In the opening scene of Cowboy Bebop, a lone stranger single-handedly stops a gang of neer-do-wells in the process of holding up an off-license. Following the battle that ensues, you cant help but feel that the cost of repairing the resultant damage would amount to considerably more than simply allowing the thieves to make off with the contents of the till. And there lies the problem with vigilantism.
Thankfully, I can stop my rant right there, as it turns out this stranger isnt a vigilante at all, but a member of a gang of intergalactic bounty hunters. Of course, if youre a fan of the Japanese cartoon series this film is adapted from, then youll already know that but this was my first delve into the world of Cowboy Bebop, so cut me a little slack.
Its the future, Mars has a government, and Spike (the stranger I just mentioned) is about to become embroiled in a terrorist plot to infect the planet with a deadly new virus. So, along with noodle-munchin pals Jet, Faye, and a GIRL called EDWARD(!!!), Spike sets about trying to save the world for a price, of course.
Its certainly eclectic stuff, from the self-consciously multi-cultural setting of Alba City, to the diverse range of backing music, to the inclusion in the gang of the hermaphroditic and deeply-annoying Edward. All of which would normally point to a distinct case of style-over-substance, but Bebop just about manages to pull off chucking an engrossing storyline into the bargain. Just about.
The best thing about it is easily the astonishing futuristic animation, which seems to place us right slap bang in the middle of the action. As a result, the films visual qualities tend to overshadow its attempts at story-telling, which arent brilliant but arent terrible either.
Those often put off watching anime by the shoddy standard of the dubbing should note that in this case the voice-over work is excellent, and the conversion from Japanese to English is an outright success. But for a more solid grounding in the particular world of Cowboy Bebop, Im told youd be better advised watching a good few episodes of the TV show first. Fat lot of use that is to me now.