Cowboy Bebop (2021)

:

Season 1
  • Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Nov 19, 2021
User Score
4.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 253 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 102 out of 253
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 253
  3. Negative: 135 out of 253
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  1. LoganWolverine
    Nov 20, 2021
    0
    More proof that anime shouldn't be adapted to live-action. It's not needed and was clearly only made to capitalize off of a name with no love for the show at all. Had the soul ripped out of the anime and this is what we got.
  2. GuapoGrande
    Nov 19, 2021
    0
    Where to even begin with this mess, they took the greatest anime of all time and turned it into a dumb millennial cosplay. 0/10
  3. Abigredwagon
    Nov 19, 2021
    0
    Awful fight chorography. How can the same network that brought Daredevil to life put out fights that look this bad and low impact? Childish dialogue that drops exposition like a bomb completely devoid of nuance. The directors apparently didn't understand how the score of the anime created mood and emotion and instead just drops it in with no reason. Just all around poor. In a vacuumAwful fight chorography. How can the same network that brought Daredevil to life put out fights that look this bad and low impact? Childish dialogue that drops exposition like a bomb completely devoid of nuance. The directors apparently didn't understand how the score of the anime created mood and emotion and instead just drops it in with no reason. Just all around poor. In a vacuum I'd give it a 3, but since it's adapting something so good and messed it up so bad it's getting a 0. It's a shame, if any part of this would have been acceptable I probably would have forgiven a lot, but on the whole it feels cheap, amateur, and bland.… Expand
  4. WalterMitty
    Nov 19, 2021
    0
    1998 Cowboy Bebop is a masterpiece, a unique experience that can be enjoyed by anyone, liking anime or not. No one asked for a new version 'cause it's perfect the way it is, it's just like asking for a new version of The Godfather, why the hell would you want that? But well, they did it, it's this one, and they simply massacred the memory of the anime, ruined and disrespected every single1998 Cowboy Bebop is a masterpiece, a unique experience that can be enjoyed by anyone, liking anime or not. No one asked for a new version 'cause it's perfect the way it is, it's just like asking for a new version of The Godfather, why the hell would you want that? But well, they did it, it's this one, and they simply massacred the memory of the anime, ruined and disrespected every single bit. The creators clearly didn't understood nothing of the anime, they thought Cowboy Bebop was cool visuals and that's it. Funny how an animation ended up being way more realistic and relatable than the live action.… Expand
  5. BellaSwan1992
    Nov 19, 2021
    0
    I didn't think live-action anime got any worse than Ghost in the Shell or Death Note, but this tops them all for badness
  6. RowanBlack
    Nov 28, 2021
    5
    I enjoyed parts of the show. It has mostly good set and world design. The music is good not great but not as good as the original and some of the actors do a good job in the roll. However, the more I watched the more I realized the show had two masters that didn't agree with each other. The parts devoted the most to the original source material (which were better than) and the partsI enjoyed parts of the show. It has mostly good set and world design. The music is good not great but not as good as the original and some of the actors do a good job in the roll. However, the more I watched the more I realized the show had two masters that didn't agree with each other. The parts devoted the most to the original source material (which were better than) and the parts where they were leading the show in a new direction. This happens very often when adaptations are made and you end up with something that would have been better of as an original series rather than taking the name of some other source. At the end I just felt beat, every show taking a little bit more enjoyment away and leaving me unsatisfied.… Expand
  7. JoGeronimusKer
    Nov 21, 2021
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Whilst the show starts out decently, it really drops the ball at the end. As an adaptation, you know changes will be made. Some of them work, some of them don't.
    An interesting change in this adaptation is the dynamic between the Bebop crew. In the original anime, their bond was rigid. They were broken people, tied together by circumstance who on the surface treated each other like sh*t, but who still cared for one another. In this adaptation, they seem to get along better. Jet and Spike have a far more quippy buddy-buddy relationship and Fey doesn't have a habit of continually walking out on the rest of the gang. It is because of this that the way this season ends feels both wrong and unexpected.
    Jet also is a dad now and his former flame from the anime now is his actual ex-wife. This change was not necessary perse and in the end, had a rather negative effect on the ending of the season, but it also lead to a few really cute and wholesome moments.
    Fey's background has been altered in the slightest, swapping out the character of the scheming Docter Bachus from her backstory with a con-artist stepmother who played center stage in what probably was the best episode in the series. She and Fey had great chemistry and had they made Fey more of a con artist in this show, it would have been a nigh perfect addition to her backstory.

