Cowboy Bebop

—by Keith Rhee

A look at the current anime series on TV shows little originality, with remakes of old shows such as LODOSS, NUKU-NUKU, and SILENT MÖBIUS comprising a good chunk of the lineup and other average shows taking up the rest. This is not to say that remakes are bad per se—SILENT MÖBIUS is actually enjoyable—but, more often than not, such shows tend to rehash the old formula while offering little that is new.
Amidst the run-of-the-mill crop of shows this season, one gem manages to shine through with its flavor and excellent production values. The name of the show is COWBOY BEBOP, and it is being produced by an all-star cast whose credits include shows such as GUNDAM 0083, MACROSS PLUS, and the excellent ESCAFLOWNE. Taking place in a future where the population of Earth has migrated into space, the story deals with the exploits of the ship Bebop and its bounty hunter crew as they take on various assignments in a world rife with crime and opportunities. The show is episodic in nature, meaning there is no recurring plot, but each of the thirty minute episodes are hilarious and a joy to watch. In fact, many aspects of the show are rather reminiscent of the old LUPIN III TV series in its look and feel.
The first broadcast episode begins with Spike Spiegel and Jet Black taking the mercenary ship Bebop to a planet in pursuit of a certain Abdul Hakim, who is wanted for the theft of an experiment sample from a laboratory. Imagine Spike's surprise when the much-coveted lab sample turns out to be a precocious Welsh corgi! Primarily interested in the bounty on Hakim's head, Spike is led on a wild-goose chase (or is that a wild-dog chase?) around town, only to lose Hakim to the police and end up with the corgi instead (much to the dismay of Spike, who does not seem to particularly like the dog). Adopting the crew of the Bebop as his new owners (rather than the other way around), the corgi becomes the mascot of the show. The viewer soon learns that there is more to this canine than meets the eye, as it was genetically engineered to be extremely intelligent.
The most notable aspect of the show is its style. On one hand, there is the eclectic and stylized jazz-inspired soundtrack. Composed by music prodigy Kanno Yoko, the horn blasts, bongo drums, and general ambience of the music are a much-welcome change from all the sugary jpop tunes of most anime features. On the other hand, there are the sharp and nicely-animated visuals, with well-blended CG, stylized characters and unique mechanical direction. The mother ship and the individual aircraft of the Bebop crew are not of the shiny, clean-cut variety; in fact, they look almost retro in look and feel. Imagine the look and feel of ESCAFLOWNE's mecha design transferred to futuristic aircraft and you get the idea—not surprising as both shows share the same mecha designer.
The high production values of COWBOY BEBOP are best explained by the fact that this is essentially an OVA that just so happens to be broadcast on TV. There is a catch to this, however: only 13 of the 26 episodes will be broadcast on TV, with the first broadcast episode actually being the second episode of the series. Viewers who want the other 13 episodes will have to purchase them on laserdisc. Fans who like the TV eps will no doubt rush out to grab the rest, however, and the quality of the story and the animation most definitely warrants the purchase of the laserdiscs.
Despite the lack of a recurring plotline, this viewer has not been this excited about anime since the likes of EVANGELION and ESCAFLOWNE. For those feeling jaded by watching the same routine being rehashed over and over, COWBOY BEBOP may prove to be just different and entertaining enough to captivate your interest. It is certainly one of the more interesting and worthwhile shows this season.