This ending is particularly noteworthy for being so versatile. It didn't matter if the episode was a light hearted comedy, or had more deathly serious tone, this ending went along with the feeling perfectly.
Luke William yes it comes back to a major theme of the series. no matter what they do today, nothing really matters and in the end it's just the memory of the past that keeps them going
There was once a tiger striped cat, he lived and died a million times and had a million owners and never really thought or cared about it until he became a stray, and he met and fell in love with a cat with a coat of pure white that made him feel like he was actually alive, and when she died he cried a million tears until he died too, and that time he didn't come back.
The final line is actually "Sitting in muddied water isn't such a bad way to live, as long as it ends after the first time." As in, living a life of suffering is meaningful and valuable but only if you never have to repeat it.
I love that we get the entire backstory of Spike through a sequence of stills accompanied by a melancholic song. The perfect ending that captures the soul of Cowboy Bebop.
At the end of every episode, you see this flashback. I always thought it was supposed to show that Spike's past followed him through every story in the show. I guess it's fitting that the only episode it doesn't appear in is the finale.
That’s how I always read it. The specter of his past was always there in the background, with him knowing he would have to confront it at some point. I wonder if after every episode this is him dreaming over and over again of this part of his past, since the trauma of gunfights and crime might cause it to rise to the surface.
JWhack200 You're free to believe that if you'd like, Samurai Champloo is a great anime with great music, but Cowboy Bebop is a genre/format-transcending masterpiece, and the soundtrack is a big part of that.
Jabbar Lennett I assume you mean "Inu-Yasha", which had many great ending themes, such as Fukai Mori. However, my statement stands; best ending theme from the best soundtrack to any anime, ever.
Ok here's a summary of what I assume to be the mysterious back story of Spike's past... 0:22 Spike, Vicious, & Julia obviously use to be very close (trio partners in crime). But nonetheless Spike knew Julia was his girl & most likely off limits. 0:39 Spike heavily contemplates leaving the syndicate to be free of a lifestyle he knows he doesn't belong to despite being an excellent hired hand to kill. 0:44 Vicious begins doubting Spike's loyalty, partnership-wise and Syndicate brethren. 0:56 Julie is faced at an crossroad for her feelings for Spike but also her loyalty to the Syndicate & the backlash it could cause if Vicious finds how she's been sleeping/fallen in love with his greatest trusted ally & friend. 1:13 Vicious after much deliberating & suspicion finally catches Julie & Spike red handed, possibly in a last minute attempt to skip town. At Julia's apartment were she needed some valuable things, Spike most likely decided against this because he thought it would be best to just up and leave without a trace. This show needed better justice. I really think a back story calls for all the flashbacks of Spike's past. The ending showed me he didn't fear death because he sought redemption and maybe the only way to earn it was by destroying the empire he helped build. My guess is Vicious wasnt always so cruel. He was a man scorned/betrayed by his lover and bestfriend, eventually letting the hate consume him with violence and greed. Just my interpretation.
Abe timbo i don't understand why people ignore the ending, it's the full history of spike. In jupiter jazz part 2, you can see how much vicious miss Julia when he is listening to the music box (song called by himself "Julia") maybe the war happen just after the breakup, i don't know. Anyway, it's a good story. It's better if we can't see the full story, it gives us a feeling of curiosity and melancholy.
If you're complaining about spoilers, you shouldn't have clicked read more after he said the word "ending". If you're cringing over the pun, I totally get it
𝐋𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬: Aishiteta to nageku ni wa Amari ni mo toki wa sugite shimatta Mada kokoro no hokorobi o Iyasenumama kaze ga fuiteru Kawaita hitomi de dareka naitekure The real folk blues Honto no kanashimi ga shiritaidake Doro no kawa ni sukatta jinsei mo warukuwanai Ichido kiri de owarunara
Wish I hadn’t stepped back here. It hurts too much thinking back to those nights, staying up late watching Adult Swim in the early 2000’s. On the other hand, I guess I was lucky to experience it when I did.
Cowboy Bebop the only anime with a perfect soundtrack and every song fits perfectly with the situation at hand this is truly a Masterpiece of an anime.
