Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
The curse of the live-action adaptations was quite real before the release of Netflix’sOne Piece. Every anime or manga series that was adapted faced criticism from anime fans because of multiple elements and aspects not fitting well with the original story. One such live-action that was heavily criticized by fans wasCowboy Bebop’sadaptation.
Set in the year 2071,Cowboy Bebopfollows the lives of a traveling bounty-hunter crew: Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Edward, and Ein. As the Earth has become inhabitable, the crew travels through space in their spaceship called Bebop. It is considered to be one of the greatest anime series of all time.
However, the legendary image ofCowboy Bebopwas ruined by the live-action adaptation. Even the director of the anime series, Shinichiro Watanabe, hated the live-action series so much that he couldn’t continue watching it after the opening scene. This in itself proved what kind of reception it got from the fans of the original anime.
Shinichiro Watanabe Couldn’t WatchCowboy Bebop’sLive-Action Adaptation
In January 2023, Watanabe was interviewed byForbes, where the anime director was asked about his journey through the industry, his works, his favorite projects, and his opinion about the live-action adaptation by Netflix that was released in 2021. Watanabe was extremely disappointed with the series.
“This scene is not progressive at all”: One Scene from Cowboy Bebop Has Still Left Fans Divided Over its Real Intention Featuring Faye Valentine That Got Censored in the US
He stated:
For the new Netflix live-action adaptation, they sent me a video to review and check. It started with a scene in a casino, which made it very tough for me to continue. I stopped there and so only saw that opening scene.
One of the main reasonsCowboy Bebopflopped was its divergence from the source material. A lot of scenes and storylines were different from the original, which led to fans losing their interest.
Watanabe, who spent a lot of time buildingCowboy Bebop’slegacy, couldn’t witness it being destroyed by the live-action series. Thus, he decided to avoid watching it after the first scene. He instantly realized that adapting his work into a live-action was a bad idea, and it could potentially tarnish the name ofCowboy Bebop.
Shinichiro Watanabe Believed He Could Have Done Better WithCowboy Bebop’sLive-Action
Shinichiro Watanabehas worked on many prominent projects, but he is mostly known forCowboy Bebop. It was his first full directorial project, and he received universal praise for it. Thus, seeing it be failed by a live-action adaptation hurt his sentiments. He believed that he could have done a better job with the Netflix series.
Watanabe stated:
It was clearly not Cowboy Bebop and I realized at that point that if I wasn’t involved, it would not be Cowboy Bebop. I felt that maybe I should have done this. Although the value of the original anime is somehow far higher now.
Cowboy Bebopwas a gateway series that allowed the anime industry to earn recognition from a worldwide audience. The series’ legendary status comes solely from its intriguing narrative, which was a big thing in the early 2000s.
“We just made what we enjoyed making”: Cowboy Bebop Director Shinichiro Watanabe’s Humble Response after Realizing Western Audiences Loved the Show
Thus, Watanabe’s disappointment withNetflix’s adaptationwas understandable. Fans to this day hope that ifCowboy Bebopmakes a return, it should be under the guidance of Watanabe so that it can get a better adaptation, be it anime or live-action.
Cowboy Beboplive-action is available to watch on Netflix.
Tarun Kohli
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2958
Tarun Kohli is the Senior Anime Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,900 published articles. He currently specializes in critiquing One Piece and other Shonen anime. A passionate fan of the genre, his love for thoughtful analysis reflects his genuine appreciation for the art of anime. His deep understanding of anime culture has earned recognition from industry figures such as Adi Shankar and the creators of Blood of Zeus.
More from Tarun Kohli
How Many Episodes Are Left in One Piece Egghead Arc? Explained
10 ‘One Piece’ Characters With Major Death Flags
Every Awakened Devil Fruit in One Piece, Ranked Weakest to Strongest
Recommended
NYT Connections Hints and Solution for June 26, 2025
Toei Animation May Have Lost Its Touch After ‘One Piece’s Hiatus
You Can Finally Watch Brad Pitt’s ‘F1’ Blockbuster at Home: Digital Release Date Revealed - Report
Top 5 Best Time Skips in Anime
Dark Crime Shows With Mike-Like Antiheroes to Watch Before Mayor of Kingstown Season 4
Did Dustin Hoffman Really Slap Meryl Streep in Kramer vs Kramer – Entire Fight Explained
cowboy bebopShinichiro Watanabe
