The Bittersweet Tragedy Of Cowboy Bebop

0:12 you only need to watch any [ __ ] episode to realize that Cowboy Bebop can be quite a depressing show at the flick of a switch the tone of the scene can immediately change into one filled with an overwhelming sense of depression solitude and bittersweet catharsis my favorite example of this is when Edie and ein two members of the bebop crew that's I initially had to stay in for finally left when you see Ed's handing that pin wheel to spike I'm leaving the bebop ship in a hurry and Jets cheerfully preparing dinner only to be met with a silent response and no one's be seen Chuck supposed with phase crushing realization that there's no way to regain the life she once had and no home to return to you gradually begin to

0:59 realize that something tragic is happening only for it to finally hit you and break your heart when you see Ed's ridiculously graffitied farewell message we've jetted the spike to silently staring after then in the next scene you see them both aggressively eating the countless eggs jet prepared for everyone to feel the emotional pain they were feeling at the time with the song call me call me playing in the [ __ ] background as anodised start their new journey walk away but to shooting stars appearing the background for training presence to any point to the noise steps return Viva Breanna great basically you really don't know what you have until it's gone which highlights one of the major themes of the show that director Watanabe once described as these things that cannot last the tragic beauty of Cowboy Bebop is

1:46 that this is not only true for every cast member but in my experience the viewer themselves as well.look Cowboy Bebop is a [ __ ] melting pot of genres that amalgamates into this unique creation that has stood the test of time for just over 20 years as of this video there's a reason why people still love this show today because every time you read watch it as you grow older into adulthood you gain an entirely new perspective on what it's about and once I got out of it was a story that's encapsulated the pursuit for self liberation from the past and a life of stagnation every character is searching for meaning in their own respective ways but is shackled by the past and whilst you can interpret the show is just a character-driven story about a group of

2:32 bounty hunters filled with comedic adventures engaging fights and moments of wholesomeness it's can also be interpreted in a much more tragic light a light that illuminates the fundamental flaws of the main cast and the similar but dystopian future they live in the prevalent theme of Cowboy Bebop is the notion of being unable to escape from your own paths it begs the crucial question of can we even have a future if we can't accept the past no matter how tragic it may be each member of the core cast is unable to move beyond a particular moment in time where an event occurred because it is forever embedded within them these are people who are frozen in time and the answer cowboy bebop gives us is that in order to

3:19 progress your life you must face up to the Past accept it and carry that weight of hardships as we are who we are because of the past experiences we've been through it reinforces the message that there's never a point where it's too late to turn back to reconcile and to try and make your actions right and you life better it may be difficult it may be hard for others to accept but it is always possible this cool theme results in somber realizations sad departures and most of all a tragic ending so let's talk about the bittersweet tragedy of Cowboy Bebop okay three two [Music] [Applause]

4:05 [Music] [Applause] [Music] as anyone who's watched the show would know the bebop crew is a cluster of people from random backgrounds with their only common denominator being these shattered pasts they can't and won't reconcile with they survive for the sake of living another day by collecting bounties and all have a unifying desire for purpose but an inability to actually move forward each character is neglecting their previous identity they has no recollection of her younger self jet is no longer an honor and duty-bound member of the ISSP and spike is no longer a ruthless member of the syndicate they are all missing an integral part of themselves and are

4:51 consumed by the idea of obtaining and ever so needed closure as a result their time is metaphorically frozen and the only way for the ice to melt is further past to be dealt with hence the story is all about being static a point in life where they drift amongst the stars in the emptiness of space with no true destination in sight the main trio have countless similarities between them they've all experienced trauma heartbreak and betrayal in their past lives leading through cynical worldviews and an isolated experience as bounty hunters teeth ring on the edge of society their lifestyle is dependent on whether there are bounties available or not and even so these missions only act as temporary

5:37 distractions from their otherwise monotonous lives whilst they all inherently value the freedom their lifestyle enables them the irony of the situation is that they themselves aren't actually free for the majority of the story the beauty of Cowboy Bebop is watching these characters undergo this journey of self liberation and watching the dynamics of the main crew change as they all become more emotionally attached and open with each other but dealing with the past issues to get the closure they yearn for to finally live in the present doesn't mean all their problems are wrapped up nicely with nothing to worry about in fact the end of the show makes it apparent that there are grave consequences for doing so spike dies Fay undergoes an identity

6:22 crisis and is left isolated and Jet's is still honestly living the life of a bounty hunter after losing all the meaningful relationships he had whilst tying up the loose ends that have been holding them back it gives them a necessary catharsis it also means they now have to live the remainder of their lives with a massive burden on their shoulders and to paraphrase and carry that weight now I think it's worth actually looking at and examining the paths of each member of the bebop crew their individual journeys of self-liberation and how it affected their future by analyzing the past present and future of the core cast we can find the parallels surrounding each member and contextualize the tragic themes the show puts forward Jets also nicknamed as running Rock has

