Tag Archives: Edward

The Observation Deck: Cowboy Bebop

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

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This is honestly a long time coming, by which I mean literally three years since I started the series with my dad back before the pandemic. Unfortunately, we never finished it together, but it was easy to tell even back then that this was indeed a special series, and one that, for the most part, deserved continued praise after all these years.

Luckily, though, a friend of mine from high school was willing to rewatch the series with me, which gave me a great opportunity to start over again and take it all in. So, what did this revolutionary space western have to offer?

Oh, right, my bad. For the uninitiated, Cowboy Bebop tells a story set in the early 2070s, when space travel has become a regular part of life. However, given the sheer volume that governments would have to cover, they have instead found it easier to police the endless bounds of space with private bounty hunters, of which our protagonists Spike and Jet are involved. The series explores their journey in a mostly episodic fashion, eventually picking up the dangerously beautiful Faye, a young computer genius in Edward, and a man’s best friend in Ein, a smarter-than-average dog.

Bebop’s Aesthetic and Storytelling

Critics in the past have talked about the so-called “rule of cool” in relation to Bebop, often defined as a show’s ability to generate a feeling of sustained badassery based on the combination of certain elements. While Bebop certainly is cool, and I do not disagree with that characterization, it does feel like it is selling the show short, in a way.

Part of the implication when invoking the “rule of cool” is that the coolness is making up for lackluster elements. In this case, it seems that criticism is most often directed at the show’s laid-back, episodic storytelling in a way that feels undeserved. After all, a show tending toward episodic elements does not automatically mean the writing is not there to support it.

Many of Bebop‘s more self-contained moments could be argued as some of the best television of all time. Episode 20, “Pierrot le Fou” provides an incredibly transgressive story about the mind of a serial killer and implicitly comments on Spike’s willingness to die when he goes after the killer despite escaping from him previously. The imagery of the episode is as much psychedelic as it is psychological, contrasting the horrific imagery of a darkened amusement park with a sterile testing facility in Pierrot’s flashback.

“Hard Luck Woman,” the precursor to the show’s two-part finale, sees Faye dealing with finally understanding her past and remembering who she was before waking up from her preservation. It is an emotionally vulnerable, and at points lonely, episode that sets the tone for the conclusion to come.

Now, this is not to say every episode is perfect. For as cool as the concept of space truckers might sound, “Heavy Metal Queen” did not contribute as unique a feeling as some of the other episodes, and probably would not noticeably affect the show’s pacing if it were skipped. However, the episodic nature of Cowboy Bebop does fit its overall themes and ethos, where life is taken one journey at a time and is ultimately there to be enjoyed, despite the ragged conditions one must get through to do so.

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Ok But Spike is Cool as Fuck

as is everyone else on the cast, and yes Edward is included in that. While she may be very obviously comic relief, she adds a dimension of quirkiness and even personal struggle toward the end of the series that helps balance the cast from being too laid back. If there’s one thing I have learned from listening to a lot of emo and trap-leaning hip-hop, it is that sounding deadpan and uncaring does not automatically equal cool.

Spike is indeed laid back in a lot of areas, but he is also fairly quick to anger. He tries to be suave and to most people probably comes off as quite the lady killer, but to the rest of the crew, he’s a bit of a dumbass with a past that often leaves a lot more questions than answers.

Faye often feels like his foil in that regard, positing herself as the sensual, mature woman of the group but is just as scared if not more so about the events surrounding her past. Her con-artistry makes her hard to trust from Spike and Jett’s perspective, at least at first. However, as the group collects more bounties together, it is clear that a bond of some kind forms, whether or not they want to admit it, and clearly they do not.

Jett, meanwhile, is the actual calm and collected one…most of the time. This is, in part, because he arguably gets the least developed in the series. Then again, that is not saying much because even the least developed character across this cast still contains metric tons more personality than your average isekai protagonist. His development, too, is often tied to elements of his past, such as reuniting with his ex Alissa in “Ganymede Elegy” or his daughter’s friend in “Boogie Woogie Feng Shui.”

I guess technically Ein is “the least developed character,” but even then, 1. he’s a dog that cannot communicate linguistically whatsoever, and 2. the series puts in enough effort that even his attachment to Edward before she leaves the ship becomes readily apparent. Overall, the cast exudes personality in a way that not only makes them feel like individuals but counterbalances them against everyone else.

