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Cowboy Bebop Film's American Premiere Announced

From the Big Apple Anime Site "The Big Apple Anime Fest 2002 (BAAF 2002) is proud to announce that the festival will premiere the theatrical English dub version of "Cowboy Bebop: The Movie" on August 30th, 8:00pm at Loews State Theater (Virgin Megastore) in New York City's Times Square. At the premiere, Cowboy Bebop director, Shinichiro Watanabe, score composer, Yoko Kanno and character designer Toshihiro Kawamoto will be on hand to meet their legions of fans." That's a show worth seeing.

254 comments

  1. Festival by Zabu · · Score: 1

    What is the name of the festival in baltimore next weekend? anyone?

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    It's all good.
    1. Re:Festival by pogle · · Score: 3, Informative

      Otakon.
      www.otakon.com

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      http://thechubbyferret.net - Ferret pictures and informative links.
    2. Re:Festival by TomHandy · · Score: 0, Redundant
    3. Re:Festival by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hope you guys enjoy it. We'll be workin' hard for ya all weekend.

  2. Anime theatre by lamp77 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I think it would be great if people started trying to do stage versions of popular anime.

    John ritter starring in Akira.

    L

    1. Re:Anime theatre by Rassleholic · · Score: 1

      ...is reminded of the Dragon Ball / DBZ stage show and cowers in the corner.

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      Not noteable, IMO a rubbish article.
    2. Re:Anime theatre by bludstone · · Score: 1

      Heh, just go to an anime convention and check out the masqurade. :)

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      no .sig
    3. Re:Anime theatre by sharkey · · Score: 2

      stage versions of popular anime
      Britney Spears and Shakira starring as the Dirty Pair.

      --

      --
      "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
    4. Re:Anime theatre by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Back in the early 90's there was to be a off broadway musical of "Mai the Psychic Girl". Sparks was doing the music for it.
      Last i heard the project was still dead partway through production.

    5. Re:Anime theatre by PastaQueen · · Score: 1

      In Japan there have been 5 Sailor Moon live action musicals. The actors look pretty ridicuous with big pink and blue wigs and puffed up sailor outfits. I think you can buy videos of the productions.

  3. This is good news by Jacer · · Score: 1

    However, it doesn't really affect me being as it's in the big apple. If it were in, I don't know, around Minneapolis, maybe It'd help a bit. It isn't that big of news either, as it is an anime festival, so come on guys, why rub it in?

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    --fetch daddy's blue fright wig, i must be handsome when i release my rage
    1. Re:This is good news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, if you are a fan of Cowboy Bebop, it probably also means that an English dub (and hopefully sub) version of the movie will be released on VHS/DVD in the near future.

      If you're not a fan, then why did you click on an article called "Cowboy Bebop Film's American Premiere Announced" anyway? :)

    2. Re:This is good news by Jacer · · Score: 1

      Well, I am a fan, and I have the english subbed DVD. Oh, and a PS2 modchip, damned region encoding!

      --
      --fetch daddy's blue fright wig, i must be handsome when i release my rage
    3. Re:This is good news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Well, I am a fan, and I have the english subbed DVD."

      Of the movie (or the series)?

  4. Dubbed? by vandenh · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Well most hard-core anime lovers wouldn't touch a dubbed movie with a 10 ft. pole.

    1. Re:Dubbed? by erasmus_ · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yes, but even hard core fans have friends and relatives who are not. And it's harder to convince them to watch something along with you that frequently has a confusing plot if they also have to bother reading subtitles. And with good voice acting, dubbing can actually enhance the movie.

      Just this past weekend, I actually convinced my gf into watching Princess Mononoke with me, and she actually enjoyed it. One of the things she enjoyed about it was recognizing the good voice acting of well-known actors both of us know. Understanding what the characters are saying, instead of having to read along, can add quite a bit to the enjoyment of a movie.

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    2. Re:Dubbed? by dexter+riley · · Score: 1

      The dubbing on "Cowboy Bebop" is really very good! And having seen the series with the English-speaking versions of Spike, Jet, Faye, and Ed, I couldn't imagine anyone else doing the voices. (But I'll still watch the Japanese-language version, as soon as I find my damn DVD remote...) I just wonder if they redubbed the voice of Ein for the English version? Woof!

    3. Re:Dubbed? by Isawa+Sideshow · · Score: 1

      Normally, I'd be inclined to agree, but Bebop is one of the few series I've found where I actually prefer the English dub over the original Japanese. The English voices just seem to fit the characters better. I mean, Megumi is so not Faye Valentine. Of course, I also have a purebred Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Ein, so I may just be an over-the-top otaku. :)

    4. Re:Dubbed? by mickeyreznor · · Score: 1

      the dubbing on princess mononoke was done very well. The reason dubbing on most series is terrible is because the producers just don't bother to make sure it's done well.

    5. Re:Dubbed? by money_shot · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Wendy Lee is an anime Goddess.

      Besides, real fans watch anime in both langauges and do comparative studies.

      money_shot

    6. Re:Dubbed? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well i really cant feel your pain there because most of my friends and relatives know how to read.

      As far as voice acting goes it can be recognized in foreign languages as well. In fact a lot of the fun of watching anime is listening to the japanese actors speak with their overexcited tones.

      If you really want to hear actors that you know, maybe you should stick to disney movies.

      BTW i am posting annonymously because some dubbing fan has decided to mod down posts that argue for subtitles. I am surprised how they could read the posts to begin with.

    7. Re:Dubbed? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Princess Mononoke was a really bad movie. Is this what all anime is like?

  5. DVD Release? by erasmus_ · · Score: 2

    I've become a big fan of the show since the Cartoon Network has started showing it at 11:30 each Sat (if you're by a tv at that time and not watching, you're missing out on one of the most cinematic and action-packed animated series I've ever seen).

    However, I'm clearly not enough of a fan to know that there has been a movie made, or that there were even plans of dubbing it and bringing it over the US. Since I'm sure there are bigger fans out there, does anyone have more info about when this was made, and if it's available on DVD? If not, when is it going to be? I've had no reason to buy the series on DVD since it's on weekly, but the movie I might actually buy.

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    1. Re:DVD Release? by puppet10 · · Score: 1
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    2. Re:DVD Release? by PinkStainlessTail · · Score: 3, Informative

      Region 2, no dub, no sub, has been available for a while.
      If you want to import it from Japan, of course.
      You probably meant something a little more accessible.

      --
      "Slashdot is about legos and staplers." -Cmdr. Taco
    3. Re:DVD Release? by pogle · · Score: 2

      Well, I have the movie in Divx format...which will remain legal up until the US release if I remember my anime fan laws correctly. Look around for it, its like 550MB and I'm sure its common in IRC.

      --
      http://thechubbyferret.net - Ferret pictures and informative links.
    4. Re:DVD Release? by elmegil · · Score: 1

      You really shouldn't judge the series by the mega-edited crap calling itself Cowboy Bebop on Cartoon Network.

      --
      7 November 2006: The day Americans realized corruption and incompetence weren't addressing 11 September 2001
    5. Re:DVD Release? by Qazimov · · Score: 1

      I picked up a DVD set of the TV series, (6 discs, great quality, found on ebay, less than $70) both english and origional sound tracks, subtitled (non-macrovision encoded), and it came with the soundtrack!

      Anyway, when I was looking for that I did see many listings for the movie on DVD, don't recall if it was an english dubbed version though. Great series, excellent quality animation, cool action, interesting charachters, and a story that builds and keeps the watcher interested. If you really want to get into it, the subtitled japanese does have some different dialog than the dub version.

      I love the differences that pop up because of the Japanese vs. American culture. Some people don't get it, but I love the stuff.

    6. Re:DVD Release? by brood · · Score: 2

      It's easily found on Kazaa as well. I downloaded
      it from there about a week or so ago.

    7. Re:DVD Release? by Randar+the+Lava+Liza · · Score: 2, Informative

      You can pick up a nice region-free copy from Image Anime here in NYC. Subtitled, 5.1 surround, it's nice! There will be a US release next year with the same astounding English-language cast from the original series translation, so you can wait for that copy to come out as well. It's a really great movie, more of the same from the series. Great music, and they really kick the animation up a notch.

      --
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    8. Re:DVD Release? by bludstone · · Score: 3, Informative

      Actually according to "anime fan laws" Distribution of fansubs/bootlegs is supposed to stop when the title is LISENCED, not when its released.

      Of course, most people dont give a crap either way anymore and you can still find it :/

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      no .sig
    9. Re:DVD Release? by Zueski · · Score: 1

      I happen to own a English/Chinese subtitle Region Free DVD i got off of ebay. It may be a Hong Kong knock-off (the subtitle timing is a bit odd in places).

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      please don't feed the monkey
    10. Re:DVD Release? by jnik · · Score: 2
      You can pick up a nice region-free copy from Image Anime here in NYC. Subtitled, 5.1 surround, it's nice!

      That practically screams bootleg. Don't buy nonlicensed anime; it's the same as paying someone to photocopy an entire book for you. For more info: Pirate Anime FAQ

    11. Re:DVD Release? by _bug_ · · Score: 1

      Visit EBay, among other places. There are several DVD copies that have English subtitles and no region-encoding. Mostly pirate copies from out of China, but what else can you do until the movie comes out on DVD officially?

    12. Re:DVD Release? by PinkStainlessTail · · Score: 3
      ...but what else can you do until the movie comes out on DVD officially?

      Wait?

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    13. Re:DVD Release? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is a bootleg. There are almost no legit anime DVDs that will have both English and Chinese subtitles. I can only think of one off-hand (a R3 release of Boys Be, IIRC), and I do know that there is no such official release for Cowboy Bebop.

    14. Re:DVD Release? by John_Booty · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      I wouldn't call the English-language cast "astounding". They really sounded like they were TRYING HARD to sound cool. Pretty good acting when viewed in a vaccuum, but compared to the original cast they got the characters wrong.

      And of course Ed's voice couldn't really be matched anyway, now could it?

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      OtakuBooty.com: Smart, funny, sexy nerds.
    15. Re:DVD Release? by clevershark · · Score: 1

      You must be thinking of the Dragonball series... CB is pretty much faithful to the original.

      Funimation has been doing a real butcher job with DB-DBZ though... whole subplots have been eliminated, objects obviously not in the original show up to strategically hide some characters' nakedness, etc. I guess America needs to have everything "Disneyfied" before they muster the courage of watching it.

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      My sig is too lon

    16. Re:DVD Release? by John_Booty · · Score: 1

      I wouldn't call the English-language cast "astounding". They really sounded like they were TRYING HARD to sound cool. Pretty good acting when viewed in a vaccuum, but compared to the original cast they got the characters wrong.

      And of course Ed's voice couldn't really be matched anyway, now could it?


      Could a moderator please explain how this was "flamebait"? aaargh.

      --

      OtakuBooty.com: Smart, funny, sexy nerds.
    17. Re:DVD Release? by MonkeyBoy · · Score: 1

      Region 0, no dub, multiple subs (english, couple chinese, others), has been available for almost as long.

      If you want to import it from Malaysia. Or Hong Kong. Or any other number of sources.

      Or you can do what I did - buy it on eBay, from a guy in HK. Actually got a good deal on mine, given the prices on (international) web sites plus shipping, saved some money vs. those sources.

      I'll buy the official Region 1 release when it comes out (I'm a sucker for good dubs), but I had the money and it _was_ available, so what the hell. If they wanted my money earlier, they could have sold it earlier...

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      Moof!

    18. Re:DVD Release? by puppet10 · · Score: 2

      Theres an easy way to fix this for people who do want to purchase legitamate product, but don't want to modify their DVD players.

      Release your product in a region free format

      I'm sure if there was a release of a Harry Potter book in Engalnd 3 years before it was released in the US and you could only read it with a licensed viewer moddified to allow other region viewing people would photocopy the entire book and sell it.

      Its just another illustration of how screwed up the whole dvd region system is, and frankly I don't have much sympathy.

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  6. I just caught this show on cartoon network by JahToasted · · Score: 1, Troll

    It wasn't too bad. I've attempted to watch anime before and was always disapointed. but Bebop seemed ok. But in one episode I watched the dude died (or at least I think... I was kinda stoned). kinda a bummer man.

    1. Re:I just caught this show on cartoon network by erasmus_ · · Score: 1

      Heh, besides the fact that it said it was show #5 before and after each commercial break, and it's kind of hard to kill the main character in show 5 of the season, they also show him in the very end all wrapped up in bandages lying on couch. So even though he got very banged up, he made it through. Like you said though, you were stoned :)

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    2. Re:I just caught this show on cartoon network by zaren · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Session #5, "Ballad of Fallen Angels"... just an amazing episode in terms of character establishment and development, cinematography, music... the segment where Spike is falling out of the church window is like nothing I've seen before in any real-life movie.