In Session 1, Laughing Bull foretells of Spike's death being brought on by a woman. Laughing Bull: Swimming bird will meet a woman. The bird will be hunted by this woman. And then death. Spike: One more time. Laughing Bull: What's that? Spike: I was killed once before by a woman. Spike is speaking of Julia. Losing her love was so painful as to be considered a form of death. He was left in a detached dream-like purgatory from that day on. In Session 26, Julia is shot in front of Spike. White doves fly by in slow motion. Horror, shock, and agony are expressed in Spike's left eye. He screams her name, drops his weapon, and runs to her. He takes her in his arms. Hears her last words, which are inaudible to the audience. Spike looks down at his lost love and then up to the sky. The camera is now focused on Spike's right eye, which is shaking in a disturbing manner. The camera zooms into Spike's pupil and everything fades to black. The next scene is of Laughing Bull predicting Spike's imminent death. Holding Julia's coat, Vicious speaks of Spike. Vicious: A beast that has lost his place. He has nowhere to return to now. He will come. Vicious is both right and wrong. Spike will come, but he does have somewhere to return to one last time. Two rose petals are shown blowing away in the wind. Spike returns to the Bebop and tells Jet a story. An allegory about his life which he uses to explain why he will never return. Spike: There once was a tiger striped cat. This cat died a million deaths, revived and lived a million lives, and he was owned by various people who he didn't really care for. The cat wasn't afraid to die. Then one day the cat became a stray cat, which meant he was free. He met a white female cat, and the two of them spent their days together happily. Well, years passed, and the white cat grew weak and died of old age. The tiger striped cat cried a million times, and then he died too. Except this time, he didn't come back to life. Jet is keenly aware that Spike's death looms in the horizon. He is wary of the tale's implications. When Spike gets up to leave, Jet asks him one last question. Jet: Is it for the girl? Spike: [beat] She's dead. There's nothing I can do for her now. This is true. Julia is dead. There is nothing Spike can do for her. This does not lessen the impact she has on the events that are about to unfold. Jet understands this. Upon hearing of Julia's death, he has a resigned if devastated reaction. He knows exactly what this means for Spike. Faye confronts Spike while holding him at gunpoint. She knows that he is marching towards his death. Faye: Where are you going? Why, are you going? You told me once, to forget the past, ‘cause it doesn’t matter, but you’re the one still tied to the past, Spike! Spike does not deny this. Instead, he explains the truth about his eyes. The camera spans from his left eye to his right eye. Spike: Look at my eyes, Faye. One of them is a fake because I lost it in an accident. Since then, I've been seeing the past in one eye and the present in the other. So, I thought I could only see patches of reality, never the whole picture. Faye: Don’t tell me things like that; you’ve never told me anything about yourself, so don’t tell me now! Spike: I felt like I was watching a dream I could never wake up from. Before I knew it, the dream was all over. This is not the first time Spike has expressed this sentiment. One of his most revelatory quotes was said in the teaser for Ballad of Fallen Angels. Spike: The music box is broken, or is it? It starts to play, and a haunting tune fills the air. I wake suddenly from my dream. There is no music box! And yet there it is. A tiny one nestled in my hand. And I awaken from my dream again. As if I were peeling an onion. It’s a dream no matter how far I go. I can never reach reality. Trapped in an endless nightmare. Spike is so affected by the loss of the woman he loves that even an item she once possessed haunts him. It is her death that has finally woken him from his detached dream-like state. Faye shares with Spike that her memory has returned. She explains that there was nowhere for her to go back to. She pleads with him to stay. Spike ignores her please and instead leaves her with these parting words. Spike: I’m not going there to die; I’m going to find out if I’m really alive. I have to do it, Faye. Faye is not comforted by this statement. The audience should not be comforted either. Spike's words eerily echo what Jet said to him in session 25. Jet: Men only think about the past right before their death, as if they were searching frantically for proof that they were alive. Faye cries and shoots off her gun. An act reminiscent of the 21-gun salute that is used in the military to honor the fallen. Spike walks away from Faye without looking back. He is never shown thinking about anyone from the Bebop again. The song "See You Space Cowboy" plays as Spike leaves the Bebop. "Everything is already over", You say with closed ears The words only flow Towards a tomorrow without peace "There's nothing that won't change" Even if my life ends This love will not disappear It's something that will live forever Even if dreams are hidden in darkness I got a rainbow Rainbow in your hands... The camera zooms in on Spike's left eye. The eye that sees Spike's past. The lyrics begin as Spike is recalling romantic memories of Julia. He thinks of the first time he saw Julia and was captivated by her beauty. He thinks of a time when he made love to Julia and she cradled him in her arms. Given that Spike confided to Jet just the previous session that Julia was a part of him, the image shows a moment in Spike's life when he felt whole. Spike: She was a piece of me I had lost. She is my other half that I had longed for. The song continues to play as Spike attacks the syndicate. It is a ballad of undying love alluding to lovers being reunited in the afterlife. When Spike faces off against his hated rival, Vicious makes a proclamation. Vicious: So, you're