Tag: Cowboy Bebop

  • Netflix Canceled ‘Cowboy Bebop’ After One Season

    Netflix Canceled ‘Cowboy Bebop’ After One Season

    Well, this is quite a shocking reveal. It seems that Netflix has decided they aren’t moving forward with their latest Anime adaptation, Cowboy Bebop. The first project together with Tomorrow Studio saw the first attempt at adapting one of the most iconic Anime series in live-action. While it was met with a mixed reception, the numbers we’re looking good during its first week. The Hollywood Reporter reports that while it managed to garner 74 million hours viewed, it did plummet by 59% not too long after.

    Given their perchance on streaming length over critical reception, it may have been one of the key factors in its cancelation. They seem to balance viewership with cost, as around 60% of shows make it to a second season. For a long time, there was a running joke that Netflix would renew anything, but as they continue to grow, so does their audience analysis. These numbers highlight that their benchmarks are continuing to grow.

    It’s strange though to see how strong the social media push was for the show, but it looks like it ended up being an underdog after all. The series has taken a challenging route by trying to appease mainstream audiences and streamlining what some might consider being the “holy grail” of Anime. It’s uncertain what it means for the future of Tomorrow Studios’ as they continue work on their upcoming One Piece series.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×09 “Blue Crow Waltz”

    REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×09 “Blue Crow Waltz”

    What is it with Western shows and their pre-season finale flashback episodes? It’s a funny trend that continues in Cowboy Bebop. Yet, in a way, the timing is perfect as Spike’s fight with LeFou knocked him out land Vicious unleashed his wrath. So, once again we move away from the trio that is supposedly at the forefront of the series and explore Spike’s time as Fearless and what lead to his new identity. Is it worth the detour, or are we just treading water until the show comes to an end?

    COWBOY BEBOP Recap: (S01E09) Blue Crow Waltz

    John Cho carries the show once again, but Alex Hassell does continue to have some fun with the role this time around. It feels like we get more of the unhinged version at times that we were given a glimpse of during the last episode. It does add a lot of weight to this interpretation of Vicious, who is described as mostly unhinged and childish. It’s definitely the character we’ve seen in the past episodes, but it does seem like a more cliché approach given how little he changes across the season’s runtime.

    Julia also gets more character development, as we find out how exactly she met our two Syndicate members. I’ll be honest, the romance feels a bit rushed here, especially when you consider how strong it was in “Binary Two-Step.” Elena Satine gives a good performance but having to know how she became a singer didn’t seem like a necessary addition to this story. Her introduction through the song may have been more efficient as it adds a layer of mystique to her that is gone, especially given what happens in the finale.

    Do Julia and Spike End Up Together in Cowboy Bebop?

    The strength of the episode, however, lies in Fearless’ storyline. We finally find out what the references for what he blames himself for were all about. It’s a strong moment that punctuates a well-done action sequence, but it adds one point of confusion. He has his affair with Julia, who Vicious is dating at the time, but also goes out of his way to save his “best friend.” While I get why he wants to leave the Syndicate and it’s a rushed action out of love, it still seems like the build-up to that moment was a bit, lacking. That’s kind of the drawback of telling this entire story in an episode, just in time to highlight the eventual meeting of everyone involved in the finale.

    While a lot happens in this episode, it feels like there’s not that much to talk about. We mostly get some clarifications on some smaller elements that were built up, but it felt like it could’ve been also scattered through flashbacks by Spike. I liked the idea to use the new storytelling structure to build up the mystery of our protagonist’s time with the evil corporation, but it’s not the strongest landing. Most revelation or story elements were already hinted at, which makes most of the “bigger revelations” less impactful s they could’ve been. It’s a competently made episode with some strong moments but a bit forgettable overall. Here’s hoping the finale can continue where episode eight left us off on.

  • REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×08 “Sad Clown A-Go-Go”

    REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×08 “Sad Clown A-Go-Go”

    It’s fun finding out that one of the first looks we got from the series was for the eighth episode in the series, “Sad Clown A-Go-Go.” As the title points out, we get the live-action introduction of Pierrot LeFou. It’s a bit sudden that Vicious goes out of his way to send out the madman to take on Spike, but it does open the question of whether the show can tackle one of the series’ most memorable villains or lack the subtlety to bring it full circle?

