Haven’t done anything on anime in a while which is a travesty so I apologize to the readers who wish I did more anime entires. I’m catching up on classic anime so I can have more to talk about in the future with all of my fellow fans so bare with me. The anime posts I have done are actually my most popular entries number wise.

I’ve said time and time again Cowboy Bebop is my favorite anime of all time and if you’re reading this and you’re not an anime fan it’s okay you can still enjoy this and apply it to your life. If you do want to give anime a try Cowboy Bebop is the first anime I would watch because it has one of the best english dubs and is very easy and fun to follow with only 26 episodes.

Spike Spiegel is the lead character of Cowboy Bebop and he’s one interesting character. On the surface he’s very aloof and seems not interested in a lot of things but as the series would progress you see there is a method to why he is who he is and he lives by a philosophy

One of my first write up’s was what we could learn from Monkey D. Luffy from the anime “One Piece.” Today I’m here to discuss what we can learn from Spike Spiegel.

FLOW

Spike Spiegel’s character is inspired by Bruce Lee and if you know Bruce Lee then you know his philosophy and fighting style Jeet Kune Do where it’s predicated on reaction. Everyone knows Bruce’s famous “Be like water” quote. In fighting our success relies on how we react when attacked. The same with life. What makes it good or bad for you is how you react to it.

Spike’s personality is exactly like that. He just goes with the flow. The situation gets bad he just adjusts and goes with the flow. Now it may not be the safest in his case because he’s usually kind of reckless and careless sometimes but he does becomes formless like water when he’s out in the field doing crazy shit with his bounty hunting job. The motto he lives with is “Whatever happens, happens.” He’s correct about that in my mind.

I know it’s cliche and I’m sure you’ve heard it a thousand times but you really have to just go with the flow in life. I’m talking 80 percent flow and the other 20 percent you make your own tweaks to make it right for you.

AWARE OF IMPERFECTION

We’re all contradictions. It’s one of the absolute truths of living. The human mind wasn’t created to think one way. We’re usually all not just one thing and that’s it. Just look at something as silly as politics. I think it’s impossible to be all in for one party. You’re going to be conservative about some things. You’re going to be liberal about some things. Why? It’s because it’s how the mind works. We’re not cyborgs…… well yet.

Spike is very aware of his imperfection. He knows he’s done horrific shit while working for a crime syndicate in his past and that’s why I feel he doesn’t take himself too seriously or judges other people often because he knows he’s a sinner of the highest order but at the same time he knows he has a good heart and tried to get as far away from his past as he could and finally live righteously.

I have some imperfect things about my personality and you do too. All we can do is be aware of the imperfection and make an effort to improve.

AN UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACH

Life is very unconventional. We don’t know what happens next that’s why when you lose a loved one it’s not easy to accept because most of the time you never see it coming. Unless they have a illness and you’re watching them slowly pass away on their death bed and even then it’s hard to accept.

Spike views and actions in life are very unconventional because life is unconventional. There isn’t rules or a manual on how to live life. You just live it the best way you see fit. We can try to put as much order in our lives as we can but it won’t stay that way because that’s now how life works. It’s unpredictable.

There’s more than one way to be a writer. There’s more than one way to be a musician. There are so many roads you can take to be those things so there is no right or wrong way in terms of artistry.

LIVING SIMPLE

It’s not bad to embrace simplicity. Spike did have complex tendencies but deep down he was as simple as they come. All Spike wanted was his woman, freedom, peace, quiet, and to just survive. The show centers around him being a bounty hunter for money but he never wanted to be super wealthy or famous. His shipmate Faye wanted that the most. Spike just wanted to live in peace.

When I finally found peace of mind I realized that I just wanted to live simple also. Clothes don’t mean anything. Cars don’t mean anything. Jewelry is pointless. The older I get the sexier simplicity becomes for me. I just want to travel, help who I can, love, and write.

WHEN YOU SEE LOVE, GO GET IT

Cowboy Bebop is basically a love story. Spike falls in love with a woman named Julia in the crime syndicate he worked for. Julia was in a relationship with Spike’s partner in the syndicate but Julia also loved Spike. So it’s a love triangle. Spike takes his partner girl on some playa shit and says lets quit the syndicate life and be together like we want. They try to which nearly costs Spike his life.

Spike loves Julia. If you don’t learn anything about Spike you’ll learn he loves the fuck out of Julia. He put his life on the line for her. He betrayed a major crime syndicate just to try and be with her. Spike knew that she was the love of his life and he went after her. When you see love you gotta go get it.

Spike and Julia separates because the syndicate wants both of them dead and Julia feels that if she comes near Spike then they’ll kill him. The only time you see Spike care is usually when Julia is involved. Spike lost a chunk of his life because of the syndicate he worked for and the only reason I think Spike was even alive and not contemplating suicide is for the fact he believed he would be with Julia someday. He was essentially living life only for her.

Some may think that’s dumb and that’s okay but that shows you how powerful love is. If you like/love someone just go after them. Shoot your shot as the cool kids say.

MAN UP

Spike’s story in Bebop is about him wanting to get away from his past and the farther he ran from his past the more dangerous things became.

Only thing he wanted from his past was his relationship with Julia and that’s all. He never really accepted his past at all until the last 2 episodes. He finally realized it was something he had to face because it was possible that people he cared about could now be in danger and he just felt it was time to man up to his past. The final episode was in my mind his reconciliation with God for his sins.

We all have to face up and put an end to the past and not let it continue to fuck up our present. Close the show so we can live a better life and be free. It’s what Spike did. He knew things would not get better until he addressed his past. Now you don’t need to live in the past but if it keeps coming back in your life when you don’t want it to then you need to address it. Bring the chapter to a close as best as you can.

COOL

Spike just a cool mothafucka. The suit. The hair. The boots. He makes smoking cigs look cool like James Dean. Whatever you like or do in life just make that shit look cool like Spike.

See you space cowboy.

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