Come to realize that Bebop is as much about the presentation as it is the story or characters. I'd always looked at it from the reverse because I enjoy the themes so much, but that's like a cherry on top compared to how hard it flexes during any given episode. Even when there isn't any action happening.
In Ballad of the Fallen Angels, there's a segment of Spike slowly walking into the cathedral to fight Vicious.
Sounds boring. Why not just fast forward to that fight, why the stalling.
but in those 2-3 minutes you're shown black ravens circling the abandoned cathedral, decaying trees, a dark cloudy sky, scattered rubble, Spike with a serious demeanor (unlike previous episodes where he's laid back) wearing a trench coach ready for war while Vicious is perched with his sword sitting in isolation, all with ominous music (Rain) playing in the background.
this completely sets to the tone for their confrontation and sells the tension between Spike/Vicious without a single word needing to be said of why they're at odds. We know nothing about their relationship at this point, and don't really need too b/c of how the build up is presented. There are anime that can't do in 50 episodes what bebop does here in 2 minutes.
The more I watch Bebop the more I appreciate little things like this that makes the show a masterpiece BEFORE even getting to the character conflicts and what happens in the story, what you can take from it.
, a few of the regular ants shown in the arc probably could have put up a fight
