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Cowboy Bebop (2021)

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 27 Critic Reviews

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47

USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 178 Ratings

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4.9

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4.9	Your Score
4.9	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 178 Ratings

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Cowboy Bebop: Season 1

Now Playing: Cowboy Bebop: Season 1

Cowboy Bebop (2021)

Series Details & Credits

NETFLIX | Release Date: November 19, 2021

Summary: The live-action series based on Shinichirō Watanabe's anime series follows bounty hunters Spike Spiegel (John Cho), Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir) and Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda) as they search the galaxy for wanted criminals.

Genre(s): Drama, Action & Adventure

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Metascore

47

Positive:

6

Mixed:

12

Negative:

9

Critic Reviews

80

The Guardian Graeme Virtue

Nov 19, 2021

Season 1 Review: It all adds up to an enjoyable feeling of anything-goes delirium. At a time when popular sci-fi has gone gritty and self-consciously “dark”, the caffeinated fever dream of Cowboy Bebop feels like a loving distillation of the original and a breath of fresh air. Read full review

75

Newsday

Verne Gay

Nov 18, 2021

Season 1 Review: As a live-action adaptation of a hugely popular series, it's often jauntier and funnier than the root stock, the violence even more outlandish and cartoonish. Hardcore fans of the animé series may be disappointed by the liberties taken but a much wider audience — the one that never __watched animé — probably won't be. Flat-out entertaining. Read full review

58

Polygon Toussaint Egan

Nov 15, 2021

Season 1 Review: As much as the live-action Cowboy Bebop attempts to create its own identity and take on its characters and universe respective to the Cowboy Bebop anime, the strongest parts of the show are not what it adds in, but rather what it lifts wholesale from the original. Read full review

42

The Playlist Max Covill

Nov 15, 2021

Season 1 Review: Viewers returning to the “Cowboy Bebop” franchise with fond memories for the anime might enjoy their favorite episodes receiving the live-action treatment even with the above caveats, but those turning in for the first time will likely be left wondering why this was a big deal. Read full review

40

RogerEbert.com Brian Tallerico

Nov 15, 2021

Season 1 Review: Cho, Shakir, and Pineda really hold “Cowboy Bebop” together. When the plot is spinning its wheels, spending time with three actors this charismatic goes a long way. Sadly, the design and the writing rarely match what they bring to the table. Read full review

30

Decider

Meghan O'Keefe

Nov 15, 2021

Season 1 Review: All of the good things about Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop are betrayed by poor writing, uninspired action scenes, and a truly baffling obsession with the most annoying characters in the series. Read full review

16

Collider

Rafael Motamayor

Nov 15, 2021

Season 1 Review: The result lacks a color palette, a distinct visual language, and any resemblance of soul. This is just like the Cowboy Bebop you remember (or that your friends told you about), except it is absolutely nothing like it. Read full review

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4.9

User Reviews

10

Lakyslav

Nov 19, 2021

Really liked the show and really enjoyed it a I am disappointed with how much hate do original anime fans give it

10 of 27 users found this helpful1017

10

UPRC

Nov 21, 2021

This show is like a 7 or 8 out of 10, but I'm giving it a 10 to offset the review bombing from the angry extremist fans of the anime.

As long as you're a fan of the original and you go in with low expectations and know that they ARE going to change/condense stuff because it's 10 episodesThis show is like a 7 or 8 out of 10, but I'm giving it a 10 to offset the review bombing from the angry extremist fans of the anime.

As long as you're a fan of the original and you go in with low expectations and know that they ARE going to change/condense stuff because it's 10 episodes rather than 26, it's really not that bad. People are also upset that they changed the plot a bit. What, were you hoping for a shot for shot remake of the original? What would even be the point in doing that? If people cherish the original so much that they just want to see the same scenes all over again, they're certainly free to go back and watch it again. I appreciate that they changed the story up a bit, though I'm a bit lukewarm on the final 10-15 minutes of the finale. Still, it's obvious that they wanted to set this up to continue as a new series that tells new stories for those who are interested. If that's not you, then, I don't know what to tell you. Go back and watch the anime?

