Coyote Ragtime Show is an interesting name isn't it? When I first heard of it I had no idea what to expect though part of me for some reason was thinking it was going to be a comedy that include a bunch of random insanity. Fortunately that wasn't the case. This is a futuristic space outlaw show that sticks to the formula and really draws inspiration from other popular titles.

On one hand this series reminded me so much of Cowboy Bebop. Sure the cast of characters were entirely different and the atmosphere was a little more juvenile but there was just something about it that did so. Maybe it was the way the crew of the Coyote worked together as outlaws or perhaps it was a particular scene where Pirate King Bruce points his finger upwards at the camera ala Spike. On the other hand there were elements of Outlaw Star tossed in here. Despite the feelings I had about this show being inspired by these particular series the first volume of Coyote Ragtime Show was a lot of fun and left me wanting more.

In the future humans have colonized many planets across the galaxy and though we haven't really evolved as a people our technology has. There are cyborgs a plenty and ships that can travel faster than light though for some reason we still use bullets and rockets to get the dirty jobs done. In the very first episode we see plenty of each of those things. There is an intense jail break that involves a busty government official, twelve homicidal cyborgs, and a brilliant inmate who goes by Mister. The result of these three forces meeting is a bloodbath filled with flying bullets and explosions galore. Neat stuff really!

Beyond the nice introduction of Mister we don't really get to know more of his character throughout this volume. He's kind of the head outlaw among his kind and is revered as a legend. He goes by so many nicknames that nobody truly knows his real name not even the few friends that he works with. In particular, Katana and Bishop join Mister on the Coyote but it's Franca who really gets the most attention.

Franca is the daughter of the late Pirate King Bruce who was a very close friend of Mister. She has been taken under the old man's wing and has operated his bar while he was behind bars. Now that he's out it raises all sorts of questions and we soon learn that many of the answers have to do with Franca's papa.

Before Bruce died he pulled off an Ocean's Eleven-like heist that nets him a large treasure. Towards the end of the disc we learn exactly what it was so I won't divulge the details in case you want to be surprised. Let's just say that it's something that would make anyone fight to the death for. The only problem is that this treasure is hidden on a planet called Graceland which is about to be destroyed in just over 5 days. You'd think that Mister and company would be able to just slip in and get the bounty but it's not that easy. Those homicidal cyborgs show up again and that government agent is hot on their trail. For a guy who revels in anonymity Mister sure has attracted quite a lot of attention.

This first volume stays strong the entire way through. The characters were quirky and the atmosphere was a lot of fun even though the plot isn't necessarily the most unique. Think Ocean's Eleven meets Treasure Island meets Cowboy Bebop and you're on the right track. Frankly that is a nice combination of ideas when you get right down to it so in many ways Coyote Ragtime Show sizzles. Put me down as being interested in future volumes and if you have ever loved science fiction/pirate anime it would behoove you to do the same.

Coyote Ragtime Show just finished broadcasting in Japan during the month of September so you can imagine how nice the video quality is. The anamorphic widescreen image features some nice resolution with crisp quality and a vibrant palette. The picture stays strong the entire way through and just about every scene is just as gorgeous as the one that preceded it. A few moments in particular such as the parts with Bruce training to steal his treasure and inside Mister's bar included some light grain. This wasn't entirely the case but it was noticeable when it popped up. No aliasing or any other flaw permeates this transfer so it stays beautiful the whole way through.

With Japanese and English 5.1 tracks Coyote Ragtime Show does a nice job of impressing your ears as well. My first viewing for the show was with the Japanese track and I was very pleased to have the surround mix available. Typically we get somewhat stagnant 2.0 stereo presentations so any time a show comes out with 5.1 it's something to get excited about. The track made good use of the rear channels and spread it evenly between sound effects and music.

The English dubbing selection offered a little more in terms of the channel mixture but it was more or less the same to be honest. Some sound effects seemed to be boosted a tad and more dialogue played across channels. Overall I was pleased with both tracks and enjoyed them equally. The surround sound was a little more subdued than I'd personally hope for but once the action kicked into gear it was pretty immersive.

After watching the show I was really hoping to see some worthwhile extras but all that appears on this disc is a selection of previews, some production art, and clean open and close animations. Yawn.

Coyote Ragtime Show has started out strong with four fun-filled episodes that do well for portraying what the show is all about. I have been a lover of sci-fi anime for some time now and this looks to be a fine entry into the genre. A nice presentation all around for audio and video helps the enjoyment though the near-total lack of supplementals doesn't impress. If the rest of the series keeps up with the same pace this looks like it has the potential to be a key release for 2007 (and it's only January!). I must tip my hat to ADV for picking this one up!

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