      For those of you who aren't into Adult Swim on Cartoon Network, this is a 3 hour block on Saturday nights where they play the "mature" anime, the stuff that doesn't quite fit into the afternoon kiddie stuff (like DBZ and Zoids and the like). This is where they run Bebop, at 11:30, like a previous poster said. (There's also a Swim on Sunday nights with "funny" adult cartoons, but Saturday's got the better stuff, IMHO)

      It's worth noting, however, that last Saturday they had a Bebop-a-thon - the entire 3-hour block for Adult Swim was all Bebop cartoons, and unless I misunderstood the scheduling, they're doing it again this Saturday. Last Saturday's 'thon had Fallen Angels in it; I donn't know if they're repeating the same episodes this Saturday, but it's worth watching to find out :)

      --
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    3. Re:I just caught this show on cartoon network by ethereal · · Score: 1

      This past Saturday seemed to be all the "plot" episodes, touching on Spike, Vicious, and the syndicate, from the first episode, to "Ganymede Elegy", to the last two episodes.

      Next weekend is supposed to be "fan favorites"; don't know if that's going to be the same or not.

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      Your right to not believe: Americans United for Separation of Church and

    4. Re:I just caught this show on cartoon network by Dexx · · Score: 1

      I have to agree about "Ballad of Fallen Angels". That one scene is just mindblowing.

      Another nifty shot is the standoff where Vicious has the sword to Spike's shoulder and Spike has his gun on Vicious'. The demonic look on the "hero's" face is a bit chilling..

      --
      Feel the fear and do it anyway.
    5. Re:I just caught this show on cartoon network by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      After seeing this episode, all I could say was WOW. BTW, this is not the only one I have seen that caused that reaction. Very few things I have seen do this to me.

    6. Re:I just caught this show on cartoon network by Foosinho · · Score: 1

      I just started watching "Fallen Angels" on my TiVo this morning before I came in to work. Only got a few minutes in - I can't wait to see the rest now!

      This is easily the best Anime series I've ever seen. Real drama, suspense, and a good sci-fi setting. Awesome characters too, especially the more I see of it.

      I dig Sealab 2021 on Sunday's Adult Swim. Funny shit, and Erik Estrada providing some voice talent to boot!

    7. Re:I just caught this show on cartoon network by JahToasted · · Score: 2

      Troll? why the hell is that a troll man? This place is weird sometimes....

    8. Re:I just caught this show on cartoon network by timlee · · Score: 1

      It seems to me that Cartoon Network is trying to promote a few of their series by showing a straight 3 hour block of a single one. The past week was been Yu-yu Hakusho. This week was Cowboy Bebop. I also think I remember a 3 hour block of Pilot Candidate thrown in there somewhere before Yu-yu Hakusho.

      This is a pretty effective strategy IMO because I rarely like to just watch just one episode at a time. Putting in a whole three hour block makes more sense because it allows viewers to see plot development and sort of get the whole picture (eg they don't like one episode but really like the next one).

  7. Bah! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I live in the New York area, and I'm a big Cowboy Bebop fan, but I probably won't be able to attend the screening; the first day of classes at my University is two days later.

    I wonder how much scheduling this at the very end of August is going to interfere with their audience's ability to attend?

  8. of course it has to be dubbed (nt) by Edmund+Blackadder · · Score: 1

    nt

  9. what's the big fuss? by myc · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Recently I watched episode one on cartoon network, wanting to know what the big fuss was about cowboy bebop. I was disappointed. this is not a troll....what is the big fuss about this series? It seems not too unlike most anime...lots of violence and implied sexual imagry. In fact what is the big deal about anime in general? I admit there is some interesting artwork but that is about all I can find interesting about most of it.
    come to think of it that's about all you get from most hollywood fare these days, too :P

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    NO CARRIER
    1. Re:what's the big fuss? by pogle · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Bebop on cartoon network rather sucks. Edited and such. A lot of it is very funny, and needs to be watched in Japanese with english subs. Much better that way. The japanese voice acting is better, and the translations to english too. The English dubbing just irritates me to where I cant watch it.

      The movie is good, seems like an abnormally long episode, but funny and interesting like almost all the bebop episodes. I think its supposed to take place between eps 22 and 23, but I'm not sure exactly.

      --
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    2. Re:what's the big fuss? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The problem a lot of people have with anime, is that shows tend to have plots where you have to watch them start to finish - every episode.

      Watch a full series like Serial Experiments Lain or Neon Genisis Evangelion which both have great plotlines throughout their entirety.

      Or, what a series called Berserk. It has hands down some of the best character developement I've ever seen out of a television series (animated or not) and a very cool plot (the first episode doesn't make ANY sense unless you watch every other episode in the series). Plus, it's got great action scenes :-)

    3. Re:what's the big fuss? by CaffeineAddict2001 · · Score: 2

      Cowboy bebop had an excellent plot line. Maybe you just fast forwarded through it all looking for violence and nudity?

    4. Re:what's the big fuss? by A+Cheese+Danish · · Score: 1

      I think that anime, for most of us who read /., is a way to reach our childhood again. We all watched cartoons when we were little, and people try so hard at finding their childhood again and trying to recapture it. The success of the revamped comic versions of Transformers, G.I.Joe, Thundercats, and Battle of the Planets speaks this out.

      However, we as people have matured and anime has filled in the gap, giving us adult themes to satisfy our need to be entertained at our intelectual level, and the cartoons that make us feel like a kid again.

      Granted, it's not for everyone, but for some, it's the way to finding that lost youth that so many people spends their lives trying to find, and I figure, if you can find it as soon as possible, you're better off than most.

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    5. Re:what's the big fuss? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bah, screw that. I still watch cartoons. Some anime is worth watching, some is not, much like cartoons. Bebop happens to be worth watching. Ghost in the Shell? Excellent movie. Then you get crap like Devilman, which I will forever blame my housemate for forcing me to watch. So, much like anything else: there's good and bad, and to judge the entire genre by one member is shallow.

      But you knew that.

    6. Re:what's the big fuss? by The_Shadows · · Score: 1

      Serial Experiments: Lain is simply a wonderful series. I would recommend it to almost anyone. Especially anyone who likes screwed up anime. Lain makes some sense the first time through, but when it ends, it justs clicks.

      But that's just my $.02.

    7. Re:what's the big fuss? by Thakandar2 · · Score: 1

      Watching one episode of a limited series of Cowboy Bebop is like watching a random 5 minutes of a movie and judging it based on that one instance. A series like Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Trigun, or any other GOOD anime series is something thats better enjoyed by watching from the beginning, where the viewer can appreciate the slow changes and introduction that makes interesting characters, plot, and interaction interesting... like any other movie, show, play, book, etc etc.

      Anime is not exempt from the so called Spurgeon's Revelation: In any given medium, about 95% of something is going to be a bunch of crap (paraphrased). Not all movies from Hollywood are Oscar worthy, not all TV shows are Emmy winners, not all plays or musicals will win Tonys, and not all Anime is great.

      Cowboy Bebop, if watched with an open mind in the beginning, instead of the seemingly closed mind of the parent post, is clearly better than a large amount of anime thanks to the humor, style and direction, spectacular soundtrack, and gripping characters.

    8. Re:what's the big fuss? by CynicTheHedgehog · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Anime are cartoon dramas. In America you have a strict dichotomy between adult content (NYPD Blue, General Hospital) and child content (Spongebob Squarepants). In Japan, everyone watches anime--each show has elements that appeal to all age groups. Thay are cartoons and feature cartoon violence and expressions, which kids can relate to, on top of which is stacked teen angst and sexual innuendo (to capture the adolescent market), and if you're really lucky, you'll occasionally get a show with some kind of unrequieted love that appeals to a more mature audience.

      To really enjoy it you have to allow yourself to indulge in slapstick humor and sexual comedy. Sure, we like to imagine that we are a cultured, civilized poeople who don't appreciate that sort of thing, but if you take the stick out of your ass and allow yourself to be entertained it's usually worth it.

    9. Re:what's the big fuss? by Thakandar2 · · Score: 1

      Forgot to add... Cartoon Network is like a butcher's block for anime. You never see the whole picture or hear the correct translation because we "Westerners" would never be able to understand it, or enjoy it, so they "westernize" it. Definitly subtracts from the expierience.

    10. Re:what's the big fuss? by vidnet · · Score: 1
      Recently I watched episode one on cartoon network, wanting to know what the big fuss was about cowboy bebop. I was disappointed. this is not a troll....what is the big fuss about this series? It seems not too unlike most anime...lots of violence and implied sexual imagry. In fact what is the big deal about anime in general? I admit there is some interesting artwork but that is about all I can find interesting about most of it.

      Anyways, I watch Anime movies because they come from "Bizarro-Hollywood" (ref Seinfeld). They're just like american movies, just completly different.
      It blows my mind, and I like getting blown.

    11. Re:what's the big fuss? by Darth+Yoshi · · Score: 1
      Anime is not exempt from the so called Spurgeon's Revelation: In any given medium, about 95% of something is going to be a bunch of crap (paraphrased).

      Correction. That should be Sturgeon's Law, "Ninety percent of everything is crap".

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      // TODO: fix sig
    12. Re:what's the big fuss? by bludstone · · Score: 1

      there are very _Very_ few edits in the tv broadcast of bebop. A couple bare breasts and the blood from someone being shot in the head, but you still see the bullet hole.. You cant really call it hackslashed.

      The dub is considered one of the best around.. i rather like it. It does, however, still fall to the "strange pace of talking" that anime dubs often do.

      stupid lipflap.

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      no .sig
    13. Re:what's the big fuss? by Yunzil · · Score: 5, Interesting
      what is the big fuss about this series?

      I am not a huge anime fan. In fact, I think most of it is crap (Sturgeon's Law?), but having said that, I really like Cowboy Bebop. Why? Well...
      • The characters are distinct and have real personalities. Each one has a sad past that you gradually learn about through the series. By the end, I actually felt bad for Faye.
      • The premise is a little different as the series isn't about 1) mecha, 2) big-eyed teenage girls or 3) tentacle pr0n.
      • There are only 26 episodes, so it doesn't go on forever like some series I could mention *cough*DBZ*cough*.
      • While there is an underlying plot to the series, each episode is more-or-less self-contained; so if you miss an episode, you're not completely lost.
      • I don't speak Japanese and I don't really want to watch subtitles, so it's fortunate that the English dubbing really is quite good.
      • The music is very good. 'Waltz for Zizi', for example, is a very pretty song.
      • It is very artistic. The very first scene in the first episode and the very last scene of the last episode (to take two at random :)) are well done. There are some episodes as a whole that were very well done. 'Pierrot Le Fou' comes to mind. And finally...
      • It had Ein. :)
      I could go on, but these are the biggest reasons I can think of right now.

    14. Re:what's the big fuss? by duckie13 · · Score: 1

      That's correct, from what I've heard. I can't remember where, but I remember reading that the movie takes place between DVD's 5 and 6, which would in fact be eps 22 and 23.

      Very awesome movie from the fansub that I've seen, though honestly I haven't checked out the dub of the series at all. It doesn't matter though, because I MUST go see this - thank god I live in New York :D

      --
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    15. Re:what's the big fuss? by Dukebytes · · Score: 1
      I can understand your thoughts regarding CB and anime in general. You apparently don't care for it and that's fine. I really like anime. But that's me.

      If your generalizing CB to "not too unlike most anime..." then you don't really follow anime. That would be like saying Heinlein and Clark write about the same stuff...

      What I don't understand is why this was modded up.

      Nothing personal, this is not a troll either. But really, who cares that much if you like Cowboy Bebop or not. This was a post about a movie that is coming out based on a cartoon. You gotta love that if you love the cartoon.

      I'm a hardware guy and I usually just skim over the software/development related stuff on this site. I have posted to some of the software stuff - trying to be funny and pick on the coders a bit :) But I never see stuff modded up if is it basically just a personal opinion. Sorry just picking again I guess.

      But, I'm 36 years old and I'll be there in the theater seeing this one on the big screen. I think that its a good idea and will be interested to see how it works out - just my opinion tho... w00t

      Duke

      --

      FreeBSD: Nothing runs like a daemon with a pitch fork.
    16. Re:what's the big fuss? by thedbp · · Score: 2

      Here's the problem: you watched it on Cartoon Network, all chopped up with commercials.

      Rent or buy the DVDs - its worth it. i don't even really like anime all that much (i respect it as an art form, but most of it just doesn't impress me enough to keep watching), but I really dig on Cowboy Bebop.

      And the Bebob dub is OK. Its better than most other dubs out there. I've seen the movie plenty on DVD, and I'd LOVE to get the chance to see it on the big screen.

      now as soon as they get CB in the IMAX theatre, i'll be a real happy camper.

