Son of a gun, did somebody say podcast collab?? Dennis, Garrett, and Kate from the Vintage Anime Club podcast join us this week for Cowboy Funk. The studio may be full of fans with strong opinions, but we promise, we get along way better than Spike and Andy.

Boogie Woogie Feng Shui is a unique Cowboy Bebop episode that drops spirituality into a sci-fi setting. It is notoriously not a fan favorite, but with a character named Kimmie Black in the upcoming Netflix show, we're all SORTS of interested in Jet as a father figure! We ask an astrologist and a cultural consultant all the important questions, from "What's your sign?" to "Who's your daddy??"

Before Five Nights at Freddy's, there was this OG theme park animatronic terror: Pierrot Le Fou. Illustrator, author, and designer Sean Dove joins us this week to talk French New Wave, Batman villains, and how everyone seems to have a story about killer carnival rides. Buckle in and keep your arms and legs safely inside the car, bounty hunters. This is a scary one!

When the creative minds behind Cowboy Bebop start referencing NASA, who ya gonna call? Our friend Travis Sauder, a former engineer for the Space Shuttle program! We draw a line from real-life aeronautics straight to the Swordfish II. Did today's billionaire space race cause the future seen in Cowboy Bebop?? ... probably not. We also reflect on the Columbia disaster, and whether Wild Horses can still be watched the same way.

Our favorite bounty hunters dive deep underground and into Faye's past, but you don't need a Betamax player to hear an incredible interview! Voice artist Wendee Lee has given life to hundreds of characters, including Lady Luck herself, Faye Valentine. Her career precedes the Adult Swim era, making her the absolute expert on anime cons, women in the industry, and Cowboy Bebop's impact on the world.

Mushroom Samba is a fan favorite episode, but does it hold up? We tackle two major topics: psychedelics and Blaxploitation films. Dr. Austin Lim joins us to unbox just how much society's views have changed since the 1970s. Let's kick the beat!

What's up, sweetcakes?? We had such a great time talking about anime music that we had to come back for more! The folks at Strawberry Hill Music generously put us in touch with vocalists Raj Ramayya (Ask DNA) and Scott Matthew (Is It Real?), plus the woman who wrote a whole book on the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack, Rose Bridges. Join the conversation!

Cheers, to the podcast that charmed the devil! Cowboy Bebop gives us a true film noir tribute this week. Joined by film reviewer Ruben Rosario, we learn the truth behind Jet Black- his habits, his arm, and his iron codes of honor. Also, what's the deal with barcode tattoos??

Faye Valentine finally opens up a bit about her past, and it's a sad love story, indeed. We adore Faye. Anyone who hurts her deserves to get DUNKED ON. For this task, we welcome Trin Garritano, relationship expert from the Friendshipping podcast. Topics include trauma bonding, debt, and SPOILED ENTITLED DUDES LIKE WHITNEY WHO WE TOTALLY HATE. Check out Friendshipping here!: https://friendshipping.transistor.fm/

Checkmate, bounty hunters! Though the Bebop crew keeps capturing his henchmen, criminal mastermind Chessmaster Hex proves very elusive. To help us better understand this brilliant bounty, we've enlisted the help of local Chicago chess champ, Tony Gentry. If you could forget the past and live a Bohemian life free of grudges, would you?

Checkmate, bounty hunters! Though the Bebop crew keeps capturing his henchmen, criminal mastermind Chessmaster Hex proves very elusive. To help us better understand this brilliant bounty, we've enlisted the help of local Chicago chess champ, Tony Gentry. If you could forget the past and live a Bohemian life free of grudges, would you?

Cowboy Bebop spawned two video games: A rails shooter for the PS1 and a brawler/RPG/flight sim/puzzler/??? for the PS2. We play and review both this week, plus share a few of our favorite Bebop tributes and Easter eggs. "See you, space cowboy" is used absolutely EVERYWHERE! Our industry expert is Derrick Fields, the anime-inspired Creative Director of Waking Oni Games.

The second half of Jupiter Jazz is intense, somber, peak Cowboy Bebop. We've been wondering how Netflix will take on this legendary episode. Here to give us the reassurance we DESIRE (get it?) is Mason Alexander Park, the actor who plays Gren in the live action adaptation. They shine a spotlight on gender nonconformity, the queer experience, and a future (not just in science fiction!) that has space for all.