7:09 experienced betrayal from everything he held close to him despite his nickname adequately describing his bulky physique he is also the most stable and reliable character in the crew hence why he's sort of their leader figure he grew up with strong morals and an affinity for duty and justice which is what makes the betrayal of both his long-term partner Alyssa leaving him and the corruption of the ISSP causing him to lose his left arm emotionally cuts him to the core it can be interpreted by the quotes Donald or Donalda broke over to eat some alma mater what I need to do it sorry did you endure that jet simply wanted to live a life of stability living firmly in one place much like a rock but his

7:56 freelancing job as a bounty hunter seems to contradict his true nature as if he's running away from the lifestyle he actually desires hence running rock he's an example of a character who detests his past identity because of the trauma it brought him it's only when jet meets a lesser again that he can no longer neglect his past he hands her the broken stopwatch she left him back when she ran away where it's time has literally socked Heather remind you of anyone and it's only after he confronts his past and settles his ties by finding out why Alyssa truly left him and the real reason why he lost his left arm that he could finally move forward he throws away the broken stopwatch and as a result his frozen time starts moving again I feel like this is the best metaphor the show brings to

8:42 showcase that Jetts has not only faced his past but has accepted it and gain the necessary catharsis to finally move forward like the other members of the crew that I'll talk about later he doesn't really get a happy ending Elissa is arguably in a worse state than how she was when she initially left and Jet's was forced to kill his old partner that he trusted so dearly and even considered teaming up again with in the future however I feel like in the end yet at least got the most closure compared to the others he still lives his life as a bounty hunter with no long term goals but at the very least his time can finally move forward and even though it's bittersweet that has to count for something [Music] Fei is by far the most cynical character

9:28 in the series most likely because of her experiences of being betrayed by con artists when she woke up and her momentous debt that she has to live with she is unique in the fact that she is the only character shown whose desire is to run directly to her past she's missing almost all her identity and is forced to live in a future dystopian world where the odds are metaphorically and if you count her betting habits literally against her it's especially sad when she does receive glimpses of her past life such as the VHS tape in session 18 speak like a child we see Fae looking at her younger self which puts things in a bolder perspective for her she is no longer the person she once was the cheerful optimistic fade from the past is juxtaposed with the cynical debts

10:15 heavy and betrayed Fae of the presence she's lost her original identity and whilst at the end of the story she does receive the answers she was looking for there's a sad futility to it all whilst it was good in the fact that she was no longer chained by the past it's reinforced the bittersweet theme of the show that's nothing lasts forever her old home is gone everyone she knew is either dead or elderly and the scene at the end of session 24 reinforces her cruel isolation however whilst her old life may be gone through her journey of self-discovery she's created a new one with the bebop crew which seems great but unfortunately is made all the more tragic when even that's criminals away at the end of the story

11:00 when spike leaves she has practically nowhere else to call home and the closest connection she's made are with the bebop crew and her dependence on these relationships she's made throughout the story really make you understand why she was so heartbroken to see spike leave and this last shot of her breaking down as she's failed to grasp on to the last chance of hope she had really does reinforce the bittersweet nature of the show I thought it would be worth mentioning ed and iron as they are in no way shackled by the past to the same extent as the other members are but I believe their role is still important in the story as they provide the necessary levity and optimism needed to lighten the mood in the darkest of times they are both kind of a [ __ ] enigma but in my opinion

11:46 act as a valuable conduits in emotionally opening up the crew Jets spike and Faye are all emotionally frozen / with Faye literally being [ __ ] frozen and Ed annoying gradually breakdown the reserved attitudes with their countless antics its childlike innocence makes her unique in the fact that she's the only member truly living in the presence and while she does have the emotional baggage of her father pretty much well abandoning her she was never running away from the paths like the others were she was simply on an adventure excited to see where her new path would lead her and the people she'd find and her conclusion is fitting as she eventually finds her father and decides to walk her own path in life of iron not because anyone forced her to but out of

12:32 her own choice instead which ends her character arc perfectly [Music] now of course when talking about the tragic philosophy of Cowboy Bebop I had to save our favorite apathetic relaxed with the lazy reckless versatile stylish Bruce Lee inspired space cowboy spike Spiegel lost his past is a tragic one and as of year were only given fragments of it and left to fill in the pieces from what the show tells her spike was initially a member of a crime syndicate namely Red Dragons and was believed to be one of the best in forces around even surpassing vicious when he met Julia his priorities and life changed as he finally found someone to value and

13:21 fights for rather than just himself he valued her so much that he wanted to run away and start a new life together but leaving the Syndicates isn't that easy Julia doesn't show up and spike is left alone to cut ties with the syndicate permanently this results in a violent lost and where it's believed spike died therefore giving him the perfect exit as a result spike himself believes a part of him died that day and he enters a never-ending dream that he can't escape from he perfectly personifies Bruce Lee's philosophy of being like water as he is shown to be pretty much adaptable to any situation thrown at him one infamous example being when he was on a spaceship headed to his death and casually whipped out as

14:08 cigarettes and uttered the phrase I'm sure lots of people are envious of his ability to just go with the flow in any scenario and just well not really give up there and whilst this has led to evidently impressive skills in combat and adaptability I honestly believe this stylish persona is more of a facade and can be interpreted anymore sombre lights that reveals his fundamental flaw as a person the real spike is completely apathetic as a bounty hunter the smallest margin of error can result in death but this literally never phases him as there are countless examples of him undergoing borderline suicidal missions and take on impossible tasks don't take any hung

