ScreenRant logo

Cowboy Bebop

Cowboy Bebop is a Japanese neo-noir space Western anime series that originally aired from 1998 to 1999. The series follows the adventures of the bounty-hunting crew aboard the spaceship Bebop as they navigate the solar system in the year 2071. Renowned for its genre-blending narrative, complex characters, and jazz-influenced soundtrack, Cowboy Bebop has garnered critical acclaim and a dedicated global fanbase.

+ See More
Cowboy Bebop Spike sitting on stairs next to Jet and Ein

The Real Reason Cowboy Bebop Is Timeless Is So Subtle That Most Fans Missed It

Spike in his winter coat looking angry.

Cowboy Bebop Has an Actual Sequel That Shows a Totally Different Side of Its Universe

Best Anime for Adult Fans

30 Must-Watch Anime Series For Adult Fans

Anime that Don't Hold Up Beyblade Gundam Wing Hellsing

We Regret To Inform You These 9 Classic Anime Don’t Hold Up Anymore

Cowboy Bebop anime featured image

I Quit Cowboy Bebop All Because of Its Trashiest Episode

What happened to every character in Cowboy bebop anime season 1

Cowboy Bebop's 15 Best Episodes

Cowboy Bebop (1998) TV Show Poster
Cowboy Bebop
Created by
Hajime Yatate
First TV Show
Cowboy Bebop
Latest TV Show
Cowboy Bebop
First Episode Air Date
April 3, 1998

Cast
Koichi Yamadera, Unsho Ishizuka, Megumi Hayashibara, Aoi Tada, Steve Blum, Beau Billingslea, Wendee Lee, Melissa Fahn
Character(s)
Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV, Ein (Cowboy Bebop), Vicious (Cowboy Bebop), Julia (Cowboy Bebop)

latest

Spike with a gun in Cowboy Bebop episode 1
I Finally Found the Only Noir Anime Worthy of Cowboy Bebop’s Crown

A seductive thief takes center stage in this bold anime noir masterpiece that is the perfect next-watch for fans of Cowboy Bebop and classic anime.

By 
Axel in the finale
“I Did My Best”: Cowboy Bebop Creator Opens Up About His Most Controversial Anime Yet
Lazarus

Lazarus may not have met expectations as Cowboy Bebop's successor, but Shinichiro Watanabe believes he did everything right in production

By 
Spike holding a pistol in the Cowboy Bebop pilot
27 Years Later, Cowboy Bebop's Greatest Line Hits Like an Absolute Truck
Cowboy Bebop

One of the greatest lines in Cowboy Bebop may have a heavier metatextual meaning than it would appear, revealing the feelings of the creators.

By 
Dragon Ball's Goku posing for a fight in front of a wide variety of characters from throughout the block's history.
1 of Toonami's Best Anime Is So Good It Actually Made the Entire Industry Better

Anime owes its global reception to the impact of Cowboy Bebop in the West, as it changed the prevailing dynamic towards the medium.

By 
the spaceships of Cowboy Bebop and Spike in the background
The Real Reason Cowboy Bebop Was Created Confirms That The Anime Industry's True Heart Was Never What Fans Thought
Cowboy Bebop

Cowboy Bebop is hailed as one of the greatest anime of all time, but the true reasons behinds its creation reveal a dark truth about anime production.

By 
Space Dandy as the spiritual successor to Cowboy Bebop
11 Years Later, a Toonami Exec Debunks a Major Theory About 1 of Its Most Underrated Anime and Its Sequel
Space Dandy

Toonami's co-creator, Jason DeMarco, addresses the rumor involving turning down a new season for Space Dandy in lieu of Lazarus' premiere

By 
Cowboy Bebop - Main cast in front of a red and blue lined background featured image
Need More Cowboy Bebop? 1 Cartoon Network Classic Was the Anime's Perfect Successor, But There's Just One Problem
Outlaw Star

Cowboy Bebop is an amazing anime and there is one other anime that is Bebop's perfect successor that fans need to watch, but there's a catch.

