Shinichiro Watanabe, the renowned creator of the enduring anime series Cowboy Bebop, has voiced his displeasure with the live-action Netflix adaptation. Watanabe claimed that the popular streaming service’s production was “obviously not Cowboy Bebop.”
The information was obtained through an interview with Forbes. Watanabe claimed to have received a video of the series premiere for review, but after only a few minutes, he was able to form an opinion about it.
He also claimed that without his input, the show would never have been genuinely Cowboy Bebop. Watanabe did not go into detail about the specifics of the opening sequence that he considered offensive.
Watanabe said, “They sent me a video to watch and inspect for the forthcoming Netflix live-action remake. “It began with a scenario in a casino, which made it quite difficult for me to keep reading. I came to a stop there, so I only witnessed the opening scene.”
He further said, “Clearly, that wasn’t Cowboy Bebop. At that point, I understood that Cowboy Bebop would not exist without my participation. I thought perhaps I ought to have taken this action.
On the other hand, Watanabe said that “the original anime’s value is strangely much higher now.” Upon its premiere, Netflix’s live-action adaption was met with mixed reviews, with some enjoying the changed character arcs and others criticizing the pacing.
The show had a great beginning on the streaming platform, but over the course of the following weeks, viewership quickly dropped, ultimately leading to its discontinuation.
Netflix has been developing several additional live-action versions of well-known anime series, including One Piece and Avatar: The Last Airbender, even if the show may have been canceled.
Watanabe’s remarks emphasize the value of staying true to the source material and keeping the original creators involved in the production process, two issues that are frequently contentious, at least within some communities.
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