Netflix has released the opening credit sequence of Cowboy Bebop, and it is basically the same as the anime but with live-action characters. One of many reveals from Netflix's Global Fan Event TUDUM was expected to be a full-length trailer for the live-action Cowboy Bebop adaptation. But it looks like fans will have to make do with the title sequence for now. However, it does reveal a few noteworthy details about the show and offers a better look at some characters.
Fans will also be delighted to hear Yoko Kanno's iconic jazz music playing in the background. The song Tank! composed by Kanno's band, Seatbelts, served as the opening theme for the 1998 anime Cowboy Bebop and will be featured in the live-action adaptation as well. Kanno herself is returning to compose the series. John Cho, who plays Spike Spiegel in the Netflix show, kicked off the Cowboy Bebop panel at TUDUM, releasing the following clip.
The title sequence has polarized the viewers so far, with people either absolutely loving it or hating it. Faithful, campy, and cash grab, the teaser has been called just about everything by the fans. But whether you like it or not, the iconic music combined with the live-action recreation of the characters is bound to evoke some nostalgia. The intro also teases the appearance of several characters and recreates a few stunning scenes, especially the standoff at the cathedral between Spike and Vicious. The super-intelligent Welsh corgi Ein also made a brief appearance along with Julia, Ana, Gren, Asimov & Katrina, Mad Pierrot, and Abdul Hakim. Check out the following images to get a better look at the beloved characters, which follow a set of previously released images.
However, one central character was missing, namely Ed. The makers have confirmed that the character will appear, but nothing else is known about the carefree hacker. Showrunners have teased drastic changes to the character, so it's possible Netflix is playing safe and refraining from attracting negative reactions from fans by revealing Ed. It's also likely that Ed only appears towards the end of the show and is nothing more than a cameo. Whatever the case, Ed is a fan favorite, and the show needs to get her right this season or next or otherwise face the wrath of fans.
Cowboy Bebop is the live-action adaption of the anime series of the same name, which is regarded as one of the greatest animes of all time. The show has a lot riding on it, and expectations are high. Developed by André Nemec and written by Christopher Yost, Cowboy Bebop revolves around the exploits of a dysfunctional group of bounty hunters chasing down criminals across the solar system. Alex Garcia Lopez (The Witcher, Daredevil) and Michael Katleman (Primeval, The Fix) have each directed five episodes of the series.
Cowboy Bebop stars John Cho as Spike Spiegel, a Mars-born bounty hunter with a violent and tragic past; Mustafa Shakir as Jet Black, Spike's partner and an ex-cop with a cybernetic arm; and Daniella Pineda as Faye Valentine, a con artist with no memory of her past. Other major characters from the anime who feature in the show include Alex Hassel as Vicious, Spike's archenemy, Elena Satine as Julia, Spike's romantic interest, Tamara Tunie as Ana, and Alexander Park as Gren.
After a troublesome production marked by John Cho getting injured and then the Covid-19 pandemic shutting down filming, Cowboy Bebop has had a long road to getting a live-action adaptation, and let's hope it doesn't disappoint. A trailer will be dropping any time now, so keep watch. Cowboy Bebop premieres on Netflix on 19 November 2021, and the credit sequence was first unveiled at TUDUM.