<p><strong>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlion" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Merlion</a> is often associated with Singapore, so the extrapolation that Faye is Singaporean is reasonable.</strong> However, the exact location of the Merlion in <em>Cowboy Bebop</em> is less immediately clear to a contemporary viewer not from Singapore. In the ep. 24 video where it appears, there is a waterfront, and a merlion at the end of a boardwalk. (Click images for bigger size.)</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Bnn1m.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Bnn1mm.png" alt="Cowboy Bebop merlion"></a></p>

<p>According to Wikipedia, there are five "official" Merlion statues in Singapore; it seems reasonable to restrict my attention to these. <strong>The only one that could fit the merlion in <em>Cowboy Bebop</em> is the one in <a href="http://www.yoursingapore.com/see-do-singapore/recreation-leisure/viewpoints/merlion-park.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Merlion Park</a> which stands at the mouth of the Singapore River.</strong> (The others do not have waterfront views.) The Merlion Park statue is also the oldest merlion statue in Singapore, and possibly the most famous one, so it's likely that this statue would have been chosen for reference.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/c0UER.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/c0UER.jpg" alt="Recent photograph of Merlion"></a></p>

<p>One might notice that the location doesn't entirely match up. In Faye's video, there is nothing to the right of the boardwalk the Merlion is on, whereas in current images, there is a set of steps and no boardwalk. However, the position in Faye's video matches up with the <em>original</em> position of the Merlion. (<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150813031942/http://www.davidandfamily.com/English/114sg15-river002.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Reference</em></a>) (The Merlion Park statue was moved in 2002 after construction affected the seafront views and the positioning relative to the Singapore River. Seeing that <em>Cowboy Bebop</em> was produced in 1999, there is no reason for Faye's video to show the merlion in anything but its former location.)</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/EExKc.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EExKcm.jpg" alt="Merlion in former position."></a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-23T19:55:27.940Z
2016-02-23T20:31:57.593Z
2016-02-23T20:31:57.593Z
Maroon
<p>In this <a href="http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=41342&amp;show=0#msg3935177">MAL discussion</a> about episode 24 of Cowboy Bebop, the user <a href="http://myanimelist.net/profile/merle_noir">merle_noir</a> posts that they have been to the Merlion seen in Faye's video: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Faye must be Singaporean... Wouldn't think the Merlion would be anywhere but there (in Singapore), and I even know/have been to the first Merlion she saw - the one in the video.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Is this a real, visitable place? If so, what is the location?</p>

<cowboy-bebop><tourism>
Is the Merlion in Faye's childhood video a real location?
# Is the Merlion in Faye's childhood video a real location?
Posted by: username_0 on 2016-02-23
In this [MAL discussion](http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=41342&show=0#msg3935177) about episode 24 of Cowboy Bebop, the user [merle\_noir](http://myanimelist.net/profile/merle_noir) posts that they have been to the Merlion seen in Faye's video:

> Faye must be Singaporean... Wouldn't think the Merlion would be anywhere but there (in Singapore), and I even know/have been to the first Merlion she saw - the one in the video.

Is this a real, visitable place? If so, what is the location?
**Tags:** cowboy-bebop tourism
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## 1 answers
### Answer by username_1 on 2016-02-23. Score: 8 | Accepted answer
**The [Merlion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlion) is often associated with Singapore, so the extrapolation that Faye is Singaporean is reasonable.** However, the exact location of the Merlion in *Cowboy Bebop* is less immediately clear to a contemporary viewer not from Singapore. In the ep. 24 video where it appears, there is a waterfront, and a merlion at the end of a boardwalk. (Click images for bigger size.)

[![Cowboy Bebop merlion](https://i.sstatic.net/Bnn1mm.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/Bnn1m.png)

According to Wikipedia, there are five "official" Merlion statues in Singapore; it seems reasonable to restrict my attention to these. **The only one that could fit the merlion in *Cowboy Bebop* is the one in [Merlion Park](http://www.yoursingapore.com/see-do-singapore/recreation-leisure/viewpoints/merlion-park.html) which stands at the mouth of the Singapore River.** (The others do not have waterfront views.) The Merlion Park statue is also the oldest merlion statue in Singapore, and possibly the most famous one, so it's likely that this statue would have been chosen for reference.

[![Recent photograph of Merlion](https://i.sstatic.net/c0UER.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/c0UER.jpg)

One might notice that the location doesn't entirely match up. In Faye's video, there is nothing to the right of the boardwalk the Merlion is on, whereas in current images, there is a set of steps and no boardwalk. However, the position in Faye's video matches up with the *original* position of the Merlion. ([*Reference*](https://web.archive.org/web/20150813031942/http://www.davidandfamily.com/English/114sg15-river002.htm)) (The Merlion Park statue was moved in 2002 after construction affected the seafront views and the positioning relative to the Singapore River. Seeing that *Cowboy Bebop* was produced in 1999, there is no reason for Faye's video to show the merlion in anything but its former location.)

[![Merlion in former position.](https://i.sstatic.net/EExKcm.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/EExKc.jpg)
---
