JB

Cowboy Bebop follows the adventures of a crew of bounty hunters in a future where mankind has been forced to leave the earth and spread into the solar system, allowing crime to grow beyond the reach of the authorities and bounty hunters to reap the rewards. Unfortunately, the Bebop crew don't reap much, due to the endless mishaps and accidents that occur.

However, Bebop is more than a comedy show. Filled with drama and well choreographed action scenes, its more mature than the average anime series. Every character hides secrets about their past, which are eventually revealed as the show progresses. Interaction between the charachters is well done, especially during the more serious moments. The only problem is that it is very episodic. There is no underlying story tying each episode together, which can mean the show can seem lacking in depth. However, the characer development makes up for this, as does the ending.

Animation is smooth and detailed, especially the frequent action scenes. The musical score is brilliant, mixing old-time music styles such as the blues, and jazz. The music complements the atmosphere of the show very well and is just nice to listen to.

Unfortunately, Cowboy Bebop is currently unavailable in the UK (other than via the net and those shady "we-swear-we-didn't-steal-it" stores), so unless you saw it on CNX (R.I.P) you probably won't see it until ADV finally buys it.

So, in short, a great style, great drama, a great ending and of course a great musical score make this a must for all otakus, although this may be too 'mature' for the under-12 otaku. (Sorry, Timmy)