Monday, August 3, 2015

Cowboy Bebop-Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door

(Welcome to Anime TV Movie Month.  For the next four weeks ill be taking a look at movies centered around series ive reviewed in the past.  They all range across the board from alternate retellings to compilation movies to sequels that pick up where the TV series left off.  And also real quick I apologize for the mistake at the end of my last Gundam 00 review.  I was so excited for Otakon 2015 and to finally have finished all of Gundam 00 I mistakenly said that RWBY Vol.2 was next on the docket when this month long feature was actually next on schedule.  So if you were looking forward to RWBY, apologies but don’t worry.  RWBY’s second season will be reviewed at the end of August as originally intended.  For now, enjoy these new reviews and thanks again for coming by to read.)

Mars 2071.  A mysterious black clad man detonates a tanker in a populated Mars city.  Initially there are no casualties but moments later several on lookers begin falling victim to mysterious symptoms.  The government responds to the threat by placing a 300 Million Woolong reward on the head of the one responsible.  With no leads but extra incentive from the biggest bounty ever, the crew of the Bebop beings its mission to capture the culprit.  Soon, Spike, Jet and Faye find themselves caught up in their biggest and most dangerous adventure yet, facing against a man who doesn’t fear death…and has a master plan they may not be able to stop.

You know, there are times you never really know how much you miss something until you see it again.  I felt that when Bobby hugged Storm in X-Men: Days of Future Past, how much I missed the original X-Men cast and I feel it every time I hear the Game of Thrones theme after a year of waiting for a new season.  The same goes for the crew of the Bebop.  I will always remember the good times I had with them during the legendary TV series but it’s tear jerking to see them back in a brand new adventure…that manages to do the impossible.  It’s rare that a show as well done as Cowboy Bebop manages to receive a just as strong follow up in the form of a movie.  But low and behold, Knockin on Heaven’s Door is a worthy addition to the Bebop legacy, taking everything that made Cowboy Bebop excellent and taking it to the next level.

In many ways, Knockin on Heaven’s Door feels like one big class reunion.  It is exciting to see Spike, Jet, Faye and their friends once again and they all get ample time to shine (fans of the lovable Ed and Ein duo will enjoy their mini mars adventure to find a hacker).  Spike still kicks butt, Jet’s the sage and ample investigator, Faye’s the sexy hothead, these are the characters we all remember and love and never get tired of watching together on screen.  The new characters are complex, deep and very well rounded.  Vincent is the ultimate foe for Spike while Electra and Rashid add their own fun mysteries to the mix.  What’s best of it all is that this isn’t like a random Shonen movie where the film isn’t really cannon (Naruto, Dragon Ball Z, Inuyasha).  The Bebop movie is actually set before the last few episodes of the series, allowing Spike and his crew one final epic romp before they have their final battle with Vicious at the end of the series.

The animation goes above the original as it should for a big screen debut.  Do I dare say that everyone looks a little more “real” in this movie than in the series itself?  Yeah, the amount of detail going into not just the characters but also their movements and the world around them makes you feel like this is could be a huge live action film romp, for further proof of this behold the amazing opening credits that paint a futuristic day in the life of a city no different from one today set to the smooth tones of Yoko Kanno’s music.  The Moroccan Street segment is a nice look at the little bit of different culture added into a modern day city and it stands out from the skyscrapers and pretty buildings of the main metropolis. 

Speaking of the infamous composer, Yoko Kanno brings her A game to the film.  Once again, the sounds of each track are diverse and rarely ever the same.  But for those who still want to hear the epic jazz sounds that made the TV Show a blast to watch, fear not they’re still here and help highlight two of the films central action pieces.  From non-stop action to chase sequences to spine tingling thriller moments, Yoko Kanno knows what sounds work for all and once again proves why she is one of the best musical composers not just of Anime but of all time.

I do have to nitpick a little bit when it comes to one notable aspect of the film…besides the fact that is has to end and thus ending any new Bebop for the time being.  The side story with the ISSP detectives tasked with finding Vincent felt a bit unnecessary.  Any information they find, or rather find too late, is told in a much better fashion to Spike and the other characters at other points of the movie.  I’m not sure what scenes could have taken their place, they do blend pretty well with the music and action.  The raid on the Water Treatment Plant is a well orchestrated scene with an intense soundtrack and sense of scale that befitted adding the subtitle “The Movie” to “Cowboy Bebop”.  But really, the detectives weren’t needed at the end of the day.

Cowboy Bebop The Movie-Knockin on Heaven’s Door is a surprise in many ways for fans of a show that ended with a strong note of finality.  The film has stellar action, the story is intense and captivating, the characters are all lovable, the animation top notch, the music is legendary, you will be hard pressed to find a flaw with this film and even I have to admit my nitpick feels a bit forced.  Sure it never hurts to check out the TV series before hand to get a better grasp of the universe.  But if you haven’t heard of Cowboy Bebop (which is an issue if you are an anime fan) or just looking for a fun action anime romp…or forgot I reviewed the series about this time last year (wow), the movie works as a strong intro for both categories.

At least you know once Spike utters his final words in the Series Finale, you know there’s at least one more BANG coming your way in this little gift…unless you watch it in it’s chronological point (between Episodes 22 and 23) before you finish the series in which case…yeah BANG is still BANG and the series is over.  Whatever, im rambling now.  Cowboy Bebop: Knockin on Heaven’s Door rocks pure and simple and is easily one of the Top Ten Anime Films I have ever seen.  Now quit reading and go watch it.

9.5/10

Check back next week for a return to Eden with a look at Macross Plus: The Movie, the way MP was originally meant to be seen.

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