finally awake. I told you before, Spike. I'm the only one who can kill you and set you free. Spike does not deny this. But makes a proclamation of his own. Spike: Those words apply to you as well, Vicious. During their fight, there comes a moment where the two disarm each other by swapping weapons. Vicious getting Spike's gun and Spike getting Vicious's katana. It is at this moment that Spike makes a statement of great significance to both men. Spike: Julia passed away. Let's end it all. Vicious: If that's your wish. The rivals return their weapons. Spike shoots Vicious but gets sliced across the abdomen. Vicious's death comes quickly, while Spike lingers as was foreshadowed. Vicious: Don't forget, a snake's venom poisons slowly after the bite. Spike watches Vicious's body fall to the ground, spends but a few of seconds looking at him, then looks up to the night's sky. The camera is focused on Spike's right eye. Now calm. Spike sees Julia. This is the first time in the entire series that Spike is shown seeing Julia with his right eye. In session 13, during an auditory flashback, Spike and Julia discuss his eyes. Spike: My left eye sees the past. Julia: What about your right eye? We do not hear his response. In the penultimate scene of the series, we are specifically shown what Spike sees with his eye that sees his present. He sees her. In Spike's vision, Julia is cast in a white light. She says her last words to Spike, this time they are audible to the audience. Spike is shown reflected back in Julia's eye. He glumly concurs with her. Spike is then completely engulfed by a blinding white light. The scene fades to white. This light is reminiscent of the divine light that is cast upon a soul that is ready to ascend to heaven. Julia: It's all a dream. Spike: Yeah. Just a bad dream. From white we transition to the final scene of the series. It is now day. A white light is now cast over the entire syndicate. Spike smiles, points a finger gun at the remaining syndicate goons and says "bang". This is a callback to Wen from session 6. As Wen was dying he asked Spike if he understood the relief that came with one's own death. In response, Spike threw Wen's harmonica up in the air, pretended to shoot it while saying "bang", but then said "as if". When Spike says "bang" this time he is acknowledging that he now understands that relief. Spike falls to the ground. He is never shown moving again. White doves are shown flying over Spike's body. White doves also flew by Julia when she died. The camera follows an ascension into the heavens, while the song "Blue" plays. The song's lyrics allude to a soul ascending to heaven. Free Wanna be free Gonna be free And move among the stars You know, they really aren't so far Feels so free Gotta know free Please Don't wake me from the dream It's really everything it seems I'm so free No black and white in the blue Everything is clearer now Life is just a dream, you know That's never-ending I'm ascending At the end of the credits a star goes out but never falls. In session 13, Laughing Bull informs the audience to what a falling star truly is. Laughing Bull: The tear of a warrior. A lost soul who has finished his battle. A pitiful soul who could not find his way to the lofty realm. Where the great spirit awaits us all. Given that the star we are shown does not fall, it is reasonable to infer that the soul the star belonged to did make its way to the great spirit that awaits us all. That soul has broken away from the cycle of death and rebirth and is never coming back. As was foreshadowed to happen to Spike in the fable of the tiger striped cat, who followed his love into death and never returned.
@@somebunny2619 @giftayo yes we didn’t ask for it and didn’t deserve it. But the comment powerfully articulated the meaning and nuances of a show that’s beauty I thought was impossible to put into words. Thank you- you unearthed a lot of the emotion that I thought could only come from watching the episodes themselves. Best of luck.
This song has always resonated with me very much and probably always will. Nearly as much as this anime did itself, which as well all know, was very powerful and deep for everyone who enjoyed it.
I freaking love this song and this anime is the shit! I always thought anime was stuff like Pokemon until I discovered this. Total game changer in anime. See you soon, Space Cowboy.
I watched yugioh and Pokemon as a kid, so when my brother showed me code geass and death note I didn't get them, But over time they grew on me as I started to watch mature shows and now this is my favourite anime
If you want more like cowboy bebop youd like most things in the "seinen" genre. There are plenty of great anime not seinen still. I suggest yu yu hakusho thats my favorite
God listening to this after watching the last episode makes me want to cry. This anime truly is one of the most legendary and greatest anime to ever exist and was such an amazing experience. Definitely my favorite ever.
I always loved when after the credits Jet or another member would tell you if the next episode was suitable for kids or would have some banter with another member. It's little things like that that separate Bebop from the rest!
Jet: Turn back. You told me when we first met… that you were a man who had already died once. Just forget the past, okay? Spike: There was a woman. For the first time in my life, I saw a woman that was truly alive. That’s what I believed. She was a piece of me I had lost. She is my other half that I had longed for.
You know, it’s kinda crazy cause I didn’t like this anime at first. But as I watched more I started to love it more and more. Sadly when I really started to love it, it ended. TBH I was sad when the dog and the girl left( please don’t roast me I just can’t remember their names right now) but I was also angry that spike left Faye like that. the show was really good, one of the best I’ve ever watched. I just finished it last night, and I still can’t believe it’s over.
