End of the Line

Well! It's been quite a long time since I started on this trip, but I think I've finally reached the capstone: after viewing the complete televised works of Joss Whedon and Cowboy Bebop, last weekend I watched (or re-watched) their theatrical manifestations. (In the case of Whedon, that means "Serenity" not the original "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," which I had watched way back in 2004.)

Both movies were excellent and served their series well, although in different ways. In both cases there was a really comfortable feeling from seeing the cast again... it was almost like reuniting with old friends. Both maintained the themes from their shows while dramatically amping up the production values. One offered depth, the other heartbreak.

Let's dive in first with

COWBOY BEBOP MINI SPOILERS

I had known almost nothing about the movie prior to watching it, and was a little surprised that it takes place in the middle of the series. This was an interesting choice... one could argue that there really isn't any space for a movie after the series, and going the prequel route would mean losing half of the cast. That said, the move makes sense... it drops the viewer right into the middle of the action, without needing to go through the exposition of "who are these people."

I initially thought that the movie was probably much more rewarding for people who've seen the series than newbies. I'm less sure of that now, though... I'm almost tempted to say I'd use this movie to hook people into the series. Granted, new viewers might be a little bit confused about the characters, but frankly, they don't need to totally understand Faye or Ed in order to enjoy the kinetic force of the story. In all it feels like a good demonstration of what's best about the show without having a strong dependency on its backstory.

One final comment about the chronology: this has a big impact on the tension (or lack thereof) that one feels while watching it. I mean, think about it: you KNOW which characters are still going to be around for the television show, so you never really worry about any of them dying. That doesn't mean that there's no draw, of course... there's a compelling mystery, and plenty of surprisingly well-designed new characters to draw our worry. Still, it is an interesting effect.

As one would hope from a Cowboy Bebop movie, the music was EXCELLENT. The jazz themes seemed a bit less prominent than in the main show, but they made up for it with a variety of interesting pieces. As with the show, it simultaneously grabs your attention while fitting well with the action.

The animation was quite well done as well. The animation in the television show is good, but the movie adds an extra layer of polish and complexity that really benefits the show. There are some particularly compelling set-pieces, although frankly nothing that beats the amusement park setting from the show.

On the whole, this was a fully satisfying movie. It doesn't radically rework or extend Cowboy Bebop, it just serves up a particularly excellent offering. I'll gladly take what I can get.

SERENITY MEGA SPOILERS

This is the third time I've seen the movie, and the first time on DVD. It's less shocking now, but it still feels like a punch to the gut. Honestly, I would probably have watched this movie more often if it was less painful... it's incredibly good, but I always feel like a bit of a masochist when I see it again.

Many parts of the movie resonate more strongly and poignantly on subsequent viewings. Like the scene on Haven where Mal is talking with Book, and says, "One of these days, you'll have to tell me how a Shepherd gets to know so much about the Alliance," and Book says, "No, I don't." Or after they arrive on Miranda, and are standing in the middle of a dusty street, looking at the corpses that surround them, Jayne says something like, "They just died. Died for no reason," while the camera lingers on Wash.

It's bittersweet to view this movie in the context of its relationship to the 'verse. On the one hand, it's extremely unlikely that we will get to see that wonderful cast together again in... well, in anything. On the other hand, though, Joss's diverse interests and contacts can keep this extraordinarily rich setting from going entirely to waste. The first comic series was fine, but hopefully we'll have even more to look forward to. There's an MMO in the works that I personally don't have a lot of hope for, but it may well surprise me. There's a traditional pen and paper RPG that looks really cool, though I'm starting to despair of finding another good crew of RPGers. Actually, while looking for that last link, I stumbled across a page that shows an amazing collection of Firefly-related games. It's telling that so many of these are community-based, non-profit games. Telling, but not surprising. Throughout its (too bright, too brief) existence, Firefly has been marked by incredible fan devotion, as people embrace the 'verse and seek to make it their own.

The DVD itself is good. Video and audio transfer seemed great. The extras are decent - not amazing, like Lord of the Rings, but they do include interesting mini-features and such. It includes a gag reel, which I think I may start viewing at the end of the movie, to help lessen the sting.

On the topic of DVD: A few weeks ago they released a collector's edition of Serenity. It looks nice, though not revolutionary... a cast and crew commentary, the River Tam Sessions (which you can also find online), and some extra features and documentaries. They talk about "extended scenes", but I think that might be the same as what's on the disc I currently have. It's a superior disc so it's well worth picking up if you don't already own the DVD, but may not be worthwhile if you already have the old version. (If you do get the new one, let me know! I'd love to borrow it and check it out.)

