Created by Andre Nemec, Netflix’s eponymous live-action adaptation of the anime series Cowboy Bebop will see the creator delve deeper into the Bebop-verse and present to the audience a deeper understanding of various elements that confirm him to be a true fan.
With stylish main characters and their heart-breaking dark and tragic stories, Nemec has promised a canon-compliant adaptation that will hopefully strike a chord with fans.
Talking about developing the anime and the characters, of whom he refers to Spike Spiegel as “a cowboy with a broken heart” and Faye as “a survivor”, he said, “I think that the poetic nature of the anime absolutely allowed for us to mine the archetypal nature of the characters and dig out deeper histories that we wanted to explore — and answer some of the questions that the anime leaves you with.”
Cowboy Bebop has a massive cult-like following and has inspired various other manga, series, films and more. With peppy pop tracks, rich colours and style, intriguing protagonists with appealing backstories and a burst of flavour, the anime reigns supreme and is recognised by even those who have not a single iota regarding the glorious world of anime.
Ahead of its release, we, at Best of Netflix, decided to compile a list wherein we talk about everything we know about Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop.
Everything we know about Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop
When will Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop be released?
In 2017, Netflix announced the live-action reboot of the popular anime and fans were left reeling under excitement. Although the wait has been long and arduous, Netflix gained streaming rights in 2018 and the live-action adaptation will be premiering on 19th November, 2021.
What will happen in Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop?
The live-action series will most likely not change the course of the narrative according to reports and first-look pictures. The premise of the show sees a ragtag team of bounty hunters engage in outer space travel as they deal with their past trauma and battle some of the most daunting adversaries across the solar system.
This genre-transcending anime has a jazzy and light-hearted vibe which made it an instant favourite, along with the cute Pembrokeshire corgi named Ein who became a defining figure from the series.
Creator Andre Nemec is extremely mindful of how big of a cultural phenomenon the anime has been for fans and has promised to “never take the original anime from the purist”. While he has promised to not violate “the canon in any direction”, he has promised, “some extra glimpses into the world that was already created.”
Executive producer Jeff Pinkner, too, echoed Nemec in talking about how they had used the “opportunity to take the anime and sort of like just deepen and dimensionalize the source material”.
Who are the cast members on Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop?
The first look at the cast members makes one feel better as they seem to have retained the originality of the anime. John Cho, who is well-known for the Harold & Kumar films, will be seen as the suave and sexy Spike Spiegel. His role required the 49-year-old to take part in severe high-intensity action training that he carried out with perseverance despite a ligament injury.
Daniella Pineda and Mustafa Shakir have joined Cho as Faye valentine and Jet Black. The cast also includes Elena Satine as Julia and Alex Hassell as the main antagonist, Vicious.
The streamer has also released some cute photos of Ein over whom fans just cannot stop gushing as well as a crucial scene from the adaptation that mirrors one in the anime.
How many episodes will Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop have?
The first season will most likely have ten episodes. While it is unknown whether the streamer will order a season two, fans cannot wait to see what these jazzy episodes entail. Plus, the snazzy soundtrack that will appear at the beginning of every episode will make you not want to press on Netflix’s built-in ‘Skip Intro’ button.
Is the anime version of Cowboy Bebop available on Netflix?
The 1998 anime Cowboy Bebop has become a major household phenomenon with just 26 episodes that led to two manga series, an anime film and more. The anime version was added to Netflix today.
What was the recent controversy regarding Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop?
Firstly, there had been a lot of controversy regarding John Cho being cast as Spike Spiegel as fans were expecting someone way younger. However, the actor looks ripped and fit in the photos and teaser.
The actor defended himself as Spiegel by saying how he was “strangely better suited at this age” to play Spike as he feels like he would not have “done justice to the emotional depth” of the character had he been younger. He spoke of how he was better at “showing weakness and vulnerability and love.”
The other controversy that preceded the release of this live-action series was regarding the lack of sex appeal in Faye Valentine’s outfit. Fans were quick to dismiss her and call her boring given the lack of revealing outfits Faye is seen wearing.
However, a well-fitting reply was posted by Kylie Cheung, writer at Salon.com, who heavily criticised this “horny male outrage” and called out these “male internet basement dwellers” for carrying out huge social media protests against “the unthinkable injustice of an on-screen woman existing while not being dressed or designed to titillate”, effectively shutting them down.
Check out one such misogynist tweet below that deserved Cheung’s scathing response:
Has Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop released a trailer?
Although a full-length trailer has not yet been dropped, Netflix recently introduced the extremely cool and stylish teaser for the upcoming live-action series.
The nearly three-minute teaser shows a suave representation of the three main characters who sizzle in the stylish and sexy appeal of the 1970s series.
The teaser shows the dynamic between the trio and teases the kind of fight sequences that will feature on the show. The teaser derives heavily from the manga and has a distinct set of moving panels, looking quite promising.
