The story
It is 2071, humanity has spread across the Solar System, and bounty hunters Spike Spiegel and Jet Black are scraping a living chasing criminals from their spaceship, the Bebop. They soon cross paths with Faye Valentine, a fellow hunter revived from cryosleep with no memory of her past, while Spike's own violent history threatens to catch up with him. John Cho leads this live-action version of the 1998 anime.
Why it matters
Netflix's live-action take on a much-loved anime brought back the original composer, Yoko Kanno, and recreated its famous title sequence, yet it was cancelled within three weeks. Its fate shows the hard arithmetic behind streaming renewals, which insiders say weigh viewership against cost.
Notable facts
- Yoko Kanno, who scored the 1998 anime, composed the music, and the original theme "Tank!" opens each episode. (source)
- Original anime director Shinichirō Watanabe said he stopped watching a preview after its opening casino scene. (source)
- A fan petition to save the show gathered more than 150,000 signatures. (source)
- It was nominated for Outstanding Main Title Design at the 2022 Creative Arts Emmys. (source)