Cowboy Bebop Characters - Bebop Crew - Jet Black

Jet Black

Voiced by: Unshō Ishizuka (Japanese), Beau Billingslea (English)

Born December 3, 2035, and known on his home satellite as the "Black Dog" for his tenacity, Jet Black (ジェット・ブラック, Jetto Burakku?) is a 36-year-old former cop from Ganymede (a Jovian satellite) and acts as Spike's foil during the series. Jet is voiced by Unshō Ishizuka in the Japanese version of the anime, while Beau Billingslea voices him in the English dub. Physically, Jet is very tall with a muscular build. He wears a beard with no mustache, and is completely bald save for the back of his head. Spike acts lazy and uninterested, whereas Jet is hard working and a jack-of-all-trades. Jet was once an investigator in the Intra Solar System Police (ISSP) for many years until he lost his arm in an investigation that went awry when his corrupt partner (and friend at the time) betrayed him. His arm was replaced with a cybernetic limb—an operation later revealed to be by choice. As biological replacements were possible, he wanted the fake arm as a reminder of the consequences of his actions. His loss of limb coupled with the general corruption of the police force prompted Jet to quit the ISSP in disgust and become a freelance bounty hunter. Jet also considers himself something of a renaissance man: he cultivates bonsai trees, cooks, enjoys jazz/blues music (he named his ship the Bebop, referring to a type of jazz), especially Charlie Parker, and even has interest in Goethe. As a character, Jet is the quintessential oyaji or "dad" even though he often wishes people would view him as a more brotherly figure (so as not to seem old). Of the crew he shows the most obvious affection when dealing with Edward, most obviously shown when he tells her a story in Session 18; he is also shown attempting to (perhaps falsely) reassure himself after she and Faye leave the crew of the Bebop, hinting that his sometimes-stoic nature may be born of necessity rather than any real lack of emotion.

Jet is skilled with handguns, typically carrying a pre-2004 Walther P99, and also uses the netgun. He is proficient in hand-to-hand combat as well. Compared to Spike, Jet tends to use more raw muscle than technique. He is also a skilled mechanic and pilot. Aside from the converted interplanetary fishing trawler vessel Bebop, Jet flies a smaller ship called Hammerhead. The Hammerhead appears to be a modified salvage-craft, to which Jet has added larger engines and fuel tanks. It features a mechanical arm equipped with a harpoon as its main weapon, which is somewhat analogous to Jet's own mechanical arm. Both the Hammerhead and the Bebop are able to land on water, and have a fishing theme, most likely because Ganymede's surface is mostly covered with water. It is later revealed that the Bebop was originally a fishing ship that Jet "customized" with larger engines. He is very protective of the Bebop, often being reluctant to bring it into situations where it could be damaged, and taking great offense when someone insults it or calls it a pile of junk.

During the series, it is revealed that Jet once lived with a woman named Alisa, who left him claiming that he overprotected her. They meet when Bebop stops on Ganymede, Jet's homeland. Jet goes to find her. He talks to her and then leaves saying goodbye, but later he finds out that Alisa's new boyfriend, Rhint, is wanted for murder. Jet detains them and hand over Rhint to police.

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