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My first time watching Cowboy Bebop

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Sseklebeast said:
So I watched episode 5 and wow, it was pretty intense. I'm guessing the storyline involving Spike's past is far from over and really excited to see how it all pans out. Really enjoyed all the episodes so far, can't wait for more.
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Spike and Vicious' story is plain cheese, but that's beside the point of the show... It's just a fun romp through space (my kinda shit) featuring some interesting characters.

Excellent soundtrack too. Real Folk Blues is up there as one of the better EDs. I especially like the ending credits for Jupitor Jazz part 2 where both the music and scenery complemented each other nicely.

Probably not in my top 10 anime of all time list, but definitely a fun watch.

squidyj said:
Oh, you mean this part?
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I think the episodes that involve finding and then managing to play Faye's vhs tape are the ones I enjoyed the most.
 
I feel like I watched it at the perfect time. I was so young, that I loved it. But it's good enough that it stayed good for subsequent rewatches as I got older. It's the best.
 
tumblr_mq22z7L1wX1rcatuko1_500.gif
 
People are starting to get real spoilery in here without using appropriate spoiler tags. It's his first time watching Bebop, please be respectful and edit your spoilers.
 
i used to think bebop was pretty episodic, but i only viewed it from spike's perspective. actually everyone gets their story.

1, 5, 12/13, 25/26 - spike

2 - ein

3, 15, 18, 24 - faye

9, 17, 24 - ed

10, 16, 21 - jet

about 60% of the show is explicitly devoted to main characters within the show and/or their histories. everything else is done to help flesh them out by putting them in different situations in which they interact with each other in different ways.

it's fucking great.
 
My wife (then girlfriend) got me Volume 1 on DVD when it was first released like 15 years ago on a whim. I watched a ton of anime back then and I guess she thought the cover looked
cool (it did).

From the moment TANK! and that godlike opening hit, I was completely blown away.

Got the box from Amazon today, popped that disc in a few hours ago and that same feeling came right back. An amazing transfer on that bluray too.

For me, it just does everything right. The style, characters, music, setting, craft designs, pacing, even the dub (I was a major dub snob back in the day).

I hope to live to see another show hit this mark. Champloo was a great series too that probably deserves a rewatch, and I've seen a dozen or so series that I absolutely loved since then...but man, nothing tops Cowboy Bebop.
 
Usobuko said:
You're in a western forum where this one of the few prominent gateaway anime for people.

It's probably the same for Slam Dunk in Asia.
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It's still the best, though. I would love to hear an analysis of Bebop and some other show somebody thinks is better, like a proper critique of both shows.

It's easy to dismiss something but outside of saying they think champloo is better nobody has really answered the question of "if bebop isn't the greatest, what is? what show is being hidden by Bebop's popularity?"
 
teruterubozu said:
The psychedelic mushrooms episode is my favorite Champloo. It's probably why I love Space Dandy so much. I love that over the top weirdness.
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Mushroom Samba. I watched that episode for the first time at around 4:30AM when I was half asleep but also had a good buzz on, perfect atmosphere to watch that episode IMO.
 
Hmm never really understood the praise Cowboy Bebop gets. I imagine it's just because it's usually one of the first shows someone watches when they get into anime. Back when I hadn't even seen 50 shows I would watch plenty of absolute garbage series that I would not today (not that I'm saying Cowboy Bebop is garbage). It just seems like an average show to me. Maybe it appeals to western casual tastes more?
 
Sakura said:
Hmm never really understood the praise Cowboy Bebop gets. I imagine it's just because it's usually one of the first shows someone watches when they get into anime. Back when I hadn't even seen 50 shows I would watch plenty of absolute garbage series that I would not today (not that I'm saying Cowboy Bebop is garbage). It just seems like an average show to me. Maybe it appeals to western casual tastes more?
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I'd say that's definitely a factor.
 
