Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star

Publisher
Tokyopop
Writer
Cain Kuga
Artist
Cain Kuga
Country of origin
Japan
Length
2 volumes
Year
1998

Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star

By El Indio
24th May 04

You've probably seen a review on here for a Cowboy Bebop Manga, which I said was only for Bebop fans, and Sunrise playing it safe was a major turnoff for me personally. We'll to redress that, lets have a look at a little manga called Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star.

Shooting Star is a reimagining of the Cowboy Bebop storyline. All the characters are the same, with the drives and ambitions of Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and Ed (I won't bother with that full name) being pretty much the same as the original anime series, oh, and Ein the dog is about too. Where we do go off the track is with the visuals, slightly more angular, noticeably different. The way the characters initially meet is changed around. The adventures embarked on are of the more gritty type, with a darker tinge applied to the storyline. The dynamics between characters, and the way they deal with each other, is evident to any reader familiar with the anime. The pitfalls are many when you deal with a source material with so many fans, does this rise up to their exacting standards? Yes and no.

Cain Kuga was handed the reins on both writer and artist duties, and the artwork is particularly striking. The crew is transformed by Kuga's pen. Although you could say Jet is not too different, Spike is a new man. The visuals do have a touch of Outlaw Star about them, which is another Sunrise series, so I'd be interested to know if Kuga was involved in that anime. The static framing in the exposition scenes is great, with Kuga really bringing across the characters emotions with some skill. If those were good, then the action scenes are beautifully done. You do feel you are moving with the character, and it does seem like the point of view is moving too, something that is lacking in Nanten's work on the other manga. Biggest change though is the more sinister look the artist has applied to the piece. The atmosphere and mood are conveyed well, and the reader knows this isn't the same universe as the anime. Of course there are more cartoony moments, but for a good example, just look at the introduction shot of Ed and you'll know what I'm talking about. Kuga holds up well on all counts.

So the visuals are darker, well, Kuga churns out a story to match what you see. Kuga goes into the story of Earth, how the Launch Gate disasters affected humanity, cause humans to colonise the planets, thus giving the reader a view into why there is a wild frontier attitude, and a reason for the bounty hunters existence. Also touched upon are the origins of crime syndicates, and other relevant history, which added to a more rounded picture of a very bleak future. Then the stories themselves, which are lot more action based, really taking the bounty hunter image at face value. These people kill other people for money, why laugh about it? The anime skirts around this by relieving the mood with comic episodes, but there is no let up in the pace from Kuga. Spike's past is also explored slightly by the introduction of a negative character that is dealt with over a couple of episodes. This also adds to the 'different but same' feel Kuga tries to infuse in this manga, and the mood is maintained very well throughout.

All has been positive so far, but there has to be a catch. Catch is, as good as Kuga's work is, it's not Cowboy Bebop. Cowboy Bebop has such a strong feel and atmosphere you can almost hear otaku cringe when they hear the words 'Alternative View'. Not Bebop! You can't alternative view that! If Kuga had produced something that was stronger than the anime then he would have been in business but as nice as it is, it's not really that great. At best, it's pretty good. It's a feeling that seems to have been echoed by the Japanese public. The manga was cut short, as is shown by one of the small stories Kuga throws in about how he goes about his business. Only reason for this could be people weren't buying. Ok, I know, no one went to see Blade Runner in the cinema, Betamax is better than VHS, and Hitler won an election. People don't know what's good for them, but in this case I can understand. Funny thing is that this came out before the other manga series, and even that one didn't last long, so Sunrise were onto a loser both ways. I'm going to give the reverse advice on this manga than on the Cowboy Bebop review. If this were a manga series totally unconnected to any anime, I would buy it. Unfortunately it is connected, so, if you love Cowboy Bebop, try it, you might like it (I really did). If you hate Bebop, or haven't seen it, try it too, because it is worth a read.

'Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star' was first published in 1998 in Japan. Tokyopop started publishing an English translation in 2003. It numbers only 2 volumes, with both of them currently available.

7/10

-- El Indio 24th May 04