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カウボーイビバップ [Cowboy Bebop] #1
Cowboy Bebop, Band 1
From one of the most popular anime series of all time comes a manga to match. Spinning off from the anime story line seen on Cartoon Network, the manga series hooks readers with the same combination of sci-fi action, crazy comedy, and a twist of old-school hipster cool. This black-and-white miniseries, released in the 100% Authentic Manga format, is perfect for fans of the Cowboy Bebop anime.
Paperback
First published April 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
December 8, 2016
I love the anime version. It is one of the best anime ever. It is the best anime for 1998-1999 production. The producer should stop exploit Cowboy Bebop (CB) in anime version. The manga adaptation has bad result.
Pardon me for illustrate the anime first. CB has great music scores, subtly used CGI (what a great art even for 20 years later), animation (The fighting scenes of CB are the best for TV series on 1998), arts, setting, characters, and stories. In general, CB is great in every aspect that anime used. CB is not an anime that mainly depended on story alone.
In manga version, at least half that made CB a great entertainment vanished.
What manga can retain, unfortunately I don't think the producer execute it effectively. The manga stories (of volume 1) are only mild ones, resemblance the lighter side of CB, not the main arc story.
I had read first volume only and had no intention to continue.
Pardon me for illustrate the anime first. CB has great music scores, subtly used CGI (what a great art even for 20 years later), animation (The fighting scenes of CB are the best for TV series on 1998), arts, setting, characters, and stories. In general, CB is great in every aspect that anime used. CB is not an anime that mainly depended on story alone.
In manga version, at least half that made CB a great entertainment vanished.
What manga can retain, unfortunately I don't think the producer execute it effectively. The manga stories (of volume 1) are only mild ones, resemblance the lighter side of CB, not the main arc story.
I had read first volume only and had no intention to continue.
July 17, 2025
peak anime, peak manga.
i honestly love all the characters, their so silly
i honestly love all the characters, their so silly
January 9, 2020
I have a weird thing going on with the anime Cowboy Bebop. I like it a lot, but it doesn't have the sort of a firm toothy grip on me that'd force me to binge the entire thing in a couple days like with other shows I've seen: I only occasionally pick up an episode or two at a time. All in all I've had it in the works for five years.
The manga isn't a direct adaptation, at least going by this first volume, and rather appears to consist of a number of unrelated filler one-shots - kind of a supplementary thing to the main meal. I think it works fine like that: I tend to prefer different mediums also telling different stories, rather than trying to adapt the whole thing with fanatical accuracy.
But the stories on their own aren't particularly interesting, the artwork is rather poor and undetailed - retaining none of the setting's atmosphere or beautiful vistas - and I constantly miss the music. On the whole, while I could read through and enjoy myself a little, I doubt I'll come back to these. Don't even bother if you haven't watched the series at all, and even if you have, you'll not miss much if you give this a skip.
The manga isn't a direct adaptation, at least going by this first volume, and rather appears to consist of a number of unrelated filler one-shots - kind of a supplementary thing to the main meal. I think it works fine like that: I tend to prefer different mediums also telling different stories, rather than trying to adapt the whole thing with fanatical accuracy.
But the stories on their own aren't particularly interesting, the artwork is rather poor and undetailed - retaining none of the setting's atmosphere or beautiful vistas - and I constantly miss the music. On the whole, while I could read through and enjoy myself a little, I doubt I'll come back to these. Don't even bother if you haven't watched the series at all, and even if you have, you'll not miss much if you give this a skip.
June 28, 2023
عه!
راستش رو بخوام بگم توقع نداشتم داستان انیمه نباشه.
که بعدش متوجه شدم انیمه اولش بوده بعد اینا رو نوشتن.
و حقیقتن زیاد دوستش نداشتم. انیمه رو خیلی دوست داشتم ولی این چپترارو نه زیاد... حالا کمه بعدیاش هم میخونم ببینم چی میشه.
راستش رو بخوام بگم توقع نداشتم داستان انیمه نباشه.
که بعدش متوجه شدم انیمه اولش بوده بعد اینا رو نوشتن.
و حقیقتن زیاد دوستش نداشتم. انیمه رو خیلی دوست داشتم ولی این چپترارو نه زیاد... حالا کمه بعدیاش هم میخونم ببینم چی میشه.
January 10, 2016
Watching Cowboy Bebop always leaves me feeling a bit nostalgic, although I'm not sure what I'm feeling nostalgic for. Reading this had the same effect. This manga perfectly captured the sweet, melancholy tone that I have always felt from the anime, while of course infusing the wit and humor that the series also provides. All in all, I was very pleased with Volume 1.
December 22, 2021
... Oh.
I don't believe I've ever been as conflicted as I am right now. Many times, I've struggled with deciding upon a rating. Many times, I've warred with myself to find a balance between penalizing egregious elements and praising entertainment value in something I've read. But never, not once, have I faced this dilemma in relation to something I consider literally sacred - something I hold so close to my heart that I revisit it almost every year and have been doing so since the year 1999 when I first experienced it as a child.
