History of Cowboy Bebop in Timeline
Cowboy Bebop, a 1998 neo-noir space Western anime series created by Sunrise, follows a group of bounty hunters (Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV, and Ein) as they travel the solar system in their spaceship, Bebop, in pursuit of criminals and the next big score. Haunted by their pasts, the crew members grapple with themes of loneliness, existentialism, and the struggle to escape their personal demons while navigating a dangerous and rapidly changing galaxy.
1997: Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star Manga Serialization
In 1997, the first manga series adaptation, Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star illustrated by Cain Kuga, was serialized from October issue in Asuka Fantasy DX, prior to the anime series' release. The manga was published by Kadokawa Shoten.
May 14, 1998: PlayStation Video Game Release
On May 14, 1998, a Cowboy Bebop video game developed and published by Bandai, was released in Japan for the PlayStation.
June 26, 1998: Initial TV Tokyo Run Ends
On June 26, 1998, the initial run of Cowboy Bebop on TV Tokyo ended. Due to its 6:00 p.m. timeslot and depictions of graphic violence, only select episodes (2, 3, 7 to 15, 18 and a special) were aired during this initial broadcast.
1998: Initial Acclaim
Beginning in 1998, Japanese critic Keith Rhee highlighted Cowboy Bebop as a standout series, praising its production values and Yoko Kanno's soundtrack.
1998: Cowboy Bebop Series Airing
In 1998, Cowboy Bebop, a Japanese neo-noir space Western anime television series created and animated by Sunrise, began airing on TV Tokyo and Wowow. The production team included director Shinichirō Watanabe, screenwriter Keiko Nobumoto, character designer Toshihiro Kawamoto, mechanical designer Kimitoshi Yamane, and composer Yoko Kanno.
1998: Manga Volumes Collection
In 1998, the first manga series, Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star, was collected into two volumes, with the first in May and the second in September. The manga series was illustrated by Cain Kuga.
1998: Anime Grand Prix Awards
In the 1999 Anime Grand Prix awards for the anime of 1998, Cowboy Bebop won two first place awards: Spike Spiegel was awarded the best male character; and Megumi Hayashibara was awarded the best voice actor for her role as Faye Valentine. Cowboy Bebop also received rankings in other categories.
April 24, 1999: Wowow Broadcast Ends
On April 24, 1999, the full series of Cowboy Bebop completed its broadcast on the satellite network Wowow, after beginning on October 23 of the previous year. This broadcast included all episodes of the series.
October 1999: Cowboy Bebop Manga Series Serialization
In October 1999, the second Cowboy Bebop manga series illustrated by Yutaka Nanten was serialized in Asuka Fantasy DX, published by Kadokawa Shoten. The serialization had begun from November issue 1998 and ran to March issue 2000.
October 21, 1999: Italian Premiere on MTV
On October 21, 1999, Cowboy Bebop premiered in Italy on MTV, marking the first non-Asian country to air the series. It inaugurated the 9:00–10:30 p.m. Anime Night programming block.
1999: Hyper Magazine Review
In 1999, Australian magazine Hyper reviewed the anime Cowboy Bebop and rated it 9.5 out of 10.
1999: Anime Grand Prix Awards
In the 1999 Anime Grand Prix awards for the anime of 1998, Cowboy Bebop won two first place awards: Spike Spiegel was awarded the best male character; and Megumi Hayashibara was awarded the best voice actor for her role as Faye Valentine. Cowboy Bebop also received rankings in other categories.
April 2000: Third Volume of Manga Series Released
In April 2000, the third volume of the second Cowboy Bebop manga series illustrated by Yutaka Nanten was released. The manga was serialized from November 1998 to March 2000.
2000: Individual DVD Release
In 2000, the second release of Cowboy Bebop was sold individually, featuring uncut versions of the original 26 episodes.
