This leaves some of the more heightened action scenes feeling subdued and scaled back, which can come at odds with the pacing of the story. While the show is stylized in its approach to action and set pieces, the actors can't contort and bend in the same impossible ways as their animated counterparts. There's plenty of action to see unfold throughout the season, which seamlessly blends together fierce martial-arts brawls and John Woo-style gun battles. The live-action show does well to illustrate the scope of Cowboy Bebop's universe, and despite keeping things low-key, the ambition and craft is still there. Early episodes keep things simple, but the floodgates gradually open, explaining civilization "post-Earth" and how life has become complicated following humanity's forced expansion to the stars. It also dives deeper into the original series' lesser-seen and unknown aspects, which I found super enticing. This consistency helps lay out the framework of 2071's galactic civilization and the many unsavory and endearing characters within.ĭaniella Pineda shines as Faye Valentine.
Instead of the largely episodic nature of the original, with many episodes isolated from the larger plot, the live-action show carries a more connected story thread throughout the season.
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While the new series uses many familiar characters, storylines and iconic scenes as building blocks, its more serialized plot deviates from the anime in great ways that I won't spoil here. Some episodes from the anime series featured dated stereotypes of gay and transgender characters, so it's great to see the new show giving these characters a more enlightened and meaningful presence. The live-action show addresses this by revamping characters, such as Gren (Mason Alexander Park), who's now a recurring, nonbinary character with more relevance to the story. The anime featured several antiquated views of sexuality. The live-action show also updates some of the more unsavory aspects of the original series that's better left in the past. With an ensemble cast, the show spends a lot of time juggling different storylines, and unfortunately, Vicious and Julia's arc suffers as a result. While I generally liked what the live-action show does for Vicious and Julia, a part of me felt that their collective climax was underdeveloped, even though I liked the direction it sets for future seasons. Hassell in particular looks like he relishes every scene he's in as Vicious, while Satine casts some ambiguity in Julia's presence, particularly during the later episodes. The two characters have actual pathos and weight in the story.
They have greater dimension in the Netflix series, and are given more to do within the plot - which is an interesting if serviceable dive into the murkier side of the criminal underworld in the far future. Generally, characters mirror their anime counterparts, but a notable deviation concerns Vicious (Alex Hassell) and Julia (Elena Satine), Spike's primary antagonist and long-lost love, respectively. Spike, Jet and Faye (plus Ein, the "Data Dog") make for a fun group of characters to hang with. She's an absolute blast to watch on screen and elevates an already great cast, giving the trio of bounty hunters a charming sense of camaraderie. Pineda's take is not only true to the seductive and ruthless nature of Faye, but adds a far more playful and endearing spin. He perfectly captures the deadpan nature of Jet while also showing his tenderness when bonding with his crew and loved ones.īut the clear standout is Pineda as femme fatale Faye Valentine.
Shakir's take on the character is a dead ringer for his animated counterpart. Jet Black is the rock of the crew, serving as the unofficial captain of the Bebop - the ship they use to travel across the galaxy. When Spike's murky past comes to light, Cho effectively shows his character's darker side. Cho manages to nail Spike's natural cool and swagger, along with his iconic fluffy hair. Cho's portrayal of the aloof but always cunning Spike is a fantastic turn for the actor.
When they're not arguing over food and minor inconveniences, they get caught up in missions across different planets stuck in a culturally stagnated society gripped by late-stage capitalism. The backbone of the new series is the chemistry between the trio of bounty hunters. These gigs entangle them with oddball criminals and unnerving villains, and tug at various threads connected to the tragic pasts of each character. Throughout the 10-episode season, the trio of bounty hunters - Spike Spiegel (John Cho), Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda), and Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir) - take on different jobs across the galaxy. Like the original, the live-action Cowboy Bebop sees a dysfunctional crew of bounty hunters riding a thin line between poverty and comfortable squalor in the distant future.
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