Empty pockets and a tragic past
Cowboy Bebop is a show about bounty hunters. In space!
What, you need more than that? The BeBop limps around the gritty edges of the solar system on an empty fuel tank, looking to round up criminals for cash, if only to scrape up enough dough for the next meal. Originally a crew of two, they gather a full complement along the show’s 26 episode arc: Jet, Spike, Ein, Faye and Edward.
Jet Black, loyal and longsuffering, owns the BeBop itself, and a smaller ship called the Hammerhead, that features a claw arm and a harpoon. He has a background in police work, and his connections there bring them leads on all manner of criminals. While Spike is handy with a gun and almost preternaturally skilled in Jeet Kune Do, he’s as like as not to cost them any money they make bringing in bounties by causing collateral damage. But still, Jet keeps him around.
Spike Spiegel is the heart of the BeBop, which is interesting, because he’s kind of a jerk. He’s so self-involved as to be utterly blind to other people’s needs and so reckless that he’s basically suicidal. Of course, he has his redeeming qualities, too: he’s a soft touch when it comes to kids and animals, and has a strangely humble streak of honor in there somewhere. Also, he’s dreamy, on top of being a badass pilot, a dead-eye shot and a talented pickpocket. Of course, as relaxed as he seems to be, Spike is haunted by his past, and as a result does his best to live only in the moment. This tends to lead to a sort of perpetual sabotaging of his future, even (especially?) in the short term. You spend half of every episode wanting to stroke his big green hair and the other half wanting to shake him until his teeth rattle. Of course, you’d have to be able to lay a hand on him first. He moves like water, all animal grace and playful patter.
As the show unfolds, they add a supergenius Welsh corgi, a lovely but quicktempered inveterate gambler and a brilliant orphan hacker who calls herself Radical Edward.
Like most anime, the show often veers from deeply affecting drama to Bugs Bunny wah-wah-wah at breakneck speeds, and there are certainly episodes we could have well lived without (Mushroom Samba comes to mind), but even the mediocre sessions are fantastic to look at, and the soundtrack can range from thrilling to transcendent. Every episode is scored with amazing music, from freeform frenetic horns and lazy piano to gutsy ballads and angelic choral pieces. The opening sequence can explain that better than I can:
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Spike’s hardly the only one with a past, and while some choose to avoid theirs as best they can, Faye is trying to remember what hers is. The fact that she’s as selfish and bullheaded as Spike gives them a twinnish sibling rivalry that is rather fascinating – while Cowboy BeBop explores many interesting genres and ideas, shipboard romance is not one of them.
Radical Edward is a girl who has lived an invented life so sincerely that she’s made it come true. Her manic charm is practically bulletproof, but you can’t help but think she’s willfully disassociated herself from the world, and for good reason.
Overall, Cowboy BeBop has a theme of longing and disappointment tempered by good company and great music. The meals are shared, if scanty, and you can’t help but feel that next time, everything will work out as it should.
There is a fine arc here in this operatic sci-fi spaghetti western, and the final aria will get you where you live.
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We watched a bunch more of this last night. So stylish! And the music is freaking awesome. Other than the fact that I insist on calling it “Cowboy Beepboopboop,” this show is pretty great.
Spike is pretty great, it must be said.
Although all you do while we’re watching it is make fun of him.
He brings it on himself. I love him, but he needs an intervention.