One of the most beloved ’90s anime of all time is lighting up the charts on a major streaming platform.
Per FlixPatrol, Cowboy Bebop has officially claimed the top spot on the list of streaming programs available via iTunes in the United States. This continues a four-day streak that began when Cowboy Bebop claimed the number one spot on the list on Nov. 11.
Cowboy Bebop Dominates the Streaming Charts Decades After Release
Image via Sunrise
Created and animated by studio Sunrise, Cowboy Bebop premiered in 1998 and introduced audiences to a whole new breed of neo-Western action experience. The series revolves around the exploits of a small band of bounty hunters, including the laid-back Spike Spiegel, the cynical Jet Black, the femme fatale hustler Faye Valentine, and the rambunctious young hacker Edward. Along with their data dog Ein, the core crew traverses the stars in search of their next payday.
Cowboy Bebop quickly won over audiences upon its release, becoming something of a gateway series through which Western viewers could step into the world of anime. As of the time of writing, the original 26-episode anime series holds a perfect 100% “Certified Fresh” rating via review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, as averaged across 23 critical reviews. Cowboy Bebop also holds a 95% “Popcornmeter” score on the platform, as averaged across more than 250 verified user-submitted ratings.
Since the release of the original series, the world of Cowboy Bebop has been expanded upon in various manga, video games, and even the 2001 hit animated feature, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie. In 2021, Netflix released its hotly anticipated live-action streaming series adaptation of Cowboy Bebop, albeit to decidedly divisive reviews from both critics and audiences. Rather than being hailed as an instant classic like its predecessor, Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop failed to meet the vast majority of audience expectations, garnering a mere 45% “Fresh” rating and 60% “Popcornmeter” score via Rotten Tomatoes.
In October, it was announced that fans will get the opportunity to revisit Cowboy Bebop: The Movie on the silver screen as part of the upcoming Foreign Exchange 2025: Cross-Cultural Conversations With Anime Visionaries event series. Held at Japan Society’s New York City headquarters, the panel will feature talks headlined by Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo director Shinichiro Watanabe, who will be joined by Star Wars: Visions producer Justin Leach and Yasuke animator LeSean Thomas for the event, set to take place from Nov. 17 to Nov. 22.
On Watanabe’s list of appearances at Foreign Exchange 2025 is a November 20 panel titled “Animation is Inspiration: The Next Generation of Anime Makers,” which is being offered exclusively for educators and students. Japan Society describes the panel as a conversation between Watanabe, Leach and Thomas revolving around their respective “paths in the animation world, working across cultures and the tools, [and] training and education needed for the next generation of animators, directors and producers.”
