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Cowboy Bebop has become such a huge smash in Japan, America, and the world it has spawned a movie and now an equally enthralling manga 
series. The anime set in 2071 after Earth has become a slum and humankind has moved to various colonies throughout the solar system. The main characters of this series Spike Spiegel, Jet Black and Faye Valentine, are bounty hunters (cowboys as they are called) aboard a ship known as Cowboy Bebop.
The show has done well with each episode serving as a mini-movie with intelligent plots that captivate views from one episode to the next. This show could easily be compared to many other great anime series, however, that would not be exactly true. You see what separates this show from any anime series I have ever had the pleasure to indulge in, is clearly the soundtrack of Cowboy Bebop. Featuring classical American music from Delta Blues, Kansas City Swing to Big Band, Jazz and 60’s Bebop Style, it is clear the difference between this show and other anime is captured thanks in part to the music. This definitive and unique blend of Eastern and Western culture places Cowboy Bebop in a category all by itself. So, how would a great show that is heavily inspired by classic, rarely heard music, fare when done in a manga?
Those who miss Cowboy Bebop now have a chance to experience equally entertaining and exciting stories, despite the lack of a groovin’ soundtrack and forceful colors of the classic anime series. Still present, the most important part of the series; great tales of cosmic adventure, strange twists, wonderfully written dialogue so well written they are very hard to forget.
I got to take a gander at the first volume of the highly acclaimed series and in under one-hour, I read right through almost 200 pages of some of the best stories I have read in a long time. The writers really got the series down pat, perfectly transplanting the show from the screen to the pages of the book. Great job, staying true to the show while providing great original stories for Cowboy Bebop fans everywhere.
Readers get four great stories in the first volume. Each tale is separate from the other, sort of like a throwback to the old animated tales we watched as kids where the events of one story do not necessarily impact 
those of the others. It’s just one fun adventure after another with all the major characters receiving equal attention. The first tale, It’s Showtime, has all three bounty hunters chasing different bounties in the same place before pooling their resources to hunt down an even bigger catch. Conversley, the mayhem and destruction that follows may not be worth the reward in the end.
The second tale, We Will Rock You, follows the most popular character, Spike as he must enter a prison to help an inmate escape so they can turn him over for a reward. Unfortunately, he seems to be a she now and she/he seems to have a thing for Spike. Poor guy. Once again, is the reward worth all the effort? Faye also gets a tale, Cheap Trick, following a "rich man" who places a bounty on himself but only if a woman catches him. Faye strives to get her man, but must face a barrage of obstacles in her way and discovers a shocking truth in the end.
Finally, in a hilarious tale, Black Diamond, the group doesn’t seem to have any morals, willing to turn in one of their own when it means collecting a huge bounty to continue operating the ship. However, the tale turns serious, leading to a corrupt police force that Jet Black left behind. What a great way to end this volume with a great tale that finally reveals something about the characters aboard the Cowboy Bebop.
Cowboy Bebop is now the awesome anime turned top notch manga. I would like have seen the characters fleshed out more so those who have not seen the anime have a better understanding of what is going on. But if this series continues from where they left off, I truly look forward to seeing the characters further evolve in future tales. The great stories are worth it. If you love the anime, make the manga part of your Cowboy Bebop collection.
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