Cowboy Bebop: Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door [Recommendation]


I must say, this movie is definitely not for kids. I’m not referring to the violence and the sexual innuendo that gave the film an “R” rating. What made Cowboy Bebop a film for adults is its mood and plot. 
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If someone below 18 watched this movie, he’ll most likely fall asleep before the midpoint of the movie. 

Not to say that this is a boring film, on the contrary, it is anything but. It’s just that the pace of the story is a little slow and the narrative style is less than frenetic, to say the least. Not to mention the score that consists mostly of jazz, funk and 70s inspired rhythms. 

Cowboy Bebop the Movie has a very trippy kind of feel to it that would appeal more to the older gen set. Having said that, I would like to declare that I most absolutely loved this film! (I think I kinda gave away my age there.) 

The characters, the stylistic art, the unobtrusive musical score, and the edge of your seat action (whenever there is one), the adult theme, everything is packed quite neatly in this movie. 

The Characters Drive The Story 

Always in every film, the characters will decide whether the viewer will care about the story and eventually want to watch till the ending or not. This movie introduces early to everyone the main antagonist. 

Immediately, you are drawn to this character because of his dark, powerful, and sinister look all the while is Vincent Volaju. He used to be part of the military special operations forces and is one badass fighter. He is hell-bent on exacting revenge on the whole world for the insanity and inhumanity he suffered in the Titan war. 

The method in which he means to implement his revenge is by unleashing a very deadly substance that mimics viral infection. Very virulent and very contagious, this substance was developed by the military as a bioweapon. 

Now, the military is trying to erase proof of its existence by destroying evidence and killing off anyone who has any knowledge of it. Including our motley crew of bounty hunters namely; Spike, Faye, Jet, and Ed. They stumble upon the bounty on Vincent which is a whopping 300 million. 

Little did they know that they will become embroiled in a mission to save the world from global genocide. 

For those who don’t know who Spike, Faye, Jet, and Ed are, here’s a crash course on Cowboy Bebop’s main protagonists: 

Spike 

Spike is a happy-go-lucky guy on the outside but is a really tough and gritty master of martial arts inside. He’s smooth with the ladies and seems rather shallow at first glance but in actuality, he is a very deep and complex person who cares about doing what is good and right. 

Faye 

Ed 

Jet 

Jet is the only man the Spike trusts and acts as an older brother to all of them. The clash in personalities makes them a group that is funny yet endearing.

Anime Art

The direction by Shinichiro Watanabe is truly American inspired. The drawings look like fashion sketches from the 40s and if not for the main characters’ visage, you would probably think that it isn’t an anime film. 

What’s wonderful about the artwork is that almost every animation cell or frame can be made into a portrait. The art is very stylish and filled to the brim with details. There are some computer-generated 3d graphics now and then but most of it is just in the background or foreground.

Another thing that was amazing was the fight scenes. Very realistic choreography will bring anyone to the edge of their seat. There are also various chase scenes and dog fights that were really jaw-dropping. 

No doubt about it, the production value of the film at that time reached a high point.

Related: The Dark Side of Stan Culture: Perfect Blue

An Instant Classic 

With its topnotch animation and mind-blowing art, it is such a great anime flick that matched the production as well as the aesthetic value of Cowboy Bebop the Movie. 

The music composer Yoko Kanno, which is an eclectic mix of jazz, blues, funk, and rock from various eras, also adds to the overall acid-like effect that is unmistakably Cowboy Bebop. 

With a compelling story to match, Cowboy Bebop the Movie is a definite watch.