Cowboy Bebop’s Original Title Was a Straight-up Horror Story: “Everyone On The Staff Was Asked To Give Their Opinion”

SUMMARY

• Cowboy Bebop was originally called Shooting Star Bebop.
• The name Cowboy Bebop invokes a western vibe despite being a Japanese show.
• Owning a Corgi as a pet helped the character designer to draw antics of Ein.

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All anime fans will claim in unison that Cowboy Bebop is a cult classic from the 90’s. The series aired from 1998 to 1999 and has 26 episodes. It was created by Sunrise Studio and was a gateway to anime in the early 2000s for the Western world.

On account of the series completing 20 years in 2018, the entire staff of Cowboy Bebop gathered at New York Comic Con. They spoke about the impact of the series, globally.

The staff comprised scriptwriters Keiko Nobumoto and Dai Satō, character designer Toshihiro Kawamoto, and mechanical designer Kimitoshi Yamane. While talking to ANN before the Comic-Con, the staff talked about how they came up with the name of the series.

Cowboy Bebop‘s Original Title Was a Straight-up Horror Story

Spike Speigel | Credits: Sunrise Studio

Before the series was named Cowboy Bebop, it was called Shooting-Star Bebop. When asked about the thought process behind changing the name, Yamane said that the last part ‘Bebop’ was already finalized, and only what goes in front of it was to be decided. And everyone on the team was asked to chip in.

Dai Satō suggested the name “Space Jazz” in place of “Space Opera”. Although he didn’t have any problem with the idea of Bebop.

However, Keiko Nobumoto suggested the name Cowboy Bebop and also explained the thought process behind it. She said,

I had heard about the song Space Cowboy by Jamiroquai and in my mind ”space” and “cowboy” were compatible terms. So it was natural to think of Cowboy Bebop.

The interviewer also talked about how the name Cowboy Bebop has a very Western vibe to it. Suggesting their friends to watch the show would always pop the question of whether it is a Western show, or not.

Responding to that, Kimitoshi Yamane said that at the beginning when the title was introduced, it didn’t get enough praise. However, it wasn’t the case with him and he loved it.

Having A Corgi As A Pet Helped In Designing Ein’s Character

Ein | Credits: Sunrise Studio

While talking about the difficulty of designing a character, Kawamoto said that he had to imagine characters that could withstand any situation. He tried to figure that out by talking to the writers and directors.

He said that it went well while designing Spike’s character and that he could still draw it 20 years later. He further went on to talk about how owning a Corgi as a pet helped him design the antics of Ein as a character.

When I was doing the design work, I had not acquired the corgi as a pet. I just knew that the characteristics were long bodies and short legs. I started studying and looking up reference materials for dogs with long torsos and bodies and think of how they would move. Ultimately I figured that it would be easier if I had a corgi as a pet. She helped me when I was thinking of how the character would move and how they would express themselves.

Cowboy Bebop the series was set in the year 2071 and dealt with themes like existential boredom, loneliness, and inability to escape one’s past. It has won several major anime and science fiction awards. It was a major hit amongst the fans due to its futuristic theme and an amazing soundtrack.

Written by Dewang Ruke

Articles Published: 4

I'm your go-to wordsmith for turning otaku dreams into epic reads. From shounen power-ups to slice-of-life feels, I've been living in the anime-verse, blending humor, heart, and deep dives into character arcs, plot twists, and fan theories.