By 
Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer
Cowboy Bebop's Creator Believes 1 Anime Is Better Than Studio Ghibli's Best Movie and Honestly? He's Right
Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer

Urusei Yatsura 2, not Nausicaa, is Watanabe’s favorite 1984 anime, and its dreamlike weirdness helped define his iconic style.

1
By 
Cowboy Bebop Live-Action - Shinichirō Watanabe next to the live action cast featured image
Cowboy Bebop's Creator Couldn't Even Finish Netflix's Live-Action Series as 1 Scene "Stopped" Him Then and There
Cowboy Bebop

Shinichirō Watanabe, the creator of Cowboy Bebop could not even watch past the first scene of Netflix's live-action series and here is why.

36
By 
Lazarus imagery and Cowboy Bebop blurred in the background
Lazarus Definitely Doesn't Live Up to Cowboy Bebop's Legacy But Honestly? It Never Needed To
Lazarus

Shinichirō Watanabe's newest anime, Lazarus, is not at the same level as his previous anime, Cowboy Bebop, but that is not what Lazarus is aiming for.

1
By 
Shinichiro Watanabe appears before a background of Spike Spiegel and Axel.
"It's a Heartless Monster": Amid Studio Ghibli's AI War, Cowboy Bebop's Creator Is Sick of the Tech

Shinichiro Watanabe is one of the most successful figures in anime, and he didn't hold back his opinion on AI in the midst of the Ghibli controversy.

By 
A composite image of Faye Valentine in the Cowboy Bebop anime and live action series
"Do a Better Job": Netflix's Cowboy Bebop Missed the Mark, And One Star Is Finally Addressing the Anime Flop
Cowboy Bebop

Netflix's live-action Cowboy Bebop was a huge flop and one of its lead actors thinks so too, stating that she wishes it was a more true adaptation.

2
By 
Lazarus Cowboy Bebop Shinichiro Watanabe
Stop Comparing Lazarus to Cowboy Bebop: Why Shinichiro Watanabe's New Anime Deserves Better
Lazarus

With its sleek visuals and tense story, Lazarus makes a bold debut—but can Watanabe ever step out from under Cowboy Bebop’s long shadow?

1
By 
Cowboy Bebop Lazarus
Cowboy Bebop's Creator Is Back With a New Anime, But His First Comeback Pitch Was Totally Shut Down

Shinichiro Watanabe shares the creative process of his new anime and how it would've been a much different series.

By 
A collage of the Cowboy Bebop's main characters including Spike, Jet and Faye
Cowboy Bebop's First Episode Was Genius, So Why Did The Next Two Leave Me Cold?

I have only watched the first three episodes of Cowboy Bebop, so this will likely quickly change but I loved "Asteroid Blues" so much and wanted more.

By 
Lazarus logo with cast
Love Cowboy Bebop? Its Creator's New Anime Just Dropped a Theme Song You're Going to Love
Lazarus

Kamasi Washington’s “VORTEX” sets the tone in Lazarus’ stylish new opening sequence.

By 
Japan Lost Decade Anime
I've Found the Real Reason Your Favorite '90s Anime Exist, And Let Me Tell You It's Dark
Neon Genesis Evangelion

Japan’s Lost Decade gave rise to anime that was darker, deeper, and more human—and it still hits hard today

By 
Sailormoon, Ash from Pokemon, and Yusuke from Yuyu Hakusho
Modern Anime Is Great, But We're Still Obsessed With These '90s Classics Decades Later
Anime

‘90s anime classics laid the foundation for today’s genre. These timeless series remain essential for every anime fan.

1
By 
Attack on Titan Solo Leveling Demon Slayer custom cover image by Lauren Kells
Just Give It a Shot: 8 Anime Series You Need to Watch at Least Once In Your Life
Attack On Titan

These anime series are the best of the best, and every anime fan should do themselves a favor and check them out at least one time.

85
By 
Cowboy Bebop Lazarus
Cowboy Bebop's Creator Is Going All Out with Lazarus, And the Anime's New Clip Proves It: Watch
Lazarus

A new clip of Shinichiro Watanabe's upcoming Lazarus has been released, and it shows that the anime is not going to disappoint.

By 
See More