Today’s quick review: Cowboy Bebop: The Movie. After an unprecedented act of bioterrorism, Spike Spiegel and the crew of the spaceship Cowboy Bebop set their sights on the record-setting bounty placed on the perpetrator’s head. But their target, Vincent, is no ordinary man. Their investigation leads them to a talented hacker, a shady chemical company, a dead special ops team, and a chemical agent that could wipe out all human life on Mars.
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie is an anime movie that mixes elements of science fiction, noir, and Western genres. Set near the end of the Cowboy Bebop television series, the movie serves as both a bonus adventure for longtime fans and a standalone story for newcomers. Cowboy Bebop: The Movie continues the excellent themes and characterization of the show but with higher production values and more time to tell its story.
The original Cowboy Bebop series was a genre fusion, a blend of noir and Western elements with a science fiction setting and jazz stylings. The movie follows in its footsteps, providing a succinct cross-section of the most interesting elements of the show. From its short, insightful peeks into the characters of the show to its impressive original soundtrack, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie adds to the original series without detracting from the show’s central story arc.
One of the greatest strengths of both the show and the movie is their characters. The crew of the Cowboy Bebop are a motley assortment of misfits with only loose ties to one another. Spike Spiegel, a laid-back bounty hunter, heads the group. His friend Jet Black is the ship’s owner and pilot. Faye Valentine is another bounty hunter with nowhere else to go. Also living aboard the ship are Ed, an eccentric child hacker, and her pet corgi Ein.
The characters are never formally introduced, but their actions define them well. For all that they are a family of sorts, the four crew members are all loners with different loyalties and objectives. This is seen in their separate approaches to tracking down Vincent, with direct cooperation only when they find themselves stuck. Their subtle characterization through their choices and dialogue is enough to paint a clear picture in just a few deft brushstrokes.
The story shares some of the same flaws as the TV series. As a full-length movie with an original plot, a new villain, and few ties to the main plot of the show, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie has little reason not to embrace its plot. But the movie leaves its story loose and vague. Typical movie logic is scrapped in favor of a winding investigation with dangling threads and mixed payoff. The style matches that of the show but may be unfulfulling for those used to movies.
Watch Cowboy Bebop: The Movie when you are in the mood for an animated film with a great world-building and characterization and a few beautiful moments. Though not the tightest or most action-packed story, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie is an enjoyable watch suitable for new viewers and old fans alike. Those disinterested in sci-fi or indirect storytelling should skip it.
7.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for quality characters, good presentation, and an interesting mix of genres.