Trigun is a much loved property from the mind of Yasuhiro Nightow - originally a manga that ran in Monthly Shōnen Captain from 1995 to 1997, it was translated and distributed by Dark Horse Comics, with the anime adaptation being one of the keystones of anime's march into the West by gaining a slot on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. It was a massive hit in the West and the TV series in particular was an anime darling. Animated by Madhouse, the first half of the series was a Sci-Fi Western comedy, featuring a hapless buffoon known as Vash the Stampede getting into numerous scrapes while being pursued by bounty hunters Meryl Stryfe and Millie Thompson. At the halfway point, the anime suddenly became much darker, with Vash's previous "zany" antics clearly being a cover to his very capable gunslinging skills and tragic past.
Another element that marked Trigun as an exceptional series was the music, a Western inspired score by Tsuneo Imahori that was as much a character in the show as Vash himself.
All of this is to say that creating any new series based on this much-loved property was going to be a gamble; can you retell Trigun in animation and improve on the original?
First signs weren't positive. The new designs, showcased in the teaser trailer, had a Flash Animation look to them, seeming flat and slightly unnatural. Not Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 bad, but not great either. Vash looked very effeminate, the shaved sides and long blonde mop looking only very vaguely like the original design, lacking the bold and distinctive silhouette of the hero we knew.
Regardless, episodes one and two of the show are up on Crunchyroll, and I've restricted myself to watching the first episode as part of this article. I have to say, any doubts I had about the series were blown away in the first few minutes.
It's clear that we're not hiding anything on this run - we witness the SEED ships arriving at the planet No Man's Land, witness the death of Vash's mother-figure Rem and one of the most exciting escape sequences I can remember, as the pod containing Vash and Nai hurtles toward the planet as the numerous SEED vessels erupt in flames around them, all the while an incredible score just magnifies the epic scale of the destruction. Hats off to Studio Orange, it's a cinematic spectacle.
The new Meryl
The status quo has changed too - we switch point of view to Meryl Stryfe, no longer working as an insurance agent trying to stop Vash causing damage, here she's chasing stories as a reporter. Stylistically she's very similar to her past incarnation. Though less cynical, she's eager to make a name for herself and is really quite engaging, and as she stumbles over Vash the story plays out in typical Trigun fashion; a town needs help, the authorities interfere, Vash pulls off a miraculous (if clownish) feat of skill and saves the day. The spirit of the show is very much alive, even if the details may have shifted slightly.
The sinister reveal of Vash's brother as the main villain isn't strung out either, with Vash discussing him with Meryl in the very first episode. It's pretty clear that older fans won't be frustrated by having to wait for the series to display its sinister side, though in some respect I do feel that showing its hand too early is depriving new fans of one the great twists of the old show. Still, for those of us familiar with the lore, it's a fun ride and a fresh take on what is now pretty old material. Whether or not there will be fundamental changes to the fates of each character we'll have to wait and see, but it should be fun finding out. Certainly Milly is missed as the earnest (if naive) heart of the show, and it would be nice to have her back too.
What's is clear is that Trigun Stampede is a slickly produced update of a classic story, with a lot of attention to detail and some truly admirable direction. I hope that, unlike the recent Netflix adaptation of Bastard, that Trigun Stampede maintains the quality and pacing of its opening salvo to give us the update we never knew we needed. It had my curiosity, let's see if it can keep my attention.
Trigun Stampede is streaming on Crunchyroll.
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