Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven's Door

Yes, I'm aware the title "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" didn't come over, but it damn well should have.  That's a much better title than just plain ole "The Movie".

For those that watched the series, this movie was supposed to fit in somewhere around episode 23...but it doesn't really matter because it's completely disconnected from the plot of the series.

I remember watching this movie in theaters right when it came out and I really liked it.  In fact, I remember liking it every time I've watched it, but this time I tried to critique it more as someone who isn't biased by how great the series is and just based on the movie itself.  Unfortunately, by really picking at the movie I sort of picked apart how much I liked it in the process.

Some of the issues I had with it involved the antagonists.  There was just something about the first time he appears in the movie that annoyed me.  He's not the type of character to just disappear the way he does when he's introduced, it just seems out of character for him to slip away from a situation like that without confronting Faye. Also, the little episode with the hacker in the arcade annoys the hell out of me. Even if you assume it's possible for the hacker to do what he did, there's no way Faye would've just sat there while he did it...or maybe I'm over-estimating Faye's focus.  I thought the ending was a little weak too, as was Vincent's character development throughout the course of the movie.

It's not all bad though.  The new character, Electra, actually fits in really well and has a unique personality that really works well with the other characters and feels natural.  All of the characters play important roles without feeling forced, giving fans of the series a chance to see their favorite character playing some form of meaningful role.  The idea for the main plot is really neat too.

All things considered, Bebop is one of the few animes that can bring non-anime watchers in...but I'm not sure this movie would really do it.  It's solid if you're already a fan, but nothing special if you aren't.

Grade: C