Running out of TV shows and movies to stream? The Purbalite is here to help, with another installment of our What to Binge Watch feature.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Cowboy Bebop, a 26-episode anime that delves into deep emotions and is a timeless classic.
Bebop is a mashup of the sci-fi and Western genres that follows the adventures of the characters on the Bebop spaceship. The crew consists of protagonist bounty hunter Spike Spiegel; his mentor, Jet Black; the unexpected ally Faye Valentine; the hacker Radical Ed, and the Welsh Corgi named Ein.
What begins with the crew chasing a new bounty each episode becomes an unraveling of each character and their backstories. Most of them have tragic pasts, and they all reconcile with their pasts in different ways.
Spike is a former member of a criminal organization. He was once a cynic, but when he fell in love with a woman named Julia, he wanted them to have a better life and tried to leave. The syndicate wouldn’t allow it and chased him down.
During the conflict, Spike and Julia separated, and Spike ran from his past. But it repeatedly comes back to bite him. Spike views his past with a careless attitude.
His stoicism is admirable, but over time the viewer realizes that he is a broken man, and his refusal to reconcile with his past is the cause.
Jet has a similar struggle, as the woman he loved disappeared years back. But when they reunite, he realizes they don’t have a future together, and he decides to let it go and live for the present instead.
Faye’s conflict is different in that she doesn’t remember anything about her past, but fights to find meaning and a place of belonging in life.
Through these differing characters, the show presents different ideas of how people can reconcile their own pasts. They can face it head-on, learn their lessons and move on, or let go of it completely.
But one thing is for sure: Spike’s choice to run from his past and become emotionally detached is the wrong option. The finale culminates with Spike facing his past one last time.
Cowboy Bebop’s standing as a classic is well deserved given its excellent messages and superb ending, making it a must-watch for anyone who enjoys animated shows.
