Review of Trigun

STORY: 5 Since I haven't read the manga I don't know if this is a common problem. The story in Trigun is simply bad: it's the story of the feared criminal (though we find out he is not that much of an outlaw) Vash the Stampede, a devastator of cities who has a ridiculously large bounty on his head. Eventually, we discover that he has a pretty big score to settle with his twin brother Knives, and that's it basically. There are little to no explanations for the majority of the questions the plot arises, plot developement seems to be strictly forbidden for the most part(seriously, the actual progression of the story occours in just a bunch of episodes), plot twists and unexpected revelations (the rare times they do take place) seem to be thrown at the viewer randomly... the list continues. Episodes are, for the most part, self-concluding little stories which show the adventures of Vash and his friends, and they are quite enjoyable! But the actual plot? It has a lot of flaws impossible not to notice if you abandon the nostalgia effect for a moment.

ART & SOUND: 7/8
From an artistic POV, Trigun does a fairly good job: the anime has an engaging steampunk design which mixes spaghetti western with a more typically Japanese vision of technology and fantastic elements. Even though the art is fairly essential, it has a lot of personality and effectiveness. Overall, design and animation are fairly outdated, and even though this could contribute to the vintage atmosphere of the show it could be a letdown for others. Character design is simple and good, effectively giving to our protagonists a distinct identity.
The music, in Trigun, is great: once again it draws inspiration from western movies and from the renowed composer Ennio Morricone. It activel contributes to the atmosphere, with an amazing use of the instrumentation (which includes harmonicas, acoustic guitars, double basses, but also more modern instruments such as electric guitars and the likes). The overall level of quality is high, even though not "would listen often when not watching the show"-high (with a few exceptions, like the opening and Rakuen). Speaking of the sound effects, they also have a vintage feeling to them, and their quality is good because they don't ever feel outdated but, as I said, vintage. As a final note, Italian voice acting is FANTASTIC, especially regarding Vash and Wolfwood.

CHARACTER: 6
Generally speaking, characters are not that memorable. Vash is undoubtely a great and interesting protagonist, as he is a pacifist gunman constantly struggling to retain his morals in a world in which the strong survives and the weak is pinned down. He has a number of weaknesses and obstacles to overcome as he remains coherent with himself. Its level of characterization is high and he is a strong point of the show. The other only really good character (to me, the best) is his friend Nicholas D. Wolfwood. He is a polar opposite of Vash, because even though he is a priest he doesn't hesitate to kill and commit criminal actions in order to survive in the harsh planet Gunsmoke. His relationship with Vash is deep and effective, and it culminates in what is arguably the most thought-provoking and emotional moment of Trigun. We then have Meryl and Milly, two mildly enjoyable support characters who travel with Vash throughout his journey, first for business reason and then for something else. The villains, though, range from "okay at best" to "downright terrible": Knives, the main villain, is the best of the category, though heavily cliché'd; Vash's twin brother, he thinks that he and his brother, as superior beings, should extinguish humanity and rule over the planet. I heard that in the manga his reason are better explained: good, because in the anime he starts as a "normal" kid and goes crazy with no apparent reason, with all the troubles that follows. The last mildly appealing character is Legato, Knives' right arm. The organization of villains if full of bit players not even worth to mention.

ENJOYMENT: 8
Despite the big flaws, Trigun is a highly appealing anime, because the often self concluding episodes are packed with fun, adrenaline and morals in an effective mixture that charms the viewer and makes him watch more and more episodes in one sitting. The balancing is spot on most of the time, with intense action sequences followed by gags and emotional moments in the best way. Speaking of which, episode 23 (Paradise) is a masterpiece. Simple as that, it's the best episode of Trigun because of the final, unforgettable sequence. Ready your handkerchiefs and prepare to cry a lot. Other episodes are not as good, and not masterpieces in their own right, but as I said the rhytm is so engaging that you'll find yourself watching three or four episodes in one sitting most of the time. There are no really dull moments to be found, but also no amazing moments (aside from the one I mentioned), preventing this category to score a 9.

Overall, you should watch Trigun, but be wary of its several flaws especially in plot and characters department. Fortunately, they are not the main driving force of the show and so they won't prevent you to enjoy the run.