List of Cowboy Bebop characters
Encyclopedia
The following is a list of major and minor characters, with biographical information, from the anime
and manga
series Cowboy Bebop
, directed by Shinichirō Watanabe
and written by Keiko Nobumoto
. The series' 26 episodes are often character driven; current events are often the consequence of life changing occurrences shown in flashback
s.
Cowboys is the series' name for the bounty hunter
s who pursue wanted criminals across the breadth of the solar system. The bounty hunters, led by the martial artist and Mars
native Spike Spiegel, travel in a converted fishing trawler, the spaceship Bebop, owned and maintained by the former policeman from Ganymede
Jet Black.
The intelligent Corgi
Ein and hustler Faye Valentine join the crew early in the series; the eccentric Edward is encountered and comes aboard in a later episode.
born on Mars
with a history of violent activity seen through flashbacks and dialogue with the Red Dragon Syndicate. He is often depicted with a cavalier attitude, but frequently shows signs of compassion when dealing with strangers. Spike is voiced by Koichi Yamadera
in the Japanese version of the anime, while Steven Blum
voices him in the anime's English dub.
The inspiration for Spike's martial arts
is found in Bruce Lee
, who uses the style of Jeet Kune Do
as depicted in Session 8, "Waltz For Venus". He has fluffy, blackish green hair (inspired by Yusaku Matsuda
's) and reddish brown eyes, one of which is artificial and lighter than the other. He is usually dressed in a blue leisure suit
, with a yellow shirt and Lupin III
inspired boots.
A flashback in Session 6 revealed that his apparently fully functioning right eye was surgically replaced by a cybernetic one (although Spike himself may not have conscious recollection of the procedure since he claims to have lost his natural eye in an "accident"). A recurring device throughout the entire show is a closeup on Spike's fully natural left eye before dissolving to a flashback of his life as part of the syndicate. As said by Spike himself in the last episode, his right eye "only sees the present" and his left eye "only sees the past". The purpose of this cybernetic eye is never explicitly stated, though it apparently gives him exceptional hand-eye coordination—particularly with firearms (Spike's gun of choice is a Jericho 941
, as seen throughout the series). He also is talented pilot in his personal fighter the Swordfish II, a modified racer.
Spike's final fate is left somewhat undetermined with a split between fans on whether or not he survives his final duel with his nemesis Vicious. Series creator Shinchiro Watanabe has stated that he himself is not sure of Spike's ultimate fate. On one occasion at a panel discussion in Detroit he said “I’m surprised you think the ending of Cowboy Bebop is dark. I mean, Spike might just be sleeping.”
(a Jovian
satellite) and acts as Spike's foil
during the series. Jet is voiced by Unshō Ishizuka in the Japanese version of the anime, while Beau Billingslea
voices him in the English dub. Physically, Jet is very tall with a muscular build. He wears a beard with no mustache, and is completely bald save for the back of his head. Spike acts lazy and uninterested, whereas Jet is hard working and a jack-of-all-trades. Jet was once an investigator in the Intra Solar System Police (ISSP) for many years until he lost his arm in an investigation that went awry when his corrupt partner (and friend at the time) betrayed him. His arm was replaced with a cybernetic
limb—an operation later revealed to be by choice. As biological replacements were possible, he wanted the fake arm as a reminder of the consequences of his actions. His loss of limb coupled with the general corruption
of the police force prompted Jet to quit the ISSP in disgust and become a freelance bounty hunter. Jet also considers himself something of a renaissance man
: he cultivates bonsai
trees, cooks, enjoys jazz/blues music (he named his ship the Bebop
, referring to a type of jazz), especially Charlie Parker
, and even has interest in Goethe. As a character, Jet is the quintessential oyaji or "dad" even though he often wishes people would view him as a more brotherly figure (so as not to seem old).
Jet is skilled with handguns, typically carrying a pre-2004 Walther P99
, and also uses the netgun. He is proficient in hand-to-hand combat as well. Compared to Spike, Jet tends to use more raw muscle
than technique. He is also a skilled mechanic
and pilot
. Aside from the converted interplanetary fishing trawler vessel Bebop, Jet flies a smaller ship called Hammerhead. The Hammerhead appears to be a modified salvage-craft, to which Jet has added larger engines and fuel tanks. It features a mechanical arm equipped with a harpoon
as its main weapon, which is somewhat analogous to Jet's own mechanical arm. Both the Hammerhead and the Bebop are able to land on water, and have a fishing theme, most likely because Ganymede's surface is mostly covered with water. It is later revealed that the Bebop was originally a fishing ship that Jet "customized" with larger engines. He is very protective of the Bebop, often being reluctant to bring it into situations where it could be damaged, and taking great offense when someone insults it or calls it a pile of junk.
During the series, it is revealed that Jet once lived with a woman named Alisa, who left him claiming that he overprotected her. Later, they meet up again when Alisa's new boyfriend, Rhint, is wanted for murder.
English Dub Voice Actress: Wendee Lee
is one of the members of the bounty hunting crew in the anime series Cowboy Bebop
. She is often seen with a cigarette and in a revealing outfit complete with bright yellow hot pants and a matching, revealing top (and, on occasion, a bikini). She sports violet hair, green eyes, and a voluptuous body. Although appearing to be no more than 23 years old, Faye is actually around 77 years old, having been put into cryogenic freeze
after a space shuttle accident, wherein she spent fifty-four years in suspended animation
. During the course of the series (set in 2071), Faye manages to cross paths with Spike and Jet twice before she finally makes herself at home aboard their ship the second time around, much to the consternation and disapproval of the two men, both of whom have their own reservations about women in general. Faye herself is brash, egotistical, and quite lazy, despite taking plenty of time to pamper and care for her own appearance. Faye has been arrested several times in the series, and has spent time in handcuffs on the ship. She, at times, expects the boys to take care of bounties for her, while she sits by idly to reap the benefits and eat all their food, which is another source of conflict.
Seemingly little more than a thorn in her partners’ sides, Faye is actually a well-rounded member of the team. She can handle herself exceptionally well for a woman of her slight appearance, displaying at least once in the series (in "Cowboy Funk") that she has a powerful punch. Adept at flying, Faye has stood her ground just as well as Spike has in an aerial dogfight in her ship Red Tail, and at times even against Spike in an aerial dogfight (though Spike eventually proved the better pilot). She also excels with guns, and is first seen in the series completely disabling a shop with a Heckler & Koch MP5
K, though she is immediately apprehended afterward. In the movie, she is seen with the same gun, in addition to her normal companion: a Glock 30. Faye has an almost unstoppable attitude, and even her sometimes innocent smile can be seen as dangerous. She has many bad habits, such as drinking, habitual gambling, smoking cigarettes and occasionally cigars, becoming unnecessarily violent, and turning on partners when the profits seem too skimpy. Sarcastic and presumptuous, she rarely appears weak or in need of support. She brags and takes care of herself, never trusting others, cheating and lying her way from one day to the next. She also shows herself capable of unpredictable behavior, as when she kissed Ed on the mouth to snap Ed from one of her "autistic" moments.
She is a woman who is skilled at getting what she wants; her indomitable exterior hides a more delicate interior. Upon awakening from her 54-year cryogenic sleep, not only was she saddled with a massive amount of debt that she had no means to pay, but she was also diagnosed with total amnesia
, a stranger in a mysterious world that she was not a part of and did not understand, surrounded by people who claimed to be helping her but were only there to take advantage of her naiveté. The surname "Valentine" was merely a name given to her by the doctor who woke her; the circumstances of her accident, her previous life, and even her real name all remain a mystery, and are only gradually revealed as the series progresses. It has been hinted that she came from Singapore
on Earth, and was the daughter of a very wealthy family, as the city's famous Merlion
Statue features prominently in scenes of her childhood, and that memories and a film from her childhood showed her living in a large mansion. Faye is supposedly her real name, as a high school classmate (by now an old disabled woman) recognises her and calls her by that name. In her debut episode, she claims to be descended from Roma people, but it later becomes apparent that was likely a lie. Utterly betrayed by someone she thought she could trust after waking, Faye found herself burdened with even more money to pay, and the situation resulted in the hardening of her personality to an extreme degree. She even says in Session 11: “we deceive or we are deceived”, and that “nothing good ever happened to me when I trusted others.”
Throughout the series, though she retains her sarcastic demeanor and unpleasant nature up until the very end, it is easy to see her grow as a character. She learns to value her comrades, coming back to the Bebop when she realizes that it is the only home that she has left, naming it as the “only place I could return to”. She grows to understand the disadvantages of being a loner, and that even though her "family" is somewhat dysfunctional it is still a place where she will always belong.
Throughout the series, though she grows to care for Jet and even Edward in her own way, it is her relationship with Spike that remains a cause for consideration by most. In one episode Spike teases her and asks if she will come to help him if he gets into trouble, and though she scoffs at his remark, she eventually does. Faye even points her gun at him in a threatening gesture in the last episode, as Spike is walking away to what she and Jet both realize is his possible death. After he leaves, Faye cries. When asked, Watanabe stated in an interview, "Sometimes I'm asked the question, 'What does Spike think of Faye?' I think that actually he likes her quite a bit. But he's not a very straightforward person so he makes sure he doesn't show it."
English Dub Voice Actress: Melissa Fahn
is the self-invented personal name of an elite hacker
prodigy
from Earth. Her birth name is . "Radical Edward" is a very strange, somewhat androgynous, teenage girl claiming to be around 13 years of age. Her mannerisms include walking around in her bare feet, performing strange postures, and her gangling walk. Ed could be considered a "free spirit;" she is fond of silly exclamations and childish rhymes, is easily distracted, has the habit of "drifting off" from reality...sometimes in mid-sentence, and is the show's primary source of physical humor. Ed's generally carefree attitude and energy act as a counterpoint to the more solemn and dark aspects of the show. Ed remains a part of the Bebop crew until the 24th session, when she, along with Ein, leaves the crew to reunite with her father.
Over the course of the show, she rarely walks anywhere, preferring to run, crawl, flip, roll, walk on her hands, ride piggy-back, or, at the very least, saunter. Ed wears a very loose sleeveless shirt and tight, black bicycle shorts, and a pair of large green goggles around her neck or on her head that act as a virtual reality accessory for computers when connected. She is always barefoot
and uses her feet for tasks which one would usually use hands, such as scratching her nose, clapping, and typing, and it seems she has followed this habit throughout her life, even during a flashback of several years earlier (wherein she appears to be around 7–9 years of age, wearing a dress over her usual loose shirt and shorts, and still barefoot). This also works the other way around, where she walks on her hands instead of her feet. In the episode Mushroom Samba she considers putting on socks and shoes but quickly removes them, as even wearing socks hampers her, and she falls over seconds after putting them on.
