# Cowboy Bebop (Netflix) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, netflix\ **Created:** [October 27, 2021, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316 "2021-10-27T15:06:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/1 "2021-10-27T15:06:01Z")
Oh boy. Where to start with this… Cowboy Bebop is close to 25 years old now. It is the anime series to recommend to people who ‘don’t like anime’. Twenty six episodes and one full length feature film of high quality stuff. Is it all great? No, but as a whole the show occupies a place in my brain that really, really loves it. There had been a rumour of a live action movie (with Keanu Reeves as Spike) back in the aughts. For various reasons that never happened but we now have the live action Netflix series, just around the corner. As with everything these days, there is a huge division in early opinion. I, personally, don’t really have too much interest in fighting over whether John Cho is a good choice to play Spike (I do think he is a fine choice). All I want is for Netflix to not fuck this up. I am as excited for this series as I have been for any movie or show ever. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ULCIHP5dc44/maxresdefault.jpg "Cowboy Bebop | Official Trailer | Netflix") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULCIHP5dc44) Takeaways from the trailer…I love the adherence to the esthetic of the show. There is a feel that is common to the trailer that comes from the series. I love that we see Pierrot le Fou, the Teddy Bomber and Twinkle Maria Murdoch. I am not sure how the translation of the fight scenes will work, the little bit I have seen is not my cup of tea. Also, while there is clearly an Ein, it isn’t clear if there is an Edward which may be a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/2 "2021-10-27T15:38:11Z")
This trailer looks much better than the teasers put out. I loved Cowboy Bebop but I haven’t watched it in well over a decade. I think I’ll wait until after I watch this to rewatch the anime. Apparently, Ed will be featured in some way, but they haven’t mentioned her in the cast at all. > **[Cowboy Bebop Fans Wondering About Ed 'Will be Delighted,' Netflix Showrunner...](https://www.ign.com/articles/cowboy-bebop-netflix-ed-yoko-kanno)** > > Cowboy Bebop showrunner shares more details for the upcoming Netflix series including where Ed might be and Yoko Kanno's music. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/3 "2021-10-27T16:11:11Z")
I know nothing about Cowboy Bebop other than 1) it’s anime and 2) a lot of people said it had a lot in common with Firefly, which I love. That said, that trailer was enough for me at it to my “Remind Me” list on Netflix. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/4 "2021-10-27T16:17:59Z")
I would recommend watching the anime, which was just added to Netflix this month. It’s pretty much the top of every “What anime to watch if you’ve never watched anime” list. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/5 "2021-10-27T16:34:44Z")
Having watched the Netflix live-action Death Note, I didn’t hold out high hopes for a live-action Cowboy BeBop. But that trailer looked freakin’ awesome. While comparisons will be inevitable, I’ll do my best to judge the live-action on its own merits. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/6 "2021-10-27T16:43:12Z")
This…does not immediately suck. (Plus, frankly, anything you play “Tank” over will automatically appear three times as awesome.) Fingers crossed. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/7 "2021-10-27T21:59:19Z")
Looks like a lot of fun. I know very little about the source material. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/8 "2021-10-27T22:04:26Z")
So for someone who has never watched, would you guys recommend anime first? Or Live action? I’m leaning towards live first. That way I won’t be yelling at the screen: “That’s not how it’s supposed to be!”. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/9 "2021-10-30T20:09:08Z")
I’ve never seen the anime because, well, I just don’t like the art or the animation. I’m totally onboard with giving this a watch tho. Already have my reminder set up on Netflix. Going into it totally blind, avoiding trailers and clips. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/10 "2021-10-30T20:43:08Z")
I was down with John Cho until they started releasing footage, and now I’m not sure. He just looks so grumpy. Where’s Spike’s signature smirk? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/11 "2021-10-30T22:01:59Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > It is the anime series to recommend to people who ‘don’t like anime’. I despise anime. It annoys and bores me. This I’m willing to try. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2021, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/12 "2021-10-31T21:44:05Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I was down with John Cho until they started releasing footage, and now I’m not sure. He just looks so grumpy. Where’s Spike’s signature smirk? AAARRRGGG! Spoilers! Spoilers! Now you ruined the whole #(^&%@!\<\_ show for me! Thanks a lot **Miller**! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2021, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/13 "2021-10-31T21:59:33Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Having watched the Netflix live-action Death Note, I didn’t hold out high hopes for a live-action Cowboy BeBop. Still pretty much my take. _Death Note_ was fucking **awful**. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2021, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/14 "2021-10-31T22:02:43Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > I am not sure how the translation of the fight scenes will work, the little bit I have seen is not my cup of tea. Also, while there is clearly an Ein, it isn’t clear if there is an Edward which may be a good thing. Edward is one of the few kids from an anime show that I didn’t hate. I rather liked Edward and will miss her if she’s not in the live action show. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lantern2/32/3010_2.png) [@Lantern2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern2)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2021, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/15 "2021-10-31T22:11:22Z")
I love the original and the trailer seems fun though I will keep my expectations low in part because I don’t know if there are any human actors who can replicate Spike’s loose-limbed charisma or Julia’s ethereal beauty. I suppose the best thing would be to forget the anime and just judge the film on its own merits. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2021, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/16 "2021-10-31T22:13:53Z")
Not a film. 10 episodes in season 1. I don’t know how far they plan to go with it. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lantern2/32/3010_2.png) [@Lantern2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern2)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2021, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/17 "2021-10-31T22:23:44Z")
Ah OK. I will definitely watch the first episode or two and then see how it goes. A TV show will probably be easier to get used to and judge on its own merits compared to a one-off film. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2021, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/18 "2021-11-20T18:25:14Z")
I’m definitely not loving it. Sure it looks very Cowboy Bebop. Almost too much so. And the action and acting are a bit flat and dull. Like watching people cosplay episodes of Cowboy Bebop. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2021, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/19 "2021-11-20T23:40:48Z")
Never seen the original but after two episodes I like it. I like the style and the tone and the actors, but I’m not sure about some of the writing yet. So far, Spike seems like he’s borderline incompetent, and his partner Jet seems too forgiving. But I’m going to continue as long as it’s still fun. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2021, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316/20 "2021-11-21T05:39:11Z")
I’ve watched the first few episodes of the animated series and the live-action series and neither series particularly sucked me in. As far as the live-action series goes, the visuals look great and the plots are interesting enough but the dialog is pretty weak (IMO), especially the “witty” banter that sounds like it might have been cribbed from old reruns of “According to Jim”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowboy-bebop-netflix/953316.md?page=2)