Trigun Stampede

Love and peace! Oh my. Looks like another retro classic has been given a remake. That’s right. Those old enough like yours truly who have watched the original Trigun anime would either be in shock or delighted that Trigun Stampede is the modern alternative version to the retro classic. After 25 damn years later! Wow. Feels like a long time. I try not to judge it too harshly at first because sometimes the remake of an old series can be ultimately good or at least decent in my books. Like the remakes of Fruits Basket and Shaman King. But those are only because the original TV anime deviated from the source and hence the remake was to stay true to that and close the chapter on the series. The original anime of Trigun did have its differences from the manga and while it has some sort of ending, its story continued in other spinoff works. So yeah, I’m watching this partly because of nostalgia and also the panic button was pressed. Oh you know, too many animes to watch for the season. Knowing this was split into 2 cours and instead of watching them all at one go, got to clear this one out of the way first to ‘lighten the load’. Sheesh.

Episode 1
Some futuristic spaceship carrying human civilization is going to explode. Rem Saverem saves a couple of young twin brothers, Vash and Nai, forcing them into the escape pod as they watch in horror the entire mothership go boom. In present time, perky new reporter, Meryl Stryfe and her boss, Roberto De Niro (SERIOUSLY?!) are on a trip to get some big scoop on this terrifying man known as Humanoid Typhoon. They stumble upon a weirdo (Vash) being hung upside down supposedly by the Bad Lad Gang. They let him be and soon come across the police who are looking for Vash who is of course the Humanoid Typhoon with a bounty of $60 billion on his head. Meryl lies by pointing to a different direction. Then she reigns in Vash because she’s going to get the scoop out of him before handing him over. Heading over to the next desert town, Jeneora Rock, it seems everybody here knows Vash and are friends with him. They thank him for saving their town. Bartender Rosa points out the underlying problem that their water plant has broken down and they’ve been buying water from the next town. Vash goes to take a look at the plant. In need of fixing. Of course needs money. And the police shows up to say if they hand over Vash, the bounty is enough to cover that repair. Vash doesn’t want violence so he goes with them but they beat him up. Roberto threatens to report police brutality on the front cover so this leads to a showdown and a duel. Vash going to take on this police boss in a shootout. Vash won’t shoot. Neither will the cop so he throws away his gun and then shoots a cluster bomb in the sky! Dirty jerk! With everyone running for cover, Vash is going to show off. Well, he has no ammo! Can anybody give him a bullet?! Rosa gives one to Meryl who throws it at him. Butter fingers. Police boss tries to shoot him but Vash dodges all at point blank and beats him up. Loading the lone bullet in his gun, he throws the rock, shoots his bullet at it to break it into many pieces that hit all the cluster bombs! OMFG!!! In the aftermath, Roberto asks Vash who he is afraid of because he wasn’t even fazed by the police. Vash reveals it is his crazy brother, Millions Knives.

Episode 2
It is hinted that Knives was the one who sabotaged the ship and then also blamed Vash as an accomplice in killing Rem. Vash tells Meryl and Roberto that it is not him who is going around stealing plants all over the world but his twin, Knives who looks exactly like him. Suddenly Rosa and the rest all hold Vash at gunpoint. I guess it’s the money. Sorry but they need it to survive. Vash turns into a Running Man as he escapes their shootout. Not until the crazy Nebraska family, the mad scientist Father and his Frankenstein abomination son, Gofsef, almost come crashing into Rosa’s son. Vash saves them and then runs away while the Nebraska pair hunt them down but ultimately loses them. Not wanting to lose, they return to Jeneora Rock to cause terror to find something valuable. Meryl confronts Vash about his timid attitude in not wanting to fight. That’s just running away and not kindness. Vash is okay with this because will you be okay if fighting head on gets someone killed? They heard Jeneora Rock is under attack so they return. The Nebraska pair trying to steal the water plant. Vash returns in time to save Rosa before she becomes dead meat. Father wants Vash to fight and use his gun but Vash will not. To Father, weapons are made for fighting and that power is justice. Vash still won’t fight so Father asks why he is so bent on saving these people who tried to betray him. They are worse than villains, pretending to just be friends. Well, Vash just wants to save them. That’s it. Vash shows off his skill as he shoots a bullet to block Father’s shot. The ground then gives way. Gofsef tries to save the plant and although he makes it, he himself couldn’t and falls. Vash holds on to him. Rosa confronting Father who pleads to save his son. The whole town cooperate to pull Gofsef up. In the aftermath, Rosa treats everyone to beer. Happy hour comes early. Yeah, odd for Nebraska duo to join in. Vash tries to leave silently as Roberto confronts him about never staying in a place for too long and believes he is running away from someone. Suddenly Gofsef is overwhelmed by weird creatures believed to be some lost technology. He manages to run outside and explode by himself.

Episode 3
It seems those are bombs and this work can only be done by an infamous bomber known as E.G. Bomber. Because he is the kind of guy who likes to play with his work of art, Vash snuffs him out of his hiding. Uhm, is he Overwatch’s Junkrat?! Anyway, he claims he has been reborn and now goes by the name E.G. Mine. Whatever. Vash tries to stop him from stealing the plant. But with Meryl and Roberto doing a daring move to hold him down and dare him to die together, the coward tells how to disable the bombs. But Father wants revenge over killing of his son but Vash won’t allow it. That is when Vash hears an ominous piano play. He tells everyone to run as he follows the source of that sound. Mine goes to see his master who is no other than Knives but gets killed off. Vash confronts Knives and wants him not to touch the plant that is keeping the people alive. Knives claims he is taking back what is his because all those plants belonged to them. Knives hypnotizes Vash for a while. Father who is looking for the culprit gets an arm blown off by Knives. Rosa and a few ladies try to stop Knives from taking their plant but their pot shots won’t work against his terror tentacles that slices through everything! Yeah, poor ladies except Rosa died a violent death. Knives uproots the plant as Vash’s warnings remain to be unheeded. After Knives gives the plants to his accomplices, he then destroys the entire town. In the aftermath, Jeneora Rock is destroyed. Many are dead. Including Rosa’s son. She blames him that had he not come here, all this would never have happened. Get out. Don’t ever come back here again. Vash packs his bag and leaves. Meryl is stumped he can still smile. Because he doesn’t deserve to cry. Where is he going? July. A town in the east and probably that is where Knives is.

Episode 4
Meryl and Roberto are taking Vash along in their truck. Well, with the tragedy of Jeneora Rock and the possibly Vash has accomplices, if their identity gets out, they can be in real trouble. Along the way, they accidentally knock down this wandering guy, Nicholas D Wolfwood. Heading to the nearest station for help, they realize the occupants are killed. The only survivor is a kid hiding in the closet. Wolfwood tries to say his prayers for the dead but fumbles his lines. Hey, he isn’t a priest but an undertaker. He cheers up the kid and then hand the hefty bill to Meryl! But soon the entire place is engulfed by a giant sandworm. They find themselves in its stomach. Lots of bugs. The kid runs off himself. They go in search of him but as Meryl finds him, she gets attacked. Roberto is suspicious about Wolfwood’ cross because it’s too big and heavy to be one. He wants to see it but Wolfwood will not. Vash tries to mediate but soon Roberto goes missing. The worm then spits them out before devouring them again. This time they see the kid but Vash knows he is the one controlling the worm and bugs. The kid escapes but Wolfwood unveils his cross as a gun and fires. Missed the kid but the worm gets blasted in half. Not sure but Meryl and Roberto are found safe as they join some desert nomads having worm meat for dinner. Sorry, the night sky isn’t lit up with beautiful stars. Those are bugs. Ruined your appetite? Later we see Wolfwood and that kid, Zazie the Beast actually know each other and they just put up an act. Zazie notes he has earned their trust and can proceed to kill his ‘friends’. He is one who doesn’t care about human lives. Wolfwood says he just does his job no matter who he is up against.

Episode 5
Meryl stumbles into a giant monster corpse in the desert and thinks Knives did this. The rest doesn’t think so and some other monster might have killed it. But Vash is suddenly drawn to a nearby abandoned town. As they walk inside, suddenly an abomination starts attacking Vash! Shooting and rampaging all around just to get Vash! Even if Vash manages to knock it down, he is concerned that this monster is still alive?! Only thanks to Wolfwood they manage to run away and hide. Wolfwood believes Vash has been here before and wants to know what happened. Flashback shows Vash helped a young boy, Rollo back to this town. Apparently Rollo is sad thinking he will die as he has some disease. Worst, he overheard his mom talking about him being the next sacrifice to God. He thinks God won’t save him as he doesn’t believe in Him. Vash assured him that even God won’t save him, he will. So you guessed it, he ‘died’ before Vash returned with whatever disease. Hence he is regretting for talking big and couldn’t follow through. We see Rollo has been taken away by a doctor, William Conrad (one of Knives’ henchmen) and was being experimented on. Some drug to rebuild and strengthen his body. So yes, this abomination is Rollo. William thinks he is a success for managing to survive 5 years but his assistant thinks he will be just another failure. Now we see Rollo beating down Vash who doesn’t do anything but apologizes for not being there for him. Now he is back and he doesn’t have to be alone. Just when you think Rollo is about to finally listen to him, Wolfwood shoots and kills him! Vash is mad at Wolfwood for killing him but on the contrary Wolfwood has ‘saved’ him. Keeping him alive was just torture as there was no way he would return to his humanity. He points out to Vash’s hypocrisy because he can’t even keep his promises. All talk. Can’t answer to that, Vash? Now that Rollo is dead, William’s aide thinks it is convenient because it saves him the trouble of ridding a failure. But Zazie points out it was William’s other creation that did the job: Wolfwood.

Episode 6
Looks like the reporters will be parting ways with Vash and Wolfwood. They drop them off at the sand steamer and need to go back to write an article. Of course Meryl is not happy they are letting Vash go. They found a picture of him holding a baby at Rollo’s home. Isn’t he curious why Vash has not aged? Meryl’s persistence has Roberto somewhat ‘agree’ as long as it’s not too dangerous. That’s so subjective… As Vash continues to feel down and Wolfwood reminding him he is only live because others died, suddenly some guy comes up to kill them. They manage to dodge and fight back but Wolfwood is in shock and he recognizes him as Livio. They grew up very closely in an orphanage but one day Wolfwood was taken away by strange men who claimed he was selected for test. Of course it is all part of William’s experiment as he injected him with drugs that could repair all damage to his body. Wolfwood’ growth was rapid and in a few months, he became an adult. He tried to escape the facility but failed. Then Legato Bluesummers told him he will be working for some group, Eye of Michael. Basically, he will go around assassinating traitors and losers. Obviously Wolfwood won’t do it but then Legato shows Livio. He followed him on his own accord and wanted to be like Wolfwood. Yeah, he is already an experiment subject. Legato continued abusing Wolfwood with his powers but William reminded him to be careful with this prized subject. Now Wolfwood is on the defensive as he is trying hard not to kill emotionless Livio. I’m sure Vash would love to chew him out on his policies now but this Vash isn’t that kind of guy. Wolfwood continues to protect Livio and Vash because he can’t let them kill each other. He is doing so to prevent Livio from dying because if he is dead, other children will be William’s next experiment until he finds the perfect result. As Legato and Zazie watch this, they decide to spice things up. Legato forces the sand steamer to change direction and heading towards the orphanage. Worse, wild illuminating Mad Max gangs just hijack the ship. Uhm, so these are the Bad Lad Gang?!