She almost always refers to herself in the third person. Not much is known about her origins, only that she spent some of her earlier childhood in an orphanage after being left there by her father, a cartographer (a questionable occupation on a planet which undergoes changes to its landscape daily due to asteroid impacts) named Appledelhi Siniz Hesap Lütfen (which means "excuse me, check please" in Turkish
). In the manga, it is revealed that she was a friend of a timid young boy in the orphanage known simply as "Tomato," (which also happens to be the brand name scrawled in katakana
on her PC
) who, like Ed, knew a great deal about computers and the net. Ed's primary use to the Bebop crew is as a hacker; she is widely known to be a whiz kid behind the computer. Ed's computer of choice is a carry-along Tomato desktop, and when traveling by foot she will balance it on her head. Her goggles can interact with it to give her a virtual reality environment in which she can browse an entire network at once.
Originally, Ed's character was based on a description of the series' music director, Yoko Kanno
("a little weird, catlike, but a genius at creating music"), and was first developed as a dark-skinned boy. It was changed to even the gender ratio on the Bebop, which was, with Ed as a boy, three males and one female. The original character design appears in session 5 as a young boy that steals an adult magazine from Annie's bookstore by smuggling it under his shirt.
("Next episode" preview only)
is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi
brought aboard the Bebop by Spike after a failed attempt to capture a bounty. His name is a pun on the Japanese word for "dog" (犬 inu) most likely is derived from "Einstein", after Albert Einstein
, because of the extraordinary intelligence he possesses. Another possibility is that the name is the German translation of "one" in the meaning of him being considered a he or an it. It can also be interpreted that in Japanese, the way dogs bark is hence the name, "Ein".
Ein is referred to as a "data dog" by the scientists that created him and he often shows heightened awareness of events going on around him. Over the course of the series, Ein answers the telephone, steers a car, uses the SSW
, plays shogi
, and generally performs tasks that an average canine should not be able to accomplish. The extent of Ein's intelligence is hinted at in Session 23: "Brain Scratch" when the "Brain Dream" gaming device is placed on Ein's head; Ein quickly navigates the system and hacks into its operating system.
While the televised series only briefly hints on the fact that Ein's brain was somehow enhanced, the manga shows Ed accessing data stored in Ein's brain via a virtual reality
-type interface with which she has a conversation with a human proprietor. Following the credits in Session 18 "Speak Like A Child", Ein tells Spike "Next Episode: Wild Horses". He is able to "speak" to other species, as demonstrated in Session 17, "Mushroom Samba" (he spoke to a cow with a subtitled bark of "Thanks", to which the cow has a subtitled moo back of "Oh, it's no problem"). It is likely that Ed is the only crew member with any idea of Ein's capabilities as the other crew members are quick to dismiss Ein, and never seem to acknowledge him as more than a pet.
Ein initially takes a shine to Jet, but when Ed joins the crew, he comes around to her as well. Frequently the two trade roles, with Ein expressing very human sentiments via facial expression and Ed regressing to a feral state. He followed Ed after she left the crew, probably because of his attachment to her.
Ein does occasionally answer "yes or no" questions, barking once for "yes" and twice for "no."
English Dub Voice Actor: Skip Stellrecht
Living up to his name, is ruthless, bloodthirsty, cunning and ambitious. Considered by some to be Spike's darker half, Vicious is willing to do anything in order to secure a position of power. He is a member of the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate in Tharsis
, and is often referred to or depicted as a venomous snake (as opposed to Spike who is referred to as a swimming bird and the Syndicate Elders who see themselves as a dragon). His weapon of choice is not a firearm, but a katana
which he wields skillfully, even against gun-wielders. He was an infantry rifleman during the Titan War and is shown firing a semi-automatic pistol in a Session 5 flashback, as well as in the Session 26 flashback of him and Spike fighting back-to-back. Early on, Vicious is seen with a black bird on his shoulder. Though he is even shown feeding it in one scene, he eventually hides explosives in its stomach and detonates them as a distraction during an escape.
Vicious was Spike's partner in the Red Dragon crime syndicate until they fell into conflict over Julia (and possibly over Spike's decision to abandon the Syndicate, though the two may be related). After Spike's supposed death, Vicious left the Red Dragons briefly to fight in the Titan War of 2068. Although his precise motivations for enlisting are debated, his testimony helped frame Gren, his squadmate in the war, for spying, which raises the possibility that he himself might have been involved in military espionage on behalf of the Syndicate and chose to pin it on his admirer. However, in the Titan flashbacks he is also seen to be remembering Julia, as if the cold, distant planet and its warzone were simply the most appropriate climate for grief. Notably that scene portrays the only suggestion of sentimentality toward Julia herself that Vicious displays during the series.
The blood feud between Spike and Vicious is an ongoing storyline throughout Cowboy Bebop. Vicious believes that he is the only one who can kill, or "awaken" Spike, as Spike is the only one who can do the same for Vicious. Vicious' real age is revealed in the official guidebook The After: at 27, he is the same age as Spike, although he appears to be much older. The age 27 is a significant age in the series because of the connotations it has to some legendary musicians passing away at that age, who are called the 27 Club
. He may seem older due to the heavy, ever-present bags under his eyes. Because of this and his affinity towards Bloody Eye deals, it is possible that he is a user of the mind- and vision-altering drug. Possible evidence of this is briefly seen during a flashback at Julia's apartment which shows a capsule of Bloody Eye on the window sill during Session 13: Jupiter Jazz, Part 2.
English Dub Voice Actress: Mary Elizabeth McGlynn
is a beautiful and mysterious woman from both Spike and Vicious' pasts. Initially Vicious' girlfriend and possibly a Syndicate member herself, she and Spike started a dangerous affair that led to Spike offering to abandon the Syndicate and elope
with her, despite the fact that the Syndicate punishes desertion with death. Arranging to meet at a graveyard later, Spike goes to confront the Syndicate with his resignation, resulting in a violent gun battle where he is presumed by the Syndicate to have died. Vicious discovers the affair, however, and confronts Julia, telling her that she would have to kill Spike at the graveyard, or else they would both be killed. To protect not only herself but also the man she loved, Julia goes into hiding, never meeting Spike as both of them had planned; Spike himself was never aware of Vicious' threats until the very end of the series. Because of this, Spike is led to believe that Julia betrayed him, and adopts his characteristic fatalist mentality.
Despite being among the main driving points for the entire series, Julia only appears in flashbacks until the final two episodes of the series. She acts as a stark contrast to the world around her—her blond hair, bright red umbrella and automobile stand out in the otherwise drab environments that she inhabits.
After meeting Faye Valentine by coincidence, Julia and Spike are reunited. However, their reunion coincides with Vicious' first attempt to stage a coup on the Red Dragon Syndicate. When he fails and is imprisoned, the Syndicate's Old Guard launches a campaign to find and kill anyone who was or had ever been loyal to Vicious' group, whether or not they are involved. This includes Spike, Julia and their friend Annie, who distributes munitions under cover of a convenience store. The store is ambushed by the Syndicate while Spike and Julia are there, and Julia is shot and killed as she and Spike try to escape across the rooftops. Her last words to Spike are "It's all a dream...".
English Dub Voice Actress: Melodee M. Spevack
Victoria Terpsichore is a masculine, tough-talking, and widowed space trucker, whose deceased husband, Ural Terpsichore, is a man that fellow bounty hunters regard as a "legendary bounty hunter." Always with her cat, Zeros, she appears in the episode "Heavy Metal Queen". Spike meets her in a bar while on hunt for a explosive-smuggling criminal named Decker. After having a bar brawl with several stooges, Spike and VT seem to become fast friends until she learns he is a bounty hunter. Although she initially regards Spike as "lowlife bounty hunter scum," she puts their differences aside and reluctantly works with him when their paths cross again as V.T. begins searching for Decker, who has performed a ship hit and run
on one of her fellow truck drivers.
Her full name is largely a secret, which has prompted many to bet money and guess what her initials stand for. However, none have succeeded in winning the stack of money she's gained from numerous incorrect guesses. She is also known as the "Heavy Metal Queen," for her deep love of heavy metal music
, which she considers "very soothing." Able to adapt to various situations, her philosophy
is, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do." Considering her disdain against bounty hunters, it is believed that her husband, Ural Terpsichore, was killed, while pursuing a bountyhead. Her first name is briefly mentioned, when Spike sees her pocket watch. However, he knows her last name, due to the popularity and memory of her late husband.
wrote the characters Antonio, Carlos, and Jobim. Originally the men were called "Old guys 1, 2, and 3." Because they would appear on numerous occasions, the staff decided that the characters needed to be named. Michiko Yokote, a scriptwriter, gave the characters their names. The appearances of the three men originate from images of "genteel-looking old men," as described by Cowboy Bebop Anime Guide Volume 4, from picture books in El Salvador
and Mexico
. The names of the three characters form a reference to the Brazilian musician Antonio Carlos Jobim
.
English Dub Voice Actor: Michael Gregory
was once a soldier for the war on Titan, and appears in the two-part episodes of "Jupiter Jazz". On Titan he fought beside Vicious, who he admired and found encouragement in, during the war. After the war, Gren came back hoping to be a jazz musician, but that plan was cut short when he was arrested on the pretense of being a spy. In prison, Gren heard that Vicious testified against him; this and the isolation drove him mad. The prison used prisoners for drug experiments, and he was forced to become a test subject. In some translations, he suffered from insomnia while in prison and started using drugs to try to deal with it. In either case, the drugs severely imbalanced his hormones, and caused him to develop a feminine figure, including breasts.
Finally, after his body had been transformed and his sanity shattered, he managed to escape from prison. After his escape from jail, Gren worked as a saxophone player at Rester House, a bar in a sector called "The Blue Crow", which is located on one of Jupiter's moons, Callisto. He met Julia there and found out from her how Vicious betrayed him. Two years later, Faye met Gren. In an act of kindness, Gren 'rescued' Faye from a street fight and allowed her to come to his apartment. While Faye was there, Vicious called, alarming her and raising suspicions about the musician. Intruding on him while showering, Faye discovered Gren's secret. Gren explained how he became what he was, and told her that he was going to see if Vicious really framed him. When Faye said he'd be killed in the process, he replied that death did not frighten him, and that he would not live longer anyway.
Disguising himself as a woman, Gren met the Syndicate member, along with Lin, who went to protect Vicious. Exchanging Red Eye for Titan Opal, Gren suspected a trap. He shot it open, setting off the explosive, and then revealed who he was, finally confronting Vicious about what happened when he returned from Titan. In the ensuing battle, Lin died to protect Vicious. Meanwhile, Spike arrived and began to attack Vicious as he fled. Gren had planted the music box in the bag of Red Eye, rigged with an explosive, which damaged Vicious' ship. However, in the 3-way dogfight with Vicious and Spike, Gren's ship was severely damaged, forcing him to land. Spike, wanting to find out more about Julia, landed next to Gren's crashed ship to find Gren lying in the snow, badly wounded. Rushing to Gren's side, Spike asks Gren about Julia. Gren guesses who Spike is by his eyes; "Julia was always talking about you; your eyes are different colors. I remember her saying that." Gren refuses Spike's offer of assistance, knowing that he is dying, and instead requests that Spike help him back into his ship, allowing him to die on a final voyage to Titan.
