Formally, the series does not have a main character, but it is quite clear that the main star is Spike Spiegel.
Spike does not look like a typical action hero.
Unlike other characters, he is not a caricature.
Who is the greatest anime character of all time? Surely every fan will have their own answer. Some viewers would say that such a character is Monkey D. Luffy. No doubt there will be many votes for Eren Yeager. And some fans prefer Light Yagami's moral ambiguity. We believe that the best anime hero of all time is Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop. Let's see why.
Main Star
In terms of genre, Cowboy Bebop is a space western. It follows the adventures of the Bebop Ship crew, several bounty hunters traveling across planets in search of criminals. Formally, the series does not have a main character, as the screen time is more or less evenly distributed among the main characters. However, it is quite clear that the main star of the anime is Spike Spiegel. The main events of the story are connected to him.
Unusual character
Spike seems to be a closed and cold hero who has no loved ones. However, if you look closely, you can see that he has a lot of pain. He does not want to be mysterious; rather, his closeness comes from a total mistrust of people. In this sense, Spike is closer to the heroes of American noir films about detectives (it is no coincidence that he always smokes and wears a suit).
Physically, Spike does not look like a typical action hero. He's too tall and painfully skinny. Although he is brilliant in various fighting techniques, he sometimes seems to be dancing rather than fighting. So his figure does not mean that he is a great fighter. He has no macho charisma or trickster wit. Needless to say, Spike constantly slouches. So what is his secret?
Psychological depth
Before the series’ events, Spike was a crime syndicate member. Due to a conflict related to a love triangle, Spike was forced to leave the clan. He has to start his life anew. This difficult past weighs heavily on Spike, and the memories of lost love force him to constantly rethink his life. It seems as if the hero never found himself in the world after the separation from his beloved one, so he has to constantly search for risky adventures in order not to feel inner pain.
He doesn't have the expressiveness of many anime characters. It takes a lot of psychological nuance to portray a character. We could say that Spike Spiegel is the show's creators' fantasy of what happens to a typical crime drama hero after the credits roll. Spike no longer wants or expects anything from life. Such melancholy is oddly compelling. Unlike other characters, he is not a caricature, but a simple man with his own strengths and weaknesses. Watching the show, it's hard not to find yourself thinking: oh, he's literally me.
See you space cowboy…
Summary:
Formally, the series does not have a main character, but it is quite clear that the main star is Spike Spiegel.
Spike does not look like a typical action hero.
Unlike other characters, he is not a caricature.
Who is the greatest anime character of all time? Surely every fan will have their own answer. Some viewers would say that such a character is Monkey D. Luffy. No doubt there will be many votes for Eren Yeager. And some fans prefer Light Yagami's moral ambiguity. We believe that the best anime hero of all time is Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop. Let's see why.
Main Star
In terms of genre, Cowboy Bebop is a space western. It follows the adventures of the Bebop Ship crew, several bounty hunters traveling across planets in search of criminals. Formally, the series does not have a main character, as the screen time is more or less evenly distributed among the main characters. However, it is quite clear that the main star of the anime is Spike Spiegel. The main events of the story are connected to him.
Unusual character
Spike seems to be a closed and cold hero who has no loved ones. However, if you look closely, you can see that he has a lot of pain. He does not want to be mysterious; rather, his closeness comes from a total mistrust of people. In this sense, Spike is closer to the heroes of American noir films about detectives (it is no coincidence that he always smokes and wears a suit).
Physically, Spike does not look like a typical action hero. He's too tall and painfully skinny. Although he is brilliant in various fighting techniques, he sometimes seems to be dancing rather than fighting. So his figure does not mean that he is a great fighter. He has no macho charisma or trickster wit. Needless to say, Spike constantly slouches. So what is his secret?
Psychological depth
Before the series’ events, Spike was a crime syndicate member. Due to a conflict related to a love triangle, Spike was forced to leave the clan. He has to start his life anew. This difficult past weighs heavily on Spike, and the memories of lost love force him to constantly rethink his life. It seems as if the hero never found himself in the world after the separation from his beloved one, so he has to constantly search for risky adventures in order not to feel inner pain.
He doesn't have the expressiveness of many anime characters. It takes a lot of psychological nuance to portray a character. We could say that Spike Spiegel is the show's creators' fantasy of what happens to a typical crime drama hero after the credits roll. Spike no longer wants or expects anything from life. Such melancholy is oddly compelling. Unlike other characters, he is not a caricature, but a simple man with his own strengths and weaknesses. Watching the show, it's hard not to find yourself thinking: oh, he's literally me.