Episode 7
Obviously the sand steamer is also going to crash into the orphanage and take out the entire town too! As if Wolfwood doesn’t have his hands full dealing with Livio, at least Vash can do something to stop the Bad Lad Gang from the hijacking. It seems those goons have brought along those reporters in hopes they can take photos and put them in their article! Pose cheese now! Of course Vash knocks them all out and enough time to even return to Wolfwood and Livio’s fight. Yeah, how can immortals kill each other? Just taking pot shots at each other?! Cue for Vash to tell Wolfwood to talk something they remember most together. Wolfwood does that and it stops Livio in his tracks. Too bad some trauma starts activating so he can’t stomach it and shoots his own head! Uhm, I thought he has regenerative abilities? Or does it not work on the head? We hear Legato’s plan to take out the orphanage and Livio so that without them, Wolfwood won’t have emotions and perhaps become the man he wants him to be. He also activates an ion cannon on the ship. Oh, Vash believes he can stop both? Wolfwood bet they can! They must! With guts and grit! This guys is even more insane than Vash when he is desperate! Since the control room cannot shut off the cannon, the guys are going to turn it manually?! Remember, guts and grit! So basically they are using all their strength turning this huge cannon. Meryl is waiting for the signal to fire the cannon (otherwise the built up explosion will blow up the ship) as Roberto tells her to abandon it all and save their own asses. It’s not worth it. Meryl can’t. She is sick of it all. She has been regretting everything since Jeneora Rock. If she runs away now, nothing will change. Once Vash and Wolfwood manages to turn the cannon away, Meryl presses the button to fire it. Wolfwood wants to abandon the people on the ship to save the town. But wait. Vash will save both! He can! He’d better or Wolfwood will kill him. There’s your approval. So as Wolfwood tries to do something at the control room, Vash heads to the plant and makes contact with some alien in it, pleading for its help. The sand steamer also comes to a complete halt inches before the town. What a miracle. When everyone goes to see Vash in the plant, Meryl is shocked to see his face covered with plant patterns. He is a plant?

Episode 8
A happy Rem celebrates the birthday of Vash and Knives. Then that fatal crash whereby Knives blamed Vash as his accomplice because he was the one who gave the codes. Fearing for what he has done and seeing all the corpses around, Vash ran away. But how far can he run in the desert? As he lies dying, he is picked up by humans from another ship colony, Luida Leitner and Brad. While Luida is a nice and polite lady, Brad continues to cast his suspicions and distrust on Vash. Luida analyses Vash and realizes he is an Independent as plants are usually cloned from an original cell. Vash seems special as he is a plant born from another plant. That’s right. A plant giving birth like a human! Vash continues to wallow in depression as he believes he is the only survivor and as a plant, he cannot create anything. He just eat and sleep like a human. One day, this ship’s plant is going out of control. In short, bad news and everybody gonna die if nothing is done. And nobody knows what to do! Vash could hear its thoughts and wants to go talk to it. Others are sceptical but Luida believes in Vash and lets him out of his cell (no pun intended) to go talk to it. In no time, this discount Avatar plant calms down and order returns. Being the saviour of this ship, Vash is now a resident. Though Brad still remains suspicious but he could just be tsundere. Heh. So for 5 years, Vash helps do whatever this calming communication thingy with the plant. Luida gives Vash a red coat and of course Vash takes a liking for it. Vash feels this place is like his home and that is what they will rename this bland ship. One day, Brad successfully hacks into some black box and hears that accomplice conversation with Vash and Knives. He now thinks Vash is hiding something and is in cohorts with another Independent. Poor Vash overheard the whole thing and leaves the place. He leaves a letter thanking them for treating him like family but now it’s time to face reality and settle things because there is no escape from the past. I bet those adults feel like dicks now. Luida will go bring him back. Vash arrives in a place where there are numerous plants all over. And of course before him is Knives.

Episode 9
The flashback continues as the facility that houses the plants are overloading them. Knives is appalled the humans continue to overload them beyond the threshold and they reason it is to speed up the reconstruction so as to prosper the planet. However this will cause the plants to enter their Last Run. Basically, one last burst of energy before they die. With Vash just arriving, Knives knows he heard the plants’ cries. He has seen for himself the nature of humans. Knives has had it so he kills the researchers and claims himself as the representative of all plants. As he will cut down humanity, he’ll cast away his old Nai name and adopt the new name, Millions Knives. Vash is against this seeing Rem did her best to save them. Knives blames Rem for this because he went through all the trouble to swap some data and doing so would’ve crashed all the ships except for those carrying plants. Vash argues plants need humans’ care to survive or they’ll end up like Last Run. Knives doesn’t buy that narrative because they have free will. He is on the verge of convincing Vash to come with him to empower plants but Luida shows up. Knives wants Vash to kill her but since he won’t, the brothers fight. Knives will kill her instead and that is when some dark ball materializes from Vash’s arm. What dimensional gate is this? Knives has no choice but to cut it off. Since Vash will not follow him, Knives is disappointed and leaves. He promises that in a century or so, he’ll make this world where plants rule.

Back in present time, Vash is reunited with a much older Luida and Brad. Looks like there was a hidden ship in the sandstorm and they played a part in stopping the sand steamer. Meryl learns that Luida and Brad knew Vash for 150 years. Before you ask if humans live that long, they were in cold sleep for a long time. Luida then shows Meryl and Roberto a greenhouse. Real flora. Basically if they can help populate this planet with such, it will lessen the burden on the plants. Roberto casts his doubts because that will take like centuries. Luida doesn’t care how long it takes as she wants to follow the right path. Wolfwood wonders if Vash can kill Knives. Vash is certain he will not kill anyone. Wolfwood believes he will eventually have to choose but Brad notes he was like Vash in his younger days. He thought everything was black and white but learnt more of himself as he hung around. Luida rushes in with an emergency. Meryl and Roberto have been kidnapped by Zazie. They are at July’s crashed plant carrier. Zazie is of the bug/worm tribe so she wants to know if they should side with plants or humans. This world originally belonged to them. She believes humans are repeat offenders. They destroyed their original planet called Earth which was once teeming with life and resources and that’s why they sent out colony ships to other new planets. She shows them this place containing all the plants that Knives have gathered from all over the world. William is not pleased of Zazie’s actions. She is willing to tell the truth as long as they can tell her who will benefit this planet more.

Episode 10
Vash and Wolfwood are in July, the largest of all the Metropolitan cities. They stumble into that police boss again as the police chase and surround them. They think Vash will destroy this city like Jeneora Rock. One of the policemen is mad and sad that his parents died in Jeneora Rock. Oh wow, that enough to make Vash feel bad. He gets shot. Not fatal. But WTF everybody just leaves like that?! WTF???!!! William will show the reporters that he is like Luida trying to save the planet. Luida’s method will take a long time. By that time, there is no assurance mankind will survive. Hence his method is to create a new breed of humanity. He takes them to his bloody operation room. Mine, Rollo (Monev as he was renamed) and Wolfwood. All his creation. While the scene might look like an abomination, William claims he did not demean them and only made them stronger via surgeries. However all were still failures as they eventually get hungry and die. They were all nothing like Knives, the ultimate life form. Taking them to a lab, this is where he is trying to grow human clones because patching them up in life does not help. So starting them young? They might think this is pitiful and want to kill him. But he is willing to pay the price for advancing humanity. They may want to save a few lives now but doing so will destroy millions of possibilities. Because William and Knives are looking much farther into the future. Roberto rubbishes his heroics of trying to save the world. Don’t you just feel sympathy looking at this? That is when one of the clones break out because Elendira will not accept that sh*t and attacks them with her nail projectiles. She chases and mocks them for their hypocrisy. Just in time as the elevator arrives, Wolfwood pops up to deal with her. Vash lets the reporter escape themselves while he goes to find Knives. Elendira gets disheartened after a small scratch by Wolfwood. Meryl realizes Roberto has been hit with a nail in his gut! He gives him her gun and blames his unluckiness. RIP, Roberto!!! Now that she is free, she’s going back up. Wolfwood sees William to get released from his contract or something. William remembers he joined Knives as atonement for what happened (and something about his daughter?). Vash confronts Knives to stop his madness. Vash claims all can coexist together but Knives tells him off he doesn’t want to save humanity but make up for causing that crash 150 years ago. After all, humans will not forgive him and in their eyes, they are monsters. Vash wants to believe in them and that they are moving forward. Knives has had enough of this hypocrisy so he is going to remake Vash into a new Independent like him. By dropping him into this, uhm, pool?

Episode 11
Knives dives into the pool to help with the remake of Vash. William on the other hand tries to synchronize it all. Meryl tries to stop them but what is she going to do with her puny gun? It’s not like her words can get through Vash, right? So sit back and listen as William explains the difference between ordinary plants and Independents is that the latter has souls. For that to happen, they must be connected to the core which is located in another dimension! This source of energy is what gives Independents their soul. Knives is forcing Vash to relive his memories of the past but with more tragic twists like watching all those he knew die or get killed. Vash tries to resist them all until he reaches the memories of Rem. So we see more snippets of the twins in their younger days with Rem. Until one day they stumbled upon some data of another Independent born on the same ship. To their horror, they saw her dismembered body parts in various tubes. It was the turning point for Knives. Furthermore, he read the records on human history and realized they never learn. No era was free from war. As Vash tried to remain positive, because of this weak mind set that Knives thought he cannot live as a plant is what made him decided to do that sabotage. All to protect him. So yeah, it was all Vash’s fault? The final clincher is when Knives points out his love was just a bunch of excuses. Then he kills off Rem. With Vash in despair and now the synchronization is at 100%, now the entire July is engulfed with plant roots and eventually a giant plant monster. This also opens the dimension portal as Knives enter it to touch the core. The Independents are going to bring a new world order.

