Copyright © 1998 Sunrise, Inc.

When EX reviewed CowBe (don't you just love how the Japanese abbreviate?) back in issue 3.4, the reviewer praised the show's atmosphere and production of the series and mentioned that it was a work which "manages to shine through with its flavor and excellent production values." This was back when only 12 of the 26 episodes produced aired on TV Tokyo. (Before you shout "They showed 13 episodes!" bear in mind that the thirteenth TV episode, Yoseatsume Blues, was a collage of footage from the 12 shown on TV and glimpses of what was to come.) The other 14 episodes were promised to be released on LD (among other media) at a future date. Two months after the airing of the last TV episode, Bandai Visual offered CowBe fans a preview of what was to come with the Session 0 tape/DVD. Two more months passed, and the series restarted on the satellite channel WOWOW. And now, for all the fans who have no access to Japanese satellite programming, CowBe makes its long-anticipated trip home via VHS, LD, and DVD.
The "1st Session" covers the first three episodes of the 26-episode series. The first episode on the LD, Asteroid Blues, is the "real" first episode of the series (it was broadcast only via satellite; the first TV episode is the second episode, Stray Dog Strut). While many fans speculated that this first episode would be more of an "introduction" or "meet the characters" episode of sorts, the staff proved these speculations wrong.
Asteroid Blues starts out with Jet telling Spike about their next target, Asimov Solensan, as Spike sortees in the Swordfish II down to "Tijuana" to find Asimov. Meanwhile, Asimov is trying to sell off his stash of the drug Bloody Eye before its creators can kill him to get the drug back. When Spike's jet runs out of fuel and lands at a fueling station, Spike manages to bump into Asimov and his female sidekick Katerina. Asimov manages to gain the upper hand and escape, but not for long, as Spike disguises himself as a potential buyer of the drug. During Asimov's second fight with Spike, men from the group that created the drug arrive, and the battle evolves into a dogfight. As Asimov pilots the plane while using more Bloody Eye, a sense of resignation fills Katerina. Spike watches as the long trip for Asimov and Katerina comes to a bitter end.
If your only copy of the show is an n-th gen tape copy of the "original" TV series, you can throw that away now (well, maybe excepting Yoseatsume Blues). This LD finally does justice to the high production values of the show! The colors are bright, vivid, and the CG sharper and crisper than ever (but still well-blended with the cel work overall). The animation is smooth and as nice as you remember it. The audio track keeps on grooving, too!
The short (one two-sided sheet) liner notes included with the LD contain a brief interview with the series director, Watanabe Shinichiro. There's also a short description of the series, a small profile of Spike, and a short essay. For all the Japanese-illiterate, the back cover has the series description and Spike's profile, both from the liner notes, in normal English (and normal English it is—they hired a translator!).
If you loved watching the TV series, you'll love watching it without commercials now! And if you haven't seen it before, you are in for a real treat. Oh, and don't worry if you don't know too much Japanese: if you can wait a few more months, Anime Village will start selling translated versions of COWBOY BEBOP.

Bandai Visual
1LD, CLV, 75 minutes
Vol 1 (first of 9 discs)
BELL-1301
¥5800
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