Cowboy Bebop (2021 TV series) a.k.a. Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop
Genre: Space western, action.
Hello my friends, welcome to another entry of my blog.
(sigh) Trust me. I don’t even know if I am crazy or just impulsive, let alone if I am doing the right thing. Why am I saying this? Because first I should be talking about one of the greatest, most precious anime of history, I think one of the greatest pieces of fiction of humankind…
…and then giving my opinion about the interpretation of Netflix, especially because I haven’t actually watch all the ten episodes produced by this streaming service. But, on the other hand…
And of course, for such a wonderful masterpiece, one entry of my blog is not enough. And yes… I am still working on the second part of Komi-san, and I will bring it when the time comes.So this is what I will do. I will use this pages to review Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop, and then I will give the original anime of Cowboy Bebop its respective space.
With that said…
But before I go on with this one hell of the experience, I must ask you guys the typical question:
Are you guys ok? Feeling healthy?
If the answer is yes, then I am happy.
And now… time to see you again space cowboy. This is Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop.
PREMISE
Just to let you know… SPOILER ALERT!
Also, after reviewing the fantastic series of SAO – Alternative: Gun Gale Online, reviewing Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop feels like going backwards.
Anyway, we got three bounty hunters, Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, and Faye Valentine, who travels around space on board of The Bebop, catching criminals, collecting bounties, and survive in the rough world of crime, all of them trying to escape or overcome a dark past. Spike is a former associate of the Red Dragon Syndicate with outstanding fighting and marksmanship skills. Jet is the captain of the Bebop, but he worked for the Intra Solar System Police (ISSP) but quitted after losing his arm, and Faye is an amnesiac femme fatale who uses her body to seduce men and get what she wants. But I will talk about her later.
For those who watched the 1998 anime, know what I am talking about.
And speaking about the original anime, the story run for 26 episodes, the Netflix version has ten episodes, whose runtime varies between 39 and 56 minutes, being filmed in New Zealand from 2019 to 2021, and having the stars of John Cho, Mustafa Shakir, Daniella Pineda and Alex Hassell as Spike, Jet, Faye and Vicious respectively.
Finally, Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop was produced by Tomorrow Studios, along with Sunrise Inc, which is the original Japanese studio that brought us the original anime, and distributed by… Who else? Netflix. All of the episodes were released on Netflix on November 19, 2021.
All the music was composed by Yoko Kanno, the composer of the 1998 anime.
STORY
Alright. This GIF of Jay Sherman represent my own feelings.
Ok. Jokes apart. First a little realisation of this series before answering whether is good or not.
Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop is absolutely one of the best live-action adaptations of an anime the company has ever done.
Relax. Take it easy. I never say it was good. Furthermore there is a valid reason of me to say that. The lack of competition… inside the Netflix originals. Because, on one hand, we have a soulless, rushed and incoherent adaptation of Saint Seiya, done with Uncanny Valley…
…and on the other, we have, in my opinion, the WORST, GOSH-AWFUL ADAPTATION OF AN ANIME DONE BY A WESTERN COMPANY, EVEN WORSE THAN DRAGONBALL EVOLUTION. I mean…
And now, the big question, although I indirectly answered it. Is Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop good? In short terms…
NO!!! NO FREAKING WAY!!
Just because I think Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop is the best adaptation of an anime done by Netflix, does not mean I find it good. In fact, is all the opposite. But well. Let me start talking about the good points, which are practically counted with the fingers of one hand.
First and foremost… the soundtrack. And with all good reason, because it was composed by Yoko Kanno, like I said, the original composer. And that is the way, because nothing related to Cowboy Bebop can work without the music of Yoko Kanno. It is like doing a Star Wars movie, cartoon or TV series without the score of John Williams, or its essence. It is a crime. Also, John Cho as Spike Spiegel looks decent.
Obviously Cho’s age plays against him. He definitely does not like a 27-year-old bounty hunter, but somehow Cho compensates that with his acting, and I can forgive everything else. Also, the production design is really good on the space scenes, in fact, I will go far to say that is «Galactically Supernovistic», trust me, if you see the episodes, spot the space scenes, you will love them (I repeat myself… IF You see them.)
Finally, the opening credits are really fantastic, I would dare to say that it the best part of this adaptation. Well-done guys.
And now… the bad stuff.
Just like in some parts, the production design looks fantastic, in others it looks terrible, mostly in the urban areas, one example is on episode one, where the Bebop arrives to Tijuana colony. It really looks cheap, And I remember there is a scene from 2019 Alita: Battle Angel, where the background looks similar, but better. 1000 times better. And that is not the only example. Check this out.
I hope I am not the only one show thinks that the backgrounds look cheap. And this is not acceptable; I have seen many fan films who put more effort on the production design than this, and since this is all done by Netflix, is pretty sad.
Another big problem is that the fight scenes aren’t that exciting either, especially in comparison with the anime, and the movie for that matter. And the thing is that with animation, you have more freedom to transmit and polish the feeling of an action scene, and unfortunately the production of Netflix is unable to fully adapt that. Sometimes they attempt to make the action identical to the Taken and the John Wick franchises. But still, they do not succeed.
Finally… Is it just me, or this series is trying so hard to copy Quentin Tarantino in style and aesthetics? That could be consider a cute approach… if this was a fan series. But it isn’t! The key work here is… COPY. Not influenced, not referenced… A blatant copy, and with someone as Tarantino, that is so lame.
