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IMDbPro

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie

Original title: Cowboy Bebop: Tengoku no tobira
  • 20012001
  • TV-14TV-14
  • 1h 55m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
48K
YOUR RATING
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
Trailer for Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
Play trailer2:10
2 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Animation
  • Action
  • Crime
A terrorist explosion releases a deadly virus on the masses, and it's up the bounty-hunting Bebop crew to catch the cold-blooded culprit.A terrorist explosion releases a deadly virus on the masses, and it's up the bounty-hunting Bebop crew to catch the cold-blooded culprit.A terrorist explosion releases a deadly virus on the masses, and it's up the bounty-hunting Bebop crew to catch the cold-blooded culprit.
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
48K
YOUR RATING
  • Directors
    • Shin'ichirô Watanabe
    • Tensai Okamura
    • Hiroyuki Okiura(opening scene)
  • Writers
    • Keiko Nobumoto(screenplay)
    • Hajime Yatate(based on the story by)
  • Stars
    • Beau Billingslea(English version)
    • Melissa Fahn(English version)
    • Nicholas Guest(English version)
Top credits
  • Directors
    • Shin'ichirô Watanabe
    • Tensai Okamura
    • Hiroyuki Okiura(opening scene)
  • Writers
    • Keiko Nobumoto(screenplay)
    • Hajime Yatate(based on the story by)
  • Stars
    • Beau Billingslea(English version)
    • Melissa Fahn(English version)
    • Nicholas Guest(English version)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 142User reviews
    • 64Critic reviews
    • 61Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos2

    Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
    Trailer 2:10
    Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
    Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
    Trailer 2:04
    Cowboy Bebop: The Movie

    Photos102

    Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
    Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
    Wendee Lee and Megumi Hayashibara in Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
    Wendee Lee and Megumi Hayashibara in Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
    Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
    Wendee Lee and Megumi Hayashibara in Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
    Wendee Lee and Megumi Hayashibara in Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
    Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
    Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
    Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
    Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
    Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Beau Billingslea
    Beau Billingslea
    • Jet Blackas Jet Black
    • (English version)
    • (voice)
    Melissa Fahn
    Melissa Fahn
    • Edward Wongas Edward Wong
    • (English version)
    • (voice)
    Nicholas Guest
    Nicholas Guest
    • Rachidas Rachid
    • (English version)
    • (voice)
    Kôichi Yamadera
    Kôichi Yamadera
    • Spike Spiegelas Spike Spiegel
    • (voice)
    Unshô Ishizuka
    Unshô Ishizuka
    • Jet Blackas Jet Black
    • (voice)
    Megumi Hayashibara
    Megumi Hayashibara
    • Faye Valentineas Faye Valentine
    • (voice)
    Aoi Tada
    • Edward Wongas Edward Wong
    • (voice)
    Yûsaku Yara
    Yûsaku Yara
    • Hoffmanas Hoffman
    • (voice)
    Kazuhiko Inoue
    Kazuhiko Inoue
    • Shadkinsas Shadkins
    • (voice)
    Jûrôta Kosugi
    • Harrisas Harris
    • (voice)
    Kinryû Arimoto
    • Captainas Captain
    • (voice)
    Hidekatsu Shibata
    • Colonelas Colonel
    • (voice)
    Yûji Ueda
    Yûji Ueda
    • Leeas Lee
    • (voice)
    Nobuo Tobita
    Nobuo Tobita
    • Murataas Murata
    • (voice)
    Rikiya Koyama
    Rikiya Koyama
    • Steveas Steve
    • (voice)
    Ai Kobayashi
    • Elektra Ovirowaas Elektra Ovirowa
    • (voice)
    Jin Hirao
    • Antonioas Antonio
    • (voice)
    Toshihiko Nakajima
    • Carlosas Carlos
    • (voice)
    • Directors
      • Shin'ichirô Watanabe
      • Tensai Okamura
      • Hiroyuki Okiura(opening scene) (uncredited)
    • Writers
      • Keiko Nobumoto(screenplay)
      • Hajime Yatate(based on the story by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film takes place between episodes 22 and 23 of the series
    • Goofs
      Numerous grammatical and spelling errors on computer screens (this was a loose translation by the Japanese crew).
    • Quotes

      Vincent: Why don't you shoot?

