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Cowboy Bebop and Pop Culture


Alex

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For those who know this excellent anime series, Cowboy Bebop manages to squeese in a huge number of subtle and overt references to Western pop culture in every episode.

I was watching the episode "Jupiter Jazz" today and the Ed Wood reference in that episode is pretty funny. And it's just one of a dozen such references in every episode.

It's things like this that make this such an awesome show. It can be enjoyed on a hell of a lot more levels than some other shows (and not just other anime)

If you've noticed a reference which amused you, post it here.

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Cowboy.

Reference: Western movies about Cowboys

Beebop.

Reference: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mutant punk hog.

When I get around to watching the anime, I'm sure I'll find more.

Pete

runs away before somebody kicks him in the butt :)

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Everybody should have this show on their top 5 anime list B))

Some character designs are based on Lupin III, Spike -> Lupin and Jet -> Jigen. The final scene with the shot couple in the first episode, was taken from "Bonnie & Clyde". The shooting at the bar was taken from "Desperado" with Antonio Banderas. Spike was also based on Bruce Lee, so there are a lot of references to his films. "Way of the Dragon" when Spike uses the nunchakus in the second episode. The homage to Miyazaki and his "Porco Rosso" in episode 19 (Wild Horses) was very fun ^_^

Those are some of the hundreds of examples!!

There are a lot of references to films, other anime, music bands in this series, definitely one of the best anime series ever!!!

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For those who know this excellent anime series, Cowboy Bebop manages to squeese in a huge number of subtle and overt references to Western pop culture in every episode.

I was watching the episode "Jupiter Jazz" today and the Ed Wood reference in that episode is pretty funny. And it's just one of a dozen such references in every episode.

It's things like this that make this such an awesome show. It can be enjoyed on a hell of a lot more levels than some other shows (and not just other anime)

If you've noticed a reference which amused you, post it here.

Cowboy Bebop is definitely one my favourite shows (not only anime). And you're absolutely right about the myriad references to popular culture.

One episode I love is Pierrot La Fou. It not only has a great influence from Batman, but it also has a Pink Floyd cover "ON the Run". Gotta love it!

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Pierrot la Fou is definitely one of my favourites. The Pink Floyd cover IS pretty awesome.

As for Spike, his name is also a reference to Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich) whose birth name was Adam Spiegel .

The "horror" episode "Toys in the Attic" is a great one for Sci-Fi buffs. This episode references at least a dozen Sci-Fi movies and a few horror flicks. It even goes out on a pretty overt reference to 2001.

Edited by Alex
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Maybe this is more what you were thinking? :lol:

cowboybebop.jpg

I know you guys are gonna all laugh at me - and I deserve it.... but honest to gosh - that picture is EXACTLY what comes to mind anytime I hear or read the title "Cowbody Bebop"

I guess I need to go watch this anime...

Pete

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I know you guys are gonna all laugh at me - and I deserve it.... but honest to gosh - that picture is EXACTLY what comes to mind anytime I hear or read the title "Cowbody Bebop"

I guess I need to go watch this anime...

Pete

You owe it to yourself to do so ^_^

It's one of the richest animes out there with a sound track that just blows any other away. The music is by Yoko Kanno by the way.

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I guess I need to go watch this anime...

Pete

Yes, you do. Awesome, awesome stuff.

I haven't rewatched it in a really long time, though, so I'm struggling to think of specific references that grabbed me...

Hmmm.

I always liked the Shaft Brothers. And Jet's dream where he was talking to Charlie Parker and Goethe. And I'm not a big Hemingway fan, but I really appreciated the bit where Jet recounted the story of "The Snows of Kilimanjaro."

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And Jet's dream where he was talking to Charlie Parker and Goethe. And I'm not a big Hemingway fan, but I really appreciated the bit where Jet recounted the story of "The Snows of Kilimanjaro."

That's also one of my favourite scenes.

An in-show reference I noticed was the frog on the stairway in "Mushroom Samba". Is that the same voice actor as Viscious doing his Viscious voice?

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Huh...I never noticed...but I always thought the frog's voice sounded familiar somehow...

On the subjext of in-show references , in episode 3, Spike walks past an old Chanbara film being projected on a massive screen. The subtitle he pauses in front of says "Only a true Samurai can kill him".

I really don't think that THAT was a coincidence.

Edited by Alex
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On the subjext of in-show references , in episode 3, Spike walks past an old Chanbara film being projected on a massive screen. The subtitle he pauses in front of says "Only a true Samurai can kill him".

I really don't think that THAT was a coincidence.

Now THAT one, I noticed... ^_^

Damn, I really need to watch this show again. I bought it all on VHS back when AnimeVillage.com was still running. I should really upgrade to DVD, shouldn't I?

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Now THAT one, I noticed... ^_^

Damn, I really need to watch this show again. I bought it all on VHS back when AnimeVillage.com was still running. I should really upgrade to DVD, shouldn't I?

I'm still um-ing and ah-ing over doing that myself. My VHS have served me well, but the thought of Cowbop in glorious surround sound with crisp picture.........but it's like 26,000 everytime I see the collection I want.

Speaking of cassettes......havn't seen the episode in a while, but why the hell did Faye record herself on BETA?!

Edited by Alex
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IIRC Faye's family was also well off and beta is better than VHS but just not as practical for the common consumer.

