Funimation Celebrates Cowboy Bebop with Streaming Anime and New Merch

Fans who want to get reacquainted with the hard-luck bounty hunters of the original Cowboy Bebop can now stream the classic anime on Funimation.

The anime distributor announced that all 26 episodes of the celebrated 1998 anime series are now available for streaming through its subscription service. Funimation also announced that it is launching a full licensing program for the show and has partnered with a number of different companies to create new toys, clothing and other merchandise featuring the neo-noir series' characters and iconography. The new collection of merchandise includes new vinyl figures and other products from Funko and YouTooz, collector's grade resin figurines from First4Figures and even credit card covers by Cucu Covers. Funimation has also partnered with Hot Topic to host a Watch-A-Long of the beloved 20th episode of the series, Pierre Le Fou, on the retailer's official Discord server.

Funimation's full list of the new Cowboy Bebop merchandise, partnerships and events is as follows:

• • Exciting new offerings from Funko later this year
  • A new apparel line from Chalk Line in time for the holidays.
  • New posters from Trends International coming this year
  • Resin statue figurines from First4Figures, including Jet Black, with more to be added at Funimation
  • Pick your favorite Cowboy Bebop design and customize your debit/credit cards with CUCU Covers
  • Bioworld has launched customized apparel and accessory products unique to retailers Hot Topic, Box Lunch, Spencer’s, Atsuko and more
  • More apparel, wall scroll, plush, and small accessory releases from Great Eastern Entertainment
  • Removable and reusable wall decals from Fathead
  • Six limited edition vinyl figures from Youtooz

Cowboy Bebop originally premiered in Japan 1998 to immediate critical acclaim. Directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, who would later go on to direct Samurai Champloo and Space Dandy, and produced by Gundam animation studio Sunrise, the series was heralded as an instant classic upon its release thanks to its jazzy soundtrack, mature writing, and movie-quality animation. The series is set in a near-future where humanity has abandoned the Earth in favor of colonies throughout the solar system, but is still plagued by modern day problems such as corrupt politicians, organized crime, drug addiction, and greed. The show focuses on a team of skilled but unlucky bounty hunters, all of whom are weighed down by their past in different ways.

A live-action American remake of the anime is set to debut on Netflix on Nov. 19. The series stars Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle's John Cho as the laid-back jeet kune do expert Spike Spiegel, Luke Cage's Mustafa Shakir as the former cop Jett Black, and Jurassic World's Daniella Pineda as Faye Valentine, the femme-fatale whose past is shrouded in mystery. The live-action reboot will feature new music from Yoko Kanno, who composed the original anime's iconic soundtrack, with Shinichiro Watanabe serving as a creative consultant for the new show.

Source: Funimation