Finished the anime a day or two ago. Beautiful. I love how it kept building the characters for 20 episodes and then everything crashed down. The last 6 or so episodes were so good. 2025 has a great start so far
This is such a legendary anime. Ima tell my kids about this one day. They will be cultured no matter what generation they are in. At least they'll have taste unlike some other people 😂
A lot of ending themes usually grow on me within the show and the passing episodes but I remember this one instantly hit me with this absurd nostalgic feeling even though it was just the first episode I watched, and one I didn't feel that strongly about. Great ending sequence
Bro the memories I have associated w this ending. During Quaratine(?) I watched CBBB, but only watched it at night. I had a small room and decided I would make a pallete instead of having a bed. Well I would sit on the pallete and the blue/ gray color scheme would just shine on my face at like 1-2am. Such good times…
Since I have grown older (34) experienced life some, my mom passing last yr, I feel like I know what the real folklore blues are......profound song even though I only understand the english part, I can feel the pain flowing through it..
See you, Space Cowboy.
😢
bang :(
You're gonna carry that weight...
You’re gonna carry that weight.
Well tought ;)
This ending is particularly noteworthy for being so versatile. It didn't matter if the episode was a light hearted comedy, or had more deathly serious tone, this ending went along with the feeling perfectly.
+Luke William It build up for the last two erpisodes, and a few mom,ents i my life made me cry as much as these two episodes.
This comment is perfecting describes this amazing outro
Even 'Toys in the attic'?
That fridge floating in the space with with this song in the background... Ya I think its still okay :3
Luke William yes it comes back to a major theme of the series. no matter what they do today, nothing really matters and in the end it's just the memory of the past that keeps them going
Truly a legendary anime.
agreed
My number 1 favourite
see you space cowboy.
no wonder this anime is legendary
hey don't you forget samurai champloo
You're gonna carry that weight
Fireball Dragon h
Everyday
late gf was a big bebop fan. want to to get this tattoo'd in her memory.
Yes i am. 😔
Yeah ,, we will.
See you spacecowboy...
The message of this song is spot on...
"Life, is only worth living...If you only live it once."
There was once a tiger striped cat, he lived and died a million times and had a million owners and never really thought or cared about it until he became a stray, and he met and fell in love with a cat with a coat of pure white that made him feel like he was actually alive, and when she died he cried a million tears until he died too, and that time he didn't come back.
Drelas damn thats deep...
Drelas ...I hate that story.
The final line is actually "Sitting in muddied water isn't such a bad way to live, as long as it ends after the first time." As in, living a life of suffering is meaningful and valuable but only if you never have to repeat it.
dumb question but can someone explain that story sorry.
I love that we get the entire backstory of Spike through a sequence of stills accompanied by a melancholic song. The perfect ending that captures the soul of Cowboy Bebop.
Bang…
@@ElevatedResponse no one line in Anime ever said so much , “ you’re gonna carry that weight “
One of the greatest anime of all time.
I think is THE BEST :D
I don't do favorites but by god do I love this anime, fucking phenomenal.
Is the Best
Rwmovw "One of."
No it’s THE greatest.
the last 10 minutes of the last episode...
I'll never love another anime again
..So sad, and with this music, it's sad sad saaaaaaaad
+Edriss Scofield (Onigirli) try samurai champloo
that punched my heart in the dick
I only can say that i dont want watch the last episode due to my fear to end such a marvelous anime... And how sad it Could turn out
im here after finishing the last episode. i dont know weather to applaud or cry
We all did both :(
Just... Carry the weight.
Can't you buy a Spike Spiegel cosplay as well?
epicanime009 both
See you space cowboy R.I.P
At the end of every episode, you see this flashback.
I always thought it was supposed to show that Spike's past followed him through every story in the show.
I guess it's fitting that the only episode it doesn't appear in is the finale.
Good catch. Didn't quite think of it like that until now.
Huh I didn’t really think about that
That’s how I always read it. The specter of his past was always there in the background, with him knowing he would have to confront it at some point. I wonder if after every episode this is him dreaming over and over again of this part of his past, since the trauma of gunfights and crime might cause it to rise to the surface.
Best ending theme to an anime, on the best soundtrack to any anime, ever.
Samurai Champloo?
JWhack200 You're free to believe that if you'd like, Samurai Champloo is a great anime with great music, but Cowboy Bebop is a genre/format-transcending masterpiece, and the soundtrack is a big part of that.
inyuyasha
Jabbar Lennett I assume you mean "Inu-Yasha", which had many great ending themes, such as Fukai Mori. However, my statement stands; best ending theme from the best soundtrack to any anime, ever.
true...... original space bounty hunter anime
See you cowgirl, Somewhere, Someday
What part is this?
@@EricToTheScionti third last episode
Eric Scionti Edwards and Eins goodbye
😔😔😔
@@Mike.325 😭😭😭
This ending is beautiful.
I agree
Ok here's a summary of what I assume to be the mysterious back story of Spike's past...