    17. Re:what's the big fuss? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But as is the case in "real" movies, popularity, special effects, sexual comedy and slapstick humor don't make up for a lack of good ol fashion plot.

      [Although the dog is awesome.]

    18. Re:what's the big fuss? by nomadic · · Score: 2

      In fact what is the big deal about anime in general?

      There is some very good anime, and there's a lot of bad anime; it follows Sturgeon's Law just like everything else. Unfortunately most anime fans seem to lack any critical ability when judging anime, so I think a lot of people are turned off when they turn on something that they've heard raved about, then find it isn't that good.

      Personally I think Bebop is great, but I a) first watched it on DVD, which is always at least a little better than the tv versions, and b) recognize that not everyone shares my tastes. Don't give up on anime because of it, I'd just recommend you try renting a different title.

    19. Re:what's the big fuss? by maomoondog · · Score: 1

      Not being too tied to American Mainstream means that anime has a lot of themes that aren't explored well in hollywood and network TV crap. These may be old hat in Japan, but having series that focus on pacifist heroes (Kenshin, Trigun) or psychological pressures between children and society (Evangelian) were pretty new to me. Maybe they just seem really well done because I haven't seen them tried before extensively.

      As for Bebop specifically: it's a pop culture send-off largely. Watch for scene for scene recreations from Bruce Lee's kung fu movies, homages to old noir films, and best of all Yoko Kanno's experimenting with American musical forms. Plus, the weightless, unattached nature of the main characters' lives plays into some subtle points in some of the episodes that i think are a lot deeper than people are expecting, at least when they watch the kid-ified cartoon network version...

    20. Re:what's the big fuss? by Moofie · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It would be difficult to really "get" what Cowboy Bebop is about by only watching one episode. The series has a very definite direction. The first episodes are pretty light and funny, and start introducing the characters. As the show proceeds, you really get to delve into what makes these people tick, and some of it is pretty heavy stuff.

      So, fair enough, I can totally understand why you wouldn't catch what the fuss was about after only one random episode. I'd encourage you to go rent the first DVD and start from the beginning...you'll have a much better experience.

      And as far as there being a big deal about anime in general, I'd suggest to you that you not think of "anime" as a genre unto itself. There are good movies and TV shows that happen to be animated, and there's also a bunch of crap out there.

      Anime is a medium, not a genre.

      --
      Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
    21. Re:what's the big fuss? by sparkchaser · · Score: 1

      The show isn't for everyone. I was lucky and caught it at Episode 1. I was instantly hooked.

      The things that struck me most about Bebop were:

      1. The soundtrack/score is absolutely wonderful. The music in episode 5 (Ballad of Fallen Angels Pt. I) is "good movie" good.
      2. The background and details. I really like how the details of "the gate accident" and how the gates work are never revealed. They're just there.
      3. The storyline is great; the way the whole series ends is....perfect.

      rob

    22. Re:what's the big fuss? by _Sprocket_ · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I think that anime, for most of us who read /., is a way to reach our childhood again. We all watched cartoons when we were little, and people try so hard at finding their childhood again and trying to recapture it. The success of the revamped comic versions of Transformers, G.I.Joe, Thundercats, and Battle of the Planets speaks this out.
      I have to strongly disagree with this.

      First, it falls in to the usual US cultural trap of labeling all animation as "cartoons for kids". While there is more than ample evidence of "kids cartoons" from the likes of Hanna Barbarra, there is plenty of adult content in other animated works. Disney's classics are wonderful artworks. And many of the unedited Warner Bros. classics are full of humor and cultural references that only an adult (with some idea of history) will likely catch. Even some of the later cartoons such as Animaniacs packed in adult references. Of course, that completely ignores animation that is entirely of an adult nature - such as Heavy Metal.

      Of course - when I was a kid, I hated Transformers, G.I. Joe, and Thundercats. I wasn't overly fond of Battle of the Planets. But I loved Robotech (especially the feeling of depth during space combat scenes). I find anime interesting because of its style, concepts, and because it doesn't fall in to the trap of being "just for kids" all the time.

      One final comment - nostalgia exists. I fall in to it myself. I occasionally catch The A-Team and CHiPs on TV. Sometimes I'll catch some cartoon I remember from childhood. I think I probably enjoy Space Ghost Coast to Coast partly because of its mocking 70s-era cartoons (or at least the Space Ghost series). But I've always appreciated animation and have no illusion that any current appreciation is induced by a desire to revisit my childhood.
    23. Re:what's the big fuss? by duckie13 · · Score: 1
      While there is an underlying plot to the series, each episode is more-or-less self-contained; so if you miss an episode, you're not completely lost.


      Exactly. I've watched the entire series from start to finish, without missing an episode. If you look at it though, you only need 5 episodes to watch the series and get the "main" storyline (that of Spike, Julia, and Vicious):
      • Session 5 - Ballad of Fallen Angels
      • Session 12 - Jupiter Jazz Pt. 1
      • Session 13 - Jupiter Jazz Pt. 2
      • Session 25 - The Real Folk Blues Pt. 1
      • Session 26 - The Real Folk Blues Pt. 2
      The rest of the series is really just there for character development, and to go into storylines about everyone besides Spike. They are in NO way bad episodes at all (there is no such thing when talking about CowBe). It just offers the ability to not know much about the storyline, but still be able to watch an episode at random and get into it and like it, with a possibly minor explanataion of who the characters are.

      However, the character development that does take place through all 26 episodes was so strong, and I ended up liking them so much (to the point where I felt emotionally attached to them), that by the time the series was over, I was completely sad and heartbroken that it was done, and I wanted more.

      This whole thing is making me want to watch the entire series over again. THAT'S how good the show is - it can make me want to go back and watch another 9 or so hours of it all over again, and feel like the first time I've seen it.

      I think we'll spend a weekend watching it sometime soon :D
      --
      "My days are less enjoyable because of people." ~ Johnny the Homicidal Maniac
    24. Re:what's the big fuss? by Fishstick · · Score: 2

      >The characters are distinct and have real personalities. Each one has a sad past that you gradually learn about through the series.

      Except Edward? Apart from the episide where she is introduced, Ed seems to be there for mainly comic relief. Too bad, too. I thought her character had lots of possibilities, and apart from that chessmaster episode, she doesn't really seem to have much of a role at all.

      (although, I haven't seen *all* of the episodes - CN disrupted the start-to-finish airing a couple weeks ago and I've lost track).

      --

      There is much cruelty in the universe, John.
      Yeah, we seem to have the tour map.

    25. Re:what's the big fuss? by ronfar · · Score: 1
      Hmm...

      Assumption: You haven't seen "Mushroom Samba."

      "Mushroom Samba" is my favorite episode of Cowboy Bebop, and it is a big Ed episode.

      Of course, I can wonder if they might not of shown it on Cartoon Network due to the heavy drug use. I saw it on one of my brother's DVDs

      --
      All the creatures will die, And all the things will be broken. That's the law of samurai. (Jubai, 1605)
    26. Re:what's the big fuss? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mushroom Samba's been aired several times.

      The only episode of Bebop that has yet to be aired is one I can't remember the name of. The one with the white-haired cowboy that involved, IIRC, terrorists attacking some buildings.

    27. Re:what's the big fuss? by Fishstick · · Score: 1

      Doesn't ring a bell. I figured there was some editing going on, perhaps an episode or two missing.

      I'm really into this show and I plan to save my nickels and buy DVD when I can.

      --

      There is much cruelty in the universe, John.
      Yeah, we seem to have the tour map.

    28. Re:what's the big fuss? by Rand+Race · · Score: 1
      IIRC - I was very high - Cartoon Network showed all 5 of those episodes, plus the first ep, this past Saturday night.

      My SO commented after we watched Wings of Honomoise (I don't even know how that's spelled) last week that the anime on Cartoon Net wasn't ever even close to that quality. So I sat her down Saturday and made her watch those eps of Bebop. She was quite impressed.

      I think she may be ready for Lain now...

      --
      Insanity is the last line of defence for the master diplomat. But you have to lay the groundwork early.
    29. Re:what's the big fuss? by MeNTyFReSh · · Score: 1
      Saying that you saw only the first Episode of a 26 + 1 movie anime series and wondering what all the fuss is about doesnt give you any right to judge the series. If people were to watch the first Sienfield Only or first friends episode they might not state that the those 2 shows are good at all. With anime you have to actually go through the whole series before you can judge. Plots and new characters are added periodically which enhances what we watch in the series.

      Anime is created for entertainment and it accomplishes that very well. I'm now pretty much hooked on anime, after seeing Cowboy bebop, i later looked in to Trigun ( Another great anime ), And those the drive kept coming forcing me to find more and more anime. To say that anime came from hollywood causes me to believe that you have no idea what your talking about.

      People should know that there are Free Fan Subs out there and that they should go onto any P2P and download them if they have no idea what anime is.

      --

      "Eat right, Exercise daily, Die anyways."
      http://www.10angrygamers.com Where purple monkeys attack!!

    30. Re:what's the big fuss? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      God I wish I had moderator points for this guy.

    31. Re:what's the big fuss? by Mentally_Overclocked · · Score: 1

      A lot of anime, at least the stuff that seems to be most worth watching, usually has mostly to do with character development and interactions. If you have ever had an interest in seeing other titles some good ones, in my opinion, include Neon Genesis Evangelion, Outlaw Star, Record of Lodoss War, and 08th MS Team. Just to name a few. Usually if a series lasts a season (or less) they are more character based in my experiences.

      --

      Mathematician, n.:
      Someone who believes imaginary things appear right before your i's.
    32. Re:what's the big fuss? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Substitute "rock and roll", "Prime Time TV" or "Hollywood movies" for "anime" and your post would still be completely coherent. Some people just don't like the genre, the same way others hate R&R.

      For me, good anime is a visual feast far surpassing the pastelized McAnimation from Disney and others. At it's best it excels in creating complete, imaginary worlds rivaling anything film has to offer. However, for depth of concept books still the only reliable source.

    33. Re:what's the big fuss? by kalidasa · · Score: 1

      1. It's basically hard science fiction (ok, they have hyperspace, but it's used entirely in an interplanetary setting in the series, though there are one or two hints of interstellar travel). It's set in a terraformed Solar System infested by gangs, ubiquitous crime, and a somewhat corrupt interplanetary police force.

      2. The characterization is excellent, especially of the three main characters (Spike, Jet, Faye).

      3. The music is good; some of it is very good.

      4. The drawing is very high quality, especially for anime.

      5. The whole thing is 24 hours of episodes laying the groundwork for one very, very powerful finale.

      6. The early episodes are mediocre. It doesn't really get good until they introduce Radical Edward (it's more the idea of the AI doodling on the Earth's surface to replace the Nazca Lines that were eroded by reentering debris from the gate accident that caught me, than the character of Radical Edward, who's comic relief of a kind that I suspect goes over better in Japan than in the US).

    34. Re:what's the big fuss? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Anime are cartoon dramas. In America you have a strict dichotomy between adult content (NYPD Blue, General Hospital) and child content (Spongebob Squarepants). In Japan, everyone watches anime--each show has elements that appeal to all age groups.
      This is not true for two reasons:

      1. Anime are not necessarily cartoon "dramas". They are cartoons, period. Anybody who likes to think they are by definition the more mature counterpart to our American toons is deluding themself. And anybody who's actually been to Japan can tell you that they use the word "anime" to refer both to Cowboy Bebop and Tom & Jerry.

      2. Not everyone in Japan watches anime. If by that you mean "there are people from every age and gender group that watch anime in Japan", that's fine, but we have that in the USA also. What a lot of American anime fans don't like to admit is that it is (outside of hentai) children's entertainment. You are expected to "grow out" of anime in Japan by a certain age, and if not, you are labeled the "o" word that American fans ridiculously don with pride. Reading manga is OK, even into old age, but anime, for right or wrong, is treated differently. The only acceptable anime for an adult to watch would be Sazae-san or Salaryman Kintaro or the like. It is NOT accepted for an adult to be a fan of Pita-ten, or Tokyo Mew Mew, or Chobits, or Sailor Moon or whatever. Just watch the commercials found in anime, even the "adult" anime that shows at 2 in the morning on TV Tokyo, and you'll see who it's aimed to.

      Having said that, I have seen all of those shows, liked them quite a bit. I'm just not trying to justify my social deviance, whatever that term means.
    35. Re:what's the big fuss? by jafac · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Things I like about Cowboy Bebop:

      It's a "modern" Anime with a "retro" look. The sets, vehicles, design, etc. all is super-detailed, nicely drafted, but the characters follow the more cartoony approach of 70's-era anime like "Speed Racer" and "Star Blazer", "Battle of the Planets" (um Gachaman, Space Cruiser Yamato, and Go Go Go, IIRC). Or even Lupin.
      Not that there's anything wrong with the Shirow-ites of the 90's. The more realistic approach is cool too - but it lacks a little bit of that light-hearted "life" of the older style.

