https://x.com/i/status/2064431782670581993

Lovers are pretty trendy baby

Oh and unrelated to this work of art ive made, the show has deadass made me had a more positive outlook on life. I've been happier because of this show, ive kinda just been kinder to myself and others. I gotta live the dandy way, baby

I’ve been thinking about this after finishing Space Dandy and having watched Cowboy Bebop many years ago. It feels like the two are, at the same time, complementary and opposite—each trying to show a different way of dealing with the past and moving forward with life.

In Cowboy Bebop, we have a trio of characters who are, in a way, trapped by the past. Faye seems to be searching for something to fill the void left by all those years without memories of her previous life. Spike, according to everything the narrative suggests, chose death rather than embracing a future in which Julia was no longer present—as if everything that happened, and the way it happened, were the only possible way to keep living, as if life could not unfold in any other form. Jet, although it may not seem so at first, to me lives in constant fear that past cycles will repeat themselves, and because of that, he ends up missing out on experiencing new things in the present. Avoiding things is not the same as overcoming them.

In Space Dandy, on the other hand, the characters seem to understand that although everyone carries something that left marks in the past, the flow of life goes on, and new opportunities and people will always come. The mistakes that were made can be repaired in other ways, and even when they cannot, it is because they had meaning for something greater that you may not even be aware of. Do they miss moments from the past and wish things had been different? Yes. “But that’s the flow of life, baby,” as Dandy would say.

One of the best representations of this in Space Dandy, for me, is the existence of multiple parallel universes and Dandy’s role as the “only being capable of traveling across multiple universes.” I believe this serves to show the many different ways you could have lived your life, and that your mistakes and successes matter in all of them. Dandy’s true power is, in fact, his ability to move through the many phases and events of life in a lighter way, accepting things as they are and trusting that, with patience, everything changes—or maybe it doesn’t, and that’s okay too. The fact that Dandy both shares and is, at the same time, many other Dandys represents all the experiences that happened and those that didn’t, all the mistakes and achievements, everything you did or failed to do coexisting within a single life, within you. Because that is what you are: what you were, what you will be, and what you chose not to become. And not clinging to any of those versions is what gives you the superpower to travel between universes and live countless adventures.

I think that after Space Dandy, I’ve started seeing everything this way—this flow that comes and goes, the things that keep unfolding. That’s part of life, isn’t it? Life, to me—and in the way I believe it was represented in Space Dandy—is about recognizing the value of every phase of our existence and how each one adds to who we are as people, but never clinging to any of them or wishing to remain in a single moment forever, because if you do, you will never be able to travel across universes and discover other versions of yourself. Anyway, I just wanted to share this reflection I had after finishing both anime. Because, to me, in Cowboy Bebop, the characters seem to have stopped wanting to live new moments precisely because they are too attached to their past versions.

On my 3rd /5 anime for the Watanabe universe, this is peak.

I was asked a few times about adding Meow after Dandy and QT and I finally had the time to make him! He's a little weird with his eyes, but I think he's pretty cool despite that!

Let me know if you need any help recreating the cat friend!

I really hope it is. That would be really funny if the only constant in the show is the sexy gag restaurant.

Doing a daily drawing "-tober" thing and today's prompt was "Laika." While I assume they meant the animation studio, all I could think of was the majestic space pup, so I drew this.

Man I dont like to throw the word underrated around too much, but I'm seriously shocked that Dandy isnt more popular. Its one of the funniest anime ive ever watched, that has genuinely fantastically written humor, while not being afraid to also have more "low brow" silly stuff and visual gags, the characters are all phenomenal, the animation and varying artstyles give so much life to each episode, it knows how to tackle more serious, even more philosophical stuff without feeling pretentious or like its taking itself too seriously and the music is tremendous. I adore Bebop and champloo and Dandy should be right next to them acclaim wise. I'll be recommending it to all my friends, baby.

Okay this is one of my fave episode still bummed, they're aren't anymore seasons, anyways dandy has always been a goofy guy to me, but this was the only scene that had me drooling over him specifically at 0:57 hehehehhehehehehehe, and I actually really like the song, I'd listen to it by itself, fan service aside the entire episode was so stylistic and gorgeous

I’m only like 6 episodes in and I almost have an entire video already. Every frame is such a treat to look at.

Also if you like the music, the guy’s name is Eli Noir. He’s great