Let's talk about the Cowboy Bebop live action some more

[laggyteabag]

I'll give it a chance. They're clearly doing their own thing. I can see why they don't want to just do a straight up one to one adaption. And giving how infamous Bebop is at this point, I don't blame them and I completely understand. For right now and still, Alita is still the best live action adaption of an anime.

You mentioned Alita, and my face immediately scrunched up in disappointment as I remembered that movie. I guess that accurately portrays how I feel about that film.

With that said, you probably aren't wrong about it being the best. Im not particularly fond of Alita, but it certainly isn't Dragon Ball: Evolution, or The Last Airbender, so it isn't exactly a high bar to clear to clear to be considered one of the better adaptions.

Adaptions are always sticky, though. If they try to retell the story as closely to the source material as possible, they get ridiculed for being pointless. Whereas if they try to do their own thing, or they miss a single original plot point, they get ridiculed for not being respectful of the source material, or just using the name for views. They really can't win.

Personally, I just try to see adaptions as something new, and view them from that lens. In the case of this show, I don't care if this is faithful to the original or not. This just looks like the most energetic show that I have seen in years, and I am excited for that.

 

[BrawlMan]

You mentioned Alita, and my face immediately scrunched up in disappointment as I remembered that movie. I guess that accurately portrays how I feel about that film.

I have not forgotten you don't like the movie. Wasn't trying to upset you, but that's how I feel.

With that said, you probably aren't wrong about it being the best. Im not particularly fond of Alita, but it certainly isn't Dragon Ball: Evolution, or The Last Airbender, so it isn't exactly a high bar to clear to clear to be considered one of the better adaptions.

That bar does not lessen the movie's awesomeness either way.

Adaptions are always sticky, though. If they try to retell the story as closely to the source material as possible, they get ridiculed for being pointless. Whereas if they try to do their own thing, or they miss a single original plot point, they get ridiculed for not being respectful of the source material, or just

True. But that usually boils down to unpleasable fan base is at that point. It's the same problems when adapting manga to anime or sometimes vice versa. Just because there is a more accurate adaption. Does not automatically make it good. You got to take things like pacing, story, another various things into account. For all we know, the characterization wasn't that good and the original property to begin with.

Personally, I just try to see adaptions as something new, and view them from that lens. In the case of this show, I don't care if this is faithful to the original or not. This just looks like the most energetic show that

I am of a similar mindset most of the time. I don't mind changes so long as they make sense or fit with the thing they're going with. Changed too much in a point where it goes to characters or things out of whack, and you run into the same issues.

 

[Piscian]

I'm off it. After I literally had to shut off the GITS adaptation in the first 20 minutes because of how angry it made me I'm borderline just boycotting live action adaptations unless they are made by people invested in making a good adaptation and free from studio influence.

To be honest I did not strictly like Alita. I feel like it captured a lot of the spirit, but it felt like the production wheels came off and much of the movie is rushed because they knew theyd never get a sequel made. I'm also not sure I agree with Brawl saying its the best. I'd have to dig around, but I'm reasonably confident theres been good Anime live action adaptations, but they're all japanese and like fly under the radar. I wanna say quite a few crime and drama anime & manga's have had really good adaptations and you wouldnt even know it because the original wasnt popular outside of japan. actually theres about a billion officially listed https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_based_on_manga

So you'd have to say "Of the shitty western cash grab live action adaptations"

Without context, idk it looks less like an adaptation and more like cosplay fanfic. When I watched the trailer I found myself just sort of feeling ho-hum about it. Who knows maybe they'll prove me wrong.

 

[BrawlMan]

I'm off it. After I literally had to shut off the GITS adaptation in the first 20 minutes because of how angry it made me I'm borderline just boycotting live action adaptations unless they are made by people invested in making a good adaptation and free from studio influence.

To be honest I did not strictly like Alita. I feel like it captured a lot of the spirit, but it felt like the production wheels came off and much of the movie is rushed because they knew theyd never get a sequel made. I'm also not sure I agree with Brawl saying its the best. I'd have to dig around, but I'm reasonably confident theres been good Anime live action adaptations, but they're all japanese and like fly under the radar. I wanna say quite a few crime and drama anime & manga's have had really good adaptations and you wouldnt even know it because the original wasnt popular outside of japan. actually theres about a billion officially listed https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_based_on_manga

So you'd have to say "Of the shitty western cash grab live action adaptations"

Without context, idk it looks less like an adaptation and more like cosplay fanfic. When I watched the trailer I found myself just sort of feeling ho-hum about it. Who knows maybe they'll prove me wrong.

