Fans of the original Cowboy Bebop anime may be relieved to hear that the showrunner of the live-action Netflix adaptation is reportedly building off the original show’s canon, not contradicting it.
“I promise we will never take the original anime away from the purists. It will always exist out there,” creator and executive producer André Nemec said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “I believe we’ve done a really nice job of not violating the canon in any direction but merely offering some extra glimpses into the world that was already created.”
Nemec added that he considers the Netflix Cowboy Bebop to be “an expansion to the canon,” adding things to the mythos.
John Cho will be helming the role of Spike, who sports a famously stylish hairdo and quick wit in the sci-fi noir series, which was originally released in Japan in 1998. The anime’s director, Shinichirō Watanabe, also serves as a consultant to the live-action show.
This bit of news follows Nemec saying that the series will include easter eggs in every episode that will in some way pay homage to the original anime, which is famous for its stylish action and jazz-funk soundtrack. Indeed, the original show’s composer Yoko Kanno will also be returning for the live-action rendition.
The Netflix show’s producers clearly respect the show’s source material and are committed to expanding its original artistic vision. That should stir up positive hype from fans, who already showed enthusiasm for images shared of the cast in character.
Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop will begin airing on Nov. 19, 2021, barring any last minute delays.