Cowboy Bebop
A jazz-infused neo-noir reverie of existential loneliness, where lost souls drift through a retro-futuristic solar system like scattered notes in a melancholic blues riff.
Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop

カウボーイビバップ

"See you space cowboy..."

03 April 1998 — 24 April 1999 Japan 1 season 26 episode Ended ⭐ 8.5 (1,783)
Cast: Koichi Yamadera, Unsho Ishizuka, Megumi Hayashibara, Aoi Tada, Isshin Chiba
Animation Sci-Fi & Fantasy Action & Adventure Western
The Inescapable Past Existentialism and Loneliness The Makeshift Family Memory and Identity

Cowboy Bebop - Movie Quotes

Memorable Quotes

I'm not going there to die. I'm going there to find out if I'm really alive.

— Spike Spiegel

Context:

Spoken to Faye in Episode 26, "The Real Folk Blues, Part 2," as he prepares to leave the Bebop for his final assault on the Red Dragon Syndicate headquarters.

Meaning:

This quote encapsulates Spike's entire philosophy and the core meaning of the series. He realizes that avoiding his past has left him in a state of living death or a dream. Only by confronting his nemesis, Vicious, and the life he left behind can he truly feel alive and confirm his own existence, even if it means dying in the process.

Whatever happens, happens.

— Spike Spiegel

Context:

This phrase is repeated by Spike several times throughout the series, often before heading into a dangerous situation. It's a core part of his character identity.

Meaning:

This is Spike's personal mantra, reflecting his fatalistic, Zen-like acceptance of the flow of life and death. It shows his cool, detached approach to the immense dangers he faces, suggesting he has already come to terms with his own mortality. It embodies the show's blend of noir fatalism and Eastern philosophy.

Everything has a beginning and an end. Life is just a cycle of starts and stops. It is a series of stories.

— Jet Black

Context:

Spoken during a moment of reflection, this line captures Jet's role as the wise, contemplative member of the crew, often grounding the more impulsive members with his hard-earned wisdom.

Meaning:

Jet's quote reflects his mature, philosophical perspective on life's hardships. It speaks to the cyclical nature of existence and the transient relationships that define our lives. It suggests an acceptance of loss and change as fundamental parts of the human experience, a central theme of the show.

You're gonna carry that weight.

— Ending Card

Context:

These words appear on screen as the final shot of the series in Episode 26, "The Real Folk Blues, Part 2," after Spike collapses and a star winks out in the sky.

Meaning:

This final message of the series has multiple interpretations. It can refer to the emotional burdens the surviving characters (and the audience) must carry after Spike's death. It also alludes to the central theme of the inescapable past. The line is a direct reference to The Beatles' song "Carry That Weight," connecting the show's themes of responsibility and the past to a wider cultural context.