Quick Links
Cowboy Bebopis typically hailed as one of the most important and influential anime of all time, while other series mentioned in the same breath,Samurai ChamplooandSpace Dandy, garner similar reactions from fans. As each are notably directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, each series are compared to each other on a basis of quality, idiosyncratic blending of Japanese and Western aesthetics, and their fantastic, genre-bending soundtracks. ButSpace Dandystands out as an unusual spiritual sequel toCowboy Bebopin how much it strays thematically, to feel wholly fresh and wildly entertaining.
Space Dandyis a wild series that quickly reminds its viewers that,while retaining the pulpy flair and brilliant soundtrack ofCowboy Bebop, it is a vastly different breed of science fiction with different 20th-century aesthetic influences. While the narrator describes the series protagonist in many ofSpace Dandy’scold openings as a dandy in space, he’s often more crude, superficial, and carefree than what the image of a dandy in space may conjure up. BeyondSpace Dandy’sconnection toCowboy Bebop,creatively and its vague in-universe connections, it deserves to be examined for its uniquely strong qualities.
Space Dandy Takes What Made Bebop Special and Makes It Absurd
We’re All Fools, so Let’s Dance, Baby
Upon its immediate reveal to newcomers fresh offCowboy Bebop, it might be easy to make a surface-level comparison toSpace Dandy:each features a spacefaring crew of bounty hunters. They juggle a sci-fi world with distinctive and memorable spaceships and a crew of supporting characters to contrast the protagonist, and each borrows genre and artistic conventions from Western mid-20th-century popular culture.Yet,Space Dandyleans more heavily into pulp science fiction, or “Zeerust,“to conjure images of a swashbuckling, jetpack-wearing Adam Strange or Buck Rogers-type instead ofCowboy Bebop’snoir influences while never taking itself too seriously.
Cowboy Bebop’s One Banned Episode Was Almost So Much Weirder With One Strange Addition
An interview shed light on the origin of one of Cowboy Bebop’s most unusual episodes, revealing that it was almost a lot stranger than it turned out.
Space Dandytakes a similar episodic format toCowboy Bebop,while goingin surprising, anthology-focused directions where each episode can vary wildly in conclusions and developments. This much is proven in the first episode, where even the main characters die, or episode #4, when the crew of Dandy’s ship,Aloha Oe, are irreversibly turned into zombies, along with every living creature in the universe. Later episodes return to the looming plot of Dr. Gel and the Gogol Empire pursuing Dandy, their war with the Jaicro Empire, and Dandy’s role and unusual abilities. No episode takes itself too seriously.
Space Dandy’s Ridiculousness Hides A Serious Heart
Your Tears Make for a Fine Soup Stock, Baby
Space Dandydoesn’t trouble itself with any pretenses about its characters, with Dandy being outwardly shallow and his companions Meow and QT being varying degrees of sympathetic at best. Dandy is content leaving even his allies to imminent death if he can ensure his safety, although he will rescue them in self-serving cases;he is not exactly a heroic character, but different episodes show his potential.Much like the strange sci-fi adventuresSpace Dandyoften parodies, Dandy encounters mind-bending new worlds and people who leave a palpable impression on him, where viewers begin to see his more beautiful qualities.
One of the earliest instances is Space Dandy’s journey through a wormhole to track down a fabled ramen in episode #2, only to find an elegant tale of an alien whose loss is quelled by the simple comforts of a good bowl of soup.Dandy is also not the only one who experiences emotional episodes.Meow, Dandy’s Betelgeusian quasi-cat alien companion, returns to his homeworld in episode #10 through a loop. ThisSpace Dandyepisode presents Meow with his high school crush and his wholesome family’s daily life, which he once deemed mundane, leaving him unbearably wistful upon leaving.
Other humans would discard QT, yet Dandy accepts him into his crew, bringing him along for his adventures.
Humans and aliens are treated humanistically inSpace Dandy, including QT, the sentient robot aboard theAloha Oe. In episode #13, the series dives into how QT’s display of emotions, even love, is usually a cause for his decommissioning.This, alongside QT’s name are a clear nod to Isaac Asimov, with the plot also having shades of Philip K. Dick. Other humans would discard QT, yet Dandy accepts him into his crew, bringing him along for his adventures. These shades of humanity are often glossed over by his other prevailing traits that are still on display.