2000: Anime Grand Prix and Seiun Awards
In the 2000 Anime Grand Prix awards for the anime of 1999, Cowboy Bebop won best male character for Spike Spiegel and best voice actor for Megumi Hayashibara. In the 2000 Seiun Awards, Cowboy Bebop was awarded for Best Media of the Year.
September 2, 2001: Adult Swim Debut
On September 2, 2001, Cowboy Bebop debuted on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim as the first anime shown that night at midnight ET. Due to the September 11 attacks, episodes 6, 8, and 22 were initially skipped due to their violent themes.
September 2001: Release of Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven's Door in Japan
In September 2001, Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven's Door (also known as Cowboy Bebop: The Movie) was released in Japan.
2001: Adult Swim Broadcast
In 2001, Cowboy Bebop became the first anime title to be broadcast on Adult Swim in North America. The series was originally licensed in North America by Bandai Entertainment and in Britain by Beez Entertainment. Madman Entertainment owns the license in Australia and New Zealand.
2001: Initial Broadcast on Locomotion
In 2001, Cowboy Bebop was first broadcast on pay-TV in Latin America on Locomotion.
2001: Perfect Sessions DVD Release
In 2001, the special edition Perfect Sessions of Cowboy Bebop was released, including the first 6 DVDs, the first Cowboy Bebop soundtrack, and a collector's box. The art box from the Perfect Sessions was also available for purchase on The Right Stuff International as a solo item.
August 2002: US Release of Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
In August 2002, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven's Door) was released in the United States.
2002: Initial Broadcasts
In 2002, Cowboy Bebop was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on CNX, an adult-oriented channel, and on pay television in Australia on Adult Swim.
2002: The Best Sessions Release
In 2002, The Best Sessions of Cowboy Bebop was released, featuring what Bandai considered to be the best 6 episodes of the series remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS surround sound.
2004: Newtype USA Poll Ranking
In 2004, a poll in Newtype USA ranked Cowboy Bebop second on the list of "Top 25 Anime Titles of All Time". Cinefantastique listed the anime as one of the "10 Essential Animations".
August 25, 2005: PlayStation 2 Game Release
On August 25, 2005, a PlayStation 2 video game, Cowboy Bebop: Tsuioku no Serenade, was released in Japan.
December 24, 2006: Canadian Broadcast on Razer
On December 24, 2006, Cowboy Bebop was first broadcast in Canada on Razer.
2006: IGN's Top Ten Anime Themes and Soundtracks of All-Time
In 2006, Cowboy Bebop's soundtrack was ranked first in IGN's "Top Ten Anime Themes and Soundtracks of All-Time" list. Spike Spiegel was ranked fourth place in the "Top 25 Anime Characters of All Time" article.
2006: Watanabe Interview
In a 2006 interview with The Daily Texan, Shinichirō Watanabe said there might someday be more Cowboy Bebop material.
January 2, 2007: Broadcast on ABC2 in Australia
On January 2, 2007, Cowboy Bebop was first broadcast on free-to-air television in Australia on ABC2, the national digital public television channel.
January 2007: Likely Cancellation of English Version
In January 2007, IGN reported that the English version of the PlayStation 2 video game Cowboy Bebop: Tsuioku no Serenade had likely been cancelled, speculating that it did not survive Bandai's merger with Namco to Bandai Namco Games.
November 6, 2007: Broadcast on AnimeCentral
From November 6, 2007, Cowboy Bebop was repeated on AnimeCentral in the United Kingdom until the channel's closure in August 2008.
2007: Anime Insider Ranking
In 2007, American Anime magazine Anime Insider ranked Cowboy Bebop as the #1 anime of all time in their "50 Best Anime Ever" list.
2007: Tensai Okamura's Work on Darker than Black
In 2007, Tensai Okamura, one of Cowboy Bebop's main animators, created his own anime, Darker than Black, using his experience from Cowboy Bebop to write the screenplay.
