Why Cowboy Bebop Ended After Just 26 Episodes (Was It Canceled?)
Cowboy Bebop is considered one of the greatest anime series ever made, but it only lasted 26 episodes. What happened, and why did it end it so soon?
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Cowboy Bebop is considered one of the greatest anime series ever made, but the new addition to Netflix’s growing anime offering only lasted 26 episodes. What happened, and why did it end it so soon without Cowboy Bebop season 2 ever happening?With a Cowboy Bebop live-action Netflix series set for release in November 2021, the platform released the beloved but controversial anime series for fans to revisit and newcomers to enjoy first time.
Originally, Cowboy Bebop was supposed to be sponsored by Bandai, a Japanese toy company, with the intention being to create a toy line of spaceships and promote it in the show. In the end, however, director Shinichiro Watanabe’s idea for the series was too adult and wildly removed from Bandai’s concept and the toy giants pulled their financial backing. Fortunately, another company decided to invest in his vision, and they gave Watanabe free rein to create whatever he wanted. Inspired by series like Lupin III, Watanabe wanted to tell the story of Martian bounty hunter Spike Spiegel.
At first, Watanabe wanted to make a movie, but that changed, with a series order instead. Nevertheless, he treated each episode as a short movie, with a beginning, middle, and end. He also mixed genres, especially westerns and space operas, making for a unique combination that separates Cowboy Bebop from other series of that time. What’s more, Watanabe also had a specific ending in mind, one that the rest of the team wasn’t too happy about it, because it made difficult to create a continuation for the series. Despite their doubts, Watanabe kept his original ending, and later proclaimed it had been better to end any hope of Cowboy Bebop season 2 by finishing while there was still fan demand for more, which he believes was in the spirit of the anime.
Why Cowboy Bebop Season 2 Didn’t Happen (Was It Canceled?)
Since Cowboy Bebop wasn’t exactly a toy friendly series (including the likes of Faye’s revealing costume) and Watanabe’s planned ending was definitive, it’s clear the anime series was always meant to be only 26 episodes. Although a few episodes appear disconnected from others, Cowboy Bebop still has an overarching plot about Spike and his past, and the last episode pretty much wraps that up perfectly. Watanabe clearly had no intention of expanding the show and cited not wanting Cowboy Bebop to become like Star Trek, a continuing series with no end planned. It’s only since Cowboy Bebop has become acknowledged as a trail-blazer, not only changing anime but working as a perfect gateway anime for new fans, that that lack of more episodes has really been felt as a missed opportunity. For the creator himself, it was the right move.
The series success’ also inspired a movie and a short manga series. So even though it was a short anime series, Cowboy Bebop’s creative and original style made its mark. A long-mooted live-action Cowboy Bebop picked by Netflix in 2018 having been in production since 2017, but filming was delayed by a cast member’s injury and the pandemic. It’s too early to know if the live-action will be as good as the original anime series, but at least it will introduce Cowboy Bebop to new audiences.
Link Source : https://screenrant.com/cowboy-bebop-anime-end-canceled-reason-why/