RabidMonk

<h5></h5> </div>

Note: Since the movie is really part of the series I watched it spliced in where it belonged - however, I have a review for both which is this same review so don't bother reading both unless you really enjoyed my review the first time. =)

I really enjoyed Cowboy Bebop.  It's one of those shows that actually become better to me once I'd finished it.  What I mean by that statement is simply that once the story had come to completion and the characters then had been fully fleshed out I could think back on the older episodes and appreciate them in a very different way than I could at first.

When I began watching Cowboy Bebop I was actually a bit disappointed and I had considered several times stopping.  It wasn't until somewhere around the middle of the series (seriously, like episode 13 or something) that I really started to appreciate the characters, and in the end, that's what the show is about.  At least in my mind.

Those characters become something that can be fully appreciated only after you really begin to understand them.  I actually watched this a second time (which I *rarely* do with anything) because I wanted my wife to watch it with me and in some senses it was better the second time around simply because all those memories of the characters were already there.

So why does the movie get a five and the series a four?  The move is just better.  Now if you just watched the movie alone and did not have the series as a basis up to that point I'd imagine the rating would be much lower.  As a stand alone it probably works, but I can't imagine it being nearly as meaningful without the series behind it.

It's the fact that you already know the characters, their strengths, and flaws that makes the movie interesting.  Also the fact that you have a lot more time to develop the plot than a normal episode allowed for script to be much more invovled and interesting.

There's much to be said both for and against the episoding nature of anime, but at times I really wish the writer's had an hour or more to develop their stories.  You write differently when you know the show is only going to last 22-23 minutes than if you have a much longer time to work with.

One last comment.  The music is often lauded in this series and I think that is a justifiable item of praise.  It's got a great soundtrack and the fact that each episode is heavily tied to the music style makes for a really fun ride that always is offering something new.

There are a couple of gems in the episodes and a few that are a bit more lack-luster, but overall Cowboy Bebop is probalby justifiably ranked where it is on most rankings.