Yoko Kano and The Seatbelts

Music is a big part of Cowboy Bebop. The episode titles which I have thus far been referencing, along with all of the series’s episode titles, reference either famous musical concepts or famous songs. Most recognizable of these are “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Honky Tonk Women.

The show pays tribute to a lot of different musical styles, not just in the episode titles but in the music itself. Yoko Kano has been dubbed one of the best anime composers but many, including myself, and one of the primary reasons for that is her work on Cowboy Bebop. Specifically, in her recruitment and formation of The Seatbelts, a Japanese jazz-rock band, specifically for this series.

The group is not only responsible for one of the best anime openings in “Tank,” but for many of the musical pieces found throughout. Of course, credit must also go to various other collaborators who contributed to the series’ musical success including Steve Conte and Mai Yamane.

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Cowboy Bebop’s Animation Stands the Test of Time

It is easy enough to take a random show from the 90’s and compare it to something from now and say, “the 2023 anime looks better.” Sure, fair enough. I myself am pretty hypocritical in this way when it comes to video game graphics and not wanting to play “older-looking” series despite gameplay or storytelling being equally as good if not better than the stuff I am playing now.

Cowboy Bebop is the anime equivalent of that. Despite looking and feeling like a 90s anime, that is basically the worst one could say about it. The animation is fluid and fast-paced in a way that honestly could still go toe to toe with stuff coming out this year. However, characters and backgrounds also remain expressive even when not much is actually moving in any given scene.

The show also knows how to be experimental. The previously mentioned episode “Pierrot le Fou” has some of the most expressive animation of any series I have seen in a hot minute. Though a bit less experimental in terms of pure animation, the episode “Toys in the Attic” plays with horror in a similar way, one that incorporates common fears about space and aliens and makes the antagonist truly terrifying in its movement.

Conclusion

Look, I am not here to tell you that Cowboy Bebop is the best anime ever and that newer anime suck in comparison, far from it. In fact, because of how much hype the show had going into it, I was ready to be even more critical than I usually am. Still, some things are classics for a reason. It is by no means perfect, and definitely some more questionable storylines from a 2023 perspective. However, the parts that work do so incredibly well.

93/100


How do you all feel about Cowboy Bebop? Let me know in the comments below.

If you are interested in reading more from me, check under blog to read my most recent stuff, or look below for some related posts. Also, if you would like to support Animated Observations, consider donating on Ko-fi or through paypal, or pledging on Patreon. You can even support by just liking and sharing this post.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

As always, special thanks to Jenn for supporting the blog on Patreon

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

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Finishing Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood with My Dad

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

In the long time that I have spent watching and talking about anime, never had I actually shared those experiences with my parents. While they have been aware of my hobby for quite some time, I was never really keen on introducing it to them, as I kind of just assumed they would not get it.

Which, to be fair, is not always a wrong assumption to make. Anime is a very different space for storytelling, and as most anime fans know, it comes with its own weird niches that make a lot of it still pretty inaccessible, at least in a cultural sense, to older, western audiences even today.

Still, after a long, somewhat awkward period of my dad being interested in it and me not knowing what exactly to show him, it finally came to be that I sat down with him and we watched some anime. I picked “Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood” for a few reasons.

One, “FMAB” is probably one of the least niche filled anime there is in recent memory. While it for sure is an anime in every possible incarnation of that definition, it still lacks a lot of the strange, more common tropes that are associated with an average show. As such, it seemed like the perfect show to ease my dad into the medium.

Two, “FMAB” also has a lot more in common with modern American productions in terms of its structure and content. For example, at its core, “Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood” is a fairly long, fantasy military story that revolves around a lot of politics and different warring factions. When thought of in this way, it can be pretty easily compared to “Game of Thrones,” or even “The Walking Dead.”

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I came into this viewing with a lot of knowledge. Before I watched it with my dad, I had already seen the show three or four times. However, I will say that “FMAB” is a show that definitely benefits from a few repeat watches and a varied perspective on politics and cultural issues, given that it is most of the show’s focus.

My dad, of course, was on the opposite side of the spectrum. Not only did he not have any experience with “FMAB,” he, again, has had almost no experience with anime. Admittedly this made me a little worried about whether or not he would actually enjoy it.