      The main characters are extremely likeable, the stories are about as deep as you can go within a half-hour framework. There's an arc, that comes to a tragic end in the last episode.

      The action, is typical edge-of-your-seat anime.

      There's good music too.

      In fact, I think pretty much everything that I like about CB, I also like about Lupin.
      (btw - Steven Speilberg was quoted back in the 80's as saying that Lupin III: Castle Cagliostro was the greatest action/adventure movie of all time, I happen to agree).

      --

      These are my friends, See how they glisten. See this one shine, how he smiles in the light.
    36. Re:what's the big fuss? by CynicTheHedgehog · · Score: 2

      You have a few good points, but we're talking apples and oranges. Nearly all of the anime I have been exposed to (40 shows or so) has been serialized. In America you don't have concepts like "original flavor" or "OVA". In America, all kids' shows are original flavor. Serialization is reserved for late night dramas. I honestly can't see kids caring about who gets with who or whether or not Keitaro and Naru kiss.

      And then you have to look at the subjects of anime. Sure, Card Captor Sakura is about little kids--great, it's a kids' anime. But then you get into stuff like Marmolade Boy and To Heart and you have to wonder what kid in his right mind would sit through 30 minutes of panning shots of the school and sakura blossoms.

      That, and I have to argue with your broad categorization. I haven't seen any of the shows you listed--mostly because they looked childish. I'm not talking Voltron here--the stuff I'm talking about is Bebop, Trigun, Tenchi, Love Hina, Onegai Teacher, Noir...the list goes on. They all have some pretty adult themes, and they're all direct adaptations of manga (well, Tenchi is a special case).

      But I'm not going to argue that everyone watches it. I meant all ages, and I still believe that that is the case. I find it immensely enjoyable, even though anime suffers from the same (or worse) social stigma in the states. I have a hard time thinking that it's that much different over there.

    37. Re:what's the big fuss? by anocow · · Score: 1

      > In Japan, everyone watches anime

      that is so untrue. when i told japanese people that i used to watch animes while i was back in the states, they all look at me like i'm some kind of freak :p everyone may watch anime movies (such as Cowboy Bebop, which btw didn't do too well in the theaters here, and Mononoke Hime), but that doesn't equate to everyone watching the TV series.

      but if you said everyone read manga's then i would more or less agree with that...

      regarding the movie, it's not bad, but it's long and slow :p

    38. Re:what's the big fuss? by TheKey · · Score: 1

      Hm. I disagree. While I admit to not having seen the subtitled version, I think the English dubbed version is nearly I perfect. The cuts may effect the viewing experience, but the acting is surely not bad in the English version.

      --
      My Journal - 1,337 fans and countin
    39. Re:what's the big fuss? by esper_child · · Score: 1

      there are better Lupin III movies in my opinion. I liked both Dark Order of Assassination and In Memory of Walther P-38 better. I can't say for certain that those are the best ones, as I still haven't seen three of the Lupin movies (nore the different TV serieses, and the comic book by Monkey Punch is pretty hard for me to get my hands on). However Castle Cagliostro ranks about 4th or 5th in my list of Lupin movies.
      Lupin III is one of my favorite series of movies to watch, and I would really like to see more of it come out over here. For all of those that haven't seen any of this series, you should go rent/buy Castle Cagliostro. Someone released Mystery of Momo over here (can't remember who) on DVD. All other ones over here have been titled Rupin III: whatever, and are available from Animego (or where when I got them).

      But back to the subject of Cowboy Bebop. I thought Cowboy Bebop TV series was pretty good, but you couldn't pay me to sit through that movie again, I though it was pretty poor. I couldn't watch it in one sitting, and will never watch it again. I thossed the fansub in the same bin as the Kenshin movie, Escaflowne Movie, and most of the Evangelion series (Death/Rebirth and a few episodes were all that I saved for later veiwing).

      I hereby petition that someone bring Hell Teacher Nube to the US and somehow get it to me on DVD (I care not if it has English subs or is in strait Japanese) This is IMHO the greatest anime TV series ever. I have yet to see anything brought over here that could compare (however I know of a few things that have been liscenced for release over here that are on my instant buy list (Tiny Snow Fairy Sugar, Hellsing and Vol 2 of Goldenboy :) If someone could point me to where I can get fansubs or DVDs of this series I would be very greatful.

    40. Re:what's the big fuss? by esper_child · · Score: 1

      I think that was the only episode I didn't like either. But I understand why they don't air it, do you know how many wackos would be writing in about someone blowing up a set of twin towers? They would say that it was made directly to mock the attack on the WTC last year (I refuse to refer to it as 9/11 I think it sounds stupid as fuck and very US-centric. pisses me off to no end that people have to call it that. but enough of that ranting). There was talk of a perminant cancelation of Cowboy Bebop over here in light of that incident. But luckfully it didn't happen, as Cowboy bebop seems to be the best thing that Cartoon network can seem to get their hands on, except maybe outlaw star. I doubt you will see the cowboy episode any time soon, watching mushroom samba again instead is worth the exchange :)

    41. Re:what's the big fuss? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you hit it right on the mark..

      i don't watch much anime. in fact, I hated Ghost in the Shell. but Cowboy Bebop is an incredible series. The style, the motion, the character development and history, the music. It's incredible. I just wish more anime was closer to Cowboy Bebop than DragonBallZ

  10. Cowboy Bebop by batboy78 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Not to sound like a troll, but Cowboy Bebop is being posted in Alt.binaries.anime.vcd on USENET. Its being posted in SVCD format, but please support the creators by purchasing the DVD. This is a good opportunity to preview it before your purchase, and you know you will.

  11. What's with all this anime news lately? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Who cares? It all sucks. Anyone tried watching Dragonball-Z without smoking crack at the same time? Why are they always pulsating and sweating, but just standing in one place acting like they're all constipated?

    1. Re:What's with all this anime news lately? by Cacophony · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      You think this sucks. I read the headline "Cowboy *Neal*: The Movie." Boy am I relieved.

    2. Re:What's with all this anime news lately? by RyuuzakiTetsuya · · Score: 1

      That's because DBZ licks BALLS and Cowboy Bebop is quality entertainment with a wonderful music score?

      --
      Non impediti ratione cogitationus.
  12. how?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    how did they make a movie when spike dies at the end of the TV show?

    1. Re:how?? by koozbane · · Score: 1

      The cowboy bebop movie takes place between episodes 22 and 23. Oh and thanks for ruining the ending for those who haven't seen the all the sessions yet, troll.

      --
      "I'm a slave of Karma, Spin the Wheel and I'm a king reborn."
    2. Re:how?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      yes because every episode isnt self contained jack ass. i can see how that would ruin it for people.

    3. Re:how?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh, like it is a big surprise. Practically every serious anime series that comes from Japan has the hero die at the end. That gets really old, really fast and is really annoying. People dig into American movies for always having happy endings, but Japan does practically the same thing with their heroes dying left and right.

    4. Re:how?? by Buck+Naked · · Score: 1

      ahh yes, but which hero????

      --
      WWJDFAKB - What would Jesus do for a Klondike Bar?
  13. Ok.. by iONiUM · · Score: 1

    I think Yoko Kanno being there is pretty much warrent in itself to go. Her music is just incredible (you like Macross Plus right? :), and her work on bebop was also incredible. Honostly, there's very little I could say that could show the magnitude of her music talent.

    1. Re:Ok.. by nachobel · · Score: 1

      Amen brother! Yoko Kanno is the most amazing composer I have ever heard. Not because of her mastery of just _one_ style of music, but because of her extremely adept skills at writing music for every different genre, that fits incredibly well with the anime or commercial or video game that she is writing for. Meeting her would be beYOND unbelievable, and my only wish at this moment is that I didn't live in michigan.... [nachobel->

  14. amazing by tps12 · · Score: 3, Informative

    I am a huge Bebop fan (as I'm sure many here on Slashdot are), and since I'm only a couple hours from New York, I may actually be able to attend this.

    For those who have not seen CB: drop what you are doing, go out, and pick up all the episodes and the movie on DVD. You will not regret it. This is what movie-making is all about.

    Cowboy is also known for its excellent English dubs. Many fans prefer the English voice acting (at least for some characters) to the original Japanese soundtrack. If you were disappointed by the dubbing of Akira, do not dispair: Bebop really is better.

    My one reservation is in regards to the graphic violence that pervades CB. It is really a cultural thing, and won't be very shocking to anime aficionados. However, it is likely to put many American viewers off. Hopefully, they will remove some of the more gruesome scenes, or perhaps reanimate them so as to be less offensive to a sensible audience.

    See you space cowboy... (that's what it always says after each episode!)

    --

    Karma: Good (despite my invention of the Karma: sig)
    1. Re:amazing by parliboy · · Score: 2

      It's not strictly a cultural thing. Didn't like half of the episodes not even air on Japanese television because of how extreme some of it was?

      --
      "You're never ready, just less unprepared."
    2. Re:amazing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >>by tps12 on Monday July 22, @10:45AM (#3930083)
      >>I am a huge Bebop fan (as I'm sure many here on
      >>Slashdot are),

      Not likely. More precise, in the paraphrased words of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, "You are a fucking DORK."

    3. Re:amazing by Yunzil · · Score: 2

      See you space cowboy... (that's what it always says after each episode!)

      Not always. :) Once it said "Easy Come, Easy Go".

    4. Re:amazing by Anonymous+Cow+herd · · Score: 1

      Actually, I believe only the first episode was not broadcast. I could be wrong on this though...

      --
      Ita erat quando hic adveni.
    5. Re:amazing by ethereal · · Score: 1

      "See you sometime, somewhere space cowgirl!"

      And, last night (final episode, yay I finally caught it!): "You're Gonna Carry That Weight".

      --

      Your right to not believe: Americans United for Separation of Church and

    6. Re:amazing by Zueski · · Score: 1

      I normally don't post comments like this, but the suggestion that they take out parts to not offend people is just plain dumb. The people who would buy it *want* to see all of it, not what some censor decided was offensive.

      --
      please don't feed the monkey
    7. Re:amazing by digitalsushi · · Score: 3, Funny
      If you were disappointed by the dubbing of Akira, do not dispair: Bebop really is better.

      Hearing the voice Tetsuo was surreal after realizing he was the main character of a very child-oriented, VERY popular anime for almost 4 gigabytes... er... 100 episodes (i assure you I have no idea how large all of the mpegs would be... er, assuming there even are mpegs) Hearing Josh swearing in the same voice was more amusing after considering the interesting sound bytes that could be meshed together. Which would be a good project for a rabid taiora, but linking to that would demand of me posting anonymously.

      --
      slashdot: where everyone yells sarcastic metaphors to themselves to understand the issue
  15. She's a great guest too! by Thag · · Score: 3, Informative

    We had her as a guest of honor at OTAKON a few years back, and she was really nice.

    Hopefully she'll do some live music at the NYC con.

    Gotta finish the graphic for my Cowboy Bebop "best of" CD... (Note: I bought all the Japanese CDs, so don't even start...).

    Jon Acheson

    --
    All opinions expressed herein are my own, and not those of my employers, who are appalled.
    1. Re:She's a great guest too! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Damn John!

      Ya beat me to it! : )

      Yes, she is a great guest.

      Matthew J. Smith

  16. true, but by neonowl+jerm · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The reason I prefer subtitled versus dubbed anime has as much to do with the changes in the interpretations of the characters that the American voice actors take than it does with the actual quality of their voice acting.

    For example, I saw Cowboy Bebop subbed first, and then watched it when it started running on The Cartoon Network, and the subtle difference in the way the characters voice their lines as well as the slight diologue changes was enough to give the characters and plot a very different feel. Being used to the "Japanese versions" of the characters, I felt that some of Shinichiro Watanabe's vision was lost in the translation to English. Plus, I just found American Ed to be annoying. =)

    Granted, I'll still be first in line to see Bebop on the big screen if it has a wider release.

    1. Re:true, but by Tyler+Durden · · Score: 1

      I always hate how they put subtitles on DVDs I've seen. Both on Princess Mononoke (which I rented) and the Cowboy Bebop series (that I own) they use these shimmering yellow letters which are impossible to read unless you get right up to the screen and miss all of the action.

      I'm alway torn between the English and Japanese voices on CB. I personally prefer the American Ed. Anything involving fights has to be in Japanese. The laugh of Mad Pierot (sp?) has to be heard in Japanese. The conversation between Vicious and The Van in Jupiter Jazz Pt. I needs the Japanese. When Mao Yen Rai meets with the other Capo in Ballad of Fallen Angels it sounds better in English because they add echoes to the voices to compensate for the large room. Etc., etc.