      Spike: What?

      Vincent: What's wrong? Lose your nerve? You started out so fearlessly. Go on. Pull the trigger.

      Spike: I don't think so. I blow the bounty if I blow you away.

      Vincent: I have no fear of death. It just means dreaming in silence. A dream that lasts for eternity.

      Spike: [sarcastically] You're an original, aren't you?

    • Crazy credits
      After the closing credits we are taken back to the Bebop living room. Spike naps on the couch. Spike: He was just all alone. He couldn't enjoy a game with anyone else. Like living in a dream... That's the kind of man he was... He spots a butterfly in the air and grabs it. He opens his hand. Nothing is there. TEXT: ARE YOU LIVING IN THE REAL WORLD?
    • Alternate versions
      In the American theatrical release prints, a Samuel Goldwyn logo was displayed after the Destination Films logo in the beginning of the film. The logo is missing from subsequent DVD and television versions seen in the US.
    • Connections
      Featured in Cowboy Bebop: The Movie - Featurettes (2003)
    • Soundtracks
      Ask DNA
      Words by Tim Jensen

      Vocals by Raj Ramayya

      Music Composed by Yôko Kanno

    User reviews142

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    A fun romp with some old friends.
    Watching Cowboy Bebop: The Movie is kind of like reconnecting with an old friend. He's got the same sense of humor, the same style and you recognize him, but at the same time, he's matured. Perhaps he's grown sleeker, taken advantage of improved technologies, or perhaps gotten a little wide around the belly.

    Everything's back in Cowboy Bebop the movie. Because of the characters and plot as we know it, the movie probably occurs somewhere in the late teen episodes or early twenties episodes of the series, which has a positive and a negative effect. If you've already watched the series, then certain things don't surprise you since you know what happens to the characters later. Furthermore, because this was produced after the series, it also doesn't get to tangle with the central storyline of the series (they mythology), where the series, which was excellent even in the anthology episodes, really shined. On the plus side, it hits where we're most familiar with the series, before things get super serious and with the characters in the state that they spent most of the series.

    The story deals with a bioterror threat and the Cowboys get caught up in it, while trying to nab bounties to make a little change while in an urban city. There is no space travel or dogfights in space, but The Movie does take efforts to include a little of everything that the series has had (minus the mythos), so expect to see martial arts, gunplay, dogfights (but not in space), goofing off, hungry characters, Ed being silly and such.

    Unfortunately, the story only lives up to the high standard of a stand-alone episode of Cowboy Bebop, but despite the fact that The Movie is considerably longer than an episode, it all flows along smoothly and feels like you just watched a good two-parter rather than an episode that's been dragged out. Nonetheless, since we hardly get into the Cowboy characters, the story doesn't have the same resonance of the stronger episodes in the series. Instead we get to go deeper into a pair of characters for the movie, who have somewhat interesting stories, but aren't strong enough to really carry the emotional heft of the film since they aren't the protagonists.

    The art, on the other hand, is still gorgeous and the movie benefits from the widescreen aspect ratio as well as what appears to be an improved budget for the animation, as everything, from backgrounds to characters, are treated with a wonderful level of detail. There are a few scenes involving butterflies that are absolutely beautiful to look at. Furthermore, the sound benefits from a great surround sound mix, adding directionality and heft to the soundtrack. Finally, the score by Yoko Kanno is delicious to listen to and perfectly brings you back into the series while presenting some absolutely stunning new songs in the mix as well.

    Overall, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie is a fun ride. Although, in the end, it's not as strong (story-wise) as the more compelling episodes of the series, the art, the sound, the music and just getting to spend a little more time again with characters you've come to know and love makes this a thoroughly enjoyable film. Recommended for Cowboy Bebop fans--but you must watch at least most of the series before watching this. 8/10.
    helpful•14
    5
    • refresh_daemon
    • Jan 13, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 16, 2003 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Japan
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • BONES (Japan)
      • Funimation Films (United States)
    • Languages
      • Japanese
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Cowboy Bebop the Movie: Knockin' on Heaven's Door
    • Production companies
      • Bandai Visual Company
      • Bones
      • Destination Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,000,045
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $234,429
      • Apr 6, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,007,903
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 55 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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