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Cowboy Bebop - The Perfect Sessions (Limited Edition Complete Series Boxed Set) Customer Reviews (34 - 36 of 53 Reviews)

It's a dream... (don't worry, no spoilers)
In a word, Cowboy Bebop is COOL. If you're an anime fan and haven't seen Cowboy Bebop ..., BUY IT. This is as close to perfect as I've ever seen anime get. There's more heady, artsy stuff out there (Serial Experiments Lain) and you don't get rampaging mecha (the mark of good anime for some), but what you do get is flawless. And you get a lot. Bebop has been described as noir-meets-spaghetti western-meets-70's action show-meets... well, you get the idea. It's equal parts comedy-tragedy-action. It's wonderfully eclectic and draws heavily from / gives homage to pop culture. Some say that Bebop has a lot of "filler" episodes that don't advance the main plotline. That might be true at times, but every episode advances character development (in addition to exuding a unique charm of its own), creating warm and deep characters (notably Spike, Faye, and Jet). The main characters are wonderfully fleshed-out with interesting inner conflicts. And everything in Bebop drips and oozes with style, from the episode plots to the greater plot/theme to the CG backdrops to the character designs to the charming episode previews to the broad and too-amazing-for-words Yoko Kanno soundtrack (you might find yourself buying this, her best work, soon after the DVD's) featuring jazz/blues/pop/rock... Every aspect of Bebop is so obviously someone's labor of love. If you haven't already done so, treat yourself. And keep an eye out for the Bebop movie, scheduled for "wide" American release in early 2003.

Four souls.. One ship.. and a boat load of ammo
Bringing together the sci-fi and symbolism of any great anime production and the pop culture of all things nostalgic, Cowboy Bebop is one of the best anime series out there. All you need to do is watch one session and you'll be hooked. If you are one of those late night freaks who loves to stay tuned to Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, then Cowboy Bebop is a must on your animation radar. The problem that I have found with watching Cowboy Bebop on late night cable television, is that it is just a hair past my bedtime and I am continually missing sessions. This complete Session Bow Set is the perfect answer.
Following the trials and tribulations of Spike Spiegel and Jet Black, two bounty hunters both with mysterious pasts. In future sessions you are introduced to the seductive and boisterious Faye Valentine and the flighty hacker prodigy, Edward. The chemistry between these four souls and the characters they meet on their way put Cowboy Bebop on a level all by itself. All 24 sessions are connected in some way, whether it be recurring characters, continued themes or repeated lines. The continuing story of the Starship Bebop and its star-crossed crew goes into insanely deep character development where other anime productions only skim the surface. If you have ever wanted to have a reason for an all night marathon, Cowboy Bebop is the perfect choice for you!

yes, it's really 5 stars
First I would like to say that yes, you can be disappointed by Cowboy Bebop, if you've been inundated with everyone telling you that nothing compares to it. It's not perfect. You can cut it apart, and criticize the parts. But I for one do feel that, as a total package, Cowboy Bebop is the best anime short series ever produced. If you're looking for pure violence, it's not for you. If you don't like jazz, it's not for you. If you're looking for hyper-accuracy with physics and mechanics, it's not for you (although they do a half-way decent job). But if you're looking for deep characters, good animation for a series, and want to be sucked into another world for 30 minutes at a time, Cowboy Bebop is definitely for you. Again, it's the best, well-rounded series I have seen.

The strength of Cowboy Bebop comes in its character development, editing, and soundtrack. The characters are as evolved and deep as you can get in a short series that doesn't sacrifice other aspects of the storytelling. I felt pretty attached to all of the characters by the end (even Ein, although granted I own a Pembroke Welsh Corgi...which in fact was one of the reasons I first starting watching Cowboy Bebop!). A mark of a good series, I feel, is the emotional investment you make...I really didn't want the series to end, and I feel that's mainly due to the characters and the emotional reaction you get from them. The pace of each session/episode is wonderful. The editors paid a great deal of attention to the interplay of action sequences and story-developing sequences, development of suspense, and integration of humor and lighter parts. I never really felt bored or uninterested at any time through all the sessions. As with most short series, there are a few reoccuring themes and storylines throughout the length of the show. Cowboy Bebop does a great job of building that story gradually, until things come to a head at the end. As for the music...like I said, if you don't like jazz, perhaps this isn't for you. As a fan, I loved the use of fusion and classic jazz throughout the series. It went well with the milieu...an electic blend of future and past. The high energy numbers highlighted the action, whereas the slower ballads accentuated the emotions of the different scenes. Excellent use of music...I've yet to come across another anime series (or mainstream movie or tv show!) that has so rich and unique a soundtrack. Yoko Kanno has penned a number of anime soundtracks, but Cowboy Bebop is by far her best.

So, bottomline is that Cowboy Bebop is worth getting. At the risk of mentioning cost...well frankly if any series is worth the $150+ price tag, Cowboy Bebop is it.

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