As far as the production goes, it was decent for a Netflix show. Some stuff was hokey and I probably would have gone with a younger acter than John Cho for Spike, but he does a good job in the role despite his age. The rest of the cast are more or less average/good (but not great), and the CGI and set pieces are pretty good. The space scenes in particular are pretty nice to look at.

So, yeah, go in with an open mind and lower your expectations. Don't go in thinking, OR wanting, a shot for shot remake and you'll probably at least be moderately entertained. The live action Cowboy Bebop is by no means exceptional, but it's still a fun watch overall.… Expand

3 of 9 users found this helpful36

9

RichJ

Nov 20, 2021

Excellent show. Trolls aside it's not perfect but I would rather have 90% of something great vs. nothing at all. Solid cast, Mustafa Shakir is so spot on as Jet Black you swear their dubbing him from the original anime.Super enjoyable and worth a watch. I hope positive word of mouth makes itExcellent show. Trolls aside it's not perfect but I would rather have 90% of something great vs. nothing at all. Solid cast, Mustafa Shakir is so spot on as Jet Black you swear their dubbing him from the original anime.Super enjoyable and worth a watch. I hope positive word of mouth makes it out there so more people realize that reading reviews about movies/shows is now a "twitter" cesspool of negativity and should be avoided. To anyone reading this review if you enjoy the show as well please speak up and put a good review on here. I'd like to see another season.… Expand

3 of 10 users found this helpful37

5

Perxoda

Nov 22, 2021

While the show starts off pretty good it quickly loses a lot of steam. A lot of props to John Cho and Mustafa Shakir for their perfomances in this show. They both give the characters some much needed depth. Daniella Pineda as Fay Valentine just doesn't seem like a good casting option. ThenWhile the show starts off pretty good it quickly loses a lot of steam. A lot of props to John Cho and Mustafa Shakir for their perfomances in this show. They both give the characters some much needed depth. Daniella Pineda as Fay Valentine just doesn't seem like a good casting option. Then again that might just be the way the way the show wrote Fay Valentine......
Which leads to the major problem of this show, the writing. The old anime had a way of knowing what to show and what not to show you. It didn't explain much, but that was part of it's charm and allure. They just seemed to throw all of that out and went for the stereotypical 'let's explain it to the dum-dums'approach. To top that off the show just gets gradually worse untill it just crashes and burns in the final episode. That episode alone would get a solid 1 from me. I don't know what the writes were snorting when they wrote that one, but it must've been something cheap and cut with a lot of washing detergent.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

3

maelak

Nov 26, 2021

You can't fix what isn't broken. The only thing I commend is the production. Personally I didn't mind the settings. The action sequences were pretty good as well. Other than that it was hard to watch. The portrayal of characters, story, and overall mood of the original series were butchered.You can't fix what isn't broken. The only thing I commend is the production. Personally I didn't mind the settings. The action sequences were pretty good as well. Other than that it was hard to watch. The portrayal of characters, story, and overall mood of the original series were butchered. It felt like watching inspector gadget with how overly animated everything was. As far as the story and characters I simply didn't like the change. Just stick to the script. If you wanna "create something new" then start from scratch. Don't call it "cowboy bebop" and then then give us this odd fanfiction version of it.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

1

LongestMan

Nov 25, 2021

This show is both a disgraceful remake of one the the most influential and beloved anime of all time, and a terrible show in it’s own right. The writer’s who saw themselves fit to change these characters should be ashamed of themselves.

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

0

Kiwiinthesea

Nov 27, 2021

I actually doubt this can be as bad as I think. I don’t think Netflix would put a show as bad as what I think I just watched onto streaming. But that’s why I run things by my wife. She stopped watching around episode three because it was so bad. So maybe this is as nonsensical, stupid, andI actually doubt this can be as bad as I think. I don’t think Netflix would put a show as bad as what I think I just watched onto streaming. But that’s why I run things by my wife. She stopped watching around episode three because it was so bad. So maybe this is as nonsensical, stupid, and irritating as I think. I’ll forego the “if you are a fan of the original”, just don’t watch this.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

SEE ALL 105 REVIEWS

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Seasons & Episodes

47

Series Overview
Season 1

47
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: November 19, 2021
- No episode information is currently available for this season