July 22, 2008: Live-Action Movie Rumors
On July 22, 2008, If published an article about a rumor of a live-action Cowboy Bebop movie in development by 20th Century Fox. Producer Erwin Stoff mentioned that the film was in early development, with Keanu Reeves set to play Spike Spiegel.
August 2008: AnimeCentral Closure
In August 2008, AnimeCentral in the United Kingdom closed down. Cowboy Bebop had been repeated on the channel since November 6, 2007, until its closure.
2008: Cowboy Bebop Remix Complete Collection
In 2008, Cowboy Bebop Remix was collected as the Cowboy Bebop Remix: The Complete Collection. The Remix edition included the original 26 uncut episodes, with sound remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 and video remastered under the supervision of Shinichirō Watanabe, along with various extras.
January 15, 2009: Sunrise Involvement Confirmed
On January 15, 2009, Variety confirmed that Sunrise Animation would be closely involved with the development of the English-language live-action Cowboy Bebop movie. Kenji Uchida, Shinichirō Watanabe, Keiko Nobumoto, and Masahiko Minami were also confirmed as associate producers and production consultant, with Peter Craig as screenwriter.
February 23, 2009: Cowboy Bebop: The Movie Airs on SBS
On February 23, 2009, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie aired on SBS, a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting television network.
March 2009: The A.V. Club Review
In March 2009, The A.V. Club called Cowboy Bebop "rightly a huge hit" and listed it as a gateway series to understanding anime.
2009: IGN's Top 100 Animated TV Series
In the 2009 "Top 100 Animated TV Series" list by IGN, Cowboy Bebop was placed fourteenth, making it the second highest ranking anime on the list and one of the most influential series of the 1990s.
October 15, 2010: Budget Problems Delay Production
As of October 15, 2010, problems with the budget delayed the production of the live-action Cowboy Bebop movie. The submitted script was sent back for rewrite to reduce the cost.
2011: IGN's Top 50 Sci-Fi TV Shows
In 2011, Cowboy Bebop was ranked 29th in IGN's "Top 50 Sci-Fi TV Shows" list, being the second highest ranking anime on the list.
2011: Slated Release Year
In 2011, the live-action Cowboy Bebop movie was slated to release, but problems with the budget delayed its production.
December 2012: Anime Limited Acquires Home Video License
In December 2012, Anime Limited announced they had acquired the home video license for Cowboy Bebop in the United Kingdom.
2012: Madman Entertainment Ranking
In 2012, Madman Entertainment ranked Cowboy Bebop at seventh in "The Top 20 Madman Anime Titles" based on fan votes.
July 29, 2013: Blu-ray Collection Part 1 Release
On July 29, 2013, Anime Limited released Part 1 of the Blu-ray collection for Cowboy Bebop in the United Kingdom.
September 23, 2013: Delayed DVD Complete Collection
The standard DVD Complete Collection of Cowboy Bebop was originally meant to be released on September 23, 2013, alongside Part 2 of the Blu-ray release, but was delayed due to mastering and manufacturing errors.
October 25, 2014: Watanabe's Comments on Live-Action Film
On October 25, 2014, at the MCM London Comic Con, series director Watanabe expressed uncertainty about the progress of the live-action Cowboy Bebop film, stating he didn't know what was happening in Hollywood and that there were a lot of 'Hollywood' problems.
December 16, 2014: Funimation Blu-ray and DVD Release
On December 16, 2014, Funimation released Cowboy Bebop on Blu-ray and DVD in four separate editions: standard DVD, standard Blu-ray, an Amazon.com exclusive Blu-ray/DVD combo, and a Funimation.com exclusive Blu-ray/DVD combo.
January 2015: DVD Talk Review
In January 2015, television writer Kyle Mills of DVD Talk awarded Cowboy Bebop five stars upon review, praising it as one of the finest examples of storytelling ever created and calling its finale one of the best in television history.
2015: HD Remasters Broadcast
In 2015, HD remasters of Cowboy Bebop began broadcasting.
