This show follows the adventures of 4 different people thrown together by chance on the ship Bebop in the late 21st century. 3 of them are bounty hunters; the wet blanket-esquire ex-cop Jet, the ultra slick former mafia assassin Spike, and the headstrong Fay, a young female anachronism revived from hibernation more than a century after her time. The 4th member is child computer genius Edward, an eccentric girl to say the least. All 4 of these people have a past that confronts them during the course of the series and is resolved.
The series is short, merely 26 episodes, and the story telling is minimalist also (truly post-modern) yet each episode is complete. The way that the characters interact with each other is simple and believable. The animation is exactly what it needs to be, not overly reliant on pyrotechnics nor so bare that it looks incomplete. The action sequences rival anything Hollywood has ever done and the direction leaves nothing to be desired. The visuals of the show have an ultra-modern feel without the sense of lacking one would get from looking at other modern visual art such as an Andy Warhol painting or a skyscraper.
Special attention should be paid to the music, which is in one word incredible. Elements of jazz, blues, rock, and other various types are traceable in the show's score. Imagine Mozart but less rigid, or Wagner but more down-to-earth, and a lot more varied than either.
In summary, this show is simply excellent. Nothing is overdone or incomplete, and the score is brilliant. It is short enough for anyone to get into and interesting enough for anyone to enjoy. Truly what the post-modern movement was trying to accomplish.