Episode 12
More days with Rem flashbacks as she claims the twins are the only ones able to move freely outside their casings perhaps because they are like angels sent by God to bridge between humans and plants. William explains about Knives’ intention to destroy humanity for this new world and at the same time artificially impregnate all plants to create new Independents. Meryl tries one last attempt to wake up Vash. Of course finally he hears her voice. The core then rejects and pushes out Knives. Knives blames this puny human for this but before he could kill her, Vash returns in time to save her. Vash has somehow condensed this higher plane into this cube. Knives becomes frantic as he attempts to steal it from him and the final epic battle between the brothers sweep all over July. Some police think Vash is behind this destruction and fire at him. Vash warns them to get out but they didn’t heed and all get sliced by Knives. Desperate Knives continues to tell Vash that humans will never accept them. Their powers too great for humans to understand. They are the enemy. Vash knows his actions have been contradicting. But he will still continue to believe in them. He tries to take the cube to explode in outer space as Knives continues his desperate attempts and argument of the bad side of humans while creating an utopia for plants and Independents. Is Vash tired of being hunted all the time? Even so, Vash will still keep running and until things calm down, he’ll settle quietly by their side again. Wow. What a disappointing answer. That’s the best he could come up with? No wonder Knives still so mad. As the cube releases all its energy, Knives is still hell bent in taking them. Even if it costs his life and burning him into smithereens. Lastly, he blames Vash for killing him. Bye, bro. 2 years later, July has been reduced into nothingness and ground zero as memorial for all those who perished on that day. Vash is blamed for this and the bounty still stands at $60 billion. Gee, I thought it would’ve been higher but whatever. Meryl pays her respects to Roberto at the site but Zazie warns her about the twins’ actions have caused some bridge across the void and somebody will arriving via crossing the wall of light. Meryl is contacted by her superiors to stop acting on her own or they’ll send her off to the insurance society. Also, she’ll be having a new partner. Meanwhile Vash is now living under the alias of Eriks and in some girl’s care.

Restart The Earth: Plant Lives Matters!
Well, well and well. That wasn’t actually bad, if I should say. Too bad now I have to wait for the next part to arrive (termed as the final part) and who knows when that will happen. As of this writing, there is no conclusive date yet. Oh I don’t know, hopefully maybe next year because damn, I don’t think I can wait around for another 25 or heck, 150 years just to see the final part of this series released! Sorry, human lives are so fleeting and short compared to you trees and plants. So now I’ll be feeling a bit lonely and empty until the sequel arrives. Oh well, in the meantime go occupy myself with other animes first! Heh.

Honestly, with the slight differences in the storyline, it is hard for me to say if this new retelling is better or worse because yes honestly, I figure the story isn’t actually all that bad. The original TV version had its own charm and mostly I don’t remember much of it and just the gist, the overall here and there, bits of it. Having our main character and antagonist as sentient plant life forms is an interesting little twist of its own so it had me a bit hooked and intrigued. So yeah, I can’t seem to compare which of them is better as both have its own charm. Heh. Must be my excuse when I like both of something, eh? Initially when the season had ended, I became confused and thought this was some sort of prequel because you know, that is how Meryl eventually got her new partner and that the city of July was already destroyed in the original TV. But eventually this new season is still an alternate retelling rather than a prequel because of a few other stuffs like the meeting of Wolfwood as well as Vash living under the alias of Eriks.

The biggest thing that had many viewers disappointed was the visuals and animation style. That is right. This modern remake is made entirely out of CGI! So you can see where many of the disgruntled complaints come from. Many claim that this series would have been even more awesome had they gone with the traditional 2D animation style instead of this CGI abomination and it would’ve been perfect and cherry on the top with its interesting storyline. Personally, although the CGI does make the characters do look weird with some weird movements sometimes, it is all entirely not that bad. I’m not saying that I am 100% all for CGI in Japanese anime but I don’t mind it if it is done in a good manner. So yes, my unpopular opinion is that the CGI here is not that bad. Not a masterpiece but it is actually way bearable than many modern anime series who sparingly insert CGI crap in between their traditional 2D animation. The animation transition is quite smooth although as I did mention, some movements make the characters look a bit strange.

After all, the original TV series definitely looks so outdated from I am standing at this point in time. I mean, that original one came out way back in 1998! A time when many of you younger and newer weeabo audiences weren’t even born! Hah! So definitely there is a very high difference in both the visual animation styles. But if there is one thing I would want to complain about the character design, it would be Vash. Instead of his towering broomstick hairstyle, this Vash now has some sort of fluffy wavy crew cut style that just makes him look like an emo kid! Like, WTF?! I did not like this version’s looks although eventually by the time this season ended, I got used to it. Legato also looks like some emo kid rather than his hot bishonen from the original. Why does Meryl and Elendira look like Dragonball characters? And yeah, they actually based Roberto on the American counterpart, huh? Is he a fan of the series so they paid tribute to him with this anime only character? This anime is done by Orange who made Black Bullet, Beastars and Dimension W. They also animated 100% CGI anime series like Godzilla S.P and Houseki No Kuni so they have some experience there.

The action parts are quite exhilarating as they are fast paced and of course over the top. Seeing this takes place in a barren wasteland of some dystopian world, such action pieces always reminds me of Mad Max. Yeah. Crazy looking characters with huge and crazy huge weapons as well as very bombastic action. Some scenes might get a bit gory and graphic like when blood spilling everywhere when the characters die so it’s not really for the faint hearted. My only disappointment is that Vash didn’t live up to the series’ name and use all his guns. What was the name of this series again? Sure, he used his standard one at first. But as the series crosses halfway mark and the story takes a more serious rather than goofy approach, I don’t remember seeing him use them anymore. Who needs guns when he can become some sort of God as seen in the final battle climax! I suppose that version can’t be considered his angel arm, can it?

Aside the story, some of the characters have also been given slight changes. But let me get this little pet peeve out of the way first: Vash’s character. As far as I remember the original Vash, he is quite a cool guy despite generally being a buffoon and hence an idiotic but lovable joker character. Sure, he was not without flaws but at least he was likeable as a main character. However in this version, Vash now seems like an emo kid who does some sort of weird virtue signalling all the time. Still a goofball but more emo. It’s like he wants to achieve some sort of sainthood with his no-killing policy or something. Therefore it became quite an annoying point to see Vash who preaches and maintains his stand not to kill and trying to be a pacifist to appease everybody without the way of violence. Like, WTF?! Yes, he does fight but only to mainly disable. Nothing more. Yeah, good luck telling and screaming to others not to kill while in the heat of battle. Don’t kill! DON’T KILL!!!

The biggest irony is that Vash has not actually directly killed anyone and I suppose we should applaud him for his 100% clean sheet on getting his hands tainted that way (I don’t know if I should consider Knives dying at his hands his first kill). However in doing so, he let many others to die! So don’t you see the kind of hypocrisy that this guy is leading? No wonder Knives was so annoyed. And I’m annoyed too. It feels like it is only because of the script that goes in a certain flow to eventually his advantage (because he is main character), the reason why he can still keep up with this crap and save everything altogether! We see him agonize over the deaths and suffering of others. But uhm, isn’t that because it is partly his fault for not taking proactive or aggressive action? Yeah, they think it is to give Vash the much needed character and emotions (because bad guys don’t have them apparently), to see him in despair and regret towards the innocent who have suffered. Uhm, I don’t think that quite resonated with me and hence Vash turned out to be more annoying rather than sympathetic. Even more so in a time where the world is getting even more politically incorrect and all that wokeness garbage, it is hard not to see this Vash in any other way. So this guy will keep running just to avoid killing? Sorry Vash, we humans don’t live as long as you plants… Worse part of all, Vash didn’t say his most memorable line from the original considering he is so into this no-kill policy. Make a guess…

Then there is Meryl who is portrayed more of a greenhorn rookie rather than the short fused and independent woman I remembered her from the original. The kind of woman who got frustrated by every damn devastating moves Vash did. Yeah. That Meryl. In fact, I actually don’t see her do anything much of importance here except following Vash around. Her character could have actually been done without but that would have shortened the show by a huge margin. So at least her most minimal and pivotal role in the end was to wake up Vash from forever being haunted and taken over by the core whatever. Good thing I have never thought of any romance blooming between them until I wrote this line. It would be freaking weird for a plant and human to mix. Get what I’m saying?! That’s racist!

Of course fans would have noticed the obvious and biggest difference this remake offered was the absence of that towering giant lady AKA Milly Thompson. Instead, they replaced Meryl’s partner with a boss senior who looks like he doesn’t care but is quite observant and won’t hold his tongue to point out the obvious. After all, they are only reporters, not superheroes. They’re not Vash who can’t really die or even get hurt after taking on a few bullets. That’s why it was sad but also perhaps all part of the script to have him killed off so that next season, that is where Millie would come in. As counter to Meryl’s rashness, Roberto is often calmer and more rational. But always gets dragged along into Meryl’s wishes because, what kind of boss would leave his junior all alone behind, right? Such tragedy that good people like him have to die early. RIP, my good man!

Then there is Wolfwood whom is another totally different character from the original. I remember this dude was a bit lecherous and that there was some sort of romance with Milly. Oh well, Milly not here (ironically this romance was only in the anime but not the manga). So turn him into some serious deadpan gloomy opposite of Vash in terms of ideals. Oh you know, this guy keeps pestering Vash that one day he will have to make a decision to kill and chastises him about his no-kill policy. But as seen when it comes to Livio, he becomes desperate to save him and not kill. So I guess they’re pretty alike. Just that Vash wants to do it for the entire world. With the short duration of this series and the latter half focusing mostly on Vash and Knives, I feel Wolfwood’s role has been reduced a lot and he is playing more of a supporting role to Vash more than anything else because in the original, he had his own enemies to fight. Remember Chapel, anyone?

And of course Knives himself, trying to be that badass villain but turns out to be the typical antagonist who wants to destroy the world for the prosperity of his own race. Both the brothers are a thorn at each other’s side, the reason why both cannot move forward with their plans. Not sure how the next season will play out seeing they killed off Knives but perhaps they just want to make us think he’s dead. After all, he is not human and perhaps won’t die like a human. So maybe he turned into a seed and staying hibernated in space until the next plot twist comes along! Also sorely missing are many Gung-Ho Guns (GHG) members. But like in the original, many were also not featured. But even less were featured here as Zazie takes up the most screen time for GHG. In the original she was killed by Wolfwood but now they changed her role to some bug race so it could be interesting to see the fate of the planet turning into a 3 way battle. Even Elendira making her debut here feels just barely there since she sounded like having some sort of crazy psychopathic potential.

