Often considered one of the best anime of the ’90s, Cowboy Bebop hooked audiences with its futuristic setting, comedy, and sci-fi elements. To this day, the original series is adored by nearly everyone who watches it, standing out for its art, soundtrack, and satisfying conclusion.
With a screenplay by Keiko Nobumoto and direction by Shinichiro Watanabe, Cowboy Bebop went on to receive a manga adaptation as well as a few other animated installments, all focused on the adventures of Spike Spiegel and his bounty-hunting crew members, Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Edward, and Ein.
With a 26-episode anime series, two specials, and an animated movie, it can be tricky for some to figure out how to watch everything in order — particularly with the specials and movie taking place at specific points during the anime’s timeline.
The best Cowboy Bebop viewing order
Watching a series in its order of release can never be a bad bet, and many fans even prefer it, believing that content should be consumed in the order it was intended. That said, it’s not always the best way to go about it. For a good portion of people, it’s much easier and more enjoyable to follow events in chronological order. With that in mind, here is the recommended viewing order for this anime:
- Cowboy Bebop — Episodes 1-13
- Cowboy Bebop: Session XX – Mish-Mash Blues
- Note: Session XX is recommended but not required viewing, since it consists of characters commenting on a compilation of clips from previous episodes.
- Cowboy Bebop — Episodes 14-22
- Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
- Cowboy Bebop — Episodes 23-26
- Cowboy Bebop: Ein’s Summer Vacation
For those who don’t know, it’s worth mentioning that in 2021 the anime got a Netflix live-action adaptation, which shares its title with the source material. This is one more entry on the list of Netflix’s less-than-ideal attempts at live-action remakes, slammed by Watanabe himself for its unfaithfulness to the anime. Even so, some curious fans may be interested in watching this version, so it’s my duty to advise them to keep in mind the fact that it’s a reboot. This means that the show doesn’t fit anywhere in the anime series’ timeline, and if you’d like to give it a shot, it’s best to treat it as an alternative version of events and watch it after you’re finished with all the animated content.
Cowboy Bebop is available on streaming platforms such as Hulu, Netflix, and Funimation.