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With a fanbase as passionate & skeptical as 'Cowboy Bebop''s, the reboot has a hefty challenge ahead of them. Will the live-action series win over fans?
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Will live-action ‘Cowboy Bebop’ become a huge flop?

Making a live-action adaptation of an old-school beloved anime is just asking for bloodshed. Netflix’s live-action Cowboy Bebop is set to release on November 19th and, unfortunately, we’re all expecting the worst. 

The original Cowboy Bebop, which first aired in 1998, has become a leader in its own genre and even out of it. A neo-noir & futuristic western, the original series dealt with universal emotions in a striking & innovative style.

However, the live-action adaptation isn’t exactly a complete lost cause. Let’s dive into what the live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop has going for it and what it will likely fail to capture from the original anime series.

Possible benefits of the new Cowboy Bebop

Although the casting may currently be causing a stark divide, John Cho has proven himself to be an actor capable of both action & sentiment, which is much needed when portraying Cowboy Bebop’s Spike Spiegel. 

We’ve already seen Cho win over Star Trek fans in his action-packed performance as Officer Hikaru Sulu. Meanwhile, John Cho has also shown his more vulnerable side in dramas such as Columbus (2017), where he plays a Korean-born man who finds himself falling in love in Columbus, Ohio. Cho conveys a performance filled with intimacy & melancholy.

Behind the camera, the live-action adaptation has brought back a few original key creators of the 1998 series. For example, Yoko Kanno, who created the iconic Cowboy Bebop theme song, is returning as a composer for the live-action reboot.

If you still haven’t been sold quite yet, the Japanese voice actor for Spike, Kōichi Yamadera said, “I have long anticipated a live-action version. I can feel the strong respect it has toward the anime. I hope that viewers will see the atmosphere of the Spike character that I previously portrayed in John Cho’s performance, who is skillfully taking on the role in this version.”

“There are also many settings and developments that can only be pulled off in a live-action series. I hope that both people who love Cowboy Bebop and those who are new to the title can enjoy this new series!”

What might not transfer to the live-action series

Today, a new two-minute-long teaser has been released for the live-action Cowboy Bebop and although it looks like fun entertainment, we’re a bit skeptical it can dig into the emotional depth of each character like the original achieved.

The 1998 Cowboy Bebop has been continuously applauded for its ability to portray loneliness, heartbreak, trauma, and grief, all the while maintaining a sense of humor & lightness to avoid taking itself too seriously.

Additionally, while the graphics & fight choreography does look impressive for the reboot, the original’s animation is what made its style & fight scenes so shockingly exhilarating. This is an aspect that the new Cowboy Bebop will just have to accept as a loss.

What do fans think?

When we talk about shocking animation this is exactly what we mean. The original Cowboy Bebop’s art style is still unmatched even twenty-three years later. There’s no way a live-action reboot can ever achieve this component that made the original so outstanding.

Other fans aren’t really asking for too much from the new series. Sometimes the best way to live life is to enjoy the simple things without asking for too much in return. Honestly, we too would be grateful if this were to be recreated.

Meanwhile, others remain worried. The new series can’t possibly follow the same format as the trailer. We hope.

Well, no matter what happens, at least the original Cowboy Bebop anime series will be available on Netflix this month.

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Do you think the live-action Cowboy Bebop will be a hit or miss? Let us know in the comments below!

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Elizabeth Rios is a film enthusiast, travel lover, and classical literature fiend.

elizabethr@filmdaily.co

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