With theCowboy Bebopanime debuting onNetflixand the live-action series releasing on August 04, 2025, some viewers may already be hungry for more. This anime is considered to be one of the greats, if not the greatest out there. Even non-anime fans can appreciate it as a work of art.
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There are many reasons for that. The storytelling follows a classic noir structure. The anime is funny while not being over the top. The animation still holds up as well. Are there other anime out there that fit one or more of the criteria thatCowboy Bebopbrings to the table? Let’s check out some more of thebest ’90s anime that Cowboy Bebop fans should check out.
9The Big O
The Big Ois right on the cusp of being considered a ’90s anime since it started in October 1999 and didn’t end until 2000. Nevertheless, it’s still a classicCowboy Bebopfans can appreciate, andBatmanfans may dig it as well.
The main character, Roger Smith, is very much like a Bruce Wayne-type billionaire with a secret. The only difference between him and the Dark Knight is that Roger sports a bigger piece of armor, aka a giant robot that towers over the city whenever he fights villainous mechs.
8Ghost In The Shell
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complexis a spinoff anime series from this movie. While the movie devotes itself to its philosophical ideas and themes, the show explores in detail the Public Security Section 9’s operatives, building up their characters greatly.
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However, the series came out in the 2000s, so the film from the ’90s gets the real recommendation here. There is no space play in 1995’sGhost in the ShellunlikeCowboy Bebop, but there are likenesses between the two. Both have a very cyberpunk feelto their worldsand played a significant role in introducing anime to western audiences.
7Great Teacher Onizuka
Great Teacher Onizukais another anime that barely makes the cut since it began in 1999 and ended in 2000. The manga started in 1997 though so it all checks out. The titular Onizuka is a former yakuza member who decides to become a teacher in the most hilarious way possible.
Spike has a lot in common with Onizuka as he too left a mob-like organization to find a new calling, although the characters end up taking far different paths.Cowboy Bebopfans will also love this anime because Onizuka is voiced by the same actor as Spike in the English dub: Steve Blum.
Great Teacher Onizukais primarily a comedy and features practically no action; however, it does have its dark moments.
6Gundam Wing
Gundam Wingstarted airing around the same time asCowboy Bebopon Cartoon Network. It was first on Toonami before uncut episodes joinedCowboy Bebopon Adult Swim. This was seen as a more edgy entry in the series.
There is plenty of action to go along with themelodrama of mechs fightingover territory in space and on Earth. There’s not much humor toGundam Wingcompared toCowboy Bebop, and there are no standalone episodes, but it is still a high recommendation.
5Martian Successor Nadesico
On the surface,Martian Successor Nadesicoseems like a straightforward parody of sci-fi mecha shows, but the anime has plenty of things going on under the surface. Another space-themed ’90s anime classic,Martian Successor Nadesicoexpertly weaves humor, well-written characters, and political intrigue to tell an ambitious and grand tale.
Martian Successor Nadesicodoesn’t haveCowboy Bebop’s noir influences nor is it a space western. What the anime does share in common with Shinichiro Watanabe’s show is an appreciation for intimate moments and world-building.
4Outlaw Star
Outlaw Starissort of likeOne Piecebut in space. Gene is the main character who, along with his crew, is looking for a legendary treasure. They’re not the only ones either as there is a mob-like organization of space wizards also looking for it.
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One of the cooler things about the show is that Gene has a gun that uses magic bullets. It’s a fun mix of space adventuring, cyberpunk motifs, and classic fantasy magic. And yes, there is a fan service spa episode.
3Neon Genesis Evangelion
LikeCowboy Bebop,Neon Genesis Evangelionis considered a must-watch. WhileCowboy Bebopis more successful at throwing out a lighthearted exchange thanNGE, both anime are tragic in nature.
Set in a post-apocalyptic Earth where children pilot mechas to protect the world from the monstrous Angels,NGEis packed to the brim with visceral action set-pieces and haunting moments that explore the psyches of the characters. Reflective, profound, and complex can be used to describe bothCowboy BebopandNGE. Also, while their soundtracks are very different,both anime have incredible music.
2Tenchi Muyo
Tenchi Muyois a good recommendation forCowboy Bebopfans but it’s a little confusing as well. That’s because there areso many spinoffsfrom the manga which are all named differently and many take place in separate timelines too.
The first Western release, just calledTenchi Muyo, is actually a collection of OVAs released apart in Japan. It stars the seemingly ordinary Tenchi who is suddenly joined on Earth by a space pirate and the law enforcement parties that were pursuing her. It’s a harem anime with a space twist.
1Trigun
Trigunpremiered relatively close toCowboy Bebopon Adult Swim and remained on the block for almost as long. It’s a space Western wherein civilization has left Earth to colonize a new planet. Vash, the main character, is a seemingly goofy character that keeps getting roped into bandits trying to cash in his bounty.
When things get rough, his smile fades and the business side of Vash comes out. Even though he’s the slickest gun on the planet, Vash tries to only maim villains. He doesn’t want to kill anybody. The anime is relatively short,but the mangais much longer and very different.
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