Summary
Cowboy Bebopturned 25 this year, which is no small anniversary for one of the most internationally famous anime of all time. Japan has been taking the anniversary very seriously, withspecial events and new productsreleased to celebrate throughout the year. The latest celebration has been a special exhibition that has opened in Shibuya, Tokyo, and is running through the rest of the month.
The exhibition is being put on by Sunrise, the studio behindCowboy Bebop. The exhibition opened on October 27th and is running through November 19th. It is inside Seibu Department Store in the neighborhood of Shibuya, Tokyo. The exhibition itself is not so big but is very welcome toCowboy Bebopfans. The anime has had little merchandise or mention in Japan in the last two decades, so anyone who has beenwaiting for it to make a comebackcan finally be happy.
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Cowboy Bebopfirst aired in 1998 in Japan and grew in popularity not only there but abroad as well. It follows the story of bounty hunterSpike Spiegel and his friends as theyjourney around the galaxytrying to catch criminals - basically to get enough money so that they can eat good food. But Spike’s dark past eventually begins to catch up with him, and everything he has been trying to leave behind and keep a secret has to be dealt with properly if he wants to continue with his new lifestyle.
Most of the exhibition focuses on retelling theCowboy Bebopstory and looking in-depth at each of the main characters. Additionally, you can check out production artwork from the original anime. There are also two places where you can take photos. One is a model of theSwordfish II, Spike’s iconic shipand the other is a mock-up of the lounge area inside the Bebop ship. And like all special exhibitions in Japan, there is an exclusive goods shop with lots of keychains, themed snacks, and even a necktie.
TheCowboy Bebopexhibition is located in a good place to make it worth any anime fan’s trip to Shibuya. In addition to this pop-up exhibition, Shibuya is also home to a permanentOne Piecestore, a branch of the famous anime goods store Animate, and a huge pre-owned anime merchandise shop called Mandarake. For otaku wondering if the exhibition is worth going out to visit, there are plenty of other things to do nearby, as visiting the exhibition itself will not take more than a couple of hours at most.
For anyone interested in visiting theCowboy Bebopexhibition themselves, be sure to reserve your ticket ahead of time viathis website. The event has already proven very popular, so hoping to get tickets at the door may result in serious disappointment. Plus, due to the exhibition’s size, the number of people allowed inside is very limited to prevent it from becoming over-crowded. The best way to ensure you are able to visit is to make your reservation in advance. Tickets cost ¥1,800 ($12 USD) each.
TheCowboy Bebop25th Anniversary Exhibition is running in Seibu Department Store in Shibuya, Tokyo through November 19th, 2023.