Sakura said:
Hmm never really understood the praise Cowboy Bebop gets. I imagine it's just because it's usually one of the first shows someone watches when they get into anime. Back when I hadn't even seen 50 shows I would watch plenty of absolute garbage series that I would not today (not that I'm saying Cowboy Bebop is garbage). It just seems like an average show to me. Maybe it appeals to western casual tastes more?
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It is a very good gateway anime series, and it is not very polarizing to somebody who is not familiar with the medium. Bebop has a decent amount of western influences in it too, with jazz music and lots of action. The series also has an episodic format or structure with an overarching main plot, similar to Champloo so it is easy to watch in short bursts. Honestly I would I say I'm not really sure if Bebop really excels in any particular area except for the soundtrack perhaps but it does several other aspects (animation, story, the main characters, voice acting) fairly well.
 
XANDER CAGE said:
I just think Speak Like a Child is a much more interesting Faye story. My Funny Valentine is just kind of boring, I guess.
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Speak Like a Child is the best Bebop ep. I think Faye is one of the few "Annoying femme fatales" that actually comes around to being a likeable character once you learn her backstory

Oh, and to the OP, pay attention to the ending animation. It's a sort of highly condensed/summarized version of Spike's backstory
 
Sakura said:
Hmm never really understood the praise Cowboy Bebop gets. I imagine it's just because it's usually one of the first shows someone watches when they get into anime. Back when I hadn't even seen 50 shows I would watch plenty of absolute garbage series that I would not today (not that I'm saying Cowboy Bebop is garbage). It just seems like an average show to me. Maybe it appeals to western casual tastes more?
Click to expand...

Yawnier said:
It is a very good gateway anime series, and it is not very polarizing to somebody who is not familiar with the medium. Bebop has a decent amount of western influences in it too, with jazz music and lots of action. The series also has an episodic format or structure with an overarching main plot, similar to Champloo so it is easy to watch in short bursts. Honestly I would I say I'm not really sure if Bebop really excels in any particular area except for the soundtrack perhaps but it does several other aspects (animation, story, the main characters, voice acting) fairly well.
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Honestly I think it's just a better executed show that communicates a lot more than the vast majority of televised anime. I'll give anything a try but I just haven't seen a show that's nailed it the way Bebop has. I honestly wonder what the favorite shows of people who denigrate Bebop are. Like if you think Bebop is average, what in the actual fuck is great to you?
 
squidyj said:
Honestly I think it's just a better executed show that communicates a lot more than the vast majority of televised anime. I'll give anything a try but I just haven't seen a show that's nailed it the way Bebop has. I honestly wonder what the favorite shows of people who denigrate Bebop are. Like if you think Bebop is average, what in the actual fuck is great to you?
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Well, most of the shows I consider great or I enjoy the most seem to be comedies or feature comedy heavily, so I'm not sure me saying X is great would convince you.
 
Can someone clarify this about Spike?
Was his eye surgery done after he was severely wounded at the graveyard fight with Vicious? And that's what gives him his keen senses? His eye is like a bloody eye type transplant, right?
 
ProtoCents said:
Can someone clarify this about Spike?
Was his eye surgery done after he was severely wounded at the graveyard fight with Vicious? And that's what gives him his keen senses? His eye is like a bloody eye type transplant, right?
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No, he lost his eye before the fight, probably before even meeting Julia. This is known because Julia mentioned to Gren about the two different eyes,and she lost contact with him after him going to the graveyard, meaning it was a while before that.
 
Sakura said:
Well, most of the shows I consider great or I enjoy the most seem to be comedies or feature comedy heavily, so I'm not sure me saying X is great would convince you.
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I feel like you're failing to separate goodness and quality from what you enjoy. I'd still like to hear what you think is great but the idea that not enjoying something makes it average doesn't exactly hold water.
 
Watched the first 4 episodes on Hulu, which is sadly all they've got dubbed :(

I really like it, but I'm not 100% sold on the bluray. Worth it?
 
