Rare Cowboy Bebop Live Concert Footage Is Now Streaming for Free: Watch

Cowboy Bebop still resonates strongly with fans worldwide, even 26 years after its first airing. This is in part because of its colorful characters and emotional plot. But, the music is a truly major driving force behind Shinichiro Watanabe’s flagship series. Footage from a 2001 live concert by the band SEATBELTS has been uncovered and is slowly being released on YouTube for absolutely free.

SEATBELTS wrote and performed the scores for Cowboy Bebop, including the timeless OP “Tank!.” Thanks to the record label FlyingDog, fans can now watch that beloved opening track and four other songs from Cowboy Bebop performed live. “Tank!” is already available to watch on YouTube. From the moment the trumpets and drums kick in, audiences are immediately transported to outer space, joining Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Edward, and Ein aboard the Bebop.

Running for 26 episodes and a feature-length movie, Cowboy Bebop follows the aforementioned crew of the Bebop spaceship as they traverse the galaxy, hunting down bounties and desperately trying not to go hungry. The show primarily follows Spike Spiegel, who takes in Faye Valentine, Radical Edward, and the dog Ein as part of the ship’s crew. The show blends high-octane, space-faring action with tons of laughs and a stunning soundtrack that has gained a following outside the show.

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More Live SEATBELTS Performances Will Be Released Soon

Three tracks, including “Tank!”, are currently available on YouTube. “BAD DOG NO BISCUITS” and “Want it All Back” have already been released. FlyingDog will be releasing two more tracks in December. “BLUE” streams on YouTube on December 3, and “Piano solo” streams on December 6. The footage was recorded live from the Souvenir of Tokyo tour, which took place on August 10, 2001. The recordings have been released as part of the 2024 Montreux Jazz Festival.

SEATBELTS was founded in 1998 to score Cowboy Bebop. Led by composer Yoko Kanno, the group is still going, although they rarely perform live. The last time SEATBELTS played together on stage was in 2009 at the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo. However, in 2020, the group played a virtual gig online and re-recorded several songs from Cowboy Bebop.

Shinichiro Watanabe’s Soundtracks Are Epic Beyond Even Cowboy Bebop

Across his entire filmography as an anime director, Shinichiro Watanabe has been obsessed with music. Before directing anime, Watanabe wanted to be a musician but admitted that he was never any good. But the passion and obsession stuck. The director’s creative process for any new show begins with sound. Cowboy Bebop features a distinctly jazzy soundtrack, while Space Dandy is accompanied by funk and techno, and Samurai Champloo is heavily inspired by hip-hop.

Shinichiro Watanabe is currently working hard on his next anime series. Lazarus is set to release in the new year and puts Watanabe back in the sci-fi genre. The official synopsis reads, “In 2052, an emergency task force is assembled when a miracle cure is hijacked for purging populations.” The soundtrack hasn’t been released yet. But, judging by the first trailer and teaser, Lazarus appears to be inspired by lofi music — a beautiful full-circle moment because Samurai Champloo‘s composer, Nujabes, heavily influenced the lofi genre.

H/T: FlyingDog on YouTube