That beloved thing is, as you may have guessed, Cowboy Bebop - the anime, to be precise. (For those unaware, the anime was created first, counter to what seems to be the usual order of events.) Oh, it isn't perfect, but it is an amazing and engaging piece of art which has had a huge impact on my life. I mean, twenty-two years is a long-ass time to love something, y'know?
I put off reading this manga for literal years, despite having access to it, for fear it would sully something that, to me, is as close to perfect as anything can get. Then the Netflix live action adaptation came along and mutilated my beloved. Nothing could butcher the source as much as the live action writers did, I decided. Surely, at least the (seemingly?) official manga would be close enough to feel nostalgic instead of disrespectful.
To quote an iconic poster from another of my nearly-lifelong faves: I want to believe... in this manga. And, at times, I did. But other times, I just felt my heart drop to the ground in tiny, disappointed shards.
Sharp shards. Which I then stepped upon accidentally.
01. It's Showtime - 3.5/5
This chapter feels quite a bit like one of the lighthearted interludes from the anime - something that would happen as a background plot to ease the impact of an otherwise emotionally heavy episode. True to form, the Bebop crew bicker with each other about money and step on each other's toes while on the job - three separate jobs, to be precise. Though some of the dialogue is clearly not translated with the same delicate attention to intention and tone as the English dub of the anime, everyone feels in character and this is a fun romp in the world of Cowboy Bebop with an ending which feels perfectly suitable.
The main complaint I have is that it lacks any substance. Even the silly plots in the anime had some kind of deeper meaning, but this is just like a one-shot drabble fanfic. The characters are decently written, but the content is shallow.
02. We Will Rock You - 1/5
This chapter made me want to turn it into a sentient entity just so I could kick it so fucking hard. It violated one of my favourite characters then turned him into a transphobe, all for the sake of what I assume they expected to be amusement.
This one starts out fine enough, feeling very much in character while also exploring a unique, new adventure. The crew have discovered a high-level bounty has been arrested under an alias and want to pull an inside job to capture him for the reward. The logistics are iffy at best, but I was willing to run with it for funsies.
Unfortunately, things quickly took a sour turn.
CW: allusions to sexual assault, abuse of police power - So, uh. Yeah... Even if there's a little bit of translation error going on, there's no way the English writer didn't know what they were doing and leave it that way deliberately.
CW: transphobic stereotypes, dehumanizing pronoun usage, casual misgendering, potential deadnaming, attempted rape played for laughs - (Names and pronouns are inconsistent in the chapter, but I'll be using neutral pronouns in attempt to be respectful.)
And here's the thing: it's not a dark story. This content is all played for laughs. Marilyn's not a bad person or a villain. In fact, they befriend Spike, crush on him, and want him to see them in their female identity. The transphobic stereotypes are just how the creator of the chapter seems to think trans (and/or crossdressing?) people behave, apparently.
It blows my mind, because in the anime Spike had complete respect for an intersex man with a feminine body and was not transphobic toward a man dressed in drag very similar in appearance to Marilyn. The latter was thrown in for laughs, which ugh, but the former was an important character with a full story arc, treated as a respected warrior and not a freak of nature the way Marilyn is treated here. Talk about a disgusting regression to go from that to this!
Take the transphobic, rapey stuff out, and I'd probably enjoy this prison break storyline. Hell, take away only the transphobia and leave the Bad Touch implications with the police, and I'd accept it; dark stuff goes well with the noir aspect. There was so much potential and I like the character of Marilyn when I ignore the transphobic elements. But I just feel sick with what's actually here.
I don't have the mental energy to ignore so much garbage just for the sake of pretending only the good parts exist. This chapter is dead to me and I hope I soon forget it.
03. Cheap Trick - 4/5
A seemingly rich guy gets bored and puts a bounty on himself, hoping for a little excitement when the cowboys come after him. The one caveat? He only wants female bounty hunters to try. This means it's Faye's time to shine!
The guy is, predictably, a misogynistic piece of crap. In fact, he's basically a Nice Guy from the dredges of the internet. Faye challenges his sexism and generalizations toward women who choose to be bounty hunters, but unfortunately does so with some toxic masculinity (mocking him for being a man who cries) attached. It's a push and pull between me frowning and smirking, but overall I thought this one was entertaining and kind of fun. But then, I'm biased because I love when Faye gets a chance to show her skills.
Does it feel like Cowboy Bebop, though? Eh... somewhat. From the mediocre visuals to the use of a more slapstick-feeling style of humour, it just doesn't quite fit the expected tone, but I did enjoy reading it. Once again, I find myself comparing it to fanfic, but I don't have anything against a well-written fic. I'd say this was alright, and it has more substance than the first chapter.
