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Cowboy Bebop is a classic anime that every anime fan needs to watch! It follows the daily adventures of bounty hunter Spike Spiegel and his friend Jet Black as they travel to many planets, tackling new missions and collecting many bounties. During their travels, they’ll meet many new enemies and make new friends.
Cowboy Bebop was an anime that helped to define the style of the 1990s. Its unique and stylish visuals have inspired many other anime titles, including this list of 10 alternate shows that will give you a similar experience.
We’ve reviewed a number of anime this year, and we wanted to share with you our thoughts on each one. If you’re looking for a new anime to watch, be sure to check out our full reviews of the series.
- Cowboy Bebop
- Death Note
- Naruto
- One Piece
- Sword Art Online
- Attack on Titan
- Fullmetal Alchemist
- Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
- Naruto: Shippuden
- One Piece: Pirate Warriors
Samurai Champloo
Similarities – Well-Choreographed Action
Samurai Champloo is an anime that is full of action and excitement. The characters are likable and the story is compelling. The soundtrack is also great, making it a must-watch for anyone who enjoys anime.
Samurai Champloo feels like a slightly episodic anime. However, the quests its cast embarks on feature a similar sense of wonder and charm as Spike and his crew’s. As the story progresses, you’ll get more knowledge about the characters’ darker past lives.
Samurai Champloo is an anime that offers a great deal of comedy and action that balances out its harsher undertone. If you’re looking for a fun-filled adventure anime with well-choreographed action sequences and an intriguing plot, check it out. ..
Trigun
Similarities – Sci-Fi & Western Setting
Trigun is an anime set in a similar-looking world to the one in which Spike and his friends live. Both anime feature Western-inspired landscapes and characters. Despite revolving around an endless desert, Trigun’s characters are likely to use advanced weaponry to defeat their opponents. ..
Vash must use all of his skills and training to survive the assassins, and protect the people he loves.
The show’s humor comes from its use of visual gags. For example, in the episode “The Return of the Killer Bee,” Vash is chasing a bee that has flown into a tree. He fires his gun at the bee, but it keeps flying back up into the tree. Vash then realizes that he has been firing at a bee that is already in the tree!
Fans of anime looking for a Western-like influence may want to give Trigun a watch. This anime is set in the future and follows the story of a gunslinger named Gunther who travels to different parts of the world in search of new blood and treasure.
Black Lagoon
Similarities – Bounty Hunters
Black Lagoon is an anime about the dangers and excitement of bounty hunting. The show features intense action scenes, witty dialogue, and colorful characters. The characters in this show have deep backstories that are gradually revealed to viewers as the story progresses.
Rokurou Okajima is a salary man who gets captured by a pirate syndicate and must join the Lagoon Company. He must live among the pirates in Roanapur, a corrupt and crime-ridden city.
Black Lagoon is a great anime because it builds on the chemistry between Rokurou and his new teammates. The situations they find themselves in are hilarious and exciting, and the gunfights are amazing. The emotional moments can also be touching, making this an excellent anime to watch after Cowboy Bebop. ..
Baccano
Similarities – Unique Story Structure & Distinct Fighting Styles
Baccano and Cowboy Bebop offer unique methods of storytelling that are both episodic and cohesive. Cowboy Bebop feels slightly episodic because it is a series of shorts, each one focusing on a different character. Baccano, on the other hand, is an anthology series that wraps its characters’ storylines together to form a cohesive conclusion. This allows for a more immersive experience because the viewer is able to follow each character’s story in their own way.
The characters in Baccano are well-rounded and intriguing. They all have distinct personalities for fans to gravitate toward and interesting ways of solving the mysteries that crop up in their arcs. Baccano’s mystery aspects are on par with the curiosity one develops while watching Cowboy Bebop.
Baccano is an anime that contains excellent martial arts and gun-play sequences. These scenes will leave you mesmerized and speechless. There’s also a similar degree of comedy that’s on par with the humor you’d find in Cowboy Bebop. If you’re looking for an incredible mystery anime with a unique approach toward storytelling, Baccano may be the anime for you.
Megalo Box
Similarities – Action & Setting
The anime is a mix of old and new styles, with a retro feel to it that many may enjoy. The energy and excitement in the show is palpable, and it’s easy to see why so many people were drawn to it.
In Megalo Box, a futuristic society where underground fight rings like Megalo Box thrive as a form of citizens’ entertainment, our protagonist Junk Dog chooses to fight his matches the old-fashioned way, through sheer manpower alone. Using Gear mechanical limbs called Megalo Boxes, these fighters utilize their strength and speed to battle it out in an exciting and dangerous sport. ..
Yuuri finds himself in a routine where he’ll throw a match on purpose to generate revenue for himself. However, after a fateful thrashing by the Megalo Box champion, Yuuri, Junk Dog’s passion for the sport is ignited. Filled with motivation, Junk Dog takes on the alias “Gearless Joe” and enters Megalonia, a tournament that will decide the world’s greatest Megalo Boxer ever.
Megalo Box is a well-written gem that will spark anyone to pursue their wildest dreams. In the vein of Cowboy Bebop, this series offers an incredibly catchy soundtrack and a batch of interesting characters. If you’re looking for an action-packed anime full of spirit, Megalo Box is worth watching.
