With worldwide anime fandom at an all-time high these days, Netflix's live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop may just be the most highly-anticipated Hollywood take on a Japanese property to date. The original series is seen as a classic for its stylish blend of sci-fi with elements of noir, western, cyberpunk plus a smooth side of jazz. It's also credited for helping introduce anime as a medium to many western kids in the early 2000s, so any kind of remake would have a lot to live up to based on the nostalgia factor alone.
Netflix have enlisted the help of some of the OG crew to keep its spirit alive in their version, including original creator Shinichiro Watanabe working as a creative consultant, Yoko Kanno of Seatbelts writing the soundtrack once more and some of Sunshine's writing staff who work under the collective name Hajime Yatate will be contributing to the script. At the very least it should sound and feel like Cowboy Bebop to some degree, but does it look like it? Take a look at these stills and decide for yourself, featuring John Cho as Spike Spiegel, Mustafa Shakir as Jet Black and Daniella Pineda as Faye Valentine. Also Ein.
The costumes look pretty neat in my eyes and are definitely recognizable as the crew of the Bebop despite a few differences here and there. Cho's suit, hair and posture are perfect for the role and black or not, Shakir looks like he'd be a great no-nonsense ex-cop turned bounty hunter. Faye doesn't usually wear pants in the anime but it's pretty obvious that they'd make her character a bit less fanservice-y and dress her in something more practical, and at least her actress is pretty cute. Ed will apparently make an appearance but her actress has yet to be announced.
The set design is also worth paying attention to, especially aboard the Bebop. The dusty yellow sofa in the living room and Spike's training posts from the first episode are some nice touches. The last image in the church has me intrigued because that's the site of one of the first major fight scenes in the anime, where Spike duels with his former comrade Vicious. Speaking of Vicious, hopefully we can see Alex Hassell in costume as the villain in a trailer soon, alongside some footage of the Bebop crew in action. I for one am cautiously looking forward to this. All they have to do now is get the tone right.
You can see these space cowboys premiere on Netflix on November 19. What do you think of these stills? Have they got the look down or nah? Let us know below!
