like crazy. We get nudity. And of course violence. The space cowboy vibe is there. I specially love the way it was shot like an anime. It lingers on some highly stylized shots. The actions also decent. The action scenes are almost Hollywood grade . Or should I say “anime grade”. The actors playing these characters are likeable . They do personify their anime counter parts.
Is it good? No. It’s great! This is the way anime live action should be made! I’m so excited to see this series worked as good as it did. What else will you be gifting us with Netflix? Whatever it is. I’m ready.
Not All Is Sunshine And Rainbows
While I did enjoy this adaption. Not all is perfect with Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop Live Action Remake. Eds character depiction is cartoony and lazy. While the rest of the cast made an understandable switch in design to live action. Ed kept her original anime design. and it looks awful. Some of the additions to the story line felt unnecessary and made the series feel slow at times.