0:22 Spike, Vicious, & Julia obviously use to be very close (trio partners in crime). But nonetheless Spike knew Julia was his girl & most likely off limits.
0:39 Spike heavily contemplates leaving the syndicate to be free of a lifestyle he knows he doesn't belong to despite being an excellent hired hand to kill.
0:44 Vicious begins doubting Spike's loyalty, partnership-wise and Syndicate brethren.
0:56 Julie is faced at an crossroad for her feelings for Spike but also her loyalty to the Syndicate & the backlash it could cause if Vicious finds how she's been sleeping/fallen in love with his greatest trusted ally & friend.
1:13 Vicious after much deliberating & suspicion finally catches Julie & Spike red handed, possibly in a last minute attempt to skip town. At Julia's apartment were she needed some valuable things, Spike most likely decided against this because he thought it would be best to just up and leave without a trace.
This show needed better justice. I really think a back story calls for all the flashbacks of Spike's past. The ending showed me he didn't fear death because he sought redemption and maybe the only way to earn it was by destroying the empire he helped build. My guess is Vicious wasnt always so cruel. He was a man scorned/betrayed by his lover and bestfriend, eventually letting the hate consume him with violence and greed. Just my interpretation.
AnastaziaU that's exactly what happen. In fact, the bad guy in the show would be spike, vicious was betrayed by his bestfriend and his girlfriend.
Pablo Cid yea you’re definitely right
Wish we got to see a flashback of spikes past. Cause that’s right what you said
Abe timbo i don't understand why people ignore the ending, it's the full history of spike. In jupiter jazz part 2, you can see how much vicious miss Julia when he is listening to the music box (song called by himself "Julia") maybe the war happen just after the breakup, i don't know. Anyway, it's a good story. It's better if we can't see the full story, it gives us a feeling of curiosity and melancholy.
Pablo Cid yea actually you're right about that!
That show really ended with a…
Bang.
*YOURE GONNA CARRY THAT WEIGHT*
👈
If you're complaining about spoilers, you shouldn't have clicked read more after he said the word "ending".
If you're cringing over the pun, I totally get it
@@ericbazinga you're really tactful in your approach to speaking
@@Quetzalcoatl-Dragon_97 Thank you
𝐋𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬:
Aishiteta to nageku ni wa
Amari ni mo toki wa sugite shimatta
Mada kokoro no hokorobi o
Iyasenumama kaze ga fuiteru
Kawaita hitomi de dareka naitekure
The real folk blues
Honto no kanashimi ga shiritaidake
Doro no kawa ni sukatta jinsei mo warukuwanai
Ichido kiri de owarunara
Elikis good looks!!!
@Joel Santoyo Torres well I'm spanish and for me that is definitely not Spanish lmao
@Joel Santoyo Torres HAHAHAHA YES
someone play this at my funeral
i want green bird to be played at my funeral
She carried that weight ~ till the very end.
See you space cowgirl
“See you space cowboy” will always be a part of my memory
See you space cowboy....
Ollia Tobin Bang...
You're gonna carry that weight.
100th like..
Cowboy Bebop has a special place in my heart and always will
Wish I hadn’t stepped back here. It hurts too much thinking back to those nights, staying up late watching Adult Swim in the early 2000’s. On the other hand, I guess I was lucky to experience it when I did.
Cowboy Bebop the only anime with a perfect soundtrack and every song fits perfectly with the situation at hand this is truly a Masterpiece of an anime.
In Session 1, Laughing Bull foretells of Spike's death being brought on by a woman.
Laughing Bull: Swimming bird will meet a woman. The bird will be hunted by this woman. And then death.
Spike: One more time.
Laughing Bull: What's that?
Spike: I was killed once before by a woman.
Spike is speaking of Julia. Losing her love was so painful as to be considered a form of death. He was left in a detached dream-like purgatory from that day on.
In Session 26, Julia is shot in front of Spike. White doves fly by in slow motion. Horror, shock, and agony are expressed in Spike's left eye. He screams her name, drops his weapon, and runs to her. He takes her in his arms. Hears her last words, which are inaudible to the audience.
Spike looks down at his lost love and then up to the sky. The camera is now focused on Spike's right eye, which is shaking in a disturbing manner. The camera zooms into Spike's pupil and everything fades to black.
The next scene is of Laughing Bull predicting Spike's imminent death.
Holding Julia's coat, Vicious speaks of Spike.
Vicious: A beast that has lost his place. He has nowhere to return to now. He will come.
Vicious is both right and wrong. Spike will come, but he does have somewhere to return to one last time.
Two rose petals are shown blowing away in the wind.
Spike returns to the Bebop and tells Jet a story. An allegory about his life which he uses to explain why he will never return.