English Dub Voice Actors: Paul St. Peter
and Lia Sargent
and are the characters of the TV show Big Shot. They are named after the traditional English puppet show
. The show provides information on various bounty heads, but is often unreliable. The Bebop crew often has the show playing in the background, but seldom pays close attention (they usually get their information from close contacts). Punch and Judy play the "cowboy" persona in a characteristic, over the top fashion. Punch adopts a mid-western drawl mixed with a Mexican
accent (both faked), and uses random old-West sayings. Judy plays the stereotypical
dumb blonde
, and always appears in an open bolero jacket with nothing underneath, frequently wiggling her hips with excitement. Big Shot gets canceled towards the end of the series, and Punch (lacking accent and costume) makes a brief cameo revealing his and Judy's fates: Punch, whose real name is Alfredo, moves to Mars to take care of his mother, and Judy is engaged to marry her agent. In the last episode of Big Shot, it appears that Judy was not informed of the show's cancellation and shoved Punch out of the way as she said into the camera that "[The station] will hear from [her] agent about this!" It would appear that her voice is also faked, as it becomes low and husky after this outburst.
Punch and Judy's appearances had no specific model; the characters had the style of typical television hosts.
(Carlos), and Hiroshi Naka
(Jobim)
English Dub Voice Actors: Steve Kramer
(Antonio), Richard Cansino
(Carlos), and Paul St. Peter
(Jobim)
Throughout the series and the movie, three rude, foul-mouthed, crotchety old men make frequent appearances, as speaking characters, or in the background during scenes. They make various claims about what they did before becoming old-timers, including bounty hunting, building the stargates, farming, piloting planes in a war, sinking the Bismarck
, digging ditches, and crop-dusting, all of which claims are almost always followed with the rest claiming they were part of that project as well. They seem on speaking terms with many supporting characters, and though they run into the main characters often there is not much attention paid to them (or even mention that the main characters have seen them before). They also did the voice-overs for the preview of the episode "Mushroom Samba". According to the movie credits, they are called , , and . In the feature film, they help Jet and Faye distribute the antidote for a deadly, hallucinogenic nanovirus by flying 20th-century era antique planes over Alba City. The three old men are actually bounty hunters themselves, as revealed in the Cowboy Bebop Silver Anniversary disc. Cowboy Bebop Anime Guide Volume 4 states that since the names of the three old men appear once, it is not certain whether the names Antonio, Carlos, and Jobim are their real names. In episode 22, Cowboy Funk, Antonio is briefly seen walking past a water fountain without Carlos and Jobim, although previously all three old men were always seen together. The movie, which takes place between episodes 22 and 23, depicts the three old men together, but in episode 23, Brain Scratch, Antonio is seen dead with several other bounty hunters, again without Carlos and Jobim.
English Dub Voice Actor: Derek Stephen Prince
(Using the name of David Umansky)
was a young and very loyal member of the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate who was asked by Wang Long to accompany Vicious on a drug deal to the moon Callisto. His role in the series is fairly minor. When Spike Spiegel confronted Vicious in a back alleyway at night, it was Lin who stepped in between Spike and Vicious and then shot Spike with a tranquilizer bullet. It is stated that Lin used to work under Spike, but since Spike left the Red Dragons, it is apparent that he now works under Vicious.
Lin accompanied Vicious to the Red Eye deal atop a roof where they encountered Gren, dressed as a woman. When the fighting between the two sour comrades started, Lin threw himself in front of a bullet meant for Vicious. Lin falls to the ground, dead, as Vicious says, "There is nothing in this world to believe in." Lin dies then, but is mentioned in the series finale, "The Real Folk Blues Part I" when his brother, Shin shows up.
English Dub Voice Actor: Derek Stephen Prince
(Using the name of David Umansky)
is the younger brother of Lin. He appears twice in the series finale. His first appearance is to rescue Spike and Jet from Syndicate assassins, which leads to him revealing Vicious's coup against the Red Dragon leaders. He reappears during Spike's attack on the Red Dragon headquarters, aiding him in the running gunfight against the Syndicate minions.
Shin is killed shortly before Spike reaches Vicious. In that regard, he is a counterpart to Lin; while his brother willingly sacrificed his life for Vicious, Shin dies assisting Spike. With his last words he tells Spike he had been hoping for him to return.
(using the name of Takamasa Nakao)
English Dub Voice Actor: Tom Fahn
is a member of Piccaro Calvino's gang. He is involved in organized crime in order to support his blind younger sister, , and does everything he can to help her regain her sight. Rocco sees Spike effortlessly take out several hijackers on a spaceliner and begs Spike to teach him how to fight. He befriends Spike although he does not tell him about the bounty on his head. Everything goes awry when Rocco gives Spike a package to hold onto, which contains a plant called "Grey Ash" that he stole from Calvino. This plant, worth millions upon millions of woolongs, is capable of curing "Venus Sickness", the disease which has blinded Stella. Rocco has a rendezvous with Spike and they fight against Calvino's gang. Rocco manages to pull off one of Spike's Jeet Kune Do maneuvers and topples one of the gangsters, but, in the chaos, Rocco is gunned down. He asks Spike if they would have been friends if they had met sooner, and dies. Later, Spike pays his respects and visits Stella in the hospital where she is now receiving treatment, although she can feel that Rocco has died. Before he leaves, Stella asks Spike about the type of person her brother really was. Spike responded "You know better than anyone, without looking. He was a terrific guy - exactly the person you thought he was."
English Dub Voice Actor: Michael Gregory
A kind old shaman, apparently of Native American
descent, lives on Mars, and figures prominently in a number of Cowboy Bebop sessions. Spike goes to Laughing Bull for advice in Session 1 while looking for bounty head Asimov; he appears briefly at the beginning of Jupiter Jazz part 1 and at the end of Jupiter Jazz part 2, then in "The Real Folk Blues, Part 2", Jet goes to him for information on Spike's whereabouts. Laughing Bull has been seen with a small child (in Jupiter Jazz) and with a young man (in the movie), their identities have never been revealed. As a shaman, he dresses in classic Native American wear and lives in a teepee-like tent surrounded by relics of old, discarded technology.
Laughing Bull refers to Spike as "Swimming Bird", and calls Jet "Running Rock".
is the owner of a convenience store on Mars, and an old friend of Spike, Julia, and Mao Yenrai. Her name is short for "Anastasia", although she allows only two certain people (presumably Mao and her late husband) to address her as such. First introduced in Ballad of Fallen Angels Annie is shown to be a keen informant and in general a very sharp lady, catching two juveniles trying to steal adult magazines from her news rack while seemingly not paying attention to them. Annie informs Spike of Mao's assassination by Vicious. She also carries a variety of small arms and supplies Spike with a Beretta
pistol and a large carton of ammunition. She also chides Spike for seeking to avenge his mentor (by picking a fight with Vicious) and calls him a stubborn show off. Annie is fatally wounded in the stomach prior to Spike and Julia's arrival in the two-part conclusion, "The Real Folk Blues". She dies soon after their arrival.
An egotistical, incompetent bounty hunter who works with stupid gimmicks, first as a cowboy and then as a samurai. Spike perceives him as an unworthy rival while the rest of the Bebop crew insists that Spike and Andy act exactly the same as each other, much to Spike's bewilderment and increasing consternation. Despite Spike's martial arts prowess, Andy is also able to match Spike in combat out of sheer, stupid luck, although he eventually gave up the cowboy persona after thinking that Spike partially collapsed a building with a single punch. When shown as samurai, he can be seen in a kimono that looks extremely similar to the kimono of Jin from Samurai Champloo
, an anime series also directed by Shinichiro Watanabe
.
English Dub Voice Actor: Daran Norris
The antagonist of Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door, is the only survivor of a series of experiments conducted during the Titan War to build immunity to the lethal nanomachines that were secretly developed by the military. His plan is to release the nanomachines throughout the world, leaving only a handful of survivors. He holds the rare distinction of being one of a select few characters in Cowboy Bebop who has been able to match Spike in close combat. Watanabe said that he believes that many people would say that they empathize with Vincent and that "I even understand him." The interviewer, describing Vincent as the "most evil character in the Bebop series," asked Watanabe if Vincent was his opportunity to "show something you couldn't get away with on TV." Watanabe responded by saying that such a thing was not the case, and that Vincent is "nothing more than my dark side." Watanabe added that he does not see this as a "particularly unique feature" of Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door, and that all people have moments when they "lose our temper and want to destroy everything."
English Dub Voice Actress: Jennifer Hale
is a veteran of the Titan War who first appears in Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door. Her love for Vincent caused them to have a short-term relationship, during which Vincent transferred the vaccine
to Elektra. She is unaware of this until Vincent sets free the Nanomachines on the Monorail and she survives. She meets Spike by chance when he infiltrates a bio weapon lab fronting as a pharmaceutical company where she works. After a few more chance meetings, and witnessing his being shot and thrown from a monorail by Vincent, she teams up with the crew of the Bebop to put an end to Vincent's intent to destroy the population of Mars. The samples of her blood are used to make the vaccine that is spread over Alba city. In the end, it is she who shoots Vincent and kills him. She cries for him when he admits he remembers her and their love for one another as he is dying.
English Dub Voice Actor: Nicholas Guest
appears during Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door. Apparently an ethnic Arab
with a considerable amount of knowledge of "beans," he is really Doctor Mendelo al-Hedia, the man who developed the nano-machinery that was to be used as a virus for the military and vaccinated Vincent in attempt to keep it under control. He then apparently escaped from the medical facility and took refuge in Mars' Moroccan street, assuming a new identity. He provides Spike with a sample of the nano-machine virus in an attempt to atone for his creating it. After revealing to Spike, in a later scene, the nature of the nanomachine virus and the vaccine given to Vincent, armed men show up and Rasheed runs off, followed by the sounds of gunfire. His fate is unclear, though a scene played during the credits of the movie seems to show him alive and well in Moroccan street.
English Dub Voice Actor: Dave Wittenberg
A teenage hacker and Vincent's accomplice, is very interested in video games from the 20th century (as shown by him playing an alternate version of Pac-Man
in a car while talking to Vincent). He's later betrayed by Vincent and is killed with the Nanoweapons Vincent was using in his plot to eliminate mankind. In an interview with Watanabe, the interviewer referred to Lee Sampson, a character in the film who "unable to distinguish" death in real life and death in a video game; when the interviewer asked Watanabe whether he wanted to "question society's desensitization to violence" with a character who "truly feels the pain of death," Watanabe responded by saying that he did not intend to 'make it a "statement," as such.' Watanabe added that he does not create films to "particular message" and that films "naturally reflect the way we feel at the time."
