It doesn't matter what city you travel to. Mentioning the name 'Vash the Stampede' always strikes fear into even the most cold-hearted criminal. Vash's reputation as the Humanoid Typhoon, this dastardly deity of destruction, causes civilians to run away screaming, criminals to impersonate him, and the Bernardelli Insurance Society to investigate him. It is quickly revealed that Vash, the protagonist of Trigun, is actually a donut-chomping, easygoing, womanizing pacifist, a masterful gunman with spiky-blond, Super Saiyan – esque hair who always finds himself in comical situations. In one episode, Vash complains to the audience about his lack of screen time. In another, Vash, while listening to music with his headphones, stumbles into a saloon and becomes a victim in a hostage situation. While following Vash in the show Trigun, it becomes obvious that he's not your average Joe (and not because of his magnificent marksmanship). Vash, the man who invents lengthy aliases for himself, holds a heartbreaking past and a century's worth of secrets. Vash the Stampede, the galaxy's most wanted outlaw (with a 60 billion double-dollar bounty on his head), the man donning that unforgettable red jacket, is among the most interesting and complex characters I've ever seen and he's one of the many great aspects of Trigun.This anime has three genres; it's a western, a comedy (among the best of its kind), and an action anime. Trigun is an explosively entertaining show but the basis behind the anime is much deeper, that killing people doesn't solve anything and that there are different ways to resolve an issue. This is the lesson that Rem Saverem, Vash's mentor, instilled in him and it is Rem's mentality that Vash (and the series) attempts to maintain. There was one death early in the series, when the Badland Gang hijacks a train and kills the conductor, but that murder appeared to be a rarity, something that wouldn't happen again. Trigun appeared to be an anime of light- hearted, bloodless fun… until Legato Bluesummers, one of Trigun's biggest villains, showed up and began slaughtering people by the dozen. Trigun's mood instantly shifted to a drastically darker direction and it was all because of Legato, one of the many, many, influential characters in the show.Every character in Trigun has a distinct personality and presents a unique aspect to the series. Trigun begins with the members of the Bernardelli Insurance Society, Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson. Meryl is a demanding and moody woman who (very slowly) softens her unpleasant demeanor (I'm not saying Meryl's an unlikable character but I'd be surprised to find a fan of hers). Milly is the taller (and much nicer) of the two investigators, a warm-hearted woman with child-like innocence and an enormous gun as well. Throughout the series, a variety of characters are inserted into the plot, like the benevolent Rem Saverem (whose impact on Trigun I already mentioned) and (my favorite character) Nicholas D. Wolfwood, a laid-back preacher with an oversized cross on his back, black sunglasses on his face, and a cigarette in his mouth. There are, of course, the villains. There's Legato Bluesummers, a psychic psychopath who poetically professes loyalty to his master, and the Gung-Ho Guns, eleven different criminals who work alongside Legato. Finally, there's the all-powerful Knives, the mastermind responsible for Legato and the Gung-Ho Guns' killings and Vash's twin brother (as well as someone who I will further discuss later).Another excellent aspect of Trigun is the music. I'm obsessed with the main themes of TV shows and Trigun's opening is among the all- time greatest. The Trigun opening is a guitar fanatic's dream come true (and I can say the same for practically the entire soundtrack).The anime doesn't just have guitar; there's also the occasional piano-playing and even some saxophone pieces, mostly thanks to Midvalley the Horn- Freak (one of the Gung-Ho Guns). What I enjoy most about Trigun's soundtrack is how the anime employs the music. In one unforgettable scene (Wolfwood's death), Trigun presents a memorable montage of the preacher's life as emotional music plays in the background. During the episode "Sin" (my favorite Trigun episode), after Meryl inquires about Knives, Vash begins to tell her and Meryl violently steps back as a gunshot fires in the background. Then, the only sound is this exceptionally emotional guitar piece that complements the tragic scene, as the camera switches between clips of Vash's past, Vash's muted talking, and Meryl's emotionally destroyed face. Whoever constructed this soundtrack is a genius; I'm serious.As much as I love Trigun, I have to admit there are some flaws. With the exception of Legato, the acting from the characters was decent at best and awful at its worst (The voice of Julius from the episode "Escape from Pain" was painful. Just painful). I think the ending for Trigun was especially unfulfilling (I loved the symbolism of Vash's jacket and how he finally discarded it, but I hated the anti- climatic, unnecessarily lengthy, Dragon Ball Z-like showdown between Vash and Knives), and I really don't understand Knives (Why did he choose to continuously torment Vash into joining him? Why didn't he accomplish his plan after a century? For a main antagonist, Knives sure is confusing. Honestly, I think Legato was a much better villain). Above all else, why is the series titled Trigun?Despite its flaws, Trigun is the epitome of entertainment, a 26- episode roller-coaster of gunfights, comedy, drama, and depth (as well as one of my three all-time favorite shows). If you're looking for something to watch, check out Trigun (or at least the main theme via YouTube). You won't regret it.

