Trigun Volume 1

Trigun is another anime series tearing it’s way into the UK saddled with a reputation of being a “must see” show.

Catching glimpses of the stylish art direction and distinctive character designs will spark an interest any self respecting action fan. Vash is an undoubted icon of anime; his spiky blonde hair and long red trench coat are the hallmark of what makes this show feel so cool- but aesthesis aside, is Trigun strong enough to hold your interest?

Of course it is! While the ‘wacky’ side of Trigun will take some getting used to (if like me you were expecting Vash to be a typical brooding hero; think again!), this is a series of undoubted quality. The characterization is fantastic (helped in no little way by the unique character designs); once you meet Vash the Stampede, you aren’t likely to forget him too soon. The same applies to Milly and Meryl, two lively side-kicks who play off the audience’s sense of surprise every time Vash does something crazy.

This is a very unconventional action show; in his heart, Vash is a pacifist who just so happens to be an extraordinary gun man too. His nicknames (‘Vash the Stampede’ or ‘The Humanoid Typhoon’) are rather unfair, given he would struggle to hurt a fly, let alone another human.
That’s the point though- most people, including Milly and Meryl, expect the infamous ‘Humanoid Typhoon’ to be a towering beast; killing anyone who has the misfortune of crossing his path- finally meeting Vash is of course, a total anti-climax. I struggled between feeling let down and just bursting out with laughter- there is nothing as ironic as a big gun toting softie shouting ‘Love & Peace!!’ down the barrel of hand cannon!

Trigun aims deeper than you will initially give it credit for though. Peace can’t be defined without war; it’s easy to be a pacifist until you have a gun pointed squarely in your face and I suspect that Vash’s simple morals will be pushed right to their limits as the show progresses.

The setting of Trigun is a post-apocalyptic variation of the old American West. We are yet to discover just why humanity is stranded on this distant planet, but suffice to say that in such a desolate place where simple natural resources like water are in short supply, it’s an almost lawless civilization. People take what they want from the weak until they themselves are killed by someone stronger. There is a bleak sense of dread that stains in the atmosphere, as if the last flicker of humanity is about to disappear.

If this show wasn’t so damn funny, it would be rather depressing. Vash, Milly, Meryl and a whole range of weird and wonderful supporting characters give the dark setting a real spark of life, so much so you’ll be double taking during certain scenes and asking yourself if that really just happened – “how can a character who looks as cool as Vash do something as lame as that!?”

Each of the four episodes on this first volume don’t feature any kind of reoccurring plotline; Vash and the gang just wander from town to town, fixing broken spirits and bumping into strange criminals. There is no real continuity carried over except the quirky, developing relationships between Vash, Milly and Meryl- but that’s enough for now, these characters are fun and interesting enough on their own.

The animation by Madhouse has a typically old school mid-1990s feel. It’s nothing spectacular, but distinctive enough to envelope us within the off-beat premise.

In Summary

Trigun #1 is a success for several reasons, but I’ll save you the time and just say this is a damn good show! Some could possibly be put off by Vash’s, erm”¦, unique personality but rest assured action fans, the comedy is well balanced by some extreme moments of heart-stopping combat and tense, old Western style stand offs.

Of course, there is potential here for a bigger and more intelligent story, but for now; just let yourself revel in the strange, fun show that is Trigun.