Cowboy Bebop - The Movie

Director
Shinichiro Watanabe
Production
Bandai, Sunrise
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Film
Running time
115 mins
Year
2001

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie

By Eric
27th Apr 04

As one of the newest theatrical anime releases out there, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie is going to be known to those who saw it in the cineplex as a milestone for anime as a part of culture. Finally, anime is publicly released in theaters in a way that isn't insulting to the fans. Not since Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust have the people received better mainstream anime. This movie is sure to hook new fans who have always been curious, but considered buying tapes at an anime store too "geeky." Well nothing's geeky about going to the movies, right? Especially an R-rated one! Check it!

Like the series, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie has a storyline that is absolute genius. It's very complex and original, but on the other side of the coin this can sometimes make it confusing. Repeat viewings are recommended if you hope to fully grasp the tale this movie weaves. Spike and co. can't resist the 300 million woolong bounty placed on the terrorist responsible for the explosion of a truck carrying dangerous toxins that were subsequently released into the air. But when Spike finally catches up to him, he is impossible to take down no matter how many wounds he has! Why? You'll have to see to find out. There are elements of politics, romance, and that good old action that we've come to expect from Cowboy Bebop.

The artwork is nothing short of beautiful, though a tad less so than Bloodlust. Then again, Bloodlust is an almost unfair measuring stick to use against other theatrical animes and the fact that Cowboy Bebop comes anywhere near Bloodlust in terms of graphical quality is amazing. The characters are shaded a bit more darkly than usual, but this never limits visibility. Not only that, but the fight scenes and gunplay alone make this movie worth seeing. Expect to see a lot of blood.

And parents...THIS IS NOT POKEMON: THE MOVIE. I've seen parents taking their little pokemon-aged kids to this thing, and I'm starting to wonder when they'll realize that anime isn't a "kiddy" hobby. Didn't you see the guns on the poster, people? There's also strong language and a controversial scene of nigh-sexual assault that might make some people squirm. If you can handle all the adult content (and the disappointing ending), then Cowboy Bebop is an action-packed shoot-em-up you should not miss.

8/10

-- Eric 27th Apr 04

Cowboy Bebop - The Movie Images