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I’m a big fan of anime, but I’m also very particular. That is, there are a few titles that I like, and those I really like. I can leave the rest. Cowboy Bebop is one of the great ones.

Spike is a bounty hunter. His partner is Jet, an ex-cop. They have some companions - Faye, Edward (a little girl), and a dog named Ein. They’re martial arts experts, they have space ships, and they save the world to great music. The pacing is solid, the characters are interesting, the action is great, and the animation is haunting and delectable.

This is the movie - there are also six discs of the series. If you think you might watch the whole thing, watch those first. They introduce the characters and follow the broad story arc. The movie takes place somewhere in the middle of the series timeline, but can stand on its own if you’re not going to watch the whole series.

Buy Cowboy Bebop - The Movie from Amazon.

This short little underappreciated film fills in the plot space between Pitch Black and Riddick. I think I enjoyed it more than the second movie. Directed by Peter Chung (creator of Aeon Flux), it’s well-paced, it’s got an interesting plot, and it’s a fun little movie (it’s about 40 minutes). It also addresses some plot questions left open by Riddick, even the Director’s Cut.

The animation is, of course, beautiful.

Buy Dark Fury from Amazon.

Ah…. Farscape.

It’s engaging science fiction at its best. I never watched it on TV, but caught the DVDs instead, because I like 5.1 surround sound, and I can’t stand to watch an episodic series out of order. It was well worth it.

Farscape is the tale of John Crichton, astronaut, shot through a wormhole to the other side of the galaxy during a routine experiment piloting a small craft of his own design. The universe he finds himself in quickly unfolds in wondrous, dangerous, and interesting ways, as he struggles to find his place, bond with his new companions, and avoid being killed by a rampaging maniac military commander. But oh, it just gets better from there! The acting is convincing all around, the special effects are beautiful, the pacing is good, the writing is intelligent and funny, and the story arcs are long, broad, and deep. Not every episode is the best, of course, but taken as a whole, it’s a work worth appreciating and savoring.

After four seasons, Farscape was canceled, but a massive outpouring of fan support brought it back for a 4-hour miniseries, The Peacekeeper Wars. Personally, I preferred the cliffhanger ending of the fourth season. The miniseries felt rushed and forced. You might want to see it, but you might just want to ignore it. Either way, it doesn’t detract from the greatness in the first four seasons.

Click below to order The Compleat Seasons 1-4 or the miniseries from Amazon.

Farscape - The Complete Season One
Farscape - The Complete Second Season
Farscape - The Complete Third Season
Farscape - The Complete Fourth Season
Farscape - The Peacekeeper Wars