No one was begging for anime classic Cowboy Bebop to be remade as a live action series, but it’s 2021 and nothing can stop the juggernaut that is Netflix from its mission of creating every possible piece of potentially profitable content. Cynicism aside, the stakes were high; Bebop is a beloved pillar of the anime world and fans weren’t exactly chomping at the bit for Netflix to get ahold of the property after the disaster that was Death Note. Nevertheless the streaming giant has tried their hand at bringing the show’s unique blend of sci-fi, western and film noir to live-action and the result is largely positive: a fairly safe recreation that manages to carry that same rebellious spirit to a new, intriguing world. The few changes it does make to the source material never improve the story in any significant manner and the look and tone of the show won’t be for everyone but Cowboy Bebop is still a worthwhile investment for existing fans and newcomers to the franchise.
For the uninitiated, Cowboy Bebop follows the adventures of bounty hunters Spike Spiegel (John Cho) and Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir) as they struggle to make ends meet attempting to collect on all manner of problematic bounties. Later joined on their ship, the Bebop, by amnesiac Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda) and corgi Ein, the crew inevitably cross paths with The Syndicate, an underground crime organisation controlled by Vicious (Alex Hassell); a ruthless psychopath with a complicated history and score to settle with Spike. As their work begins to attract more and more attention from The Syndicate, including his old flame Julia (Elena Satine), the group is forced to come together to help Spike confront Vicious and the life he left behind.
Thankfully, a lot of Cowboy Bebop feels similar to the original series; chiefly due to the presence of series creator Shinichirō Watanabe (as a creative consultant), composer Yoko Kanno’s iconic jazz score and the fact that the episodes themselves are more often than not an exact recreation of an episode of the anime. Whilst this may be a divisive decision for some fans, Cowboy Bebop remains a somewhat niche series for mainstream audiences, and the decision to transfer some of the anime’s best episodes across to live action works both as a primer for new audiences and as a perfect showcase for the actors taking on these roles. A sci-fi western with elements of film noir isn’t exactly an easy sell and the show does an excellent job of introducing the audience to the world and slowly drip-feeding them the more unconventional elements, to the point where a dog-fearing clown assassin becomes par for the course.
Where the show does walk that tightrope between reverence and accessibility the most shakily is undoubtedly in its presentation. This is a cheesy show, almost to the point of looking downright cheap at times – in everything from character’s costumes to certain production design – giving the whole affair a B-movie feel. While this does tend to help sell the more whacky elements the show introduces with something of a wink and a nod – the aforementioned clown assassin, environmental terrorists that employ grenades that turn people into trees – it often prevents the show’s heavier elements from landing with any kind of emotional weight.
Take Vicious’ storyline for example. A deranged, psychotic mafia don who wields a katana makes for one hell of a wild card of a villain and works within the confines of the show’s corny tone. But Vicious’ story largely takes place separately from the adventures of the Bebop, dealing with heavy elements of family legacy and betrayal through a complex, politically charged succession narrative towards the head of The Syndicate. It’s one thing to laugh at Spike pining over a bowl of noodles to celebrate a job well done, but when you shift focus to a white-haired assassin constantly moaning about about how hard done by he is as the son of the most powerful man in the galaxy, and the show expects you to take this seriously, things have slipped too far into absurdity. Add to that some truly awful, cringe-inducing dialogue and Cowboy Bebop takes on a wildly disjointed feel between these two warring tones. Alex Hassell fully commits to the role, but it’s all in vain when the show is constantly working against him.
Thankfully that can mostly be forgiven due to some absolutely pitch perfect casting in John Cho and Mustafa Shakir. It’s rare that an actor so totally embodies a character – Robert Downey Jr. being the obvious example as Tony Stark – but thanks to Cho the cocky, lazy bounty hunter with a heart of gold, Spike Spiegel, seamlessly makes the leap from animation to live-action. Everything from the costuming and hair-styling to the the way Spike puffs away on a cigarette feels faithful to the source material, with new depth found in the subtle glances and body language that Cho employs to make these rehashed storylines feel fresh and exciting for fans to see again. Shakir similarly expands upon the character of Jet, particularly the relationship he currently has and wishes he had with his estranged young daughter. The mixture of Spike and Jet’s banter and a complicated partnership of trust underpinned by secrets makes for an endlessly entertaining duo, with the eventual introduction of Daniella Pineda’s Faye only strengthening the fun of these interactions, even if Faye herself doesn’t make for the most intriguing character.
That’s all to say that Netflix’s adaptation of Cowboy Bebop isn’t the completely dumpster fire that it could have been, far from it in fact. A career-defining performance from John Cho and strong turns from Mustafa Shakir and Daniella Pineda ensure that the crew of the Bebop loses none of their charm in the transition from anime to live action; that strange world of space cowboys and underground jazz bars still as enrapturing and endearing as it was over 20 years ago when the original show aired. Like that show it won’t be to everyone’s tastes and some jarring tonal shifts and poor writing hold it back from being must-watch television but for fans or newcomers ready to dip their toes in the water, Cowboy Bebop is a fine time. See you, space cowboy.
Cowboy Bebop stars John Cho, Mustafa Shakir, Daniella Pineda, Elena Satine, Tamara Tunie, Mason Alexander Park, John Noble & Alex Hassell – Streaming on Netflix now.