Facts / Cowboy Bebop

5 Cowboy Bebop Facts You Probably Didn't Know

Jazz, bounty hunters, and a broadcast that was cut short.

カウボーイビバップ · Since 1998 · Sunrise · Shinichiro Watanabe

1. Japanese TV only aired half of it at first

   TV Tokyo's first broadcast in 1998 aired just 12 episodes and a special, out of order, over concerns about violent content. The full series aired later that year on satellite channel WOWOW.

2. Spike was modeled on a Japanese actor

   Spike Spiegel's look and attitude draw on actor Yusaku Matsuda, star of the detective drama Tantei Monogatari.

3. Its band was formed for the show

   Composer Yoko Kanno assembled the Seatbelts to record the soundtrack, including the opening "Tank!"

4. It helped launch Adult Swim

   Cowboy Bebop aired on Adult Swim's opening night in September 2001 and became one of the block's signature shows.

5. The live-action lasted one season

   Netflix's live-action adaptation premiered in November 2021 and was canceled within weeks.

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