Last week, streaming giant Netflix announced the preliminary casting for their long-rumoured and heavily anticipated live-action adaptation of Shinichirō Watanabe’s beloved anime classic, Cowboy Bebop. After green-lighting a 10-episode, straight-to-series order in November of last year, this latest announcement from Netflix has set the Internet ablaze with discussion and opinion pieces regarding the show, pitched as “the jazz-inspired, genre-bending story of a ragtag crew of bounty hunters on the run from their pasts as they hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals.” As reported by industry insider publications like Variety, Vanity Fair and The Hollywood Reporter, this particular update has included some high-profile names, adding a degree of star power to their first-round cast selection.
Now, I think it’s safe to say that pop-culture fans, in general, are notoriously territorial, and often times, for very good reasons. There’s a sense of trepidation that follows any whiff or notion of the Hollywood machine apparatus moving into typically ‘fan-dominated’ spaces. Over the last two decades, this palpable unease has manifested itself in announcements of live-action adaptations of all types: such as books (Harry Potter, Twilight, Fifty Shades of Grey), video games (The Witcher, Warcraft, Hitman, Assassin’s Creed), and especially comics (literally anything in or surrounding the Disney/Marvel or DC cinematic universe pipelines).
As a self-confessed Cowboy Bebop fan-boy, these Netflix announcements have left me somewhat torn. On one hand, I’d love nothing more than to see the crew of the Bebop gallivanting around the solar system, doing the Jupiter Jazz in glorious 1080p. On the other, I am also a cynical and jaded old man, who’s been burnt several times before on intellectual properties dear to my heart (I’m looking at you The Dark Tower, you miserable shit-stain of a film). So, I’m taking the time in this editorial to analyse what we know about the show so far and interrogate the potential likelihood of Netflix fucking up my favourite anime of all time.
Issue #1: Casting Choices
John Cho as Spike Spiegel
For those who aren’t already intimately acquainted with the peculiar eccentricities of the Bebop crew and other peripheral regulars of the original anime, That Hashtag Show has released the character descriptions used as part of Netflix’s casting call process. For the role of the ultra-cool Spike Spiegel, the primary protagonist of Cowboy Bebop, we have the following:
“An Asian (or partially Asian) man in his mid-20’s to mid-30’s and must have athletic ability. Spike is the young and handsome male lead with a body like Bruce Lee. His carefree demeanour hides a seriously dangerous individual. Spike is prone to shoot first and improvise, unlike his more serious partner Jet, but he gets the job done. Spike tries to hide his sensitive side but is a sucker for a damsel in distress and is haunted by his past.”
Cho’s previous work includes great performances in indie-darling Searching and as Sulu in the Star Trek reboot trilogy, as well as acclaimed TV spots for remakes of The Exorcist and The Twilight Zone. Cho’s casting is also a boon for Asian audiences and industry professionals, who have been particularly vocal in lambasting Hollywood for white-washing and ignoring the case of Asian representation in the Western mainstream. However, for me, while Cho doesn’t immediately tick all these boxes, he’s already a stronger fit than sad-meme aficionado Keanu Reeves, who’d previously been tied to a long-rumoured feature film adaptation that’s languished in development hell for decades. The role of Spike will require a deft hand but also strong emotive power: he’s a dead-eye, wise-cracking assassin with a dark past, but he’s also smart, cool and prone to moments of withering introspection. Whether Cho has the chops to pull these complicated threads together remains to be seen.
Daniella Pineda as Faye Valentine
Here’s what Netflix were looking for in the role of sassy con-woman and femme fatale, Faye Valentine:
“An Asian (or mixed heritage) woman in her early 20’s to mid-30’s and must have athletic ability. Faye is the female lead of the show. She is an attractive bounty hunter with a sharp tongue. She’s a survivor who will con anyone to get what she wants. Faye has no memory of her early life, including family or friends. So, even though she’ll never admit it, she likes working with the other members of the Bebop crew.”
While Pineda is a bit of an unknown, or perhaps lesser-known variable, she has a decent run of credits to her name, including The Detour, The Originals and a supporting role as Zia Rodriguez in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, alongside heavyweights like Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. Curiously, and as much as I am wary of playing the ‘ethnicity card’ here, Faye’s character in the show was that of a Singaporean woman, which matches the casting call for someone of Asian or mixed heritage. As Pineda identifies as Mexican-American, it appears Netflix decided to cast her against type in this case, however, I don’t see any reason why she won’t be able to kill this particular role. Purely on aesthetics, Pineda seems like a great fit as Faye. My only reservation would be in making sure Pineda has enough material and depth for a nuanced performance, and that the show doesn’t lean too heavily on her more sexualised attributes. (Even for Japanese anime, the original show managed to be fairly restrained in this respect, something Netflix would be wise to emulate.)