      Anyways, the point is that I'm always switching between English and Japanese when watching some episodes on DVD.

      Yes I realize that I'm way too into the series.

      --
      Happy people make bad consumers.
    2. Re:true, but by reduced · · Score: 1

      you didnt find the japanese ed annoying?

    3. Re:true, but by Henry+V+.009 · · Score: 1

      It's your player, not the DVDs.

    4. Re:true, but by Moofie · · Score: 1

      Well, I happen to believe that Radical Edward simply doesn't translate into English. I think she /needs/ that weird culture-shock thing in order to be funny. When I saw the dub, I just thought she was creepy.

      Of course, the beautiful thing about DVD is that we can BOTH be happy. 'Slong as we don't watch the movie together.

      --
      Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
  17. I like it by SharkPork · · Score: 1

    I kinda like the series actually. The music was kick-ass, and has a way better storyline than a lot of "cartoons" that are on TV these days. Personally, I don't look at anime to be the be-all end-all of cinematic culture. It's just cool and fun to see in a niceley done animated form what you KNOW would be a horribly cheesy sci-fi movie if they tried to do it with real people.

    Since I'm way out here in Wisconsin, I doubt that I'll get to see this movie anytime soon. But what I'm Really waiting for is the Trigun Movie that I keep hearing about.

    --
    If you can read this, you are most likely close enough.
  18. ANIME USA by kyoko21 · · Score: 1

    Anime USA (anime convention in Northern Virginia) premiered the original fansub of the bebop movie last year all weekend (Oct 12-14). It was a surprise showing because we didn't even know it was going to be on the schedule and ended up changing it last minute.

    If you ever wanted to see some die hard fans, that was the weekend. Never could you cram 120+ people in a tiny little room with no AC and yet still ask them to sit through two hour of awesome bebop action.

    We also gave away 3 free copies of the fan sub version for 3 lucky attendees to take home.

  19. Need money! by Alizarin+Erythrosin · · Score: 1

    I love that movie... My kingdom for a plane ticket to New York!

    --
    There are only 10 kinds of people in this world... those who understand binary and those who don't
  20. Which episode did you watch? by Thag · · Score: 3, Informative

    I'm asking because Bebop has a pretty wide variety of episode styles. Some are cops and robbers in space, some are fairly violent, and others are just a lot of fun.

    I recommend trying a couple more episodes, especially since you're watching for free.

    As for anime in general, one of the big deals is variety. Anime is FAR, FAR more varied than you seem to be giving it credit for. There are kid's shows like pokemon, but there are also shows for older audiences. There are shows for guys, and shows for gals. There are dark, violent thrillers, but there are also flowery girly romances, and everything in between.

    One of the problems I find with people's view of anime is that it is formed by looking at what they see in video stores and comic shops, and the selection there tends to be skewed towards the violent, R-rated type of thing because that's what the shop owners think their audience is. A vicious circle, really.

    Three quick films for you to try to rent:

    Princess Mononoke - Violent, but also amazing. Humanity vs. Nature in a powerful story that examines both sides of the issue, and allows the audience to draw their own conclusions. By Studio Ghibli, probably the best animators currently working on Planet Earth.

    Kiki's Delivery Service and Totoro - By the same people that did Princess Mononoke, but these are both for children. Kiki is a young witch out on her own, but all she can do is fly a broom. So she starts a messenger service... Totaro is about two little girls living in the country who encounter a friendly and magical forest creature in the woods. Both are probably in the kid's section of your local Blockbuster.

    Jon Acheson

    --
    All opinions expressed herein are my own, and not those of my employers, who are appalled.
    1. Re:Which episode did you watch? by yeoua · · Score: 1

      Don't forget Grave of the Fireflies. That was one incredible anime... and also in Ebert's list of the best of the best movies, ever (along with Totoro).

      GotF is just insanely emotional. It got me worked up more than Shindler's List. Yet, its just so simple. Half the time there isn't even talking, yet its just incredibly difficult to watch and not shed a tear from the situational sadness.

      If you think a cartoon can't make you cry... try this one on for size. Not only one of the best anime i've ever seen, but one of the best movies i've ever seen... period.

  21. There is a lot of it by sam_handelman · · Score: 2

    Well, when you ask "what is the point of Anime", you should keep in mind that it's one of the largest culture-outputs of a nation of 130 million people (and Taiwan and Korea are starting to make it,) so there's a great deal of variety.

    Personally, I find Anime, particularly Cowboy Bebop, aesthetically pleasing. If you like good Camera Work more than substance in your movies (I do - I loved Minority Report even though I thought the plot was, frankly, stupid. I liked The Fugitive primarily for the cinematography, although it had many other good points,) than I recommend Cowboy Bebop.

    It is Eye Candy.

    Incidentally, I've seen priated copies of the Movie (good quality DivX,) and it's not better than the show. If you like the show, you'll like the movie, but the animation is about the same - a little more polished, but not a drastic improvement.

    --
    The good and new comes from no quarter where it is looked for, and is always something different from what is expected.
  22. Subscribe? by pgpckt · · Score: 2, Interesting


    I will subscribe when:

    A) Users can moderate stories, decide which ones get posted. No more tyranny of the minority (the moderators)

    B) Changes to the Slashdot system are documented (the recent change to the karma system for example) and there is a story posted about such chnages so I can voice my objections and be ON TOPIC (unlike this post, which is off-topic, since there is no on-topic place to post it)

    C) Stories that are rejected are accomplined with an explaination (seriously, use a drop-down menu. Pick the top 20 reasons, put them in said drop down menu. Pick one. Easy enough. Total coding time: less than one hour.

    D) Stories are spell/grammar checked by the editors, and links are checked. When a story is ready to be posted, no less than 3 minutes is spent trying to find out if it is a duplicate.

    When all that happens, I will pay. Not a second before.

    Please don't mod me as off topic. It is relevant to the sig of the parent, plus there really isn't an ontopic place to post it.

    --
    Lawrence Lessig is my personal hero.
    1. Re:Subscribe? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh for god's sake, quit your bitching and get a life. As pointed out many many many (did I say many?) times, this is not a democracy, and if you don't like the rules, you're welcome to leave.

      No, the editors do not have time to give you a reject reason, they're plenty busy as it is. If you wish for them to spellcheck everything, perhaps you're willing to pay for that time by subscribing. Otherwise, enjoy the FREE site, and shut the hell up.

      Oh and that "please don't mod me as offtopic" at the end is simply pathetic. Has begging gotten you far in life so far? I'm glad the "tyranny of the few" has moderated your whining down so that most people don't see it.

  23. dub by rakerman · · Score: 1

    English dub? Yuck.
    Letterboxed with subtitles below, that's the way to go.

    1. Re:dub by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sure, if you have a 4:3 display. But if you're in a movie theater there's no "below" to put the subtitles. I hate when people put the subtitles below the 16:9 movie. I can't watch it on my 16:9 TV then.

  24. big fuss about bebop by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    what i liked about bebop is that most of the eps didn't have any continuity. around 5-6 eps were really connected with each other, those eps having to do with spike and vicious' past. group of loaners gathered together trying to forget their past and get through the day. it was well made overall, especially the music. it always seem to nicely compliment the each scene.

    dubbed anime is annoying because most of the voice actors are horrible, they sound worse then the actors from star wars episode 2. this is mainly because american voice actors are usually unknowns and aspiring movie-actors while japanese voice are just that, professional voice actors.

    would you listen to your favorite song in it's original form, or listen to the remix made by a guy with poor skills?

  25. Cowboy by Drath · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    My roomate got me into this series last year, I like the anime well enough but the soundtrack that comes with the dvd box set is annoying as heck, seeing as that's the only cd my roomate ever listens to.

    Just what I want, jpop mixed with the japanese-obsession-with-American-80's music/pop-culture-tears-for-fears-esq garbage. Whoo.

    1. Re:Cowboy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The composer Yoko Kanno is an incredible composer who did about 6 completely different styles of music for Cowboy Bebop. The soundtrack is one of the most impressive of any series of TV shows ever. You roomate is cool, shut up and take it like a man.

    2. Re:Cowboy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Umm i think your thinking of sailor moon..most of the cowboy beebop music is blues and jazz

    3. Re:Cowboy by f8xmulder · · Score: 1
      Though I am definitely not into Japanese anime music for the most part, the Cowboy Bebop music is some of the best original jazzy/bluesy sound I've heard in a long time. Yoko Kanno is pretty well respected and doesn't write the kind of crap you're talking about...I agree, most of that stuff is gay jpop mixed with the japanese-obsession-with-American-80's music/pop-culture-tears-for-fears-esq garbage.

      Another good soundtrack to check out is for the anime Noir. I haven't seen the anime, but the music is pretty moody and there are some really good songs on there, although there is more singing than just plan instrumental pieces.

  26. This gets my +1 Funny by alienmole · · Score: 1

    It's the most concise and accurate description of DragonBall Z I've ever seen...

  27. Knocking on Heaven's Door? by JesFlemm · · Score: 1

    Is this just going to be a dub of the jap bebop movie "Cowboy Bebop: Knocking on Heaven's Door" or what? Because that movie is utter shite. It's just one long ass episode, with more dramatic pauses and violence.

  28. Worth Waiting For by John_Booty · · Score: 2

    I've seen the fair-quality DIVX (a little under 600MB, IIRC) that's available easily on the 'net. I also saw a 35MM subtitled showing at Anime Expo in Long Beach, CA this year.

    This is definitely a movie worth seeing in the theater, shown right. The art is gorgeous and it looked wonderful on film.

    Also, while I'm a huge fan of anime, I find the quality of most theatrical-length anime to be... lacking. Not so in this case! It's a great movie all around. It would be enjoyable for anybody, I think, because it doesn't require any prior knowledge of the series, but long-time Bebop fans will really love it because of their attachment to the characters, who are in fine form in this movie. I got chills seeing all of the characters "one more time". :)

    --

    OtakuBooty.com: Smart, funny, sexy nerds.
  29. The fuss is.... by mblase · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...it's not like anime.

    Obviously, I'm going to clarify that. "Cowboy Bebop" is popular with a lot of Americans who otherwise dislike anime as a whole. Most anime shows are genre-driven -- fantasy, giant fighting robots, ninja/samurai, schoolkids, hentai, what have you -- but "Bebop" isn't so easily categorized. It's science fiction, yes, but it's not about the spaceships and technology. And there's no robot suits anywhere to be found.

    The story is about the bounty hunters, "cowboys," who constantly wander the solar system in search of their next paycheck. They're pretty good at it, but they're generally nice people who keep their friends, which means they give up paychecks from time to time. I'm halfway through the DVDs, but I'd say about 90% of their jobs (the ones seen on the show, anyways) end up profitless. So you keep rooting for them to come out ahead when they almost never do.

    It's not that violent a show, really -- at least not compared to, say "NYPD Blue". Compared to "The Simpsons" or "Pokemon", yes, it's occasionally violent and sexy and bloody, but the characters aren't violent or sexaholic by nature. And, of course, they all have a Mysterious Past that's uncovered a bit at a time.

    If you don't like anime/animation, then you don't like it, and that's all there is to it. If you're willing to open your mind a bit to it, and watch a few episodes of the series (unedited on DVD is nice), you'll see a good bunch of stories and some very interesting and likeable characters.

    1. Re:The fuss is.... by b1t+r0t · · Score: 2
      I'm halfway through the DVDs, but I'd say about 90% of their jobs (the ones seen on the show, anyways) end up profitless.

      It's "The Rockford Files" in the 22nd century. :-) Well, the non-Vicious episodes anyhow.

      --

      --
      "Open source is good." - Steve Jobs
      "Open source is evil." - Microsoft
  30. Good voice acting? by FooBarWidget · · Score: 1

    I've never seen any US dub with the same voice acting quality as the original. Very often, I can't hear much emotions in the English voices. It's as if the voice actors just treat it as Yet Another Job or Just Another Cartoon, and don't put their heart in it. And some voice actors just have stupid voices that I can't stand.

    No, until companies are willing to spend money to hire the best of the best voice actors that actually put their heart into voice acting, dubs will always be inferior.

  31. CowboyNeal: The Movie by NicolaiBSD · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    It's all good and nice you know, the premiere of "Cowboy Bebop: The Movie", but it's not what we are really waiting for; that has to be the premiere of "CowboyNeal: The Movie"!

  32. Cowboy Bebop is better than most anime by vosbert · · Score: 1

    Underneath all the violence and the one-two punchlines rests many subtle but serious themes. The animation quality is arguably one of the best, with scenes drawn in stunning detail and movement looking natural and realistic. The soundtrack by Yoko Kanno is catchy and original. The plotline also holds an unusual gravity compared to other anime series, keeping the story more believable and down to earth than say... the DragonballZ series. And last but not least, the english dub is by far the best dub of japanese anime I've yet to find.