I used to have the DVD box set but I upgraded to the much smaller and compact "Cowboy Bebop Remix: Anime Legends". I think it even has better audio but I don't have a sound setup for my TV.

Episode 2: Stray Dog Strut has a Kareem-Abdul Jabbar look-alike

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Episode 2: Stray Dog Strut has a Kareem-Abdul Jabbar look-alike

"My Funny Valentine" supposedly had a George Cloone looky-likey in WhitmeJy Hagas Matsumoto. Watanabe always went on about how they could have the biggest name stars for no money. Even the jabbar look-alike looked only vaaaaguely like Jabbar.

Edited by Alex
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I could be wrong, but I think Cowboy Bebop is the name of a jazz bar in NYC. There appears to be more references to western pop culture than asian. Does that mean Westerners will enjoy the show more than Asians?

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I could be wrong, but I think Cowboy Bebop is the name of a jazz bar in NYC. There appears to be more references to western pop culture than asian. Does that mean Westerners will enjoy the show more than Asians?

Bebop was immensely popular in Japan as well as being a breakthrough series in the West.

One thing I've always thought helped Bebop, is that it has one of the best english dubs ever for an anime. Normally I always watch anime with subs, but Bebop is one of the few where I can go either way. Hellsing was another.

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Other pop culture references:

1) In the episode with the video Otaku, he is watching Beverly hills 90210(watch for the end credits on his tv)

2) In Heavy Metal Queen- the bounty they are after looks like Woody Allen

3) Episode titles are names of songs, movies, and Albums

4) Aisimov and girlfriend both resemble Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek from Desperado

5) Jets old partner looks like Harvey Keitel (Bad Lieutenant)

6) Bull is a homage to Sitting Bull, and he has a playstation console

7) Mushroom Samba has a few homages to Blaxpoitation films and Shaft

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This is the only anime I know of that has a anime character that stayed in Singapore as a child.

I'm talking about Faye Valentine who saw her childhood recorded on a Sony Beta tape. In one scene, there's a half-lion, half-fish statue. That's our Singapore Tourism Symbol, the Merlion, lock, stock and barrel. And the riverside walkway that she was walking along with her grandma is Victoria Walk, a well-known scenic spot in Singapore.

I was laughing and at the same time feeling kinda proud that a Singapore symbol made it into a top-rated anime. :lol:

Edited by blacklotus
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This is the only anime I know of that has a anime character that stayed in Singapore as a child.

I'm talking about Faye Valentine who saw her childhood recorded on a Sony Beta tape. In one scene, there's a half-lion, half-fish statue. That's our Singapore Tourism Symbol, the Merlion, lock, stock and barrel. And the riverside walkway that she was walking along with her grandma is Victoria Walk, a well-known scenic spot in Singapore.

I was laughing and at the same time feeling kinda proud that a Singapore symbol made it into a top-rated anime. :lol:

That episode is so unbelievably sad and poingnant. I hadn't really warmed up to Faye until that point in the story.

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Cowboy.

Reference: Western movies about Cowboys

Beebop.

Reference: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mutant punk hog.

When I get around to watching the anime, I'm sure I'll find more.

Pete

runs away before somebody kicks him in the butt :)

Actually, bebop was a musical style popularized in the middle of the last century; Buddy Holly's work was a perfect example of bebop.

My favorite episode just happens to be "Heavy Metal Queen"; the hangover scene was classic.

Edited by Wanzerfan
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Actually, bebop was a musical style popularized in the middle of the last century; Buddy Holly's work was a perfect example of bebop.

My favorite episode just happens to be "Heavy Metal Queen"; the hangover scene was classic.

Yeah, loved Spike's hangover cure!

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Actually, bebop was a musical style popularized in the middle of the last century; Buddy Holly's work was a perfect example of bebop.

My favorite episode just happens to be "Heavy Metal Queen"; the hangover scene was classic.

Sorry but I just have to correct this --- Nothing personal.

Actually Buddy Holly (and the Crickets) is pretty much straight Rock 'n Roll, where Bebop ( or just plain bop) is a form of jazz music that originated in the late 30's early 40's. It came out of the Swing era, but it's way different; much more fractured and nervous sounding - mainly due to its increased tempo, complex melodies, and just plain F'd-up phrasing. Think Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker Rather than Buddy Holly.

Edited by Chas
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Sorry but I just have to correct this --- Nothing personal.

Actually Buddy Holly (and the Crickets) is pretty much straight Rock 'n Roll, where Bebop ( or just plain bop) is a form of jazz music that originated in the late 30's early 40's. It came out of the Swing era, but it's way different; much more fractured and nervous sounding - mainly due to its increased tempo, complex melodies, and just plain F'd-up phrasing. Think Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker Rather than Buddy Holly.

I think it is the 2nd or 3rd episode, but Jet even references Charlie Parker.

The opening credits elude to Jazz Bebop and that the storytelling in the series will try to follow that style of music.

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Sorry but I just have to correct this --- Nothing personal.

Actually Buddy Holly (and the Crickets) is pretty much straight Rock 'n Roll, where Bebop ( or just plain bop) is a form of jazz music that originated in the late 30's early 40's. It came out of the Swing era, but it's way different; much more fractured and nervous sounding - mainly due to its increased tempo, complex melodies, and just plain F'd-up phrasing. Think Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker Rather than Buddy Holly.

Sorry about that. "Be Bop a Lou Bop" threw me a curve there.

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