Cowboy Bebop Part 5 Episodes 19-22

(Originally Written August 3, 2014)

The good and bad times roll as the Bebop rockets back and forth from one end of the galaxy to the next.  From psychotic man weapons gone rogue, to a reckless old school cowboy to your average starship pirates, it’s an interesting group of characters heading the way of Spike and the gang.  And some of them will push the crew to the limit.  Are there foes not even the lucky as hell Spike can defeat?

 

As the wind down to the finale begins, we get a nice string of stand alone adventures for the Bebop crew this week, some more entertaining than others but none really terrible overall.

 

Spike got tossed up against some great opponents this week.  From the Earth’s gravity to a cowboy bounty hunter enthusiast to a psychotic man child killer.  La Pierot is the one nemesis thus far who has managed to give Vicious a run for his money.  Spike could literally do almost nothing against this tank of a super weapon with bullet proof shield and an arsenal that is tear worthy.  Though for all of his menacing and ability to beat the tar out of Spike, Pierot has one of Bebop’s most fleshed out backstories for a one off villain.  As Jet and Ed perform a hack that is slightly difficult, even for Ed, we get a chilling sequence of events showing just what happens when humans are pushed way too far and the bloody cost of the results.  Though it is pretty cool to see that Spike’s eye of the tiger and handy blade manage to win the day and give Pierot a fitting, if actually a bit sad, end.  I do like how Spike’s joking morbid quip to Faye about actually biting it this time prompted her to help out a little bit, nice to see that these two actually care about each other…sort of.

 

Spike other opponent of the week was a bit more lighthearted.  In fact it’s not hard to agree with Jet and Faye that aside from a different hair color, Andy could be Spike’s clone…well almost.  Andy’s drive and thrill of the chase and penchant for property damage may mirror Spike to a T, but intellectually…eh…Spike’s definitely cooler and a bit more methodical when he wants to be.  Either way, Spike and Andy’s distaste for each other leads them to ignore a bounty head (who doesn’t want to be ignored) and engage in an old fashioned duel that is comedy gold.  And the ending, totally fits Andy’s unpredictable personality, trading his cowboy hat for a samurai sword (which Jet and Faye believe is better than being a cowboy).  Speaking of their bounty head, the attention seeking Teddy Bomber, interesting tidbit.  As I mentioned a while back, when Bebop first aired on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim block, three episodes were cut from the initial airing following the 9/11 attacks.  Episode 22, Cowboy Funk, is the last of those three episodes as Teddy does manage to bomb some sky scrapers throughout the episode. 

 

The other stories this week are fair though not as good as the mentioned two.  Poor Jet seems to get short end of the story stick as, save for the amazing Black Dog Serenade, his stories seem to either be boring or just not as interesting as Spike or Faye’s backgrounds.  And Spike detour to Earth to get his ship overhauled lands some nice moments with a cool engineering duo, Doohan and Miles (bonus points if you get the nod they went for with those names).

 

Can the fun keep going for the Bebop crew?  If Spike’s encounter with Pierot and his quip about death are any indication, then it’s looking likely we may be heading into a darker final act for the series.  We’ll find out next time as we head right into one of the best finales of any Anime. 

Cowboy Bebop Part 4 Episodes 15-18

(Originally Written July 27, 2014)

With Vicious driven off…for now, it’s time for the crew of the Bebop to get back to what they do best…sort of.  But it’s not just new bounties catching their eyes.  Faye and Jet both find their own pasts catching up to them in dangerous ways.  Will Faye finally discover the truth of why she awoke to a strange new future?  Will Jet finally be able to kill the man who took his arm and cost him his career?  And in the middle of all of this can the Bebop bounty hunters finally earn some money for all their trouble?

Backstories, histories, questions of the past unanswered, those are the orders of this weeks Bebop set and man did the creator have some fun with these.