    I will compliment the show on its fight scenes. The first two episodes especially shine in this department, with a beautifully choreographed and edited fight in a casino and a church's bathroom respectively. I am by no means a martial arts expert, but the way Spike fights in this show seems rather similar to the same "be like water" fighting style that he employs in the original, often managing to use the attackers' movement against him.

    The villains of the original show that got adapted into this show were done rather dirty, and here I must delve into spoiler territory. Let's start with one of my favourite villains of the original show: Doctor Londes. This cult leader, loosely based on the real-life Heaven's Gate cult, was one of the scariest characters in the original show. He created a cult that was centered all-around leaving separating the soul from the body by uploading it through a game console, a process that killed many of his followers. In the end, he turned out to be a paralyzed teen hacker whose only means of interacting with the outside world is through a digital avatar. He was a scary and tragic villain in the original show and here they just turned him into a rogue AI who kills people for the sake of killing people. How nice.
    Mad Pierrot is another example of a villain done wrong. Where in the original anime his backstory was handled rather well and gave us logical explanations for his weaknesses without them necessarily being spelled out for us, the way the live-action show introduces all info on him is.... well, it is heavy-handed on the one hand (they literally have to state he hates dogs, rather than using visual storytelling) and lackluster on the other hand (they never state that he has the mentality of a little kid, thus making the conclusion of his fight with Spike feel like it kinda came out of nowhere). I will say that Josh Randall did a fine job performing the role, it is just that the writing was bad.

    Speaking of bad writing, Viscious. I am most impressed with how they handled him. I never really liked the original Viscious that much. He was your typical moody badass antagonist, who had a largely unexplored backstory and unknown motivations, next to his hatred for Spike. Though that last complaint is mostly fixed in this new adaptation, it must be said that the way the character is portrayed here is honestly kinda terrible. The original Viscious was vague but menacing. This Viscious is honestly not that threatening, mostly coming across as a whiney rich kid whom no one takes seriously at all. They took a menacing character and kinda just made him feel like a joke. Also, the position he is in by the end of the season is bound to piss people off. It pisses me off.
    The ending of this season is where the story truly diverts entirely from the anime. SPOILERS, the series ends with Spike and Viscious their epic Chruch fight being interrupted by Julia, who shoots Viscious, berates Spike for not trying to rescue her from Viscious and then takes over the Syndicate. Julia was an underdeveloped character in the original show and they tried to fix that here. But I honestly do not know how to feel about this. The twist feels almost out of nowhere, because though we have seen that Julia is capable of standing up for herself earlier in the show, we also have seen her disdain for the criminal lifestyle, which is something she has now actively accepted by the end of the show. My feelings on it are mixed and I have my doubts if this decision will pay off in season 2.

