Daniella Pineda, the actress for Faye Valentine in the upcoming Netflix live-action Cowboy Bebop, has caused outcry over her response to fan criticisms levied at her costume.
Earlier this month, we were given a first look at the upcoming live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop from Netflix. Fans quickly pointed out the drastic difference in costume between the original anime and the live-action costume ultimately used; despite this particular change being announced well beforehand.
After the criticism, Pineda decided to sarcastically respond to fans- expressing disdain and contempt for their concerns. This was rather than attempt to placate fans with reasonable explanations, like how original series creator Shinichiro Watanabe has been a consultant on the series and possibly approved of this change.
You can find that video uploaded by a third party via her Instagram.
Pineda apologizes for not matching Faye’s body (“six foot, double D sized breasts, two inch waist; they looked everywhere for that woman and couldn’t find her, it’s kinda weird”), and her costume not being identical to the anime.
She goes on to express her belief that it’s difficult if not impossible to perform action scenes well in a skimpy costume. “Y’know we tried, but doing stunts in tissue paper- things disappear, they rip, sometimes just got- [lodged].” After a cut for comic effect, Pineda continues, joking more accurate costumes had been made, but were “slurped up into my various crevices never to be retrieved again.”
Fans such as @Vara_Dark pointed out how Pineda had acted before in skimpy attire, as seen in The Detour. As aforementioned, Pineda had stated a realistic costumes would have inhibited stunts. This has not stopped fans from pointing to it as a point of hypocrisy.
Daniella Pineda attacked Cowboy Bebop fans expecting a half decent outfit for live action Faye Valentine, talking about how an outfit closer to her original one would’ve been “paper thin & you couldn’t move around in it” yet she’s literally worn outfits like this. pic.twitter.com/b5PMH6c5zg
— Vara Dark (@Vara_Dark) August 28, 2021
The backlash to fan criticism is just one of the reasons that western anime fans have grown suspicious of remakes and alterations done by American companies. A sentiment which is shared by Japanese fans as well according to a poll held earlier this year, who said they did not want Hollywood live action adaptions.
Show writer and executive producer Javier Grillo-March told Gizmodo last year that the costume would be toned down because “we need to have a real human being wearing that.” Once again proving the superiority of 2D.
Additional Images: YouTube
