Trigun Deluxe Edition Review
Yasuhiro Nightows’ post-apocalyptic classic story Trigun is finally available again in a physical format, and a deluxe-sized hardcover version no less. Initially spread across two manga volumes in the publication Shōnen Gahōsha, the series is presented in one hulking tome here, courtesy of publisher Dark Horse Comics, who have been giving this treatment to some of their classic licenses like Berserk and Hellsing. It is worth noting that this tome covers only the initial Trigun manga, but Dark Horse are also publishing the follow-up Trigun Stampede in a similar deluxe hardcover formatting, and it’s great to see Trigun get the treatment it deserves after reportedly being out of print for some time, especially off the back of a recent anime adaptation that’s put the franchise back on the map for a new generation of anime and manga lovers.
The premise of Trigun is straightforward yet immediately fun and engaging as we follow a man known as “Vash the Stampede”, a reluctant criminal in the 32nd Century on the planet Gunsmoke, who has not only accrued an extraordinarily high bounty of $$60 billion (a double dollar amount no less), but also the title of “Humanoid Typhoon”, owing to his supernatural abilities in destroying an entire city some time ago, an event referred to as the July Accident, the circumstances which Vash has forgotten due to amnesia. The cruel irony presented to us as readers is that Vash is a pacifist through-and-through, who stumbles into danger and tries to get out of it over and over without hurting anyone in the process and to add to this his bounty’s wealth is more so, thanks to the damage caused by outlaws, crooks and thieves who want to claim his head, but fail to do so every time.
This is presented in the initial chapters as whilst visiting the settlement of July, Vash soon encounters trouble; first at the hands of the entire town who want a piece of his bounty, but then at the hands of the Nebraska family, initially a father-and-son criminal duo, who present a decent challenge to Vash but are vanquished and the townsfolk pacified thanks to two agents from a company known as the Bernardelli Insurance Society Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson who are sent to monitor Vash and the alleged damage he caused. They sedate the townsfolk by informing that Vash’s bounty has been frozen (though Vash allows them to cash in the bounty for the Nebraska family) but also pledge to tail the would-be bumbler “24/7” to keep track of his destructive movements, eventually becoming allies in the process. The duo make for a fun supporting cast for Vash as Meryl is presented as self-assured and sometimes reckless, whilst Milly is more measured and sympathetic, resulting in a duo who balance and complement each other nicely.
The story next sees the newly-created trio boarding a Sand-Steamer (a large boat-like vessel that travels through sand instead of water) “The Flourish” to May city, which results in another outbreak of violence as Vash must contend with the Bad Lad Gang, led by B.D.N (Brilliant Dynamite Neon), a thug and ruthless tactician who initially aimed to hold up the passengers before setting sights on the vessel’s vault, which he intends to open via a collision-course off a nearby cliff. We are also introduced to Kaite, a young man who initially joins B.D.N but, after seeing his true nature, rebels which prompts Vash to step in before either he or the other passengers are harmed.
This results in a cat-and-mouse hunt around the Sand-Steamer as Vash and Kaite use the vessel’s Communication tubes to ensnare the Bad Lads into danger to disable them without killing – an aspect of his pacifist nature that rattles Kaite, whose sadly bitter view of the world clashes with Vash’s ideals and his promise to Rem (a figure shown to be from his past) not to kill. Eventually, Vash and B.D.N square off in an agreed duel, which Vash narrowly wins and B.D.N concedes defeat. The boiler within the Sand-Steamer, however, threatens to explode, leading to a rescue mission involving taking on a being known as a “Plant” that has a connection to Vash’s past. This also redeems Kaite’s view of the world and saves the remaining passengers on board.
The next arc reveals more members of the Nebraska family as Vash, Meryl, and Milly find themselves protecting an elderly couple’s land from gang members now led by Patricia and Marilyn Nebraska, who wish to free their recaptured relatives. A dastardly conman, Morgan, is using the gang to try and seize the land due to the geo-plant located within it, which the elderly couple’s son Badwick is aware of and tries to prevent any sale of the land. This shorter arc is perhaps the weakest in the manga, but this volume (two) does close on an important note, as we’re introduced to Legato Bluesummers, leader of the Gung-Ho-Guns, and employed by Knives Million whose aim is to make Vash’s life hell, a matter which leads innocents to become entangled in the ensuing violence.