    On a final note, this show is a bit of a mess. Enjoyable, but far from perfect. 5/10    … Expand
  8. Byungsuk
    Nov 20, 2021
    7
    It's definitely a different take and it does flesh out the world in a slightly different way. I like it.
  9. Genericbot_1
    Nov 22, 2021
    6
    While the story alters the orginal in mahy, most of the time bad ways, I still found it enjoyable. Spike and Jet are in my opinion, perfectly cast. Where this show goes wrong is the ending (horrible) and faye and eds actors are just cringe. If you can look beyond the imperfections, You will have a fun, wild ride.
  10. prayformojo33
    Nov 19, 2021
    1
    La serie es un insulto a la obra original, como la mayoria de los live actions no cumple con ser fiel a la historia.
  11. DaveTheArtguy
    Nov 21, 2021
    8
    I’m totally perplexed at the lukewarm reception for this live action version of Bebop! This is a fun diversion, and loving ode, to the beloved anime with great performances throughout. Is it EXACTLY as awesome as the original material? We’ll, let’s just say it’s different, but in a good way, and leave it at that. Fans who expected a perfect copy of the anime will be delighted to see someI’m totally perplexed at the lukewarm reception for this live action version of Bebop! This is a fun diversion, and loving ode, to the beloved anime with great performances throughout. Is it EXACTLY as awesome as the original material? We’ll, let’s just say it’s different, but in a good way, and leave it at that. Fans who expected a perfect copy of the anime will be delighted to see some key scenes and characters survive intact, but there’s also enough new and different material to provide additional reasons for tuning in. To newcomers befuddled by the goofy mix of sci-fi-noir-camp, I’d urge you to unwind and accept those weird juxtapositions, Bebop can be a great ride.… Expand
  12. Wicked
    Nov 22, 2021
    9
    So many negetive waves for this .. You like the anime you will like this .. i was never bored with any episode ..
  13. lukemcclutchey
    Nov 22, 2021
    10
    I genuinely likes this series so far. I was hesitant to give it approval because of the place the original holds in my heart. I loved the witty dialogue, cartoonish action and well delivered drama that make the original so amazing. Although I can admit the pacing could have been slightly better, I can proudly say that I enjoyed this adaptation.
  14. RonaldoDArcadia
    Nov 24, 2021
    10
    Apparently the worst of Cowboy Bebop are the fans. I really enjoyed the show. I'm going to watch the anime because of it.
  15. PanosT
    Nov 30, 2021
    9
    Disclaimer: I never watched the anime but I found this hugely enjoyable and I'm looking forward for the second season.
  16. jqlive
    Nov 30, 2021
    9
    If you've never seen the anime, you'll probably like this show. But if you're a fan of the anime, you may hate this show, unless you're willing to forgive the changes to the story and can get on board with the casting and visual style. Best to think of it as a remake, rather than a live-action version of the anime.
  17. elchupahombre
    Dec 1, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Increasingly with the revisitation of properties long beloved by the once niche communities that held them dear, I feel as though Cowboy Bebop has fallen victim to the pretense that not only must a live-action or any reinterpretation succeed at bringing the feel and likeness of a property to a different medium, but also at the same time in a way that manages to do so in such an impossible way that it does not disturb the delicately stratified silt of people’s treasured nostalgic experiences.
    In that way many of these criticisms seem less about a consideration of how well this was interpreted, or in its own light, but set against the foreground of feeling like Christmas when you were 7, or the first time you kissed a love interest. Thus, some of these canned and utterly formulaic appraisals come off as ineffectively written to convince themselves or others like them that nothing can be new again, and that only an indistinguishable second order simulacrum will do. Indeed, Cowboy Bebop held an indelible nostalgic space in my mind that is now nearly 20 years old. Although for whatever reason I feel like that distance, and the acknowledged fuzziness of memories remembered are fuzzy and enough time as passed that I can’t help but see them for what they are, blurry and unreliable.
    To get to the actual review… I think the main characters and even some of the side characters were well regarded and work exceedingly well. I felt a sense of “cool” seeing this scenery and the environment recreated. Whereas the show felt like a bunch of shuffled set pieces that were carted in for each episode this world felt cohesive and lived in. The disaster rendering Earth nearly uninhabitable a barely audible background noise—this is how people go about living now. The main thrust of the story is three misfits, all in separate ways particular to their circumstance, unmoored from a common, centering foundation—and trying to find a new one and failing lest they let go of the past for good (ironically, this is my criticism for most of the bad reviews I’ve seen—an inability to let go of the past). And I think this version iterates that well. At the root of Cowboy Bebop is the sense of feeling, the ennui, in the closing animation. The real folk blues. I believe this go at it captures this. Much the same as my experience of