Cowboy Bebop (2021, live action)

[GraspingVileTerror]

Hell.

Yes!

 

Watched the first episode and I'm liking it -more- than the original anime.

 

This thing is beautiful!  The set designs and the style . . . it just OOZES style.  As it should, because that's part of the core allure.

 

Don't want to wait to keep watching it, but I've got work tomorrow, so off to bed I must go . . . and then spouse got us tickets to the new Ghostbusters movie after that, so not going to get a chance to keep watching Bebop until the evening tomorrow.

 

MMM!  So good!

[WanderingAries]

I watched...more than the first. Admittedly, it's been a while since I've spun-up the BD collection of the series, but it kinda feels like they're rushing things out of sequence in some places. Still iffy on the performances, but LA vs Anime comparison isn't exactly fair.

[Haijinx]

I have never seen the anime version, though I had meant to someday. 

 

I just finished the first episode of this.  I thought it was really good.  

 

[GraspingVileTerror]

Just finished season 1.  I kept getting ready to stop liking it, since I saw a lot of negative reviews about it.

But honestly, most of those negative reviews boiled down to "they didn't redo the story exactly like the anime" or some variation of being a fan of the original, and this series not living up to their standards.

 

Frankly, I found the original anime leaned WAY too heavily in to the ennui.  Themes of depression, boredom, and pain/harm can be interesting; but they need a good contrast to really shine.  The anime always felt to me like there was just never any kind of levity that wasn't also self-depreciating.  Everything was always punctuated with how awful the universe was and how pointless caring would ever be.

The live action, on the other hand, had enough excitement and positivity to really make the low points feel punchy and satisfying.  There were meaningful highs and lows.

 

There were also complaints about a certain face-heel turn at the finale.  As if someone who had been traumatized for years, trapped between fear for their life and feelings of abandonment, could magically welcome a self-proclaimed "reformed" serial killer with open arms and boundless love.

No way.

The ending for this series was spot on!  Characters reacted like human beings, rather than reductive caricatures (well, perhaps aside from one who we only got to see for about 45 seconds in the literal last scene, but if season 2 happens, they might actually have a chance to be fleshed out). 

 

Overall:  Fantastic!

I hope season 2 happens.

[Captain Valiant]

I enjoyed the first season. Sad days.

https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/why-netflix-cowboy-bebop-was-canceled/

 

[ArchVileTerror]

Yeeeeah . . . 

Seems too many fans of the anime didn't like this version of the story, and the aesthetics and chemistry didn't win over enough new viewers.

My spouse says "if you want the anime, just watch the anime."