Cowboy Bebop creator couldn’t watch past the first scene of Netflix’s adaptation

Since its premiere and subsequent cancellation in November 2021, Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop has become a topic many prefer to avoid discussing, especially Netflix itself. However, one person who has not shied away from sharing his thoughts is the director of the original Cowboy Bebop series, Shinichirō Watanabe.

In a recent interview with Forbes, Watanabe, renowned for his directorial work on anime classics like Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Space Dandy, and Carole & Tuesday, delved into the milestones of his career. He discussed his early years working at Sunrise under the guidance of his mentor, Ryōsuke Takahashi, and the origins of Cowboy Bebop, as well as the valuable lessons he learned from Æon Flux creator Peter Chung while working on The Animatrix in 2003.

Naturally, the conversation eventually turned to Watanabe’s thoughts on Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop, in which he was credited as an associate producer and consultant. And his words were far from flattering. Watanabe shared, “For the new Netflix live-action adaptation, they sent me a video to review and check. It started with a scene in a casino, which made it very tough for me to continue. I stopped there and […] only saw that opening scene.”

Expanding on his perspective, Watanabe expressed his belief that the live-action series fell short in capturing the essence of the original 1998 anime. He admitted, “It was clearly not Cowboy Bebop, and I realized at that point that if I wasn’t involved, it would not be Cowboy Bebop. I felt that maybe I should have done this. Although the value of the original anime is somehow far higher now.”

While Watanabe’s comments may sting, he is not alone in experiencing the disappointment of seeing a beloved animated series receive a lackluster live-action adaptation. One can only hope that Netflix’s upcoming live-action One Piece series takes the lessons learned from Cowboy Bebop’s missteps and delivers a production that does justice to Eiichiro Oda’s iconic manga.

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