Lupin The Third
Similarities – Crime & Mischief
Lupin The Third is a crime-filled anime that features the same episodic and exciting energy as Cowboy Bebop. This show features a group of criminals who spend their time traveling to different locations in search of rare items. While the group’s leader Arsène Lupin III feels more comical than Spike, fans’ shouldn’t downplay this thief’s cunning personality.
Arsène III is the grandson of Arsène Lupin I, a famous thief. Like his grandfather, Arsène III loves stealing rare items and getting into trouble with the police. His infamy has attracted the attention of Inspector Zenigata and other criminals. ..
Arsène III, the king of thieves, plans to continue his nonstop quest for rare items. He is joined by Fujiko, a femme fatale, and other partners. They get involved in troubling circumstances involving challenging puzzles and running from Zenigata and his men. ..
Arsène III and his crew are on a crime-themed adventure that will make you laugh and smile. If you’re looking for a crime-themed show that will keep you entertained, check out any of the Lupin The Third entries and films.
The Big O
Similarities – Characters & Tone
The Big O was a popular anime that aired on Toonami. It was similar to Cowboy Bebop, which many regard as anime’s answer to Batman. The show focused on crime and its art style.
Roger is an agent who enjoys taking cases in Paradigm City. Many classify him as a lady’s man while others note his adoration for funeral black. The cases he tackles are far from friendly, as Roger will encounter situations where he must save his city from doom and crime.
Roger is a city-dweller who has taken up the cause of justice. He’ll be joined by his butler Norman and his android companion Dorothy. Together, they’ll wage war against any villain who threatens Paradigm city and its citizens.
Roger displays the same tough-guy, collected, and independent persona as Spike. At the same time, The Big O features a character that’s quite like Spike’s female companion Faye Valentine. Characters aside, this show features the same melancholic tone throughout its run and has wonderful action scenes that’ll keep you invested.
Code Geass
Similarities – Action
Code Geass is a great anime with action, mind games, and plot twists. It’s an exciting show that will leave viewers feeling exhilarated and entertained. The characters are well-developed and some have tragic pasts.
Some viewers may not like the show’s art style, which appears pencil thin and looks as if it was ripped out of worlds like in Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. On the other hand, the show’s animation isn’t something fans should overlook. ..
Lelouch is a young boy who gets involved in a war between the Britannian Empire and Japan’s former rulers. He makes a contract with a mysterious woman, which allows her to control his Geass ability. She tells him that she can make him the world’s most powerful man, but he has to do something for her. Lelouch must save the world from Britannian soldiers, and he does so by making a contract with her.
Lelouch uses his Geass to control people, which is a key plot point in this show. This power allows Lelouch to get what he wants, and the scenes where he uses it are always interesting. ..
Outlaw Star
Similarities – Space Adventures & Colorful Characters
Outlaw Star is a space adventure with a comedic edge that can be serious when needed. This show features exciting action sequences with stellar gun-wielding and pirate-like tactics. ..
This show is a western-inspired anime that feels like it has been influenced by Cowboy Bebop. The worlds our protagonist Gene and James visit aboard the Outlaw Star look impeccable. Each world features something new and fun for our characters to indulge in.
Gene is not the brightest protagonist and comes off as a stubborn individual in Outlaw Star. However, the show does a wonderful job fleshing Gene out and placing him in situations where he’ll need to take situations more seriously. ..
Space Dandy
Similarities – Setting & Themes
Director Shinchiro Watanabe has had some hit or miss products. However, his work on Space Dandy and Cowboy Bebop are some of his finest. Space Dandy is set in a similar atmosphere and setting to Cowboy Bebop, with its protagonist Dandy coming off as a groovy individual that loves to explore space and make some money. ..
Dandy travels with a group of bounty hunters, including his alien-cat friend Meow and QT, a vacuum cleaner robot. This team indulges in outlandish and sometimes comical activities. ..
Dandy will get involved in serious mishaps like Spike and will need to tackle matters more seriously. This series features over-the-top space battles involving mechs and guns. Viewers will find these scenes exhilarating as many will get their heart pumping. If you’re looking for another incredible space adventure anime with a more comedy angle, check out Watanabe’s Space Dandy. ..
- Cowboy Bebop: A space opera series that follows the adventures of a group of bounty hunters in the galaxy.
- Attack on Titan: A manga and anime series about a group of people who are forced to fight against an alien race that has invaded their world.
- Death Note: A manga and anime series about a young boy who is given a set of magical powers and must use them to kill people in order to save the world from destruction.
- Naruto: A manga and anime series about a ninja clan that fights against an evil organization that wants to take over the world.
- Fullmetal Alchemist: A manga and anime series about two brothers who are trying to find their way in the world while fighting against powerful enemies.
- One Piece: A manga and anime series about a pirate crew that tries to find new treasure while also fighting against pirates from other ships.
- Attack on Titan Season 2: An anime series about people who are still fighting against the aliens from Season 1, as well as new characters and events happening in between episodes. 8 . Death Note Season 2: An anime series about a young boy who is given a set of magical powers and must use them to kill people in order to save the world from destruction, with new characters and events happening between episodes as well
Our picks for the best laptops for students are based on our research and personal experience. We took into account features, performance, and price to come up with our recommendations. Do you have any other suggestions? Let us know in the comments below!