04. Black Diamond - 4.5/5
Faye steals from the wrong person and brings wrath upon the entire crew. They uncover a money laundering scheme which leads Jet back into elements of his past - particularly, the corrupt police force involved in the laundering. With bogus bounties on their heads, they have to solve a small mystery and uncover the corruption before it's too late.
This is a quick chapter, and it feels a little off in tone at first, but by the end it feels suitable as an actual episode of the anime. Aside from Ed's speech patterns being too repetitive, everyone feels in-character and the plot feels like something that would fit in the anime itself. I enjoyed this one a lot - especially getting to see Jet in action. He's so underrated!
Overall
Three of the chapters are good enough that I'd give them kudos if they were fanfiction. I can't expect a medium with no animation or music to hit the same, high bar of quality for me as the original anime. However, there's clunky dialogue in places, which I suspect is a questionable translation. There were also a few moments where things like "to" instead of "too" or a word which wasn't even translated into English - but was written in English lettering - popped up without context to help decipher it.
Combine that with the lack of atmospheric scenery in the visuals, the often wonky-looking character portrayals, and the travesty that is the second chapter. Now, I'm left with a situation where I want to give it three stars for mostly being a decent effort, but I can't in good conscience rate this 'alright' as a whole, because the transphobic mess is part of the whole. The average of my ratings is 3.25 stars, which does round to three, but even then...
Simple truth: I have no clue what to do. I agonized over this decision. And in the end, I'm just gonna go with my gut and remove one star to penalize the fact that a quarter of this volume is an out-of-control dumpster fire at risk of setting the entire town aflame.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I still have two volumes left and I'm scared of what awaits.
But this is still better than the Netflix adaptation. I mean, the characters still have the right personalities and backstories, so...
I don't believe I've ever been as conflicted as I am right now. Many times, I've struggled with deciding upon a rating. Many times, I've warred with myself to find a balance between penalizing egregious elements and praising entertainment value in something I've read. But never, not once, have I faced this dilemma in relation to something I consider literally sacred - something I hold so close to my heart that I revisit it almost every year and have been doing so since the year 1999 when I first experienced it as a child.
That beloved thing is, as you may have guessed, Cowboy Bebop - the anime, to be precise. (For those unaware, the anime was created first, counter to what seems to be the usual order of events.) Oh, it isn't perfect, but it is an amazing and engaging piece of art which has had a huge impact on my life. I mean, twenty-two years is a long-ass time to love something, y'know?
I put off reading this manga for literal years, despite having access to it, for fear it would sully something that, to me, is as close to perfect as anything can get. Then the Netflix live action adaptation came along and mutilated my beloved. Nothing could butcher the source as much as the live action writers did, I decided. Surely, at least the (seemingly?) official manga would be close enough to feel nostalgic instead of disrespectful.
To quote an iconic poster from another of my nearly-lifelong faves: I want to believe... in this manga. And, at times, I did. But other times, I just felt my heart drop to the ground in tiny, disappointed shards.
Sharp shards. Which I then stepped upon accidentally.
01. It's Showtime - 3.5/5
This chapter feels quite a bit like one of the lighthearted interludes from the anime - something that would happen as a background plot to ease the impact of an otherwise emotionally heavy episode. True to form, the Bebop crew bicker with each other about money and step on each other's toes while on the job - three separate jobs, to be precise. Though some of the dialogue is clearly not translated with the same delicate attention to intention and tone as the English dub of the anime, everyone feels in character and this is a fun romp in the world of Cowboy Bebop with an ending which feels perfectly suitable.
The main complaint I have is that it lacks any substance. Even the silly plots in the anime had some kind of deeper meaning, but this is just like a one-shot drabble fanfic. The characters are decently written, but the content is shallow.
02. We Will Rock You - 1/5
This chapter made me want to turn it into a sentient entity just so I could kick it so fucking hard. It violated one of my favourite characters then turned him into a transphobe, all for the sake of what I assume they expected to be amusement.
This one starts out fine enough, feeling very much in character while also exploring a unique, new adventure. The crew have discovered a high-level bounty has been arrested under an alias and want to pull an inside job to capture him for the reward. The logistics are iffy at best, but I was willing to run with it for funsies.
Unfortunately, things quickly took a sour turn.
CW: allusions to sexual assault, abuse of police power - So, uh. Yeah... Even if there's a little bit of translation error going on, there's no way the English writer didn't know what they were doing and leave it that way deliberately.
CW: transphobic stereotypes, dehumanizing pronoun usage, casual misgendering, potential deadnaming, attempted rape played for laughs - (Names and pronouns are inconsistent in the chapter, but I'll be using neutral pronouns in attempt to be respectful.)
And here's the thing: it's not a dark story. This content is all played for laughs. Marilyn's not a bad person or a villain. In fact, they befriend Spike, crush on him, and want him to see them in their female identity. The transphobic stereotypes are just how the creator of the chapter seems to think trans (and/or crossdressing?) people behave, apparently.
