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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.
Otakon.
www.otakon.com
http://thechubbyferret.net - Ferret pictures and informative links.
I think it would be great if people started trying to do stage versions of popular anime.
John ritter starring in Akira.
L
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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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
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.
http://thechubbyferret.net - Ferret pictures and informative links.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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
Come to the University of Mars! Classes starting soon!
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.
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.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
no
...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.
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?
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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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!
Wait?
"Slashdot is about legos and staplers." -Cmdr. Taco
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.
The DVD sets of Bebop have both the English and the Japanese dubs (it's a cartoon, it's always "dubbed").
:-P).
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
- 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.
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.