    Cowboy Bebop' Season 1, Episode 8 Recap: Sad Clown a-Go-Go

    So, the strangest change here is connecting Ein directly to LeFou. It technically has no true effect on the story outside of our team heartlessly leaving the upper behind. There’s a reason for the set-up later down the line but it seems a bit heartless from our usual ragtag team. Here’s hoping they make up for this action next season, but it seems like an easy way to explain how Spike finds the assassin rather than it being through actual sleuthing.

    Still, Josh Randall does play the character quite well and he has his quirks from the anime, even if not as “animated” as you would think. It’s funny how Western adaptations go out of their way to explain things, as we get a showcase for why he can float. Though the shot of his shadow hanging over the team until his reveal was well done even if he lacked the absurdity of the original. Once he gets his clown-inspired costume, the look is completed even if it feels a bit too short-lived on screen.

    Netflix's "Cowboy Bebop" Trailer Breakdown

    Spike is his main target, but he feels a bit less in danger than he did in the episode that inspired it, “Requiem for a Clown.” The opening does push him to his limits, which was great to see but the actual one-on-one confrontation loses that appeal when Spike seemingly knows exactly how to solve the impenetrable shield of LeFou. So, it kind of explains away a plot point that was more of discovery during the original for us as the viewers and Spike.

    Even the “mommy” scene feels less impactful as we see the character act a bit more controlled earlier on in the same episode. He’s manic but still in control which doesn’t quite work with the message of the original. It does highlight the aspect of the series that it lacks the same kind of subtlety that the original had when it came to its message and characters. Strong moments like “Galileo Hustle” are there but they seem sometimes far and too few throughout the first season.

    Watch Cowboy Bebop | Netflix Official Site

    Speaking of lack of subtlety, Vicious’ story arc throughout the series comes to the moment he’s been waiting for. His plan by switching places with Santiago was surprisingly smart for the character we meet, and even if it was pretty obvious he wasn’t going to die, it still was well executed. Especially as it seems like this twist was why the character of Abdul Hakim was wearing the tech that changed his entire look. So, they technically set it up indirectly.

    The reveal that his father was an Elder here was a pleasant surprise, as it explained why Vicious seems like the cliché of a “rich boy with daddy issues.” I’ll still argue that the character works in the context of this series even if it’s far removed from the original. He gets “his moment” in this episode but it is undercut by Mao just selling out Julia randomly. That scene was a bit of a headscratcher for me personally at that moment, but I guess it’s to set up her role as well.

    COWBOY BEBOP Recap: (S01E08) Sad Clown A-Go-Go

    Overall, it’s a bit of an underwhelming episode in comparison to the last three. It lost a bit of its momentum and tried too much to lean into LeFou without truly utilizing the character’s full potential. It feels more like they wanted to include him and forced a connection that takes away from the mystery. It’s kind of a general issue with this adaptation as it focuses too hard on serializing a series that didn’t necessarily require it. We’ll see how it ties it all together in the final two episodes. Though I wonder if the clown referenced in the title is about LeFou or Vicious.

  • REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×07 “Galileo Hustle”

    REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×07 “Galileo Hustle”

    After taking a backseat in the last episode, Faye Valentine takes the leading role in the seventh episode “Galileo Hustle.” Yet, most of the episode does have our crew interacting (always a plus) and we get some tension between Jet and Spike, as we get a set-up for an eventual betrayal later down the line. Can Netflix’s take on Cowboy Bebop pull off one of the calmer moments from the original series and can it continue the momentum built from the previous episode?

    Cowboy Bebop: Faye Valentine Is Queer in Netflix Series | CBR

    We finally get a pay-off from a few episodes ago on the arrival of Whitney. Early on, we find out how this gender-bent version of the character played into Faye’s origin. Right after she got out of cryo-sleep, this version of the character pretended to be her mother and conned her out of her Identikit. I like this take a tad more than the original. These two characters build a relationship throughout the episode that is a twisted take that kind of works.

    Jet gets some great moments, as we also build upon some character development between him and Chalmers, which was sweet to see. It’s a bit fast considering where they started this season, but I like that we see episodes that seemed a bit out of nowhere continue to build into the next. The same goes for Spike still recovering from the events of “Binary Two-Step” adding a nice layer of continuity that also lets you know that this takes place directly after the previous one.

    2021 - Cowboy Bebop: Faye Valentines Hintergrundgeschichte erklärt |  Bildschirm-Rant - Gettotext.com

    The episode does have an important set-up surrounding Jet’s emotional reaction to being betrayed. While he does forgive her for lying about her not-mother being a con artist, it sets up a bigger betrayal later down the line. It’s a great way to build up the point made in the previous episode when the fake Julia confronted Spieka bout lying to his long-time partner. Heartbreak is on the horizon at this rate, which won’t go over so easily this time around.