Xe4 said:
No, he lost his eye before the fight, probably before even meeting Julia. This is known because Julia mentioned to Gren about the two different eyes,and she lost contact with him after him going to the graveyard, meaning it was a while before that.
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Gotcha. Thanks
How about the scene referenced in flashbacks where he collapses in front of her apartment? What was the deal with that?
 
ProtoCents said:
Gotcha. Thanks
How about the scene referenced in flashbacks where he collapses in front of her apartment? What was the deal with that?
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I believe that is when he met Julia, or fell in love with her. I'm absolutely sure he either met her there or in the billiards club shown in the final flashback. This was probably another time when a job went bad, as shown by his rather beat up and bloody face. I'm not too sure about this one however.

One thing that bugged me, is that during the green bird flash back vicious is show waking up next to someone. At first glance it would appear to be Julia, but this person had black hair. Was it Gren, or was the lighting just weird?
 
Cowboy Bebop works because it works. The fact that it connects with people outside the hardcore anime fanbase should be applauded, not viewed negativity because it's an easier show to grasp than whatever you consider to be better. Let's face it, anime is weird and niche as hell. CB managed to connect where many, many, many other shows would have failed. That's a good thing. That's an admirable thing.
 
I know I'm late to the party but I'm trying to keep myself as unspoiled as I can. I haven't read anything spoilery so I'm good.

I also heard that Space Dandy is similar to an episode called, "Mushroom Samba" but I'll have to wait and see that for myself.

I'm up to episode 6 (I know I am going pretty slow but its Christmas) and will let you guys know what I think as I keep viewing. :)
 
I don't watch much anime but I consider Cowboy Bebop one of the best tv shows, including live action shows, period.
 
cracked open my blu ray set this afternoon, i've been meaning to re-watch for a while, but after the first episode, i gotta say, very impressed with the image quality.
 
So I don't know whether to put this here, in the blu-ray thread, or bump the |OT|, but perhaps the most in-depth analysis of Cowboy Bebop, ever, finished yesterday. Kinda.
There is more to come, but all of the episodes have been covered. The whole thing took five years, and the last two episodes took four years to write. Its a fantastic read, if sometimes speculative and overanalizing, but after all, the site's name is overthinking it. Here are the different articles.

Intro
1-5
6-10
11-14
15
16-18
19
20
21-22
23
24
25-26

Fair warning, the analysis will spoil everything about the particular episode, without warning. You should be OK reading up on the ones you have already watched, but I can't guarantee anything. Also, it's long as fuck, totaling 50,000 words in total with the last two episodes being 10,000 words on its own.
 
Ballad of Fallen Angels is one of the best episodes of any anime ever made.

The first time I saw it I was blown away. Speechless even no joke.
 
Sakura said:
Hmm never really understood the praise Cowboy Bebop gets. I imagine it's just because it's usually one of the first shows someone watches when they get into anime. Back when I hadn't even seen 50 shows I would watch plenty of absolute garbage series that I would not today (not that I'm saying Cowboy Bebop is garbage). It just seems like an average show to me. Maybe it appeals to western casual tastes more?
Click to expand...
I watched at least a dozen anime series before Bebop, and a lot after bebop, bebop is still perfection IMO
Def may be due to living in the USA too tho, and that I don't like fantastical anime (most of them =_=)
 
squidyj said:
Honestly I think it's just a better executed show that communicates a lot more than the vast majority of televised anime. I'll give anything a try but I just haven't seen a show that's nailed it the way Bebop has. I honestly wonder what the favorite shows of people who denigrate Bebop are. Like if you think Bebop is average, what in the actual fuck is great to you?
Click to expand...

My top favorite series are Haibane Renmei and Kino's Journey. Much more philosophical than Cowboy Bebop but not nearly as large in scope either. Cowboy Bebop was a phenomenon on an epic and grand scale but for me that doesnt quite make it the best. Definitely top 20 though.
 
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