As far as the Western side goes, it's the best adaption. I find better than some live-action Japanese adaptions. They ain't perfect either, and they've actually has plenty of bad live action adaptions or just plain mediocre. Sturgeon's law fall under them too.

 

[BrawlMan]

​

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Cause when you think Spike Spiegel you think dour 50 something 5'10" MILF washout from American Pie.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

New trailer

That bit at 1:20 feels really, really "off". I mean, there's a lot of special effects at play there, but still.

 

[ObsidianJones]

New trailer


I like it, it seems to be its own thing rather than a very faithful adaptation. Anime Bebop was always ridding the line between campy/B-movie and serious story, this seem to indicate they're going a bit more toward camp/witty banter.

All I can think of is "Spike Pilgrim vs the 'Verse" when I see that trailer.

... I miss Firefly

 

[BrawlMan]

... I miss Firefly

Outlaw Star did it better. But I understand your sentiments.

 

[Phoenixmgs]

Outlaw Star did it better. But I understand your sentiments.

 

[Mister Mumbler]

So, another trailer, but this time with what looks like actual show stuff;

Everything just looks...off, you know?

 

[Mister Mumbler]

All I can think of is "Spike Pilgrim vs the 'Verse" when I see that trailer.

... I miss Firefly

*snaps finger*
That's it, couldn't quite place it.

 

[Hawki]

Trailer looks pretty good, TBH. Fun, and captures the spirit of the original.

Still wondering where Ed is though.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

He looks really dumb trying to keep his hands in his pockets like that. It's obviously not a natural position, must feel pretty awkward.

Faye's acting is... very off. Very CW show. Hopefully the actress has more to offer, because right now she's looking like the worst part of the show.

Overall though, I think this was a better look at the show than that last trailer. I still can't stand how they're trying to adapt the anime, visually, 1 to 1, but some of those action scenes looked fun.

 

[Ezekiel]

I just can't see Spike as an Asian. It's even weirder now that I see him talk normally. Japanese would be a little more accurate than Korean, but I always saw him as a white guy. Also too old.

The fighting's some of the softest I've ever seen.

 

[09philj]

Remain confused about who this is for.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Remain confused about who this is for.

People who can't get enough of Cowboy Bebop and his computer.

 

[Piscian]

I just can't see Spike as an Asian. It's even weirder now that I see him talk normally. Japanese would be a little more accurate than Korean, but I always saw him as a white guy. Also too old.

The fighting's some of the softest I've ever seen.

I think I always imagine spike to be of French or Italian descent. That's really where I see that hair style and clothing the most. I think I could see spike as Asian, there's actually a few asian actors on my mind that could pull off that but John Cho looks ridiculous in that weird wet looking wig. I feel like they just went for name recognition.

Idk they only show brief clips of fighting, but I'm pretty underwhelmed. In the show spikes uses a very fluid Jeet kune do freeform kickboxing style which is also popular in France. John Cho so far looks clumsy.

The show in general seems weirdly out of tune. Like the Jet guy seems like he'll be fine but why is he black? That seems like an oddly intentional choice, like they thought he was supposed to be black. This show seems like one of those times where attempts at diversity, rather than be a smart play, seem misinformed. Maybe like all things hollywood he'll be the only black character in the show. "All asian dudes have to have that one black friend" - Some hollywood producer

I think this is the one of the shows where the creator isn't involved if I remember correctly and I think it shows.

It has a high budget seemingly and still looks like shit somehow. Very meh about it. Never asked for a live action Cowboy Bebop. I wish Hollywood would leave anime and manga the fuck alone in general.

 

[Casual Shinji]

There, Faye showed cleavage; can everyone shut up about it now?

As for the trailer, it could've looked worse, but it simply can't touch the style of the anime, which makes one wonder why they bothered. John Cho looks alright in certain shots, but in a lot of others he just looks real crusty. It's fine if they wanted an older look for Spike, but so far Cho isn't really making it work.

 

[09philj]

As for the trailer, it could've looked worse, but it simply can't touch the style of the anime, which makes one wonder why they bothered.

The works that are usually sensible targets for remakes are the ones that were obviously compromised in their original form, or thanks to changes in sensibility or technology can be taken to new heights not envisioned by their original creators. (True Grit and Dune are good examples of the former, The Fly and The Thing are good examples of the latter.) Neither applies to Cowboy Bebop so it's probably going to end up on the big pile of remakes that received a reaction of "Huh? Why?".