14:57 acoustical carnet de música sheet over on a Hana janay song moody de but come on what doesn t IQ are you when I'm on da alright spy guru so you know masculine dale oliver his continuous contemplation of whether he is truly awake or in a dream results in him viewing life in death as one in the same the parts of his identity as a member of the Syndicates has already died resulting in a shell of a man who disassociates himself from reality a man who's uninterested from any wide ambition or glory attaining purpose and most importantly progression the entire points of his character is that he static and this life of stagnation procrastination and passiveness from

15:43 facing its problems mean that the troubles of the past inevitably catch up to him like a shadow looming in the background the longer he waits and the further he goes to escape his troubles the more dangerous things become notice that the only times the main overarching plots of the story moves forward is when vicious directly intervenes and knots of spikes own volition there have been arguments that spike was a man who only continued to live after leaving the Syndicates in the hopes that he could once again run a wave of julia therefore in the face of that his life as a member of the bebop crew was meaningless in comparison as he was simply living day by day until he could finally reunite with his lover the only person in the world who could rid him of his apathy with her eventual

16:29 death the last straw was broken the miniscule amount of meaning and will he had to stay alive in the first place was gone hence why he went on a death mission to face the Syndicates by himself Durio idea he shows it however I disagree with this interpretation that spikes time on the bebop was meaningless or that he entirely lost the will to live after Julia's death I feel like it was slightly more well complicated than that the tragedy of the situation is that he had much more to live for besides from Julia spike had already formed unbreakable connections with every other member this has made a parents when spike plants that pinwheel ed gave him on the front of the ship after she left or emotionally opening up to Fay in

17:16 session 26 or when the show makes it clear that he was far closer to Jet's than he ever was to Julia so why did he face the Syndicates by himself surely Nia go get away owning a home Tony Kirika vodka company combo in the final episodes the troubles of both the past and the present converged into a spectacular finale and this line shows how spike has finally changed as a person he finally no longer becomes static and awakens from his dream instead of living a life for passiveness running away from his past troubles this is the first time in the series where Spike refuses to be static and actually faces vicious out of his own volition by going to the Syndicates not only as he

18:03 protecting Jett and Fay and getting vengeance for Julia but it also shows that he's finally become liberated by making amends with his past this was in a way Spike's salvation he didn't want to die even though Julia was gone a part of him still wanted to live despite it taking death to gain amends for his past he realized he truly was alive this entire time he never died after escaping the Syndicates he was completely free and my interpretation of why he was smiling at the end was because well it all seemed too good to be true the fact that he already had everything he wanted in his life to begin with which is what makes the philosophy of its character so tragic and bittersweet

18:48 [ __ ] hell so that was pretty depressing what'd you talk about god I'm [ __ ] I'm sorry okay I guess - at the very least end the video and a silver lining there are some positive aspects that can be taken from the philosophy of the show on the journey of self liberation they each form valuable connections and end up gaining the necessary catharsis to progress in life the episodic nature of the show reinforces that it can be easy to enter a sort of trance and go through the repetitive motions of living just like the bebop crew did even though you aren't really feeling alive the hardships the characters had to endure such as when Jets killed his ex-partner

19:34 when fav regained her lost memories only to find this no home waiting for her and Julia's death all put things in perspective for the crew forcing them to reevaluate what's they want to do in life and cherish the things they already have and this mature focus on emotional baggage in closure is why i think the show stands out so much after witnessing 26 sessions of people confronting their pasts and struggles after the show concludes the only people left the confront their pasts are us viewers just like how the bebop crew observed each bounty faced their own personal issues eventually us the audience observed the bebop crew as individuals doing the same can watching these people face their own

20:19 struggles actually be the catalyst for us as an audience to face up to our own parts as a person who's been deeply impacted by Cowboy Bebop I think it says that you should aspire to reach that balancing point it's a way you can accept the regrets of the past and embrace both the good and the bad things in life it's a way you wouldn't want anything to be different also don't leave things in the [ __ ] fridge have you ever found a dashing piece of bleep merchandise try to buy it and then found out oh it doesn't even [ __ ] [ __ ] to my country then you end up manically searching the internet for at least one site that can actually ship

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22:39 the description you can join it for free and if you win you get these items for completely free so you might as well try I'd also like to thank the amazing people who donated on my patreon especially Vader one four three five Florin Straub deathless age and most of all h2 masks who is a small youtuber that makes videos analyzing anime movies television and a bunch of other content including occasional comedy videos he seriously underappreciated so I've linked both his channels in the description and it would mean a lot if you check it out also a massive thank you to fire shade who has been the overall most helpful person since I started this channel it's been in the process of writing a book that I'll link to in the description it's a pretty interesting read so I definitely recommend you check it out if you'd like to support me make more videos my patreon as well as links to my social

23:26 media or on the screen or in the description somewhere thanks for watching and