. The syndicate specializes mostly in assassinations, but are also involved in the trafficking of narcotics, Red Eye in particular. The rules of the syndicate states that members who attempt to leave, or fail to complete tasks, are punished by death. Mao Yenrai served as a captain or Capo to the Elders and was a mentor to both Vicious and Spike. He is most likely the one who brought them into the Syndicate (since entering into a major criminal organization usually requires sponsorship from a higher ranked member).
After having left the Syndicate, Spike considers himself in Mao's "debt", and is motivated to confront Vicious for the first time when Mao is killed. His murder occurs at the hands of two men in Vicious' employ -- who use Vicious' katana to slit Mao's throat. It takes place immediately after Mao signs a peace treaty with a rival gang, the White Tiger, expressing a desire for relief from the hypervigilance of gang warfare. Vicious explains that he killed Mao because "he was a beast who had lost his fangs."
Spike declares to Vicious that it was Mao who "took you in and made you what you are." The Van later refers to Mao's death as "bad luck" and decline to pursue the issue when confronting Vicious. The Van is also shown to be indulgent toward Vicious initially, which eventually creates their demise.
Spike was once a high-ranking member of the syndicate alongside Vicious, but chose to leave. Those who remained are Vicious, Lin, and Shin. Vicious expresses a desire to dispose of the Van, although his statements express distaste for their weakness as a primary motive, versus a goal of leadership. Once Vicious kills Mao Yenrai and the Van and becomes the head of the Syndicate, his only order of business is to wait for Spike to come and fight him, suggesting that attaining leadership is something of a hollow victory in the absence of his former partner.
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop
is a critically acclaimed and award-winning 1998 Japanese anime series directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, written by Keiko Nobumoto, and produced by Sunrise. Its 26 episodes comprise a complete storyline: set in 2071, the series follows the adventures, misadventures and tragedies of five bounty...
, directed by Shinichirō Watanabe
Shinichiro Watanabe
is a Japanese anime filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. He is known for directing the popular anime series Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo.Watanabe is known for blending together multiple genres in his anime creations...
and written by Keiko Nobumoto
Keiko Nobumoto
is a Japanese screenwriter. She is best known for having written the screenplay for Cowboy Bebop and having created Wolf's Rain.-Filmography :*Wolf's Rain *Tokyo Godfathers...
. The series' 26 episodes are often character driven; current events are often the consequence of life changing occurrences shown in flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
s.
Cowboys is the series' name for the bounty hunter
Bounty hunter
A bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward . Other names, mainly used in the United States, include bail enforcement agent and fugitive recovery agent.-Laws in the U.S.:...
s who pursue wanted criminals across the breadth of the solar system. The bounty hunters, led by the martial artist and Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
native Spike Spiegel, travel in a converted fishing trawler, the spaceship Bebop, owned and maintained by the former policeman from Ganymede
Ganymede (moon)
Ganymede is a satellite of Jupiter and the largest moon in the Solar System. It is the seventh moon and third Galilean satellite outward from Jupiter. Completing an orbit in roughly seven days, Ganymede participates in a 1:2:4 orbital resonance with the moons Europa and Io, respectively...
Jet Black.
The intelligent Corgi
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a herding dog breed, which originated in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is one of two breeds known as Welsh Corgi: the other is the Cardigan Welsh Corgi. The corgi is one of the smallest dogs in the Herding Group. Pembroke Welsh Corgis are famed for being the preferred breed...
Ein and hustler Faye Valentine join the crew early in the series; the eccentric Edward is encountered and comes aboard in a later episode.
Spike Spiegel
(born June 26, 2044) is a tall, lean, and slightly muscular 27-year-old bounty hunterBounty hunter
A bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward . Other names, mainly used in the United States, include bail enforcement agent and fugitive recovery agent.-Laws in the U.S.:...
born on Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
with a history of violent activity seen through flashbacks and dialogue with the Red Dragon Syndicate. He is often depicted with a cavalier attitude, but frequently shows signs of compassion when dealing with strangers. Spike is voiced by Koichi Yamadera
Koichi Yamadera
is a Japanese voice actor, actor, tarento, narrator, master of ceremonies and impressionist from Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture. He graduated from Tohoku Gakuin University's economics school, and is currently affiliated with Across Entertainment. Before that, he was affiliated with the Tokyo Actor's...
in the Japanese version of the anime, while Steven Blum
Steven Blum
Steven Jay Blum is an American voice actor known primarily for his work in anime dubs and video games, using his distinctive deep voice. Among his credits include the voice of Spike Spiegel of the anime series Cowboy Bebop and Mugen of the anime series Samurai Champloo...
voices him in the anime's English dub.
The inspiration for Spike's martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
is found in Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
, who uses the style of Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do is a hybrid martial arts system and life philosophy founded by martial artist Bruce Lee with direct, non classical and straightforward movements. Due to the way his style works they believe in minimal movement with maximum effect and extreme speed. The system works on the use of...
as depicted in Session 8, "Waltz For Venus". He has fluffy, blackish green hair (inspired by Yusaku Matsuda
Yusaku Matsuda
was a Japanese actor. Yusaku was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi to a Zainichi Korean mother. His father is not known. His date was wrongly recorded as 1950 on his birth records due to a parental error in filing a report.-Career:...
's) and reddish brown eyes, one of which is artificial and lighter than the other. He is usually dressed in a blue leisure suit
Leisure suit
A leisure suit is a casual suit consisting of a shirt-like jacket and matching trousers, often associated with American-influenced fashion and fads of the 1970s.-History:...
, with a yellow shirt and Lupin III
Lupin III
, also known as Lupin the 3rd, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuhiko Kato under the pen name of Monkey Punch. The story follows the adventures of a gang of thieves led by Arsène Lupin III, the grandson of Arsène Lupin, the gentleman thief of Maurice Leblanc's series of...
inspired boots.
A flashback in Session 6 revealed that his apparently fully functioning right eye was surgically replaced by a cybernetic one (although Spike himself may not have conscious recollection of the procedure since he claims to have lost his natural eye in an "accident"). A recurring device throughout the entire show is a closeup on Spike's fully natural left eye before dissolving to a flashback of his life as part of the syndicate. As said by Spike himself in the last episode, his right eye "only sees the present" and his left eye "only sees the past". The purpose of this cybernetic eye is never explicitly stated, though it apparently gives him exceptional hand-eye coordination—particularly with firearms (Spike's gun of choice is a Jericho 941
Jericho 941
The Jericho 941 is a double action/single action semi-automatic pistol developed by Israel Weapon Industries and introduced to the market in 1990 as the Jericho 941. It was first imported into the US in 1990 by K.B.I., Inc. of Harrisburg, PA. It was later imported by O.F. Mossberg & Sons and named...
, as seen throughout the series). He also is talented pilot in his personal fighter the Swordfish II, a modified racer.
Spike's final fate is left somewhat undetermined with a split between fans on whether or not he survives his final duel with his nemesis Vicious. Series creator Shinchiro Watanabe has stated that he himself is not sure of Spike's ultimate fate. On one occasion at a panel discussion in Detroit he said “I’m surprised you think the ending of Cowboy Bebop is dark. I mean, Spike might just be sleeping.”
Jet Black
Born December 3, 2035, and known on his home satellite as the "Black Dog" for his tenacity, is a 36-year-old former cop from GanymedeGanymede (moon)
Ganymede is a satellite of Jupiter and the largest moon in the Solar System. It is the seventh moon and third Galilean satellite outward from Jupiter. Completing an orbit in roughly seven days, Ganymede participates in a 1:2:4 orbital resonance with the moons Europa and Io, respectively...
(a Jovian
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
satellite) and acts as Spike's foil
Foil (literature)
In fiction, a foil is a character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight particular qualities of another character....
during the series. Jet is voiced by Unshō Ishizuka in the Japanese version of the anime, while Beau Billingslea
Beau Billingslea
Beau M. Billingslea is an American actor and voice actor. He is best known as the voice of Jet Black from the popular anime Cowboy Bebop. In addition to voice acting, Billingslea has appeared in many popular TV series as a prolific guest actor...
voices him in the English dub. Physically, Jet is very tall with a muscular build. He wears a beard with no mustache, and is completely bald save for the back of his head. Spike acts lazy and uninterested, whereas Jet is hard working and a jack-of-all-trades. Jet was once an investigator in the Intra Solar System Police (ISSP) for many years until he lost his arm in an investigation that went awry when his corrupt partner (and friend at the time) betrayed him. His arm was replaced with a cybernetic
Cybernetics
Cybernetics is the interdisciplinary study of the structure of regulatory systems. Cybernetics is closely related to information theory, control theory and systems theory, at least in its first-order form...
limb—an operation later revealed to be by choice. As biological replacements were possible, he wanted the fake arm as a reminder of the consequences of his actions. His loss of limb coupled with the general corruption
Police corruption
Police corruption is a specific form of police misconduct designed to obtain financial benefits, other personal gain, or career advancement for a police officer or officers in exchange for not pursuing, or selectively pursuing, an investigation or arrest....
of the police force prompted Jet to quit the ISSP in disgust and become a freelance bounty hunter. Jet also considers himself something of a renaissance man
Polymath
A polymath is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas. In less formal terms, a polymath may simply be someone who is very knowledgeable...
: he cultivates bonsai
Bonsai
is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penjing from which the art originated, and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese hòn non bộ...
trees, cooks, enjoys jazz/blues music (he named his ship the Bebop
Bebop
Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era, and was instead characterized by fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers...
, referring to a type of jazz), especially Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
, and even has interest in Goethe. As a character, Jet is the quintessential oyaji or "dad" even though he often wishes people would view him as a more brotherly figure (so as not to seem old).
Jet is skilled with handguns, typically carrying a pre-2004 Walther P99
Walther P99
The Walther P99 is a semi-automatic pistol developed by the German company Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen of Ulm for law enforcement, security forces and the civilian shooting market as a replacement for the Walther P5 and the P88...
, and also uses the netgun. He is proficient in hand-to-hand combat as well. Compared to Spike, Jet tends to use more raw muscle
Muscle
Muscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...
than technique. He is also a skilled mechanic
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
and pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
. Aside from the converted interplanetary fishing trawler vessel Bebop, Jet flies a smaller ship called Hammerhead. The Hammerhead appears to be a modified salvage-craft, to which Jet has added larger engines and fuel tanks. It features a mechanical arm equipped with a harpoon
Harpoon
A harpoon is a long spear-like instrument used in fishing to catch fish or large marine mammals such as whales. It accomplishes this task by impaling the target animal, allowing the fishermen to use a rope or chain attached to the butt of the projectile to catch the animal...
as its main weapon, which is somewhat analogous to Jet's own mechanical arm. Both the Hammerhead and the Bebop are able to land on water, and have a fishing theme, most likely because Ganymede's surface is mostly covered with water. It is later revealed that the Bebop was originally a fishing ship that Jet "customized" with larger engines. He is very protective of the Bebop, often being reluctant to bring it into situations where it could be damaged, and taking great offense when someone insults it or calls it a pile of junk.