January 9, 2016: Aired on I.Sat
On January 9, 2016, Cowboy Bebop aired again on I.Sat in Latin America.
2017: Live-Action Adaptation Announced
In 2017, it was announced that an American live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop was being developed by Tomorrow Studios with executive production by Sunrise Inc. Christopher Yost was to write the series, and Netflix would distribute it.
2018: Paste Magazine Review
In his 2018 review of Cowboy Bebop, Paste critic John Maher called it a magnum opus and placed it at #1 on the publication's list of the "50 Best Anime Series of All Time".
April 4, 2019: Live-Action Adaptation Cast Announced
On April 4, 2019, Variety reported that John Cho, Mustafa Shakir, Daniella Pineda, and Alex Hassell were cast in the American live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop.
April 2019: Victor & Valentino Creator Interview
In an April 2019 interview, Diego Molano, creator of Victor & Valentino, mentioned that Cowboy Bebop was the first anime he obsessed over, and it showed him "how cinematic and emotional animation can be".
October 2019: Production Shut Down
In October 2019, production of the live-action Cowboy Bebop series was shut down due to a knee injury sustained by John Cho, setting production back by more than six months.
2019: Board Game Release
In 2019, Cowboy Bebop: Space Serenade, a deck-building board game, was released.
April 17, 2020: Episode Length Revealed
On April 17, 2020, it was revealed that episodes of the live-action Cowboy Bebop series would be an hour long.
May 2020: COVID-19 Charity Track
In May 2020, Mason Lieberman partnered with Sunrise and Funimation to produce an official Cowboy Bebop charity track for COVID-19 relief. Yōko Kanno and The Seatbelts returned for this track.
May 19, 2020: Production Update
On May 19, 2020, Marty Adelstein revealed that three episodes of the live-action Cowboy Bebop series were finished, and at least six episodes had been shot before John Cho's knee injury. Shinichirō Watanabe was hired as a creative consultant.
September 30, 2020: Production Resumes
On September 30, 2020, production of the live-action Cowboy Bebop series resumed in New Zealand following a COVID-19 lockdown.
October 21, 2021: Netflix Streaming
On October 21, 2021, Netflix acquired the streaming rights to the original Cowboy Bebop anime, making all 26 episodes available worldwide. The series is also available on Hulu and Funimation in the United States.
November 19, 2021: Series Release
On November 19, 2021, the live-action Cowboy Bebop series was released on Netflix to mixed reviews.
December 9, 2021: Series Cancellation
On December 9, 2021, Netflix announced that the live-action Cowboy Bebop series would not be renewed for a second season and was cancelled entirely.
March 1, 2022: Availability on Crunchyroll
On March 1, 2022, the Cowboy Bebop anime became available on Crunchyroll to consolidate both Funimation and Wakanim into the service.
2022: Super Robot Wars T Debut
In 2022, Cowboy Bebop made its debut in the Bandai Namco crossover game Super Robot Wars T.
April 4, 2023: Crunchyroll Blu-ray Release
On April 4, 2023, Crunchyroll released a limited edition Blu-ray box set of Cowboy Bebop for its 25th anniversary.
2024: Overwatch 2 Skins Addition
In 2024, skins based on Cowboy Bebop characters were added to Blizzard Entertainment's first-person shooter Overwatch 2.
2025: Fortnite Battle Royale Skins Addition
In 2025, skins based on Cowboy Bebop characters Spike Spiegel and Faye Valentine were added to Epic Games' Fortnite Battle Royale.
2071: Setting of the Series
In the year 2071, humanity has colonized planets and moons in the Solar System following an accident with a hyperspace gateway that made Earth uninhabitable. Registered bounty hunters or "Cowboys" operate under a legalized contract system set up by the Inter Solar System Police (ISSP). The protagonists, including Spike Spiegel and Jet Black, work from the spaceship Bebop.
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