"I thought I was watching a dream that I would never awaken from. Before I knew it, the dream was over." - Spike Spiegel, Cowboy Bebop
Around a year ago, I was considering getting into anime since I've never truly gotten into it (yeah, I know, deciding to get into anime instead of TV in general, it just seemed right for me lmao). Years before I'd tried giving a few anime series' a try, but the farthest I'd get was a few episodes, and I never got any farther because of either my parents being around (and concerns that they would disprove of what I was watching) or I wasn't able to get any farther. I don't know what it was, but something told me to go for Cowboy Bebop, so exactly a year ago I started watching it and also logging it on MyAnimeList. It took me 2 months to finish since I wasn't used to watching shows consistently, but little did I know that once I finished it, my life would be changed forever.
Cowboy Bebop is a 26 episode-long action and sci-fi anime series that originally aired from 1998 to 1999. It takes place in 2071 in a time where humanity's expanded across the galaxy, filled with all this advanced technology. The very Western-inspired series follows a Bebop crew consisting of Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, and later on Faye Valentine, Edward Wong, and Ein, going on different bounty hunting adventures throughout this galaxy. It's fun, but over time it slowly shifts to its deeper and more serious themes, but ultimately is able to balance them out.
On certain episodes, a certain main character becomes the main focus of it, and their experiences throughout it gives you a better understanding of their background and darker side, while being able to remain cohesive and progress the full narrative. Over time, we slowly realize the internal problems that most of the main characters face deep inside, the problems they try to escape, whether its memory and identity loss, betrayal, or loneliness. While Spike, the main character, seems to be quite careless and laidback, he struggles with being separated from those close to him, as well as the inability to escape from his past. When I learned this as I was watching the series, I felt a connection towards him, as I'm always thinking about my past and just wishing I could come back to it somehow. To this day, he's still my favorite fictional character ever.
There's also episodes that give more of a focus on a side character that also may have certain struggles, and their interactions with a main character lets you understand both of them a little better. In my favorite episode, session 8, or 'Waltz For Venus,' Spike meets a man stealing a valuable plant that's used to cure illnesses, but later on his intentions for doing so become clear which causes Spike to become more sympathetic, and the way it goes on from there to the end of the episode is so tragic. It also causes us to ask questions about how people that fall victim to these losses can move on from them, but it's clear that the only way of doing so is by accepting what's happened and being thankful for what he have (or had) left.
This idea becomes very clear at the end of the series. Almost everything's falling apart, the crew becomes more independent from one another, and they continue to have their inner struggles. The way the whole series ends just feels so breathtaking because we're unsure how to feel. We don't know if it should make us feel happy or sad, but what we know is that we have to accept what's happened and be thankful that we've had it in the first place. We're also unsure about what happens to ALL of the characters and if they're able to solve their inner struggles, but we just have to accept how things are. All in all, it's a very powerful send-off.
Not only did the series have such a detailed and powerful narrative, but there's so many other aspects of it that I admire. The jazzy soundtrack is incredible, it suits the show's style really well and is honestly one of my favorite albums ever. The cinematography and scenery were beautiful and it really lets you absorb the universe that the show takes place in. I don't know what other aspects to talk about, but my love for it is so strong that I already have quite a few shirts of it, a keychain of Ein, a pin of Spike on my backpack, and even a plush of Spike. I just love it so much.
I'm glad I chose this series as my gateway into anime, as I would go on to watch other anime series' with similar ideas and themes like Serial Experiments Lain, Samurai Champloo, and very recently Violet Evergarden (Violet's also my 2nd favorite fictional character ever and I even find similarities between her and Spike, haha). I've also come to love a bunch of non-anime media (mainly films) more that I've found with similar vibes, like Her and Blade Runner.
So yeah, it means a lot to me, and to this day... I still carry that weight.
- Anthony “Salteh” S. • • •
