New video showcases ‘Hidden Tracks’ behind Cowboy Bebop’s ending

A 9-minute video explainer illustrates the origins of the anime’s much-loved protagonist and iconic ending for the first time, tying in with the publication of unofficial Cowboy Bebop guide book, Three, Two, One: Let’s Jam! by Satoru Stevenson.

Japanese screen star Yūsaku Matsuda has been cited as an influence on Cowboy Bebop since its original TV run in 1998, but the extent of his influence on the staff behind it – and in turn, its content – has remained largely unexamined and even overlooked in the rest of the world.

Entitled ‘Pictures of Yūsaku’ (a twist on The Cure’s 1989 single ‘Pictures of You’) and staged in Bebop‘s oceanic take on cyberspace, the new video introduces fans of the animation to director Shinichiro Watanabe’s own childhood hero and his body of work. Side-by-side comparisons and key excerpts demonstrate how Matsuda’s TV detective serials and action film roles helped shape the development of the hit Sunrise show, from its earliest planning stages through to its very last scene.

Many of the examples seen in the explainer have never been pieced together before, much less laid out visually. The findings are among many others in Three, Two, One: Let’s Jam which uncovers, analyses and explores various aspects of the animated classic and its spin-offs. The book is now available to order worldwide on Amazon and through the Telos webshop, while further ‘Hidden Tracks’ videos showcasing particular discoveries are promised soon.