  33. "world premiere" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Does that imply that the movie is something different from "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"? I'd think US premiere would be more appropriate...

  34. Dont forget.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Do you have a comrade?"
    At the end of Jupiter Jazz

  35. Re:Don't understand Anime by Zelet · · Score: 1

    I specifically said this post wasn't flaimbait yet you stupid fuck moderators modded me down anyway. I just wanted a goddamned reason why this is "news for nerds!"

    Assholes... whenever anybody has an opinion different from yours it is automatically a "troll" or "flaimbait." The only way I could have been modded down faster was if I said I used Windows XP and liked it. Fuckers

    --
    ...And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me." - Martin Niemoeller (1892-1984)
  36. 3 . 2 . 1 Let's Jam! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wish I was there in New York to check the movie out. I liked the series, though I' sorry the main character (Spike) got "whacked in the last "session" . . . Damn! Later Space Cowboy!

  37. Great Movies by ScroP · · Score: 1

    Its a really good series too. I love creative stories like that. Anyone know if anything special is going to show at Otakon? I can't wait

    1. Re:Great Movies by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Otakon will be showing a lot of old and new stuff. There is a 35mm film track that should have some nice anime. More info and a panel schedule is up at http://www.otakon.com

  38. Another point... by Hanashi · · Score: 1

    Ok, I know a lot of people have already replied, but here's a point that I didn't see anyone
    make explicitly yet, though it was left unsaid a couple of times. It's also my favorite answer to the question "Why care about anime?"

    The point is this: Animation allows more types of stories to be told within a limited budget. Animation is way cheaper than live action, especially for stories that aren't set in today's world or that require a lot of special effects for whatever reason. This could be sci-fi, like Cowboy Bebop, but also historical. It could be action (explosions and car wrecks cost too much) or romance. It doesn't matter. The lower cost of animation allows more stories (in any genre) to see the light of day.

    I'm a huge Cowboy Bebop fan. I've got all the soundtrack CDs, too. I'm disapointed I can't see the NYC premiere. I'd love to meet Yoko Kanno, but oh well.

    See you, Space Cowboy...

    --
    Check out my eclectic infosec blog at InfoSecPotpou
    1. Re:Another point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, I'd love to meet Yoko Kanno again.

      I met her once, briefly at Otakon.
      What I could gather of her is that she is
      a very proper (and very cute) Japanese woman. She's small with a very good fashion sense, and if properly asked might sketch a cat or dog along with a nice autograph. Didn't know she drew didya? : )

      I have an original Yoko Kanno cat drawing in my Otakon program book.

      And at the small impromptu concert during opening ceremonies, she kicked ass on the piano!

  39. mega-edited? by Tyler+Durden · · Score: 1

    I'm no fan of *any* editing whatsoever, but I have to say that CB as shown on Cartoon Network has very little editing.

    The unedited episodes allow time for commercials at the half-way point, which is where Cartoon Network shows the commericals. No editing is done for lack of time.

    Editing for content usually has to do with taking out the word "shit" or putting in less blood than there was originally.

    Not great - but pretty damn far from "mega-edited".

    --
    Happy people make bad consumers.
    1. Re:mega-edited? by cryptochrome · · Score: 2

      Cowboy Bebop has been almost entirely unedited, with a few notable exceptions (and the dubbing obviously). Translation is an art, 99% of the time cutting the swears is both unnoticable and not inaccurate. I'm a diehard and frankly I'm happy with how little was done. It was much less than I expected.

      --

      ---If you can't trust a nerd, who can you trust?

    2. Re:mega-edited? by ryepup · · Score: 1

      there some differences in dialogue, and of course, blood. I've seen a couple episodes on DVD and on the Cartoon Network, and they all had a few differences. The DVDs have more sexual innuendo, which changes some of the characters.

    3. Re:mega-edited? by chad_r · · Score: 1

      Kyle Pope's edit list at http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/columns/edit-list. php is a comprehensive list of edits for both Adult Swim and Toonami, for Cowboy Bebop and many of the other shows that appear on Cartoon Network. Considering it's a cartoon channel, it's been pretty reasonable about what it changes. Although a lot of the edits are just silly, they don't really affect the storyline.

  40. Knocking on heavens door? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Now is this 'Knocking On Heavens Door' or another Cowboy Bebop movie that they probably made JUST for the states.

  41. Movie is so-so by Kagato · · Score: 2

    I caught this flick last year when it hit the Fan Sub circuit. My impression was the film was mostly about big screen special effects, and less about telling a compelling story. It does attempt to tell more back story on the characters, and do some development in that area, but it never seems to catch you attention. I mean you're sitting there watching this, you want to feel involved with the non-action elements happening onscreen, but it just never happens. I ended up feeling bored at times. I really wanted to dig the movie because I liked the TV show so much, but I couldn't get that blah feeling out of my system afterwards.

  42. Jupiter Jazz by Bios_Hakr · · Score: 2

    Jupite Jazz, I think part two, ended with a different tagline also. I can't remember what it was.

    I still remember the first time I watched CB. By the end of the session where CB is falling from the window looking up at the glass falling, I was hooked. The sound of the girls singing still haunts me. It was me and 3 other buddies, sitting in stunned silence, watching CB fall backwards while reliving his past. We all just sat and cried. At thet time, I didn't even know a cartoon could have that much power over my emotions.

    In any event, CB is the best 30 minute show I have ever seen. Thanks for the emotions Space Cowboy...

    --
    I'd rather you do it wrong, than for me to have to do it at all.
    1. Re:Jupiter Jazz by PinkStainlessTail · · Score: 2
      Jupite Jazz, I think part two, ended with a different tagline also. I can't remember what it was.

      "Do you have a comrade?"

      Also, the Teddy Bomber episode (Cowboy Funk) ends with "See you Space Samurai..."

      I have to go hurt myself now.

      --
      "Slashdot is about legos and staplers." -Cmdr. Taco
    2. Re:Jupiter Jazz by kasek · · Score: 1

      Whereas the episode you are talking about was good, you come off slightly misinformed regarding the character. "CB" does not fall out of the window. Spike falls out of the window. CB, or cowboy bebop, is the name of the show. The ship is named Bebop, and a cowboy is a bounty hunter.

      according to the id3 tag on the song, it is called "green bird" and was on the OST Volume 2.

    3. Re:Jupiter Jazz by Bios_Hakr · · Score: 2

      It's been a while for me...but now that you bring it up, it's all clear now.

      I thought the name was "Ballad of a Fallen Angel", but maybe my id3 was named from the eppisode.

      --
      I'd rather you do it wrong, than for me to have to do it at all.
    4. Re:Jupiter Jazz by kasek · · Score: 1

      sounds like it...a friend of mine has a mp3 of the song, and i cant remember offhand what it was called, it was neither green bird or ballad of a fallen angel...*shrug*

    5. Re:Jupiter Jazz by Exatron · · Score: 1

      The song from the end of the cathedral scene is titled "Green Bird."

      --
      "I think so, Brain, but 'instant karma' always gets so lumpy." - Pinky
      "Decepticons FOREVER!!!" - Ravage
  43. A parallel to anime (and the problem with it) by sielwolf · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Probably the best American parallel is the Horror Movie. As a genre they are at best misunderstood. You have the generic serials (with the decline in quality as they extend into the double digits... Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween), the pure exploitive trash (Sleepaway Camp, the joyous (almost avant garde) cult/underground films (Evil Dead, Troma Films), and the amazing masterworks (Romero's Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the Shining, John Carpenter's the Thing).

    A lot of people think Horror Movies are crap. And a lot of people just go to get their willies off at seeing B,G,T&A (blood, gore, tits and ass). And then there is a large loyal underground composed of fanatics and fanzines.

    And no matter how hard the genre tries it still can't overcome the lowest common denominator.

    Of course I think the best works of Horror movies far exceed anything done in anime. Personal opinion? Yes. But a movie like Dawn of the Dead seems to reverberate with zeitgeist fears: Nuclear Annihilation, slow death from radiation poisoning, the Cold War, isolation of the self in modern consumer civilization... The best Akira did was: fear technology, stuff blows up real good.

    --
    What is music when you despise all sound?
    1. Re:A parallel to anime (and the problem with it) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Akira wouldn't qualify as a horror film in the first place. Don't forget that anime is a medium rather than a genre. There are other anime that would qualify as horror (although that is not my preferred genre). Try something like Perfect Blue, which is an excellent thriller.

    2. Re:A parallel to anime (and the problem with it) by CynicTheHedgehog · · Score: 2

      I disagree. While to the uninitiated anime may appear shallow and childish, there is a tendency to tackle complex social issues. The Japanese love to play with the idea of men becoming gods through the creation of fearsome technology or through genetic experimentation. Very Mary Shelley. Then there's the idea that one day corporations will replace governments--so you've got your Orwell covered. Top that off with depth of interpersonal relationships, real life pressures and fears, and what you get is a view of real life in a fantasy setting. Take away the giant robots, swords, and flying high kicks and you're left with a mundane and at times depressing look at what it means to be human.

      If you want heavy/serious, take a look at Ayashi no Ceres, Evangelion and maybe Akira (haven't seen it). If you want high school/college humor, try Love Hina or Ranma 1/2. And if you want just plain wacky, try Kodomo no Omocha.

      It's not all Magical Girls, aliens, and giant robots, you know.

  44. Anime & Pr0n by dscottj · · Score: 1

    My problem is that Anime seems to be a lot like porn. There's tons of it out there. You know there's really good stuff. You also know that 90% of it is incomprehensible, possibly offensive crap. You don't know which is which, and can't always tell by the box. So I sit and read through every single title trying to figure out what might be good and what might stink on ice.

    And I do that when I shop for anime too!

    --
    AMCGLTD.COM. Where cats, science fictio
  45. Bah! I want to go so bad!! by jodathmorr · · Score: 1

    I've seen the subtitled movie. It wasn't the greatest but I enjoyed it. I love Cowboy Bebop. I have all the subtitled episodes on a vcd :). Half of the show is the music thought and I love the music in it. The only reason I would go this thing is to meet Yoko Kanno (sp?).

  46. WITH the same English dub cast by Chris+Pimlott · · Score: 2

    One thing that was left out of the story is that they have retained the "original" English dub cast that did the work for the regular series (i.e. what's showing on Cartoon Network). This is big news; while it's been known that Columbia/Tri-Star obtained the U.S. rights and were probably planning on a theater release, up until now there was no confirmation on the dub cast.

    There's a press release here with a bit more information that is the confirmation on the dub cast.

  47. Dub vs. Sub by _bug_ · · Score: 1

    Is this on the order of Mac vs. PC or Linux vs. *BSD? I can't tell.

    Most dubs are dreadful with flat voices lacking emotion.

    I've watched Cowboy Bebop in the original Japanese through the whole series. I tried watching an episode in English on Cartoon Network's adult swim and thought it was horrible and that the voices didn't embody the characters.

    However I watched Ghost in the Shell as a dub first before catching the original voice track. I thought the original Japanese was horrible and that the voices didn't embody the characters.

    The point being, what you become comfortable with listening to makes any other language seem "wrong".

    And thus the point of dub vs. sub is moot. Has been and will be. So don't worry about it.

    1. Re:Dub vs. Sub by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "I tried watching an episode in English on Cartoon Network's adult swim and thought it was horrible and that the voices didn't embody the characters.

      However I watched Ghost in the Shell as a dub first before catching the original voice track. I thought the original Japanese was horrible and that the voices didn't embody the characters."


      That's how I felt after first seeing a couple episodes of Cowboy Bebop on Cartoon Network, then watching the rest of the series subbed. By the end, the Japanese voices were OK, but I still imagine the characters with their English voices. I think it's really about first impressions (heck, I can't even get used to the new English voices in Akira).

      In any case, I've now seen most of the episodes both dubbed and subbed, and I think they did a great job with the english cast. Some lines are a bit different, but as opposed to most subs I've seen, the English dialogue in Cowboy Bebop feels very natural.

    2. Re:Dub vs. Sub by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ghost in the shell was released in america before it was in japan henceforth the english dub was done first and japanese done second so maybe what you like is the way the anime was originally done as opposed to liking just one dub or another...just a thought

    3. Re:Dub vs. Sub by Thag · · Score: 2
      ghost in the shell was released in america before it was in japan henceforth the english dub was done first and japanese done second
      It most certainly was not! The movie was premiered roughly simultaneously in Japan, America and Great Britain, but was not released in the US until some time after its widespread release in Japan.