It blows my mind, because in the anime Spike had complete respect for an intersex man with a feminine body and was not transphobic toward a man dressed in drag very similar in appearance to Marilyn. The latter was thrown in for laughs, which ugh, but the former was an important character with a full story arc, treated as a respected warrior and not a freak of nature the way Marilyn is treated here. Talk about a disgusting regression to go from that to this!
Take the transphobic, rapey stuff out, and I'd probably enjoy this prison break storyline. Hell, take away only the transphobia and leave the Bad Touch implications with the police, and I'd accept it; dark stuff goes well with the noir aspect. There was so much potential and I like the character of Marilyn when I ignore the transphobic elements. But I just feel sick with what's actually here.
I don't have the mental energy to ignore so much garbage just for the sake of pretending only the good parts exist. This chapter is dead to me and I hope I soon forget it.
03. Cheap Trick - 4/5
A seemingly rich guy gets bored and puts a bounty on himself, hoping for a little excitement when the cowboys come after him. The one caveat? He only wants female bounty hunters to try. This means it's Faye's time to shine!
The guy is, predictably, a misogynistic piece of crap. In fact, he's basically a Nice Guy from the dredges of the internet. Faye challenges his sexism and generalizations toward women who choose to be bounty hunters, but unfortunately does so with some toxic masculinity (mocking him for being a man who cries) attached. It's a push and pull between me frowning and smirking, but overall I thought this one was entertaining and kind of fun. But then, I'm biased because I love when Faye gets a chance to show her skills.
Does it feel like Cowboy Bebop, though? Eh... somewhat. From the mediocre visuals to the use of a more slapstick-feeling style of humour, it just doesn't quite fit the expected tone, but I did enjoy reading it. Once again, I find myself comparing it to fanfic, but I don't have anything against a well-written fic. I'd say this was alright, and it has more substance than the first chapter.
04. Black Diamond - 4.5/5
Faye steals from the wrong person and brings wrath upon the entire crew. They uncover a money laundering scheme which leads Jet back into elements of his past - particularly, the corrupt police force involved in the laundering. With bogus bounties on their heads, they have to solve a small mystery and uncover the corruption before it's too late.
This is a quick chapter, and it feels a little off in tone at first, but by the end it feels suitable as an actual episode of the anime. Aside from Ed's speech patterns being too repetitive, everyone feels in-character and the plot feels like something that would fit in the anime itself. I enjoyed this one a lot - especially getting to see Jet in action. He's so underrated!
Overall
Three of the chapters are good enough that I'd give them kudos if they were fanfiction. I can't expect a medium with no animation or music to hit the same, high bar of quality for me as the original anime. However, there's clunky dialogue in places, which I suspect is a questionable translation. There were also a few moments where things like "to" instead of "too" or a word which wasn't even translated into English - but was written in English lettering - popped up without context to help decipher it.
Combine that with the lack of atmospheric scenery in the visuals, the often wonky-looking character portrayals, and the travesty that is the second chapter. Now, I'm left with a situation where I want to give it three stars for mostly being a decent effort, but I can't in good conscience rate this 'alright' as a whole, because the transphobic mess is part of the whole. The average of my ratings is 3.25 stars, which does round to three, but even then...
Simple truth: I have no clue what to do. I agonized over this decision. And in the end, I'm just gonna go with my gut and remove one star to penalize the fact that a quarter of this volume is an out-of-control dumpster fire at risk of setting the entire town aflame.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I still have two volumes left and I'm scared of what awaits.
But this is still better than the Netflix adaptation. I mean, the characters still have the right personalities and backstories, so...
November 8, 2018
This three-volume manga is derived from Cowboy Bebop, a show from the late 1990s that’s considered by many as one of the finest anime ever made. It’s a story of two men, a woman, a kid, and a corgi traveling the galaxy to hunt down criminals for bounty…. well, I suppose the writer assumed everyone reading this already knew all that, since the comic spends zero time introducing the world and the characters’ backstory. Instead, it starts right in the middle of the original narrative, delivering a collection of stand-alone short stories that have never been shown in the anime (*as far as I can remember).
While there’s a lack of main plotline or any kind of arc, the manga still has that signature Cowboy Bebop vibe: a character-driven mix of chaotic action, comedy, and pathos. The characters are bad-ass at many things, and yet they still feel humane due to their constant bickering and screw-ups. Cowboy Bebop is at its best when it peeks at the heartache and wistfulness that lie beneath the characters’ flashy profession as bounty hunters, although the manga only shows flashes of it due to the purely episodic structure.
But then, it’s nice to see Jet, Spike, Faye, Ed, and Ein again, and reading this makes me want to re-watch the whole show someday.
See you, space cowboy…
While there’s a lack of main plotline or any kind of arc, the manga still has that signature Cowboy Bebop vibe: a character-driven mix of chaotic action, comedy, and pathos. The characters are bad-ass at many things, and yet they still feel humane due to their constant bickering and screw-ups. Cowboy Bebop is at its best when it peeks at the heartache and wistfulness that lie beneath the characters’ flashy profession as bounty hunters, although the manga only shows flashes of it due to the purely episodic structure.