This anime is unlike any other. It is a unique example of...something. I don't know how to explain Trigun without going into too many spoilers.The main story is that this guy, Vash The Stampede, is a guy with 60 billion double dollars on his head. Everyone says that he is the most dangerous and misery creating bandit on the planet called "Gunsmoke" where the show is set. But Vash is no evil man, all he wants is to live according to the phrase "Love & Peace" and eat donuts all day. But of course since this is a show that got action and comedy in it we know that his lifestyle won't hold for too long. I can also mention that the show looks a lot and feels a lot like it is VERY Western like, and that is kind of what gives the show it's charm. I'm also gonna mention that even though he got a big *beep* revolver, he never wants to kill everyone, which makes him sort of a gunslinging, redcoat wearing Batman.Every character in this show plays their part perfectly and never over- stays their welcome. My favorites on this show though have to be Vash and Wolfwood. They are both excellent in their own right, but the show is even more entertaining when they are in the same general area. The animation is nothing to brag about these days since it is from 1998, not saying that it is bad by any means, oh no. I quite like the old style of animation that Trigun got. The studio that made it, Madhouse, is these days more known for shows like Death Note and Hellsing Ultimate. But they did a great hob with Trigun, the animation flows perfectly. But one of the major things about this show that should be mentioned is the soundtrack...it is *beep* awesome. Tsuneo Imahori did an amazing job with it. He really captured the feeling of the show and every situation in it perfectly, why haven't he gotten any awards for it I wonder?So, Trigun is in short...one of the best shows ever. Both in anime and in general. And when I saw that there was a movie after I was done with the show I was over-joyed. Trigun is awesome and should be watched by anime fans and action/sci-fi/western/comedy/drama fans alike. Hell, it should be watched by EVERYONE!

I cannot even put into words how amazing this show is, but I'll try. When I didn't know much about this show, my art teacher informed me that Trigun was the best show she'd ever seen, and that I should watch it. After art that day, I searched up Trigun and was disappointed with the results. I saw the man named Vash holding a gun. I was perplexed. This did NOT seem like something I would watch; looking rather dry in humor and painfully serious. I quickly dismissed the thought of watching this show. Months later, I browsed Netflix and saw Trigun. At the moment, I had forgotten that Trigun even existed, and clicked on it. I looked at the cover and immediately thought the show was going to be filled to the brim with action. I decided to give it a chance and watched the first episode. I was delighted and confused. Never in my life had I thought Trigun was going to be like this. The episode had been generously sprinkled with comedy, something that instantly drew me in and had me craving for more.I watched the second episode and was not disappointed. I started to grow fond of this show. The other episodes were humorous as well, but then the show made a drastic turn. It became rather dark, talking about the many battles in life; What was right and what was wrong, inner demons, hatred, etc. This change left me flabbergasted.Trigun's plot was exceptional, I really enjoyed it. The show makes you think about things such as "Is what I'm doing in life right? Did I make the wrong choice?". Now for my favorite part, the characters!Vash: The Lord knows how much I love Vash. If this man was real, I'd marry him in a heartbeat (I have quite the crush on Vash). He is such a wonderful person, or rather unfortunately fictional character (And is also quite the looker). He is a pacifist, striving for Love and Peace. Being the kind-hearted person he is, he refuses to kill any of his enemies, leaving his body adorned in scars. Vash, bless his pure heart, had some very idealistic and unreasonable views of how things should be. Although it would be lovely to live a life where no one had to worry about such things as killing and anger, times are sadly not like that.Meryl Stryfe: "You cant ignore her, you cant beat her, you cant resist her, and you cant win."That pretty much sums up Meryl.Milly Tompson: Although she appears to be your typical dim-witted female character, she's actually quite clever, painfully so at times. She has such a sweet soul that will make everybody love her.Nicholas D. Wolfwood: This man deserves the world. I really love this guy, I have so much respect for him its not even funny. He's a realist, quite often clashing with Vash's beliefs. Words cannot describe how wonderful of a character he is. Hell I may even name my first son Nicholas in honor to him. Just watch the show, then you'll see why I feel so strongly about him.Trigun hands down is the best anime I've watched. If you're reading this review and never end up watching Trigun, all I have to say is that you should watch your back, and that you're missing out on one of the greatest shows ever created.

Set on a desert planet sometime in the distant future 'Trigun' follows the escapades of Vash the Stampede; a man considered so dangerous there is a $$60,000,000,000 reward for his capture. Searching for him are insurance agents Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson; they find him in the opening episode but don't believe the man they found could he the infamous killer nicknamed 'The Human Typhoon' due to the trail of destruction he leaves behind. It quickly becomes apparent that while Vash may attract trouble he does everything he can to avoid hurting anybody… even those who want to kill him. As the series progresses we learn more about Vash; he isn't the idiot he first appears to be; he is tormented by something that happened in the distant past and determined to confront his nemesis… his brother!Trigun is definitely a classic anime series; I'd heard of 'Vash the Stampede' before I started watching anime and long before I finally caught up with the series. I'm glad I finally caught up with it as it deserves its status. There is plenty of action and in the early episode there are plenty of laughs. The early humour serves to amplify the pain when we learn more about Vash's past. The desert setting gives it a western feel but that changes to Sci-fi when we see how everybody came to be on the planet. There is also the mystery as to just who, and just as importantly what, Vash and his brother are. The other characters are fun too; especially Meryl, Milly and the gun-toting priest Nicolas D. Wolfwood. The character designs may look dated compared to more modern series but that isn't a problem; they are at least distinctive.These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.