Cowboy Bebop is what kicked it off for me. Outlaw Star was a lot of fun, but coulda used more cowboy style shit on the soundtrack. Watching Space Dandy now and while it’s not quite a space western, it’s pretty fun to me.
Anything else I should check out?
Trigun might be good but I watched it a decade ago idk how well it aged
Cant talk about the original Trigun but the remake Trigun Stampede was pretty good and is pretty free of problematic elements if that is concern (as far as I can remember)
Nice! Love and peace!✌️😁
The first four or five episodes of the original are a bit weak, but it picks up substantially after Wolfwood shows up.
If you have a tolerance for juvenile and problematic anime, Desert Punk is that same Mad Max modern Western vibe.
Watched it for the first time last year and really liked it a lot. I would say it holded up pretty well. I still have to watch the movie and Stampede tho.
Trigun is the last anime space western from that era. There’s a remake that’s pretty good and probably holds up better, although it misses out on the slow burn setup of the original.
Maybe give the original a shot and if it doesn’t work out try the remake ( Trigun Stampede)?
Edit: After that it’s hard sci-fi stuff like Planetes or Mil Sci-fi like Votoms or Fang of the Sun Dougram I guess
Thanks! I’ve heard good things about Trigun but never seen it!
Not space, but you might like Baccano! or Samurai Champloo. Like CriticalOtaku mentioned, you might be through with most of the Cowboy Bebopish shows.
Edit: Uhhh the Mandalorian borrows enough from Lone Wolf and Cub to qualify as anime now. Just be aware that it gets really mid after season 2.
I feel like MegaloBox has what you want. It isn’t what you asked for but it is amazing. Bonus it is cool and the politics are really good for anime. So it is refreshing and fun. Season two is the same but super heavy.
Thanks!
I would be interested to see your review thread if you get to watching it.
Can’t recommend Samurai 7 enough. One of my personal anime favorites. Technically more of a Space Shogun than Space Cowboy, but it hits many of the same notes.
And not an anime, but The Expanse is an excellent Space Western.
Coyote Ragtime Show exists.
So does Gun X Sword. Less space in that one.
That’s basically it.
Never heard of either, will check em out!
They aren’t GOOD but there isn’t much in the genre.
Is Gun X Sword any good? All the characters popping up in SRW30 has me slightly curious about it lol
No. It’s kind of crap.
Not sure if that’s good enough for the criteria, but Space Battleship Yamato is very good and it has a 2010s remake. And if you’re looking for something that doesn’t take itself too seriously, The Irresponsible Captain Tylor is one of my all time favorites: it’s 1/3 a sci-fi parody of space operas and shows like Star Trek, 1/3 a serious space opera and 1/3 anarchist propaganda.
That latter one sounds fun as fuck!
Disclaimer: Episode 1 is the worst of the whole series, but from E2 it’s consistently good.
Space Battleship Yamato (1974) should be mandatory viewing for any sci-fi anime fan.
gundam iron blooded orphans is more mafia story than western, but there’s a lot of overlap between the two and it taking place largely on mars means there’s a lot of dusty desert atmosphere. plus it’s got some kickass acoustic guitar.
votoms has a mad max arc, but mostly isn’t particularly western
Votoms sounds fun! I’ll check it out!
votoms is basically every 80s action movie wrapped into one show and it rules. the first arc is about killing cops in a cyberpunk megacity and surviving fight clubs and shit
