With the Japanese dub of the Netflix Bebop, though, Spike and Faye sound exactly like they always have to Japanese fans, with the voices of voice actor A-listers Koichi Yamadera and Megumi Hayashibara replacing a potential mental disconnect with a dose of prime-grade nostalgia (though with the passing away of Jet’s original Japanese voice actor, his replacement, Taiten Kusunoki, is as new to the part as on-screen actor Mustafa Shakir).
When watching the live-action Bebop in English, you’re getting characters who both look and sound different from their original versions, regardless of whether you’re accustomed to the anime’s original Japanese voice cast or its English-dubbed one.
The original anime’s music and Japanese voice actors really are awesome, and it was a brilliant call not to change them.”
Anime fans are sounding more likely to heed the call when it’s coming from the voices of the original Spike and Faye.