When Shinichiro Watanabe was first green-lit by Bandai Toys to produceCowboy Bebopin 1997, he could not have predicted that his first original series would transform anime’s international perception. Now, nearly three decades later,Cowboy Bebophas evolved to be more than a cult classic; it’s a global cultural reference for notable reasons.
These reasons range fromCowboy Bebop’sexploration of mature themes like loneliness, existentialism, regret, and avoidance to the story’s fusion of genres like sci-fi, western, and noir. Even the anime’s soundtrack is one-of-a-kind. The franchise combination of all these into a 26-episode masterpiece not only sidestepped conventional anime style but also shattered preconceived notions about the medium.
Cowboy Bebop’slegacy is not only rooted in its aesthetics and structure but in how it changed anime’s emotional language across the world. It proved that creativity could be cohesive regardless of the story’s contrasting elements, with the title’s philosophical depth and quirky cinematic style.
To callCowboy Bebop“influential” would be an understatement. It did not just change how anime could look, sound, or feel; it changed anime’s perception outside of Japan forever.
Before Cowboy Bebop, Western Perceptions Of Anime Were Off
The Lack Of Exposure To The Medium’s Best Left Many Unaware Of Anime’s Capabilities
BeforeCowboy Bebop’sdebut on Adult Swim in 2001, anime faced an uphill battle in the West. The medium struggled for legitimacy and relevance within Western mainstream media, as it was largely misunderstood and misrepresented due to the paucity of localized material.
For much of the 1980s and the early 1990s, anime was restricted by stereotypes that limited the medium’s content to nothing more than late-night cable airings and niche fan circles.
For much of the 1980s and the early 1990s, anime was restricted by stereotypes that often limited anime to late-night cable airings and niche fan circles. Stereotypes were created from the notion that all types of animation were geared towards kids. Consequently, most animated works garnered heavy censorship to make them suitable for children.
A classic embodiment of this setback would be Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki’sNausicaa of The Valley of The Wind. Released in the U.S in 1985 asWarriors of the Windinstead, the anime industry witnessed firsthand the misrepresentation of anime in the West.
Nausicaawas renamed and significantly alteredto fit younger audiences, inevitably presenting an incoherent and one-dimensional body of work different from the richly thematic project that dared to confront darker subjects.
Cowboy Bebopwas actually the first anime Adult Swim ever aired.
Fortunately forCowboy Bebop, the series aired on Adult Swim at a time when animated shows targeted at adults started gaining traction; it became the catalyst for a widespread change in reception.
With its jazz-infused noir aesthetics and an episodic-narrative structure that allowed viewers to dip in and out of the series without feeling lost,Cowboy Bebopfound its resonance in a mature and constantly evolving audience.
Shinichiro Watanabe’s First Bite At Total Creative Freedom Birthed An Iconic Masterpiece
Cowboy Bebop Proves That Sometimes, All Greatness Needs Is A Little Pressure
Even thoughCowboy Bebopwas the first original anime created by Shinichiro Watanabe, he wasn’t foreign to the workings of the anime industry. His skills had gone through refinement through shows likeMacross PlusandVisions of Escaflowne.Yet, something was different withCowboy Bebop.
The series, in addition to being his directorial debut, was the first time in his career that Watanabe had complete creative freedom. Watanabe recalls his only instruction as “So long as there’s a spaceship in it, you can do whatever you want.” As silly as it sounds,Cowboy Bebopwas created to shell spaceship model kits, but it evolved into so much more.
Watanabe directed the production team starring Toshihiro Kawamoto as the character designer, screenwriter Keiko Nobumoto, mechanical designer Kimitoshi Yamane, composer Yoko Kanno, producers Masahiko Minami and Kazuhiko Ikeguchi, under Studio Sunrise.
Keiko Nobumoto was also a writer on anime hits likeWolf’s Rain,Samurai Champloo, andCarole & Tuesday.
Watanabe moldedCowboy Bebopto reflect everything he desired in an animation project. This included the crucial decision to use an episodic-narrative structure. The decision made the series a collection of self-sustainable one-off adventures that formed a founding component of the space opera’s ascendance to its legendary status.
Often criticized as inconsistent during its debut, Cowboy Bebop’s narrative technique now reads as deliberate and intentional.
For clarity, Watanabe outlinedCowboy Bebop’s audience. Instead of targeting children, the director was more interested in creating something for a more mature audience. According to Keiko Nobumoto in an interview withAnime News NetworkatCowboy Bebop’s20th-anniversary panel from the New York Comic Con in 2018, Watanabe remarked, “Let’s make something we want to see,” clarifying his attention.
Yet,Cowboy Bebopdefied the odds despite the threat of discontinuation always looming over its head.
Cowboy Bebop’s Legacy Is Tied To Its Timelessness
The Rest is History…
After more than two decades since the show’s premiere, Shinichiro Watanabe’s feelings onCowboy Bebophave blossomed in grand style. Amassing a cult-like following over the years,Cowboy Bebop’slegacy as one of the greatest anime ever is pretty much sealed. One can ascribe this success to the intentionality of the story’s creators thematically and structurally.
While its loosely-knit narrative and episodic structure were originally treated as downsides to the show’s growth,these features are now key features of what makes the series so popular. For Watanabe, the episodic structure was non-negotiable, as he always had the intention of using it for his first solo project.
However, with production problems that could cut his work at any time, Watanabe’s decision had a dire outlook. Still, his choice indicated a well-thought-out plan that accounted for the network programming landscape, and the channel surfing habit prevalent in the ‘90s and early ‘2000s.
This choice birthed the anime’s thematic features, and its effect onCowboy Bebop’sreception over the years has been astounding. Since every episode was crafted to be self-sustaining, it embodied a standalone experience that quietly blends into the backdrop of the average person’s daily life.
Ultimately, through the show’s intentionally fractured narrative,Cowboy Bebopgained the ability to constantly repurpose and recontextualize itself through the eyes of the audience, creating a lasting loop of nostalgia revered by anime enthusiasts today.
