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Cast
(voices only):
Koichi
Yamadera
Unsho
Ishizuka
Megumi
Hayashibara
Aoi
Tada
Ai
Kobayashi
Tsutomu Isobe
Writer:
Marc Handler
Keiko Nobumoto
Hajime Yatate
Producer:
Haruyo Kanesaku
Yutaka Maseba
Masahiko Minami
Minoru Takanashi
Masuo Ueda
Director:
Shinichiro Watanabe
Score:
 
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COWBOY
BEBOP: THE MOVIE
AKA:
Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heavens Door
Year:
2001 Reviewer: Phil
Mills
Originating
in 1998, 'Cowboy Bebop' was arguably the
first anime series to be truly accepted and adored by an international audience. The ingenious relocation of a
group of wild west style bounty hunters into science fiction
surroundings was a joy to behold and so stylishly accomplished
that it left audiences crying out for more. Almost inevitably,
once the series had run it's course a film was devised which
left fans wondering whether a show that worked so competently
on a half hour basis could make the leap to the big
screen. Come on now, did they really need to worry?
When
a tanker truck is blown to pieces in the middle of a busy
street, it unleashes a deadly virus into the air that begins
to infect a number of innocent bystanders. The
government troops seem incapable of capturing the culprit so a
reward is placed on the criminals' head which instantly alerts
the crew of the Bebop. With the bounty set at
300,000,000 Woolongs, Spike, Faye, Jet and Ed combine their
resources and soon discover that the man behind the tragedy
was Vincent Volaju. Having identified the target, you
would think that this was an open and shut case but when it
also emerges that Mr. Volaju has been dead for tens years,
things begin to get interesting. However, nothing will
prepare the crew for the horrors that are also waiting in the
wings and this could very well be the toughest trip that our
intrepid heroes have ever had to face.
For
those of you unfamiliar with the 'Cowboy Bebop' universe, the concept
behind the show can really be whittled down to a group of misfits
who find themselves thrown together in a spaceship and forced to
pursue criminals for cash. It may not sound like much
but as a half
hour series this worked brilliantly and provided some
breathtaking episodes that succeeded because of superior
artistic techniques, characters with real human foibles and numerous
cleverly devised storytelling arcs. Now, taking this one step further and
creating a feature film is no mean feat but with such a strong
base to the show and the seemingly endless opportunities to
create new adventures, it manages to succeed on almost every
level.
For
starters, even though there are a number of central characters
within the concept, the film is capable of providing each of
them with a decent amount of screen time and their own
sub-story. That said though, it is always aware of the
fact that the film requires a central protagonist and it is
Spike who is chosen to lead the pack. Personally, I think this is a very astute decision as I've
always felt that his chequered back story and very obvious
emotional baggage make him the most interesting character to
explore and he certainly doesn't disappoint. In this
particular outing he not only encounters an enemy who appears
to be his equal in almost every department, but he also makes
a new friend who exposes some emotional dilemmas that he has
previously ignored. It's this kind of easy to relate to
characterisation that puts Bebop way ahead of the competition
and it never ceases to amaze me just how easily our animated
heroes are able to convey emotions in a more realistic manner than
a number of actual actors.
In
the action department, the sheer scope of a film also
affords the creators the added freedom of squeezing in a few more
confrontations. One of the
things that always stood out about the series was it's ability
to finely balance the various action elements which is a skill
also echoed within the film but the stakes have been increased
thanks to the extended running time. Once
again, it is Spike who comes out on top but this is not
exactly surprising when you consider that he is so proficient
in each ability - fighting and flying.
The space battles are excellently shot with a real sense of
motion and speed whilst the hand to hand combat is also
extremely impressive for animation and thankfully never dips
into the realms of the impossible.
When
it comes to the animation, 'Cowboy Bebop' has to be considered
a revolutionary leap within the anime
timeline. Not only is it a wonder to behold in terms of
artistic merits but it is also outstandingly
directed with camera techniques that would make most live-action
directors envious. As far as the film goes,
it really captures everything that made the series so
enthralling with a multitude of new ideas thrown in that will
leave you astounded at quite how they were capable of making
an animated adventure appear so lifelike. I also have a
preference for the way the action is shot because even though
it sometimes appears in a flick book style, it
does seem to suit the overall look of the series and is always
gripping to watch.
If
I was being forced to pinpoint one weak point for the film
then it would probably have to be the story as even though it remains immensely enjoyable in spurts, it is perhaps not
as watertight when you look at the complete picture. As the movie opens, we are treated to some extremely
intriguing set pieces that open up a whole host of opportunities but as the
story progresses there
are moments when a few cracks emerge. This is not to say that it
is a major problem but it
does lack some of the tighter plot points that were prominent
in the series when it was at it's peak. In part, I would
attribute this to the fact that the writers are used to the
confines of a 30 minute episode which seems to be corroborated
by some rather noticeable segments
to the film. However, I wouldn't call this catastrophic
and it won't detract from your enjoyment but it is perhaps the
reason it doesn't quite reach the five star mark.
Finally
(as if I haven't already talked about this movie enough), one couldn't let any review of 'Cowboy Bebop' slip by without
mentioning the soundtrack. Within the series, the music
was a fundamental factor, not simply because it was quality
music but also because it seemed to perfectly capture the
essence of the show. Thankfully, I'm happy to say that this bizarre fusion of jazz
and pop has been successfully ported across to the feature
film and it is littered with numerous infectiously catchy
tracks. Most of these are performed by the resident
series composers 'The Seatbelts' and their upbeat rifts really
add atmosphere to the proceedings as well as leaving you humming the various themes for days to come.
Just
in case the essay above wasn't a big enough hint, I'm a huge
fan of 'Cowboy Bebop' and I'm happy to say that the feature
film is certainly no exception. It had a huge
reputation to uphold but fortunately all of the popular
aspects are squeezed in successfully and the film is an
excellent example of an all round adventure flick. If you are yet to
experience the wonders of 'Cowboy Bebop' then this is as good
a place as any to start and is bound to get you hooked.
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