Red Eye (drug)

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Eye after application of drug

Red Eye is a fictional drug in the anime series Cowboy Bebop. The drug is taken as an aerosol substance directly into the user's eyes and can give the user periodic surges of superhuman reflexes and a slowed perception of time. Popular belief is that the drug increases the connection from eyes to brain (processing information on the environment so quickly that everything moves in slow motion) to the point of dodging punches or even bullets. Red Eye appears to be one of the largest commodities of the various criminal syndicates throughout the solar system in Cowboy Bebop. Like many real drugs, heavy and prolonged use has a detrimental effect on the user.

Red Eye was developed by an unknown military institute, for use on soldiers. The Inter Solar Systems Police (ISSP) considers it a high-priority/heavy-class substance, but is unable to get much of a hold on "illegal" leaking and marketing of the drug. Red Eye is very addictive, and characters shown using it are depicted with shaking hands and blood-shot eyes during withdrawal. After-effects include tremors and vomiting. Jet, a former ISSP detective knows several officers, including one he keeps in touch with for information, who might have either used or sold Red Eye canisters stolen from evidence rooms.

A version of Red Eye known as Bloody Eye is mentioned in the first episode of Cowboy Bebop, and is apparently a higher-end (purer/more powerful) version.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

During the flashbacks depicting the inside of Julia's apartment, a canister of Red Eye and an application device can be seen sitting on her windowsill.