Space Dandy Actually Takes Place in Cowboy Bebop’s Distant Future
There’s Always Tomorrow, Baby
While it’s reasonably likely that the series presents these moments as Easter eggs atop its abundant cultural references,Space DandyandCowboy Bebopshare evidence of a mutual timeline.These instances include references to Woolongs, a recurring currency fromCowboy Bebop, used as the cash reward for bounties inSpace Dandy,like 8m Woolongs for Gentooans in episode #5 or 100m Woolongs for Chameleonians in episode #12. But this connection could be more thanSpace Dandycreators borrowing conventions from theCowboy Bebopdays.
One Of Cowboy Bebop’s Funniest Quotes Is Secretly Key To Understanding The Entire Series
An offhand comment by Spike during a contentious moment comes off as funny, but it really reflects the true reality of living in Cowboy Bebop’s world.
Other instances include a creature resembling Vicious' bird fromCowboy Bebopappearing inSpace Dandyepisode #26 andBebop’sfridge monsterAlienreferenceresurfacing inDandyepisode #8. It’s reasonable to believe these are simply nods to the beloved legacy ofCowboy Bebop.However,they may share a universe due to the flexible and relentlessly moving target ofSpace Dandycanonwithout spoiling anything. But one does not need to watchCowboy Bebopbefore enjoyingSpace Dandy, or vice versa; it’s a matter of personal taste.
How Does Space Dandy Compare To Watanabe’s Other Bebop Successor, Samurai Champloo?
I Can’t Be the Only One, Baby
Space Dandyis like the chronically immature yet brilliant sibling alongside the clever and bright middle childSamurai Champlooand the eldest overachiever,Cowboy Bebop.Yet, they each share an adoring fan base grasping at each of their appeals. Thanks to sharply different genres and overall tonal differences,Samurai Champloois more likely to be favorably compared toCowboy Bebop.According to aForbesinterview with Watanabe, these differences and their consequences area continuous, intentional choice by Watanabe to prevent audiences from losing interest in his work.
Once you have a successful title, you receive a lot of requests to make something similar and in this case, something likeCowboy Bebop. I have received these kinds of requests for more than 20 years. I understand the reasoning behind these requests, but if I went down that road I would end up doing the same thing over and over again. Ultimately, people would then get tired and lose interest in my work. I also feel I have more variety to offer within myself. With that in mind, I have avoided trying to do similar things.
-Shinichirō Watanabe
However,Space Dandyalso sports a contrasting tone againstCowboy Bebop, albeit to different extremes. Dandy is a dreamy-yet-degenerate pompadour-sporting pervert and frequent patron of a spacefaring chain of “breastaurants” with an even more on-the-nose name than Hooters.Dandy is a less atypical anime protagonist than in the cases ofCowboy BebopandSamurai Champloo, appealing both to Japanese audiences for Dandy’s lovable idiot antics. As a bonus, it appeals to Western audiences who were concurrently enjoyingRick & MortyandGuardians of the Galaxy, released within the same year.
One last comparison is warranted betweenSpace Dandyand Watanabe’s other series' soundtracks.Cowboy Bebop’smusic features Yoko Kanno’s work with a strong focus on jazz; instrumental hip-hop is predominantly found inSamurai Champloo’ssoundtracks; and 1980s funk and disco music are infused intoSpace Dandy’sscore.Each soundtrack is a major reason why each series is among fans' favorite anime ever,and the contributing musicians include many iconic temporary composers. One noteworthy case isChainsaw ManandDan Da Dan’sKensuke Ushiocontributing multiple songs across seasons 1 and 2 ofSpace Dandy.
When assessing the anime’s quality as aCowboy Bebopsuccessor, it’s not so much a matter of whetherSpace Dandyis better but the viewer’s mood and tastes when deciding what to watch.
Space Dandy
Cast
Space Dandy is a Japanese animated television series directed by Shinichirō Watanabe. The show follows the misadventures of Dandy, an alien bounty hunter who travels through space with his robot assistant QT and feline-like alien Meow in search of rare aliens. Known for its eclectic art style and episodic format, Space Dandy explores various genres and themes, delivering a humorous and surreal narrative.