Mustafa Shakir as Jet Black
For the role of Jet Black, an ex-ISSP Special Forces Officer and captain of the Bebop, with ambiguous moral convictions, we have:
“An African American (or partial African American) man in his mid-30’s to early 50’s. An ex-cop, Jet looks intimidating but is a softy at heart. He became fed up with the corrupt system, but he still catches criminals as a bounty hunter. While Jet believes in the law, he will always back up a friend. Occasionally, he will even relax and have fun.
Shakir seems like a great fit for this part. His recent TV work for American Gods, Luke Cage and HBO’s The Deuce highlight the breadth of his dynamic range and brooding intensity. In terms of raw physicality, seeing him go toe-to-toe with Vince Vaughan in S. Craig Zahler’s formidable exploitation romp Brawl In Cell Block 99, proves that he has the muscle to match Jet’s imposing presence. One crucial detail will be how convincing the quick-fire banter and subtle, father-sibling personality clashes feel between Shakir, Cho’s Spike and Pineda’s Faye.
Alex Hassell as Vicious
As the primary antagonist of Cowboy Bebop, and the link to Spike’s checkered past, the role of malevolent mob-boss Vicious requires some special skills:
“A man in his mid-20’s to mid-30’s of any ethnicity, with pale skin and white hair. Vicious is the merciless leader of the criminal organization known as the Syndicate. He will kill anyone who gets in the way of his business without a second thought.”
The casting of Hassell here is admittedly a bit of a head-scratcher. I’m not familiar with the actor, or any of his previous work, and even a cursory Google turns up some anticipation on that front. Physically, Hassell also doesn’t immediately jump out at me as the Vicious type, but then again, I don’t really know who would. So, this one is likely a what-and-see, ‘benefit of the doubt’-type scenario.
Issue #2: Production Team
Once a property hits the screens (or streams), it typically lives or dies on the connection fostered between the audience and the characters: or, put simply, performances are integral to reception. However, with Cowboy Bebop still very much in development, and only now announcing casting choices, the ins and outs of the production circle provide an indication on the potential success and future direction of the series moving forward. Who writes, directs and produces the show is ultimately just as important as the faces that end up on screen.
The primary concern for any diligent Bebop fan is whether Watanabe will be involved. At present, Watanabe is being listed as a consultant for the series, along with involvement from Shin Sasaki, Masayuki Ozaki and Yasuo Miyakawa of Sunrise—the anime studio behind the original series and a partner on the 2001 feature film, Cowboy Bebop: Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. Tipped to direct the first two instalments of the show is Alex Garcia Lopez, whose credits include episodes of Daredevil, Luke Cage and Cloak and Dagger. The first episode treatment was written by Christopher Yost, best known for his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with screenwriting credits for 2013’s Thor: The Dark World and 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. There’s also an extensive list of executive producers: Andre Nemec, Josh Appelbaum, Jeff Pinkner, and Scott Rosenberg of Midnight Radio; Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements of Tomorrow Studios; along with Tetsu Fujimura and Matthew Weinberg.
Personally, having Watanabe and Sunrise directly involved with production makes me slightly less anxious. With Netflix handling the physical production side and bringing in people like Lopez, who’re already familiar with the demands of live-action in a serialised show format, there’s definitely potential for a fruitful creative relationship here. However, my main worry is the strength of the script and narrative arcs. Yost’s credits aren’t exactly the most concrete: Thor: The Dark World is still the least memorable of the Marvel films, and I’d put the success of Thor: Ragnarok down largely to director Taika Waititi’s off-beat style and flare, rather than the strength of the script in isolation.
Issue #3: Netflix’s Track Record and the Success of Live-Action Anime
So, let’s discuss the elephant in the room: even if Netflix pull all these talented people together, can they actually make this work? Will the end result be truly worthy of sitting next to Watanabe’s incredible vision and manifesto for the original Cowboy Bebop, as unique art that “will play freely without fear of risky things… create new dreams and films by breaking traditional styles… the work, which becomes a new genre itself”? Well, if we look at Netflix’s track record for live-action anime adaptations, it’s not exactly glowing.
The most egregious examples are 2017’s Death Note and 2018’s Fullmetal Alchemist, both treasured anime series with devout fan-followings, rich in visual texture, lore, nuanced characters and philosophical inquiry. Currently, Death Note sits at 38% on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 4.7/10. After a particularly nasty fan backlash, focused on the perceived white-washing of main characters, Americanised setting and unnecessary plot deviations, critical consensus found director Adam Wingard’s film to be mostly style over substance, with confusing logic gaps and pointless violence.
