Cowboy Bebop # 1
by Hajime Yadate, Yutaka Nanten

List Price: $9.99
Our Price: $1.78
You Save: $8.21 (82%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions

Book Summary Information

Book Reviews of Cowboy Bebop # 1

Book Review: Hardly a substitute for the anime, but still a great read.
Summary: 5 Stars

The anime series follows an episode-like format for the most of its 26-episode run (meaning episodes don't have overlapping storylines), and the manga is no different. The first volume of the "Cowboy Bebop" manga presents four different stories that deal with the characters of the "Bebop", following their adventures and misadventures as they try to nab bounties so they can collect the reward money and get food in their stomachs. Almost any "Cowboy Bebop" fan will praise the anime series as having highly original stories and adventures that define the series. Unfortunately, that same fan will most likely look at the stories in the manga and say they are formulaic. Also, the stories has odd pacing issues in several areas, making the volume feel a little unbalanced. Even so, the stories are quite entertaining and do capture some of the charm of the anime. But anyone hoping the manga will hold over as a substitute for the anime until the "Cowboy Bebop" movie arrives on American shores will be sorely disappointed.

Visually, some fans might be put off by the artist's interpretation of the characters. Characters in the manga do resemble their anime counterparts, but sometimes they can look a tad-bit distorted. And seeing Spike, Jet, Faye, Ed, and Ein in chibi-like forms can be a little awkward, considering this rarely happened in the anime. Still, the visual artwork of the manga isn't anything to be disgusted at, but fans of the anime will wants to approach this with caution.

In terms of translation, I can honestly say that TOKYOPOP is getting better. Previous efforts such as "Cardcaptor Sakura" and "Gundam Wing" used text that was most likely typed in a machine, resulting in several horrible typos, and TOKYOPOP has always been known to deliver mediocre translations. With "Cowboy Bebop", the text appears to be drawn and not typed, resulting in fewer typos; I couldn't find any at all in this volume. While the translation might be questionable to some people, it doesn't sound static and flat; I actually consider this one of TOKYOPOP's better efforts. And with TOKYOPOP's new "100% Authentic Format", the volume is read right-to-left, giving it a more authentic feel. It also makes the artwork clearer to see; since it hasn't been photo-reversed, the artwork isn't blurred, dimmed, or distorted.

All in all, "Cowboy Bebop" is a good manga series, but only for the right kind of person. Fans of the anime will want to be careful with this series, and manga readers unfamiliar with the anime should also be wary. Still, the manga is very entertaining and is good enough to hold the "Cowboy Bebop" name. And thanks to TOKYOPOP's better-than-normal translation and their "100% Authentic Manga" format, the manga can be enjoyed even further.

Until volume 2, "SEE YOU, SPACE COWBOY..."

Summary of Cowboy Bebop # 1

Graphic Novels Books

• Books > Subjects > Comics & Graphic Novels
• Manga
• Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Action & Adventure
• Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction
• Teens
• Travel > Specialty Travel > Adventure