The live-action adaptation of the popular 1990s anime Cowboy Bebop finally hit Netflix in 2021. However, due to the divisive reception and the overall criticism meted out to the series, it was cancelled less than a month following its release.
Netflix did not provide any official explanation for their impromptu decision. The show had massive viewership ratings, with nearly 74 million hours of streaming within the first week of its release. However, the ratings on Rotten Tomatoes were highly average as fans of the original anime were pretty miffed with the adaptation.
However, the legion of fans of the live-action adaptation decided to take matters into their own hands and start an online petition on Change.org to bring back the show for a second season. Their dedication has amassed over 100,000 signatures already.
The petition was started by Ryan Pfeffer, who said, “For those people who want a second (or more) of the live-action Cowboy Bebop. It wasn’t a direct copy of the anime, but the world they put together was amazing and deserves a second season.”
The live-action series starred John Cho as Spike Spiegel, Daniella Pineda as Faye Valentine and Mustafa Shakir as Jet Black. Adapted from Shinichiro Watanabe’s ingenious creation, Netflix creator Andre Nemec had roped in the iconic composer Yoko Kanno for creating the legendary jazzy soundtrack from the anime.
However, Nemec’s interpretation of the space cowboy’s intergalactic adventures failed to make a mark in the minds of viewers at large. While many criticised the casting choices, Cho defended it by saying how he managed to play a mature version of Spiegel, wisened by time and age. He even spoke about his expectations for season two, where he wanted “Spike to be happy”.
The actor said, “This season was rough for him. I did feel a lot of sympathy pangs for him. So I hope he has a moment of happiness.”
After the cancellation news hit the web, the co-executive producer Javier Grillo-Marxuach expressed his disappointment on Twitter. He said, “I truly loved working on this. It came from a real and pure place of respect and affection. I wish we could make what we planned for a second season, but you know what they say, men plan, God laughs.”
However, given how determined the fans are to bring back Spike and his ragtag team of bounty hunters for a second season, it will probably not be long before Netflix agrees to the same.
“See you soon, space cowboy.”