the original and the time and space that inhabited for me, I cannot go back, time has passed and with it memories are torn irrevocably from their roots, and one can get trapped in a fractal kaleidoscope in taking them too seriously. The meta-narrative theme here is that you can never go home again. If you make a real effort not to do so, you might find that you enjoy this romp, and let go of your disbelief that anyone dare rummage through your toybox or disturb the dust covering it. I believe also this is why there is such a sustained hate for this new Julia. Unlike in the original where she was just a damsel in distress this one manages to do what none of the show’s other protagonists truly manage to do: move on. But true to form in communities like this, brutal confrontation with female agency doesn’t sit well for people obsessed with figuring them as empty vessels without a voice (I’m sure quite a few people are mad that Faye Valentine isn’t slopping around with barely covered double DD’s). That sense of the original is here as well if you’re willing to confront it. Even though not ideal and not what you wanted, it’s time to look for the next bounty. “See you space cowboy”. Time to move on and take what you have and make it into something new, instead of lingering over an irreconcilable past.    … Expand
  18. fir9starter
    Dec 6, 2021
    9
    Way to many negative reviews. This is a well made, fun show. I don't know the cartoon and will watch, but i really enjoyed this.
  19. ebt0125
    Dec 10, 2021
    10
    Really a fantastic adaptation. Breaks the cycle of poor anime adaptations like a phoenix through the dragonball: evolution/death note ash cloud
  20. dangyosabyss
    Nov 21, 2021
    1
    It is the exact cancer we expected it to be. A supreme example of how american tv studios can take anything and strip it of its charm, pump it full of politics and make it indistinguishable from what it used to be. It brings to mind the quote 'Evil cannot create anything new, they can only corrupt and ruin what good forces have invented or made.' Stop accepting garbage like this. If theyIt is the exact cancer we expected it to be. A supreme example of how american tv studios can take anything and strip it of its charm, pump it full of politics and make it indistinguishable from what it used to be. It brings to mind the quote 'Evil cannot create anything new, they can only corrupt and ruin what good forces have invented or made.' Stop accepting garbage like this. If they can ruin Cowboy Bebop like this then they don't deserve your money. It's a mockery and an FU to fans.… Expand
  21. KenTGB
    Nov 21, 2021
    7
    In my opinion the start of the show makes it a good adaptation. But after 3 to 4 episodes it shows it weakness like how characters from the anime are missing. I like the actors and their voices and I can't understand why some reviews think that the kind of their acting is "cringe". All in all I give the show a solid 7 out of 10
  22. BabeRuthless38
    Nov 19, 2021
    0
    complete trash and a disgrace to the anime, can't believe they thought anyone would want this
  23. Pulpo_Verde
    Nov 21, 2021
    0
    "Review bombing?" Oh, come on, stop making garbage!
    An absolute disaster. I could have given them a 5 or a 6 if it weren't for the last 20 minutes.
    Where in the original there was magic, silences, mystery and emotion here is a jumble of vaguely developed ideas. Aesthetically it has no soul. It has no rhythm, the music is only in the background. Thrash. I feel sorry for the actors, they    "Review bombing?" Oh, come on, stop making garbage!
    An absolute disaster. I could have given them a 5 or a 6 if it weren't for the last 20 minutes.
    Where in the original there was magic, silences, mystery and emotion here is a jumble of vaguely developed ideas. Aesthetically it has no soul. It has no rhythm, the music is only in the background. Thrash. I feel sorry for the actors, they did a good job.
    "Anime fans are review bombing CB!" Listen, If you don't want "review bombing" stop making mediocre, soulless productions who deserves a 0, made only to be a fast and ephemeral consumer product. They perfectly replicated the ships, the clothes, the locations ... except the script and its essence. That says a lot. Look at Julia: in the original series she is a real femme fattale. She says little but has presence and personality. She didn't need to dress like a femme fattale because she was. In CB2021 julia dresses like a femme fattale but she has no attitude or character, she is a caricature of a femme fattale, because netflix in its infinite ignorance HATES femme fattales. And when it seems that her character emerges, guess what attitude he takes? Yes! resentful!. Suddenly we see Julia turn into a kind of Amber Heard who wants power (?). That's right people, they destroy a classic and then complain about the "review bombing". F*** off.    … Expand
  24. Greyking
    Nov 20, 2021
    9
    I’m not sure why everyone has their knives out on this one. As an alternative universe take on the source material I found this offering very entertaining indeed I would say I a masterpiece in its own right. My only quibble is the reworking of Vicious San Julia. Otherwise this was a stellar effort.
  25. Geonekos
    Nov 20, 2021
    8
    I even thought about giving it a 9…. Is it really a 9, or even an 8? Probably not…. But I went in with extremely low expectations and thought it would be a dumpster fire on the same scale as Deathnote. It’s not.