One of the biggest changes to this season is of course the new set of seiyuus. The entire line-up from the original has changed and now we have Yoshitsugu Matsuoka helming the role of Vash. Not bad but kinda reminds me a lot like Bell from DanMachi but with more emo. Some recognizable ones include Shigeru Chiba as Father, Junichi Suwabe as Brad and surprisingly Tomokazu Sugita as that police boss. The other casts are Sakura Andou as Meryl, Yoshimasa Hosoya as Wolfwood (Reiner in Shingeki No Kyojin), Junya Ikeda as Knives (Ataru Suruga in Majestic Prince), Kenji Matsuda as Roberto (Zebra in Toriko), Tarako as Zazie (titular character in Chibi Maruko-chan), Ayumu Murase as Elendira (Menel in Saihate No Paladin), Ryusei Nakao as William (Freeza in Dragonball series), Fumiko Orikasa as Luida (Rukia in Bleach), Kouki Uchiyama as Legato (Ichika in Infinite Stratos), Genki Muro as Livio (Magna in Black Clover) and Maaya Sakamoto as Rem (Ciel in Kuroshitsuji).

Well, very unfortunate that this season’s opening theme, Tombi by Kvi Baba cannot even hold a candle or come anywhere near close to the original’s hard rock instrumental, H.T. The song despite having some funky beats and bass lines, it feels weak and weird. Sounds like one of those contemporary tuneless western pop music I often hear nowadays. Yeah. The song’s entirely feels like one big dramatic brooding and considering that pace of the series, it doesn’t quite fit. Especially the singer’s voice feels a bit bland and like as though he is using some sort of special effects software too. In comparison, H.T. is definitely much superior and I would definitely rock to that beat any time, any day! The ending theme doesn’t fare any better. Hoshi No Kuzu by Salyu and Haruka Nakamura feels like some weird Enya rip-off that is heavy on the background bass music. Another tuneless slow ballad that feels spacey. Heck, I would rather listen to the original’s ending theme of Kaze Wa Mirai Ni Fuku even if that ‘drowsy’ rock piece isn’t to my liking.

Overall, I still liked this remake as it is interesting and fascinating in its own ways despite having some cons. One of those rare moments where the remake and the original don’t overshadow the other and both can standalone as independents (pun not intended) rather than me having to forcefully name the superior and shame the weaker one. Yeah. But I don’t know if there is a trend in me to like such shows because this one has the same vibes with Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall. Both 100% CGI generated and have this Mad Max frenzy-like action set in the dystopian world. So hopefully next season would get better and improve on some of the minor setbacks such as Vash being an emo guy and having more classic characters making their turn to show up. So you want humans and plants to co-exist? Okay. I’m for it. Because at least I don’t have to turn vegan now! Heheheh! And don’t hate me for liking this series that many considered a CGI abomination. Because remember people, love and peace!

Trigun

There is one main reason why I decided to go watch an old anime like Trigun. That’s because the main character, Vash The Stampede, looks super cool in his crimson red trenchcoat! Wow! It’s like falling in love at first sight. Mind you, I’m not a homo, please. It’s just that this blonde broomstick head looks too handsome in such outfit. And with a fiercesome revolver in his hand, it just gets better.

Just how old is this anime? It was first aired in the year 1998! Now that’s 10 years already! Imagine how time flies and anime has evolved since then. Of course you’ll first notice how different the drawing and animation because this is one of those really old school animes but it’s still good enough to watch.

There are 26 episodes in all filled with gun slinging action (okay, perhaps not the whole way), sci-fi adventure, drama and of course, comedy. Also note, for those who have watched the anime series, Grenadier, you’ll notice almost how similar both the main characters are. I’m not sure if they’re from the same creators as I can’t find any information on this.

 

The main storyline is this. There is a bounty of $60 billion on the head of the man called Vash The Stampede or also known as the Humanoid Typhoon. That’s right, $60 billion. That’s 10 zeros alright. Not sure if the authorities really want this guy so badly or the inflation rate is sky high. Vash is nicknamed so because he has the ability to destroy cities just like a hurricane, leaving massive trail of destruction behind. But there is 1 miracle. Each time this happens, there are no casualties. Isn’t this amazing?

Therefore, in order to minimize the property damage, the Bernardelli Insurance Company has sent 2 staff, Meryl Stryfe (this shorty somehow reminds me of Akane from Ranma 1/2) and her junior partner, the towering Milly Thompson, to track down and follow Vash so that his damaging actions can be minimized. I mean, at this rate, doing insurance will be a losing business, right? One thing I need to mention about Milly is that at first I thought she’s a he even though she has a girly face because you know, anime drawings of certain characters seem ambiguous. Plus, her stout and large figure assured me that she’s a man. Then when she opened her mouth, it’s like a high pitched squeaky voice! Somehow it just doesn’t feel right having such voice with such body. But don’t mess with this girl. She’s really strong and wields a stun gun which shoots out X-like claws to bind its victims. She is both sharp and blur at the same time, in which Vash later quipped that even though she’s sharp, she herself doesn’t realize that.

You may also notice that this anime has a Western cowboy setting. The Wild Wild West? Yup, beside the main characters and some side characters, the rest of them look like western people if not your typical average Japanese anime people drawn from that era. Plus, is the setting located in the heart of the Texas desert? Don’t think so. Though most of the scene is filled with golden hot burning sand, I don’t think this is the planet Earth we know because there are 2 suns in the sky! So it’s really darn hot here. In addition, the names of the characters sound very Western-like and I kinda notice the names for most of the cities are taken after months of the year.

 

As seen in episode 1, Meryl and Milly are attempting to find and locate Vash but has no idea how he look like. Not only that, I think everybody else too doesn’t know how Vash looks like. Yeah, just like the wind. Can’t be seen, hard to describe. The duo find themselves in a bar and starts asking the bartender if they have seen this Vash guy. The bartender gives them a description on how he looks like. Big, a Mohawk hairstyle, having a boomerang. Well, seems good enough like a typical ruffian. Before that we see this mohawk guy and his croonies cornering that blonde broomstick head and it’s like another massive gun battle is gonna start. Also we see a bounty hunter, Ruth, trying to hunt down Vash. I mean, with such a large amount on his head, everyone is gonna bet their lives into taking him down. Okay, almost everyone. Especially those who love those dollar signs.

 

Erm… Is Vash supposedly the fierce fighter everyone think he is? I mean earlier on we see this red coat guy taking out his gun and it’s like he’s gonna do some terror gunslinging. Actually his gun’s out of bullets. Dang. With that, mohawk guy and his gang unleashes a hail of bullets. This Vash guy is so dorky! Because of this silly personality of his, it contributes to most of the comical humour of the series. Remember Grenadier’s Rushuna’s ability to dodge bullets? Yeah, Vash is running away like a coward trying to dodge all those bullets, in which he successfully does. But he calls his bullet dodging skills more of luck than anything else.

 

Meanwhile Meryl and Milly have arrived at the place where Vash is taking on mohawk guy. Remember, the duo still thinks the latter is Vash. Ruth also arrives and a misunderstanding takes place. Ruth thinks mohawk guy is Vash and mohawk guy too thinks Ruth is Vash. Uh huh, something about deception or something. Before you know it, these 2 starts another gun slinging battle. While the 2 groups slug it out, Meryl and Milly along with the real Vash escape and ride off into town on some weird animal. Besides being a dork, Vash too loves donuts as Meryl gives him some of them and some cash to escape and warn the town of ‘Vash’s’ arrival because they have to go back and watch that ‘Vash’ as part of their job.

 

But when the duo returned to the fight scene, it seems Ruth and mohawk guy realized their mistake and teams up by kidnapping Meryl and Milly in order to lure the real Vash out. Of course Vash can’t leave things as it is and returns to save the ladies. Another round of cool action ensues with Vash emerging victorious (lady luck must be smiling on him. Not once, but several times). Mohawk guy’s croonies thinks that this may be the real Vash after watching their boss going down and runs away cowardly. Though, the town that Vash was supposedly told to warn, is decimated by a large rock during his battle with mohawk guy. Ah well, the legend is so true. Meryl and Milly are typing their report as Meryl can’t believe that this donut loving dork is Vash. While Milly accepts this Vash to be the real thing, over the next few episodes, you’ll hear of Meryl’s suspicions on whether this guy is the real thing or not. Plus, whenever Vash tries to tell his real name, something interrupts him from doing so. So you’ll be suspicious too if this guy is Vash or not. But this is confirmed at the start of episode 10 whereby Vash narrates that he is the legendary Vash himself. Other than that, even with Meryl’s initial distrust of Vash, fate somehow plays a cruel fate on them as they’ll always end up bumping into each other. Perhaps God is giving Meryl a sign saying that this dork is the real Vash.

 

It would also like to note that in nearly every episode, there’ll be an appearance of a black cat randomly. Reminds me of Nya of Pita Ten because it’s charcoal black and reminds me of Utamaru of Da Capo because it sounds like a person trying to impersonate a cat voice but failed (not sure whether it’s intentionally or not). Nya… I’m not sure what its purpose in the series is about but if you keep your eyes peeled, you’ll be able to spot it, usually in comical situations.

 

In episode 2, Meryl and Milly arrives in another deserted town and at the doorstep of some rich water tycoon, Cliff. Upon entering his mansion, they’re shock to find Vash there. As his bodyguard! Since there’re people out there who wants to kill him, why not hire the legendary Humanoid Typhoon. So why did Vash take up this job? This guy’s a slight pervert too. Cliff has a niece, Marianne, who’s visiting him. That Vash guy just wants to flirt and even boldly asks her hand in marriage! There’s this funny part whereby Vash is talking lovey dovey stuffs to Marianne and does that gun shot hand symbol of love to her. But it’s that Meryl who exaggeratedly over react to it, like as though she’s the one being shot, making that weird sound. So perasan!

 

Meryl tries to convince Cliff that this Vash is fake, but Cliff knows Vash isn’t the real thing too. He just wants someone to pretend he’s Vash to scare away his would-be attackers. During dinner time, Vash hears how Marianne doesn’t like the way Cliff does his business by selling water at a high price though Cliff admits it and says it’s business. Marianne excuses herself with Vash following her. That perverted Vash tries to get a kiss from Marianne when the latter thought she saw something outside. Vash kicks into full gear to prove he’s a man worthy to protect her. However, it’s just Meryl, who’s still sulking on Vash’s real identity. As the duo argue, they notice Cliff and Marianne are missing. Some lucky and fluke turn of events caused them to discover a hidden underground passage. There they saw Marianne being beaten up badly by Cliff. It seems Marianne’s a police and is doing an undercover job on the monopolizing of water supply. Because of Vash’s bunglingness, their presence is soon discovered. Since the cat is out of the bag, Cliff is gonna eliminate them all. Uh huh. You’ll see more of Vash’s lucky bullet dodge. Even Cliff can’t believe his eyes he had such skill/luck. One of Cliff’s shots hit the water tank in which it burst and floods the nearby town, turning it into a lake and destroying Cliff’s mansion. In the end, Cliff is arrested by Marianne and Vash decides to part ways saying that if he reveals himself to Marianne he’ll probably be arrested. Don’t want that kind of love. Better be a bad boy on the run.

