Wendee Lee (English) Megumi Hayashibara (Japanese)
Cowboy Bebop (カウボーイビバップ) is a 1998 Japanese anime series developed by Sunrise. It featured a production team led by director Shinichirō Watanabe, screenwriter Keiko Nobumoto, character designer Toshihiro Kawamoto, mechanical designer Kimitoshi Yamane, and composer Yoko Kanno. The twenty-six episodes of the series are set in the year 2071. It follows the adventures, misadventures and tragedies of a bounty hunter crew travelling on the Bebop, their starship.
The crew is made up of five main characters: Spike Spiegel, an exiled hitman of the ruthless Red Dragon Syndicate; Jet Black, a former ISSP officer who retired following a mob hit that cost him his arm; Faye Valentine, an amnesiac con artist who awakened in the future after a lengthy period of cryogenic hibernation; "Radical" Edward, a barefooted preteen girl who is a prolific computer hacker; and Ein, a hyper-intelligent, genetically-engineered Welsh Corgi dog.
The following weapons are seen in the anime Cowboy Bebop:
Spike Spiegel's signature pistol is a customized IMI Jericho 941 R chambered in 9x19mm. He has installed custom grips and a frame mounted laser sight on the right side, although we never see him use it.
The original Jericho 941 came with two barrels for use with either 9mm or .41AE ammunition. A blued steel rod was intended for the 9mm round with a lighter spring, and a stainless steel rod with heavier springs for the larger load of the .41AE round. Spike's Jericho is chambered in 9mm but features a silver recoil spring. We can assume this was either due to artistic license, or part of the modifications Spike made to the gun. Worth noting that many actual owners of a Jericho 941 chambered in 9mm change the stock rod/recoil spring with an aftermarket chrome kit based on the .41 AE version, to reduce recoil and increase rate of fire.
Jet Black's signature pistol is an original-model Walther P99. Despite a lack of markings, including caliber and importer as contrasted to Spike's Jericho 941, it is specifically identifiable as a 9mm version because the slide has weight reduction cuts at the front, while the .40S&W slide does not. Of all the gun-wielding members of the Bebop's crew, Jet is perhaps the least likely to be seen with his weapon drawn; preferring instead to get up close and personal with the enhanced strength of his cybernetic arm.
The pistol appears to be a holdover from his days as an ISSP officer, since he can be seen using it in a flashback during the episode 'Black Dog Serenade'.
Faye's signature pistol is a .45 ACP Glock 30. She draws the pistol frequently to threaten bounties but is rarely seen firing it, one of the most notable exceptions being in the episode "The Real Folk Blues Part I", when she uses it to shoot out the tires of two cars belonging to the Red Dragon Syndicate during a chase. She later fires several rounds into the ceiling of the Bebop in frustration when she fails to prevent Spike from leaving on a clear suicide mission.
While preparing for the confrontation with Vicious and his men at the church in "Ballad of Fallen Angels", Spike stocks up on weapons, one of the weapons he retrieves is a Ruger P85 that he had kept hidden in the fridge of the Bebop. Though it is shown being loaded and cleaned, it is never seen in use on screen.
In the episode "Black Dog Serenade", several prisoners aboard the ISSP prison ship can be seen with a Heckler & Koch USP when they take control, including using one to kill the pilot.
Gren also carried one in the two-part episode "Jupiter Jazz" and used it against Vicious. Police forces can also be seen using the pistol in the episode "Jamming With Edward".
In the episode "Pierrot Le Fou", ISSP bodyguards can be seen using Heckler & Koch Mark 23 pistols as their sidearms, fitted with AN/PEQ-6 Laser Aiming Modules, which prove to be no match for Mad Pierrot's skill and arsenal.
In the episode "Black Dog Serenade", Jet's former ISSP partner Fad can be seen using a Smith & Wesson Model 29 with a 4 inch barrel as his sidearm, which he keeps in a shoulder holster.
Surprisingly given the series' heavy John Woo influence, the Beretta 92FS is seen in only two episodes. In "Ballad of Fallen Angels", Annie gives Spike a Beretta 92FS with a stainless steel barrel along with a carton of 9x19mm ammo. Spike later dual-wields it with his Jericho during his fight with Vicious and his men.
In "The Real Folk Blues Part I", a Red Dragon member uses a Beretta 92FS to fire at Julia and Faye.
In the episode "Stray Dog Strut", the three scientists after Hakim appear to be using modified Beretta 950 Jetfires sporting wood grips and suppressors. Unfortunately, they never get the chance to use them.
The Browning Hi-Power and its variants seem to be popular weapons in the Cowboy Bebop universe, appearing in the episodes "Honky Tonk Women", "Ballad of Fallen Angels", and "Ganymede Elegy".
In "The Real Folk Blues Part I", Vicious uses a 9mm Colt Commander to threaten Julia. She later uses it when she and Spike are engaged in a shootout with Red Dragon Syndicate members.
In episode 2, "Stray Dog Strut", Hakim uses a Desert Eagle to threaten the man who stole his briefcase. The weapon is drawn smaller than normal in his hands, close to the size of a compact pistol, possibly to emphasize Hakim's towering stature.
Appearing in only one episode, "Sympathy for the Devil", Spike uses a break-action, single-shot pistol loaded with a custom round made from a rare mineral against the primary antagonist in the climax of the episode.
Its function and form appears to be based on the Thompson Center Arms Contender, but is entirely fictional, including a cut in the muzzle to act as a compensator.
Also appearing only once in the episode "Sympathy for the Devil", this fictional pistol appears to be partially based on the M1911. Some variety of compensator or barrel weight is attached to the front of the pistol. Beside, magazine capacity is not 7 in real life, but it holds 18-rounds.
