There’s a lot riding on Netflix’s upcoming Cowboy Bepop series. After all, its source material is largely considered to be one of the best anime series of all time. And since live-action anime adaptations don’t exactly have the best track record, fans are desperately hoping the producers do it justice. Some might argue that this would require communication with the original show’s director, Shinichirō Watanabe. But according to John Cho, this hasn’t happened yet.
Cho, who will headline the new series as Spike Spiegel, recently spoke with IGN to discuss his work in The Grudge. Eventually, the subject of Cowboy Bebop was broached. And when asked if he received advice from Watanabe about the show’s direction, he revealed that they “did not communicate.” Regardless, Cho did touch on what drew him to the series in the first place.
“It’s such a unique piece of material,” said Cho. “It’s got such a unique vibe, [with] so many disparate elements coming together into a single project. I think that was the big thing I was focusing on all the time was, ‘we got to keep it strange.’ And that’s hard to do, but I watched some of the stuff and I’m really happy with it.”
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Cho also shared that one of his favorite moments from the original anime was when Faye confronted Gren in the shower in “Jupiter Jazz (Part 1),” only to discover that he’s a hermaphrodite. Additionally, he expressed his fondness for “Speak Like A Child,” which memorably featured an eight-minute search for a Betamax player.
Netflix’s live-action update of Cowboy Bebop started production back in October. Unfortunately, Cho suffered a knee injury during his first week on set, which delayed filming by at least six months.
Do you think Cowboy Bebop’s cast and crew should still reach out to Shinichirō Watanabe for his input? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Cowboy Bebop: The Anime TV Series and Movie: Pocket Guide