    As much as I enjoy this take on Whitney, I do think the episode wraps up the cassette mystery way too fast. It seems convenient that their ship happens to have the player they need. Yes, it was a distraction in the original but that was fun seeing Jet and Spike going out of their way to solve the mystery surrounding it. It seems that their focus is more on setting up Faye’s actual mother at the end of that episode. We know little about how old this version of Faye actually is and if she even has the debt from the original. We’ll see what the future has in store for our protagonist.

    Cowboy Bebop: Faye Valentine's Childhood Video Is Tear-Inducing

    Overall, a strong episode once again that continues to build up from previous storylines. It’s good that after the halfway mark we finally see some payoffs. I’ll say that Daniella Pineda is a highlight in this episode, especially in the emotional moment in the end. It probably was one of the highlights and was the show at its most restrained. Oh yeah, Vicious and Julia continue their plans to take over the syndicate. Overall, was a very good episode that isn’t quite on the same level as the previous one but it’s a close one.

  • REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×06 “Binary Two-Step”

    REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×06 “Binary Two-Step”

    Now that is what I call a step in the right direction. The sixth episode titled “Binary Two-Step” is quite the highlight of the season. Mostly due to the plot actually primarily focusing on our main trio. Yes, they are still refusing to stick together, but the dynamic feels less forced this time around. While it doesn’t fully capitalize on every aspect that is presented, the concept of Spike getting lost in a virtual space and facing his past actually pay off the side story that’s been dragging it down through most of the season.

    COWBOY BEBOP Recap: (S01E06) Binary Two-Step

    We get the Dr. Londes, who goes by Cy-Baba now, set up very early in the episode alongside the first mentioning of Radical Ed. They don’t appear in the episode but we get our first confirmation of their existence within this adaptation. Still, the focus of this episode is an adaptation of one of the later releases “Brain Scratch.” While it’s less of a cult this time around, the biggest departure is that Faye isn’t directly involved with this storyline. While she has her own little adventure involving a mechanic and a rail gun, Spike is the one to get sucked into Londes’ offerings.

    John Cho Gets a Tempting New Lead in Netflix's 'Cowboy Bebop' Sneak Peek  (Exclusive) | kare11.com

    Once he enters the machine, he is stuck in a loop where he tries to save Julia from Vicious. Londes, once again a machine rather than an actual person, wants to force him into a scenario where he gives up on life to make way for the AI to take over. Jet is briefly taken out of the picture as he tries to repair the Bebop while fighting the already teased mechanic. It’s a decent setup to force him into this solo scenario but does once again highlight how this team just cannot stick together.

    The VR nightmare is quite an interesting concept that is even realized quite well. As the AI keeps fighting Spike’s mental fortitude, the world around it starts falling apart with an interesting visual effect. Taking a closer look at how it changes over time, especially as he recalculates to break Spike’s love for Julia adds a nice bit of character development. Especially, when the moment we think he “gave up” turns out to be quite different after a last-second save.

    Sony Monitor In Cowboy Bebop S01E06 "Binary Two-Step" (2021)

    I did like Jet a lot in this episode. The moment he realizes what is happening to Spike and the desperation of getting to Earth at all cost was a great moment. We do get the tease of what it would mean if he found out about his friend’s time as “Fearless” but you really get the feeling these two would go through hell for each other. Here’s hoping we get a similar scenario from the other’s perspective as well.

    The funniest bit is (sadly) probably Alex Hassel’s face when he is getting ready to shoot Spike in his last flashback from that virtual world. It just once again cements this is a very different take on the character but also highlights the way Spike sees him as well. Most of this episode is here to give our characters some character development with Faye on her own journey of self-discovery adding a nice step into the next episode where she takes centerstage again.

  • REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×05 “Darkside Tango”

    REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×05 “Darkside Tango”

    The show does love keeping us from actually spending time with all three of our main cast members. Luckily, we get some fun interactions between Faye and Spike while Jet is off taking care of some business. It’s strange the show still refuses to stick to what makes the core concept work, but we do get a great film noir-inspired episode involving why Jet got his metal arm. Will it fumble with the separation, or push forward?