 

I was hoping to see Vash in his gun slinging action but it seems over the series Vash is the kind who won’t use his gun as a last resort. Just like Rushuna, he despises violence and wishes for the world to be a more peaceful place. Though a little disappointed, but I’m sure that his comical ways is enough to make me continue watching. In episode 3, Meryl and Milly once again stumbles into Vash, just when Meryl is talking about how to find the real Vash. Speak of the devil himself. So the trio gets into a new town and Vash enters a bar and somehow ‘befriends’ a drunkard named Frank Marlon, supposedly a local hero and a great gun repairman but has quit doing so for a long time. While the insurance girl leaves Vash with his newfound friend (getting too friendly there), the girls find out that this town has no sheriff at all! So bloody confident that they’re safe. At the same time, a group of bandits are contemplating to rob this town under the guise as Vash The Stampede. Might as well use this guy’s name since nobody still really don’t know how he looks like.

 

Vash and Frank are still drunk and Frank tells his sad story why he gave up gun repairing because his family was killed by the same bandits whom he repaired the guns for. I don’t remember but I think Vash wants Marlon to fix up his own gun too but Frank refuses. The next day, those bandits arrive in town as Vash and robs the bank. The mayor should’ve seen this coming. No choice they had to cooperate. The real Vash then comes in to quell the situation and has a hand in his pocket and makes it as though he’s pointing his gun from inside it. Soon the townspeople has had enough and joins the real Vash as they all point their guns at the bandits. The bandit leader is panicking (thinking that the real Vash may have showed himself up) but he still claims that he has some firepower to take everything down. Before he could do that, Frank points a ‘gun’ at his back head. Just like a barking dog with no bite, they flee with their tails between their legs. It’s revealed that Frank just made his hand just like a gun, as what Vash did too as they both gave out a heartily laughter. While the town celebrates that night, Frank gives Vash his newly repaired gun and thanks to Vash, Frank has got his confidence back. Meryl is relieved that there’s no damage to the town this time. Though her perception of Vash gradually changes, she still has a little reservations.

 

Episode 4 starts off with the daughter of the town’s mayor winning her card game when some rough looking baddie comes up to her and takes her hostage as well as the other patrons in the saloon. Later outside the saloon, the mayor Earl and his sheriff Stan surrounds the saloon and finds out a ransom demand of $10 million. Okay, not as bad as $60 billion. Meanwhile Vash is jaywalking across them and into the bar, oblivious of his surroundings because he’s got a headphone on. The music must be damn good. Funny part is, when he realized what’s happening, he screamed like a girl and tries to escape. Didn’t make it. He too gets tied up along with the insurance girls. Outside, Stan has employed some bandits to fight fire with fire. They don’t care who they work for as long as they get paid. Soon Stan’s bandits storm into the place and gets rid of rough baddie leader’s henchman. However, they’re endangering the safety of the hostages too. Vash manages to cut himself loose and with the help of rough baddie leader’s, they manage to take out the menacing threat.

 

We soon find out that the reason rough baddie leader is doing this. Previously, Earl took away his land and killed his family. He was known as Earl The Grim Reaper then and was ruthless. So he challenges Stan to a 1-on-1 duel in which rough baddie leader wins, but since he isn’t that all bad, he only shoot Stan in his shoulder. However Earl isn’t too happy with the way things are going and is going to betray and shoot them all. Plus, he’s gonna make it as though they killed each other and blames it on Vash. If you’re wondering why Meryl wears such a cloak in such a hot place, it’s because underneath it, she has dozens of derringer like pistols. In order to stop Stan from killing, she takes them out and starts shooting to stop them. It’s like a one-time use only pistol. Uh huh. Not environmental friendly. Shoot and throw, shoot and throw. Plus, you’ll never see Meryl use this move again. In the end, Stan is apprehended when Vash knocks him out on his head. Since everybody else is safe, all’s well, ends well. Also something on how he says about ‘peace and love’.

 

Another city in episode 5. But this time a group of bandits in a bar storms in a starts firing away. Oh no! Vash is hit! Blood is streaming out from his body… Nope, it’s just tomato juice. Vash then takes a nearby little boy’s dart gun and starts firing away. Bullseye. They realize how good this Vash is and soon runs away. The little boy is in awe. As the bar’s owner is gonna treat Vash as gratitude, she pulls out a gun on him. Yup, she wants the $60 billion dollar reward. Not only that, the whole town is looking and hunting down Vash. As expected, Vash hilariously runs away. Luck is definitely on his side, evading everyone by the skin of his teeth. Meanwhile Meryl and Milly has arrive at this town and they find out that the mayor has ordered everyone to capture Vash so that they could get the reward and repair a large broken generator. Looks like an oversized light bulb. You’ll see one in every city. Not only that, it seems a father-son criminal called Nebraska Family has escaped from prison (dad claims to be release on good behaviour) comes in seeking for Vash. Another bunch of weirdos. The dad looks like a mad scientist riding like a kangaroo in his oversized part mechanical vocab limited frankenstein-like son’s pouch.

 

While a group of women has captured Vash and tells him their sad story of how they need him to save their town and economy, an explosion occurs. Everyone is surprised to see Vash, eventually he faces off with the Nebraska Family. Because daddy doesn’t want to play fair, he orders his son to aim at several innocent unconscious women there. Vash is scary when he is pushed to a corner. While the son’s giant projectile hand charges towards them, Vash manages to fire several shots to change its direction. Now Vash is mad. He then fires 1 last shot in his gun directly into that mechanical arm of that giant son, sending a sharp pain down his spine as he crashes down. Everyone is in awe. Finally, Meryl starts to believe that this dork is the real McCoy. Though not obvious and not mentioned, you’ll kinda notice that Meryl in a way has a crush on Vash.

 

Because Nebraska Family has been caught and a meager reward sum of $700,000 (haha, an insult if you compare it to Vash’s) has being collected by Vash, in episode 6, Vash decides to donate this reward to this Inepril City so they could repair their generator. A giant sand steamer (looks like a locomotive) comes by and a beautiful lady, Elizabeth comes down and makes her way into the city. You know what that perverted Vash is thinking, right? He instantly proposes for her to marry him. But Elizabeth is a highly respected engineer and wants Vash to do something for her. In return, she’ll do anything he wants. That sounds like a good deal. Vash immediately accepts. I guess Meryl isn’t too fond of it all. Jealous? Later Elizabeth and Vash stayed at separate but adjoining rooms in a hotel when some cyborg assassin comes into Vash room and starts attacking him. Though the bomb sends Vash flying outside, Elizabeth is grateful and mentions that the room Vash is staying was initially hers. Vash thinks that he should sleep with Elizabeth since his room has been blown away but Elizabeth says that he’s got the bed and that’s good enough. Haha. Sleep outside in the cold, pervert.

 

The next day as Elizabeth starts repairing the generator, 1 of the section starts to malfunction. While Elizabeth gives evacuation orders, she and Vash head to that sector and finds out that the cyborg assassin is there as well. Though Vash has no problems in disposing of him, he later finds out Elizabeth has locked the door of that room and is gonna let Vash and that poor cyborg whom she hired, vaporize in the explosion. Elizabeth reveals that Vash destroyed her city when she was young and left her an orphan. So she grew up hating him and wanted revenge. I didn’t understand this part because when the generator seems it’s gonna overload, Vash calmly walks up to it as though he’s embracing it. Soon the plant returns to normal. How did he stop it? Dunno. As everyone cheers and Vash emerges from the plant, Elizabeth sticks a gun to him (how come nobody notices this). Vash tells her that he has no memories of what happened in his early days and since Elizabeth hears how the townpeople love him, she hesitates. Furthermore, a short flashback that the person who picked and saved her after her city was decimated, could be Vash himself. She breaks down in tears as Vash hugs her. Hey, what happened to that cyborg guy? Has the producers forgotten about him because we won’t here of him anymore.

 

Vash leaves on the sand steamer in episode 7. Now he’s the town’s hero. I suppose Meryl and Milly can’t loose sight of him as they manage to board it on time. Plus, they’re working part time there to earn some extra cash. Later the conductor asks Vash if he wants to be their bodyguard since they’re going into a territory ruled by the Bad Lad Gang. Though Vash refuses at first, he eventually agrees in exchange for a private room. Here he bumps into a stowaway boy, Kaite, whose dad designed this sand steamer. Vash tries to be nice by offering his food but Kaite soon knocks him out and signals to the Bad Lad Gang to attack. Yup, this kid is on their side. Soon they arrive and hijack the sand steamer. The leader, B.D.N. (Brilliant Dynamite Neon – because his outfit has weird neon lights) and his gang of mole people (actually their radiation suit made them look like that) holds everyone on board hostage to rob their valuables. Since there’s a big safe he can’t crack open, he decides to crash the whole sand steamer into a ravine as he changes its course. Because 1 of the sand steamer is being disobedient, Neon kills him, shocking Kaite. Dang, and I thought that there won’t be any deaths in this series. This is the 1st of what’s more to come. Neon beats up the lad for talking back. Meanwhile Meryl and Milly are hiding somewhere in the sand steamer while Vash comes in time into the control room to save Kaite before Neon could put a bullet through his mouth. Vash and the kid manages to narrowly escape by jumping out of the window. Dangerous. Could’ve died. With them gone, Neon continues using 1 of the passengers to steer the ship, in which the sand steamer captain finally gives in.

