Monday, March 2, 2015

Cowboy Bepop: Gateway Shuffle Review


Sorry for the delay in AniMondays! Last week got a little busy with, ya know, LIFE. But have no fear! I've brought you no one, but TWO reviews of Cowboy Bepop this week. Click here to read about 'The Ballad of Fallen Angels' because we're talking about some serious monkey business that goes down in 'Gateway Shuffle'

Spoilers for this episode and whatnots below the cut:

Faye Valentine is just a great character. She's able to get (almost) anything she wants in life money-wise, but she just has no idea of what moderation is. She lives in excess. But she's not a bad person.

Neither are Spike and Jet, who find themselves on a trail of a bounty who will pay for their next meal (literally, they wait for food as they plan to take him down). Unbeknownst to them, an eco-terrorist group called the Space Warriors, run by a creepy family matriarch, decides to start a massacre in the restaurant.

"Twinkle" Maria Murdock is one of the shows more traditionally anime villains in the sense that she goes for big and brash. Unlike a generic loud mouthed villain who is evil because of reasons, there's a good sense to the character here. She's loud and operatic, conflicting with the cool blues nature of Spike and Bepop's smooth jazz. She also happens to kill people and plan on poisoning a planet with some monkey gas and that falls into the big "No" category.


'Gateway Shuffle' is our first instance of Jet and Black going for something more than just a paycheck. They're able to be heroes. Even Faye gets a chance to step up to the plate.

The aspect of coincidence in noir is something Bepop seems to be a recurring thing, and makes sense given the nature of inevitability these people have with each other. Jet and Black will always be partners. Faye will always be drawn to them; not sexually but because of the nature of their work. It makes this whole big universe feel not "small" per-se but rather familiar. So when Faye inevitably falls in with our heroes to save a planet, it feels like more than just plot convenience.


When you have a good villain, it's often difficult to give them a fitting death for their crimes. During the spectacular chase climax, I didn't even think about the Murdock clan receiving their comeuppance. As the gateway begins to close, and Spike and Faye outrun the seemingly endless barrage of missiles headed for the planet, Ganymede, the rhythmic jazz increases in tempo, raising the tension and making the viewer uneasy. It's utter chaos by the time the chase ends before cooling down as our heroes escape. But the final reveal that Spike snuck in the chemical weapon into Murdock's blouse was the moment I wanted to cheer. Struck down by your own hand.

Cowboy Bepop is able to blend elements of space adventure, noir, and the plot of the third season of 24 into a standalone episode that enthralls from start to finish. Not the best episode, but it's near the top of the list.

Until next time,


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