As the crew searches for a wayward Faye Valentine, Spike hears a familiar name- Julia. Jupiter Jazz introduces Gren, perhaps the most famous Cowboy Bebop character outside of the main crew. We tracked down David Thomas (a.k.a. Robert Matthews), the artist who provided Gren's English voice. As we eagerly await Netflix's modern, nonbinary Gren, we talk to a true original about gender, saxophone, and... talking to animals?!

We're taking a break from the anime to discuss the many ways Cowboy Bebop has been published on paper. Artbooks! Light novels! And yes, five volumes of sometimes-canonical, sometimes-good, sometimes-absolutely-awful manga. We review, we roast, and we meet E. K. weaver, comic artist and letterer better known to the fandom as Big Big Truck. E.K. Weaver: http://big-big-truck.com/

Surprise! It's our first-ever bonus ep. As we researched our upcoming episode, The Books of Bebop, we discovered that many fans have never read the Cowboy Bebop manga. So, we do our best to summarize 5 volumes of out-of-print stories. If you have read the manga before, you can skip this one and still be caught up on Friday. If you have never read the manga (and are comfortable with spoilers), join Lauren and Jamie on this weird journey. Wee-wee towels!! Cowboy Bebop vol. 1: It's Showtime We...

Don't start a podcast about topics you don't understand: That's the lesson! For this fan favorite episode of Cowboy Bebop, we bring in Symphony Sanders. You've heard her voice on Welcome to Night Vale, Good Morning Night Vale, and Jackbox Games. Now, she schools us on the many ways Toys in the Attic pays tribute to the horror genre. Please check your fridge before listening! Find our guest today @SymphonySanders Check out Good Morning Nightvale:...

Our most well-known guest yet joins us this week: Beau Billingslea, legendary voice of Jet Black in English dub! We talk Cowboy Bebop, Final Fantasy, Adventure Time, and whether Beau keeps bonsai trees. Plus, Lauren and Jamie unbox Ganymede Elegy, the story of a jilted ex who totally isn't bitter or anything.

Radical Edward is FINALLY on-screen! The crew is complete as our favorite hacker sets her sights on the Bebop and won't be denied. Our guest this week is Terry Gant, comic shop owner and podcaster extraordinaire. As we discuss how COVID-19 has affected his work, we slowly realize we've all spent a year floating around as lonely satellites... References Third Coast Comics: https://thirdcoastcomics.com/

Team Bebop is in top form this week, catching bounties galore! While on the hunt, Spike falls in with Roco, a classic baddie with a heart of gold. We know a lot about anime, but to truly "be like water," we needed a martial arts expert. Interactive media producer Eddie Doty is in the house to talk Bruce Lee, Jeet Kune Do, firearms, and ammunition. Content warning: This episode contains discussions of firearms, ammunitions, and the effects on the human body. Please listen with...

People can't help but get pulled into the Bebop crew's misadventures! This time, a cargo-hauling, metal-loving, trucker queen joints the bounty hunt. Our podcast studio is full of folks, too, including Lauren's dad (yes, you read that right) and Melodee Spevack, the legendary voice of VT herself!

Cowboy Bebop successfully balances science and the supernatural, superstition and spirituality. No Session does this better than Sympathy for the Devil. Mary Strawser, creator of The Jazz Messengers, shares how her opinions on the episode have evolved since the early days of fandom. Our favorite Bebop resource and Mary's house: http://www.jazzmess.com/ If you're local to Texas, adopt from Animal Allies of Texas!: https://animalalliesoftexas.rescuegroups.org/

Cowboy Bebop combines jazz, blues, country, rock, even heavy metal. who better to discuss this genre-bending soundtrack than Steve Conte, vocalist from some of the anime's most famous jams? He honored us with an interview, and even after this awesome episode, we STILL aren't sure if we're done talking about Cowboy Bebop's music... Find Steve Conte online: http://stevecontenyc.com/ and search up his music on Spotify or Apple Music! Check out Save Our...

It's Swordboi vs. Sadboi as we unbox one of Cowboy Bebop's most famous episodes. Reddit mod Marshall Banana joins us for an AMA, which dives into the anime industry, building fan communities, and why this week's big fight takes place in a church. Join the Cowboy Bebop reddit and discord: https://www.reddit.com/r/cowboybebop/

What's the difference between a monkey and a great ape? Where is Chicago in the Cowboy Bebop universe? What is a seinen anime? Was Tainted Donuts real or just a weird dream we had? This week, we (badly) answer these questions and more with otaku journalist Lauren Orsini. References: Lauren Orsini's website: https://www.otakujournalist.com/ Vulture's Gig Economy article: https://www.vulture.com/2020/12/cowboy-bebop-2020-gig-economy.html Tainted Donutes ;)...