While the bulk of the backstory themed set is focused on Faye, it’s actually Jet’s story that is actually the strongest of the two stories.  Episode 16 “Black Dog Serenade” is a much better episode for the robo armed ex cop than Ganymede Elegy.  It’s darker and grittier tone make for better tragic storytelling that is both exciting and nail biting.  Even if you can guess the twist at the end, it’s still very well done.  Not to mention, the episode has a great Film Noire feel to it, especially in the flashback scenes where we discover how Jet truly lost his arm and how it still haunts him.  Definitely one of shows best episodes.

Faye on the other hand, has the start of a great tale but it does leave you hanging on a couple of levels while still being pretty effective.  Seeing Faye both before and after her cryo slumber is a little heartbreaking.  She was such a different girl before her accident (tied to that pesky Gate Incident again), so happy and full of hope for the future, a far cry from the jaded and heavily masked spitfire she is today.  And it’s a past, like we the viewer clearly see, that has no real answers yet.  The con man who she tried to love didn’t have anything and the video tape she receives is just as cryptic.  Jet’s past seems to have been wrapped up rather nicely by the end of his episode, but Faye’s still leaves more to be desired…especially after Spike and Jet went through all that trouble on Earth to find a video player to view the cassette tape.  I think Spike’s reaction to Faye’s backstory while in the bathroom is pretty spot on as Faye asks rather annoyed, “How long were you in there listening Spike?”  “Too long, your story needs editing.”

Speaking of which, despite the minor letdown of not learning too much more about Faye’s unclear video tape, Spike and Jet’s Indiana Jones esque search for a Beta Player in an abandoned, death trap filled museum on Earth was a helluva lot of fun.  It’s rare to see these two doing something not bounty hunter related and it leads to some funny and great moments, especially after all that work they almost come out empty handed.  But the real scene stealing duo this week is lovable fan favorites Ed and Ein, who finally get their own adventure in the hilarious Episode 17 “Mushroom Samba”.  This was definitely one of the shows most light hearted and fun filled episodes as Ed and Ein race to catch a Mushroom dealing bounty head before their vengeful but no less experienced competition beats them too it.  It almost makes me wonder why this loveable pair never got a spin off series of their own.  If anything they would’ve been great for a movie short style series, similar to the Tachikomatic Days shorts on Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.  But sadly no such series exists that I’m aware.  Still, most fans of Bebop adore Ed’s wackiness and Ein’s ability to understand her and that makes them one of the shows greatest strengths.

Not much else to say here.  Good times were had by all and the series is still rolling strong with the supporting cast getting some time to shine after some Spike heavy episodes.  See you next week Space Otaku Cowboys.

Cowboy Bebop Part 3 Episodes 11-14

(Originally Written July 20, 2014)

When the name Julia hits Spike’s ears, he bolts from the Bebop to a nearby frozen moon.  Who is this woman and how important is she to make Spike run off without a word?  And when Faye splits as well with all of Jet’s money, will the Bebop’s captain seek her out to bring her home or get his money back?  The moon of Callisto becomes the stage for a series of revealing events as Spike and the crew of the Bebop face the might of the Red Dragons…and their greatest adversary, Vicious.

Bebop rolls out another great set of episodes this week with a space thriller, a chess match of strange circumstances and the return of an old enemy.

On the whole, the two part Jupiter Jazz epic is well done but still doesn’t come quite close to matching the still number one Ballad of Fallen Angels.  Sure it has some bad fake outs nearly splitting up the crew for good and apparently killing off Spike in the Part 1 cliffhanger but there still plenty to enjoy. Spike and Jet getting into it when it comes to women and their way of life is great and for once we get to see them truly at odds over priorities: Spike in search of who we can assume to be his lost love and Jet wanting to find Faye if only to get back his stolen money.  What sucks is that if Spike were a bit more open, Jet you definitely help out.  But we also get a look at how self centered they can be sometimes, Spike and Jet both looking to do things for themselves and nothing else.  It’s selfish but in the end they do remember they’re a team and work out their issues.  It does give Spike an excuse to beat the living crap out of a legion of would be bandits who try to attack him when they think he’s Vicious.  And MAN are they glad they got off with just an ass kicking.  If they did run into Vicious, they’d be dead or worse.  Still one negative about this two parter that I think the twenty on one Spike battle tries to make up for is the lack of a proper hand to hand rematch.  I mean yeah we get to see them match dogfighting skills in the skies over Calisto but it’s still not as entertaining as gun v sword…ugh major denial when Spike and Vicious get ready to go at it at the end of Part 1 only for Spike to be shot with a tranq gun.