    The bad: Yea, it’s cringe at times. I thought the sound mix was lacking. Music being too low during moments it should had popped. I didn’t care much for the Vicious    I even thought about giving it a 9…. Is it really a 9, or even an 8? Probably not…. But I went in with extremely low expectations and thought it would be a dumpster fire on the same scale as Deathnote. It’s not.

    The bad: Yea, it’s cringe at times. I thought the sound mix was lacking. Music being too low during moments it should had popped. I didn’t care much for the Vicious selection, the actor was fine, but he just didn’t seem a good fit. The direction Julia went was the worst part, but hey that’s what they did.

    The good: Jet Black. Incredible. Just let season two be all about Jet. Spike grew on me, but Jet had me from the jump. Faye wasn’t terrible.

    Hopefully there will be a season two…. But I guess we’ll see. Take care!    … Expand
  26. jmayse7501
    Nov 21, 2021
    9
    Honestly, it's a great show. Most of the people slamming it either act like the mere presence of gay characters is woke, or could never have been pleased by any remake. I'm glad that everyone can enjoy this show & people from all backgrounds can find a character or two to identify with.
  27. Guardsman117
    Nov 23, 2021
    7
    So I think going into this show and seeing it all the way through I'm going to give it a 7/10 barely. The reason been is that the show progressively got better as it went along. There were some issues I did have a problem with, but I think what they did correctly involved the casting of the main trio.
    John Cho I feel was a pretty good choice for Spike. I do wish they'd give him a bit    So I think going into this show and seeing it all the way through I'm going to give it a 7/10 barely. The reason been is that the show progressively got better as it went along. There were some issues I did have a problem with, but I think what they did correctly involved the casting of the main trio.
    John Cho I feel was a pretty good choice for Spike. I do wish they'd give him a bit more of showing his fighting prowess off instead of cuts in the footage. Something I will revisit.
    Mustafa Shakir as Jet Black I think is the best casting in the whole show and adding an aspect to him which deepens his character with further relationships adds to him more, and he portrays quite well while keeping the Jet personality.
    Daniella Pineda as Faye Valentine at first did really annoy me not her as an actress but the direction she was given. I think as it went further along her portrayal got a lot better and was pretty great at the end.
    I think the chemistry of the main cast works well together, especially as it goes along and there are a few particular scenes weirdly when its more Faye playing off either Spike or Jet, that we really do see a good dynamic
    E1d …pawfect casting and a funny scene later on in the season
    I think the casting of Vicious was ok, though I do think they made his portrayal reflect through his name quite a bit and could be dialled back a tad.
    Julia was an interesting casting, I'm still 50/50 for sometimes it does feel like a Broadway performance with her acting though at the end I'm interested to see where it goes.
    One major point will raise is that the CGI in the show was really good, and this is where I will start to reflect on the negatives. Majorly, the set's look too staged, especially the Bebop and some streets visited and I think this primarily comes down to the cinematography of the show which hindered it not just in shooting of sets, but also in the shots for fights, there were some excellent fight choreography in there at times, but was hinder by cuts been to close or two many quick cuts, not letting the scene breathe. I think if the next season happens, which I really hope it does, as I see a good diamond in the rough, brining some experienced fight cinematographers on as well as general scene cinematographers, could definitely boost this up a lot.
    With how they show went they have taken a lot of episodes and mix, mish-mashed them around and its interesting as I didn't mind that dynamic. Though I do think if they either get one more season they have like 16 episodes to cover + movie. I'd suggest either 2 more seasons at most with adapting the film and cutting the episode lengths to 30 mins max, or 1 season but make the episodes shorter and make it 13 episodes long.
