Travel through the Cosmos with These 40 Spike Spiegel Quotes

Cowboys, criminals, space, and a complex protagonist — What more could one want in an anime? Read these 40 quotes to delve deeper into the world of "Cowboy Bebop," or more specifically, the character Spike Spiegel.

Spike Spiegel is the sarcastic and lazy yet loveable protagonist from the anime "Cowboy Bebop." This cowboy or bounty hunter and his friends travel throughout space together, where they find criminals and capture them for the right price. Spiegel is no stranger to crime, having previously worked for the Red Dragon crime syndicate when he was a child.

He had continued to pursue this lifestyle until he met a woman, leaving the syndicate for a different life. Sadly, their love didn't stand the test of time. Now, on his own, Spiegel uses his knowledge of crime and criminals to help him and his companions in their pursuits. Read 40 quotes from the spellbinding Spiegel.

Spike Spiegel’s quote: "I felt like I was watching a dream I could never wake up from. Before I knew it, the dream was over." | Image: AmoDays

Spike Spiegel’s Musings

"We are all in the perpetual quest for keeping oneself occupied, entertained, and important—which burns at the edge of addiction." — Spike Spiegel

"The music box is broken, or is it? It starts to play, and a haunting tune fills the air. I wake suddenly from my dream. There is no music box! And yet, there it is—a tiny one nestled in my hand. And I awaken from my dream again as if I were peeling an onion. It's a dream. No matter how far I go, I can never reach reality, trapped in an endless nightmare." — Spike Spiegel

"I'm watching a dream I'll never wake up from." — Spike Spiegel

"Once, there was a tiger-striped cat. This cat died a million deaths, revived, and lived a million lives. And he had various owners that he didn't really care about. The cat wasn't afraid to die. Then one day, he met a white female cat. The two of them fell in love and lived together happily. Well, the years went by, and the white female cat got old and passed away. The tiger-striped cat cried a million times, then he also died. But this time, he didn't come back." — Spike Spiegel

"I felt like I was watching a dream I could never wake up from. Before I knew it, the dream was over." — Spike Spiegel

Spike Spiegel’s quote: "We are all in the perpetual quest for keeping oneself occupied, entertained, and important—which burns at the edge of addiction." | Image: AmoDays

"A fallen angel banished from heaven arises into the light to be received by the benevolence of God." — Spike Spiegel

Spike Spiegel’s Quotes on Love, Relationships, and Friendship

"I never stopped loving you." — Spike Spiegel

"I was younger then; I wasn't afraid of anything; I didn't think about dying for a second. I thought I was invincible. Then I met some girl. I wanted to live. I started to think like that. For the first time, I was afraid of death. I had never felt like that before." — Spike Spiegel

"Hex is no longer here. There's no one left but an old man who loves to play games." — Spike Spiegel

"You know better than anyone without looking. He was a terrific guy. Exactly the person you thought he was." — Spike Spiegel

Spike Spiegel’s Cool and Courageous Cowboy Quotes

Spike Spiegel's quote: "Don't you want to hang out and waste your life with us?" | Image: AmoDays

"Just a humble bounty hunter, ma'am." — Spike Spiegel

"I'm not going there to die. I'm going to find out if I'm really alive." — Spike Spiegel

"I've bled all of that blood away." — Spike Spiegel

"You're not going to let him get away, are you?" — Spike Spiegel

"I was killed once before by a woman." — Spike Spiegel

Spike Spiegel's quote: "Fearless is dead. I go by Spike Spiegel these days." | Image: AmoDays

"They say hunger is the best spice." — Spike Spiegel

"I love the type of woman who can kick my [expletive]." — Spike Spiegel

"We've seen worse." — Spike Spiegel

"A man can't just live on carbohydrates alone." — Spike Spiegel

"I'm not gonna let that happen." — Spike Spiegel

Spike Spiegel's quote: "They say hunger is the best spice." | Image: AmoDays

"Don't you want to hang out and waste your life with us?" — Spike Spiegel

"Fearless is dead. I go by Spike Spiegel these days." — Spike Spiegel

Spike Spiegel’s Quotes about Stepping into the Flow

"Life will challenge you to do things sometimes. You just have to let go!" — Spike Spiegel

"You're tense. I'm calm. You apply excessive force, and I control that force through fluid motion. That means relaxing the whole body so it can react instantly without resistance—no, without thought." — Spike Spiegel

"Do you see now? It means becoming like clear water." — Spike Spiegel

Spike Spiegel's quote: "Life will challenge you to do things sometimes. You just have to let go!" | Image: AmoDays

"Whatever happens, happens." — Spike Spiegel

"Water can take any form. It drifts without effort one moment, then pounds down in a torrent the very next." — Spike Spiegel

Spike Spiegel’s Self-Reflective and Everyday Quotes

"That's what you did? You took all the money you stole from us, and you lost it gambling in a casino?" — Spike Spiegel

"Yeah, that's why we decided to make today your new birthday." — Spike Spiegel

"I don't think Charlie Parker would be caught quoting Goethe." — Spike Spiegel

Spike Spiegel's quote: "Since then, I have been seeing the past in one eye and the present in the other." | Image: AmoDays

"Uh, listen, Jet. You said 'bell peppers and beef.' There's no beef in here. So you wouldn't really call it 'bell peppers and beef' now, would you?" — Spike Spiegel

"Why do people stay longer in my head than they do in my life?" — Spike Spiegel

"We saw how peaceful you are." — Spike Spiegel

"Since then, I have been seeing the past in one eye and the present in the other." — Spike Spiegel

Funny Spike Spiegel Quotes

"Why is everybody's family problems, My problems? I'm the Orphan." — Spike Spiegel

Spike Spiegel's quote: "A baby hipster; very cool." | Image: AmoDays

"Don't give me that art of war [expletive]! And you! You take too long to take a [expletive!]" — Spike Spiegel

"I'm not a criminal. Woah, that makes me sound more like a criminal, doesn't it?" — Spike Spiegel

"Hey, Jet, did you know that there are three things that I hate? Kids... animals... and women with attitude." — Spike Spiegel

"That's the story. And what was the real lesson? Don't leave things in the fridge." — Spike Spiegel

"A baby hipster; very cool." — Spike Spiegel

Spike Spiegel's quote: "I'm not a criminal. Woah, that makes me sound more like a criminal, doesn't it?" | Image: AmoDays

The original animation ran from 1998 until 1999 and became beloved by a dedicated audience, so the live-action series of "Cowboy Bebop" had big boots to fill. This remake was released on Netflix in 2021 and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy, particularly, Outstanding Main Title Design.

Beyond awards and official acclamations, the show appeared to have a mixed reception. Many compared it to the original and said it was not up to standard, while others disagreed. The streaming service canceled it after the first season.

For true manga fans, read these quotes by another widely loved anime character, Kamado Tanjiro.