During the series, it is revealed that Jet once lived with a woman named Alisa, who left him claiming that he overprotected her. Later, they meet up again when Alisa's new boyfriend, Rhint, is wanted for murder.
Faye Valentine
Voice Actress: Megumi HayashibaraMegumi Hayashibara
is a Japanese voice actress, singer, radio personality, and lyricist from Tokyo. She is currently affiliated with Aksent. Her nicknames include: Megu-san, Megu-nee, Bara-san, Kakka, and Daijin...
English Dub Voice Actress: Wendee Lee
Wendee Lee
Wendee Lee is an American voice actress. While she has done voice work for many video games as well as several episodes in the Power Rangers franchise, she is particularly prolific in the dubbing of anime. As of April 2009, with 223 credits to her name, she has more credits in this medium than any...
is one of the members of the bounty hunting crew in the anime series Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop
is a critically acclaimed and award-winning 1998 Japanese anime series directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, written by Keiko Nobumoto, and produced by Sunrise. Its 26 episodes comprise a complete storyline: set in 2071, the series follows the adventures, misadventures and tragedies of five bounty...
. She is often seen with a cigarette and in a revealing outfit complete with bright yellow hot pants and a matching, revealing top (and, on occasion, a bikini). She sports violet hair, green eyes, and a voluptuous body. Although appearing to be no more than 23 years old, Faye is actually around 77 years old, having been put into cryogenic freeze
Cryopreservation
Cryopreservation is a process where cells or whole tissues are preserved by cooling to low sub-zero temperatures, such as 77 K or −196 °C . At these low temperatures, any biological activity, including the biochemical reactions that would lead to cell death, is effectively stopped...
after a space shuttle accident, wherein she spent fifty-four years in suspended animation
Suspended animation
Suspended animation is the slowing of life processes by external means without termination. Breathing, heartbeat, and other involuntary functions may still occur, but they can only be detected by artificial means. Extreme cold can be used to precipitate the slowing of an individual's functions; use...
. During the course of the series (set in 2071), Faye manages to cross paths with Spike and Jet twice before she finally makes herself at home aboard their ship the second time around, much to the consternation and disapproval of the two men, both of whom have their own reservations about women in general. Faye herself is brash, egotistical, and quite lazy, despite taking plenty of time to pamper and care for her own appearance. Faye has been arrested several times in the series, and has spent time in handcuffs on the ship. She, at times, expects the boys to take care of bounties for her, while she sits by idly to reap the benefits and eat all their food, which is another source of conflict.
Seemingly little more than a thorn in her partners’ sides, Faye is actually a well-rounded member of the team. She can handle herself exceptionally well for a woman of her slight appearance, displaying at least once in the series (in "Cowboy Funk") that she has a powerful punch. Adept at flying, Faye has stood her ground just as well as Spike has in an aerial dogfight in her ship Red Tail, and at times even against Spike in an aerial dogfight (though Spike eventually proved the better pilot). She also excels with guns, and is first seen in the series completely disabling a shop with a Heckler & Koch MP5
Heckler & Koch MP5
The Heckler & Koch MP5 is a 9mm submachine gun of German design, developed in the 1960s by a team of engineers from the German small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH of Oberndorf am Neckar....
K, though she is immediately apprehended afterward. In the movie, she is seen with the same gun, in addition to her normal companion: a Glock 30. Faye has an almost unstoppable attitude, and even her sometimes innocent smile can be seen as dangerous. She has many bad habits, such as drinking, habitual gambling, smoking cigarettes and occasionally cigars, becoming unnecessarily violent, and turning on partners when the profits seem too skimpy. Sarcastic and presumptuous, she rarely appears weak or in need of support. She brags and takes care of herself, never trusting others, cheating and lying her way from one day to the next. She also shows herself capable of unpredictable behavior, as when she kissed Ed on the mouth to snap Ed from one of her "autistic" moments.
She is a woman who is skilled at getting what she wants; her indomitable exterior hides a more delicate interior. Upon awakening from her 54-year cryogenic sleep, not only was she saddled with a massive amount of debt that she had no means to pay, but she was also diagnosed with total amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
, a stranger in a mysterious world that she was not a part of and did not understand, surrounded by people who claimed to be helping her but were only there to take advantage of her naiveté. The surname "Valentine" was merely a name given to her by the doctor who woke her; the circumstances of her accident, her previous life, and even her real name all remain a mystery, and are only gradually revealed as the series progresses. It has been hinted that she came from Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
on Earth, and was the daughter of a very wealthy family, as the city's famous Merlion
Merlion
The Merlion is a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish, used as a mascot of Singapore. Its name combines "mer" meaning the sea and "lion". The fish body represents Singapore's origin as a fishing village when it was called Temasek, which means "sea town" in Javanese...
Statue features prominently in scenes of her childhood, and that memories and a film from her childhood showed her living in a large mansion. Faye is supposedly her real name, as a high school classmate (by now an old disabled woman) recognises her and calls her by that name. In her debut episode, she claims to be descended from Roma people, but it later becomes apparent that was likely a lie. Utterly betrayed by someone she thought she could trust after waking, Faye found herself burdened with even more money to pay, and the situation resulted in the hardening of her personality to an extreme degree. She even says in Session 11: “we deceive or we are deceived”, and that “nothing good ever happened to me when I trusted others.”
Throughout the series, though she retains her sarcastic demeanor and unpleasant nature up until the very end, it is easy to see her grow as a character. She learns to value her comrades, coming back to the Bebop when she realizes that it is the only home that she has left, naming it as the “only place I could return to”. She grows to understand the disadvantages of being a loner, and that even though her "family" is somewhat dysfunctional it is still a place where she will always belong.
Throughout the series, though she grows to care for Jet and even Edward in her own way, it is her relationship with Spike that remains a cause for consideration by most. In one episode Spike teases her and asks if she will come to help him if he gets into trouble, and though she scoffs at his remark, she eventually does. Faye even points her gun at him in a threatening gesture in the last episode, as Spike is walking away to what she and Jet both realize is his possible death. After he leaves, Faye cries. When asked, Watanabe stated in an interview, "Sometimes I'm asked the question, 'What does Spike think of Faye?' I think that actually he likes her quite a bit. But he's not a very straightforward person so he makes sure he doesn't show it."
Edward
Voice Actress: Aoi TadaAoi Tada
is a Japanese singer-songwriter and former voice actress and musical actress. She formerly belonged to Gekidan Himawari. Her nickname is "Mamoru Tada".Her most noted voice role is that of Cowboy Bebops Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV...
English Dub Voice Actress: Melissa Fahn
Melissa Fahn
Melissa Fahn is an American voice and stage actress and singer known for her work in anime dubs and other mainstream animated series, as well as her work in Broadway and Los Angeles Theatre.-Biography:...
is the self-invented personal name of an elite hacker
Hacker (computer security)
In computer security and everyday language, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, including profit, protest, or because of the challenge...
prodigy
Child prodigy
A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
from Earth. Her birth name is . "Radical Edward" is a very strange, somewhat androgynous, teenage girl claiming to be around 13 years of age. Her mannerisms include walking around in her bare feet, performing strange postures, and her gangling walk. Ed could be considered a "free spirit;" she is fond of silly exclamations and childish rhymes, is easily distracted, has the habit of "drifting off" from reality...sometimes in mid-sentence, and is the show's primary source of physical humor. Ed's generally carefree attitude and energy act as a counterpoint to the more solemn and dark aspects of the show. Ed remains a part of the Bebop crew until the 24th session, when she, along with Ein, leaves the crew to reunite with her father.
Over the course of the show, she rarely walks anywhere, preferring to run, crawl, flip, roll, walk on her hands, ride piggy-back, or, at the very least, saunter. Ed wears a very loose sleeveless shirt and tight, black bicycle shorts, and a pair of large green goggles around her neck or on her head that act as a virtual reality accessory for computers when connected. She is always barefoot
Barefoot
Barefoot is the state of not wearing any footwear. Being barefoot is regarded as a human's natural state, though for functional, fashion and social reasons footwear is worn, at least on some occasions...
and uses her feet for tasks which one would usually use hands, such as scratching her nose, clapping, and typing, and it seems she has followed this habit throughout her life, even during a flashback of several years earlier (wherein she appears to be around 7–9 years of age, wearing a dress over her usual loose shirt and shorts, and still barefoot). This also works the other way around, where she walks on her hands instead of her feet. In the episode Mushroom Samba she considers putting on socks and shoes but quickly removes them, as even wearing socks hampers her, and she falls over seconds after putting them on.
She almost always refers to herself in the third person. Not much is known about her origins, only that she spent some of her earlier childhood in an orphanage after being left there by her father, a cartographer (a questionable occupation on a planet which undergoes changes to its landscape daily due to asteroid impacts) named Appledelhi Siniz Hesap Lütfen (which means "excuse me, check please" in Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
). In the manga, it is revealed that she was a friend of a timid young boy in the orphanage known simply as "Tomato," (which also happens to be the brand name scrawled in katakana
Katakana
is a Japanese syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system along with hiragana, kanji, and in some cases the Latin alphabet . The word katakana means "fragmentary kana", as the katakana scripts are derived from components of more complex kanji. Each kana represents one mora...
on her PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
) who, like Ed, knew a great deal about computers and the net. Ed's primary use to the Bebop crew is as a hacker; she is widely known to be a whiz kid behind the computer. Ed's computer of choice is a carry-along Tomato desktop, and when traveling by foot she will balance it on her head. Her goggles can interact with it to give her a virtual reality environment in which she can browse an entire network at once.
Originally, Ed's character was based on a description of the series' music director, Yoko Kanno
Yoko Kanno
is a composer, arranger and musician best known for her work on the soundtracks for many games, anime films, TV series, live-action movies, and advertisements...
("a little weird, catlike, but a genius at creating music"), and was first developed as a dark-skinned boy. It was changed to even the gender ratio on the Bebop, which was, with Ed as a boy, three males and one female. The original character design appears in session 5 as a young boy that steals an adult magazine from Annie's bookstore by smuggling it under his shirt.
Ein
Voice Actor: Kōichi YamaderaKoichi Yamadera
is a Japanese voice actor, actor, tarento, narrator, master of ceremonies and impressionist from Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture. He graduated from Tohoku Gakuin University's economics school, and is currently affiliated with Across Entertainment. Before that, he was affiliated with the Tokyo Actor's...