    Taking all this into consideration, I wasn't able to binge the show like other Netflix properties, as the pacing and length of episodes did make me feel like I needed a break, but maybe that's not a bad thing as it gave me time to reflect on the episodes.
    One final thing I think the music was pretty on point, though some scenes they could of either flowed better with the action or had the audio mixing reworked a little to make it more noticeable.
    I do feel a lot of people are review bombing the show just because they are not happy and not even attempted to finish the show. I do understand if people get through the show and then give a fair review but for the general audience if you want to put something on in the evening with a nice glass of whisky or wine, this will be a good show to put on
    Regarding one further Character, I think the portrayal RIGHT at the end was interesting, though their introduction was VERY heavy and over enthusiastic. I think they went for an 11/10 and should of ironically been dialled down to a 7 like this review.
    To finish off I'd say give this show 5 episodes (half way) way and if you don't like it then I understand, but for me I think by the 5th episode I was really wanting more. I really hope we do it it.
    7/10    … Expand
  28. LatinCritic13
    Nov 19, 2021
    3
    So Netflix has decided to live adapt Shinichiro Watanabe's space western magnum opus, Cowboy Bebop, and the live adaptation of Cowboy Bebop sucks - literally. The start this off, the story sucks, the cinematography sucks, the writing sucks, and everything about this adaptation freaking sucks! The biggest honorable mention that made this show very poor in quality is the VFX and you'llSo Netflix has decided to live adapt Shinichiro Watanabe's space western magnum opus, Cowboy Bebop, and the live adaptation of Cowboy Bebop sucks - literally. The start this off, the story sucks, the cinematography sucks, the writing sucks, and everything about this adaptation freaking sucks! The biggest honorable mention that made this show very poor in quality is the VFX and you'll probably see why how bad it is if I was comparing the show's cheap budget to a CW show. Forgive me for my juvenile written review but I had to vent because it's the worst thing I've ever seen since Adam Windgard's Death Note and boy that film adaptation is dumpster fire right there. The two things that feel profound in this show is the casting of these beloved characters and the soul that this show portrayed thanks to the influence that the anime had featuring Yoko Kanno. Everything else on the other hand is embarrassing and a slap to the face to the source material. If this was on HBO, it would've been good, but too bad it was on Netflix and it didn't worked at all. John Cho and the rest of the Bebop crew deserved better.… Expand
  29. Iserlohn14
    Nov 19, 2021
    0
    Too many good animes have been ruined with these pointless adaptations. What are they going to crap on next, Legend of the Galactic Heroes (please no)?
  30. deaddawn
    Nov 19, 2021
    0
    another disappointing adaptation .but the music is good though casting is good but they are not right for the roles
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Most Discussed TV Season of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
47

Mixed or average reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 28
  3. Negative: 9 out of 28
  1. Salon
    Reviewed by: Melanie McFarland
    Dec 7, 2021
    60
    Somewhere between affection and disappointment sits the willingness to commit, helped along by Kanno's infectious score. The dancing jazz swells alone are enough to persuade diehards to saddle up through its 10-episode mission, such as it is.
    Read full review
  2. Radio Times
    Reviewed by: Stephen Kelly
    Dec 3, 2021
    40
    More generally, a lack of rhythm permeates much of the Cowboy Bebop remake, including the lead performance. Cho looks the part but can often struggle to muster the charisma and screen presence needed to sell Spike as an effortlessly cool rogue. Although, as already mentioned, he’s hardly helped by the show’s limp direction and scripting.
    Read full review
  3. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Mike Hale
    Nov 19, 2021
    50
    The series has a routine professionalism that serves it well in its lighter moments but doesn’t alleviate the drudgery of its later episodes. ... In its resolute ordinariness, the main value of this new “Bebop” would be to drive you back to watch the old one.
    Read full review
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