 

This continues in episode 8 as Kaite takes out blueprints of the sand steamer and plans with Vash on how to take down Bad Lad Gang. So a short flashback how his dad spend all his time on creating this sand steamer and had no time for Kaite. You know this kind of story. Thus, Kaite communicates to Vash through some communicator directing to some room but it seems Neon knows where Kaite is leading him and ends up ambushing Vash as Kaite is then captured. As Neon is gonna shoot Vash, 1 of his henchmen points a gun at Neon’s throat. Why, it’s Meryl! Milly too reveals herself as she disguised herself as 1 of the henchmen. Better hurry since the sand steamer is approaching the ravine. So just like the famous 1-on-1 gun duel, Neon agrees to stop the ship if he wins. On the deck, the 2 began their battle. However, Neon notices that Vash is injured and refuses to shoot him even though he could have easily won. Neon has some honour too. He wants to win the hard way and not take the easy way out. The captain then relays a bad news. The brakes aren’t working. Kaite tries to ask the other staff to help him but they refuse, thinking that he’s part of the Bad Lad Gang. Kaite then has to do it on his own and put those guys to shame as he manually hit the emergency brakes. Why is such a thing located in a hard to reach place? But it’s still not enough at this speed. Neon soon uses all his strength to steer the ship to a stop, claiming that he paid off his debt for his duel with Vash. Just right on the edge. I wonder if it’ll topple over if a slight extra weight is put on the tip. It’s dawn and Vash recognizes the tune Kaite hums. It seems that it’s a song of a woman he once loved, Rem Saverem (as in… save rem?!). You’ll occassionally see some flashbacks here and there of this woman, whom has a great influence on Vash’s life and the main reason why he follow her teachings of not killing others. Say, this song kinda sounds like an Indian song. Even the way Rem sings it.

 

Since the sand steamer is out of commission, the passengers continue their journey on a bus in episode 9. Along the way, Vash spots someone lying in the desert. They picked up a man named Nicholas D Wolfwood, who’s a priest. Soon the bus stops so that the passengers can stretch their legs, Vash finds out Wolfwood is a travelling priest trying to make some money for his orphanage. Uh huh, trying to sell some mobile confession church (what the? It fits the head only?!) in which anyone can confesses anytime to Vash but of course Vash is no saint and refuses. Not only that, Wolfwood carries a giant cross wrapped in cloth (is he trying to be like Jesus?) which is quite heavy. Suddenly a commotion that a passenger got injured. Then several mechanical spiders surfaces from the sand and starts attacking them. As everyone hops back onto the bus to escape, 1 of the passengers realized her daughter is missing. Vash and Woolfwood leaps out of the bus to try and rescue her. It dawned to Wolfwood that his giant cross weapon is left on top of the bus. No choice, Vash gives him a knife. The duo takes out the spiders by destroying its heat sensors.

 

They saw the little girl in a distance and rushes towards her but they fell into a sandtrap. It looks like an abandoned underground lab. More spiders appear (if it was abandoned, how come there’re more spiders in production?) as Vash and Wolfwood heads for the control room to stop it. Just when a spider gets Wolfwood cornered, Vash unleashes some move we’ll never see to save him. Then as though like all of this was so easy, Vash enters the control room, press some buttons and stops the production and even those functioning spiders came to a standstill. What the? How does he know the code? In the first place, who activated all this. Really dunno. Then another thing is that, I don’t know how Meryl and Milly know where the duo is as we see them popping out from the roof, claiming to have found them and is gonna rescue them. So they continue their journey to May City in which Wolfwood parted ways. But this won’t be the last of him, Wolfwood will be a regular ally for Vash in the episodes to come. However with all those inconsistent and unanswered questions, I felt that this episode took the fun out of everything.

 

In episode 10, it seems Vash is a hit among the children, playing with them. Then this is the funny part. We see Vash covered in blood when a girl stops by to asks how is he. Vash then suddenly springs up and asks the girl for lunch. He gets slapped as she walks away. Uh huh. It’s some weird method of his on picking up girls. And that blood is actually tomato. Vash also notices a loner child, Neil, and asks him if he could eat at his mom’s diner. Upon entering the place, Vash is surprised to find Wolfwood there. We hear a sad story how Neil’s dad ran away, leaving the family in debt. Wolfwood mentions a quick draw tournament and if they enter and win it, they’l be able to help them out financially. Of course Meryl doesn’t agree, thinking that more damage will be done. Also, the organizer thinks that this Vash is just some punk using his name.

 

Next day, the competition starts. Looks simple enough. Just shoot a few empty bottles. We see lots of potential looking guys but I feel all of them has no skill. We also see that Wolfwood’s cross has a secret chamber which carries several use and throw pistols, just like Meryl’s. Vash and Wolfwood advances to the next round, whereby it’s a 1-on-1 draw. The duo manage to easily dispose the other competitors without killing them. See, what did I tell you. No skill. In the finals it’s Vash vs Wolfwood but Wolfwood decides to withdraw. But the organizer didn’t allow him because he’s got Neil and his mom as hostage and to guarantee their safety, he must beat Vash and split the reward with him. The money must have finally opened his eyes, huh? Wolfwood reluctantly takes on Vash and in the end, they both downed each other. Those greedy bastards rejoice when suddenly the duo gets up and starts firing back at them without killing them. I see they’re just pretending. And those guns are only firing blanks. That tomato juice sure comes in handy. As they collected the prize money, in order for this episode to end on a happy note for everyone, Neil’s dad returns and the whole family forgives him and his happy. Wow. So easy can come back just like that. Well, let bygone by bygones. Vash and Wolfwood can be seen playing joyfully with the other children.

 

Wolfwood is playing chess with some guy in episode 11 and is on the losing side. Milly who is arguing with the bartender about some pudding then comes over to Wolfwood and moves a chess piece and turns the tables. That guy saw how awesome that move was and admits defeat. Haha. Later to show his appreciation, Wolfwood helps to buy Milly some groceries when a girl, Moore, comes running into them asking them to hide her. There are several men after her and are asking Wolfwood where she went. Wolfwood immediately tells of her position but since 1 of those guys stepped on Milly’s pudding, Milly is furious and shoots her stun gun on them. Note to self, don’t touch her pudding. However, more men are on the way. Moore then hides under Milly, making her like she’s pregnant and probably having septuplets! Milly and Wolfwood manages to get away as they pretend to be a married couple. Meanwhile a group of men approaches Vash and Meryl in a caravan. At the same time, Wolfwood, Milly and Moore rendezvous with a guy named Julius outside the caravan group. It seems Julius and Moore are childhood friend and Julius is against his dad, Fondrique’s way of importing more than just goods into the city. Yeah, importing woman as well. Julius is like a key and without him, the caravan can’t enter the city. So the guy decides to elope with his sweetheart. Also it seems the guy who approached Vash is Fondrique and wants him to bring back Julius in return for a $20 million reward. Tempting.

 

Wolfwood tells the couple that if Julius doesn’t return, the caravan will go underground and tries to stop them from running away. Wolfwood threatens to shoot himself in the head if they leave. The lovebirds thinks he’s lying and walks on. But a group of men have found their location as Wolfwood tries to face them. Vash then comes along and takes out his gun and shoots Julius and Moore! Oh no! Is this true? The men are mad because they’re being told to retrieve them not kill them. Vash looks them back which sends shivers down their cowardly spine as they escape before they think Vash will turn on them as well. Milly is extremely upset at what had happened and hits Vash. But it seems Wolfwood discovers that it’s that same prank Vash use to pull back at the quick draw tournament. Yup, they’re just blanks. Moore and Julius are still alive. With that, the duo decides to start anew and vowing to rely just on themselves. With that, Vash, Meryl and Milly heads out in their caravan while Wolfwood once again parted ways on his motorbike. Hey, where did he get that?

 

Episode 12 is the start of the turning point or seriousness of the series. We see some guy Legato Bluesummers telling one of his henchmen, Monev The Gale (looks like Apocalypse from X-Men) about his turn has come. Meanwhile some kids are playing dodgeball and their ball hit Vash on his head. But he doesn’t mind and joins in playing with them. After that, he bought some ice cream for them and even for a loner girl, but she just ran away. Later when Vash is sitting alone, Legato appears next to him and says how his days are numbered. It seems Vash knows him and is pretty alarmed about him. He does some illusion thingy about that loner girl to make him sweat a little. After Legato leaves a brown paperbag as his present, a shoemaker’s wife runs out screaming, saying her husband is dead and that it’s Vash’s fault. Because of that, Vash is arrested and thrown into jail. While spacing out and thinking back about Legato, Meryl and Milly comes to visit him when Monev arrives and starts blasting the sheriff’s building with his super chain gun. He tells Vash that he’s here to kill him and goes on ranting about how he’s waited for this day after his hell training all this time bla bla bla.

 

Monev grabs Vash by the throat as Meryl tries to stop him but is flung away. Milly uses her stun gun to knock him away, enough time for Vash to break free. Vash is frantically running through the streets yelling at the people to run for safety and even saving those unsuspecting ones from Monev’s firepower. Monev realizes this and soon decides to do a massacre. Woah! The whole lot of innocent bystanders are being slaughtered! Just when Monev thinks Vash is a goner during that, Vash rises up and Monev starts to shiver when he sees his eyes. Oh oh. Now he’s done it by making Vash mad. Even Meryl and Milly are terrified to see this side of his. As Vash enters a bank, Monev continues to fire at his back. Vash unleashes his other hidden gun, which is a robotic left arm. Vash fires several shots back to disamour Monev and points his gun in his eyes. Now Monev is scared stiff. Can’t believe such a big guy’s pleading for mercy. Vash has a flashback about Rem, remembering how his promise to her that he can’t kill anyone or else she’ll die in his heart. Even so, Vash’s glance is enough to make Monev cower in fear as Vash walks away, still pointing his robotic handgun at him.

 

Episode 13 is your typical recap episode. It’s narrated by Meryl while writing her report back to her insurance company the events that has so far happened. Haha. Meryl still has that perasan reaction whenever she thinks back about that Vash shooting his finger gun to Marianne. Other than that, we get to see Vash topless. Don’t expect it to be curvaceous like Rushuna’s. Though he’s got a six-pack but his body is riddled with scars and metallic implants! It’s so ugly! The first time I looked at his body it nearly made me wanna puke. Ugh!

 

Episode 14 is Milly’s episode. Vash doesn’t make any prominent appearance here. In a new town called New Arcadia, Milly heard and saw gunshots outside her window while writing letters to her family, a young guy called Badwick (how apt the name) pointing his gun at an elderly couple. Luckily Vash is there to protect them. Well, more like the couple using Vash as their body shield. Hehe. Later the couple requests Meryl and Milly to be their bodyguard. Meryl refuses until they offered it to Vash. No choice, Meryl has to accept. The trio are taken to a luscious farm just outside town and are told that their landlord Morgan wants to take away their land for development. Plus, Badwick comes by to demand that they hand over their land and Milly is shock to find that Badwick is the couple’s son! So some drama here and there. Next, we see Morgan and his croonies and the other Nebraska Family members (the mom looks just like the son while the rest of the siblings are like… balls? Yeah, only the daughter is the ‘odd’ one out since she’s the only pretty one) arrive as they’re being hired by Morgan.