      Jon Acheson

      --
      All opinions expressed herein are my own, and not those of my employers, who are appalled.
  48. Re:Don't understand Anime by Vermifax · · Score: 3, Insightful

    How long have you been reading Slashdot not to know that Anime is a category. Don't want to see anime news? Go to your profile, edit your preferences and check the box marked 'Anime' in the 'Exclude Stories from the Homepage'

    As for your question as to why this is news for nerds...... There are nerds who like Anime, they read here, and submit stories here. Not to mention that the very authors of the site enjoy Anime, and they are nerds. So it is quite obviously 'news for nerds'

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    Vermifax

    Logout
  49. Re:Heinrich Himmler by ethereal · · Score: 1

    I sincerely doubt that he said "yow". Unless Himmler really is Zippy the Pinhead :)

    --

    Your right to not believe: Americans United for Separation of Church and

  50. Knocking on Anime Heaven's Door by EXTomar · · Score: 2

    The best way of seeing Anime on film is clearly in a theater. If you happen to be in the area and catch this debut with the English dub go for it.

    - To those who think English dub sucks, it is all realitive. (For some odd reason no one complains about crappy Japanese recording since they do exist)

    Dubbing was bad in the 80s because you had only half a shoe string budget and scheduled recording time between SMURFS and GI JOE. Now that Anime has been shown to be a proven money maker recording quality has gone way way WAY up with the amount of money invested in making them.

    COWBOY BEBOP is an example of this. The English production crew from Bandai USA loved the show and worked hard in all aspects of it. If the KNOCKING receives the same TLC then it will be a quality English recording.

    - To those who think "What is so great about this show...I saw one goofy episode and it sucked"

    I suppose I could say the same thing about ATTACK OF THE CLONES can't I? ^_^;; COWBOY BEBOP is different than a lot of the stuff that came out post EVA/X-FILES/Angsty. It has clearly defined characters that you can identify with. It has a clearly defined ending(so many Anime these days leave endings open 'just in case' they can sell a second season). CB was more about style. A typical Anime series has "super plots" where consecutive episodes explain the themes and story but CB did many self contained one shots. Of course no one mentions CB without mentioning the music of Yoko Kanno. If CB represents anything about the future correctly it is that good music is timeless. ^_^

    - To those who say "why is this news?"

    Until recently if it was animated it had to have Disney on it or it was shown only in art house style movie theaters. This is one of the biggest openings for a non-US animated feature in the US. I think that is as newsworthy as anything else on /.

    - To those living in NYC I say "LUCK STIFFS" ^_^

    Take lots of pictures! Try to get an autograph(I would die for Kanno to autograph my BLUE CD). Have fun watching one of the better movies to come out of Japan recently.

    1. Re:Knocking on Anime Heaven's Door by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I just wanted to comment on the "super plots" bit. Cowboy Bebop is more episodic than most anime, but I don't count that against it. Cowboy Bebop pulls off something that is very difficult to do right, which is non-linear story-telling. There most definitely is what you're calling a "super plot" in it, it's just that the style being used to tell it disguises that.

      I'm still trying to figure out why you count this episodicness as a plus, though. It's a help in the US market, but I've always much preferred the actual series, where things in one episode effect what happens in the next. I've always hated how the US industry has gone almost totally episodic outside of drama series. The Magic Reset Button is one of the more offensive devices used. Even comedies benefit from an actual series plot, just look at Kodomo no Omocha or FLCL.

    2. Re:Knocking on Anime Heaven's Door by NeuroManson · · Score: 2

      Don't forget that out of ANY TV series in the world, Cowboy Bebop also has the largest soundtrack, no holds barred... 5 CDs in total... Not those "Songs INSPIRED by such and such a movie or show" crap CDs you see advertised on late night teevee either, every track is an original (with a few remixed for incidental music, such as "Doggy Dog")...

      For the anime OST geek, a bit of fun trivia as well (for those who haven't seen the series): Yoko Kanno (Macross Plus, Vision of Escaflowne) was the producer/composer of most of the soundtrack...

      --
      Just because you can mod me down, doesn't mean you're right. Shoes for industry!
  51. Ann Arbor Slashdot Promotion? by PinkStainlessTail · · Score: 2
    You know what would be great? If this (or ideally, a subbed print) were to show at the Michigan or State theaters here in Ann Arbor. They've shown anime before (the screening of Metropolis I went to had an almost full house).
    Maybe the editors from a somewhat influential website could co-sponsor some sort of an event. You know, as a sort of house-warming for their new offices. And to show their new community what a great 'n' fabulous 'n' magmanimous bunch of guys they are.

    What? It beats hell out of a PT Cruiser...

    --
    "Slashdot is about legos and staplers." -Cmdr. Taco
  52. Timing? by Myuu · · Score: 1

    I wonder if it is too early? In October, I watched a sub of it and I have to say that it is one of my favorite anime movies, however, the subject is the problem (and the probable reason for the delay, I believe it was suppose to be out Jan.). The movie revolves around a terrorist that blows up cars on freeways and his attempt at bioterriorism.

    The good news to those who haven't seen it is that it has that dark, classy appeal of the TV show.

    --

    forget it.
    1. Re:Timing? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      who cares about 'timing' it was made LONG before the Bandwagon patriots decided to say whats american and whats not.

  53. Oh no! My precious karma!!!!! by Hrothgar+The+Great · · Score: 1

    What'll I do? Oh boo hoo! Loser.

  54. Re:Cowboy Bebop by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Go ninja, go ninja, go!

  55. Yes... Good voice acting... by cqnn · · Score: 2

    Dubs are not inferior, the process of dubbing in English is...

    Anime voice acting tends to be far more melodramatic than live action, which lends
    to more emotional impact from the dialog. But trying to carry that same level of
    drama across in translation is interpreted as overacting, which only works in the
    small percentage of anime situations that are actually trying to be "cartoony".
    Because of that, most English voice actors are caught between having to emote to
    flesh out a character, and not being able to EMOTE, because that takes the character
    over the top of the storyline. THat is why English voices can seem less emotional,
    but the better actors are still able to add more subtle undertones to the character to
    make them seem more "real" to the audience.

    Also, up until recently in the West, voice acting for anime was not considered
    to be a "real" enough acting job to attract a lot of people with both talent and
    training to be able to sustain a character thru many consistent episodes of a
    series or OVA. That has slowly changed as studios/teams like the Ocean group
    and Z-RO limit have become more established and been able to retain their
    core members thru various projects. The Hollywood interest in anime helps a
    little, as it gives more legitimacy to the idea of adding (quality)
    voice work into an actors portfolio; but at the same time it adds a hindrance
    in Hollywoods habit of substituting "actor with talent who can play the role"
    with "Big-name actor with box office appeal that we can shoehorn into the
    role". Hopefully anime will be allowed to become mainstream enough that we
    can eventually move past that impulse.

    In western style dubbing, the process used for ADR is (most often)
    to have a lone actor reading their lines to studio cues; and taking the best
    reading from a series of individual takes.
    The Japanese have traditionally recorded with all the (primary) seiyuu in the
    studio at the same time, playing out more like the old style radio drama sets.

    IMO the Japanese system is better because it allows for greater feedback between
    the actors/characters while telling the story. The few people I have spoken to
    in the "industry" however, tell me that the English (Hollywood)
    method is preferred because it allows for faster production when you don't
    have to schedule all the actors at the same time,
    and it is easier to work around bloopers/misreads when you only have to
    deal with one voice at a time. Unfortunately the English approach does require
    a greater effort on the part of the Director to make sure the dialog read
    actually fits with the scenes and theme of the animation; and it usually takes
    a few episodes of work (or some outside rehearsal) for the actors to really get
    into their roles.

    More unfortunately, this method is apparently considered efficient enough that
    it is gaining popularity with some Japanese studios as an alternative method
    to allow them to meet tight production deadlines.

    I have seen US dubs with the same voice acting quality as Japanese releases,
    or rather I have "seen" (heard) quality English voice work in recent anime
    releases (Cowboy Bebop and Excel Saga as examples) that I found as appealing
    and dramatic as I would from hearing and not understanding the Japanese dialog.

    I have also seen enough raw anime to tell that just becuase it is made in Japan is
    no gaurantee that it isn't crap. Most US anime fans are spoiled (blessed) because
    they don't get exposure to a lot of the stuff that was not good enough to get picked
    up over here. Everything you said about English dubs can be equally applied back
    to the majority of anime that has been produced from Japan.

    The real point is not to argue for dubs over subs, or vice-versa; it is to argue for
    the studios to continue doing a better job with translation, setup, direction and acting
    in ways that maintain the quality of the original work, or even benefit it in translation.
    And for anime fans in the West to continue to express our preferences in quality anime to
    help encourage the Japanese studios to create works in thier own country that can find
    such mass-appeal overseas.

    1. Re:Yes... Good voice acting... by Golias · · Score: 2
      Another thing I found interesting was when I was watching some of the interview clips from the American voice cast from Magic Knight Rayearth (don't ask why). The actors talked a lot about synching with the "mouth flaps" of the animated characters. Dubbers are very careful to do that now, and will radically change dialog to make it look right. I think this is probably party due to the heaps of scorn that was once piled upon the old TV show "Speed Racer", where the dub synch was notoriously bad.

      However, if you watch with the Japanese tracks, a lot of those shows didn't synch up in the original language in the first place, so one could argue that they are fixing a problem that they could just as easilly ignore.

      One of my least favorite dubs comes from "Martian Successor Nadesico". There's a character on that show who frequently cusses "Baka" in the Japanese track. Baka loosely translates to fool or dumbass, both as a plural and singular form, but is also sometimes used as a catch-all explative. The sub tends to use the word "fools" most of the time, but (again, probably due to the "mouth-flap" issue) the dub falls back on "idiots". It probably gets especially confusing for english-dub watchers when the word "baka" is actually printed in english letters on computer displays a couple times. Personally, if I were in charge of dubbing (or subbing) that show, I would have left the word "baka" untranslated. It is used so heavilly that any English-speaking viewer would be able to grasp the meaning from the context after watching two or three episodes.

      --

      Information wants to be anthropomorphized.

  56. Say what? by Rogerborg · · Score: 1, Troll
    • At the premiere, Cowboy Bebop director, Shinichiro Watanabe, score composer, Yoko Kanno and character designer Toshihiro Kawamoto will be on hand to meet their legions of fans." That's a show worth seeing

    Two thousand sweaty overweight Comic Book Guy clones in identical fanboy t-shirts trying to out-pedant each other with their authentic Japanese pronounciation?

    Fair enough though, the slap fights and hissy fits to ask the most sycophantic and obscure question from the floor might be worth watching. ;-)

    --
    If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
  57. Re:whoa there with the DBZ flame! by lugonn · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Maybe you don't understand what DBZ is trying to accomplish...animated soap opera.

    Have you ever watched a soap like 'young and the restless' or 'guiding light'? I had to endure summer vacations watching that drivel as a kid. Somehow though, occasionaly, I'd find myself interested in the show. Only it would take forever for the plot to advance in soaps. They'll have the same conversation for a week sometimes. That and some of the plots are silly/corney. Deamon Possesed Housewives, Cloned Housewives, Alien Abducted Housewives...who could sit and watch that?

    Anyway, DBZ is a lot like that. It is a developing story, not a planned one. If you don't have patience, don't watch it.

  58. oops. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    05/23/2002 06:54p 604,776,448 Cowboy_Bebop_-_Knockin_on_Heavens_Door.avi

  59. Did you notice an Anime sweatdrop? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just wondering, when you discovered your folded-in-half A+ certificate, did you notice an Anime-style sweatdrop suddenly appear beside your head? :-)

  60. It was TV/OAV series by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Bebop was originally run as a TV/OVA series. Some episodes were made for TV, some were OVA. To get the entire story, you had to watch TV and see the OVA. Later, they rebroadcast the entire series on TV. So no, it wasn't because it was extreme, because it isn't extreme.

  61. For the uninitiated�who happen to get the cartoon by Gekiganger+3 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Next Saturday night, there will be another 3 hour block of Cowboy Bebop from 11pm-2am

    http://schedule.cartoonnetwork.com/servlet/Sched ul eServlet?action=viewAll&showID=319442&show=Cowboy+ Bebop

    That night's schedule is thus:
    11:00pm Honky Tonk Women -The introduction of Faye
    11:30pm Sympathy for the Devil -The secret of a child prodigy and what happened to earth
    12:00am Waltz for Venus -One man's attempt to set things right
    12:30am Black Dog Serenade -What happened to Jet
    01:00am Pierrot Le Fou -Why you shouldn't build a homicidal maniac
    01:30am Brain Scratch -Online cult (everquest maybe?)