Spike: There once was a tiger striped cat. This cat died a million deaths, revived and lived a million lives, and he was owned by various people who he didn't really care for. The cat wasn't afraid to die. Then one day the cat became a stray cat, which meant he was free. He met a white female cat, and the two of them spent their days together happily. Well, years passed, and the white cat grew weak and died of old age. The tiger striped cat cried a million times, and then he died too. Except this time, he didn't come back to life.
Jet is keenly aware that Spike's death looms in the horizon. He is wary of the tale's implications.
When Spike gets up to leave, Jet asks him one last question.
Jet: Is it for the girl?
Spike: [beat] She's dead. There's nothing I can do for her now.
This is true. Julia is dead. There is nothing Spike can do for her. This does not lessen the impact she has on the events that are about to unfold. Jet understands this. Upon hearing of Julia's death, he has a resigned if devastated reaction. He knows exactly what this means for Spike.
Faye confronts Spike while holding him at gunpoint. She knows that he is marching towards his death.
Faye: Where are you going? Why, are you going? You told me once, to forget the past, ‘cause it doesn’t matter, but you’re the one still tied to the past, Spike!
Spike does not deny this. Instead, he explains the truth about his eyes. The camera spans from his left eye to his right eye.
Spike: Look at my eyes, Faye. One of them is a fake because I lost it in an accident. Since then, I've been seeing the past in one eye and the present in the other. So, I thought I could only see patches of reality, never the whole picture.
Faye: Don’t tell me things like that; you’ve never told me anything about yourself, so don’t tell me now!
Spike: I felt like I was watching a dream I could never wake up from. Before I knew it, the dream was all over.
This is not the first time Spike has expressed this sentiment. One of his most revelatory quotes was said in the teaser for Ballad of Fallen Angels.
Spike: The music box is broken, or is it? It starts to play, and a haunting tune fills the air. I wake suddenly from my dream. There is no music box! And yet there it is. A tiny one nestled in my hand. And I awaken from my dream again. As if I were peeling an onion. It’s a dream no matter how far I go. I can never reach reality. Trapped in an endless nightmare.
Spike is so affected by the loss of the woman he loves that even an item she once possessed haunts him. It is her death that has finally woken him from his detached dream-like state.
Faye shares with Spike that her memory has returned. She explains that there was nowhere for her to go back to. She pleads with him to stay.
Spike ignores her please and instead leaves her with these parting words.
Spike: I’m not going there to die; I’m going to find out if I’m really alive. I have to do it, Faye.
Faye is not comforted by this statement. The audience should not be comforted either. Spike's words eerily echo what Jet said to him in session 25.
Jet: Men only think about the past right before their death, as if they were searching frantically for proof that they were alive.
Faye cries and shoots off her gun. An act reminiscent of the 21-gun salute that is used in the military to honor the fallen.
Spike walks away from Faye without looking back. He is never shown thinking about anyone from the Bebop again.
The song "See You Space Cowboy" plays as Spike leaves the Bebop.
"Everything is already over",
You say with closed ears
The words only flow
Towards a tomorrow without peace
"There's nothing that won't change"
Even if my life ends
This love will not disappear
It's something that will live forever
Even if dreams are hidden in darkness
I got a rainbow
Rainbow in your hands...
The camera zooms in on Spike's left eye. The eye that sees Spike's past. The lyrics begin as Spike is recalling romantic memories of Julia. He thinks of the first time he saw Julia and was captivated by her beauty. He thinks of a time when he made love to Julia and she cradled him in her arms.
Given that Spike confided to Jet just the previous session that Julia was a part of him, the image shows a moment in Spike's life when he felt whole.
Spike: She was a piece of me I had lost. She is my other half that I had longed for.
The song continues to play as Spike attacks the syndicate. It is a ballad of undying love alluding to lovers being reunited in the afterlife.
When Spike faces off against his hated rival, Vicious makes a proclamation.
Vicious: So, you're finally awake. I told you before, Spike. I'm the only one who can kill you and set you free.
Spike does not deny this. But makes a proclamation of his own.
Spike: Those words apply to you as well, Vicious.
During their fight, there comes a moment where the two disarm each other by swapping weapons. Vicious getting Spike's gun and Spike getting Vicious's katana. It is at this moment that Spike makes a statement of great significance to both men.
Spike: Julia passed away. Let's end it all.
Vicious: If that's your wish.
The rivals return their weapons. Spike shoots Vicious but gets sliced across the abdomen.
Vicious's death comes quickly, while Spike lingers as was foreshadowed.
Vicious: Don't forget, a snake's venom poisons slowly after the bite.
Spike watches Vicious's body fall to the ground, spends but a few of seconds looking at him, then looks up to the night's sky. The camera is focused on Spike's right eye. Now calm.
Spike sees Julia. This is the first time in the entire series that Spike is shown seeing Julia with his right eye.
In session 13, during an auditory flashback, Spike and Julia discuss his eyes.