Another thing that made his viewing experience less than ideal was the time it took to finish the show. We started “FMAB” in the fall of last year and did not finish until last week, and while I cannot remember exactly when it was, it was long enough, that it made it harder to remember key details.

Still, it seemed like overall he enjoyed it. My dad has never been overly judgmental, and it felt like he came into the series with an open mind. One of the things he said he enjoyed most was the more overtly political aspects of the show. This surprised me a lot, as I knew my dad was aware of political discourse, but thought he was not much interested in it.

While watching anime by yourself can definitely be a lot of fun, there is something to be said about trying to show it to other people, especially those who are not as familiar with it, if at all.


Ok, so serious proposal. I do want to show my dad a lot more stuff, so I thought about doing regular posts or videos where, after we watch a few episodes, I do a kind of discussion video about the episodes we watched. If any of you are interested, I would appreciate you letting me know.

If you are interested in reading more from me, check under blog to read my most recent stuff, or look below for some related posts. Also, if you would like to support Animated Observations, consider donating on Ko-fi or through paypal, or pledging on Patreon. You can even support by just liking and sharing this post.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

30 Day FMA Challenge: Day 26

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

It is day twenty-six of the 30 Day FMA Challenge.

26. Favorite Moment Involving the Elric Brothers

My favorite moment involving Ed and Al is actually there fight/make up after they first break in to the fifth laboratory. Barry the Chopper tries to convince Al during their encounter that Ed actually created him artificially, and that he is not real at all. This leaves Al with some extreme paranoia, the the point where he runs away, prompting Ed to go after him. The arc ends with a very heartfelt moment, with Ed explaining that Al is all the family he has left.

The scene, despite not initially having a large impact on me, has, in my eyes, grown to be symbolic of their entire relationship. The two of them travel together, fight together, and work together because they are the only family they have. Sure, Winry is their, she also does not know what it was like on the day they tried human transmutation. They also share the goal of getting back their original bodies which bonds them even closer together. It is a scene that is jam packed with meaning.


What is your favorite Ed and Al moment? Let me know in the comments below.

If you are interested in reading more from me, check under blog to read my most recent stuff, or look below for some related posts. Also, if you would like to support Animated Observations, consider donating on Ko-fi or through paypal, or pledging on Patreon. You can even support by just liking and sharing this post.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

30 Day FMA Challenge: Day 25

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

It is day twenty-five of the 30 Day FMA Challenge

25. Your OTP

If you saw my post at my favorite moment in the show, then this should come at no surprise. Ed and Winry are two characters who, from the beginning, have a lot of chemistry. The two of them grew up together, sharing in Ed’s pain when his mother passed and when he and Al failed to bring her back. Of course, Winry has always cared for him, but it was not until the major events of the show began to unfold that there feelings became more clear. As the show goes on, the two of them more and more begin to realize just how far their caring for one another goes. Overall, my favorite romantic dynamic in the show.


Who’s your OTP from FMA? Let me know in the comments below.

If you are interested in reading more from me, check under blog to read my most recent stuff, or look below for some related posts. Also, if you would like to support Animated Observations, consider donating on Ko-fi or through paypal, or pledging on Patreon. You can even support by just liking and sharing this post.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

30 Day FMA Challenge: Day 23

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

It is day twenty-three of the 30 Day FMA Challenge.

23. Funniest Moment

This one was a bit harder since there are so many great comedic moments in the show, but ultimately I decided on the the scene where Ed is in Winry’s room eating a sandwich from FMAB. The only starts out hilarious but then slowly escalates as everyone hears Winry’s scream and then rushes up to see whats going on, starts pulling out guns and then get confused. Meanwhile, all of this happened because Ed just wanted to eat his sandwich alone. I would explain more, but for this one I would just say watch the scene above and enjoy it.


What do you think the funniest moment in FMA is? Let me know in the comments.

If you are interested in reading more from me, check under blog to read my most recent stuff, or look below for some related posts. Also, if you would like to support Animated Observations, consider donating on Ko-fi or through paypal, or pledging on Patreon. You can even support by just liking and sharing this post.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

30 Day FMA Challenge: Day 21

It is day twenty-one of the 30 Day FMA Challenge

21. Favorite Moment

To piggy back after what I talked about yesterday, my favorite moment overall in the show is the scene where Ed asks Winry to marry him.

