When it first premiered in 1998, the anime magnum opus from Shinichiro Watanabe, Cowboy Bebop, was almost immediately praised and hailed as one of the greatest and most well-made anime series of all time. When the English dub premiered on Adult Swim in 2001, its popularity and acclaim only skyrocketed, gaining a new Western audience who happened to love it just as much.
However, even the greatest works of art and media have their own set of naysayers and negative criticisms. Despite being 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and having a place in IMDb's top 250 TV shows, not even Bebop is safe from the scorn of its doubters' opinions on Reddit.
The Show Is Slow and Boring
In this modern era, many TV watchers prefer their shows to feature ongoing stories, for one episode to flow seamlessly into the next, to make a night of episode binging out of them. With the way it takes its time, especially in its stand-alone stories, and its tendency to leave its viewers thinking and analyzing its themes, Cowboy Bebop is definitely not one of those shows.
Redditor ariiaaaa claims they were "so bored by episode 13," and wonders if it "has some kind of pacing issue." This is more than understandable for anyone who isn't accustomed to slow-paced films and shows. Bebop is slow, but it's slow in the same way that many of the great foreign films are slow.
The Live-Action Adaptation Is Better
Netflix's recent live-action adaptation of the series has received an overall mixed-to-negative response from fans of the original. While it does have its own set of positive qualities, most have agreed that it just isn't as good as the Cowboy Bebop anime.
Redditor MarquisDeLafayeett deleted his initial post, but in a response to another comment, they mention that when it comes to the original, they have "always been a big fan. But I find the live-action better." While the aesthetic feels authentic, and the casting mostly spot-on, the Netflix series hasn't yet captured the same appeal from the original's fans, but that certainly hasn't stopped others from appreciating it as its own thing.
Ed Doesn't Fit Within The Show
The character of Radical Edward was introduced in episode 9, becoming an official member of the Bebop crew. She was energetic, eccentric, animal-like, and a brilliant hacker. A perfect companion for Ein, a terrific foil to the more serious nature of the crew, and a much-needed comic relief, Ed became an unexpected fan favorite, but she also tended to annoy and even alienate certain viewers.
Reddit user thecolbster99 didn't like Ed very much, saying "I feel that she just breaks the serious mood of the show. I also just find the way she acts obnoxious in general." While Ed's character may be a more acquired taste for some, it might be a stretch to say that she doesn't fit. Her character is just as essential to the overall series as Spike or Faye, and she brings a lot of heart and innocence to it.
Faye Is Annoying
With her tragic backstory, Faye Valentine is one of the show's deepest and most complex characters. Not only that, but her bad girl attitude, wry humor, and strong levels of confidence make her one of Cowboy Bebop's most likable characters and one of Watanabe's most beloved creations. However, she's not without her flaws, and she has quite a list of them.
Redditor selfproclaimed has described Faye as "bossy, greedy, needs to either be rescued or is a hindrance to the group more often than an asset" and that she "exhibits many of the worst characteristics" that a female character can have. They make some rather valid points in their description, but given the nature of her character and everything she has been through, it's too difficult to not sympathize with her.
The Ending Was Rushed
In the two-part finale and one of the saddest episodes of Bebop, both the series and Spike's journey as a whole come to a rather tragic end. While almost no one had any real complaints about the series' less-than-happy ending itself, but there were a few that took issue with the way it felt rushed.
99ayf99 wrote, "I love the look of it, the message and the symbolism, I just think it was poorly executed because of how tacked on it is." With only 2 episodes, each only around 22 minutes in length, to wrap up the entire series, it's easy to see where they're coming from with their criticisms. Even if the overall finale felt rushed, it doesn't take much away from what it accomplished with the highly memorable ending, which gave a satisfying sendoff to the Bebop cast.
Vicious Is A Poorly Developed Villain
Throughout the show, the Bebop crew comes face to face with many formidable and deadly foes. Some are more threatening and worth more worrisome than others, but one of the biggest and baddest was Vicious, a figure from Spike's past and leader of the Red Dragon crime syndicate.
Aside from Faye, selfproclaimed also took issue with Vicious, calling him "especially bad" with "very little character or motivation." He only appears in 5 episodes, but his backstory ultimately speaks for itself when it comes to his motivation. Despite his limited screentime, he's still just as developed and easy to understand as Spike is.
The Music Is Nothing Special
One of the most important elements that make up Cowboy Bebop's identity is its music. With the sounds of its iconic Jazz soundtrack, ranging from soft and sexy to excitable and adrenaline-fueled, the show's music by Yoko Kanno feels like its own character at times.
The music was another part of the show that selfproclaimed found to be a disappointment, saying "it's not worth the praise that people give to it." Jazz fan or not, the series' modern noir atmosphere heavily relies on this style of music, and it's nearly impossible to imagine any other kind serving as the soundtrack of Bebop's world.
"Pierrot Le Fou" Is The Worst Episode
While it's considered to be one of the best episodes of Cowboy Bebop, the twentieth episode, Pierrot Le Fou, failed to strike a chord with a select few. It's one of the darker episodes of the show, featuring one of the series most terrifying yet sympathetic villains, Mad Pierrot, but not even both of those things are enough to keep certain fans from skipping it.
Redditor vanisaac had commented on the way they choose to re-watch the series, saying "I almost always skip it, and I never miss it when I do." It may be darker and different compared to the rest of the series. but for many others, it's a rather surprising and welcoming change of pace.
The Movie Was A Disappointment
When Cowboy Bebop: The Movie premiered in 2001, three years after the series had already ended, it was made as a midquel, taking place between episodes 22 and 23. It's always a risk following up something that's already considered perfect by a majority of its viewers, but the reaction it received from critics and fans of the series proved to be incredibly positive.
However, there are still those like Reddit user LGarrad who aren't afraid of expressing the opposite feeling, posting "I watched the movie after about a year from finishing the series and I was left disappointed." The movie is certainly more driven by its plot than the show is by its themes, but to many fans, that doesn't necessarily make it a disappointment.
The Sub Is Better
The war between anime fans who watch their shows or movies dubbed in English, and those who prefer the original Japanese language with subtitles, has created a divide within the community for decades. When it comes to Cowboy Bebop, however, there's been an overwhelming majority who say the show is more entertaining in English, especially given the dedication of the voice actors.
In a different thread, vanisaac also cited the dub as another serious complaint of theirs and stood in defense of the original subbed version, claiming "The dub definitely sounds really wrong." In the ongoing battle between sub and dub, there's really only one real answer: it doesn't matter; it's just a preference and it's the same great show either way.