Spike Spiegel
Encyclopedia
is the protagonist
of the anime
and manga
series Cowboy Bebop
. He won first place in the male character category of the Anime Grand Prix in 1998 and 1999.
who was born on Mars
, June 26, 2044. According to the anime guides, he is 27 years old and has fluffy dark-green hair and brown eyes; one of which is artificial and lighter than the other. His right eye was surgically replaced with a cybernetic one. He is usually dressed in a blue leisure suit
, with a yellow shirt. Spike often smokes despite rain or "No Smoking" signs.
Spike makes use of sleight of hand
techniques to win card game
s, pickpocket, and slip things onto other people unnoticed. He is also shown to sneak up on enemies through disguise or quiet movement. He is proficient with weaponry (such as his personal Jericho 941 as well as other guns and explosives) and hand-to-hand combat skills. He is a skilled martial artist and a practitioner of Jeet Kune Do
. Spike is also a pilot and flies a converted Asteroid racer called Swordfish II, which is armed with four machine guns, missile pylons, and a plasma cannon.
When he is not shown working, Spike is very laid back, sarcastic, and lively to the dismay of his crew mates. He is typically found either resting on the couch or reading a magazine. Spike's philosophy seems to be based on the ancient samurai
ideals of immediacy, such as considering oneself as dead and the idea of death as being an awakening from a dream, which are both elements of bushidō
illustrated in the Hagakure
. His listed dislikes include children, pets, and women with attitude.
Series director Shinichirō Watanabe
has said that Spike has a habit of being very indirect with his emotions; for example, he may behave antagonistically towards someone he actually likes. He says that this could apply to Spike's relationship with Faye.
Some time after his faked death, Spike met the former ISSP cop turned bounty hunter Jet Black, and became partners. Spike moved onto Jet's ship, the Bebop, and the two men worked together for three years before the other crew members joined.
Throughout the series hints and flashbacks of Spike's past are revealed. He comes face to face with Vicious once more in the fifth episode, when Vicious lures Spike out of hiding by assassinating Mao Yenrai and kidnapping Faye. They duel each other, but survive the encounter. They meet a second time on Callisto
during a botched drug transaction, but Vicious manages to escape.
In the final episode, Spike and Julia reunite and continue their plans to escape the Red Dragons. They fight their way out, but Julia is shot and killed. Spike returns to the Bebop for a meal with Jet, and the two share a moment of understanding as Spike relates his life's situation to his partner. As he leaves to settle the score with Vicious, he is confronted by Faye. He tells Faye the story behind his cybernetic eye and the effect it had on his outlook on life. Faye asks why Spike is leaving to throw away his life. Spike answers that he isn't leaving to die, but rather to see if he really is alive. He then departs to confront the past he abandoned three years before. He storms the Red Dragon headquarters, killing many of the members, and then he and Vicious confront each other.
After a brief clash, Spike and Vicious exchange blows simultaneously, and Vicious dies. Spike recalls Julia's final words to him, "It's all... a dream..." before descending the staircase, where he is confronted by the remainder of the Red Dragons. Mimicking a gun with his fingers, Spike utters a final word, "Bang", smiles, and collapses.
Spike's fate at the end of the series is left open-ended. It is implied that Spike may have died from wounds sustained in his final duel with Vicious and the Red Dragons (the collapse, the fading star, the angelic choir). However, in an interview, Watanabe stated, "I've never officially said that he died. At this point, I can tell you that I'm not sure if he's alive or dead." He also stated that he believes fans would be upset if there was a continuation.
; Yamane's preferences lead to the naming of Spike Spiegel's ship, the Swordfish II. The II does not imply that Spike's craft is a second generation model.
