Now that Cowboy Bebop is on Netflix, it seems like half of Twitter has already binged it and began tweeting about the worst parts. That means that, as I review an episode a week, many people reading this will have already seen the whole series and are looking to see if I agree with their opinions. So I’ll do my best to not let the latest mass-retweet of certain scenes influence my reviews until I get to those moments (and believe me, I will), but in the meantime, let’s take a look at episode 2.
1. Big Shot and Teddy Bomber
A fan-favorite part of the Cowboy Bebop anime is “Big Shot,” a television program where energetic hosts Punch and Judy (named for the puppet show characters) provide information on the biggest bounties around. This sets up the episode by introducing a target so we’re all caught up and know what Jet and Spike are after.
I’m happy to say that the live action version pulls it off nicely. The actors look the part perfectly, the visuals are spot-on, and they add some decent comedy to the characters. It also uses two moments where Judy breaks character to good effect: first when she exclaims “holy shit” after seeing the video of the Teddy Bomber’s latest attack (contrasting the seriousness of the death and damage with the otherwise lighthearted tone of “Big Shot”), and again when Punch steals her line and she complaints about that right as the episode ends.
Speaking of the Teddy Bomber, he’s this episode’s bounty, but he’s not the focus of the plot. In fact, they could have used anyone for this episode, but using the Teddy Bomber (who appeared in the anime episode “Cowboy Funk” and is best known for making bombs inside teddy bears) serves as a shout-out to a recognizable character. In the anime, he claimed to be bombing the tallest skyscrapers on Mars to destroy the symbols of unchecked capitalism, but in this episode, his manifesto is basically unhinged rambling until Jet realizes he’s just an arsonist with no actual goals.
In the anime, he was mostly ignored as Spike and Andy continued to feud with each other. In the live action version, he’s ignored as Spike and Jet argue out their problems. Either way, he serves as a gimmick and bounty in the background of the episode’s main conflict, as well as a little bit of comic relief, so using him for this episode works fine.
2. Spike’s Backstory
The live action series is definitely putting more emphasis on Spike’s past as a member of the Syndicate. We see that as he gets attacked by a Syndicate assassin, then meets up with an old friend who thought he was dead for betraying them.
And honestly, it’s handled just fine. The scene with Spike and Ana was good, as they really did feel like old friends with a dark past, while Ana had mixed emotions about seeing him alive and letting her think he was dead for so long.
By introducing these story elements early on, they’re establishing that Spike’s past as “Fearless” catching up to him will be an overarching plot throughout the adaptation, even as they go between planets and bounty hunts. They’re also introducing Vicious and Julia much earlier, which brings us to something that doesn’t work nearly as well…
3. Test of Loyalty
Okay, so…
Julia married Vicious after Spike supposedly died, with him promising to keep her safe. That’s a huge departure from the anime, but it’s fine if it works, right?
Well, this is where we start to see some cracks. Vicious is called to speak with the Syndicate’s elders, and they’re pissed at him for dealing Red Eye behind their backs. So Vicious basically has to grovel and beg for forgiveness, and they give him a test of loyalty by giving him a gun and telling him to shoot Julia. Obviously, it’s unloaded, but he still pulls the trigger (then tries to claim after the fact that he knew it was empty).
Oh, and did I mention he’s shirtless the entire time, while she’s in a nightgown, because this happens as they were going to bed?
Continued belowNow, I know I gave Vicious crap last episode for looking like such an edgelord, but this isn’t it either. He begs for mercy, then takes a drink to settle his nerves, gets into an argument with Julia and starts choking her when she accuses him of not being man enough to stand up for himself.
That’s right. A man whose name is literally Vicious isn’t able to stand up for himself. This could be a buildup to him eventually betraying the elders and taking over the Syndicate, but right now it feels like a clumsy attempt to flesh him out, and it doesn’t quite work.
(Also, as my fiancé pointed out, his eyebrows and hair are so mismatched that it’s a little distracting.)
But hey, we’re only two episodes in.
4. “That’s what partners do.”
On the flip-side, we have Spike and Jet hitting a rough patch. Spike’s keeping secrets, Jet knows it, and he doesn’t appreciate the lack of trust. So most of their arguments this episode come down to Jet wanting Spike to tell him what’s going on and Spike acting like nothing’s wrong.
Well, that and Spike really wanting to get some noodles.
Now, Jet’s doing his best to catch the Teddy Bomber and claim the bounty. He follows leads, checks for chemicals, peruses the manifesto to figure out his motives, and checks scenes of the crime for clues. That legwork puts them on the right track to catch the guy. And I do like how Jet’s frustration comes from this lack of trust, indicating that he does want to work with Spike and help him out, even if they butt heads frequently.
Spike, on the other hand, gets sidetracked by the whole “Syndicate is trying to kill him” thing, including getting attacked by an assassin in the bathroom, then going to meet with Ana to get some information. But because he’s hiding it from Jet, it all comes across as him slacking off on the job.
We do see why he’s hiding it, though. He knows Jet is an ex-cop, and Spike being ex-Syndicate would put a real strain on their relationship. But in the end, keeping secrets is just as big a strain, so it looks like Spike will come clean soon.
5. Fight Scenes
I actually like the fight scenes we’ve had so far. They’re well-choreographed and rehearsed, they’re dynamic, and they make good use of the surroundings and nearby objects. It keeps the action in the center of the shot so we can clearly see what’s going on (I hate fight scenes where everything is obscured with poor lighting and angles that hide the fighters), and overall they’re just fun to watch.
The biggest fight this episode comes from Spike fighting off the Syndicate assassin (Gunther), complete with arm swords and plenty of gunfire, while Spike uses the environment and a nearby towel dispenser to his advantage. The later fight against the Teddy Bomber is less evenly matched, with Spike keeping a clear upper hand, but the fact that they needed to get the detonator while Jet was standing on a pressure plate booby trap gave it some added stakes. Of course, the soundtrack makes each one even better, but that’s a given with Yoko Kanno.
So episode 2 wasn’t half bad. The character work with Spike and Jet is pretty good so far, and it continues to bring in beloved elements from the anime while faithfully representing them in the ways that matter. Vicious continues to be a weak point, but we’ll see where that goes.
Come back next week as I review episode 3. Until then…
See you, space cowboy.