This was an interesting scene for me, for a number of reasons. The first is that unlike most romantic relationships in anime, Ed and Winry’s relationship is allowed to progress to this point. Many other action/adventure shows in a similar vein often restrict the relationships to purely platonic ones, despite heavy implications that the main characters will get together. It is even less common that anime portrays romantic life beyond a high school romance, which makes this scene much more unique.

Then, of course, there is the relationship itself, which is absolutely heartwarming. It was pretty obvious even from early on in the show that Ed had feelings for Winry, and later on in the show Winry realizes the same about Ed. Watching the two of them deal with these feelings in a way that does not feel forced or compelled in anyway is genuinely wonderful, and provides a great thread in addition to the many other present in FMA

It is a moment with a lot of buildup and importance behind it, and probably one of the moments I appreciate most in all of the anime I have watched.


What is your favorite moment from FMA? Let me know in the comments.

If you are interested in reading more from me, check under blog to read my most recent stuff, or look below for some related posts. Also, if you would like to support Animated Observations, consider donating on Ko-fi or through paypal, or pledging on Patreon. You can even support by just liking and sharing this post.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

30 Day FMA Challenge: Day 20

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

It is now day twenty of the 30 Day FMA Challenge.

20. Favorite Quote

After finishing Brotherhood for the first time, I was definitely amazed. It was a series that has stayed with me because of how powerful it was. I can also say the same thing about the original series as well, but another small thing that elevated brotherhood over the original, at least for me, were these final lines at the end of brotherhood.

Part of it is, of course, the lines themselves, which of course represents many of the ordeals the Elric brothers have gone through, whether it be trying to revive there mother, searching for the Philosopher’s Stone, or fighting against father and the Homunculi. Then, at the end of the show, Ed makes the ultimate sacrafice, giving up his ability to perform alchemy in order to finally get his brother’s body back, finally completing the mission he has wanted to ever since that day back in Resembool. All of this makes the lines themselves hit with a lot of emotional impact.

The other part of it though is the way in which Vic Mignogna delivers the lines. He portrays Eds character being not only calm, but satisfied with the way things are, and ready to deal with the rest of his life. In the final scene, Ed has not only dealt with the problems he’s faced, but has also learned from them, completing a journey of self-discovery.


What is your favorite FMA quote? Let me know in the comments.

If you are interested in reading more from me, check under blog to read my most recent stuff, or look below for some related posts. Also, if you would like to support Animated Observations, consider donating on Ko-fi or through paypal, or pledging on Patreon. You can even support by just liking and sharing this post.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

30 Day Anime Challenge – Day 14: An Anime That Never Gets Old

Hello, Anifriends

With so much anime coming out nowadays, it can feel like there is not enough time to watch an anime once, never mind multiple times. However, for today’s post, I’ll be talking about the anime that I have no problem watching over and over and over again.

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There are actually a few different contestants for this slot. A lot of them are kids anime like Beyblade and Bakugan that are really formulaic and I could just leave on and sort of watch in the background. The one anime that I would want to actively pay attention to, though, is Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood

I’ve already seen Brotherhood a number of times, three to be exact, and I loved every second of every time I have watched it. Brotherhood, at least to me, is such an epic adventure and has such a great plot build up towards its final showdown that it can be watched any number of times and be enjoyable each time.

There are a number of reasons for this. One is the expansive world that is Amestris. The show knows when to set up certain plot threads and side stories in order to make the world feel as big as it can. Because there are so many details in FMAB world, a lot of the time it can feel like you missed something on your last watch through.

Another is honestly just Edward and Alphonse. There are a lot of interesting and extremely dynamic relationships between the characters in Fullmetal Alchemist, but none feels as incredibly powerful as the two main brothers who are the focal point of the show. Every time they go through something painful, it is always amazing to see the two support each other, whether it be through kind words or playful jokes.

In fact, I really want to show FMAB to my dad before I start college, so I’ll probably be rewatching it again soon.


What anime can you guys watch and have it never get old? Let me know in the comments below. Also, if you want to support the Aniwriter through donations or are just feeling generous, consider buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi. Otherwise, thanks for reading and bye for now, Friendos!