("Next episode" preview only)
is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a herding dog breed, which originated in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is one of two breeds known as Welsh Corgi: the other is the Cardigan Welsh Corgi. The corgi is one of the smallest dogs in the Herding Group. Pembroke Welsh Corgis are famed for being the preferred breed...
brought aboard the Bebop by Spike after a failed attempt to capture a bounty. His name is a pun on the Japanese word for "dog" (犬 inu) most likely is derived from "Einstein", after Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
, because of the extraordinary intelligence he possesses. Another possibility is that the name is the German translation of "one" in the meaning of him being considered a he or an it. It can also be interpreted that in Japanese, the way dogs bark is hence the name, "Ein".
Ein is referred to as a "data dog" by the scientists that created him and he often shows heightened awareness of events going on around him. Over the course of the series, Ein answers the telephone, steers a car, uses the SSW
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, plays shogi
Shogi
, also known as Japanese chess, is a two-player board game in the same family as Western chess, chaturanga, and Chinese Xiangqi, and is the most popular of a family of chess variants native to Japan...
, and generally performs tasks that an average canine should not be able to accomplish. The extent of Ein's intelligence is hinted at in Session 23: "Brain Scratch" when the "Brain Dream" gaming device is placed on Ein's head; Ein quickly navigates the system and hacks into its operating system.
While the televised series only briefly hints on the fact that Ein's brain was somehow enhanced, the manga shows Ed accessing data stored in Ein's brain via a virtual reality
Virtual reality
Virtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
-type interface with which she has a conversation with a human proprietor. Following the credits in Session 18 "Speak Like A Child", Ein tells Spike "Next Episode: Wild Horses". He is able to "speak" to other species, as demonstrated in Session 17, "Mushroom Samba" (he spoke to a cow with a subtitled bark of "Thanks", to which the cow has a subtitled moo back of "Oh, it's no problem"). It is likely that Ed is the only crew member with any idea of Ein's capabilities as the other crew members are quick to dismiss Ein, and never seem to acknowledge him as more than a pet.
Ein initially takes a shine to Jet, but when Ed joins the crew, he comes around to her as well. Frequently the two trade roles, with Ein expressing very human sentiments via facial expression and Ed regressing to a feral state. He followed Ed after she left the crew, probably because of his attachment to her.
Ein does occasionally answer "yes or no" questions, barking once for "yes" and twice for "no."
Vicious
Voice Actor: Norio WakamotoNorio Wakamoto
is a veteran male seiyū and budō expert affiliated with Sigma Seven. He was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and was raised in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. He graduated from Waseda University...
English Dub Voice Actor: Skip Stellrecht
Skip Stellrecht
Skip Stellrecht is a voice actor who is also known as Henry Douglas Grey.- Anime Roles :* .hack//Liminality .... Guard B...
Living up to his name, is ruthless, bloodthirsty, cunning and ambitious. Considered by some to be Spike's darker half, Vicious is willing to do anything in order to secure a position of power. He is a member of the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate in Tharsis
Tharsis
The Tharsis region on Mars is a vast volcanic plateau centered near the equator in Mars’ western hemisphere. The region is home to the largest volcanoes in the Solar System, including the three enormous shield volcanoes Arsia Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Ascraeus Mons, which are collectively known as...
, and is often referred to or depicted as a venomous snake (as opposed to Spike who is referred to as a swimming bird and the Syndicate Elders who see themselves as a dragon). His weapon of choice is not a firearm, but a katana
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
which he wields skillfully, even against gun-wielders. He was an infantry rifleman during the Titan War and is shown firing a semi-automatic pistol in a Session 5 flashback, as well as in the Session 26 flashback of him and Spike fighting back-to-back. Early on, Vicious is seen with a black bird on his shoulder. Though he is even shown feeding it in one scene, he eventually hides explosives in its stomach and detonates them as a distraction during an escape.
Vicious was Spike's partner in the Red Dragon crime syndicate until they fell into conflict over Julia (and possibly over Spike's decision to abandon the Syndicate, though the two may be related). After Spike's supposed death, Vicious left the Red Dragons briefly to fight in the Titan War of 2068. Although his precise motivations for enlisting are debated, his testimony helped frame Gren, his squadmate in the war, for spying, which raises the possibility that he himself might have been involved in military espionage on behalf of the Syndicate and chose to pin it on his admirer. However, in the Titan flashbacks he is also seen to be remembering Julia, as if the cold, distant planet and its warzone were simply the most appropriate climate for grief. Notably that scene portrays the only suggestion of sentimentality toward Julia herself that Vicious displays during the series.
The blood feud between Spike and Vicious is an ongoing storyline throughout Cowboy Bebop. Vicious believes that he is the only one who can kill, or "awaken" Spike, as Spike is the only one who can do the same for Vicious. Vicious' real age is revealed in the official guidebook The After: at 27, he is the same age as Spike, although he appears to be much older. The age 27 is a significant age in the series because of the connotations it has to some legendary musicians passing away at that age, who are called the 27 Club
27 Club
The 27 Club—also occasionally known as the Forever 27 Club, Club 27 or the Curse of 27—is the title for a group of popular musicians who all died at the age of 27...
. He may seem older due to the heavy, ever-present bags under his eyes. Because of this and his affinity towards Bloody Eye deals, it is possible that he is a user of the mind- and vision-altering drug. Possible evidence of this is briefly seen during a flashback at Julia's apartment which shows a capsule of Bloody Eye on the window sill during Session 13: Jupiter Jazz, Part 2.
Julia
Voice Actor: Gara TakashimaGara Takashima
is a Japanese voice actress who works for Across Entertainment. She is married to Banjō Ginga.- Anime :* Hild in Ah! My Goddess: Everyone Has Wings* Julia in Cowboy Bebop* Eri Kisaki in Detective Conan...
English Dub Voice Actress: Mary Elizabeth McGlynn
Mary Elizabeth McGlynn
Mary Elizabeth McGlynn is an American voice actress, ADR director, writer, and singer best known for her extensive English-language dubbing of various anime, and her singing in multiple games from the Silent Hill series, as well as the movie adaptation and Dance Dance Revolution EXTREME. She has...
is a beautiful and mysterious woman from both Spike and Vicious' pasts. Initially Vicious' girlfriend and possibly a Syndicate member herself, she and Spike started a dangerous affair that led to Spike offering to abandon the Syndicate and elope
Elope
To elope, most literally, merely means to run away with a girl and to not come back to the point of origination. More specifically, elopement is often used to refer to a marriage conducted in sudden and secretive fashion, usually involving hurried flight away from one's place of residence together...
with her, despite the fact that the Syndicate punishes desertion with death. Arranging to meet at a graveyard later, Spike goes to confront the Syndicate with his resignation, resulting in a violent gun battle where he is presumed by the Syndicate to have died. Vicious discovers the affair, however, and confronts Julia, telling her that she would have to kill Spike at the graveyard, or else they would both be killed. To protect not only herself but also the man she loved, Julia goes into hiding, never meeting Spike as both of them had planned; Spike himself was never aware of Vicious' threats until the very end of the series. Because of this, Spike is led to believe that Julia betrayed him, and adopts his characteristic fatalist mentality.
Despite being among the main driving points for the entire series, Julia only appears in flashbacks until the final two episodes of the series. She acts as a stark contrast to the world around her—her blond hair, bright red umbrella and automobile stand out in the otherwise drab environments that she inhabits.
After meeting Faye Valentine by coincidence, Julia and Spike are reunited. However, their reunion coincides with Vicious' first attempt to stage a coup on the Red Dragon Syndicate. When he fails and is imprisoned, the Syndicate's Old Guard launches a campaign to find and kill anyone who was or had ever been loyal to Vicious' group, whether or not they are involved. This includes Spike, Julia and their friend Annie, who distributes munitions under cover of a convenience store. The store is ambushed by the Syndicate while Spike and Julia are there, and Julia is shot and killed as she and Spike try to escape across the rooftops. Her last words to Spike are "It's all a dream...".
Victoria "V.T." Terpsichore
Voice Actress:Tomie KataokaEnglish Dub Voice Actress: Melodee M. Spevack
Victoria Terpsichore is a masculine, tough-talking, and widowed space trucker, whose deceased husband, Ural Terpsichore, is a man that fellow bounty hunters regard as a "legendary bounty hunter." Always with her cat, Zeros, she appears in the episode "Heavy Metal Queen". Spike meets her in a bar while on hunt for a explosive-smuggling criminal named Decker. After having a bar brawl with several stooges, Spike and VT seem to become fast friends until she learns he is a bounty hunter. Although she initially regards Spike as "lowlife bounty hunter scum," she puts their differences aside and reluctantly works with him when their paths cross again as V.T. begins searching for Decker, who has performed a ship hit and run
Hit and run (vehicular)
Hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic accident , and failing to stop and identify oneself afterwards...
on one of her fellow truck drivers.
Her full name is largely a secret, which has prompted many to bet money and guess what her initials stand for. However, none have succeeded in winning the stack of money she's gained from numerous incorrect guesses. She is also known as the "Heavy Metal Queen," for her deep love of heavy metal music
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, which she considers "very soothing." Able to adapt to various situations, her philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
is, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do." Considering her disdain against bounty hunters, it is believed that her husband, Ural Terpsichore, was killed, while pursuing a bountyhead. Her first name is briefly mentioned, when Spike sees her pocket watch. However, he knows her last name, due to the popularity and memory of her late husband.
The Three Old Men - Antonio, Carlos and Jobim
Keiko NobumotoKeiko Nobumoto
is a Japanese screenwriter. She is best known for having written the screenplay for Cowboy Bebop and having created Wolf's Rain.-Filmography :*Wolf's Rain *Tokyo Godfathers...
wrote the characters Antonio, Carlos, and Jobim. Originally the men were called "Old guys 1, 2, and 3." Because they would appear on numerous occasions, the staff decided that the characters needed to be named. Michiko Yokote, a scriptwriter, gave the characters their names. The appearances of the three men originate from images of "genteel-looking old men," as described by Cowboy Bebop Anime Guide Volume 4, from picture books in El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The names of the three characters form a reference to the Brazilian musician Antonio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim , also known as Tom Jobim , was a Brazilian songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, and pianist/guitarist. He was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style, and his songs have been performed by many singers and instrumentalists within...
.
Grencia Mars Elijah Guo Eckener
Voice Actor: Kenyū HoriuchiEnglish Dub Voice Actor: Michael Gregory
was once a soldier for the war on Titan, and appears in the two-part episodes of "Jupiter Jazz". On Titan he fought beside Vicious, who he admired and found encouragement in, during the war. After the war, Gren came back hoping to be a jazz musician, but that plan was cut short when he was arrested on the pretense of being a spy. In prison, Gren heard that Vicious testified against him; this and the isolation drove him mad. The prison used prisoners for drug experiments, and he was forced to become a test subject. In some translations, he suffered from insomnia while in prison and started using drugs to try to deal with it. In either case, the drugs severely imbalanced his hormones, and caused him to develop a feminine figure, including breasts.
