English dub of hit anime movie is now available for free on YouTube – and it's a two-hour must watch

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie — (Image credit: Sunrise/Bones/Bandai Visual)

Hit anime movie Cowboy Bebop is now streaming for free on YouTube. Fans had better be cool with English-language dubs if they plan on watching it, though, as that's currently the only version available on the platform.

While it was uploaded on April 4, Catsuka, a Twitter account dedicated to anime news, delighted its followers by sharing the link to Sony-owned channel Throwback Toons two days later. The tweet explained that the hosting was entirely legal, too, which helped those thinking it might be too good to be true to enjoy it...

"Cowboy Bebop: The Movie is a must watch," said one follower, as another wrote: "WHY DO WE DESERVE SUCH A GIFT". "We are so back," added a thrilled third.

Originally released in Japan in September 2001 before making its way to the States in August 2002, the 115-minute flick was directed by Shinichirō Watanabe and centers on Spike Spiegel and his team of bounty hunters as they try to track down a planet-hopping, bioweapon-wielding terrorist, who has already killed multiple people on Mars by unleashing a deadly virus, and put a stop to his murder spree before he can strike again. Based on the original Japanese series, which aired for one season in the late '90s, it is believed to be set between episodes 22 and 23.

Its English dub actors include Melissa Fahn (Invader Zim), Beau Billingslea (Digimon), Wendee Lee (Bleach), and Steve Blum (The Legend of Korra).

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a fairly average score of 67%, but it's worth noting that in the decades since its release, it's become somewhat of a cult classic.

For more, check out some of the best anime you should be watching right now.

I am an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things TV and film across our Total Film and SFX sections. Elsewhere, my words have been published by the likes of Digital Spy, SciFiNow, PinkNews, FANDOM, Radio Times, and Total Film magazine.