Fullmetal Alchemist fairs slightly better with 42% on Rotten Tomatoes and an average rating of 5.8/10. While the film was considered mostly faithful to the anime that inspired it, critics lambasted the film’s overcrowded narrative, dull characters and excessive runtime. While I can certainly acknowledge the inherent difficulty in adapting a series narrative of consecutive episodes and story arcs into a feature-length film (which Netflix may avoid with their 10-episode run for Cowboy Bebop), taking Japanese anime and bringing it in to live-action doesn’t seem to be a sure thing in practice, even for the world’s premier streaming service.
The other obvious example worth mentioning, outside of the Netflix sphere of influence, is 2017’s Ghost in the Shell remake, directed by Rupert Sanders and starring Scarlett Johansson as Major. Johansson’s casting in particular once again drew accusations of white-washing against Hollywood, and despite receiving numerous accolades for stunning visual effects, the film received a middling reception from audiences and critics alike, many of whom noted that the film lacked the moral complexity and ‘magic’ of the original anime. And let’s also not forget two of Hollywood’s most ill-fated ventures into anime territory: M. Night Shyamalan’s much-derided The Last Airbender and the abysmal misfire that was 2009’s Dragonball: Evolution— both ominous signs of just how truly bad live-action anime adaptations can get (more on that last one here).
Issue #4: Outstanding Questions
Radical Edward & Ein
Missing in this first-round of casting announcements is the selection for the role of Radical Edward, or, to use her full title, Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV:
“14-year-old girl, must have athletic ability and short stature. Ed is a computer genius and expert hacker whose talents are indispensable. She is extremely energetic with a child-like wonder and is eccentric, bordering on the bizarre.”
Whoever takes this one will need to pull off all of Ed’s energy, humour and bat-shit insane antics. Ed is often that member of the crew who’s least included in the job initially but ends up delivering the key bit of intel that gives them the edge. So, the actress in question will need to balance that streak for exuberant, youthful enthusiasm with some solid street-cred and hacker know-how. Also, let’s not forget about the role of Ein, Ed’s cute sidekick and the most lovable pup in the solar system: not just any doggo will do, and Netflix better be taking this shit seriously or the fans will be out for blood. (Also: if they go the CG-route, I will boycott this whole god-damn thing.)
Julia
Spike’s love interest also happens to be the forlorn centre of Cowboy Bebop’s strange love-triangle, which means it’s another role that will need to be cast just right:
“A woman in her mid-20’s to mid-30’s of any ethnicity. Julia is a sophisticated blonde damsel in distress that has a mysterious connection to Spike. She appears to him in visions and whispers to him about his past. The real Julia is the girlfriend of the merciless Syndicate leader Vicious.”
If I was to throw my hat in the ring here, I’d love to see Lili Reinhart of Riverdale fame snap this one up. The Netflix connection is already established, and she’s the perfect blend of blonde bombshell and conflicted young woman. On-screen chemistry with established actors like Cho and Hassell seems likely, and if ‘Dark Betty’ is any indication, she can easily chew up what little screen-time is thrown her way.
The Music
The biggest question by far for Netflix and Cowboy Bebop is this: where is Yoko Kanno?
Soundtracks and musical scores are typically the most overlooked element in any television show or feature film. However, for Cowboy Bebop, the music is intrinsic to the show’s DNA and absolutely vital for complimenting its visual aesthetic and complex narrative beats. As the original anime’s composer, Kanno, along with her band The Seatbelts, is often considered ‘the secret weapon’ of the show’s success, seamlessly blending Western pop influences with surf rock, country, folk, jazz, opera and Arabian elements to synthesise a rich and thoroughly unique musical palette, as memorable as it is distinctive and eclectic.
Bebop simply wouldn’t be what it is today without the opening enfilade of the energetic, jazzy theme song, ‘Tank!’. As musicologist Rose Bridges notes in her introduction to publisher 33 1/3 Japan’s Cowboy Bebop Soundtrack, the blasts of “rapid brass chords” and “walking bass line” immediately catch your attention, before a male voice cryptically intones: “I think it’s time we blow this scene, get everybody and the stuff together. Okay, 3, 2, 1, let’s jam!” For Bridges and devoted fans alike, the high-octane thrill-ride of “Tank!” promises “a fast-paced, action-filled, and above all cool experience.” And across twenty-six episodes and a feature film, Watanabe and Kanno definitely deliver.
So far, we don’t know if Kanno will be involved in Netflix’s live-adaptation, or if they’ll make use of her existing musical compositions (which have become thoroughly enmeshed into the entire Bebop experience). However, as fans will tell you, the music is a big deal and Netflix needs to make sure that whatever decisions are being made, ultimately contribute to making the show truly feel like Cowboy Bebop.
Final Thoughts
Dear Netflix,
It looks like you’re really trying to make this work, which is admirable, and the pieces appear to be coming together bit by bit. On behalf of all Cowboy Bebop fans across the world, please don’t fuck this up.
Because if you do: “You’re Gonna Carry That Weight.”
Sincerely,
Owen Morawitz
If they don’t have the jazz, then what’s the point?