Moreover… Who told Netflix that forcing social commentary about big companies in Cowboy Bebop was a good idea? I mean… in the first episode, the criminal, I already forgot his name, tells about how he lost his job due to the «big companies», and that pushes him to hold a Casino at gunpoint. And of course, both Jet and Spike seizes him. But I ended up wondering… Was that background relevant to the story? NO! Was ever mentioned again? NO! Did that strengthen something like world-building? I’ll say NO! Then why did Netflix included it? Because is part of their political agenda. Simple as that.
Of course, those changes to the story appear to be the order of the day. But I will talk about that in a second. Because Netflix changes so many things to the story, that I don’t even know where to start, and those changes, far from improving the lore of Cowboy Bebop, they bastardises it. Case in point… Mama Matsumoto.
In the original anime, Whitney Hagas Matsumoto was a con artist who pretended to love Faye, but in the end, he dropped her massive debts; just to re-appear three years later and try to scam her once more, which motivated Faye to discard him and distrust people at all.
And what did Netflix do in its series?
Matsumoto was changed for a woman.
Look, If I hated Netflix’s guts, I would think this was done due to political correctness. No. I will go too far and say that Netflix executives said this:
«A man exploiting a defenseless woman? No! That’s sexist. If we include this, we are sexist. And let’s change this dickhead for a woman. Yeah! We are inclusive.«
And trust me, this is one example. My point is that, when you think Netflix adapted the story properly, it is accompanied by a forced change that ruins the story and the characters; trust me when I say they appear to be the order of the day; and when I speak of the characters, I will go into more detail. Speaking of Faye… What is that generic costume of hers?
Alright. I agree that female characters need as much development, writing and care as male characters in fiction, not just breasts and butts. But in the case of Faye, her sexy figure was justified, because her body was a weapon against gangsters and murderers, who fall for her and do her bidding. But no. Again… Let’s change that and do Faye a hooligan, with a sailor mouth because… Superficial empowerment.
WHEE!!! ALL MEN ARE GARBAGE.
And what really enrages me is that the costume designer admits she wasn’t feeling comfortable adapting Faye like this? Here is the link for you to check out.
And I ask… Woman… Why the heck did you take this job in the first place? If you were to do things horribly just to be more… realistic, then quit and leave it to someone who was do to this properly. Also because… it feels so lazy.
And most likely, some people who read my entry will call me – sexist, chauvinistic, retrograde, woman-hater, fascist for thinking like that. But… I don’t care. I am not going to lie just for make a bunch of SJW dickheads who are not going to even watch Cowboy Bebop happy.
Like I said, the story is not that well-adapted, and indeed, many of the fans will feel disappointed, myself included.
CHARACTERS
Also, the characters are not that engaging either.
John Cho looks decent, but Daniella Pineda looks awful, and the fact that she openly mocks and trolls those who disagree with her does not help het at all.
But she is not the only one.
I have nothing against Mustafa Shakir. As as matter of fact, I love him. He is a fantastic actor, especially as Jet Black. But in the physical part, he does not convince me, and it is not his fault.
Every time I think of Jet Black, I think on his imposing man of almost two meters.
But… just look
And I do not know if it is because he is not that tall, or he is not that built. But Mustafa Shakir does not complete the role of Jet, however… it is not his fault.
And it is not as sad as with Vicious… Good Grief!!! What they did to Vicious.
All the fans of Cowboy Bebop know that Vicious is simply one of the greatest villains in all anime – he is unpredictable, intelligent, sadistic and manipulative, and the fact that he is like that under that gangster, along with his actions, makes him more terrifying and dangerous.
And what did Netflix do to him? Just look.
What, in everything good and decent of this world, is this? A white wig and a bad cosplay of a NPC from Bloodborne. You know what I think? I think he looks less than Vicious and more than the white haired companion of Frank, you know, the talking dog from Men In Black.
And all that badassery is replaced with some spoiled brat attitude that looks awful, always at the servitude of Julia. Oh!!! Before I forgot to mention… Julia is the villain. Yeah… You heard it right. There is a plot twist in the final episode, in which Julia shoots Spike, and makes him fall through the Church Glass, just like in the iconic scene of the Ballad of the Fallen Angels.
JULIA IS THE VILLAIN. THE ONE WHO TAKES OVER THE RED DRAGON SYNDICATE. NOT VICIOUS.
Julia… that beautiful woman who represents the most human side of both Spike and the world of Cowboy Bebop. The one Spike hold on to feel Hope. But now… she is the main villain, worse still… she imprisons and tortures Vicious at the end.
Honestly… calling this a huge disrespect and travesty is an understatement. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.
CONCLUSION
It’s no wonder why Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop is a failure toward fans. Leaving the huge impossibility to adapt the beloved 1998 anime in a perfect fashion aside, there are too many changes for the worse, and a more than notorious lack of passion and soul on this project.
The action is not that exciting, there are so many fillers, our beloved characters are mere stereotypes, and is boring… excruciatingly boring. And yet… I think is the best anime adaptation from Netflix. How bad is that?
All I can say is that… stick with the 1998 anime, and the subsequent movie. Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop is not as bad as Netflix’s Death Note, but definitely is still bad.
And since I already gave my opinion of it, when the time, I will give my opinion of Netflix’s Death Note, and trust me… I will save countless lives.
Jainituos Presents 