Finally, after his body had been transformed and his sanity shattered, he managed to escape from prison. After his escape from jail, Gren worked as a saxophone player at Rester House, a bar in a sector called "The Blue Crow", which is located on one of Jupiter's moons, Callisto. He met Julia there and found out from her how Vicious betrayed him. Two years later, Faye met Gren. In an act of kindness, Gren 'rescued' Faye from a street fight and allowed her to come to his apartment. While Faye was there, Vicious called, alarming her and raising suspicions about the musician. Intruding on him while showering, Faye discovered Gren's secret. Gren explained how he became what he was, and told her that he was going to see if Vicious really framed him. When Faye said he'd be killed in the process, he replied that death did not frighten him, and that he would not live longer anyway.
Disguising himself as a woman, Gren met the Syndicate member, along with Lin, who went to protect Vicious. Exchanging Red Eye for Titan Opal, Gren suspected a trap. He shot it open, setting off the explosive, and then revealed who he was, finally confronting Vicious about what happened when he returned from Titan. In the ensuing battle, Lin died to protect Vicious. Meanwhile, Spike arrived and began to attack Vicious as he fled. Gren had planted the music box in the bag of Red Eye, rigged with an explosive, which damaged Vicious' ship. However, in the 3-way dogfight with Vicious and Spike, Gren's ship was severely damaged, forcing him to land. Spike, wanting to find out more about Julia, landed next to Gren's crashed ship to find Gren lying in the snow, badly wounded. Rushing to Gren's side, Spike asks Gren about Julia. Gren guesses who Spike is by his eyes; "Julia was always talking about you; your eyes are different colors. I remember her saying that." Gren refuses Spike's offer of assistance, knowing that he is dying, and instead requests that Spike help him back into his ship, allowing him to die on a final voyage to Titan.
Punch and Judy
Voice Actor: Tsutomu Taruki and Miki NagasawaMiki Nagasawa
is a female Japanese voice actress born in Hokkaidō and raised in Fukushima. Formerly affiliated for Haikyo, she is now affiliated with Atomic Monkey.-Anime:* After War Gundam X as Perla Ciss* Akihabara Dennou Gumi as Kamome Sengakuji...
English Dub Voice Actors: Paul St. Peter
Paul St. Peter
Paul Schmidl Peter , better known as Paul St. Peter, is an American voice actor. He also uses the names George C. Cole, George Z. Cole and Francis C. Cole...
and Lia Sargent
Lia Sargent
Lia Sargent is an American voice actress. She is known for extensive anime and video game voice work and has also done ADR directing and script writing for Animaze.. iNC...
and are the characters of the TV show Big Shot. They are named after the traditional English puppet show
Punch and Judy
Punch and Judy is a traditional, popular puppet show featuring the characters of Mr. Punch and his wife, Judy. The performance consists of a sequence of short scenes, each depicting an interaction between two characters, most typically the anarchic Punch and one other character...
. The show provides information on various bounty heads, but is often unreliable. The Bebop crew often has the show playing in the background, but seldom pays close attention (they usually get their information from close contacts). Punch and Judy play the "cowboy" persona in a characteristic, over the top fashion. Punch adopts a mid-western drawl mixed with a Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
accent (both faked), and uses random old-West sayings. Judy plays the stereotypical
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
dumb blonde
Dumb blonde
The blonde stereotype, the stereotypical perception of blond-haired women, has two aspects. On one hand, over the history, blonde hair in women has been considered attractive and desirable...
, and always appears in an open bolero jacket with nothing underneath, frequently wiggling her hips with excitement. Big Shot gets canceled towards the end of the series, and Punch (lacking accent and costume) makes a brief cameo revealing his and Judy's fates: Punch, whose real name is Alfredo, moves to Mars to take care of his mother, and Judy is engaged to marry her agent. In the last episode of Big Shot, it appears that Judy was not informed of the show's cancellation and shoved Punch out of the way as she said into the camera that "[The station] will hear from [her] agent about this!" It would appear that her voice is also faked, as it becomes low and husky after this outburst.
Punch and Judy's appearances had no specific model; the characters had the style of typical television hosts.
Antonio, Carlos, and Jobim
Voice Actor: Hitoshi Hirao (Antonio), Toshihiko NakajimaToshihiko Nakajima
is a Japanese voice actor who was affiliated with Ken Production but is now associated with Gekidan 21 Seiki Fox.-Notable voice roles:*Carlos in Cowboy Bebop*Lemint in Fushigiboshi no Futagohime*Kojiro Murdoch in Gundam Seed*Hachiemon in Inuyasha...
(Carlos), and Hiroshi Naka
Hiroshi Naka
is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Production Baobab. He is originally from Ōita Prefecture.- TV anime :*Baki the Grappler *Clannad *Comic Party Revolution *Cowboy Bebop...
(Jobim)
English Dub Voice Actors: Steve Kramer
Steve Kramer (actor)
Steven M. Kramer is an American voice actor for many anime titles. He has also done voice acting for various Power Rangers series in the past, with the best-known of those roles being the voice of Darkonda in Power Rangers in Space. His wife, Melora Harte, is a voice actress...
(Antonio), Richard Cansino
Richard Cansino
Richard Cansino is an American voice actor. He is also known as Richard Hayworth because he is the nephew of Rita Hayworth, and occasionally goes by the name Steve Davis after the British snooker player of the same name...
(Carlos), and Paul St. Peter
Paul St. Peter
Paul Schmidl Peter , better known as Paul St. Peter, is an American voice actor. He also uses the names George C. Cole, George Z. Cole and Francis C. Cole...
(Jobim)
Throughout the series and the movie, three rude, foul-mouthed, crotchety old men make frequent appearances, as speaking characters, or in the background during scenes. They make various claims about what they did before becoming old-timers, including bounty hunting, building the stargates, farming, piloting planes in a war, sinking the Bismarck
German battleship Bismarck
Bismarck was the first of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the primary force behind the German unification in 1871, the ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1936 and launched nearly three years later...
, digging ditches, and crop-dusting, all of which claims are almost always followed with the rest claiming they were part of that project as well. They seem on speaking terms with many supporting characters, and though they run into the main characters often there is not much attention paid to them (or even mention that the main characters have seen them before). They also did the voice-overs for the preview of the episode "Mushroom Samba". According to the movie credits, they are called , , and . In the feature film, they help Jet and Faye distribute the antidote for a deadly, hallucinogenic nanovirus by flying 20th-century era antique planes over Alba City. The three old men are actually bounty hunters themselves, as revealed in the Cowboy Bebop Silver Anniversary disc. Cowboy Bebop Anime Guide Volume 4 states that since the names of the three old men appear once, it is not certain whether the names Antonio, Carlos, and Jobim are their real names. In episode 22, Cowboy Funk, Antonio is briefly seen walking past a water fountain without Carlos and Jobim, although previously all three old men were always seen together. The movie, which takes place between episodes 22 and 23, depicts the three old men together, but in episode 23, Brain Scratch, Antonio is seen dead with several other bounty hunters, again without Carlos and Jobim.
Lin
Voice Actor: Hikaru MidorikawaHikaru Midorikawa
is a Japanese voice actor from Otawara, Tochigi who is represented by Aoni Production.He is most known for the roles of Softon in Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, Tamahome in Fushigi Yugi, Seiran Shi in Saiunkoku Monogatari, Heero Yuy in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Kaede Rukawa in Slam Dunk, Zelgadis Greywords in...
English Dub Voice Actor: Derek Stephen Prince
Derek Stephen Prince
Derek Stephen Prince is an American voice actor who is most memorable for his various roles in the Digimon series, as well as the voice of Elgar in the live-action Power Rangers Turbo and Power Rangers in Space.While a talented actor, with vocal skills capable of anything from High School girls to...
(Using the name of David Umansky)
was a young and very loyal member of the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate who was asked by Wang Long to accompany Vicious on a drug deal to the moon Callisto. His role in the series is fairly minor. When Spike Spiegel confronted Vicious in a back alleyway at night, it was Lin who stepped in between Spike and Vicious and then shot Spike with a tranquilizer bullet. It is stated that Lin used to work under Spike, but since Spike left the Red Dragons, it is apparent that he now works under Vicious.
Lin accompanied Vicious to the Red Eye deal atop a roof where they encountered Gren, dressed as a woman. When the fighting between the two sour comrades started, Lin threw himself in front of a bullet meant for Vicious. Lin falls to the ground, dead, as Vicious says, "There is nothing in this world to believe in." Lin dies then, but is mentioned in the series finale, "The Real Folk Blues Part I" when his brother, Shin shows up.
Shin
Voice Actor: Nobuyuki HiyamaNobuyuki Hiyama
is a Japanese voice actor currently affiliated with Arts Vision.-Profile:* Sometimes credited as: Shuji Hiyama , Osamuyuki Hiyama * Year Enrolled into the Voice-Acting Industry: 1987...
English Dub Voice Actor: Derek Stephen Prince
Derek Stephen Prince
Derek Stephen Prince is an American voice actor who is most memorable for his various roles in the Digimon series, as well as the voice of Elgar in the live-action Power Rangers Turbo and Power Rangers in Space.While a talented actor, with vocal skills capable of anything from High School girls to...
(Using the name of David Umansky)
is the younger brother of Lin. He appears twice in the series finale. His first appearance is to rescue Spike and Jet from Syndicate assassins, which leads to him revealing Vicious's coup against the Red Dragon leaders. He reappears during Spike's attack on the Red Dragon headquarters, aiding him in the running gunfight against the Syndicate minions.
Shin is killed shortly before Spike reaches Vicious. In that regard, he is a counterpart to Lin; while his brother willingly sacrificed his life for Vicious, Shin dies assisting Spike. With his last words he tells Spike he had been hoping for him to return.
Rocco Bonnaro
Voice Actor: Ryūsei NakaoRyusei Nakao
, known by his stage name , is a Japanese actor, singer, and voice actor from Tōkyō Metropolis, Japan. He is attached to 81 Produce. He has also worked under the name of ....
(using the name of Takamasa Nakao)
English Dub Voice Actor: Tom Fahn
Tom Fahn
Thomas "Tom" Fahn is an American voice actor. His sister and brother, Melissa Fahn and Jonathan Fahn respectively, and wife, Dorothy Elias-Fahn, are also voice actors. Tom Fahn is also sometimes credited as Tom Charles and Marvin Lee...
is a member of Piccaro Calvino's gang. He is involved in organized crime in order to support his blind younger sister, , and does everything he can to help her regain her sight. Rocco sees Spike effortlessly take out several hijackers on a spaceliner and begs Spike to teach him how to fight. He befriends Spike although he does not tell him about the bounty on his head. Everything goes awry when Rocco gives Spike a package to hold onto, which contains a plant called "Grey Ash" that he stole from Calvino. This plant, worth millions upon millions of woolongs, is capable of curing "Venus Sickness", the disease which has blinded Stella. Rocco has a rendezvous with Spike and they fight against Calvino's gang. Rocco manages to pull off one of Spike's Jeet Kune Do maneuvers and topples one of the gangsters, but, in the chaos, Rocco is gunned down. He asks Spike if they would have been friends if they had met sooner, and dies. Later, Spike pays his respects and visits Stella in the hospital where she is now receiving treatment, although she can feel that Rocco has died. Before he leaves, Stella asks Spike about the type of person her brother really was. Spike responded "You know better than anyone, without looking. He was a terrific guy - exactly the person you thought he was."