 

As Badwick tries to persuade his dad to give up his deed, he still refuses and he and his loyal old friends are determined to defend their land with their lives. Badwick is still stubborn and can’t understand why his dad wouldn’t give it all up. The Nebraska Family starts attacking since Badwick took too long and soon Meryl and Milly joins in. Just then, Badwick realized what’s happening, takes the deed and tries to escape on his bike. Nebraska Family mom throws one of the siblings at him. Milly tries to shoot it away with her puny gun. Woah! It worked?! Actually, Vash is the one behind that deflection. Haha! That’s so much screen time he’ll get. With the Nebraska Family fallen (on Morgan) and the rest of the henchmen running away, everything is safe once again. The next day, Badwick gives the deed to the bank teller but finds out that his parent’s transferred the land’s name to him, making him emotional. In the end, Meryl followed Milly’s example of writing letters to her family and posting them.

 

Episode 15 sees Vash carrying Meryl and Milly sitting on a chair walking through the desert. I guess it’s Vash fault somehow for destroying their ride. But the tone of the series starts to get more serious here. A group of bandits arrives in a town bar and is having it their way, bullying those around them. Legato is eating at that bar and the bandit leader doesn’t like it and starts to threaten him. We see Legato having some mind control power as he shows them who’s boss, making each of the bandits kill themselves. Scary. I was wondering why that saxaphone guy was continuing playing his sax amidst the killing. Later I found out that he’s part of Legato’s gang. Vash and the ladies soon arrive in this city but Vash is suspicious. Meanwhile the remaining bandits gather around Legato just outside town and wants revenge but Legato uses his mind control power and easily kills them all. Then he does a roll call for the appearance of his Gung-Ho Guns (GHG) gang. Uh huh. They’re members who discarded their humanity to obtain super powers and each of them has a nickname relating to their special skill. Let’s see. There’s Dominique The Cyclops, Zazie The Beast, Gray The Nine Lives, Hoppered The Gauntlet, Caine The Longshot, E.G. The Mine, Leonof The Puppetmaster, Rai Dei The Blade, Midvalley The Hornfreak (the guy with the sax), and Chapel The Evergreen (only one who isn’t here yet).

 

Legato tells Dominique to take care of Vash, which she agrees. Vash is trying to find out if Legato is around but everyone is too afraid to let Vash in and 1 of them slam the door on his finger. Soon Vash meets Dominique and a battle starts. Does Dominique have teleporting skills, since she’s here a second ago and there another second? Well, it’s like she has some sense numbing device which is embeded in her eye dubbed the demon’s eye. Vash manages to beat this technique by concentrating on his pain at his finger (huh?) and with that, fires a shot to destroy her demon’s eye. Meryl and Milly arrived and Dominique uses this chance to escape. Vash tells them not to follow him anymore as he’s gonna put a stop to Legato’s terror.

 

After 2 weeks not knowing Vash’s whereabouts, Meryl is fed-up and decides to go after him in episode 16. Vash is in a bar thinking about Legato when some guy comes in and tells him to go to Augusta City before shooting himself in the head. Vash is horrified but knows Legato is behind this. Wolfwood makes a return and along with the 2 ladies finds out Vash is going insane as he shoots wildly in the air asking everyone to leave. Vash then walks around the city to find the dead bodies of Monev and Dominique hanging when a GHG member, E.G. (looks like an oversized sea urchin), appears and battles him. But his battle is cut short when Rai Dei appears and slices him! I didn’t expect him to be killed by his own comrade. While the duo duke it out, Legato appears in Vash’s head trying to force him to use it. Suddenly his right arm transformed into some alien arm with a glowing energy ball! Huh? Rai Dei’s in shock. Vash can’t control it and an immense energy is released so much so it blasts a hole in 1 of the moons! Wow! Not only that, the explosion is so great that it obliterates the city. Later Rai Dei emerges from the wreckage to see Wolfwood sitting on his bike next to him. Rai Dei wants Wolfwood to help him but Wolfwood shoots him! At this point, I’m thinking Wolfwood may be 1 of the GHG, Chapel. But the final scene shows Meryl receiving a letter from Bernardelli asking for their immediate return to office. Why? They have decided to classify Vash’s act as and act of God and would no longer want to have any association with him. OMG! So typical insurance clause. Then we see all those characters that once came into contact with Vash like Elizabeth to Neon to Kaite, getting to know the news. But that’s so much you’ll ever get to see on them.

 

A flashback episode 17 tells how it all came about. It seems there was an expedition Earth to find habitable planets for the human race to begin anew. Inside each ship lies a bunch of humans in their cryogenic sleep. One such group is Rem’s and a handful of astronauts. At that time, Vash was a young kid and had a twin called Knives. Vash is quite close to Rem as she teaches him about life and such. However 1 of the crew, Steve doesn’t like the twins and calls them monsters, since they’re ‘special’. Then there is 1 part whereby Vash is watching how a spider traps a butterfly and is gonna eat it. Vash wanted to do something but is indecisive. Knives than crushes the spider, much to Vash’s shock. Knives tell him that in order to save the butterfly he kill spiders. Vash is adamant with the fact that he wants to save both. In a way, what Knives said is true. I mean, life is a vicious cycle, right? Unless you teach the spider to be vegetarian. Over several scenes, we see the remaining crew going crazy killing each other, starting with Steve. Actually it’s all Knives doing. He’s plotting to destroy everything as he sees no hope in humans. Knives decide to kill everyone except Rem because he thought Vash was quite attached to her. Furthermore, Knives is planning to crash this whole ship on a near desert planet. Since only Vash, Knives and Rem are the remaining survivors. Rem decides to stay back to do 1 last ditch attempt to save things, thus leaving Vash and Knives to escape as she tells Vash her last words to take care of Knives. Vash is devastated. Though Rem died while trying it, at least she’s able to save several of those humans as they crashed scattered throughout the planet. 100 years later, we see Vash determined to confront Knives. Woah! How old is this guy? Besides, there’s no appearance of that black cat here.

 

Episode 18 continues with that short flashback whereby a grown up Vash confronts Knives in a room with a man lying dead in his pool of blood. Knives did something to make Vash turn his right arm into an alien one against his will, causing that super explosion annihilating the city. Back in present time, Wolfwood arrives in a town whereby a gang of bandits supposedly led by Vash are aftering a young girl named Lina. An explosion at the bar causes Lina to be taken hostage. A blonde guy named Eriks (sounds like Vash) who is with Lina pleads for the bandits not to harm the girl and would in exchange strip, bark and act like a dog. Oh how humiliating. After witnessing such entertainment, the bandit leader (looks real hideous) lets Lina go and decides to shoot Eriks. Eriks is rushed to the hospital and Lina’s grandma is upset over the matter and wants to fight back but is restrained. Wolfwood walks into the hospital where Eriks is lying and slaps him to wake up! Yeah, he’s awake alright. We soon find out Eriks is indeed Vash, who’s taken up another identity and deciding to live a simple life after that hole-in-the-moon incident. Wolfwood also gives him back his repaired gun, which Wolfwood found Frank to fix it. A short flashback shows how Vash is being found by Lina’s grandma lying in some alley as she takes him in and fixes him up. She doesn’t care who he is and considers him as part of her little family. Wolfwood tells Vash about the name ‘Knives’ written in blood in a town square in a city called Caracas and all its residents have vanished too. Then news that the bandits have kidnapped Lina. Vash takes his gun and head straight to their place along with Wolfwood. Funny part is that the bandits outnumbered them and is welcoming the duo with a hail of bullets. But they all missed! Such bad shots! We also get to see Wolfwood’s cross working as a machine gun. He looks cool in that pose holding the machine gun. In the end, the bandits are no match for the duo and Lina is rescued. Finally, Vash decides to leave the family to settle things though Lina and grandma are sad but she’ll always consider him part of their family.

 

In episode 19, we see Meryl and Milly back at their office. Meryl gets word that Vash is still around and decides to go follow him with Milly. I’m not sure if the company allowed it or not, but they did anyway. Love? Meanwhile, Vash and Wolfwood are arguing where to go so much so they ended up going to a city called New Oregon. There they got involve in a family squabble between the Polo and the Fris. Vash of course would try and help out this family feud. Meryl and Milly heard Vash may be going there and took a train there, but it got hijacked instead. That train later crashes into a satellite and we see the Fris family is the one behind the hijacking. Through the loud speaker, the head of the Fris says he wants death to the Polo family. While Meryl and Milly manages to free themselves from the captors, Vash and Wolfwood storms into the train and disarms the hijackers without killing them. Vash manages to reach the control room where 1 of the Fris family is pointing the gun at the head of a young Polo man. He has a grudge against this family because this guy murdered his daughter. Vash tries to talk some sense into this guy without any bloodshed. So you’ll hear lots of drama and sob story but in the end, he hasn’t the will to pull the trigger. As everything ends peacefully, we see 1 of the Fris family member breaking apart like into a puppet and into a suitcase. Oh oh. It’s one of the GHG, Leonof.

 

Since there’s a storm coming in episode 20, Vash decides to use this opportunity to get to an Earth Ship, the only 1 that has never crash land on the planet. Kids, don’t ever try this anywhere. Jumping off a cliff and onto a platform which takes Vash and Wolfwood to it. To bad they have to leave the insurance girls behind, clinging to the very edge as the storm sweeps the city. It must’ve been a long time since Vash has returned. An old man greets him along with a young tough man named Brad. Just then, a girl named Jessica rushes out and affectionately hugs him, making Brad angry. You’ll guess that this Jessica has only eyes for Vash but Brad has a crush on her. Tough life. Speaking of which, the inhabitants of this ship don’t like outsiders, especially Wolfwood, thinking that they’re all violent. They’re staring and saying mean things to him. But Wolfwood lectures back at them.Vash and old man enters a room to have the former left gun hand upgraded. While Wolfwoof is walking along the corridor, he spots 2 dead bodies in a room. An inhabitant arrives and misinterprets the situation. Brad soon arrives and points a gun at him though Wolfwood still insists he didn’t do it. Brad is in a dilemma because we see other inhabitants falling dead and Leonof’s puppets appearing. They’re holding Jessica hostage and in order to assure her safety, Brad must shoot Wolfwood. Vash soon arrives and the puppet break into pieces. Though Jessica runs to hug Vash, this isn’t time to feel jealous brad. A short flashback on how Rem love those red germanium flowers because it means determination (probably why Vash is dressed in red). The gang have to fight waves and waves of Leonof’s puppet when Leonof mentions how 2 other GHG are also on board. Come to think of it, how did they get on board?

