The Cowboy Bebop universe expanded into printed form with different manga editions in the late ’90s. Its 26 episodes and the 2001 movie Cowboy Bebop: Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door have been dissected, screenshotted, and GIFed.

The animated series, first a hit in Japan in 1998 and then an anime gateway for American viewers when it aired on Cartoon Network’s freshly launched Adult Swim block in 2001, has reached rarified cult-classic status. With his soft eyes and firm voice, he has the unique ability to ground an absurd premise but also rise to its ludicrous demands, and his duality is the most rewarding component of the uneven, much-awaited Netflix adaptation of Cowboy Bebop. Consider the films that became commercial or critical hits (the Harold & Kumar franchise, Searching, Columbus) and the collection of TV series canceled too soon ( FlashForward, Selfie, Go On, The Exorcist) - none of them suffered because of Cho. John Cho’s unassuming magnetism is simultaneously well-established and underappreciated in his time.

Spike Spiegel (John Cho), Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir), Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda), and Ein the corgi all make the jump to live action with ease.

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