    COWBOY BEBOP Recap: (S01E05) Darkside Tango

    Mustafa Shakir‘s Jet is our main character this time around and we get to explore his time as a cop alongside an old friend. The episode mainly takes from “Black Dog Serenade” but continues an interesting trend this Netflix show seems obsessed with. It avoids keeping stories ins pace or on space ships outside of the Bebop. Instead of keeping Udai Taxim in the visually interesting environment of a floating prison ship, but at a cliché noir dock.

    Ignoring that, the noir-tinted lens adds an extra layer to the story even if it doesn’t come close to what the original managed to accomplish. While it’s mainly the same and as a viewer of the anime lacks a true surprise, it does feel like the first time Jet having a daughter played into the story. Chalmers is their main suspect throughout and it adds a personal reason for his suspicions. The twist in the story is given more weight as Jet becomes his undoing and there’s a kindness by the one he originally blamed.

    Cowboy Bebop' season 1, episode 5 recap: Darkside Tango

    I will say, this episode seems a bit too early in the story. There’s no real connective tissue that leads into a reason for this story taking place, as outside of a short discussion surrounding his arm, we already know he’s a cop. For a show that tries to build up many story threads, this one seems. a bit random given it is a much later addition in the original. Still, what they do with the episode is enjoyable and I like his dynamic.

    It does seem to exist primarily for Spike and Faye to build a report with each other. Here’s a play on the original entry that works, as instead of all the convicts still being on the same ship as Udai, they become a catalyst for some fun banter. While I do wish they went out to hunt one of them down, we get some fun interactions between the duo. Yet, I do wish we saw more than one flashback for a bounty to get a feeling for how they got their scars rather than just words. It’s a running gag they are terrible at capturing actual bounties, and it was a fun way to also have Faye get swept up by Spike’s laid-back tempo.

    COWBOY BEBOP Recap: (S01E05) Darkside Tango

    Overall, Jet steals the show and we get some fun noir-style storytelling even if it feels a bit early for this particular flashback. Faye and Spike’s exchange is a fun element for the episode to add a distraction. Sadly, it does highlight that the show’s 40+ minute runtime makes it difficult to tell specific stories without adding some fluff. It’s probably the biggest challenge of this adaptation due to its unique format from the original. It’s just still a tough decision to constantly keep this cast apart throughout the series 10-episode runtime. We’ll see if they get a better feeling for it with future episodes.

  • REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×04 “Callisto Soul”

    REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×04 “Callisto Soul”

    Faye finally makes her return after a brief appearance in the pilot episode. We get a clearer picture of her character and the series’ new take on her origin from the original anime. She’s on the hunt for a con artist but ends up involved with the incompetent Callisto Liberation Front, who accidentally steals the only lead she has and her ship. Luckily for her, two familiar cowboys are at a local diner and allow her to get back what she was going to steal. Do we get a better insight into her character, or are we retreading familiar problems?

    COWBOY BEBOP Recap: (S01E04) Callisto Soul

    As Faye Valentine takes center stage this time around, we get a better grasp of her character. She’s not the same character we know and love from the original anime. Daniella Pineda’s take on the character is just as outspoken but very much “in your face” which summarizes the series’ general adaptation perfectly. Once you get used to her take on the character, there’s quite a bit of charm there and she does work well when she plays off Cho and Shakir’s spins on their respective characters. Spike wanting to kill her was quite a hilarious running gag.

    The biggest change though is the Liberation Front. While the Ganymede sea rat is referenced and remains their core motivation for this group, but they now turn their victims into trees rather than monkeys. So, the connection is that due to this corporation deforesting trees it led to their extinction. It seemed like a strange extra step to avoid an expensive monkey transformation. It’s also rather gruesome to watch and adds to the lack of subtlety that the original had. Yet, it’s also visually impressive and nightmarish to imagine. So, it balances itself out.

    Cowboy Bebop' Netflix: How this version departs from anime - Los Angeles  Times

    Julia gets more focus this time around again. Vicious reveals his plans to take down the Elders and she seems to be the driving force behind her husband’s actions. It teases a darker future for her and adds another layer to how different they are from the original. Seeing the main antagonist of the anime being manipulated so easily is still a hard pill to swallow but highlights that this is a different take on the original characters. After a brief appearance, the episode also highlights that Gren is quite removed from the original but is given a more active role in the story. We’ll see if their tragedy will ever get a focus later down the line.

    This episode does build on the strengths of the last one. I love the dynamic between these three, even if it’s a bit more cynical. While there’s no cor mystery, our team has something to do as a group, and we get a great moment from Pineda when she has to decide what is important. Sadly, our main antagonist, Adrienne Barbeau‘s take on Maria Murdock, is oddly the most downplayed aspect of the episode, as we spend little time with her. She doesn’t even interact with our main cast outside of running away, but it’s her hubris that becomes her undoing.