Jupiter Jazz also offers up some complex and insightful moments for Faye and episode guest star Gren.  Faye’s confession of her views on trust and comrades is pretty deep and Shinichiro Watanabe plays up her fan service appeal with each moment.  Her words seem as confused as she is but the camera is not confused with long panning shots of her outfit.  As for Gren man what a surprise he was: a sax player with a jaded past and a woman’s chest…did not see that coming.  He does offer us some great insight into the mysterious Julia who haunts Spike and it will be fun to meet such an inspiring enigma of a woman if she ever shows up in this series.  All of the talk of comrades and someone to believe in rings deep with me and my views on friendship, especially here on DA.

Oh and another Yoko Kanno shoutout, this time on the haunting and memorable melody of Space Lion that closes out Part 2 of Jupiter Jazz rather than The Real Folk Blues.  Much like the end of Gren’s tale and some of Spike tragic yet still not totally revealed past, the song rings of sadness and remembrance of those lost and is one of the shows best tracks thus far.

But Jupiter Jazz is not where all the fun lies.  We also get a nice nod to the scifi horror classic Alien with a creature of unknown origin loose on the Bebop.  Something lurks, crew members go down or missing and it’s up to Ripley (er Spike), geared up and ready for war, to do something about it.  Toys in the Attic is pretty creepy and for a moment makes you wonder if this really is the end for the Bebop crew, alone in space at the mercy of a mysterious space creature Spike accidentally created.  However, since Jupiter Jazz follows and Ed finds a tasty treat at the end…the answer to their supposed fate is pretty obvious.

Lastly there’s Episode 14, Bohemian Rhapsody, which is a fun mystery that gives us a well edited and fast paced lead up to the surprising satisfying finale.  Besides the episode long chess match that Ed takes center stage in, we also get some more insight into that infamous gate incident lurking throughout the series history and hints that it could have been prevented.  The area in which the Bebop crew finds supposed mastermind Chess Master Hex is a fun environment that is more like the cluster cuss you’d think some cities on Earth might be in the future: lots of people from all over the galaxy gathered and scrunched together, but enjoying their freedom and company of their neighbors.  The finale is pretty touching, showing us once again that sometimes the money is something the Bebop crew wont accept from time to time IF the circumstances are right. They may not be out to be the “good guys” but it just ends up being that way and they can live with that.  Sometimes all that work can lead to unexpected rewards.

And the journey continues next week as we hit the halfway mark.  Hope you’re all enjoying the ride thus far with the crew of the Bebop as I am and see you next week Space Cowboys and Comrades.

 

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig Part 1 Episodes 1-4

It’s a whole new game for Major Motoko Kusinagi and Section 9.  Now back in full force following their clash with the Laughing Man that ended with a full on governmental upheaval, it’s back to doing what they do best.  From taking down terrorists to petty thieves with exceptional hacking skills, if it involves the web, Section 9 is on it.  However, as Japan begins to take in refugees from the last World War, unrest begins to show itself in the region.  A powder keg is about to be lit and if Section 9 cant solve this case soon, the explosion could be one Japan never recovers from.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex returns for a whole new season of twists, turns and techno babble.  But from the looks of the first couple of episodes, it looks like the political arena is set to be a direct spot of focus as well.  If you’re a fan of political dramas or a good Tom Clancy style tale, then this season looks to be one for you.

Firstly, gotta say how gorgeous these episodes look.  Some look more polished than others but episode one definitely stands out.  The character designs have been tweeked all across the board…especially when it comes to Motoko hehe.  The quality of animation can vary between episodes but they still carry that small bit of what looks like OVA or movie style animation.  If Stand Alone Complex was given a bigger budget then it shows here for sure.  And if you thought the animation was good, wait til you hear more of Yoko Kanno’s techno fueled futuristic beats.  From the rocking and heart pumping theme song “Rise” to a beautifully deadly theme for Motoko in “I Cant be Cool”, the Queen of Anime Soundtracks continues her reign of cool.

