Cowboy Bebopis a genre-defying classic, and it seems that one of the reasons it may have turned out the way that it is has to do with creator Shinichiro Watanabe’s feelings on other Japanese media. In particular, Watanabe called out one of the most successful and influential sci-fi series to have come from Japan,Space Battleship Yamato.
WhileSpace Battleship Yamatois pretty demonstrably less popular thanCowboy Bebopin the West, the series has long been a powerhouse in the realm of anime, particularly in its home nation of Japan. The series originally began back in 1974 and ran until 1979, from there spawning movies, follow-up series, spinoffs, and even live-action remakes. While it’s not all that popular in the Western fandom,Space Battleship Yamatohas been incredibly influentialon later series likeGundam,Neon Genesis Evangelion, andMacross, and even popularized the term “anime.” It seems, however, that Watanabe should not be counted among its fans.
Cowboy Bebop’s Creator Felt Japanese Works Were Too “Sentimental”
Watanabe Aimed for the “International Approach” When Creating Cowboy Bebop
Ina 2023 interview hosted on Forbes, Watanabe discussed his feelings about Japanese cinema and anime, and how it helped to shapeCowboy Bebopinto what it is. Watanabe said, “…I found Japanese movies to be far too sentimental. So stuff like really over-the-top emotional music for a big climactic scene.In short, Japanese movies tried to make the audience cry. So, by contrast, I preferred the international approach and I wanted to make something cool.This is one of the reasons I didn’t likeSpace Battleship Yamatovery much; there was too much melodrama.”
Watanabe is making something of a generalization about all Japanese cinema that perhaps merits a response, but this perspective really does show what ultimately setCowboy Bebopapart.Cowboy Bebopnever attempts to manipulate the audience into feeling things, even though its music is so exceptional that it could easily have pulled it off. Instead of taking a melodramatic approach, where everyone has intense feelings that they feel obligated to share,Bebophas a moody atmosphere, and communicates much of its emotion through the tone of the story.
One Cowboy Bebop Character Made The Story Work, And It Wasn’t Spike Or Faye
Cowboy Bebop’s cast has become utterly timeless. There’s one character among the crew who has faded into the background - and it’s time to fix that.
Cowboy Bebop’s characters certainly feel, and feel strongly at that, but rarely do they openly state how they’re feeling; their actions do the talking, and show just how deep the characters actually are. It’s decidedly different from the typical shonen, which has its heroes shouting from the rooftops about how they feel at any given moment, and are often filled with grand dramatic gestures that seem to exist for story reasons, and not because it’s a logical thing for a character to do in that particular situation.
Watanabe’s Western influences helped to shape the heroes ofCowboy Bebop, and their approach to dealing with their emotions is very much driven by what the characters might actually do in such a situation, rather than what the plot needs them to do. This kind of character-driven writing is relatively rare among mainstream anime, and that’s a big part of what makesCowboy Bebopso unique.
Cowboy Bebop
Cast
Cowboy Bebop is a 1998 animated series set in 2071, where humanity has colonized the Solar System following a catastrophic event. As crime surges, bounty hunters known as “Cowboys” are employed by the Inter Solar System Police to capture criminals in exchange for rewards.