But then, it’s nice to see Jet, Spike, Faye, Ed, and Ein again, and reading this makes me want to re-watch the whole show someday.
See you, space cowboy…
January 22, 2023
That was a bummer. Cowboy Bebop is an anime first and the manga came around after the fact probably as a money grab as the show is wildly successful and that is very evident.
This is written in an episodic way in which each volume has several short stories that resolve by the end of the chapter. The stories were not very cohesive in general but I will explain my biggest gripes. First of all the art didn’t service the story well as there were many panels that I had to stare at and be like what is this trying to depict? It wasn’t that the art was bad it just didn’t convey the action of the story. The speech bubbles weren’t placed well and it made it hard to always tell who was talking. The actual book itself wasn’t put together very well either as there was real talk gutter loss, I had to break the spine to see some of the words and still they were cut off, it was like the words were so far in they were glued into the spine, I have never ever had that in a manga before. Oh, and there were an outrageous amount of typos or translation errors or something. Usually I was able to figure out what was supposed to be said but there were two times when I wasn’t even sure.
I was so excited when these came out again in reprint as they have been out of print and I really wanted to know what it was all about so I bought all three volumes and now I’m not even sure if I’ll be able to bring myself to read them. I’m going to give volume 2 a shot right now and we’ll see but so far I am sorely disappointed in this first volume.
This is written in an episodic way in which each volume has several short stories that resolve by the end of the chapter. The stories were not very cohesive in general but I will explain my biggest gripes. First of all the art didn’t service the story well as there were many panels that I had to stare at and be like what is this trying to depict? It wasn’t that the art was bad it just didn’t convey the action of the story. The speech bubbles weren’t placed well and it made it hard to always tell who was talking. The actual book itself wasn’t put together very well either as there was real talk gutter loss, I had to break the spine to see some of the words and still they were cut off, it was like the words were so far in they were glued into the spine, I have never ever had that in a manga before. Oh, and there were an outrageous amount of typos or translation errors or something. Usually I was able to figure out what was supposed to be said but there were two times when I wasn’t even sure.
I was so excited when these came out again in reprint as they have been out of print and I really wanted to know what it was all about so I bought all three volumes and now I’m not even sure if I’ll be able to bring myself to read them. I’m going to give volume 2 a shot right now and we’ll see but so far I am sorely disappointed in this first volume.
April 2, 2018
Overall, it's not bad. The plot is more a series of stories about the main characters than one overarching storyline. But the characters are priceless! From their reactions to their quirks, I love them all. Not to mention the killer burn on page 161.
A little old school but interesting enough to warrant a peek at the second volume.
Note: See Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star (2 volumes) or the Cowboy Bebop anime for more.
This series has 3 volumes.
A little old school but interesting enough to warrant a peek at the second volume.
Note: See Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star (2 volumes) or the Cowboy Bebop anime for more.
This series has 3 volumes.
January 9, 2023
While nowhere near as compelling as the show, these short stories were cute and still felt true to character.
July 27, 2014
One-shots. Each chapter is just a new mis-adventure in the lives of our favorite bounty hunters. To be honest; I'm quite satisfied with that. To be clear, I first encountered Cowboy Bebop from the anime. I own the box-set, & just recently felt like re-watching it. Thought about reading the manga after my re-newed interest. Sadly, there's only three...& yes I did look into Shooting Star. I just couldn't read it. The characters not only looked wrong, they acted as such.
But this adaptation, is perfect. I read in some reviews how people were disappointed this wasn't a continuation of the anime. I for one am glad it's not. I loved these one-time stories in the anime, & I still do in the manga. I felt they were all beautifully written in the show. As opposed to the "filler" episodes we normally get; Cowboy Bebop made you feel like you wanted more from these characters. They all had such potential & mystery to them. You didn't care that they were one-time, you wanted to know more about them.
If you haven't seen/read anything Cowboy Bebop I highly recommend you do. It's a dash of bounty hunting, touch of action, pound of sci-fi, and two cups of hilarious hi-jinks. & could someone please re-stock the fridge?
Chp1: It's Showtime
Woohoo! Glad to see the gang back together again. & of course see them working in such coordination. Really, there will be food on the table tonight.
Chp2: We Will Rock You
This is going in the category of hilarious hi-jinks. Bit of gender-bender with some jail-breaking. No idea what I'm talking about? Read it. Only in the world of Cowboy Bebop can this happen. & only to Spike.
Chp3: Cheap Trick
Very good one-shot of a man hell bent on righting his slight in the love department. With a vendetta against woman & a bag of tricks, it's definitely worth the read.
Chp4: Black Diamond
Re-make of the anime episode where Jet encounters his old police buddies. Nothing special.
