Cowboy Bebop - Session 2

Amazon.com

The popular anime series Cowboy Bebop is one of the few Blade Runner spin-offs that pays off big dividends. The Cowboy Beboppers are free-spirited bounty hunters who roam the solar system looking for criminals. Told in 25-minute episodes, this very different anime series has the stuff many shows lack: a strong vision, intriguing plots, and tantalizing back-stories. In this second session (episodes 6-10), we begin to learn some of the history of our hero, Spike, his right-hand man, Jet, and even the gloomy story behind the fate of the charred Earth. Episodes include a run-in with a deadly child prodigy, a trucker tale, a curious trip to the terraformed Venus, where a loner seeks to learn from Spike. There's also a tale of Jet's old flame, and the introduction of the crew's latest member--a computer hacker named Ed. Gorgeously drawn and fueled by cool music--often counterpointing the action--Cowboy Bebop is too good (and accessible) for just anime fans. (Ages 12 and older) --Doug Thomas

Description

Contains episodes 6-10 of the television series - five full episodes! Spike and Vicious conclude their reunion with a deadly duel. And after that, more mayhem and hilarity await as the crew of the Bebop continues to try and make a living as bounty hunters. As they travel, they will meet up with a feisty space trucker, make a stop on Venus, and meet up with the great hacker Ed.

Customer Reviews:

Just great story-line and production.......2006-03-16

This is perhaps one of my favorite Asian exports. The second session has such strong episodes, outlining things to come and bringing depth to some of the side characters. I think that the best part of a story is giving you things to relate to and these storys are full of that.

With plot twists, foreshadowing, and a new character, you can't go wrong. Pick up the fist session and continue with this one. You won't be sorry you did.

Worth the Hype.......2004-10-15

Cowboy Bebop has a reputation as one of the best animes out there. Thankfully for everyone, it lives up to that reputation. In Session 2 more of the permanent cast is added and there's plenty of action.

In Sympathy for the Devil, Spike has a run in with a creepy kid who seems to have some serious things wrong with him. This episode is a mystery and what would be considered a typical episode of Bebop at its finest.

Heavy Metal Queen is a sweet and adventurous piece with Spike and Faye trying to capture a bounty all while Spike has a hangover. There are some funny moments in this one and some memorable minor characters.

Waltz For Venus is a beautiful story of family and the sacrifices a person will make for that. It also has a thing or two to say about what we consider "bad" and "good" and the reasoning behind both.

Jamming With Edward adds the irrepressible Ed to the crew of the Bebop. While trying to find out why a satellite has gone rogue, the galaxy's greatest computer hacker has a run in with Spike and crew.

Ganymede Elegy is a Jet centric episode where he deals with a woman from his past. It ties up some loose ends with Jet and gives him a background.

Cowboy Bebop is at heart about dealing with one's past and the mistakes that have been made. That theme resonates soundly through all these episodes.

Cowboy Bebop's The Best Series on TV.......2004-04-25

Cowboy Bebop's awesome. There isn't much to say, but BUY THIS DVD. Buy the complete sessions, Cowboy Bebop is defenately my favorite anime.

Second to none..........2003-10-21

The second session of the CB series has many merits, and only one slight stinker of an episode. I'm fair and honest in my reviews, meaning that if something sucks, I'll say so (and have quite a few times).

6: Sympathy for the Devil: The best non-Spike oriented episode of Bebop, great plot and reflections of human nature.

7: Heavy Metal Queen: Yoko Kanno shows exactly how much talent she has with this episode, making a perfect parady of an 80's heavy metal tune (very cool). Otherwise, a normal (of course good) episode.

8: Waltz for Venus: I don't really know what to say about this episode. It's awesome, but I can't really say why. Take a look and you tell me.

9: Jamming with Edward: Ed-isode, where the little girl hacker is introed. Since I hate Ed (but realize that she's sometimes needed for comic relief), I'm not a real good judge of this episode.

10: Ganymede Elegy: Jet-isode, the first of few, where the crew goes to Ganymede to turn in a bounty, and Jet must deal with his past (has and interesting foreshadowing of when Spike must deal with his past, at the end of the series)

The extras on this DVD are good, because you get to see the creator's and Yoko Kanno's (songwriter/composer) interviews. It's a little wierd, though. In Japan, they like to have just the interviewee's face filling the entire screen (my friend and I were once making fun like one of said interviewees would get the up-the-nose cam).

"Hyperspace is the black line between the frames".......2003-01-28

This seconds CD presents more of what made the first collection a hit. Fast-paced plots full of space battles, fights, and dirty dealing. Faye has moved into the Bebop and with three people and a Corgi to feed, the can du jour is usually dog food. With Faye's exotic tastes the crew again get deep in situations that a sane bounty hunter would never touch. Ninety-year-old pre-adolescents who play a mean harp, mysterious lady truck drivers, and hackers from hell set the pace. As usual, the Bebop may get the guy, but more often than not, they don't get the reward.

Jet Black, in an introduction to episode #8 describes this story of a bad guy who almost makes it back to good as a 'change of pace.' The truth is that one can say the same thing for all the episodes. The overall themes are still light, although several times stronger, more emotional contexts come into play. The apparent villains are often not the real villains, and the little character insights probe deeper than before. Especially in Jet Black's case.

Episode #9 introduces Radical Edward - 'Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky the fourth' who is a change of pace all by herself. Ed is a 13-year-old super hacker who decides that the Bebop is her key to exciting adventure. When Spike, Jet, and Faye come into Earth on what they think is a vacation, the get hooked into tracking down the hacker who used a battery of space lasers to indulge in a bit of terrestrial finger-painting. This gets them all tangles up with Ed, and, to quote the crazy woman with the remote control, 'Ooh La La!!'

In an on-disk interview, Director Shonichiro Watanabe states that the overall theme of the series will be Spike's past or karma. Other than the final episode of the previous session, we have seen very little about his history. Typically macho, neither Spike nor Jet display much emotion or talk about themselves, and all Faye seems to talk about is what she wants. This will begin to change in later episodes, but for now the watcher can relax and enjoy the hopped up, jazzy scripts.

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