Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
Director: Shinchiro Watanabe Run Time: 115 min. Format: 35mm Rating: R Release Year: 2001 Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
Starring: Koichi Yamadera, Unshō Ishizuka, Megumi Hayashibara, Aoi Tada
When a shady terror cell sets off a dirty bomb in the middle of a crowded highway, the Martian government offers up the largest bounty of all time to catch the perps. All that cash sets up the ears of the crew of The Bebop, a jazzy group of interstellar bounty hunters led by a kung-fu fighting, fast talking hipster named Spike Spiegel.
Based on the landmark television series, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie takes full advantage of its feature length budget, introducing a live-action feel to a medium known more for static set-ups than dynamic camera movement. The music by composer Yoko Kanno plays an equal role in the film’s easy coolness, blending elements of jazz, country-western, opera and Arabic music.