Cowboy Bebop Session #10: Ganymede Elegy

I must admit given its legendary, classic status Cowboy Bebop hasn't been living up to expectations for me. There have been some fine moments, but as a whole it has been a bit of a letdown. As I enter episode ten out twenty-two I should think the criticism is fair. It just isn't quite as potent as I had hoped. Still, it is fairly early in the series and redemption is possible. I don't know. Maybe I just don't get anime. I like it, but I have yet to discover one I truly love. I loved Neon Genesis Evangelion. At the start of a second viewing I found it less enthralling the second time around. Ghost In The Shell ranks up there in the world of anime right alongside the best of Hayao Miyazaki [My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke] or Isao Takahata [Only Yesterday, Grave Of The Fireflies]. I digress. Off we go.

All primary characters have been introduced as of the last episode and the team of five is secured. Here we go with Cowboy Bebop, Session #10, Ganymede Elegy.
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A man is tied up on the BeBop. The rather peculiar and strange weirdo that is Ed decides to bite the man's ear. I can only assume because she heard the man kick a can at Ein.

Loving Jet's Hammerhead. Sweet!

Spike and company are looking to collect their bounty for the man by delivering him to the Ganymede police. Jet connects with an old buddy and we learn he was once a police officer. Jet takes his personal vessel for a run. It's a really cool design. It's much slicker looking than Faye's clumsy-looking ship design. I hate her ship. It sucks! I believe his rig is called the Hammerhead. They had a Club M resin kit of it at one time in Japan that's next to impossible to find now. It would have been a fun model kit to build. Some of the music and ocean scenery in this entry is exceptional. They fit like a hand in glove with the elegiac vibe of the episode.
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The verbal jousting between Faye, Jet and Spike can seem a bit tiresome and contrived at times, but it was more genuine than ever here.


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Obviously scripting must be planned, but the voice actors need to pull it off so it all sounds natural enough. Jet visits his old flame. He tells her he's "just wandering around with some weirdos." Nice way to talk about your friends, but he may have a point really.
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Back at the BeBop Spike is working on the Swordfish when a communique comes in regarding a new bounty on Rhint Celonias. He is the boyfriend of Jet's old flame, Alisa.
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Have I mentioned Faye is one hot woman, um, I mean two dimensional cartoon character.
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Jet gets all sentimental recollecting how his girl walked out on him. He's just a big old softy.
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I love how the Swordfish can fold up and park just about anywhere. That's a truly practical space vessel. Spike runs into Jet while pursuing Rhint. Jet learns his old flame's beau is wanted. He tells Spike he'll handle it. Jet's the black dog, "and when I bite I don't let go."
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Jet hooks the airboat they were escaping in. Great music is applied for the pursuit sequence. Alisa holds a gun pointed at Jet to protect her boyfriend. She expresses unresolved feelings for Jet throughout the standoff and then drops the gun. Jet grabs a pathetic Rhint, punches him and tells him to man up. "You'll survive this. Be strong." Jet needs to write a book on taking responsibility. He could call it Taking Responsibility by Jet Black. I know, not very original.


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It was a nice story with nice characterization on Jet. Nice music. A solid entry.
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Ganymede Elegy: B