In "Honky Tonk Women", Faye's debut episode, she uses a Heckler & Koch MP5K to defend herself from the mobsters she was trying to escape from, though is forced to surrender when they answer her MP5K with their own handheld minigun.
It is also used by Red Dragon henchmen in "The Real Folks Blues", and briefly seen in a photograph when Jet is describing the history of the 'Space Warriors' (an eco-terrorist group) in "Gateway Shuffle".
Appearing only once in the opening of the episode "Asteroid Blues", the Heckler & Koch MP5A3 is briefly seen in the hands of Red Dragon enforcers during the opening shootout.
Two versions appear, one fitted with a Surefire forend weaponlight, and one without. Both appear to have two magazines in a dual mag clamp.
In the episode "Gateway Shuffle", a group of environmental terrorists calling themselves the "Space Warriors" can be seen brandishing MAC-10 machine pistols.
The MAC-10 also makes a brief appearance in two other episodes, fitted with a suppressor. In the hands of several mobsters after Faye in "Honky Tonk Women", and by Mad Pierrot in the episode "Pierrot Le Fou".
During Spike's raid on the Red Dragon Syndicate headquarters in the episode "Real Folk Blues", Syndicate henchmen can be seen using Steyr TMP machine pistols, among other weapons.
In the episode "Asteroid Blues", several mobsters can be seen wielding IMI Uzis while chasing their stolen property and shooting up a bar.
The Uzi also makes two other minor appearances, once in the episode "Toys in the Attic" where a full-sized Uzi can be seen among the many items Faye has won from Jet, and once in the episode "Pierrot Le Fou", briefly being drawn together with a MAC-10 by Tongpu.
In the episode "Jupiter Jazz Part II", Gren, Vicious, and several other soldiers can be seen using full-sized Heckler & Koch G36 rifles in Gren's flashback to combat on Jupiter's moon Titan.
The Heckler & Koch G3 is seen in the hands of the Red Dragon firing squad in episode 25, "The Real Folk Blues Pt 1". They appear to be fitted with slimline grips.
In the episode "Cowboy Funk", the guard escorting Ted Bower, the "Teddy Bomber", is carrying a Remington 870 pump-action shotgun with black synthetic furniture.
In the episode "The Real Folk Blues Part I", Spike retrieves a Mossberg 500 Cruiser from a box in the back of Annie's store and uses it during the shootout that ensues.
When Spike faces Vicious at the church, one of his men fires on him with an M79 Grenade Launcher, though fails to score a hit and is ultimately killed by Spike.
In the episode "Mushroom Samba", the youngest Shaft brother wields what appears to be a fictional pump-action grenade launcher, similar in function to the real-life China Lake Launcher.
One is also used by Mad Pierrot in the episode "Pierrot Le Fou", and by a Red Dragon thug in the episode "The Real Folk Blues Part 1".
In the episode "Mushroom Samba", Coffy uses a stylized Arwen 37 to fire on Shaft as he attempts to board the train.
Later in the episode "Bohemian Rhapsody", Jonathan wields another stylized Arwen 37 of the same design in order to threaten Hex, and later fires several rounds in crazed frustration upon realizing Hex has gone senile in his old age.
In the episode "Cowboy Funk", Cowboy Andy uses a lever-action grenade launcher during the chase with Teddy Bomber which appears to be at least stylistically based on a Winchester Model 1894.
The grenade launcher is fitted with a large lever loop (a la the earlier Winchester Model 1887 from Terminator 2). In a sequence very reminiscent of the film, Andy draws and flip-cocks the Launcher one handed while riding a horse.
In the episode "Ballad of Fallen Angels", Spike empties a paper bag full of M67 hand grenades onto a table while preparing to confront Vicious at the Church, later using them to dispatch several of his men.
Unlike the real M67 grenade, these have grey bodies and no apparent markings.
Appearing in the episode "Toys in the Attic", Spike initially uses this flamethrower to roast some kebabs, but later turns it against an unknown creature incapacitating the crew.
This episode borrows heavily from Alien, and appears to be partially based on the M240 Flamethrower from its sequel Aliens, however the similarities are limited.
In the episode "Honky Tonk Women", the mobsters that capture Faye force her to surrender when they respond to her MP5K barrage by returning fire with a handheld M134 Minigun, decimating the Chinese pharmacy she was in.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingAirsoft handheld M134 Minigun with "chainsaw" grip to handle the weapon, as seen in Terminator 2: Judgment Day - (fake) 7.61x51mm NATOError creating thumbnail: File missingA mobster emerges through the sunroof of a car brandishing an M134 Minigun. Judging by where his left hand is, it appears to have the Terminator 2-style chainsaw grip.Error creating thumbnail: File missingCloseup of the muzzle of the M134 Minigun as it fires.
M197 Vulcan
In the episode "Honky Tonk Women", the mob-run casino ship can be seen armed with an M197 Vulcan mounted to the deck, which appears to have a futuristic version of the Raytheon Phalanx Close-In Weapon System.
In the episode "Pierrot Le Fou", the title character can be seen brandishing a fictional cane gun as his primary weapon, firing a massive number of shots (as opposed to real cane guns usually being loaded with only one round) and demonstrating incredible accuracy - he is able to shoot out the window of an armored car with a repeated barrage of bullets to the same spot.
Various weapons can be seen when Faye is held at gunpoint in the episode "Honky Tonk Women". Mad Pierrot displays an impressive arsenal hidden in his coat in the episode "Pierrot Le Fou" which he pulls several weapons from.
In the episode "Stray Dog Strut", an assortment of melee weapons, pistols, and rifles can be seen when Spike visits a gunshop looking for info after impressing the owner with his knowledge of nunchaku.