All of Section 9 is back, which is still a good and bad thing for me.  On the good side, the team gels better than ever and seems a lot more relaxed being back in the game they play so well.  However, it still seems like all of the dialogue gets delivered between Motoko, Batou, Togusa, Ishikawa and Aramaki.  Saito, Pazu and Borma still feel like they’re in the background to make the team feel more crowded.  Even in scenes of heavy action, Pazu and Borma still feel relegated to just being in one shot then vanishing.  At least Saito’s skill set got put to use during the excellent helicopter vs Tachikoma battle in Episode 4.  I will say one thing about the entire team, seeing their reactions to Motoko’s drop dead gorgeous dress during Episode Three was as great as you’d expect.  Sure she may dress in all manner of inappropriate most times but it’s hard to forget Motoko is a woman and can look pretty (er than usual) from time to time.  Having the happy go lucky Tachikoma’s back is a huge plus as I doubt anyone was really happy with their sad fates at the end of Season 1.  Seeing Motoko happy to have them back is noteworthy as well.  Maybe she’ll lighten up on them this time around.

We got a couple of new season players this year.  First is the new Prime Minister Yoko Kayabuki.  Quite the pretty lady, though I cant help but get a feeling of uneasiness about her.  She definitely seems more likely to play things safe and by the book…unless Aramaki presents her with a better way to handle things like during the season opening hostage situation.  Her sly smile at the end of that episode had me agreeing with Motoko’s “Short leash on her pet pooch” comment.  I don’t think she’ll be an easy boss above the boss for Section 9.  One character you don’t have to find an excuse to feel uneasy about is the other big newcomer, Kazundo Goda.  I know it’s wrong to judge people based on appearances but man do his scars match his creepy nature.  It’s no real mystery he and his Cabinet Intelligence Service (CIS) have their own way of doing things that wont make them chummy with Section 9. 

The opening set of episodes, like Season One, give Section 9 a nice range of cases to show off their skills.  The action heavy ones bookend the set with the Chinese Embassy takeover and the Jigabachi Copter showdown standing equally in terms of fun and intensity.  Batou smashing a terrorist through a wall before the eyes of a stunned rescue team was epic.  Not one to be outdone though, Motoko got the two big scene stealing action moments.  The first is towards the end of the hostage situation with a direct nod to the original Ghost in the Shell movie where she takes out a terrorist in mid decent before activating her cammo.  The second just has her squaring off against an attack helicopter with nothing but a pistol…yeah my money’s on the sexy lady any day.

The other two episodes are a bit of interesting choices.  The first reminded me heavily of a short story from the existential collection, “Notes from the Underground,” and could have easily been inspired by it.  A helicopter pilot who was a war veteran feels an intense lack of satisfaction with the world and seeks to change it in a very violent matter.  Day after day he plans, day dreams and continues to  lose his mind slowly.  The twist comes at the end when we find out that Motoko has been posing as a high roller prostitute to spy on this guy, who could be connected to a case.  But in the end she deduces he wont do anything except dream and nothing more, he’ll never carry out his plan.  It’s an intense character study and perfect for any existential school course.  The other episode is one that is kind of…well a fun one for Section 9, investigating a robbery which involves Motoko attending a risqué party with Aramaki dressed in a sexy outfit.  Considering how this season is set to blow up with a heavy plotline, it’s nice to see Section 9 smile and have some fun with a case, a rarity for this crew. 

I will say that if you have been trying to piece together the history of the world that Stand Alone Complex inhabits, then this season could be chock full of expositional dialogue that you’ll have to run with.  Allusions are made to both World War III and IV and play heavily into the Asian refugee policy issue that is at the heart of this season.  So for any history afficionado’s this season is going to be yours for the loving.

Action, suspense, a fun little departure from the usual dire circumstances while planting seeds for a larger conflict to come…that and the return of everyones favorite sexy cyborg cop, yep it’s good to be back in the Stand Alone Complex.

