Spike Spiegel

Spike Spiegel (スパイク・スピーゲル) is the main character of Cowboy Bebop. He is a former member of the Red Dragon Crime

Syndicate, who left by faking his death after falling in love with a woman called Julia. He then became a bounty hunter and the partner of Jet Black, the captain of the Bebop. Spike and Jet pursued criminals across the populated planets and moons of the solar system. His ship was the Swordfish II. During his adventures on board the Bebop, Spike is drawn back into a bitter feud with Vicious, a rival from the Syndicate who seeks to kill him.

Background

Spike was born on the day of June 26, 2044 on Mars. Not much is known about the 27-year-old's family or childhood apart from his grandmother dying before he was born. Some speculate he was an orphan and his parents died when he was young. His racial background has been speculated online to be anything from Jewish, American, Italian, Chinese, or Japanese. It has also been speculated he could be Latino, a light-skinned african or the last Mohican by select online communities.

Throughout the series, there are some clues given about his past that it can be presumed that he was raised in one of the slums of Mars before becoming a thug, a thief, and then finally a criminal affiliated with the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate where Mao Yenrai, head of the organization, takes him under his wing.

The criminal organization becomes kind of like a family for Spike, and, thanks to his skills, he manages to become, in a short time, one of the top men, even being considered by many in the Red Dragon to someday be the leader. Because of his recklessness, he loses his right eye in an unknown accident, which occurred in a mission on behalf of the Red Dragon, after which he was implanted an artificial eye.

Simultaneously, after joining the Red Dragon, Spike meets a woman named Julia during a pool game; it's implied he fell in love with her at first sight. He also encounters Vicious, and soon, both become candidates for possible successors for Mao as the leader of the organization. While Vicious is ambitious, selfish, ruthless, and willing to do anything to get the leadership role, Spike instead finds no interest in the opportunity. The difference of opinion between the two gives rise to a great mutual hatred as well as a strong rivalry; however, this is not the only reason. They have a shared history and are shown to have fought and worked together in the past, possibly at one point being good friends. In Spike's flashbacks, he is shown fighting alongside Vicious. At about this time, Spike gets involved in a shooting probably not with the police, but the assassins of Vicious. He survives and is rescued and healed by Julia.

It is unclear exactly what links Vicious and Julia, though it seems the most likely that Julia was somehow subdued by Vicious and obliged to obey him, and some elements reveal she might've had a romantic relationship with him, further explaining Vicious' anger at Spike for engaging in an affair with Julia and sending assassins after him.

Having to heard of the new bond, Vicious offers Julia to restore her freedom in exchange for the life of Spike, adding that if she did not kill him, they would both end up dead. Spike simultaneously staged his fake death and offered Julia to leave the Red Dragon and run away with him to start a new life. They were supposed to meet in a cemetery on a rainy day. Julia, however, not having the strength to kill the man she loved, decided to go into hiding to protect both him and herself, so at least one of them could be saved. She did not go to the cemetery, leaving Spike waiting in the rain and coming to believe that he had been betrayed. Spike finally decided to leave, and so, painfully putting an end to their relationship.

A few years later in 2068, in circumstances that are not told, he met Jet Black who becomes his partner and close friend. They embarked on the ship known as the Bebop and quickly became the most feared bounty hunters of the Solar System. Despite the passing years, Spike continues, every time he gets an opportunity, to search for his beloved Julia.

Trivia

• His past and background is very similar to Eric Draven in The Crow (portrayed by Brandon Lee, the son of Bruce Lee, in the 1994 film) as both were thought to be dead. Both were in love with a beautiful woman with who they were supposed to be together, and both set out to avenge their loved ones. They also both fought their rivals in an abandoned church and succeeded in killing them in a violent and poetic manner, and both are experienced in fighting with weapons and martial arts.
• Spike's age 27 is a reference to the 27 Club, comprised of many famous musicians who have died at the age.
• The reason why Spike’s hair appears to be a green color is due to the lighting in the anime. It is actually close to being a dark brown or black shade.
• His name in Japanese means ???.

According to the Databook:

• His birthday is ??? and his blood type is ???.
• His star sign is ???.

Voice Actors

• Japanese : Koichi Yamadera
• English : Steve Blum

Played by in (Live Action) : John Cho

Gallery