In its review of the series, Anime News Network
praised Spike's character, saying, "Spike...in particular runs the gamut from goofy to blasé to teeth-gnashing tough; he is one of [the] most three-dimensional anime leads in recent memory." AnimeOnDVD commented that in the movie, Spike was "much more appealing this time around than through parts of the TV series", and comparing him to Lupin III
by saying that "Spike’s way of dealing with things and reacting to situations, from his movements to his facial expressions, are very reminiscent of Lupin’s that [sic] each instance brings a smile to my face." He was 4th in IGN
's Top 25 Anime Characters of All Time with writer Chris Mackenzie saying "Spike's a flashy, funny, violent tough guy, and that's part of what makes him fun to watch".
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop
is a critically acclaimed and award-winning 1998 Japanese anime series directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, written by Keiko Nobumoto, and produced by Sunrise. Its 26 episodes comprise a complete storyline: set in 2071, the series follows the adventures, misadventures and tragedies of five bounty...
. He won first place in the male character category of the Anime Grand Prix in 1998 and 1999.
Background
Spike is a fictional bounty hunterBounty hunter
A bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward . Other names, mainly used in the United States, include bail enforcement agent and fugitive recovery agent.-Laws in the U.S.:...
who was born on Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, June 26, 2044. According to the anime guides, he is 27 years old and has fluffy dark-green hair and brown eyes; one of which is artificial and lighter than the other. His right eye was surgically replaced with a cybernetic one. He is usually dressed in a blue leisure suit
Leisure suit
A leisure suit is a casual suit consisting of a shirt-like jacket and matching trousers, often associated with American-influenced fashion and fads of the 1970s.-History:...
, with a yellow shirt. Spike often smokes despite rain or "No Smoking" signs.
Spike makes use of sleight of hand
Sleight of hand
Sleight of hand, also known as prestidigitation or legerdemain, is the set of techniques used by a magician to manipulate objects such as cards and coins secretly....
techniques to win card game
Card game
A card game is any game using playing cards as the primary device with which the game is played, be they traditional or game-specific. Countless card games exist, including families of related games...
s, pickpocket, and slip things onto other people unnoticed. He is also shown to sneak up on enemies through disguise or quiet movement. He is proficient with weaponry (such as his personal Jericho 941 as well as other guns and explosives) and hand-to-hand combat skills. He is a skilled martial artist and a practitioner of Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do is a hybrid martial arts system and life philosophy founded by martial artist Bruce Lee with direct, non classical and straightforward movements. Due to the way his style works they believe in minimal movement with maximum effect and extreme speed. The system works on the use of...
. Spike is also a pilot and flies a converted Asteroid racer called Swordfish II, which is armed with four machine guns, missile pylons, and a plasma cannon.
When he is not shown working, Spike is very laid back, sarcastic, and lively to the dismay of his crew mates. He is typically found either resting on the couch or reading a magazine. Spike's philosophy seems to be based on the ancient samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
ideals of immediacy, such as considering oneself as dead and the idea of death as being an awakening from a dream, which are both elements of bushidō
Bushido
, meaning "Way of the Warrior-Knight", is a Japanese word which is used to describe a uniquely Japanese code of conduct and a way of the samurai life, loosely analogous to the concept of chivalry. It originates from the samurai moral code and stresses frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and...
illustrated in the Hagakure
Hagakure
Hagakure , or is a practical and spiritual guide for a warrior, drawn from a collection of commentaries by the samurai Yamamoto Tsunetomo, former retainer to Nabeshima Mitsushige, the third ruler of what is now the Saga prefecture in Japan...
. His listed dislikes include children, pets, and women with attitude.
Series director Shinichirō Watanabe
Shinichiro Watanabe
is a Japanese anime filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. He is known for directing the popular anime series Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo.Watanabe is known for blending together multiple genres in his anime creations...
has said that Spike has a habit of being very indirect with his emotions; for example, he may behave antagonistically towards someone he actually likes. He says that this could apply to Spike's relationship with Faye.
