By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
April 4, 2003
“Cowboy Bebop: The Movie” has nowhere near the level of sophistication exhibited in Hayao Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away,” which won the Oscar this year for best animated feature film. But the Japanese anime film, which makes its Chicago debut today, certainly has its appeal.
As the leader of a renegade group of bounty hunters in this sci-fi thriller, Spike is an enigmatic, smart-mouthed anti-hero who goes to battle wearing headphones. After saving a woman from near death, she demands to know who her rescuer is. He mumbles back in his best Clint Eastwood voice, “Just a humble bounty hunter, ma’am.”
There’s nothing humble about Spike or his posse, which includes a tween female computer urchin with the unfortunate name of Edward.
Anime characters are drawn to look out of this world, and this film is no exception. Racially ambivalent, the lead characters have Speed Racer eyes and sport noses pointy enough to make Michael Jackson envious. The female leads also sport bodies that rival Barbie’s. Faye, a sassy female bounty hunter, wears thigh-high stockings and some semblance of a body-stocking thong that peeks out of her short shorts. She catches the eye of a terrorist who may be responsible for releasing a contaminant that leaves hundreds dead.
On the Internet, Faye also catches the eyes of some hard-core movie fans who lust after her as if she were a real person. One smitten follower wrote on a “Cowboy Bebop” message board, “My favorite part in the movie is when Fei [sic] gets her clothes ripped and you get to see her cleavage. I was like whoa!!!! I love Fei because she is so hot.”
Watching anime isn’t like seeing a Disney film. “Cowboy Bebop” is dark with menacing undertones. The violence, though animated, definitely is on the R-level. If you suspend your belief in reality–which is never a bad idea for an animated film–you can put up with the implausible plot.
This movie soars when the characters lighten up. The verbal pas de deux between Spike and his female nemesis is as challenging as their hand-to-hand combat.
I loved this movie and was so happy to find this review. I love anime and this was so well done. I heard they made this into a live action film or will be making one.
I just found this review and wanted to say that it sent me down a rabbit hole or checking out your other reviews and articles. Thank you for everything that you do!
John Cho is going to be Cowboy Bebop and I couldn’t be more excited!!!!!