 

Special Note:
For anyone interested, once the classic Cowboy Bebop reviews are wrapped up, I will be posting the original reviews of Season One of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex so keep an eye out.

Cowboy Bebop Part 2 Episodes 6-10

(Originally Written July 13, 2014)

Spike and Jet have picked up three new crewmates: the sexy but deceitful Faye, the seemingly boundless energetic hacker Ed and the lovable data dog Ein.  This crew if five couldn’t be a more mismatched bunch.  But the bounties are getting tougher and rewards even bigger.  If Spike and Jet still want to make a buck out there, they’ll have to rely on their new allies…if they don’t kill each other first.

After a successful first set of episodes, including the above and beyond stellar Ballad of Fallen Angels, can Bebop keep up the forward momentum?  Well as with any continuing series, the answer is both yes and no.  There are some great episodes and great scenes amongst this batch, with some being better than others.

Sympathy for the Devil is a solid episode that shows Spike up against a child turned powerful immortal by a gate accident on the moon (as seen in a heart wrenching flashback).  The Kid, Wen, has a tragic backstory and it’s easy to feel sorry for him even in the final showdown.  And man what an old school showdown it is.  As Wen takes pot shots at a standing still Spike, only managing to graze him, he has no idea that Spike’s single special shot will be his downfall…then again Spike didn’t know what would happen either, to quote him, “Kind of makes it interesting doesn’t it?”  Cudos to Yoko Kanno again with the sorrowful blues harmonica that plays throughout the episode, adding to the sorrow and innocence lost feel of Wen’s tale.

Episode 9 is definitely the stand out episode of this bunch though for it finally brings the wacky Edward onto the scene.  Part brilliant child prodigy, part unpredictable wild child, all around energetic enigma, Edward’s personality is as random as her (yes HER) stories told to Jet as he investigate this legendary hacker on Earth.  Ed’s a great bit of comic relief but also very helpful in helping the Bebop crew track down bounty heads.  Oh and speaking of Earth, we finally get to see it lol.  As with most scifi depictions of the future, Earth is pretty much a ball of rock and dust and water, everyone seems to think we will ruin it one day.  Interestingly enough, we do learn that Earth’s current state under a suffrage of unpredictable Rock Showers, is due to the gate accident that gave Wen his ageless, regenerative capabilities a long time ago.  It’s already devastated the planet, how much more damage did this Gate Accident cause?  Hopefully we’ll find out soon enough.

The other episodes are ok but not as a whole in most bits.  Episode 7 stands out for it’s heavy metal score and Spike’s downright psychotic stunt to escape from his ship to a space truck without a space suit (not to mention a bounty head who looks a lot like Woody Allen).  Episode 8 shows us a nice bit into Spike’s philosophy and an elaboration on his Jeet Kun Doe fighting style and has Faye playing serious yet sexy investigator proving she’s more than a pretty face.  Episode 10 is the weakest so far, with Jet’s back story and tragic love past not quite as interesting as it could be.  Some nice character moments but otherwise, it’s just ok. 

I should also note that Episode 6 and 8 were two of the episodes not featured in Adult Swim’s first run of Cowboy Bebop back in late 2001 following the September 11 attacks.  Episode 8 is pretty obvious, it opens with a passenger shuttle hijacking that the Bebop crew is able to prevent and claim a nice bounty (their first real success as a team?).  As for Episode 6 I think it had more to do with a child terrorist being the antagonist as Cartoon Network was trying to limit youth in war related stories for a little while (hence anything Gundam related also being pulled from Toonami for a short while).  When Bebop began it’s second round airing however, the episodes were returned to the line up and have been with the series in every airing.

The Bebop flies on.  And to quote Spike once again, “Jet do you know that there are three things I really hate?  Kids, Animals and Women with attitudes.  So tell me Jet…WHY DO WE HAVE ALL THREE OF THEM NEATLY BUNDLED IN OUR SHIP??!!!”  The answer is because they’re great additions to the series and making it a helluva lot of fun.  From one end of the galaxy to the next, this is the ship and crew of the future everyone wants to be part of.