    Cowboy Bebop Episode 4 Recap and Ending, Explained

    The episode is quite a bit better than the previous one, as outside of some bidet discussions, there are some strong moments scattered throughout. Pineda gets a great moment after she seemingly sacrifices herself that is given more weight with a beautiful piece by Yoko Kanno. While the episode still doesn’t quite catch that Cowboy Bebop magic, there’s a lot to love here. Cho’s performance and comedic timing add that extra layer of enjoyment. It has me excited going into the next episode.

  • REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×03 “Dog Star Swing”

    REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×03 “Dog Star Swing”

    Who knew dogs were so expensive in the future. Yes, the episode has finally arrived where we meet the Welsh Corgi named Ein. Yet, before that, we have an episode that focuses primarily on the bounty of the episode. Yes, we do get a few moments building up the overarching plot, but the core of the episode is about Spike figuring out how to handle the fact his identity has been blown. So, we finally take a moment to explore the characters to enforce the story rather than the other way around.

    COWBOY BEBOP Recap: (S01E03) Dog Star Swing

    This episode highlights Jet’s new role as a family man. The doll he is trying to buy is nightmare-inducing, but who knows how rare they are in this galaxy. While a strange addition at first, it does add an extra layer of motivation for the character that was mostly just dragged along until the story affected him directly. Not going to lie, the doll getting damaged in every possible way was a funny addition as he’s trying to help out Spike. The tender moment between Jet and his daughter was quite nice, especially with how Ein played a role in bringing them together.

    I will say that what they did with Abdul Hakim was certainly strange. Not sure why the character needed to be a holographic projection, especially with some questionable implications. It’s the same episode where the now-infamous “blackmail” comment appears that sticks out like a sore thumb. It’s something that does sour an overall good episode, as we finally get a feeling for how Spike and Jet work with each other to take down their targets. Plus, his motivation with kidnapping dogs (who are no longer Data Dogs this time around) was an interesting twist on the original. It’s too bad that these are overshadowed by some questionable additions.

    Speaking of, Cho is a highlight in this episode. He’s having a lot of fun with the role and has a great grasp of balancing that cool but fun side of his character. The visual of him hanging from the building while Jet’s desperately holding was great. Seeing him lighting a cigarette upside down until the camera reveals what he’s leaning against was a rather well-done scene. Also, his “Nice!” comment when Hakim pulls off some moves is probably one of my favorite moments in the series. His first confrontation with Vicious was also great as this version of Spike shows off why he was called “Fearless” back in the day but does once again highlight that our main antagonist is not that vicious as he could be.

    There are great moments in this episode, but it is dragged down by some strange decisions. It’s great to see Ein and he’s as adorable as he always is. Spike gets some great moments sprinkled throughout with Cho being a highlight. His dynamic with Mustafa Shakir‘s Jet Black finally got some attention and it was worth the wait. The way they play off of each other is one of the series’ highlights and we get a good glimpse here. They are friendly and joke with each other, but even after working for three years, they don’t get along with everything. Here’s hoping the next episode focuses on the strong points and drops what didn’t work.

  • REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×02 “Venus Pop”

    REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×02 “Venus Pop”

    “Venus Pop” takes a departure from the original by exploring the Teddy Bomber, who doesn’t appear until shortly before the final episodes of the anime. Well, he’s a bit sidelined in this story, as it primarily is continuing the story set-up in the past episodes. Spike gets attacked by an assassin and it sets him out on a small side story to make sure that his past doesn’t catch up with him. Jet, on the other hand, is trying his best to get a bounty to buy his daughter a present, who is also a new addition. So, for most of the episode, our duo is on their own stories.

    COWBOY BEBOP Recap: (S01E02) Venus Pop

    In my opinion, it wasn’t the best idea to separate them this early on. Their banter and dynamic give the series some energy, but we take a detour so early that it kind of downplays the highlight of the original series. It was all about their dynamic early on so their splitting on adventures had a stronger impact. Once again we’re focusing more on world-building than character development, which is something carried over from the first episode. It adds to the fact that it’s a show that fell in love with Spike’s backstory and wanted to flesh it out more.

    Speaking of, this episode gives u our first real change from the original, as Vicious is married to Julia and both are given quite a bit of screentime. In the original, they are a non-factor until the ending, as Julia is famously described as a distant dream. This episode purposely changes the core storyline with some familiar aspects to ease fans into the fact that this show is not following the original closely. Vicious is much more complex yet not as intimidating as he was in the original. He was a mystery and that’s why he was scary.

