Trigun

Posted Sunday, November 11, 2007 - 15:50 by Knight

Summary:

Vash the Stampede is a gunman on the run with a 60 billion double dollar bounty on his head which has made it difficult for him to go anywhere without being chased and shot at. Every town he ever visits ends up being destroyed because of his pursuers, but miraculously no one ever gets killed. Meryl and Milly are two insurance agents that have been sent to find Vash the Stampede and keep him under surveillance so no more damage is caused. Meryl, who leads the pair, refuses to believe that the man they have met can possibly be the legendary gunman. This spikey haired, gangly, young man is extremely friendly, a pacifist, hates blood and suicide, absolutely loves donuts, and is a dork and a crybaby (far from a notorious outlaw). But there is more to Vash and his past than meets the eye.

Story: 9

The planet Gunsmoke is a desert planet which holds the remains of several earth colonization ships. There only hope for survival is sentient lift forms called plants. Plants are kept alive in light bulb shaped containers and are used by humans to generate energy, food, and water to survive the harsh conditions of the planet. Vash is a gunslinging pacifist that has a deep and dark past. Branded with the nickname The Humanoid Typhoon and a sixty billion double dollar bounty on his head he is forced to run from greedy bandits. Throughout the story he encounters and befriends two clumsy insurance girls and a traveling priest. Also encountering many enemies including the most ruthless assassins on the planet, the Gung-Ho Guns. As the story unveils you learn more about Vash's past, his twisted brother Knives, and the history of Gunsmoke.

Animation: 8

The animation is simple but often lacks detail in some places. The backgrounds are vividly drawn and capture attention.

Music: 8

The music is very unique and helps bring out the excitement in scenes.

Characters: 10

Vash the Stampede is the main character of Trigun, also known as The Humanoid Typhoon. He is the first person to be declared "an act of God" or "a human disaster." He is initially discovered by Meryl and Milly while being chased by some bandits who want to collect the $$60 billion bounty on his head. He escapes and Milly and Meryl eventually learn that this is the person they are assigned to track. Vash the Stampede also has a sad past that involves his brother destroying a whole SEEDs ship with the crew, along with Rem Saverem. Nicholas D. Wolfwood is a preacher and an excellent gunman. Nicholas and Vash meet in the desert when Vash's bus runs across Nicholas' motorcycle. He proves to be a valuable ally, but sometimes Vash and Wolfwood's philosophies conflict. In the end, he comes over to Vash's way of thinking, even though he was associated with Knives the whole time. Nicholas' purpose is to raise money for children at an orphanage he runs. Wolfwood's weapon is a cross that is kept covered for the most part, but it does pack a mighty punch. One arm of the cross hides six handguns, the other stores the ammunition for the built in machine gun revealed in the long stem side, and the short stem houses a fairly powerful rocket launcher.

Overall: 8.75

Trigun is a great anime and manga if you love action packed, science fiction with dab of comedy and philosophy. It challenges morality and shows humanity's struggle for survival on a cursed planet. The anime leaves you hanging so be sure to read the manga as well. I would recommend watching the full anime series before reading the manga. Nightow has a unique dialog style and it is often hard to understand who is saying what. The manga provides a more complete story and deep understanding of the characters. "Trigun" the animation has 26 episodes and is produced by Madhouse. The manga has two parts the first "Trigun" with a total of three volumes or two thicker volumes. The second "Trigun Maximum" has a total of 12 volumes. A movie is currently being produced by Madhouse entitled "Trigun X".