But this adaptation, is perfect. I read in some reviews how people were disappointed this wasn't a continuation of the anime. I for one am glad it's not. I loved these one-time stories in the anime, & I still do in the manga. I felt they were all beautifully written in the show. As opposed to the "filler" episodes we normally get; Cowboy Bebop made you feel like you wanted more from these characters. They all had such potential & mystery to them. You didn't care that they were one-time, you wanted to know more about them.
If you haven't seen/read anything Cowboy Bebop I highly recommend you do. It's a dash of bounty hunting, touch of action, pound of sci-fi, and two cups of hilarious hi-jinks. & could someone please re-stock the fridge?
Chp1: It's Showtime
Woohoo! Glad to see the gang back together again. & of course see them working in such coordination. Really, there will be food on the table tonight.
Chp2: We Will Rock You
This is going in the category of hilarious hi-jinks. Bit of gender-bender with some jail-breaking. No idea what I'm talking about? Read it. Only in the world of Cowboy Bebop can this happen. & only to Spike.
Chp3: Cheap Trick
Very good one-shot of a man hell bent on righting his slight in the love department. With a vendetta against woman & a bag of tricks, it's definitely worth the read.
Chp4: Black Diamond
Re-make of the anime episode where Jet encounters his old police buddies. Nothing special.
December 8, 2014
This collection of one-shots is small consolation for the Cowboy Bebop fan, and provides a very askew impression of the show for newcomers.
I am ready to accept the fact that the show relied heavily on its moody soundtrack, and a literary medium cannot account for it. But what about pacing, style, tone and atmosphere? The stories play like hyperkinetic fanfics that make no sense of time or space. It's all wacky hijinks and nary a thought for the Bebop crew. Action and movement are depicted in lazy "pastel-chalked freeze frame" fashion. Characters are often drawn in that hideous, super deformed chibi style the show never used once. And even when properly drawn, characters seem a little off around the eyes - especially Spike's, which are just too big and feminine. Dialogue is poorly translated and reads like a bad kung fu dub. Generally speaking the manga feels like a crass knock off.
Reading through Cowboy Bebop, Vol. 1 felt like watching a series of joke episodes designed to mock the real deal. Tokyopop has taken an elegant show and turned it into a cheap sitcom. I suppose some of the humor seeps through along the way, but what about everything else?
See you space cowboy...
I am ready to accept the fact that the show relied heavily on its moody soundtrack, and a literary medium cannot account for it. But what about pacing, style, tone and atmosphere? The stories play like hyperkinetic fanfics that make no sense of time or space. It's all wacky hijinks and nary a thought for the Bebop crew. Action and movement are depicted in lazy "pastel-chalked freeze frame" fashion. Characters are often drawn in that hideous, super deformed chibi style the show never used once. And even when properly drawn, characters seem a little off around the eyes - especially Spike's, which are just too big and feminine. Dialogue is poorly translated and reads like a bad kung fu dub. Generally speaking the manga feels like a crass knock off.
Reading through Cowboy Bebop, Vol. 1 felt like watching a series of joke episodes designed to mock the real deal. Tokyopop has taken an elegant show and turned it into a cheap sitcom. I suppose some of the humor seeps through along the way, but what about everything else?
See you space cowboy...
January 27, 2020
I mean, it isn't the show, which I suppose it would be dumb to expect it to be. But at the same time, I could have done without the transphobic story that was in there. Also, wow @ the translation lol.
March 28, 2018
its soooo good it tells u alot of the main plot and their is some really cool action parts
January 11, 2024
yippieyippieyippieyippie
March 11, 2018
Nothing compares to the anime 😓
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June 9, 2021hire some sensitivity readers and maybe a better translator and then we’ll talk
September 7, 2022
Yeah just... not good.
December 9, 2023
I picked this up because of having watched a few episodes. It was just four short stories in need of better art and less stereotyping.
January 12, 2013
A few days ago, I picked up Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star, another manga series that is an alternative ending to the anime... and I wasn't a fan. The characters didn't look like themselves nor did they act like themselves. The plot wasn't that engaging either. In short, I was left unimpressed. So naturally, I was a bit wary when I decided to read this manga. Let me just say this now... I FREAKIN' LOVED IT! But that's no surprise to you. After all, you saw how many Stars I rated it. It was really a fantastic manga! It was just like the anime! All the mayhem they went through in the anime, they also had many endeavors to overcome in the manga. I love the artwork, the story was fantastic, and I even had a little bit of something added to please my fujoshi heart! XD I am SO glad I read this!
Yutaka Nanten did a fantastic job adapting the anime into this manga. The first this I want to congratulate Nanten on is the artwork! The characters ACTUALLY look like themselves! Do you know how happy that makes me? Coming from the bizarre art style from Shooting Star, it was a relief to see Spike look like Spike. Another thing I was to give praise is how Nanten was able to get the same atmosphere of the anime down in this manga. Of course, nothing can compare to the anime. However, Nanten came really close to giving just as much of an epic performance as the creators of the anime did! I was so invested in each chapter and its characters. I was dying to see where the story was going and how our protagonists where going to get themselves out of danger. It was really a wonderful read!
