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Taking inspiration from a real-life scenario or incident for your work is not a unique thing until it is seen in the tech noir, Space WesternCowboy Bebop. Created by Shinichirō Watanabe,Cowboy Bebopis a legend of its time and is praised by anime enthusiasts to this day. The story follows the adventures of Bounty Hunters, who are on an enticing journey in space.
While the series is primarily focused on adventure and outer world themes, it also has a lot of comedic moments and a pinch of horror. The horror in particular was seen during the eleventh episode of the series called Toys in the Attic. It is also one of the highest-rated episodes of the series.
But what manyCowboy Bebopfans won’t know is that this episode was inspired by a real-life incident. Watanabe recently revealed how he got the inspiration for the weird episode and used it in the most unique way possible.
The WeirdestCowboy BebopEpisode Ever
Cowboy Bebopis a collection of unique and enticing “sessions” that attract viewers for more. The series might only have a few episodes compared to other anime, but it certainly makes up for itwith the suspense and thrill in each episode. However, the weirdestCowboy Bebopepisode created byShinichirō Watanabeis called Toys in the Attic, and just like its name, it has glimpses of terror.
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The episode revolves around a weird creature that was locked inside a refrigerator in the Bebop spaceship for a long time. It eventually gets out and starts terrifying the entire group. Not only that, it even bites everyone but Spike, giving them purple welts on the bite mark.
Eventually, Spike and Ed were able to destroy it, but he made a nest for himself in the refrigerator, and Spike had to dump it in outer space. It was later revealed that it was actually a Ganymede rock lobster that Spike stored inside the fridge and forgot.
Shinichirō Watanabe’s Inspiration for Toys in the Attic
During an interview withForbeslast year, Watanabe gave a lot of information aboutCowboy Bebopand how he managed to make one of the greatest anime series ever. While talking about the series, he also revealed how he got the inspiration for the weirdest episode ofCowboy Bebop.
Watanabe stated:
As for the idea behind the episode Toys in the Attic, that came from Minami’s refrigerator. This dates back to when I worked on Layzner. Minami was also a production manager, more senior to me. One day Minami asked me to help him move house, and when I got there his refrigerator was outside and he told me that it could never be opened.
This was because he had left it unattended for too long and he had no idea what had happened to the food left inside. It was wrapped very securely with a lot of duct tape and we never opened it. So naturally, I always wondered what was going on inside it.
While Watanabe never got to experience what was inside his friend’s refrigerator, he used his own imagination to make the reference inCowboy Bebopterrifying and thrilling at the same time.
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Unique aspects and elements like these are the reason whyCowboy Bebopis considered a gem even after so many years. The series still has created a legacy that is going to live on for many years to come.
Cowboy Bebopis available to watch on Crunchyroll.
Tarun Kohli
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2958
Tarun Kohli is the Senior Anime Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,900 published articles. He currently specializes in critiquing One Piece and other Shonen anime. A passionate fan of the genre, his love for thoughtful analysis reflects his genuine appreciation for the art of anime. His deep understanding of anime culture has earned recognition from industry figures such as Adi Shankar and the creators of Blood of Zeus.
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cowboy bebopShinichiro Watanabe