Spike: My left eye sees the past.
Julia: What about your right eye?
We do not hear his response.
In the penultimate scene of the series, we are specifically shown what Spike sees with his eye that sees his present. He sees her.
In Spike's vision, Julia is cast in a white light. She says her last words to Spike, this time they are audible to the audience. Spike is shown reflected back in Julia's eye. He glumly concurs with her. Spike is then completely engulfed by a blinding white light. The scene fades to white. This light is reminiscent of the divine light that is cast upon a soul that is ready to ascend to heaven.
Julia: It's all a dream.
Spike: Yeah. Just a bad dream.
From white we transition to the final scene of the series. It is now day. A white light is now cast over the entire syndicate.
Spike smiles, points a finger gun at the remaining syndicate goons and says "bang".
This is a callback to Wen from session 6. As Wen was dying he asked Spike if he understood the relief that came with one's own death. In response, Spike threw Wen's harmonica up in the air, pretended to shoot it while saying "bang", but then said "as if". When Spike says "bang" this time he is acknowledging that he now understands that relief.
Spike falls to the ground. He is never shown moving again. White doves are shown flying over Spike's body. White doves also flew by Julia when she died.
The camera follows an ascension into the heavens, while the song "Blue" plays. The song's lyrics allude to a soul ascending to heaven.
Free
Wanna be free
Gonna be free
And move among the stars
You know, they really aren't so far
Feels so free
Gotta know free
Please
Don't wake me from the dream
It's really everything it seems
I'm so free
No black and white in the blue
Everything is clearer now
Life is just a dream, you know
That's never-ending
I'm ascending
At the end of the credits a star goes out but never falls.
In session 13, Laughing Bull informs the audience to what a falling star truly is.
Laughing Bull: The tear of a warrior. A lost soul who has finished his battle. A pitiful soul who could not find his way to the lofty realm. Where the great spirit awaits us all.
Given that the star we are shown does not fall, it is reasonable to infer that the soul the star belonged to did make its way to the great spirit that awaits us all.
That soul has broken away from the cycle of death and rebirth and is never coming back. As was foreshadowed to happen to Spike in the fable of the tiger striped cat, who followed his love into death and never returned.
Nobody asked for this comment
@@giftayo6061 Seething.
One of the best comments on this Anime. You enlarge on many things i myself totally missed out
@@somebunny2619 @giftayo yes we didn’t ask for it and didn’t deserve it. But the comment powerfully articulated the meaning and nuances of a show that’s beauty I thought was impossible to put into words. Thank you- you unearthed a lot of the emotion that I thought could only come from watching the episodes themselves. Best of luck.
9 am on a Saturday and I'm bawling my eyes out lol. Thanks for this beautiful way of putting into words the meaning behind that ending.
Now you carry that weight.
This song has always resonated with me very much and probably always will. Nearly as much as this anime did itself, which as well all know, was very powerful and deep for everyone who enjoyed it.
Best ending ever
I get chills every time I hear this - the nostalgia nearly brings tears to my eyes..
I freaking love this song and this anime is the shit! I always thought anime was stuff like Pokemon until I discovered this. Total game changer in anime. See you soon, Space Cowboy.
I watched yugioh and Pokemon as a kid, so when my brother showed me code geass and death note I didn't get them,
But over time they grew on me as I started to watch mature shows and now this is my favourite anime
Let's jam!
Watch Attack on Titan or One Punch Man or Parasyte
If you want more like cowboy bebop youd like most things in the "seinen" genre. There are plenty of great anime not seinen still. I suggest yu yu hakusho thats my favorite
There are LOTS of anime that aren't like Pokemon...
God listening to this after watching the last episode makes me want to cry. This anime truly is one of the most legendary and greatest anime to ever exist and was such an amazing experience. Definitely my favorite ever.
You can only jam for so long....
Until you get the blues.
Best Anime Outro
A kiss from a rose...this one.
modern anime : 90% unnecessary issekai
old anime: grace and beauty
Believe me, there was also much trash back then. Cowboy Bebop was pretty unique then and is unique now.
I always loved when after the credits Jet or another member would tell you if the next episode was suitable for kids or would have some banter with another member. It's little things like that that separate Bebop from the rest!
This anime will stand till the end of mankind as one of the best anime’s out there
Just finished the anime and man...right in the feels
See you, Space Cowboy.....
How is it even possible for a show to have the best anime opening and the best anime ending of all time? Cowboy Bebop, ladies and gentlemen.
It gives me goosebumps no matter how many times I hear it
Jet: Turn back. You told me when we first met… that you were a man who had already died once. Just forget the past, okay?
Spike: There was a woman. For the first time in my life, I saw a woman that was truly alive. That’s what I believed. She was a piece of me I had lost. She is my other half that I had longed for.