It seems pretty remarkable that there's enough interest in this movie to bring out a new collector's edition, two years after the movie came out to disappointing performance at the box office. I don't know if that means Firefly fans are incredibly dedicated, or if we're just suckers. I'm sure there are plenty out there who feel, "If only I spend enough money on this, THEN the studios will bring back more Firefly and I can be happy again!"

END OF SPOILERS

See you, Space Cowboy.

The Real Folk Blues

Well! This epic marathon went relatively smoothly, I think. Probably because I had some good momentum coming in. I've watched a good chunk of Cowboy Bebop before, largely out of order, enough to realize how good it is and to recognize its spiritual ties with Firefly, but not enough to really get a feel for the whole arc.

Short summary: it's really good. I'm a bit of a cheat when it comes to anime: with a few exceptions, I don't go out by myself and hunt around for something new; instead, I rely on a few friends who are much more strongly connected with the scene, and so I just get recommendations for the really good stuff. This means that I have an inflated idea of the overall quality of anime, much like we Americans have an inflated idea of how great British comedy is. Did you know that a lot of Britons think that America makes better comedies than they do? That's not because out nations' tastes are backwards; it's because only the best shows of each country get exported. So when we think of British comedy, we think of Fawlty Towers and The Office and Are You Being Served, and not of the dozens of rotten series. Likewise, the British get to see Seinfeld and The Simpsons, but not According to Jim or That 80's Show.

All that to say, when I say that Cowboy Bebop is an excellent anime, it's a much stronger statement than saying it's an excellent show. Even compared with the high quality of most anime I watch, this one stands out.

The first thing that jumped out at me is the music. Most anime shows will have a really good theme, a J-Rock song that plays over the closing credits, and some forgettable genre-specific tunes in the middle. Bebop was incredibly creative and varied. The cornerstone of the show is jazz, and they have great jazzy pieces that both help the story and also stand well on their own. In keeping with the hybrid feel of the overall show, though, the music isn't limited to just jazz... you get some strong choral pieces, folk tunes, heavy metal, and some really excellent rock pieces towards the end. While there isn't much electronic music in there, the one episode that includes a lot of electronica has some of the best music I've ever heard in the genre.

The setting of the show is another strong point. When watching this, I had to remind myself that it was made back in 1998, long before Firefly had brought the term "space western" into widespread use. (Well, "Widespread" among a small group of nerds, at least.) It's even broader than that, though. Besides the western and futuristic elements, there's also a strong hint of 1920's-era speakeasies. The locations and dress of the characters seem to be hailing from the Prohibition era, while they listen to 1950's jazz and pursue an 1850's profession in 2070's world. It's all sort of a mishmash, but for some reason it actually works. After you're a few episodes in, it becomes natural to accept this universe's particular logic, at which point all the different sources just provide more opportunities for great devices and delightful elements.

One particular thing to call out: unlike every other anime I've watched, the English dub rocks. I was a bit skeptical when others insisted I should forego my normal subtitling habits, but they're absolutely right... the voices are right for the characters, and actually done well. For that reason alone, I think I'm more likely to recommend this series to anime neophytes. (I'm also a little curious why there have been so many more mediocre dubs since this came out - one would hope that having one example of an excellent dub would encourage distributors to make appropriate efforts to round up appropriate talent.)

The characters stand out as well. I've always assumed that Spike was the hero, and I guess technically he is, but towards the end of the series I almost felt as though Jet was the real center of the show. Each of the characters is very unique without being too stereotypical. For some reason, Edward irritated me far less on this viewing than when I've watched individual episodes before.

The overall pacing of the story was really good as well. The show sits comfortably between being purely episodic and being a serial: there is an ongoing plot that is carried out through the 26 episodes, but at the same time most of the shows stand well on their own. If I were showing this to someone else, I wouldn't necessarily start with the first episode; I don't think it really gets cranking until the 5th or so. Anyways, that sort of balance was nice. While the characters had strong desires, they also just had to live their lives, and the viewer can get a much better feeling for what the universe feels like via these looks at the bounty and their homes.

In an odd sort of way, the pacing reminds me of Lord of the Rings, or maybe The Hobbit. There's a definite story to tell, but not every minute of the show is slavishly devoted to reaching the incredible climax. By indulging in detours and side jobs, they make the universe richer and more real, thereby giving even more meaning and weight to everything that takes place. It also creates fresh territory for fans to explore and fantasize about.

Wow... I think I'm actually going to finish this review without giving any spoilers. Cool. Bebop was a great side trip of my own, and I'm glad I took the time to see it as a whole. Next stop, Firefly Redux!