Cowboy Bebop follows the story of four bounty hunters on their quest for money and food. Spike, Jet, Faye and Edward chase every bounty they can in an effort to survive. I’m not going to go into the plot much more than that because everyone should have seen the series by now. If not, I have the full series coverage available here.
The first thing I noticed, and incidentally the first thing I want to write about, is the video quality of this disc. Bandai has been getting better and better at authoring DVDs and Best Sessions is no exception. The video transfer on this disc is absolutely superb. The colors are vibrant and exceptionally clean. Cross coloration has been cleaned up to the point that on most episodes it is non-existent. This DVD is a big step up in quality as far as video is concerned, and that’s really saying something from the previous release.
Sound quality in this DVD is also high quality. Not only did the English side get a 5.1 remix, but the Japanese side as well. It’s surprising that Bandai gave the Japanese side a 5.1 mix, especially considering the fact that this DVD was only released in North America. Even hardcore sub fans will love the sound of this. Reverbs were added when Spike & Co. are in the Bebop, radio chatter was refined and the sound in general was moved up to the next level.
The package comes with two DVDs. The first DVD contains three episodes chosen by Watanabe himself. The very first episode, Asteroid Blues, starts off the first DVD. Of course, no Cowboy Bebop collection would be complete without Ballad Of Fallen Angels. Watanabe closes this DVD with Wild Horses, an interesting choice, but enjoyable nonetheless. Disc two of this compilation boasts fan favorites. I was surprised not to see Pierrot Le Fou on this disc, as it has always ranked high on my list as well as many of my friend’s. Starting this disc is Waltz For Venus, a very emotional episode that was skipped over the first time Cartoon Network aired Bebop. Mushroom Samba continues the disc. Incidentally, I find it funny that Samba ranks higher than Cowboy Funk or Sympathy for the Devil, but that’s just me. Finishing the disc is Hard Luck Woman, one of my favorite episodes in the whole series. Fans will most likely enjoy the second disc more, seeing as how it contains the top ranking episodes among fans.
The 5.1 mix is especially enjoyable in Ballad Of Fallen Angels. The gunfight in the church, the explosion from the grenade, all music to my ears. Of course, Kanno’s music is all the more flavorful when coming out of multiple speakers. I’m not saying you need a 5.1 system to enjoy this disc, I’m saying that if you have it then you have even more reason to pick this one up.
Cowboy Bebop Best Sessions is something every Bebop fan can enjoy. In addition to that, it’s something that you can use to introduce someone to Bebop. Awesome video quality and excellent sound transfer make Best Sessions a must have on every Bebop fan’s list. A great disc in all aspects.
Tags: cowboy bebop