With the Cowboy Bebop anime debuting on Netflix and the live-action series releasing on November 19, 2021, some viewers may already be hungry for more. This anime is considered to be one of the greats, if not the greatest out there. Even non-anime fans can appreciate it as a work of art.
There are many reasons for that. The storytelling follows a classic noir structure. The anime is funny while not being over the top. The animation still holds up as well. Are there other anime out there that fit one or more of the criteria that Cowboy Bebop brings to the table? Let’s check out some more of the best '90s anime that Cowboy Bebop fans should check out.
9 The Big O
The Big O is right on the cusp of being considered a '90s anime since it started in October 1999 and didn’t end until 2000. Nevertheless, it’s still a classic Cowboy Bebop fans can appreciate, and Batman fans may dig it as well.
The main character, Roger Smith, is very much like a Bruce Wayne-type billionaire with a secret. The only difference between him and the Dark Knight is that Roger sports a bigger piece of armor, aka a giant robot that towers over the city whenever he fights villainous mechs.
8 Ghost In The Shell
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is a spinoff anime series from this movie. While the movie devotes itself to its philosophical ideas and themes, the show explores in detail the Public Security Section 9's operatives, building up their characters greatly.
However, the series came out in the 2000s, so the film from the '90s gets the real recommendation here. There is no space play in 1995's Ghost in the Shell unlike Cowboy Bebop, but there are likenesses between the two. Both have a very cyberpunk feel to their worlds and played a significant role in introducing anime to western audiences.
7 Great Teacher Onizuka
Great Teacher Onizuka is another anime that barely makes the cut since it began in 1999 and ended in 2000. The manga started in 1997 though so it all checks out. The titular Onizuka is a former yakuza member who decides to become a teacher in the most hilarious way possible.
Spike has a lot in common with Onizuka as he too left a mob-like organization to find a new calling, although the characters end up taking far different paths. Cowboy Bebop fans will also love this anime because Onizuka is voiced by the same actor as Spike in the English dub: Steve Blum.
Great Teacher Onizuka is primarily a comedy and features practically no action; however, it does have its dark moments.
6 Gundam Wing
Gundam Wing started airing around the same time as Cowboy Bebop on Cartoon Network. It was first on Toonami before uncut episodes joined Cowboy Bebop on Adult Swim. This was seen as a more edgy entry in the series.
There is plenty of action to go along with the melodrama of mechs fighting over territory in space and on Earth. There’s not much humor to Gundam Wing compared to Cowboy Bebop, and there are no standalone episodes, but it is still a high recommendation.
5 Martian Successor Nadesico
On the surface, Martian Successor Nadesico seems like a straightforward parody of sci-fi mecha shows, but the anime has plenty of things going on under the surface. Another space-themed '90s anime classic, Martian Successor Nadesico expertly weaves humor, well-written characters, and political intrigue to tell an ambitious and grand tale.
Martian Successor Nadesico doesn't have Cowboy Bebop's noir influences nor is it a space western. What the anime does share in common with Shinichiro Watanabe's show is an appreciation for intimate moments and world-building.
4 Outlaw Star
Outlaw Star is sort of like One Piece but in space. Gene is the main character who, along with his crew, is looking for a legendary treasure. They’re not the only ones either as there is a mob-like organization of space wizards also looking for it.
One of the cooler things about the show is that Gene has a gun that uses magic bullets. It’s a fun mix of space adventuring, cyberpunk motifs, and classic fantasy magic. And yes, there is a fan service spa episode.
3 Neon Genesis Evangelion
Like Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion is considered a must-watch. While Cowboy Bebop is more successful at throwing out a lighthearted exchange than NGE, both anime are tragic in nature.
Set in a post-apocalyptic Earth where children pilot mechas to protect the world from the monstrous Angels, NGE is packed to the brim with visceral action set-pieces and haunting moments that explore the psyches of the characters. Reflective, profound, and complex can be used to describe both Cowboy Bebop and NGE. Also, while their soundtracks are very different, both anime have incredible music.
2 Tenchi Muyo
Tenchi Muyo is a good recommendation for Cowboy Bebop fans but it’s a little confusing as well. That’s because there are so many spinoffs from the manga which are all named differently and many take place in separate timelines too.
The first Western release, just called Tenchi Muyo, is actually a collection of OVAs released apart in Japan. It stars the seemingly ordinary Tenchi who is suddenly joined on Earth by a space pirate and the law enforcement parties that were pursuing her. It’s a harem anime with a space twist.
1 Trigun
Trigun premiered relatively close to Cowboy Bebop on Adult Swim and remained on the block for almost as long. It’s a space Western wherein civilization has left Earth to colonize a new planet. Vash, the main character, is a seemingly goofy character that keeps getting roped into bandits trying to cash in his bounty.
When things get rough, his smile fades and the business side of Vash comes out. Even though he’s the slickest gun on the planet, Vash tries to only maim villains. He doesn’t want to kill anybody. The anime is relatively short, but the manga is much longer and very different.