Laughing Bull
Voice Actor: Takehiro KoyamaEnglish Dub Voice Actor: Michael Gregory
A kind old shaman, apparently of Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
descent, lives on Mars, and figures prominently in a number of Cowboy Bebop sessions. Spike goes to Laughing Bull for advice in Session 1 while looking for bounty head Asimov; he appears briefly at the beginning of Jupiter Jazz part 1 and at the end of Jupiter Jazz part 2, then in "The Real Folk Blues, Part 2", Jet goes to him for information on Spike's whereabouts. Laughing Bull has been seen with a small child (in Jupiter Jazz) and with a young man (in the movie), their identities have never been revealed. As a shaman, he dresses in classic Native American wear and lives in a teepee-like tent surrounded by relics of old, discarded technology.
Laughing Bull refers to Spike as "Swimming Bird", and calls Jet "Running Rock".
"Bob"
is an ISSP, mustache-wearing policeman based on Ganymede to whom Jet frequently goes to for inside information when looking for bounty heads. Throughout the series, and especially in the film, Bob provides (sometimes reluctantly) crucial information.Annie
Voice Actress: Carol Stanzioneis the owner of a convenience store on Mars, and an old friend of Spike, Julia, and Mao Yenrai. Her name is short for "Anastasia", although she allows only two certain people (presumably Mao and her late husband) to address her as such. First introduced in Ballad of Fallen Angels Annie is shown to be a keen informant and in general a very sharp lady, catching two juveniles trying to steal adult magazines from her news rack while seemingly not paying attention to them. Annie informs Spike of Mao's assassination by Vicious. She also carries a variety of small arms and supplies Spike with a Beretta
Beretta
Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta is an Italian firearms manufacturer. Their firearms are used worldwide for a variety of civilian, law enforcement, and military purposes. It is also known for manufacturing shooting clothes and accessories. Beretta is the oldest active firearms manufacturer in the...
pistol and a large carton of ammunition. She also chides Spike for seeking to avenge his mentor (by picking a fight with Vicious) and calls him a stubborn show off. Annie is fatally wounded in the stomach prior to Spike and Julia's arrival in the two-part conclusion, "The Real Folk Blues". She dies soon after their arrival.
Andy von de Oniyate
Voice Actor: Daran NorrisDaran Norris
Daran Morrison Nordland , usually credited as Daran Norris, is an American film and television actor and voice artist. Since 1977 he has participated in more than 400 films, video games, and television projects. He is best known as Gordy from Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, the voice of...
An egotistical, incompetent bounty hunter who works with stupid gimmicks, first as a cowboy and then as a samurai. Spike perceives him as an unworthy rival while the rest of the Bebop crew insists that Spike and Andy act exactly the same as each other, much to Spike's bewilderment and increasing consternation. Despite Spike's martial arts prowess, Andy is also able to match Spike in combat out of sheer, stupid luck, although he eventually gave up the cowboy persona after thinking that Spike partially collapsed a building with a single punch. When shown as samurai, he can be seen in a kimono that looks extremely similar to the kimono of Jin from Samurai Champloo
Samurai Champloo
is a Japanese anime series created and directed by Shinichirō Watanabe. It was broadcast in Japan from May 20, 2004 through March 19, 2005 on Fuji TV. Samurai Champloo has earned Watanabe a renowned title in the anime and Japanese television communities...
, an anime series also directed by Shinichiro Watanabe
Shinichiro Watanabe
is a Japanese anime filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. He is known for directing the popular anime series Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo.Watanabe is known for blending together multiple genres in his anime creations...
.
Vincent Volaju
Voice Actor: Tsutomu IsobeTsutomu Isobe
is a Japanese actor and seiyū from Tokyo.-Television animation:*Blade *Black Lagoon *Gungrave *Monster -Theater animation:...
English Dub Voice Actor: Daran Norris
Daran Norris
Daran Morrison Nordland , usually credited as Daran Norris, is an American film and television actor and voice artist. Since 1977 he has participated in more than 400 films, video games, and television projects. He is best known as Gordy from Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, the voice of...
The antagonist of Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door, is the only survivor of a series of experiments conducted during the Titan War to build immunity to the lethal nanomachines that were secretly developed by the military. His plan is to release the nanomachines throughout the world, leaving only a handful of survivors. He holds the rare distinction of being one of a select few characters in Cowboy Bebop who has been able to match Spike in close combat. Watanabe said that he believes that many people would say that they empathize with Vincent and that "I even understand him." The interviewer, describing Vincent as the "most evil character in the Bebop series," asked Watanabe if Vincent was his opportunity to "show something you couldn't get away with on TV." Watanabe responded by saying that such a thing was not the case, and that Vincent is "nothing more than my dark side." Watanabe added that he does not see this as a "particularly unique feature" of Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door, and that all people have moments when they "lose our temper and want to destroy everything."
Elektra Ovirowa
Voice Actress: Ai KobayashiAi Kobayashi
is a Japanese voice actress from Adachi, Tokyo. She is affiliated with HeaT.-Television animation:*Detective Conan *Ergo Proxy *Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart *InuYasha...
English Dub Voice Actress: Jennifer Hale
Jennifer Hale
Jennifer Hale is a Canadian-born American actress and singer best known for her voice over work in video games like Grandia II, the Mass Effect trilogy, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Tales of Symphonia, the Metroid Prime trilogy, the Metal Gear Solid games, Brütal Legend, and Disney's...
is a veteran of the Titan War who first appears in Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door. Her love for Vincent caused them to have a short-term relationship, during which Vincent transferred the vaccine
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
to Elektra. She is unaware of this until Vincent sets free the Nanomachines on the Monorail and she survives. She meets Spike by chance when he infiltrates a bio weapon lab fronting as a pharmaceutical company where she works. After a few more chance meetings, and witnessing his being shot and thrown from a monorail by Vincent, she teams up with the crew of the Bebop to put an end to Vincent's intent to destroy the population of Mars. The samples of her blood are used to make the vaccine that is spread over Alba city. In the end, it is she who shoots Vincent and kills him. She cries for him when he admits he remembers her and their love for one another as he is dying.
Rasheed
Voice Actor: Mickey CurtisMickey Curtis
is a Japanese actor, singer, and TV celebrity. He began his entertainment career in 1958 as an actor, and later became a rockabilly singer. In 1967, he became internationally known through his avant-garde rock band "Mickey Curtis & The Samurai". After five years, Mickey disbanded the group and...
English Dub Voice Actor: Nicholas Guest
Nicholas Guest
Nicholas Haden-Guest is an American actor. He primarily works as a voice actor, but is best known for a TV role, as the principal in the NBC teen sitcom, USA High.-Personal life:...
appears during Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door. Apparently an ethnic Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
with a considerable amount of knowledge of "beans," he is really Doctor Mendelo al-Hedia, the man who developed the nano-machinery that was to be used as a virus for the military and vaccinated Vincent in attempt to keep it under control. He then apparently escaped from the medical facility and took refuge in Mars' Moroccan street, assuming a new identity. He provides Spike with a sample of the nano-machine virus in an attempt to atone for his creating it. After revealing to Spike, in a later scene, the nature of the nanomachine virus and the vaccine given to Vincent, armed men show up and Rasheed runs off, followed by the sounds of gunfire. His fate is unclear, though a scene played during the credits of the movie seems to show him alive and well in Moroccan street.
Lee Sampson
Voice Actor: Yuji UedaYuji Ueda
is a popular Japanese seiyū.He is most known for the roles of Sagara Sanosuke , Akito Tenkawa , Takeshi , Horohoro , Johannes Krauser II and Keitaro Urashima ....
English Dub Voice Actor: Dave Wittenberg
Dave Wittenberg
David Richard Paul "Dave" Wittenberg is a prolific South African-born American video game and anime voice actor with nearly one hundred titles to his credit. While Wittenberg was born in a hospital in South Africa, he was primarily raised in Boston...
A teenage hacker and Vincent's accomplice, is very interested in video games from the 20th century (as shown by him playing an alternate version of Pac-Man
Pac-Man
is an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
in a car while talking to Vincent). He's later betrayed by Vincent and is killed with the Nanoweapons Vincent was using in his plot to eliminate mankind. In an interview with Watanabe, the interviewer referred to Lee Sampson, a character in the film who "unable to distinguish" death in real life and death in a video game; when the interviewer asked Watanabe whether he wanted to "question society's desensitization to violence" with a character who "truly feels the pain of death," Watanabe responded by saying that he did not intend to 'make it a "statement," as such.' Watanabe added that he does not create films to "particular message" and that films "naturally reflect the way we feel at the time."
Red Dragon Crime Syndicate
Not too much is known about the crime syndicate. It is an East Asian triad organization led by a group of mysterious elderly men who are called The Van. The Van are usually seen wearing imperial Manchurian-Chinese clothing of the Qing DynastyQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
. The syndicate specializes mostly in assassinations, but are also involved in the trafficking of narcotics, Red Eye in particular. The rules of the syndicate states that members who attempt to leave, or fail to complete tasks, are punished by death. Mao Yenrai served as a captain or Capo to the Elders and was a mentor to both Vicious and Spike. He is most likely the one who brought them into the Syndicate (since entering into a major criminal organization usually requires sponsorship from a higher ranked member).
After having left the Syndicate, Spike considers himself in Mao's "debt", and is motivated to confront Vicious for the first time when Mao is killed. His murder occurs at the hands of two men in Vicious' employ -- who use Vicious' katana to slit Mao's throat. It takes place immediately after Mao signs a peace treaty with a rival gang, the White Tiger, expressing a desire for relief from the hypervigilance of gang warfare. Vicious explains that he killed Mao because "he was a beast who had lost his fangs."
Spike declares to Vicious that it was Mao who "took you in and made you what you are." The Van later refers to Mao's death as "bad luck" and decline to pursue the issue when confronting Vicious. The Van is also shown to be indulgent toward Vicious initially, which eventually creates their demise.
Spike was once a high-ranking member of the syndicate alongside Vicious, but chose to leave. Those who remained are Vicious, Lin, and Shin. Vicious expresses a desire to dispose of the Van, although his statements express distaste for their weakness as a primary motive, versus a goal of leadership. Once Vicious kills Mao Yenrai and the Van and becomes the head of the Syndicate, his only order of business is to wait for Spike to come and fight him, suggesting that attaining leadership is something of a hollow victory in the absence of his former partner.