Top Anime Similar to Cowboy Bebop

Shinichirō Watanabe has been a trailblazer in the realm of sci-fi anime since his co-direction of the acclaimed Macross franchise, specifically Macross Plus. Over the course of his illustrious 35-year career, Watanabe has crafted some of the most beloved and influential series, including his jazz-infused masterpiece, Cowboy Bebop. This series follows a group of daring space adventurers navigating the cosmos in a neo-noir style. Cowboy Bebop's timeless appeal is significantly enhanced by Yoko Kanno's iconic score, which continues to resonate through live performances and soundtrack rereleases, keeping the series firmly in the public eye.

Cowboy Bebop has left an indelible mark on cinema and storytelling, influencing creators such as Rian Johnson of Star Wars, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Diego Molano of Victor and Valentino. Its impact extends beyond the anime community, attracting even those typically uninterested in the genre.

6 Best Anime Like Cowboy Bebop

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Cowboy Bebop's enduring popularity and influence make it a cornerstone of the anime canon. If you're eager to explore similar themes and styles after your latest (or first) binge, here are six anime that capture the essence of space travel, global adventures, and moral ambiguity.

Lazarus

Adult Swim

Our first recommendation is Watanabe's latest series, Lazarus, which premiered its first episode on Adult Swim on April 5th at midnight. Produced by MAPPA and Sola Entertainment, with John Wick director Chad Stahelski overseeing art, and featuring original compositions from Kamasi Washington, Floating Points, and Bonobos, Lazarus has generated more buzz than perhaps any other anime this year. This series serves as a stylish counterpart to Cowboy Bebop, revisiting the gritty, underdog sci-fi vibe of that series, feeling strikingly relevant in 2025.

The plot revolves around a life-saving drug that turns fatal three years after its use, endangering millions. Enter Axel, a regular convict and jailbreaker, tasked with assembling a team to locate the drug's creator and secure an antidote within just 30 days. Brace yourself for a thrilling, dark journey.

Terminator Zero

Netflix

Continuing with a more grounded and bleak approach to sci-fi, next is Terminator Zero, a compelling addition to the Terminator saga directed by Masashi Kudō, produced by Production IG, and created by Mattson Tomlin (known for the Netflix film Project Power with Jamie Foxx). While it's more serious than Cowboy Bebop and much of Watanabe's work, its stylistic action and impeccable gunplay will satisfy that particular craving, filling the void left by Cowboy Bebop in your action-anime viewing.

Terminator Zero stands out for its contemporary take on sci-fi, addressing the technology and culture of our times, making it essential viewing in 2025. For those seeking an aesthetically pleasing modern anime that matches Cowboy Bebop's visual appeal, this slick and boundary-pushing series offers a fresh perspective on the Terminator franchise's Judgement Day through a distinctly Japanese lens.

Space Dandy

Crunchyroll

This entry in Shinichirō Watanabe's catalog saw him stepping back to serve as general director, with Shingo Natsume directing this humorous serialized space opera produced by Japanese animation studio Bones. If you're after an easy, breezy throwback to classic Saturday morning cartoons that evokes the same nostalgia as Cowboy Bebop, Space Dandy is a perfect choice.

Packed with references to classic sci-fi and anime, this charming series follows the titular Dandy, an outer space bounty hunter on a mission to discover and register new alien lifeforms. With style reminiscent of Spike and Faye Valentine, Dandy's swagger is undeniable. Though the premise may seem straightforward, the show delves into unexpected and existential territories as Dandy uncovers truths about the universe and his own existence while hunting aliens with his robot and cat companions. While it may not have achieved the global success of Cowboy Bebop, it remains highly rewatchable, visually stunning, and incredibly entertaining.

Lupin 3rd

Tokyo Movie

If you're seeking a series that captures the same sense of adventure and boundless potential as Cowboy Bebop, look no further than the delightfully engaging crime caper, Lupin III. Since its debut in 1965, written by Kazuhiko Katō under the pseudonym Monkey Punch, the franchise has expanded across manga, anime, video games, and numerous cinematic releases. The best entry point for on-screen adaptations is the 1971 anime series, which introduced audiences to Lupin, a laid-back criminal inspired by the legendary fictional gentleman thief, Arsene Lupin.

The first season, comprising 23 episodes, features directors like Masaaki Ōsumi, and future Studio Ghibli legends Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. It's an excellent introduction to Lupin III's world, and fans will find five decades of stories, movies, and shows to explore further.

Samurai Champloo

Crunchyroll

Samurai Champloo is often considered the spiritual successor to Cowboy Bebop. Conceived while Watanabe worked on Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, its art style, structure, and storytelling reflect that influence. However, it's a historical action tale rather than the sci-fi Watanabe is known for. The series explores themes of life, freedom, and mortality, much like his other works.

The story follows a trio of morally ambiguous heroes: Mugen, an outlaw; Fuu, a tea server; and Jin, a ronin. Set in the Edo period, Watanabe's focus on inclusion and tolerance stands out, adding a progressive layer to the narrative and avoiding nationalistic overtones.

Trigun

Adult Swim

If Cowboy Bebop's stylistic action and morally complex anti-hero appeal to you, Trigun is likely to become your next favorite anime. Adapted from Yasuhiro Nightow's hit manga of the same name, which ran in Monthly Shonen Captain, Trigun debuted in Japan in 1998 and in the US three years later, at the dawn of the new millennium.

Like Cowboy Bebop, Trigun is a noir-inspired space western, but with heightened stakes. It follows Vash, a man with a massive bounty on his head due to his uncontrollable superpowers that led to the accidental destruction of a city. As viewers delve into Vash's story, they also explore the motives of those hunting him, creating a gripping narrative that earned the anime multiple "best of the year" accolades and propelled the manga to sell out in the US.