Behind the Art of the Overwatch 2 x Cowboy Bebop Collab
The futuristic worlds of Overwatch 2 and Cowboy Bebop come together in a brand-new collaboration that fans are sure to love. When you log into Overwatch 2 on Xbox Series X|S, you’ll be able to hunt down bounties with the effortlessly cool Cassidy as Spike Spiegel, Ashe as Faye Valentine, along with more favorites from the Cowboy Bebop series.
We asked concept artists Danna Lee and Allison Yu what it was like to design the unique skins for Spike Cassidy and Faye Ashe, and help bring the world of Cowboy Bebop into Overwatch 2.
How exciting was it to create a new skin based on Cowboy Bebop?
Danna Lee: I was extremely thrilled. As a fan of Cowboy Bebop and someone who loves Spike, it was an honor to have worked on this project. I really appealed to my team that I wanted to work on a Cowboy Bebop skin because it’s my favorite anime. So, after rewatching all the episodes and the movie, I delved into the work. I already loved the series, but rewatching it after a long time got me even more excited. I remember applauding after finishing every episode.
Allison Yu: I’m a huge fan of the golden age retro anime, and that includes the beloved Cowboy Bebop series. After I heard that we would be working on this collab, I asked to work on Ashe Faye Skin immediately. Faye is such a cool character who is voiced by my favorite Japanese voice actor and her personality fits Ashe so well. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to combine the looks of Faye and Ashe.
What inspiration from the anime did you bring into the skins?
Danna Lee: I aimed to replicate Spike’s outfit as faithfully as possible. I referred to the final episode for his coat. For his gadgets, I designed each of them to evoke a retro feel from that era of anime, and his weapon was inspired by Spike’s Swordfish 2. To understand Spike’s characteristics better, I analyzed and documented every scene he appeared in. I even scrutinized the retro art style in the backgrounds down to every second.
Allison Yu: Faye’s hairstyle and her personality fit Ashe very well overall. The tricky part of this skin is what kind of change we could make for B.O.B. Since Faye doesn’t usually have someone with her in the way that B.O.B. looks out for Ashe, we needed to figure out what could be the best fit for that role. After discussing it, I thought it would be really cool if we could turn her ship, the Red Tail, into B.O.B.
What challenges did you encounter when bringing the worlds of Cowboy Bebop and Overwatch 2 together?
Danna Lee: It was challenging to strike a balance between maintaining Spike’s essence and infusing Overwatch’s style. Spike’s outfit is undeniably chic and cool, but directly translating it into the game would make it overly simple. There were also clipping issues during rigging and adjusting elements that couldn’t be implemented in-game and addressing that was tough, but with the collaboration of the tech and modeling teams, we managed to pull it off.
Allison Yu: As mentioned, designing B.O.B. was the most challenging part of this skin. The ideation of making B.O.B. into a ship was really abstract at first and we went back and forth a few times with my lead. Should we keep his shirt and pants to make him more like B.O.B. or should we just lean into the ship form? Ultimately, we decided to make his shape mimic the Red Tail ship as close as possible, making B.O.B. much more round and organic, and taking away the clothes to make this skin truly unique.
I want to shout out to my art lead, Daryl Tan, for helping me along the way while working on this skin. He took a lot of time giving feedback as we tried to figure out the solution for B.O.B.
What is your favorite episode or scene from the anime?
Danna Lee: I particularly love episodes that delve into the characters’ pasts. I have a fondness for Faye Valentine’s backstory. I remember shedding tears as I watched it. It was heart-wrenching to see her family home, where she lived with her loved ones, and her room where she lay down, slowly regaining her memories. Imagining how painful it must have been for her to gradually recall her memories deeply resonated with me. The realization that she’s the only surviving human from her time was chilling and poignant.
Allison Yu: My favorite is Episode 9, “Jamming with Edward,” and that is when Edward shows up and joins the team, which suddenly makes the show more energetic, and I always enjoy how she acts funny with Ein.
Are there any fun details about the skins players should look out for?
Danna Lee: The hat worn by Spike Cassidy is Andy Von De Oniyate’s hat. There’s an episode where the two engage in a cowboy showdown, and in the end, Andy places his hat on Spike. I incorporated this detail into the skin. The key hanging from Cassidy’s waist is the key to Swordfish 2. I thought adding this key, which is used to pilot the Swordfish, would be a fun element. I worked on these details with the hope that fans and players would appreciate the attention to detail. It was immensely enjoyable to consider these aspects while working on the skin.
Allison Wu: I worked on adding different items of Faye from different episodes, including the sunglasses she wears in Episode 3, “Honky Tonk Woman,” and the earrings in Episode 5, “Ballad of Fallen Angels.” Also, we paid a lot of attention to B.O.B. as the Red Tail, matching the smallest details from the actual ship in his air vent shape, head, and color choices.
The Overwatch 2 x Cowboy Bebop Collab event is live now through March 25. You can purchase the new Legendary skins for Spike Cassidy, Faye Ashe, Edward Sombra, and Jet Mauga from the Overwatch 2 shop, and log onto Overwatch 2 on Xbox X|S and complete engaging new challenges to claim bounties of new rewards, including the Ein Wrecking Ball Legendary Skin.
Overwatch® 2: Complete Hero Collection
Blizzard Entertainment Inc.