Is Ed in the Cowboy Bebop Netflix series?

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A Radical departure from the anime

Cowboy Bebop Netflix series
(Image credit: Netflix)

It’s the question fans have been asking ever since it was revealed that the classic animated show would make the leap to live action: is Ed in the Cowboy Bebop Netflix series?

One of the main characters from the anime has been conspicuously absent from any marketing and trailers, despite Spike, Jet, Faye, and even Ein all being spotted on the Bebop. So, what gives?

Don’t worry, you don’t need to hack anything to find out whether Ed is in the Cowboy Bebop Netflix series – we’ve got all the references, both major and minor, to the prodigious (and prodigiously irritating) wunderkind down below.

Where is Ed in the Cowboy Bebop Netflix series?

Cowboy Bebop Netflix series

(Image credit: Netflix)

Yes, Ed is in the Cowboy Bebop Netflix series – but the show makes you wonder if they'll turn up until the very end.

Ed is first given an off-screen mention in the sixth episode "Binary Two-Step." There, Jet says he’s got a lead from ‘Radical Ed’ about the Cy-Baba bounty. When the lead amounts to nothing – and nearly gets Spike killed – Jet remarks that when he finds Radical Ed he’s going to rip off their fingers.

But it’s not Jet who finds Radical Ed. Fast forward to the closing minutes of the season finale and Spike is badly wounded, alone, and in need of a helping hand. Enter Ed (played by non-binary actor Eden Perkins and accompanied by Ein), who tells Spike that "we have to find the Butterfly Man", who is also referred to as "Volaju."

If you know your Cowboy Bebop lore – and have seen the Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door movie – you’ll know exactly who that is referring to. For the rest of you, we won’t spoil it here. But be safe in the knowledge that, if the show gets picked up for a second season, Ed is likely to be the final piece in the Bebop puzzle.

For more from the streaming service, check out the best Netflix shows and the best Netflix movies.

Bradley Russell
Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.