Editing Cowboy Bebop (section)

===Characters===
{{See also|List of Cowboy Bebop characters{{!}}List of ''Cowboy Bebop'' characters}}
[[File:Cowboy-bebop-754433.jpg|thumb|left|Main cast from left to right: Jet Black, [[Spike Spiegel]], Faye Valentine, Edward, and Ein]]
The characters were created by Watanabe and character designed by [[Toshihiro Kawamoto]]. Watanabe envisioned each character as an extension of his own personality, or as an opposite person to himself.<ref name="WataDirty">{{Cite news|last=Charles Solomon|date=March 30, 2003|title=Dirty Harry in outer space?|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-mar-30-ca-solomon30-story.html|url-status=live|access-date=March 1, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006182850/http://articles.latimes.com/2003/mar/30/entertainment/ca-solomon30|archive-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref> Each character, from the main cast to supporting characters, were designed to be outlaws unable to fit into society.<ref name="AODinterview">{{Cite web|date=February 14, 2006|title=Cowboy Bebop Panel|url=http://animeondvd.com/press/conventions/axny2002/axnybeboppanel.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030605011254/http://animeondvd.com/press/conventions/axny2002/axnybeboppanel.php|archive-date=June 5, 2003|access-date=January 6, 2015|publisher=Anime on DVD.com}}</ref> Kawamoto designed the characters so they were easily distinguished from one another.<ref name="CowboyMag" /> All the main cast are characterized by a deep sense of loneliness or resignation to their fate and past.<ref name="CowboyMag">{{Cite journal|last=Bricken, Robert|date=January 2003|title=Behind the Bebop - Murder, Mars and All That Jazz|journal=[[Anime Insider|Anime Invasion]]|publisher=[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]]|issue=#5}}</ref> From the perspective of Brian Camp and Julie Davis, the main characters resemble the main characters of the anime series ''[[Lupin III]]'', if only superficially, given their more troubled pasts and more complex personalities.<!--THE RESEMBLANCE IS SOMETHING THESE TWO WRITERS MAY CLAIM; IF OTHERS DO ALSO, CITE THEM—BUT UNTIL OTHERS CLEARLY SAY THIS, IT IS THE OPINION OF JUST ONE SOURCE, NOT A GENERAL PERSPECTIVE AMONG ANIME EXPERTS OR FOLLOWERS OF THIS WRITER-DIRECTOR TEAM'S WORK.--><ref name="ACbebop">Camp & Davis, 2007 p81</ref>

The show focuses on the character of Spike Spiegel (voiced by [[Kōichi Yamadera]]), an iconic space cowboy with green hair and often seen wearing a blue suit, with the overall theme of the series being Spike's past and its karmic effect on him.<ref name="TDC" /> Spike was portrayed as someone who had lost his expectations for the future, having lost the woman he loved, and so was in a near-constant lethargy.<ref name="CowboyMag" /> Spike's artificial eye was included as Watanabe wanted his characters to have flaws. He was originally going to be given an eyepatch, but this decision was vetoed by producers.<ref name="AODinterview" /><ref name="DVDcommentary" />

Jet (voiced by [[Unshō Ishizuka]]) is shown as someone who lost confidence in his former life and has become cynical about the state of society.<ref name="CowboyMag" /><ref name="TDC">{{Cite web|last=Antonio, Tripodi|date=March 20, 2006|title=Anime Review: Cowboy Bebop|url=http://www.terrediconfine.net/cowboy-bebop/|url-status=dead|archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20141126042615/http%3A//www.terrediconfine.net/cowboy%2Dbebop/|archive-date=November 26, 2014|access-date=March 3, 2015|publisher=Terre di Confine}}</ref> Spike and Jet were designed to be opposites, with Spike being thin and wearing smart attire, while Jet was bulky and wore more casual clothing.<ref name="AODinterview" /> The clothing, which was dark in color, also reflected their states of mind.<ref name="CowboyMag" /> The rebellious hustler Faye Valentine, hacker "Radical" Edward (voiced by [[Aoi Tada]]), and "data dog" Ein joined the crew in later episodes.<ref name="TDC" /> Their designs were intended to contrast against Spike.<ref name="AODinterview" /> Faye was described by her voice actress [[Megumi Hayashibara]] as initially being an "ugly" woman, with her defining traits being her liveliness, sensuality and humanity.<ref name="DVDcommentary" /> To emphasize her situation when first introduced, she was compared to [[Poker Alice]], a famous Western figure.<ref name="AODinterview" />

Edward and Ein were the only main characters to have real-life models. The former had her behavior based on the antics of [[Yoko Kanno]] as observed by Watanabe when he first met her.<ref name="AODinterview" /> While generally portrayed as carefree and eccentric, Edward is motivated by a sense of loneliness after being abandoned by her father.<ref name="TDC" /> Kawamoto initially based Ein's design on a friend's pet corgi, later getting one himself to use as a motion model.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kawamoto|first=Toshihiro|title=Cowboy Bebop Illustrations: The Wind|publisher=Softbank Creative|year=2004|isbn=4797327812|page=8}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=McCarter|first=Charles|date=1999|title=Interview with Kawamoto Toshihiro|url=http://www.ex.org/4.5/20-interview_kawamoto2.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923033421/http://www.ex.org/4.5/20-interview_kawamoto2.html|archive-date=September 23, 2012|access-date=October 16, 2016|website=EX}}</ref>