Cowboy Bebop. It certainly doesn’t sound very appetizing, does it? I know when I was first referred to the anime series I was apprehensive; I figured it was another dumb comedy series, with nothing to offer but a few stale laughs.

Boy, was I wrong.

Cowboy Bebop contains some of the best artwork and animation I’ve ever seen in an anime series, coupled with an extraordinary cast of characters and some of the most deep, involving character development shown in a series. The focal point of the series is the adventures (and sometimes misadventures) of bounty hunters Jet Black and Spike Spiegel as they rocket across space in their ship, the Cowboy Bebop. Though each of the twenty-six episodes has a separate plot (aside from two “movies”, which are two episodes each) and though there’s always something new, the character development is something that is gradual and linked throughout the series. As new, memorable characters are added, it gets even more interesting. By the end, we have the sexy gambler Faye Valentine, a young female super hacker named Ed, and a data dog named Ein, who is smarter than half the population of America. These people band together to make a few decent bucks for bringing in the criminals, the pieces of their past falling into place as they bag the baddies. The series finale is a masterpiece, closing the Cowboy Bebop universe with more style and finesse than most big-budget Hollywood movies.

Throughout the course of the series, the mysterious pasts of the characters are slowly revealed, piece by tantalizing piece.	Jet may not win many bishounen points, but his face still shows a lot of "character."

The interesting plots to each episode vary; some are humorous episodes, such as “Mushroom Samba”, where the crew of the Bebop crashes on a planet and end up eating hallucinogenic mushrooms to avoid starvation. Other episodes are much more serious, such as those dealing with the dark past of Spike Spiegel. Overall, the series has everything you could ask for in a plot: a combination of humor, style, and wit with a serious, in depth approach. Shinichiro Watanabe and Keiko Nobumuto have done an outstanding job with the directing and screenplay writing.

Furthermore, though each episode may bring a new adventure, the characters are developed over time, and this deep development is what really made me love the series. The characters seem so real, so alive. Their emotions and reactions to each situation and the confrontations that challenge their character as well as their past brings out the depths of their souls- and you get to see it all. They’re human. With distinct personalities, they’re almost real. Or maybe I’m just too into this? ;)

What really helps the characters is the great dubbing that Cowboy Bebop has. Honestly, this has to be the best dubbing I’ve heard in any anime. It’s fluid English, and it’s close to the subtitling. I actually prefer the dubbing to the subtitles. The Japanese voice acting is very good; though I think Faye Valentine’s Japanese voice was a little…off, it was still very good overall. The voices for the English fit each character very well; it’s hard to imagine them sounding any other way after hearing such a good job!

The artwork and visuals in Bebop are top notch. With the impeccable, unforgettable character designs by Toshihiro Kawamoto and the color coordination of Shihoko Nakayama, Cowboy Bebop serves up some of the most beautiful eye candy. The animation is top notch, and what really accents the characters is the great detail given to the locales and backdrops. The coloring is perfect; the blend of colors is smooth and lush with life. There are no dull shades or poor shoddy frames due to laziness. It’s design prowess!

The music is another part of Bebop’s perfection. Famed composer Yoko Kanno delivers some of the most original and fitting music for the series. From the jazz-styled intro theme “Tank!” to the rock, folk, and blues ending theme “Real Folk Blues”, you’ll hear a variety of musical styles meshed together in a magical cohesion only Kanno could do. The music stays very ambient some times, while rising up to set the scene at others. Any way you look at it, the music is a key part to the series. The original flavor it gives is rarely heard, and the meshes of music form a style that feels and sounds like Bebop.

Cowboy Bebop was a pleasant surprise and now claims the title of the best anime I’ve ever seen. The series is filled with such originality and human emotion that it became an instant classic. The style is one of a kind, and the fact it offers a little bit of everything without mediocrity is really amazing. Give Cowboy Bebop a try. You won’t be sorry.

Distributor: Bandai
Creator: Sunrise
Released: 1998

Plot: A+
Character Design: A+
Animation Quality: A+
Music: A+
Overall: A+