The streamer released the official first look at the popular anime character in live-action.
Spoilers ahead for first season of Netflix’sCowboy Bebop.
Now, Netflix has announced that newcomer actor Eden Perkins is playing the role.
Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine, and Ed in ‘Cowboy Bebop’.Snap Stills/REX/Shutterstock
So, it felt fair to also keep Ed from showing up [in live-action]."
Ed is a prominent character in the originalCowboy Bebopanime, which first premiered in Japan in 1998.
Live-action Ed doesn’t have a prominent role inCowboy Bebop’s first season.
Eden Perkins as Ed in ‘Cowboy Bebop’ season 1.Netflix
In fact and now this isa major spoiler she doesn’t even show up until the finale episode.
That said, the producers are clearly already planning a second season.
So, Ed, it seems, is also part of the season 2 trajectory.
“Ed was such an important character to me because Ed is beyond the disruptor.
Ed is the wild card,” Nemec explains.
The showrunner also wanted proper time to explore the “who and why and what is Ed?”
on screen, particularly for those who haven’t seen the anime.
“It felt like that character deserved more than a C-runner in an episode,” he adds.
ShouldCowboy Bebopget the official season 2 order, “all about Ed will be revealed,” Nemec promises.
At this time, a second season hasn’t been officially announced.
Perkins flew from New Plymouth to Auckland to meet with Nemec and workshop the character.
“I said to Eden, ‘In terms of the Radical Ed-ness, what is it for you?’
I have a job for you!
Ed shouts at Spike, who’s collapsed on the ground in an alley.
“Bad man, big reward.
We have to find the Butterfly Man.
We have to find Volaju!
Before he does spooky, bad things.”
Volaju, meaning Vincent Volaju, is another character from the anime.
He’s a veteran who was experimented on during wartime and later becomes a terrorist.
“Butterfly Man” is a reference to how he’s constantly hallucinating butterflies.
Nemec plays coy when asked about this moment.
“Is that what she says?
I don’t know,” he teases.
“It is definitely out there for people to read into it as they will.”
Cowboy Bebopis currently streaming on Netflix.
This article was updated with quotes from showrunner Andre Nemec.
