COWBOY BEBOP
From the first announcement that there is going to be a Cowboy Bebop live-action adaptation. Anime lovers and geeks all around the world went into preparation mode.
DEVELOPED BY: ANDRE NEMEC
STARRING: JOHN CHO, MUSTAFA SHAKIR, DANIELLA PINEDA, ELENA SATINE, AND ALEX HASSELL
COMPOSER: YOKO KANNO
Getting yourself mentally prepared was the first step, rewatching the beloved anime was the second step (or discovering the anime for the first time). Seeking any information surrounding the show and who they will cast the third step. Finding out that the legendary Yoko Kanno will be doing the music for the show brought on a sigh of relief.
Now taking an Anime over to live-action by an American company has produced horrendous results in the past think Ghost in a Shell, Dragon Ball: Evolution, and so on. Now take into consideration that Netflix had the backbone to take on probably one of the most popular anime series of all time. They should be applauded just for that fact. And trying, not always succeeding in expanding the lore, the character backstories, building the awe-inspiring world that came out of the legendary Shinichiro Watanabe amazing animated series. Having to find a cast and crew equally as passionate about the project as themselves, and delivering a show that would not only please the original fan but bring in new uneducated fans. They did a pretty good job.
COWBOY O MY COWBOY
What is it about?
Well, it is about a ragtag crew cruising through the galaxy chasing down bounties. With a varying degree of success. Episodic by nature but with a brilliant overarching plot. The characters of the Bebop are complex, relatable, charismatic, and broken to a certain degree. The bounties equally so, and the original antagonist was a fear-inspiring sadistic monster of a man. With a name like Vicious, what else would you expect?
Yes, it is a simple premise, however, what sets this apart is the fact that you cant pin this down to a single genre. Yes, it is a futuristic neo-noir action-adventure comedic western set in space, however, it is so much more.
The live-action adaptation from Netflix follows the same recipe to a certain degree. It truly does come across that Netflix and the crew is passionate about this project. The sets should receive great praise, yes it is a more modern take, but it breathes nostalgia. These are the same broken-down worlds that we were introduced to back in 1998. Is it perfect? The short answer is no. However, it is pretty dam close.
THE CAST OF COWBOY BEBOP
I believe in giving credit where credit is due. And on a positive note, most of the cast and supporting cast gives a true reflection of the characters we loved way back when. Some of the cast, although brilliant in their own right just don’t fit. My expectations might have been too high but it felt like a complete miss. Let us take a look at what worked and what did not (please bear in mind this is my opinion).
John Cho
John Cho as Spike Spiegel is a perfect fit. Yes, you are going to get those critics and people saying John is older and does not really fit the part. John makes it relatable and believable importing this character into reality with ease. He looks and feels the part, and does extremely well in the action sequences.
Mustafa Shakir
Mustafa Shakir is the embodiment of Jet. Shakir delivers an exceptional performance as the father figure. He does not miss a step, even in the scenes not from the anime you will accept and believe this is how Jet would have reacted.
Daniella Pineda
Daniella Pineda stands out as the ever-interesting Faye Valentine. Some of what we remember of Faye has changed and it is not the exact same character from the original anime. However, there is more than enough of the original in this version to make it work to a degree. Some fans might find an issue with the changes, but this is an evolved version of what we knew.
The main cast of the Bebop works best when they are interacting with the rest of the crew. You can see that they enjoyed the experience and that they truly wanted to deliver a truthful but different take on these beloved characters.
Alex Hassell
Hassell`s probably not a household name but you might remember him as Translucent from The Boys. Vicious is a scary individual and the original anime did a brilliant job in creating the atmosphere that surrounds this terrifying individual. However, this portrayal of the character falls flat in more ways than one. Vicious now seems more like a spoiled brat not getting his way, the feeling and atmosphere of a vengeful man willing to do unspeakable evils do not exist in this portrayal. It is truly a shame.
Elena Satine
Satine`s take on Julia is believable for the most part. But, it falls short of a true interpretation. Julia was the mysterious love interest of Spike and Vicious. Julia mainly appeared in flashbacks of the original anime until the final two episodes. Probably not a lot to work off, but, Julia was the contrast to the bleak environment, she stood out. In that Satine does a brilliant job, she certainly stands out. Although portrayed as a fragile and scared individual at the beginning of the series, she evolves into the strong female character we all remember by the end.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Cowboy Bebop`s live-action adaption works well in most parts. It is not an exact adaptation from the original material and it is not exactly something new. It falls somewhere in between new and original. The episodes that worked out brilliantly are the ones that used the same formula as the anime. It is the same but different but it works. The best way to describe this is – you start the evening with a story, later on after having a couple of drinks you tell the same story again but with added details and new twists.
What did not work well was the whole new Vicious and Julia ark. This does not have the look and feel of Cowboy Bebop. I understand that they want to build these characters and offer up new experiences but in doing that they took away the mystery behind these two. With added personality changes and a, I have seen this a million times before backstories, they lost the essence of the original.
Verdict.
This is probably one of the better adaptations from anime to live-action. It’s a stellar first season and it feels and looks in most parts the same as the original. The downside is the original elements they tried to infuse with the existing story, and many will find it unbearable. But there is a saving grace the crew of the Bebop – Cho, Shakir, Pineda. And I for one would be happy to tag along for however long this ride is going to be.
Score: 7.5