Review of Trigun

A timeless classic that contains, if not one of the earliest badass characters of the 19’s — Vash the Stampede! Though I was born in the early 20’s and had started watching anime in late 2010 and just tried this out this 2023, I can genuinely confirm Trigun ’98 delivered at its era. Seemingly established as a comedy-packed first few episodes that involve a misunderstood, shameless, and wimp of a main character, Vash — turned out to be some kind of omnipotent cool badass that goes around town to town with a singular philosophy of “Killing is bad”. I thought Trigun was gonna be aformula of “hero saves everyone, then everyone is happy” kind of anime that was done right, as based on its popularity, except it wasn’t.

Trigun ’98 was more than that. It was simply the tip of the iceberg hiding the numerous conflicts and struggles involving different philosophical values that explore the nature of humanity itself. And Trigun does it in a way where it slowly reveals everything instead of putting it all on the table. What is supposedly an untouchable mighty and courageous of a main character with an emanating DRIP turned out to be HUMAN after all, and I felt that. Vash the Stampede is the kind of guy you wouldn’t want to be with because he’s the Humanoid Typhoon — flattening cities and wrecking havoc at every corner imaginable because trouble just finds its way to stick to him. And Trigun does this in an episodic format where each episode showcases different places with each of their own problems, exploring the dire world the characters currently live in. Add that with an introduction of a new character at almost every episode; we’re slowly being fed with the situation the world of Trigun currently faces.

The setting is similar to the American Wild West full of crime and guns and when I say guns, I literally say SOME OF THE WEIRDEST AND COOLEST GUNS there is. I won’t spoil much, but if there’s one gun I was enthralled, it was the ‘Punisher’ — a large cross-shaped gun similar to the Crucifix except made for entirely murder and storage. There’s also blades that functions like a gun and even humans made of guns. Trigun is literally a world filled with guns. Add the deserted atmosphere and cities similar to that of the Bible; I can say Trigun was somehow inspired by Christianity. Except there’s no Jesus, only heavily modified humans and weapons to fulfill each of their own’s desires.

Of course, being a 19’s anime, the animation was well…sh*t. Joke, actually; it was kind of good for its time. Action scenes were detailed and clear enough to follow. But I found the pacing troubling as I would’ve liked it if some characters were thoroughly fleshed out instead of rushing their background as soon as possible. I also think Trigun was hindered by the messy transitions between scenes that I just ask myself, “Wait, what just happened?” then I rewind episodes just to review what clearly just happened that I still didn’t get.

But what Trigun actually hit its mark is its ability to create problems that are not just resolvable by sticking to what you think is right. Take it like this: If not even once did you kill someone using your own hands, yet thousands have died because you were somewhat involved, would you still call yourself innocent? And if you still hadn’t killed someone, could you say you were still morally good all along? It’s just one of the heavy topics that Trigun, specifically Vash faces, which made me ponder if being morally kind is the right way to live in a desolate world. Add the second-best, if not the better and more realistic character named ‘Wolfwood’ in Trigun, and you get a story with conflicting beliefs and searching if there’s a path to peace that can be achieved without bloodshed.

I don’t think I can evaluate Trigun as good in all of its features. Music was okay, though there were some scenes that slaps hard and I liked it. Animation reminded me of an anime being played on a VHS player. Pacing was killing my mood sometimes. I think I deserve to know more at least a little bit more after the ending.

And yet as I write 30 mins after finishing Trigun, I look back and think to myself, “It was goddamn beautiful.” I wondered why I imagined putting myself inside the world of Trigun and asking myself, “If this happened to me, what would’ve I’ve done?”. I don’t think my beliefs would not be swayed that easily and reality is far from fiction after all, but at the very least, I spent my time watching 26 episodes to realize there’s nothing right or wrong in what you believe in…it’s just the method of how you will fulfill it.

Trigun is a piece full of flaws. Except it somehow managed to connect itself to reality and deliver a medium filled with comedy, drama, and lots of action within 26 episodes. And I can safely say that, “Oh man I thought this was a serious anime at first though not gonna lie.”.

Also, Nicholas D. Wolfwood was THE MAN.