Netflix is feeling anime's vibe these days, and the company just gave the world a better look at its plans for the medium. It turns out Netflix has plans to oversee a live-action take on Cowboy Bebop, and the Internet has a lot to say about the big order.
It wasn't long ago Netflix confirmed it's developing a live-action adaptation of the classic. A late-night Twitter post revealed Cowboy Bebop will be making a special comeback, and fans were quick to react to the announcement.
As you can see below, the reaction to Cowboy Bebop's adaptation is plenty split. Hollywood has gained a bad reputation with anime fans given its numerous failed attempts to translate the medium into live-action. From Dragonball Evolution to Ghost in the Shell, anime has yet to thrive in the blockbusting industry, but Netflix is hoping to turn that reputation around.
Of course, Cowboy Bebop will not be the first live-action anime Netflix has tackled. The company chose another famous anime to tackle last year, and it was none other than Death Note. Directed by Adam Wingard, Netflix's Death Note starred talent like Nat Wolff and LaKeith Stanfield. The movie went live in July 2017, but its reception was mixed to say at the least. Currently, Death Note has a 38% on Rotten Tomatoes, and the site's audience score is batting even lower at 24%.
With Netflix's track record in the dredges, fans are nervous to see how Cowboy Bebop will be handled, but the 10-episode series does have a promising crew in place so far. Netflix and Tomorrow Studios will co-produce the title with creator Shinichiro Watanabe serving as a consultant. So, if all goes well, the beloved artist will help guide Netflix to what could be Hollywood's first top-tier anime adaptation.
So, what do you think about this adaptation? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!
Cowboy Bebop was first produced by Sunrise in 1998. Directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, with scripts written by Keiko Nobumoto, character designer Toshihiro Kawamoto, and songs composed by Yoko Kanno, the series explores many existentialist philosophies as it follows the adventures of Spike Spiegel, and a group of bounty hunter misfits aboard the titular spaceship the Bebop in the year 2071.