Cowboy Bebop Returns!

Nowadays, we live in the world of the reboot. It seems like almost everything that comes out, whether it be a movie or a TV show, is a reboot or remake of something else. If it isn`t that, then it`s being made from a (somewhat) famous but until now neglected book series. Actually, I`m not complaining, though I have been known to do that from time to time. As it turns out, I`m really excited for one particular remake that is coming out soon—the live-action Cowboy Bebop series. I can hardly wait for its release. It`ll be a Netflix exclusive, so I am planning to restart my subscription to that service solely for this show.

The original Cowboy Bebop was an anime that was released in the 1990s, but I first experienced it in the 2000s when it aired on Cartoon Network`s “Adult Swim” in the U.S. I think this was most young Americans` first exposure to the show. I remember staying up late just to catch the newest episode of the show. Even though I was always tired the next day at school, I never regretted it.

Why was I such a big fan of this show, though? Well, for me, it was the perfect combination of science fiction, film noir, martial arts, comedy, drama, and - of course - jazz music. I was a huge fan of all of those things and I`m still a fan of them today, so that explains my particular love of the show. I would even go so far as to say that it was my favorite show growing up. However, my love for the show goes beyond that. It wasn`t my first exposure to anime - that honor goes to Dragon Ball Z - but it was the first anime that I saw that seemed to be specifically aimed at adults. It was understated and sophisticated while also being fun to watch. I loved it so much and I still really enjoy watching it now.

This, then, brings me to the live-action remake. I know that some fans of the old show are not as excited about it as I am. Some people have complained about the casting. John Cho, of Harold and Kumar and Star Trek fame, might not seem like an ideal pick for Spike Spiegel, one of the series` main and most iconic characters, but I`ve been a fan of his work for a long time and it seems like he will do a great job. The other actors, though I`m not as familiar with them, also look great and seem to match their anime counterparts well. Of course, Faye Valentine isn`t dressed the same way, but I can`t imagine an actual human being moving around in that revealing outfit without suffering injury (seriously), so it totally makes sense to me that they made some changes.

There is one notable omission that I am disappointed about. One of my favorite characters - the child hacker genius Ed - hasn`t been cast and it seems doubtful that she will appear in the first season of the series at all. However, her faithful super dog Ein (short for Einstein) has been cast and will appear in the show, so I just have to hope that Ed is soon to follow.

Michael

Vocabulary

live-action (noun) – action involving real people; not animation
exclusive (adjective) – restricted to a particular group or place
film noir (noun) – “dark film” in French; a style of film often about cynical heroes and crime
sophisticated (adjective) – refined, complicated, developed