27 Years Later, The 100% Rated ’90s Sci-Fi Action “Masterpiece” That’s “An Absolute Classic” Makes an Unexpected Comeback on Digital Streaming

One of the greatest sci-fi series ever made, that flaunts a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is often branded as a “masterpiece,” is making a surprise comeback on digital streaming. The 1990s were one of the best decades for sci-fi television, with the likes of Babylon 5, Futurama, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and, of course, The X Files, all premiering in that decade. But, as any anime fan will promptly tell you when asked what the best sci-fi series of the ’90s is, you can’t forget Cowboy Bebop. Long-time fans of the series certainly haven’t, as 27 years after its debut, the show is trending once again on digital streaming.

Cowboy Bebop is available to purchase on digital streaming stores like iTunes, and it’s blasting up the digital charts. Cowboy Bebop is currently the most popular series on iTunes. The show’s creator, Shinichiro Watanabe, appears to be having a resurgence of his own, as his other masterpiece, Samurai Champloo, is also trending as the second most popular series on iTunes.

Shinichiro Watanabe’s Cowboy Bebop is one of the most lauded sci-fi series of all time, and is commonly regarded as the best anime ever made (alongside the aforementioned Neon Genesis Evangelion, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, and some of Studio Ghibli’s classics). The series follows Spike Spiegel and Jet, two bounty hunters who drift through space on their trusty ship, the Bebop. Infused with an iconic jazz soundtrack and one of the best anime OP ever written, Spike and Jet traverse the galaxy hunting bounties and encountering the weird and wonderful people who want to help/kill them, including the notorious gambler Fay, and the tech extrordinaire, Radical Edward.

‘Cowboy Bebop’s Legacy, Over Two Decades Later

Studio Sunrise

27 years after it first aired in Japan, Cowboy Bebop remains one of the most influential sci-fi series ever made. Netflix proved the show’s stalwart popularity with its live-action remake in 2021. While the show itself was plagued with problems, it was still immensely popular on Netflix, rising to the top of the streamer’s weekly chart upon its release.

But, even if the live-action reboot worked, it was almost impossible for it to live up to the legacy of the original. The original Cowboy Bebop holds a flawless 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with a very strong audience score of 95%. “Not only is this one of the best anime shows I’ve ever watched, it’s also one of the best shows I’ve watched in general,” wrote one user. The lofty praise kept coming, with user reviews like “It’s a masterpiece — endlessly rewatchable,” “What else can I say? It’s an absolute classic,” and “Everything about this anime is perfect.”

Cowboy Bebop is also available to stream on Crunchyroll and Netflix. Just don’t get it confused with the live-action version.

Release Date

1998 – 1999

Network

TV Tokyo, WOWOW Prime

Showrunner

Shinichirô Watanabe

Directors

Yoshiyuki Takei, Ikuro Sato, Hirokazu Yamada

Writers

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

Franchise(s)

Cowboy Bebop

• Koichi Yamadera

  Spike Spiegel / Ein (voice)

• Unsho Ishizuka

  Jet Black (voice)