Cowboy Bebop anime director shares thoughts on Netflix series

Upon its premiere in 2021, Netflix’s live-action rendition of Cowboy Bebop was met with disappointment from viewers. The general consensus among fans was that the series failed to capture the spirit and excitement of its critically acclaimed source material. However, no one appeared more disheartened by the outcome than the original anime’s director, Shinichirō Watanabe, who played a pivotal role in the series’ launch via Sunrise back in 1998. Interestingly, Watanabe confessed that he couldn’t bring himself to watch anything beyond the new show’s initial few minutes.

Despite being credited as an associate producer and consultant on the Netflix remake, Watanabe’s involvement may have been overstated, as he revealed in an extensive interview with Forbes. He lamented that the producers didn’t provide him with substantial responsibilities or tasks to undertake. Reflecting on his experience, Watanabe mentioned, “For the new Netflix live-action adaptation, they sent me a video to review and check. It started with a scene in a casino, which made it very tough for me to continue. I stopped there and so only saw that opening scene.” He further conveyed his realization that without his direct involvement, the essence of Cowboy Bebop would not be faithfully captured: “It was clearly not Cowboy Bebop, and I realized at that point that if I wasn’t involved, it would not be Cowboy Bebop. I felt that maybe I should have done this. Although the value of the original anime is somehow far higher now.”

Less than a month after its premiere, Netflix made the decision to officially cancel the Cowboy Bebop series in December 2021, considering its critical shortcomings. However, despite the setbacks and criticisms faced by the show, the streaming giant remains undeterred in its pursuit of producing live-action adaptations of beloved anime programs. Presently, Netflix is actively developing live-action versions of iconic titles such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, One Piece, YuYu Hakusho, and even a new series based on Death Note.

As fans continue to engage with the live-action adaptation, opinions vary on Watanabe’s perspective regarding the series. The comment section below invites individuals to share their thoughts and reactions to Watanabe’s candid remarks on the live-action Cowboy Bebop series.

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