The anime series Cowboy Bebop broke the mold of what anime could and should be, becoming one of the most beloved anime series of all time in the US. Cowboy Bebop was a milestone in many other ways, however, particularly for its inclusion of a group that's almost never represented in television media.
From the start, Cowboy Bebop was always meant to be a show about people on the edges of society, and that doesn't just apply to Spike and the gang. Each episode often includes someone who has, in some way or another, been forgotten by society at large, like the blind woman in "Waltz for Venus," or the unaging child from "Sympathy for the Devil." This tragic aspect is a big part of what sets the melancholy mood that much of the series has; society has moved on to new technologies and spread throughout the solar system, but in the end a lot of the same social problems are still hanging around, just as they always have been.
In the two-part episode "Jupiter Jazz," Spike's nemesis Vicious, and enters the bathroom to confront Gren. As she points her gun at Gren, her eyes first catch sight of feminine breasts and hips, before looking down and seeing that Gren does have the proper male equipment as well. As Faye asks whether Gren is a boy or a girl, the only answer she gets is "both at once, and neither one."
Gren Represents a Rarely Seen Group
While Gren's situation isn't explained fully, it's suggested that Gren underwent some kind of experimentation against their will while serving in the military that resulted in their current appearance. Gren mostly identifies as male, as he originally was, but es himself off as male and female at different points in the story, suggesting he's found some level of comfort with this body. Though Gren's explanation is pure science fiction, the condition of having attributes of both biological sexes is a real phenomenon, known as intersex. Only around .05% of the population is intersex, but out of 8 billion living humans, that's still millions of people. These people almost never get to see characters like themselves in media, and when they do, it's rarely as sympathetic a portrayal as Gren received. Although intersex usually refers to those who have had the condition since birth, a sci-fi character like Gren should perhaps be given leeway to break that.
Gren is one of the most memorable one-off characters in the series, sympathetic and likable. Spike even helps Gren in spite of the bounty on them. Cowboy Bebop may not be perfect when it comes to representation, but that doesn't change the fact that it was lightyears ahead in this one particular area.
