There was a lot of trepidation among anime and manga fans in the buildup to One Piece, if only because Netflix’s last attempt at a blockbuster series drawing from some of the medium’s most beloved source material couldn’t have gone much worse than it did in the immediate aftermath of Cowboy Bebop.
Heralded as one of the most-anticipated shows on the calendar, critics and audiences alike were left equally aghast by what they ended up getting. Trounced in reviews, lambasted by those with an affinity for its inspirations, and largely ignored by casual viewers, the series was axed just 20 days after premiering in one of the most embarrassing cancellations in Netflix history.
If there’s one iteration of Cowboy Bebop to watch, it ain’t the one starring John Cho, that’s for sure. Unfortunately, that’s the only one users of the platform are going to be left with after it was revealed the animated version will be departing the content library in select regions from Oct. 22.
All 26 episodes are currently available depending on where in the world you’re located, but if you’ve had the lingering desire to dive back in for a rewatch, then time is not on your side. It’s almost cruel that Netflix would let the original and best Cowboy Bebop slip through its fingers and leave one of its biggest-ever flops as the survivor, but that’s sadly how the complicated and complex world of distribution contracts works these days.
On the plus side, at least One Piece will be returning for season 2.
