After Almost 30 Years, One ’90s Sci-Fi “Masterpiece” Is Making a Surprising Streaming Comeback

Science Fiction was bigger than ever in the 1990s. In the wake of massively influential 1980s sci-fi classics like Blade Runner, Neuromancer, Akira, and, of course, the continued popularity of Star Wars, the once niche genre was seeing unprecedented success.

One of the best pieces of science fiction produced in the ’90s was undoubtedly 1998’s Cowboy Bebop. More than just a classic, Bebop is still popular today, as evidenced by its recent streaming success.

At the time of writing, Cowboy Bebop is currently the second most popular show on iTunes, losing out only to Ken Burn’s The American Revolution documentary that was released this year. What makes this win even more impressive is that Bebop is currently beating huge TV modern series with broad appeal like Landman, Dexter: Revelations, and Blue Bloods.

Bebop’s Streaming Success Proves The Series Is Still a Timeless Classic

Spike holding a pistol in the Cowboy Bebop pilot

Though Bebop’s status as an anime might mean it doesn’t come up as much in conversations about the best ’90s science fiction, it absolutely should stand alongside cultural touchstones like The Matrix and The Truman Show in terms of the decade’s best sci-fi.

There’s a reason Cowboy Bebop is often ranked among the best anime of all time. The series features slick animation, a deep story, and a jazz-infused soundtrack that adds an undeniably cool air to everything. The series’ Western influences helped it gain a massive following when it premiered in America, and showed that anime was more than just Dragon Ball, Pokémon, and Sailor Moon.

Part of the reason for Bebop’s continued success is its nature as a sci-fi series. Bebop is a story about people stuck in the past, and that’s beautifully conveyed through the series’ clash between futuristic technology and the noir atmosphere that hangs over every scene.

Though Cowboy Bebop is definitely a product of the 1990s, its universal themes make it truly timeless in a way that’s rare to see.

More than just popular science fiction, this commitment to thematic consistency gives Bebop a literary edge that keeps fans engaged and analyzing its themes nearly three decades later.

Cowboy Bebop’s Streaming Win Comes Against All Odds

A smiling Ein from Cowboy Bebop

Part of what makes Bebop’s enduring legacy so impressive is how seemingly improbable it is.

Bebop was an inactive franchise for the better part of two decades, with only the original series, its movie, and a handful of smaller spinoffs to enjoy. Even the poor reception of Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop adaptation wasn’t enough to kill fans’ love for the series.

While Bebop technically has a prequel and two sequels (all made by original series creator Shinichiro Watanabe), those are largely unconnected, making sure that Cowboy Bebop’s world and characters are still uniquely its own.

The fact that Cowboy Bebop made it to #2 on a streaming service nearly 30 years after its debut is a testament to just how much love and care went into the seminal science fiction classic.

Release Date

1998 – 1999

Network

TV Tokyo, WOWOW Prime

Directors

Yoshiyuki Takei, Ikuro Sato, Hirokazu Yamada

Writers

Keiko Nobumoto, Michiko Yokote, Dai Sato, Sadayuki Murai, Akihiko Inari

• Koichi Yamadera

  Spike Spiegel / Ein (voice)

• Unsho Ishizuka

  Jet Black (voice)