Review of Trigun

In most classic Anime conversations, there is always that one show that gets mentioned as a secondary fallback for the big names such as Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and peers, a show that felt so daring and popular and yet very often forgotten. Trigun might be the shy skinny kid called Timmy, but when you're at Timmy's, he is not afraid to show you why he is part of the big classic hits from the 90s. Story (7/10): I wasn't ready. I wasn't ready in the sense of knowing very little about what I was getting myself into. A glimpse of the poster of the show sells itout as a retro cowboy action drama, and then for the good amount of 12 or 15 episodes, the show was heavy on light-hearted comedy with subtle hints to a deeper story that never crossed my mind.

The setting of the story is very eery, to be honest, you would be invested, laughing with both hands on your stomach at the Swifty jokes and setups that Vash finds himself involved in, but the clues on what is actually happening are always in front of your eyes, and until it is verbally revealed, you just don't notice that you are in the presence of a very dark and tragic tale of self-discovery and pursuing idealistic beliefs.

The show makes a very good attempt at separating the comedy and tragedy and Vash is a perfect vassal for that. However, the shift in atmosphere and tension can be almost instantaneous, more than not, you'd be confused about how you should react to a mass genocide amid of a hysterical laugh, like when, how and who is that pulling up all the stops?

Art (7.5/10):
I feel, even compared to similar shows, the animation has known a degree of age. Maybe it's a matter of resolution, but talking about the aesthetics is an entirely different matter. It's got that martian survival cowboy epic feel, I know it's a strange and incohesive mashup, but until you sit through it, it's a genre opening opportunity that unfortunately has not been taken full advantage of. The characters have a strong 90s mark to them, with pale colors and typical Shōjo eyes.

Sound (7.8/10):
The vocals were amazing, from opening to ending songs, and the OST collection that span throughout the run, it is the typical score that would stick with you for years to come, something that you will definitely feel nostalgic about even when hearing it for the first time for some reason.
The voice acting really grows on you, at first, I had a questionable stance on how some key characters did not match up well with their voices, but a couple of episodes in, they feel so natural that you're glad they sound the way they do because their voices reflect more on their personality than their appearance.
One very small thing that I really love and like to point out is the note that plays mid-episode, something like a guitar stroke, I don't know why but that alone represents the whole epic perfectly.

Characters (8/10):
If there was anything this show does right, it's the characters. I love Vash, but not only him, Meryl, Milly, and Nicholas, but all four main characters are also just as good. Of course, some do not show those qualities early on, for example, Meryl, she starts up as the typical annoying lousy girl that trashes Vash every chance she has, and eventually changes completely after undergoing her personal character development, the same with Vash, Milly and even Nicholas who joins the ride later on.

Knives is an interesting villain too, him and his group “The Gung-Ho-Guns”, although they played minimal roles on the individual level, they were more present as a group rather than individuals. Despite note being present for most of the run, Knives, or at least his influence was always present, his ideology shines from the very first episode to the last, rival Vash's and what he stands for.

Enjoyment (8.2/10):
Expecting an epic battle action story, I found myself gauging in laughter more often than not for the better half of the series, I had a good time doing just that and I was fine with it until the story started shifting to something darker and more contrasting to the real world, I knew I was undergoing something much more meaningful, and it was phenomenal. Some episodes made up my top 10 list of all-time when I could least expect it even. I really got attached to the character, I got invested in the lore, it felt by the end of the series, I wished if there was more material to consume, lucky for me, there is a movie still in the waiting.

Overall (7.7/10):
No wonder it is a classic show. A show that has to be recommended more I think. It is the typical show that requires a slow following, I don't think it's the type of shows you would binge in one sitting, because it has a strong semi-episodic progression, every episode takes its time and builds upon the past ones. Take it easy, at your own pace, it is best enjoyed at a slower pace in my opinion. It has the perfect amount of comedy, drama, and action, and I would say, both great to watch alone and with company.