Cowboy Bebop

The manga for Cowboy Bebop is vastly different from its anime counterpart. Instead of focusing on bounty hunting, it shows the characters engaging in other activities and just hanging around. If you read the Shooting Star manga first, you'd understand what I mean—they actually pursue bounties there.

Story: 5/10

The story starts impressively but quickly deviates into a setting where bounty hunting takes a backseat. It's more forgettable compared to the anime and lacks romance. If this took place after the anime, why doesn't Spike mention Julia, Vicious, or Vincent? Why doesn't Jet talk about his past love? And why doesn't Faye mention Wintey like she did in the anime? Moreover, why does Ed suddenly have a friend? The story emphasizes laziness until Volume 3 when they start pursuing bounties. New bounty hunters are introduced—some bossy, some hyperactive, others merciless—but it didn't thrill me as much as it might others who've seen the anime.

Overall, the story could have been better. It gets boring over time, making it just okay at best.

Art: 7/10

The artwork isn't terrible but could have suited the story better. Compare it with Full Moon o Sagashite! They manage to match art with story well. This one was nice but had room for improvement.

Characters: 6/10

The characters were decent but lacked the depth and personality found in the anime. They felt out of character despite the manga being created before the anime. Spike could have been more mischievous, Jet more talkative, Faye more tomboyish, and Ed more hyperactive.

Enjoyment: 5/10

After hearing mixed reviews about Shooting Star and Cowboy Bebop manga, I decided to give them a try. I only skimmed through Shooting Star, but Cowboy Bebop left me bored. It was too short, and reading books, especially in school, can be tiring. However, series like Full Moon o Sagashite or Fruits Basket keep me engaged and eager to read more.

Overall: 5/10

Cowboy Bebop started interestingly, but Shooting Star seemed more aligned with the series. The issues lie with the art and characters. Compare it with Lupin III or Samurai Champloo (which I haven't read yet), which successfully transfer anime elements into manga. Sorry if I gave this manga too many titles, but I recommend trying something different like Samurai Champloo instead.

I randomly started reading this out of sheer boredom one day. I haven't gone through Shooting Star, nor have I watched the original anime series. Perhaps this lack of background doesn't equip me well enough to provide a thorough review—I'm uncertain.

However, overall, it turned out to be quite an enjoyable read. The humor was spot on, and I thoroughly enjoyed the witty exchanges between the characters. Plus, its concise length was a bonus. While it's not something I'd revisit due to its lack of substantial depth, I'm still happy that I decided to give it a shot.