Jet Black
From Cowboy Bebop
Jet Black is a main character in Cowboy Bebop, the owner of the Bebop, a former ISSP detective from Ganymede who quit the police in disgust and became a bounty hunter. With a cybernetic arm, a cook's patience and a bonsai hobby, he is the crew's reluctant father figure. He is voiced by Unshō Ishizuka in Japanese and Beau Billingslea in English.
About Jet Black
The owner of the Bebop and a former ISSP detective who left the police in disgust after losing his arm and being betrayed by his partner. Jet is the crew's cook, mechanic and reluctant father figure, growing bonsai, ringing a dinner bell no one respects and holding the ship together while his partners drift. The 'Black Dog' of Ganymede still bites when he has to, he just prefers to talk first.
Appearance
Jet is a big, broad-shouldered man of 36 and 188 cm, with a shaved head, a trimmed beard and the tired eyes of someone who has seen every scam in the solar system. His most striking feature is his left arm, a cybernetic replacement for the arm he lost in his police days, built strong enough for ship work and bounty hunting alike. A scar runs down one side of his face. He dresses practically in work clothes and an apron when cooking, looking far more like a ship's engineer, which he also is, than a cowboy.
Personality
Jet is the adult on the Bebop, whether he likes it or not. Gruff, patient and dry-humoured, he cooks, repairs, negotiates and rings a dinner bell the others mostly ignore. He grumbles about money, food and his partners' recklessness, then quietly covers for all of it. His years as a detective left him with a stubborn sense of right and wrong and a hatred of corruption, he walked away from the police rather than bend. He pretends to be harder than he is; the bonsai trees he tends so carefully give him away.
Background & Story
Jet grew up on Ganymede and joined the ISSP, the solar system's police force, earning the nickname 'Black Dog' for the way he bit into a case and never let go. On an investigation with his partner Fad, he was ambushed and shot, losing his left arm, and later learned the betrayal came from inside his own world. Disgusted by police corruption, he quit, bought a retired fishing vessel, converted it into the spaceship Bebop, and turned to bounty hunting. When the story opens he works with Spike Spiegel, feeding a crew that keeps growing no matter how often he complains about the food bill.
Powers & Abilities
- Cybernetic Arm: Jet's replacement left arm is far stronger than a human arm, built for hauling, repairing and restraining struggling bounty heads.
- Detective Instincts: Years as an ISSP investigator gave Jet a wide network of contacts and a talent for reading people, picking out lies and following a cold trail.
- Ship Engineering: Jet is the Bebop's mechanic and pilot, keeping an ageing converted fishing ship flying through constant repairs and improvisation.
- Marksmanship: A trained former police officer, Jet handles his Walther P99 and heavier weapons with professional, no-nonsense accuracy.
Key Relationships
- Spike Spiegel: His bounty-hunting partner and oldest friend aboard the Bebop, Jet feeds him, worries about him and never quite gets told the whole truth.
- Faye Valentine: The con artist who moved into his ship uninvited; he complains about her gambling debts while treating her as one of his own.
- Edward: The child hacker he ends up telling stories to like a daughter, the crew member who brings out his softest side.
- Ein: The data dog Jet rescued and adopted, and the quietest, least expensive member of his found family.
Quick Answers
How did Jet Black lose his arm?
Jet lost his left arm during his ISSP police days, when he was ambushed and shot while pursuing a criminal, a case tangled up in betrayal by his own partner. It was replaced with a cybernetic arm.
Why is Jet Black called the Black Dog?
It was his nickname as a detective on Ganymede: once Jet bit into a case, like a dog with a bone, he never let go until it was solved.
Who owns the Bebop?
Jet Black owns the Bebop. He bought the retired fishing vessel and converted it into the bounty-hunting ship the crew lives and works on.
Who voices Jet Black?
Jet is voiced by Unshō Ishizuka in Japanese and by Beau Billingslea in the English dub.
