Cowboy Bebop: The Move copyright Sony Pictures, Shinichiro Watanabe
The Scene:
Bounty Hunter Spike Spiegel has chased wanted bio-terrorist Vincent from a mysterious military industrial lab onto a skyrail high above Mars and the two confront each other for the first time in a dramatic, violent, adrenaline-pumping gun/fist fight. Spike shows off his impressive Bruce Lee-inspired moves, and is promptly thrown out the train window by equally skilled and genetically enhanced Vincent – I think his emo gives him power, aka the Sasuke effect.
Spike Spiegel - copyright Sony Pictures, Shinichiro Watanabe
Why it’s pretty damn cool:
This scene demonstrates two of the reasons why Cowboy Bebop is Cowboy Bebop (and Keanu Reeves should never ever ever be let anywhere near this anime):
1- Kick-ass fight scenes.
Spike’s movements flow smoothly, as he thoroughly beats on Vincent. Spike has the ability to make an all-out brawl look like an expertly choreographed, incredibly violent dance.
2- Defenestration.
For the non-English majors: being thrown or otherwise ejected out of a window. Spike is thrown out of two windows during the series and survives each one – barely. Both times mark a turning point in Spike’s life/journey – this time Spike learns the connection between him and Vincent, both “dead men”.
Vincent vs Spike - copyright Sony Pictures, Shinichiro Watanabe
Add an awesomely beautiful and creepy Yoko Kanno soundtrack – and that’s Cowboy Bebop for you.
Watching this damn cool scene again has only reinforced the notion that Keanu Reeves can NOT be let near Cowboy Bebop!! I don’t care how great the script is, not Keanu! I don’t care how great the music or the other actors or the director is – not Keanu!
*ahem*
Anyways, here’s the train scene (real action starts about 2 minutes in):
Catnamedcat's Blog 
Thanks for the review! I have seen this OVA and was very moved by the existentialism philosophy and beauty of the whole gut-punching show!
Spike’s movements flow smoothly, as he thoroughly beats on Vincent. Spike has the ability to make an all-out brawl look like an expertly choreographed, incredibly violent dance.
I adore the way you put that.
And I totally, totally agree with you on not letting a certain idiotic actor that is poser-cool near Spike.
I didn’t realize the symbolism of the two falls, in that this was life-changing turns.
I just read that when there is a scene in an anime that takes place in a zen garden, that usually means there is a major plot turn coming. I also read that when cherry blossoms (sakura) are in an anime, it can either mean ‘a death is coming’ or something significant to change a major character. OH! THe things I miss having only become familiar with North American culture!!! Japanese anime is so much more psychological and beautiful with symbolisms than North American ‘cartoons.’
Yeah, I like the sortof-repetition of Spike falling out of a window, it’s an interesting scene in the movie and a beautiful (and haunting) scene in the anime. Plus, it’s something you don’t see everyday – falling out of a window and having that be a turning point in the character’s journey … only Bebop. :)
Have you seen Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei? The whole cherry blossoms = death thing is … parodied? referenced? Anyways, that show takes lots of anime tropes such as the cherry blossom thing and mocks them to death … but in a way that kindof celebrates them at the same time.
This is absolutely my favorite scene of the movie, the soundtrack is especially wonderfully haunting. Sometimes I pop in the DVD just to watch this scene and the final fisticuffs between Spike and Vincent (and the mop fight, cuz it’s awesome).
Defenestration, woo!