Original ‘Cowboy Bebop’ anime coming to Netflix
The original ‘Cowboy Bebop’ will debut on Netflix Oct. 21, one month ahead of the live-action adaptation.

The live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop premiering on Netflix in November has fans waiting with bated breath, but the streamer is helping to alleviate that wait by making the original Cowboy Bebop anime series available worldwide starting Oct. 21.
Netflix revealed the news on the Netflix Geekend account.
Bang… COWBOY BEBOP, the original anime series, is coming to Netflix worldwide on October 21 pic.twitter.com/BN3LF2XVSlOctober 12, 2021
The original Cowboy Bebop anime was released in 1998 and depicted “the futuristic misadventures and tragedies of an easygoing bounty hunter and his partners,” per IMDb. Fans got to enjoy those adventures of Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and the corgi Ein for 26 episodes, all of which will be available on Netflix. This will make the series more widely available to long-time fans and newbies alike, as before its Oct. 21 debut Cowboy Bebop was only available to rent online, watch through a Hulu premium subscription or on Tubi.
Netflix’s upcoming live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop is set to debut on the streaming service Nov. 19. John Cho stars as Spike Spiegel, with Mustafa Shakir playing Jet Black and Daniella Pineda as Faye Valentine. Additional cast members include Alex Hassell (Vicious), Elena Satine (Julia), Blessing Mokgohla (Santiago) and Mason Alexander Park (Gren).
Also: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ — What makes John Cho the perfect Spike Spiegel
Cowboy Bebop is just one of many high-profile shows that Netflix has coming out in the last few months of 2021. Some recent releases have included miniseries Midnight Mass and Maid, as well as the debut of the final seasons of both On My Block and Dear White People. Coming down the pipe will be the return of some of Netflix’s most popular shows, including Cobra Kai, The Witcher and the second volume of Money Heist: Part 5. But can Cowboy Bebop, or any of these shows, be more popular than Squid Game has been for Netflix?
If you want to watch Cowboy Bebop, the original anime or live-action adaptation, on Netflix you’re going to need a Netflix subscription. The standard streaming subscription starts at $13.99 per month.
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Michael Balderston is What to Watch’s assistant managing editor and lead movie writer, covering movies coming to theaters, writing movie reviews and highlighting new and classic movies on streaming services; he also covers a range of TV shows, including those in the Taylor Sheridan universe, Slow Horses, Only Murders in the Building, Jeopardy!, Saturday Night Live and more, as well as the best ways to watch some major US sporting events.
Based outside of Washington, D.C., Michael's previous experience includes writing for Awards Circuit, TV Technology and The Wrap.
Michael’s favorite movie of all time is Casablanca, while his favorite TV show is Seinfeld. Some 2025 favorites include One of Them Days and Black Bag for movies, and The Pitt on TV. Follow on Letterboxd to keep up with what I'm watching.