And so you betrayed your best friend
Happy 20th birthday to one of the bad ass anime shows of all time and yes see you space cowboy
See you, Space Cowboy....
You know, it’s kinda crazy cause I didn’t like this anime at first. But as I watched more I started to love it more and more. Sadly when I really started to love it, it ended. TBH I was sad when the dog and the girl left( please don’t roast me I just can’t remember their names right now) but I was also angry that spike left Faye like that. the show was really good, one of the best I’ve ever watched. I just finished it last night, and I still can’t believe it’s over.
Same here
Can feel you bro
Best old animes
Legendary Ending Forever!
Cowboy Bebop has got to be the best show in the world.
this ending always satisfied me at the end of every episode
There truly hasn't been an anime with as much soul as Cowboy Bebop
I usually don't appreciate animes a lot. But man, this show is on another level
Best anime ever
Best characters evers
Best opening
Best ending
Best soundtrack 💕
An underrated masterpiece...
This song speaks so many truths about life, especially about sitting in muddy water. It's not that bad after the first time.
Finished the anime a day or two ago. Beautiful. I love how it kept building the characters for 20 episodes and then everything crashed down. The last 6 or so episodes were so good. 2025 has a great start so far
God these images will always be burned into my brain watching this years back when adult swim aired anime on Saturdays casually. Good times.
This is such a legendary anime. Ima tell my kids about this one day. They will be cultured no matter what generation they are in. At least they'll have taste unlike some other people 😂
Someone play this at my funeral please. And put a board of "See you, Space Cowboy".
A lot of ending themes usually grow on me within the show and the passing episodes but I remember this one instantly hit me with this absurd nostalgic feeling even though it was just the first episode I watched, and one I didn't feel that strongly about. Great ending sequence
I finished Cowboy Bebop today (2/11/20) so I can finally read these comments and reminisce on how beautiful this anime is.
I used to vibe out to this song. Too smooth
One of the best anime i ever watch
Best noir show ever!!!
No one complains in the rain
This song is soooo awesome .
I listen this song atleast once in two days . It freaking awesome
I used sing this.every time I watch the show.
How can I forget about this ending OST!!??? DAMN
Quien! escuchando esta joya nuevamente en 2021!!!🥲
Just watched this show a month ago and still can't get over it, probably gonna watch it all over again :)
I hope Netflix bring this outro in live action adaptation.
Edit : Also the song as well.
The best ending of any anime.
bro the ending is so good for some reason
I honestly can't see this ending anymore without tearing up...
Ijust finished this master piece. Its worthy of its legendary ratings like WOW. ;(
My child hood is flashing before my own eyes
It's November 2021 and the live-action adaptation arrives on Netflix on 11/19. TANK IS INTACT
No matter what, when I Finish an episode I unplug my headphones and let this song play, I will never skip
Same here
Me too
It's too nice
i wish they make it into movie. Spikes past, of how he became a gang member, Vicious being his best buds, falling inlove with Julia.
Bro the memories I have associated w this ending. During Quaratine(?) I watched CBBB, but only watched it at night. I had a small room and decided I would make a pallete instead of having a bed. Well I would sit on the pallete and the blue/ gray color scheme would just shine on my face at like 1-2am. Such good times…
a poignant yet hopeful song that transcends all language barriers and manages to be accessible to everyone
The perfect ending theme for a perfect anime
Anyone who love the ending more than the already amazing opening?
I actually don't like the opening at all.
Me
Legendary ending, still in 2021
Perfect ending
HANDS DOWN... THE VERY BEST !!! See you Space Cowboy...
Man this brings back memories 😁👌
Awesome music awesome sexy vocals.
Still rocking.
See you, space cowboy, sometime, somewhere.....
Thanks for uploading this. The only other I've seen that is the TV size version was quiet, and had the credits, and was not in HD.
This is definitely one anime song that transcends beyond of being *JUST* an anime song
See you Space Cowboy 😍
the only ending, you still watch even if the episode is over
Holy shmokes that's true. I found it hard not to skip even when it was a cliff hanger
Probably the best intro/outro for an anime. There are a few others but this one...
CREO QUE ES EL EL MEJOR ENDING DE UNA SERIE DE ANIME O LE DA PELEA A CUALQUIER ENDING.
Si
One of those rare ones I never skip after finishing an episode.
Okay netflix. If yall forget this ........
why does this NOT have more likes? This song is beautiful/amazing!
*See* *You* *Space* *Cowboy*
Such Nostalgia, wish I could go back to those days.
You're gonna carry that weight.
Since I have grown older (34) experienced life some, my mom passing last yr, I feel like I know what the real folklore blues are......profound song even though I only understand the english part, I can feel the pain flowing through it..
When this song came on we were all like "see you space cowboy"
Cowboy bepo and samurai champloo ending songs are amazing 👍🏻