Look, I think we all knew that this was inevitable. I managed to put it off this long, at least.

What is it?

Cowboy Bebop is a 26-episode anime series from the late 1990s. It spawned a theatrical movie, some manga, and a cult following that makes Firefly fans seem quaint and relaxed by comparison.

What kind of story is it?

Some of my favorite story setups focus on the notion of “found family,” as we’ve discussed previously.

Bebop is not really one of those stories, but it’s kind of adjacent to that notion. These five weirdos (yes, I’m counting the dog) who don’t fit in anywhere else do, for a short time, kind of mesh and coexist and form a brief family-like unit.

It doesn’t last. It’s not that kind of show.

Bebop isn’t really a story (despite there being an overall arc centered on one of the characters and each other character getting their own complete arc) but rather an interwoven series of vignettes about some very broken people. It’s an experiment, also, in putting a dozen storytelling styles into a blender and setting the results to jazz music. The experiment works, mind you. Umpteen millions of anime fans can’t all be wrong about that, now can they?

Why do you like it?

It is a rip-roaring romp of a show for the most part. It’s experimental, it’s artsy, it’s active, it’s fun, it’s a feast for the eyes. And yes, the music helps.

I can’t resist pondering how “cool” as a concept is baked into the show’s structure. Seriously, it’s as if everyone involved in writing Cowboy Bebop had a checklist of “wouldn’t it be cool if ______?” and every single one of the items on those lists made it into the finished product. And most of them actually turned out to be cool. I mean, think about that: Usually when someone aims to make something “cool” it comes off as trying too hard, as contrived.

But not here. Here, it all ends up being really cool.

What might one not like about it?

Perhaps you agree with Robert Plant’s exclamation in the obscure B-side track, “Oompa (Watery Bint)”: “To hell with jazz.”

Bebop is also kind of a downer, overall. Again: These characters are broken people, even the one who seems the most happy-go-lucky. This story doesn’t really end well for most of them, some more than others. (No spoilers beyond that, not even for a show from two decades ago.)

Other thoughts about it?

You might see it argued that the opening theme, “Tank!“, is the finest anime opening tune of all time. I grant you that it is striking and different and perfectly suited to this show, but… it’s its own thing. It’s so removed from anything else that comparing the piece to other shows’ theme songs just doesn’t make any sense.

Besides. It’s been proved through rigorous bracket-based debate that the greatest opening of all time is the opening to Macross Frontier. (The actual winner of that tournament and the others at the same tiers were all ending themes, you see.)

But I digress. Playfully, mind you, with tongue firmly in cheek. Put down those pitchforks and snuff those torches, y’all.

Anyway, Cowboy Bebop also features some really cool spaceship designs. So there.

Where can I watch it?

Hey look, Crunchyroll has Cowboy Bebop in their library.

Sometimes you need something short and sweet. Or perhaps four really short things. Who live in bottles.

What is it?

Bottle Fairy is a 13-episode anime series made up of half-length (12 minute) episodes.

What kind of story is it?

Such as it is, here we go: Four very small fairies (who live in… jars, really) adore their keeper, who they refer to as “Sensei-san,” and they regularly visit the not-actually-helpful next-door neighbor girl, Tama-chan.

Each of the first twelve episodes is themed on a month of the year, with the 13th bonus episode being a special kind of thing all its own. The fairies try to learn about the world, and through their thorough misinterpretations we gain entertainment and the occasional bit of knowledge. But mostly entertainment.

Why do you like it?

This is a pure comedy series, but not in a sitcom vein. It’s like a short-form anime sketch comedy show. The Monty Python troupe, only in cartoon-girl form, as it were. It’s imaginative and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny, though a lot of jokes rely on just enough knowledge of Japanese language and culture to help them land.

Mind you, part of my fondness for the show derives from the time my daughter and I spent watching it when it came out. Hey, it’s a valid source of nostalgia value, right? Right.

What might one not like about it?

The humor is definitely culturally derived, there’s very little in the way of an overall plot, and the episodes are short. (I actually count that in Bottle Fairy‘s favor, but there you go.)

Other thoughts about it?

To this day, I still get a chuckle out of “o-bento-sensei-san.”

And “Narita divorce.” (Really, the entire “June bride-oh” episode.)

Perhaps I’ve revealed too much.

Where can I watch it?

Given the impending demise of the “daisuke.net” experiment you’re pretty much stuck with picking up the DVDs, I’m afraid…