The Bebop's captain and conscience—Jet Black brings ex-cop discipline, bonsai cultivation, and a stubbornness that earned him the nickname "Black Dog."
Full Name: Jet Black
Age: 36
Birthday: December 3rd
Role: Bebop Owner, Captain, Former ISSP Officer
Nickname: "Black Dog" (never lets go of a target)
Passions: Bonsai, feng shui, cooking
Defining Feature: Cybernetic left arm
First Appears: Session 1: Asteroid Blues
Voice: Unshō Ishizuka (Japanese)
Jet is the owner of the Bebop and acts as general cook and caretaker for the crew. He earned his nickname "Black Dog" during his time with the Inter-Solar System Police—once he locked onto a target, he never let go. Despite leaving the force under difficult circumstances, he maintains his cop's sense of justice and his methodical approach to bounty hunting.
He cultivates an impressive collection of bonsai trees in a dedicated room aboard the Bebop and maintains a strong belief in feng shui principles. Generally, Jet feigns indifference about his crewmembers' fates, but invariably ends up bailing them out of trouble—whether he likes it or not. His cybernetic left arm stands as a permanent reminder of his past, though the full story of how he lost it remains connected to betrayal during his police days.
As the Bebop's crew expands to include Spike, Faye, Ed, and Ein, Jet increasingly finds himself in the role of reluctant father figure. He cooks meals nobody appreciates, maintains a ship nobody helps clean, and provides emotional stability for people who rarely acknowledge needing it. His grounding presence allows the more volatile personalities around him to function—barely.
Unlike Spike's philosophical detachment or Faye's pure pragmatism, Jet believes in doing things right. His cop background shows in his meticulous research, his respect for proper procedure, and his unwillingness to cross certain ethical lines. These principles sometimes conflict with bounty hunting's moral ambiguities, creating internal tension he resolves through jazz records and bonsai cultivation.
Jet's character resonates with the deeper, bluesy notes of Yoko Kanno's compositions—particularly the melancholic saxophone pieces that underscore moments of reflection and loss. His love of Charlie Parker and classic jazz reflects his old-school values in a chaotic future.
"Men only think about the past right before their death, as if they were searching frantically for proof that they were alive."