The characters were just as you know them! Nothing is different about them! In Shooting Star, all of the characters acted as if they were a completely different person. Especially Ed! Edward was whiny, bratty, and a complete imbecile! Here! Oh, thank God, she is not like that in this volume. She is herself. Her weird, intelligent, beautiful self and I wouldn't have her any other way. Same thing could be said about the other characters but if I keep going, this is going to turn into a thirty page essay of my comparing the two manga and I rather just leave this as it is.
To sum up, this manga is a lot better and more truthful to the anime than Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star ever will be. If you are a fan of the Cowboy Bebop anime and you want to have a little something extra to help you get over your feels of it being over, than I suggest you pick up this series! Yeah, I know, I haven't read the other two volumes yet... but seeing as how amazing this one was and how nostalgic it made me feel, I have no doubts in my mind that I am going to like it. Besides, after writing this review, I am off to read the other two volumes! I just cannot wait to see where this goes! Please give this manga a look! You might end up enjoying it.
Yutaka Nanten did a fantastic job adapting the anime into this manga. The first this I want to congratulate Nanten on is the artwork! The characters ACTUALLY look like themselves! Do you know how happy that makes me? Coming from the bizarre art style from Shooting Star, it was a relief to see Spike look like Spike. Another thing I was to give praise is how Nanten was able to get the same atmosphere of the anime down in this manga. Of course, nothing can compare to the anime. However, Nanten came really close to giving just as much of an epic performance as the creators of the anime did! I was so invested in each chapter and its characters. I was dying to see where the story was going and how our protagonists where going to get themselves out of danger. It was really a wonderful read!
The characters were just as you know them! Nothing is different about them! In Shooting Star, all of the characters acted as if they were a completely different person. Especially Ed! Edward was whiny, bratty, and a complete imbecile! Here! Oh, thank God, she is not like that in this volume. She is herself. Her weird, intelligent, beautiful self and I wouldn't have her any other way. Same thing could be said about the other characters but if I keep going, this is going to turn into a thirty page essay of my comparing the two manga and I rather just leave this as it is.
To sum up, this manga is a lot better and more truthful to the anime than Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star ever will be. If you are a fan of the Cowboy Bebop anime and you want to have a little something extra to help you get over your feels of it being over, than I suggest you pick up this series! Yeah, I know, I haven't read the other two volumes yet... but seeing as how amazing this one was and how nostalgic it made me feel, I have no doubts in my mind that I am going to like it. Besides, after writing this review, I am off to read the other two volumes! I just cannot wait to see where this goes! Please give this manga a look! You might end up enjoying it.
January 10, 2018
I always loved this show as a kid and even know when i go back and read the manga for the first time, it brings back so many memories and i just love the way the show had a perfect balance of comedy, suspense, action, and some times creepyness i mean some off the bounties looked scary lol. Non the less, cowboy bebop is a grade a manga series and i would recommend it to any one who likes the series as much as i do.
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March 8, 2022Favourite Character: Ed
This brings back memories, I used to watch this anime on Cartoon Network years ago. Of course, it was edited badly.
I'm sad the library only has the first and second volumes. Oh well. Ho hum.
This brings back memories, I used to watch this anime on Cartoon Network years ago. Of course, it was edited badly.
I'm sad the library only has the first and second volumes. Oh well. Ho hum.
November 11, 2015
Fun stuff for Bebop fans of every stripe who discovered the anime first. I'm unsure if this predates the TV series, but the stories certainly stray a fair bit from the show, but equally as entertaining.
July 14, 2016
I'm watching the animé NOW
August 5, 2017
See you Space Cowboy...
December 23, 2021
I’m going in blind. This manga is based on the anime, not the other way around btw. It was first published in 1999 but made for an English-speaking audience in 2003. That being said the art style does not look all that dated, however the comedy is.
The first story starts off with trying to break someone out of prison due to a large bounty placed on their head. The man is known for concealing his identity and getting plastic surgery to hide from the world, this time he is either a drag queen or a transvestite in prison. Now going by Marylin, the main character Spike manages to trick her into escaping the prison but she returns after realizing that her escape would be met with more servitude.
The second story is about Faye being tricked into hunting down an expensive bounty who only wants women to take him into custody. When he turns out to be a fake who stole the money from his payroll company she gets drunk with him and forgets the whole ordeal.
In the final story we see Jet face off against old ISSP partners who want a black cryptocurrency card back. The entire ship is placed with a bounty until they can get it back. Jet’s friends arrive to help and the dirty cop is arrested.
My favorite story was the first one but it lacked depth and in all honesty left a lot unanswered. Faye it’s so overtly sexualized that it comes across as gross because they just straight up draw her with like ill fitting clothes and they don’t know how to really give breasts proper weight and it’s just freaky. Ed at least is useful but their speech bubbles are very limited. Ein is there…
The first story starts off with trying to break someone out of prison due to a large bounty placed on their head. The man is known for concealing his identity and getting plastic surgery to hide from the world, this time he is either a drag queen or a transvestite in prison. Now going by Marylin, the main character Spike manages to trick her into escaping the prison but she returns after realizing that her escape would be met with more servitude.