History
Spike was a rising member of the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate, where he worked with his then partner, Vicious. Both were mentored by Mao Yenrai. Badly injured after a shoot-out in the slums on Mars, Spike stumbled to Julia's home, who at that time was Vicious' girlfriend. The pair fell in love while she nursed him back to health. Spike decided to leave the syndicate with Julia. Vicious informed Julia that he will kill Spike, or Spike and Julia would both face death for her betrayal. Spike apparently managed to fake his own death by engaging in a gunfight alone in a church against unidentified opponents, which allowed Red Dragon to forget about him. He waited for Julia so they could escape and be free, but she never arrived.Some time after his faked death, Spike met the former ISSP cop turned bounty hunter Jet Black, and became partners. Spike moved onto Jet's ship, the Bebop, and the two men worked together for three years before the other crew members joined.
Throughout the series hints and flashbacks of Spike's past are revealed. He comes face to face with Vicious once more in the fifth episode, when Vicious lures Spike out of hiding by assassinating Mao Yenrai and kidnapping Faye. They duel each other, but survive the encounter. They meet a second time on Callisto
Callisto (moon)
Callisto named after the Greek mythological figure of Callisto) is a moon of the planet Jupiter. It was discovered in 1610 by Galileo Galilei. It is the third-largest moon in the Solar System and the second largest in the Jovian system, after Ganymede. Callisto has about 99% the diameter of the...
during a botched drug transaction, but Vicious manages to escape.
In the final episode, Spike and Julia reunite and continue their plans to escape the Red Dragons. They fight their way out, but Julia is shot and killed. Spike returns to the Bebop for a meal with Jet, and the two share a moment of understanding as Spike relates his life's situation to his partner. As he leaves to settle the score with Vicious, he is confronted by Faye. He tells Faye the story behind his cybernetic eye and the effect it had on his outlook on life. Faye asks why Spike is leaving to throw away his life. Spike answers that he isn't leaving to die, but rather to see if he really is alive. He then departs to confront the past he abandoned three years before. He storms the Red Dragon headquarters, killing many of the members, and then he and Vicious confront each other.
After a brief clash, Spike and Vicious exchange blows simultaneously, and Vicious dies. Spike recalls Julia's final words to him, "It's all... a dream..." before descending the staircase, where he is confronted by the remainder of the Red Dragons. Mimicking a gun with his fingers, Spike utters a final word, "Bang", smiles, and collapses.
Spike's fate at the end of the series is left open-ended. It is implied that Spike may have died from wounds sustained in his final duel with Vicious and the Red Dragons (the collapse, the fading star, the angelic choir). However, in an interview, Watanabe stated, "I've never officially said that he died. At this point, I can tell you that I'm not sure if he's alive or dead." He also stated that he believes fans would be upset if there was a continuation.
Conception
Mecha designer Kimitoshi Yamane liked the English biplane torpedo-bomber Fairey SwordfishFairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War...
; Yamane's preferences lead to the naming of Spike Spiegel's ship, the Swordfish II. The II does not imply that Spike's craft is a second generation model.
Reception
Spike and Faye are often cited as the two most popular characters of the series, and they figure centrally in most merchandise based on the franchise.In its review of the series, Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
praised Spike's character, saying, "Spike...in particular runs the gamut from goofy to blasé to teeth-gnashing tough; he is one of [the] most three-dimensional anime leads in recent memory." AnimeOnDVD commented that in the movie, Spike was "much more appealing this time around than through parts of the TV series", and comparing him to Lupin III
Arsène Lupin III
is a fictional character introduced by Monkey Punch in Weekly Manga Action on August 10, 1967. According to its creator, Lupin is the grandson of Maurice Leblanc's Arsène Lupin....
by saying that "Spike’s way of dealing with things and reacting to situations, from his movements to his facial expressions, are very reminiscent of Lupin’s that [sic] each instance brings a smile to my face." He was 4th in IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Top 25 Anime Characters of All Time with writer Chris Mackenzie saying "Spike's a flashy, funny, violent tough guy, and that's part of what makes him fun to watch".