    With the exception of "Honky Tonk Women" all these episodes are rather dark in tone (especially Pierrot Le Fou, which is one of my favorites of the series). They are also rather standalone, as opposed to last Saturday's, which covered the underlying main plot of the series.

    Although I haven't seen these episodes in their dubbed and edited form, from what I've seen of other episodes and Adult swim in general, minus some blood, these episodes should be rather intact and definitely worth seeing if you haven't.

  62. Re:Just what teh world needs - more child porn. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Offtopic?

    How, exactly?

    the topic is anime, and the post was talking about animated pre-pubescent child-porn, which is PRECISELY what anime IS.

    So how can the post be offtopic?

  63. Good News But Bad News by vulgarDPS · · Score: 1

    I personaly think that it's a good thing that anime is getting bigger in the US cause it means it's easier for me to find good dvd's but I still hate it when they take a great anime like Cowboy Bebop and give it a large theatre release with a HORRIBLE dubbing.

    Sony put their neck out and released Metropolis subbtitles in theatres and it did quite good, and I wish that others would have the same mentality to release something in a better state. I am a huge bebop fan and for those of you who haven't seen the movie yet... It's fuckin great

    I downloaded the movie about one month after it's theatre release in japan, and I bought the hong kong import of the dvd about 5 months ago and its really really good... WITH THE ORIGINAL VOICE ACTORS. Cowboy bebop had some the most amazing japanese voice actors in an anime and they embodied the characters, the dubbing takes the reason I love all of the characters out of each one.

    In the american dubbing, Spike isn't a badass, faye isn't the hottest yet seriously tough woman to ever be in an anime, Jet isn't super tough, and Ed is not funny. What is ed without "Baka, Baka, Baka". Thats all I have to say, I encourage everyone to see the subtitles version of this anime, it is among the best anime ever made. If you like anything about the series you will love the movie.

    Also everyone should realize that when companies dub most anime they take out alot of things such as swearing and sexual content, particularly if there is any references to homosexuality and cowboy bebop is no exeption to this. It's blatent censorship and everyone pretty much ignores it because if the companies didn't do it you would have to watch subtitles, since these companies usually try to market anime to an age group 10 years younger than the original audience.

    1. Re:Good News But Bad News by Exatron · · Score: 1
      Where did you get the idea that the english dub of Cowboy Bebop was edited? Sure, Cartoon Network made several minor edits to the broadcast version, but the DVD release is unaltered with the exception of english language credits and english audio.

      Bandai spent a great deal of time translating and recording the english audio to deliver the best product possible and never marketed it to a younger audience. The time and effort put into the english dub resulted in a product that is in many ways better than the original version. Every character in the english dub is exactly who they should be. Faye is a woman who acts like a jaded slut, but is really trying to hider her insecurities. Spike acts like a badass who's too cool for everything. Ed is wacky, random, weird, and completely over the top. The only character that doesn't quite work in the english dub is Cowboy Andy.

      --
      "I think so, Brain, but 'instant karma' always gets so lumpy." - Pinky
      "Decepticons FOREVER!!!" - Ravage
  64. It's playing at the Egyptian on August 11th by jone_stone · · Score: 1

    For anyone who's interested and lives in or near LA, the Cowboy Bebop movie is playing at the Egyptian in Hollywood on August 11th at 5 PM. No appearance by the director and stuff, but personally I can't make it to New York....

  65. Re:Bebop TV edited in Japan (was: amazing) by eganloo · · Score: 1
    It's not strictly a cultural thing. Didn't like half of the episodes not even air on Japanese television because of how extreme some of it was?
    Only 12 of the 26 episodes originally broadcasted on Japanese television. (A 13th television-only compilation episode was assembled to round out the broadcast at an even quarter of a year, or 52 weeks divided by 4.)

    That leaves 14 episodes that originally didn't air. The producers wanted to show all 26 episodes on broadcast television, but as the producer Masahiko Minami puts it, "issues" came up. Why were so many episodes left out? Since some of the affected episodes were part of multi-episode story arcs, their entire arcs had to be taken out of the original broadcast.

    All 26 original episodes were later released on satellite television and home video in Japan. (The original airwave broadcast was at 6 p.m., while the later satellite run was at the less restricted midnight timeslot.)
  66. Re:It was TV series, not OAV by eganloo · · Score: 1

    Bebop was originally planned as a television series -- with no straight-to-video or Original Video Anime (OVA) plans. When 14 episodes couldn't be aired on regular airwave broadcast television in Japan because of "issues," the entire 26 episode was later released on satellite television and home video. Even then, the satellite television run came two months before the home video release in 1998-1999, so none of these 26 episodes were ever OVA or straight-to-video.

  67. Cowboy Bebop on DVD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    For anyone that watches Cowboy Bebop on Cartoon Network I recommend the DVD. The Cartoon Network version is edited, and is missing an episode. The DVD'S gives you the true experience.

  68. Then buy the DVD... by Otto · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The DVD sets of Bebop have both the English and the Japanese dubs (it's a cartoon, it's always "dubbed").

    Personally, I prefer the English version. The voices fit the characters, settings, and tone of the series much better. The Japanese dubs seem flat and out of character.

    Yes, Spike is a super cool badass, Faye is hot and tough, Jet is a disgruntled ex-cop, and Ed is insane. But to the English speaking ear, the English voices convey those same senses of character much better in the English dub.

    Put it like this: If you watch lots of Japanese dubbed animation, then you'll get the feel for Japanese voices and will be able to tell flavor and character of the voices. But, to the average non super-anime-fan, it's a bunch of gibberish with no variation in tone or pitch. Flat. Uninteresting.

    To me, who can ear the variation in both, I'd say that while they both convey the same feeling of character and flavor, you're more likely to hear it better in the language you understand (unless you watch so much anime that your eyes bleed :-P).

    --
    - Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set him on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
    1. Re:Then buy the DVD... by vulgarDPS · · Score: 1

      I want some of what your smoking.

      In japan anime is as big as blockbuster movies here. They don't think of them as "cartoons" they think of them as art. Now how can you try and convey that the japanese voice actors, under the guidance of the ORIGINAL director of the anime represent those characters less than an american voice actor with no guidance except that of a corporate marketing team trying to push the anime on a new audience, while savagly ripping out anything risky in the anime to make it more suitable for animerican 8 year olds.

      My only point is that anime is made as art by someone who has a vision and when brought to america some company will buy it and tear alot of what he was trying to convey out of it. Yes the dvds have both language tracks, i know this, i have them, but if someone in japan ever took a speilberg movie and dubbed it and cut out parts of it and threw in little bits about eggnog in the dubbing becuase they thought it would reach a new audience he would be one pissed off man.

    2. Re:Then buy the DVD... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think you should get your hearing checked out, you appear to be showing signs of a degradation in differentiation of subtle tones.

      I bet you thought Dick Van Dyke's accent in Mary Poppins was very authentic and mild sounding didn't you?

    3. Re:Then buy the DVD... by Richy_T · · Score: 2
      but if someone in japan ever took a speilberg movie and dubbed it and cut out parts of it and threw in little bits about eggnog in the dubbing becuase they thought it would reach a new audience he would be one pissed off man.

      Forget the Japanese. I wish he would leave his works the fuck alone.

      Rich

  69. Thanks. Gosh but I feel stupid. n/t by Tyler+Durden · · Score: 1

    n/t means n/t

    --
    Happy people make bad consumers.
  70. I know it's a bit late now, so no one will read by machine+of+god · · Score: 1

    this, but is this guy flamebait for being an idiot or because he went against popular opinion? So does this make me flamebait now?

  71. What is it with the US fascination with Japan ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The US doesn't give a flying fuck about any other country, but has this ridiculous fascination with all things Japanese. For what other country would the Americans actually adopt their words for catagories ("hentai", "ainime" etc.) rather than using the English ?

    Is it because you incinerated so many of them during WWII that you feel guilty ? I just don't get it - you bomb the rest of the world with happy ignorance, but are so polite to the Japanese it's amazing.....

    Can anyone please explain ? (and not some anime fanboy please... someone with a serious point of view would help).

  72. August 30th by RoundTop-VJAS · · Score: 1
    This date is rather convenient...

    see.... aug 31-sept 2 is Anime Expo NY. And their guests are.... the guys you mentioned. So if you can get to NY for it.. have fun.

    http://www.axny.org

    --
    RoundTop

  73. Not the premier by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The movie premiered at the Los Angeles Anime Expo on July 5th. I saw it.

  74. Spike is Jubei! by lugonn · · Score: 1

    Has anyone else noticed that Spike looks and acts just like Jubei from Ninja Scoll?

    1. Re:Spike is Jubei! by The+Reaper+Grim · · Score: 1

      Actually considering the blatant differences in their appearances and their mannerisms, no I have noticed no such thing.

      --
      The Reaper Grim
    2. Re:Spike is Jubei! by lugonn · · Score: 1

      They have different clothes sure, but they have the same face, curly brown hair, and martial arts prowness. See what I mean?

  75. Mod - Parent Up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I have to agree, the voice actor for Spike in particular totally destroyed the character.
    He changed Spike from an unfeasibly relaxed but often erratically and dramatically violent character into a snide, whining smartass with dire one-liner creating ability.

  76. This is going to be bad... by dokhebi · · Score: 1

    For those of you who aren't aware, BAAF is working in cooperation with Anime Expo. The people who run AX are the worst convention committee in the world. I wonder how much the AX crew has to do BAAF. If it is a lot, it is going to a very bad weekend.

    Some good advice: go to ConJose (the 2002 World Science Fiction Convention) instead. Details at www.conjose.org.

  77. Re:For the uninitiated�who happen to get the carto by NeuroManson · · Score: 2

    Actually, they're surprisingly unedited/uncensored... Only part they really cut was the "money shot" with the kid from Sympathy for the Devil...

    --
    Just because you can mod me down, doesn't mean you're right. Shoes for industry!
  78. What? You mean you haven't seen it already? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How many true Bebop fans haven't already seen it?

  79. Taco Lovin' by c4tp · · Score: 1

    But you know the real reason this got posted is because CmdrTaco creams his pants every time he sees Ein. But who doesn't? That little poochie can run nude down my ship's corridors any day, if you know what I mean.

    And no, I'm not into hentai animal rape pr0n! What would give you that idea!

  80. Re:For the uninitiated�who happen to get the carto by esper_child · · Score: 1

    Black Dog Serenade and Pierrot Le Fou back to back. Now there is an hour of quality television. almost all of my favorite episodes are here. add Mushroom Samba and the one with the one where Spike hunts the mold from the fridge and you would have a perfect set.

  81. Tickets?!?!?!?!?! by The+Reaper+Grim · · Score: 1

    Is there a way to pre-order tickets to the Cowboy Bebop movie or will I have to wait for days outside the ticket booth to buy'em

    --
    The Reaper Grim
    1. Re:Tickets?!?!?!?!?! by duckie13 · · Score: 1
      I wish you could pre-order them..

      http://www.bigappleanimefest.com/registration.cfm

      From there:
      There is no pre-registration required for the Big Apple Anime Fest.

      Tickets for BAAF Film Festival screenings are sold individually at the theater prior to each show, just like regular movie tickets. The Opening Night Premiere will take place on Friday, August 30, and the BAAF Film Festival will wrap up on Sunday, September 1.
      Looks like I'm taking off from work that day to go into the city.
      --
      "My days are less enjoyable because of people." ~ Johnny the Homicidal Maniac
  82. Will this help get it shown in other cities? by la1n · · Score: 1

    Wonder how well this would do in other festivals/cons around the country.

  83. If you've only seen bebop on toonami / CN... by brianboru · · Score: 1

    ... you might be missing out on an episode or two.

    Session (Episode) 22 - "Cowboy Funk"
    CN claims this episode was "lost," but this is doubted by a lot of fans as the episode deals with a serial bomber "Teddy Bomber" and mysteriously was lost after Sept 11. It's on the DVDs, which I'd highly recommend you pick up if you're interested.

    Session XX - "Collection Blues"
    This is a mystery episode that apparently only aired once during the initial run in japan (from what I've read). Not even sure if this is the correct title, as I've only seen a bad divx copy. The format is a little different and it seems to be a grouping of parts of the other episodes.

    Also, the movie is actually quite good. It's not a prequel or sequel but meant to fit in to the series in the middle - sort of a long episode. I'll be headed to the theatre if it plays anywhere near me.

  84. Re:whoa there with the DBZ flame! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    except every episode is basically:

    "har, har, har!"
    "grr!"
    "har, har, har!"
    "GRR!"
    "har, har, WHA?"
    "GRRRRRRR!"
    "he is a super-sayen! he was hiding his power! oh-no!"
    "GRRRRRRRRRR!"
    [action lines behind someone flying]
    "ON THE NEXT DRAGON BALL Z.."

    all done with a total of 6 animation cells..