The second story is about Faye being tricked into hunting down an expensive bounty who only wants women to take him into custody. When he turns out to be a fake who stole the money from his payroll company she gets drunk with him and forgets the whole ordeal.
In the final story we see Jet face off against old ISSP partners who want a black cryptocurrency card back. The entire ship is placed with a bounty until they can get it back. Jet’s friends arrive to help and the dirty cop is arrested.
My favorite story was the first one but it lacked depth and in all honesty left a lot unanswered. Faye it’s so overtly sexualized that it comes across as gross because they just straight up draw her with like ill fitting clothes and they don’t know how to really give breasts proper weight and it’s just freaky. Ed at least is useful but their speech bubbles are very limited. Ein is there…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2024
Salut Phoenix ! Comment ça va ?!
Point négatif : ça date de 1998. Point positif : on voit des fesses et des cigarettes sur la couverture. Autre point positif : mon petit copain m’en a fait une belle presse ! (jdéconne ! on est pas sortis ensemble ! (Je l’ai compris trop tard)). Bon allez lançons nous dans le livre…
Autre point positif (patapai pour le répétition) (« patapai » = ne pas taper) Il est court donc facile à prendre ne main (98 pages environ).
Des noms de chapitres qui font très « Into the legend » : « It’s showtime » « We will rock you » « cheap trick » « black diamond »
En fait les pages sont deux par deux donc ça fait 98x2 = 196. Une taille moyenne !
Du coup patapai mais je publie quand même mon avis en rajoutant un point pour tenir compte de la mauvaise version que j’ai eu entre les mains et je vous propose tout de suite un nouveau manga (ou comics ! c’est le hasard qui décide ! ).
NB j’ai quand même lu les 196 pages je tenais à le dire aux haters ! J’ai simplement un peu plus survolé que d’habitude…
Je te fais une « PhoenixBiz »
Phoenix
++
Point négatif : ça date de 1998. Point positif : on voit des fesses et des cigarettes sur la couverture. Autre point positif : mon petit copain m’en a fait une belle presse ! (jdéconne ! on est pas sortis ensemble ! (Je l’ai compris trop tard)). Bon allez lançons nous dans le livre…
Autre point positif (patapai pour le répétition) (« patapai » = ne pas taper) Il est court donc facile à prendre ne main (98 pages environ).
Des noms de chapitres qui font très « Into the legend » : « It’s showtime » « We will rock you » « cheap trick » « black diamond »
En fait les pages sont deux par deux donc ça fait 98x2 = 196. Une taille moyenne !
Du coup patapai mais je publie quand même mon avis en rajoutant un point pour tenir compte de la mauvaise version que j’ai eu entre les mains et je vous propose tout de suite un nouveau manga (ou comics ! c’est le hasard qui décide ! ).
NB j’ai quand même lu les 196 pages je tenais à le dire aux haters ! J’ai simplement un peu plus survolé que d’habitude…
Je te fais une « PhoenixBiz »
Phoenix
++
April 4, 2022
Obviously, Cowboy Bebop has been a part of my life for the majority of it, though always in the background as I’ve never had a huge interest in it. Even so, I’ve been in the anime fan community most my life, and for Americans, Cowboy Bebop has been a longtime favorite of many since its debut.
Finally, I’ve given the manga spin-off a shot and I now see why everyone finds it to be so much fun. Because it is! It’s genuinely a lot of fun and I had a lot of fun reading it. I also quite like our femme fatale, Faye Valentine. I’ve been thoroughly convinced to watch the anime, at long last. And hopefully read the other two volumes of the manga if I can get my hands on it.
I won’t say much about the contents itself here as I don’t know how to keep from spoiling things but it’s just so much fun and I highly recommend this as a newcomer or as a fan.
Finally, I’ve given the manga spin-off a shot and I now see why everyone finds it to be so much fun. Because it is! It’s genuinely a lot of fun and I had a lot of fun reading it. I also quite like our femme fatale, Faye Valentine. I’ve been thoroughly convinced to watch the anime, at long last. And hopefully read the other two volumes of the manga if I can get my hands on it.
I won’t say much about the contents itself here as I don’t know how to keep from spoiling things but it’s just so much fun and I highly recommend this as a newcomer or as a fan.
January 22, 2022
I love Cowboy Bebop with my whole heart and soul. I did not, however, love this book. When I got it I wasn't aware that the anime had come first and was not based on manga. But even without that disappointment, these 4 stories were pointless. The sexism in one made me uncomfortable, and the implied sexual assault in another was NOT funny. There was no character development or any actual personality at all really. It wasn't even that well drawn. It looked like the anime, sure, but it was hard to know who was speaking sometimes, and I don't understand why they were missing faces in some scenes. Oh well. Stick to the anime.
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