    New Cowboy Bebop Image Is a Vicious Thirst Trap | CBR

    Here, he’s a bit more of a coward and that’s a hard pill to swallow, but does give him some more agency within the story. We even get hints about the inner workings of the Syndicate, and I did love the touch of the anime’s version of the Elders being masks. That was quite a nice visual touch. Still, while great for developing our antagonists, this does come at cost of the actual main characters we spend the most time with. It’s probably why the show feels like it doesn’t quite capture the original, as its focus is completely different.

    Still, we do get some great character moments even if it is closer to the end. When they reunite, their banter was a highlight in the episode. Cho and Shakir play off of each other quite nicely. They even carried over the joke surrounding the Teddy Bomber by playing on his insecurities was quite fun. Though, it does feel like them being bounty hunters is more of an afterthought at times. The show is still trying to find its legs but this departure from the original offer new opportunities moving forward.

  • REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×1 “Cowboy Gospel”

    REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×1 “Cowboy Gospel”

    Netflix’s live-action adaption of Cowboy Bebop has finally arrived. While you can check out our overall review by Nicole Sobon by clicking here, it was time to take a look at the various episodes and see how the series holds up and adapts some of the iconographies from the original 1999 anime. So, let’s start off with the first episode titled “Cowboy Gospel” as Spike Spiegel and Jet Black take on a bounty that’ll draw the wrong kind of attention. Will the first episode grip your attention, or falter early on?

    Cowboy Bebop' season 1, episode 1 recap: Cowboy Gospel

    We start off with a casino heist that goes wrong when John Cho‘s Spike arrives on the scene not putting much care into hiding. It’s a curious way to kick off the adaptation, but it tries to give us a fast feel for what the series is going for. It’s a bit of a departure from the original, as not only are episodes running quite a bit longer, moving to an hour from the usual half-hour fare, but also it being more comedy driven. This could be a make or break aspect of this adaptation, as it is less a bounty-of-the-week but tries to spend more time with characters, which is a big aspect of later episodes.

    The opening tries to quickly introduce viewers to Cho‘s version of Spike and Mustafa Shakir‘s Jet Black, who’s dynamic is a highlight of the series. It mostly adapts “Asteroid Blues” from the original anime, but also sets up the main narrative of the story. There’s a noticeable cost thought for this direction, as Katerina’s arc is a bit sidelined for the introduction of the Red Dragon Syndicate. It’s a shame because her story is more a plot device rather than an emotional core. This is one of the live-action adaptations biggest problems throughout: it lacks the subtlety of the original.

    COWBOY BEBOP Series Premiere Recap: (S01E01) Cowboy Gospel

    Daniella Pineda‘s Faye Valentine makes an early introduction in the first episode and highlights that aspects. She’s there to set-up an appearance later on, which is in line with more Western story structures. But, the issue is that appearance in this story takes away from Katerina and Spike’s moment together. Even with her time cuffed in the toilet is a nice nod, it felt a little too early. Especially as she interrupts the first and main interaction between Spike and Katerina to set up their connection.

    Cowboy Bebop has a curious love for the dutch angle, especially in its first episode. It seems to be used primarily to add a style to it rather than lean into it’s original intent of creating uneasiness. It’s not bad but can be distracting or requires at least some getting used to for new viewers. This decision once again highlights the fact that this show is a bit more “in your face” unlike the original.

    First Look: Netflix Reveals Cowboy Bebop Premiere And Photos of John Cho As  Spike | Geek Culture

    The first episode ends on a rather disorienting gun fight with some fun nods to John Woo action sequences. It’s something you’ll notice fast in the opening as well that the action is there, but it feels like it’s not given enough time to breath. So, it’s not as impactful as it could be. But, it does give us our first name drop of Spike’s Syndicate times as Fearless, which is something new added to this adaptation. These events leads into the ending of the episode that will dramatically change one characters’ direction.

    Overall, it’s a decent start to the show. It’s seems deliberate to utilize the first episode from the original to showcase the similarities and differences moving forward. It does drag a bit with its doubled runtime but it uses that time to flesh out characters early on. The only issue of the lack of subtlety, especially in the way the ending visually shows the aftermath of Katerina’s final decision rather than letting the events tell you its outcome, is something that does bog it down a bit. We’ll see if future episodes follow a similar pattern.