August 2023 | Otaku No Culture |

Celebrating 25 Years of Cowboy Bebop. Complete Soundtrack Coming Soon to Vinyl and Everything You’ll Want to Know

To bring the anniversary of Cowboy Bebop to a close, coming Dec 13, 2023 is the vinyl release of the complete soundtrack of the series (in all its forms)!

Cowboy Bebop LP Box Set Press Release

The original anime Cowboy Bebop, directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, was broadcast on TV in 1998. Its stylish visuals left a profound impact on viewers, transcending the boundaries of anime and inspiring numerous fans. The anime TV series achieved immense popularity, not only domestically but also internationally. It was subsequently adapted into a theatrical version and even a live-action series on Netflix.

Notably, the music composed by Yoko Kanno, which accompanied the visuals, gained significant recognition. The soundtrack’s first volume, titled “COWBOY BEBOP,” included the iconic opening theme “Tank!” and achieved tremendous success. It was awarded the 13th Japan Gold Disc Award for Animation Album of the Year. The music’s versatility spanned genres from jazz, rock, and French pop to house music. Additionally, the renowned jazz engineer from Blue Note Records’ golden era, Rudy Van Gelder, contributed to the production, further elevating its reputation beyond the confines of anime music both domestically and internationally.

Addendum: Tim Jensen helped co-write the lyrics to at least ten songs, which includes, “Blue,” “Words That We Couldn’t Say,” and
“Ask DNA (sung by Raj Ramayya).

Now, an 11-disc box set, encompassing all 7 albums and maxi-singles of the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack, is set to be released on December 13, 2023. Encased in a deluxe box, each title’s jacket will sport its original design. The artwork, which received high praise at the time of the CD releases, will now come in LP size, a tantalizing prospect for collectors.

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[Victoria Fringe 2023] New Earth Bandits Photo Gallery, Beware of Mutants!

Is the Future Safe from SNAFU Dance’s New Earth Bandits? Look on as we present images from Sunday evening’s performance.

For folks unable to attend SNAFU Dance‘s New Earth Bandits because it’s a regional show, I offer a sequential journey on what I experienced. Please visit the prior article for a full review and synopsis. Although there was lots to take in, the visual spectacle and journey of these remaining survivors of Earth (and visitors to) was amazing to behold, and plus, we got a terrific sunset to experience as the show drew to a close. Not included are images of the closing act, since some spoiler info should be kept masked.

Without further adieu:

[Victoria Fringe 2023] Is it Bad There’s New Earth Bandits? Welcome to the Future, If You’re Brave!

You’ll get plenty of exercise walking up and down the hills around Macauly Point Park to discover where the New Earth Bandits are hiding in SNAFU’s latest.

New Earth Bandits SNAFU From Interstellar Elder to Kitt and Jane (both shows I’ve seen and reviewed), The SNAFU Society of Unexpected Spectacles has an all new show! I’m not sure if they’ll tour this because it’s very site specific, but for anyone visiting Victoria, BC‘s Macaulay Point Park, they’ll be in for a treat! Here, their latest, New Earth Bandits, sends visitors (theatre attendees) to the future where a colony of humans, mutants, and animals kind of belligerently live together.

Also, I found space aliens! They didn’t join the visitors (theatre attendees) to figure out what’s going on. Instead, we’re told the year is 7023. In where we started, the portal to which everyone steps through takes us there and what’s presented is a glimpse of what may be this planet’s last dance, if we don’t change our ways.

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[Victoria Fringe 2023] Introducing Pico’s Puppet Palace and Their Second Play, Pico and the Golden Lagoon

Balancing deliverying positive messages about how to respect the earth can be challenging, and in what Pico and the Golden Lagoon delivers balances family friendly entertainment with a message for all ages.

Sally Miller and Pico, Together, Forever

Pico and the Golden Lagoon continues in what Pico’s Puppet Palace excels in, to prove that you don’t have to depend on buying products to create puppets and items needed for their show. This regional theatre duo who wants to teach children the importance of environmentalism and being kind to one another.

This biplane pilot who does parcel deliveries around the world gets into some crazy situations! Although he only has two pulp style adventures under his belt, I’m sure more tales are planned. After the successful Pico Under the Coral Sea which toured Vancouver Island and beyond to great success, to have another tale detailing his life in the skies is the next logical step.

During a mail run, this aviator’s plane is nearly out of gas. He’s lucky to land safely by a deserted island, but when he realises he’s alone, that’s not good! Not even the local fauna, who amusingly can talk, want to help. He’ll have to make a smoke signal or hope someone lives in the cabin he spotted while descending. All of that is amusing, but if they don’t have fuel, how will he leave?

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[Victoria Fringe 2023] When the Phantom Pain is Real, What Else can a Lost Soul Feel?

Some memories should not be best left buried, but dealt with carefully. In Sarah, Mo, and We’re All Friends’ theatrical presentation, Phantom Pain, maybe it’s best not to completely ignore it….

Phantom Pain Promotional Image This year the theatre company, ‘Sarah, Mo, and We’re All Friends,’ presents a brilliant late Victorian-age ghost story known as Phantom Pain. And when Theatre SKAM is offering the studio space for them to present this performance as a work in progress, I’m sure there’ll be more shows to come as the rough edges are ironed out, and maybe get a revision or two. I even have my own suggestions (which I’ll address at the end).

In this story, a talented painter, Constance (Annalyn Kind), has not gotten over the loss of Fenella (Becky Miner). These two are soul mates. Sadly, consumption would claim the life of the blonde socialite. Their love is eternal. When they first met, the attraction was instant! Although that would form a rift with a mutual friend, Daisy (Tamra Marie), who was the girlfriend at the time, nobody could truly stay mad forever.

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[Victoria Fringe 2023] Renfield, or Dining at the Bughouse – A Review

Sometimes, you just have to dive deep into the madness that created Renfield, or Dining at the Bughouse as it takes a bite at what created him, even before meeting Dracula!

Renfield or, Dining at the Bughouse Bram Stoker’s Dracula has left an indelible impression on pop culture, and there are many ways to read into the tale. For playwright Bill Zaget (who also performed this show at Montreal Fringe), what he’s taken from it is a new way to present the madman who declared this vampire, “Master!” In Renfield, or Dining at the Bughouse, this performer gives this character a life that’s different from what I recall from the book. By stripping away the world, what he recounts of his childhood (which has never been told before) is haunting.

While some people may get bothered by the allusions to child abuse and sexual misconduct, thankfully it’s just fiction. The story is told from the point of view of him regressing to a point of view of an eight-year-old. At other times, an insectoid perspective (basically, what he ate) gets used. As a result, I can’t help but be reminded of classical myths where these bugs are revered and even feared for one reason or another. They often lead to a chrysalis, a metamorphosis, to a new state of mind. What Zaget offers is mesmerising when he gets to that point with the stories presented within a story.

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