The Gung-Ho-Guns and their ranks are also further explored during the third and final volume of Trigun, wherein rogues like Monev the Gale present another in the long list of threatening foes vying for Vash, who again tries to mitigate as much damage and casualties as possible. Monev’s cowardice works to the advantage of Vash’s pacifist nature, as when Monev begs for his life, Vash lets him survive.
However, when another member of the gang, E.G. Mine, crucifies his losing comrade, this prompts an angered Vash to seek out and hunt down Legato for ordering this cowardly attack. This turn of events provides the reader an insight into Vash’s angrier side, one which creeps out throughout the story, and here it’s interesting to observe the conflict between Vash wishing to keep his pacifistic promise to Rem, and his desire to rid Gunsmoke of a major threat and lowlife.
As the manga begins to wrap up, we’re introduced to a new major supporting character in travelling priest, Nicholas D. Wolfwood, who sports a massive cross-shaped weapon, enhanced abilities and regenerative capabilities, and a mysterious past to boot. He ultimately assists Vash in vanquishing the Gun-Ho-Gun members as Vash and Legato square off, only for their head honcho Knives Millions, the previously mentioned brother to Vash, to rebirth from one of the Plants harboured nearby (to explain, Plants are inter-dimensional beings that are tapped as a source of power and energy for the planet Gunsmoke).
Unfortunately, before Vash can fully remember who Knives is, they converse about their experiences and how Vash’s memory block was caused by a powerful ability that all Plants harness, and one which Knives tries to activate in Vash to destroy the town and ultimately cause another July Accident. Thankfully, Vash redirects the gun’s blast to one of the planet’s moons, causing a massive hole in the process. After this excursion, everybody once again forgets who Vash was or what he fought for, though it’s implied that Meryl, Milly, and Nicholas remember Vash, and this sets up the following manga, Trigun Stampede, in style.
This manga was quite the read – having watched both the 1998 and 2023 anime (plus the Badlands film) I was curious to see how this all began, and mangaka Yasuhiro Nightow crafts a breezy yet effective and fun storyline that works both as its own standalone project, and as the beginning of a larger story, as we see in Stampede later on. What I especially appreciated was how easy it was to like the central cast, with Vash earning his place as an iconic anime protagonist, whilst Meryl and Milly, and later Nicholas, all did well to give the reader more down-to-earth but still quirky characters to enjoy, who like the various townsfolks they save, aren’t armed to the nines or equipped to deal with the chaos that ensues around them.
Indeed, the Nebraska family, and then the Gung-Ho-Guns later on are solid antagonists, sporting unique designs and abilities, including powered battle suits, Sphere-like body armour, Hypnosis, and perhaps most important of all, a bloodlust for Vash driven by loyalty, not to one another, but to gain these powers – perhaps the ultimate rewards in a dog-eat-dog world. At this point in the story it feels like there is more to see, but that has to wait for the continuation. What we get to see so far though are some decently threatening foes who drive the story along nicely. The Nebraska family (and Bad Lad Gang from the beginning), in contrast, are perhaps more comical in execution, but work well in the earlier chapters as Nightow establishes the characters and world around them.
Translation for Trigun Deluxe was carried out for Dark Horse by Justin Burns whose work here is very solid, especially in the more chaotic scenes throughout the story. This deluxe version also contains additional “Bonus Tracks” including the original Trigun pilot, which is nice to have here, plus an art gallery showcasing the individual artwork for Volumes 1 & 2 of the manga. It makes for a package that lives up to the “Deluxe” mantra!
Overall, Trigun is a great manga that works well both as a standalone read and as the beginning to a bigger and greater storyline. Mangaka Nightow crafts an immediately engaging and intriguing world, full of ruffians and low-lives, but also those who just want to live and need a helping hand. Vash is a relatable and loveable protagonist who remains iconic in his optimism and humour, but also in his pacifist ideals whilst facing down the lowest of the low. The supporting cast of Meryl and Milly, and other characters who appear throughout, both good and evil, all have their own charm and memorability. The art style, now presented in this deluxe format, is stylistic but detailed, offering both visual and conceptual memorability, making this deluxe edition the perfect way to explore the origins of Trigun, whether as a first-time reader, or long-time fan.
Our review copy from Dark Horse was supplied by Turnaround Comics (Turnaround Publisher Services).