 

Wolfwood and Vash decides to find the other 2 GHG in episode 21. Before that, we see Legato in some dark place talking to a guy in a test tube (supposedly Knives) about how he’s gonna make Vash pay. To cut things short, Wolfwood gets Gray while Vash faces Hoppered. Lots of fighting and shooting and to cut things short, the duo are here to destroy the engine to bring down the ship. Wolfwood finds out why Gray is called Nine Lives because he’s practically a machine. Not because he’s related to a cat. After lots of blasting, Gray detonates himself causing 1 of the ship’s engine to blow. Meanwhile, Hoppered uses his last ounce of strength to destroy another engine as he sacrifice himself, thus sending the ship crashing down on the desert planet. In the aftermath, the inhabitants are fearing the worse because their sanctuary is no more and blames Vash. However, Brad steps in and stands up for Vash. Surprise surprise. He even lecture back at them, making them feel ashame of their outburst. Wolfwood is inside the ship and enters a room to see Jessica being tied up. Realizing that she’s being there all the time, he quickly tries to warn Vash about the fake Jessica. However it’s too late as she open fire at Vash. Unfortunately, Brad was the one who threw himself in front of Vash to protect him. Vash is terrified to see what’s happening. Some tear jerking moments as Brad slowly passes away. At least he realized things before he breathe his last breath. I’m not sure how Wolfwood knows Leonof’s exact location in the desert, but he eventually manages to find this guy who acknowledges his plan has failed, and blasts him with his bazooka! Boom! With the inhabitants agreeing to start things anew with refreshed hope, Vash continues to weep for Brad at his grave.

 

Vash, Wolfwood along with the 2 insurance girls continue their journey in episode 22 but Vash is blaming himself for the previous deaths. They reach a closed city whereby the guards refuse to let them in. At this point, I’m wondering how did Wolfwood-Milly relationship started? I mean, the way the 2 of them said things as though as they’re an item or something. As the quartet decides to go away, they spot a boy stealing some stuff from their car. They follow him to a nearby abandoned building in which to their surprise find several orphan children living there. Though the kids aren’t happy with the adults, they manage to break the ice. The kids tell them how that closed city was evacuated and those who remained refused to let outsiders in. The orphan’s parents 1 day walked away in a trance, leaving them behind and nowhere to go. The next day, a group of men open fire at the orphan’s place, blaming Vash and co for the incident the other night. Previously, Legato and Midvalley came in and did mind control on some of the inhabitants to kill themselves. Before anything could happen, giant sand worms in the area terrorizes them (look like those from the American movie Tremors). They try to drive the beasts away and seek cover in the closed city. During the battle, Vash sensed something wrong and notices something about the boy who earlier stole stuffs from his car. He shoots his earpiece and the sand worms immediately grinds to a halt. That boy reveals that he is Zazie. Though Vash tries to reason with him, Zazie has his gun at the children. Some talking and tense moments before Zazie falls dead to the ground. It looks like Wolfwood had shot him! Vash is stunned and engages in a bitter war of words with Wolfwood. Wolfwood too has his own believes, which pretty much differs from Vash. Yeah, kill or be killed. In the end, Wolfwood leaves.

 

Episode 23 starts off with Wolfwood’s flashback how he shoot and killed his abusive dad. Since then he has been taken in by the church by a man named Chapel (oh those freakish eyes). Meanwhile Vash in in a deserted town looking at a monument with the words ‘Knife’ on it, before blasting it. Also, Chapel comes to see Wolfwood and tells him that he’s a successor of he GHG and must kill Vash or else the children back at the orphanage will die. At the same time, Caine arrives outside town with his looooooong gun and position himself ready to snipe. Of all the GHG, I find that Caine is the most cool looking one in my opinion, though he may look like some American horror movie psychopath. So more of that Wolfwood-Milly drama as the next day Wolfwood confronts Vash and points his cross gun at him. Vash tells him that if he kills him, he must promise not to kill anymore. Wolfwood can’t do it. Just then a stray bullet barely misses them. Wolfwood tells Vash that there’s a sniper outside town and tells Vash to go find him while he himself needs to find Chapel.

 

Caine’s shot really packs a punch as Vash drives a vehicle evading his shots trying to reach him. Soon Caine’s gun is blown into pieces and Vash is standing next to him. Vash tells him nicely to go home but Caine points a gun at his own head. Vash frantically tries to stop him but is too late. Meanwhile Wolfwood comes face to face with Chapel and a fierce battle ensue with Wolfwood emerging tops (still don’t get that apple snatching lesson). Instead of killing Chapel, he just walk away. Chapel uses his last ounce of strength to shoot Wolfwood in his back. We didn’t see who shot who, just heard some gunshots. The scene changes to Wolfwood meeting Vash burying Caine. Some talk here and there before we see Wolfwood bleeding. So he got shot after all. As Vash tells Wolfwood he failed to save another life, Wolfwood stumbles into a nearby church bleeding and said his last words before he died on his knees. I can’t believe he’s gone! Milly is seen crying and screaming uncontrollably (pity her) and I’m not sure but it looks like she’s pregnant with his child. Things are gonna get grimmer.

 

Episode 24 starts off with Chapel meeting with Legato and Midvalley. Doesn’t look like a good one. Wolfwood probably opened his eyes and the reason why Wolfwood died is because he came to believe Vash’s ideals. We find out Legato was the one who forced Chapel to pull the trigger on Wolfwood. Knives finally makes his full body appearance and says how he hate humans before sending Chapel to his doom in some black hole. Meryl and Milly are still not over that previous incident but after some heart to heart talk, they decide to go after Vash. Vash himself is eating some donuts and looking at how the people around him are happily going on with their lives when Vash starts to break down. Two boys come up to him and wonders why an adult is crying when they fainted. The whole town soon follow suite. Legato appears nearby and tells him to meet him at the top of the mountain. Plus, he’s purposely blaming Vash for the deaths of Wolfwood and GHG. As Vash gets up, he soon find himself with battle against Midvalley. However his saxaphone play deflects all of Vash’s bullets. Furthermore, his melody is making the townpeople fight against their will. After a long battle, Vash uses his robotic gun to richochet bullets and destroy Midvalley’s sax. With that, Midvalley blows himself up with his own sax. Vash is in anguish to see another person dead even though he’s the enemy. Vash manages to make his way up the mountain and meets Legato. Some talking before Legato tries to force that alien arm of Vash’s but the latter manages to control and restrain it. Soon Legato uses his mind control and order the townpeople to kill their captives, Meryl and Milly (earlier on, they’re heading to this town but got kidnapped when they stopped to help an injured man). Legato tells Vash (who’s pointing a gun at Legato’s forehead) that he must kill him or else the 2 girls will die. Vash undergoes more mental anguish. Finally Vash pulls the trigger, killing Legato. Though the girls are safe and everyone else returning back to normal, we see Knives giving out an evil laughter saying how he’ll make Vash suffer.

 

Because of that, Vash is spacing out with low self esteem in episode 25 saying how he killed his 1st time and is no different than Knives. Thus Meryl and Milly try their best to bring back the smile and confidence in Vash by taking up part time jobs as a waitress and construction worker respectively, and nurse him back to health. It’s tough at first but with perseverance, Vash gradually recovers. One day, a truck driver spots Vash and soon tells everyone to get out of town because he’s here. So much so the townpeople rounded up the ladies and beat up Vash, taking their anger out on him. Vash says how he deserve to die and doesn’t fight back. Looks like the name Vash doesn’t strike fear anymore. However Meryl calmly talks to them, which reminded Vash so much about Rem. The angry mob backs down and realized. Later that evening, Vash chats with Meryl and Milly and since he was so inspired by Meryl back then, he hugs her. Didn’t see that coming. Tears of joy. The next day, Vash has fully got his confidence back and sets out to find and save Knives. He also brings along Wolfwood’s cross slinging across his back as the 2 ladies wave goodbye and will await his safe return.

 

Episode 26 is like a series of fast forward flashback before the final battle. It shows how Vash and Knives are travelling the desert world and even though Vash doesn’t like Knives thinking, he follows him for fear of being alone. Their travels bring them to see the dark and uncivilized side of humans. After some time, Knives created 2 guns and gives 1 to Vash (it took 1 year for that? Can’t believe Vash actually waited that long). Since their beliefs still differ, they end up arguing so much so, Vash accidentally shot Knives in the leg (how’s that for a taste of your own medicine on pain). Vash panics and run away. Fast forward several years, after lots of wandering and memory losing, Vash gets info of a guy who’s related to Rem and proceeds to find him to tell all about Rem. Unfortunately upon his arrival, he saw that guy dead and Knives was the one who killed him. In Vash’s rage, that’s where Knives made him unleash his alien arm and destroy the city of July. Now it all make sense. Then a fast flashback recap on how the GHG were assembled by Knives to bring hell to Vash and all their battles with him. 130 over years later? This guy must be the envy of all those seeking eternal youth. Just kidding.

 

The final battle starts with Vash arriving at a beautiful garden where Knives is seen having tea. Soon a really cool and awesome gunfight ensue which reminds me so much like Grenadier’s last episode battle between Rushuna and Setsuna. Then Knives transform his alien arm with angel wings and Vash soon follows. I can feel the elaborateness of the alien arm, charging up its power and getting ready to fire. Since their blasts are so great, it cancelled out each other. More fighting until what it seems Vash is losing and lying on the ground. He then hears Wolfwood’s voice to use it, in which Vash takes out the cross lying nearby and starts to fire back. I think the reason why the producers did this is so that Wolfwood doesn’t get ‘left out’. With Knives stunned, Vash fires a few more shots at him and finally points his gun at his head. It’s over. Back at town, due to Milly’s construction work, the town is flooded with water. Soon Vash returns carrying Knives unconscious (didn’t think he’d kill him after hearing that last gunshot) and the 2 ladies are overjoyed. Vash says to himself how he’ll still honour Rem but will live with his own words from now on.

 

Overall, I must say that I’m a little dissatisfied how it all end. I felt that the ending could’ve been a little better. No doubt, the good guys won, but it made me feel it isn’t the end of it all yet. Uh huh. Like if ever the producers want, they’ll just make a sequel. I still like the early parts of the series, seeing Vash in action (comical and dorky ones of course), though he doesn’t do much of it. Then with the introduction of the GHG arc, it gets somewhat a little serious and I feel it wasn’t as good. He still looks pretty cool with his gun, though.

 

Based on the manga title of the same name, I read that there are several slight differences between the anime and the manga in terms of the characters’ personality and role. In fact, there’re a few more GHG members. If you like to see more of Vash and Wolfwood, the manga story continues under the title Trigun Maximum. Heck, there’s a movie called Trigun X, which I believed is released somewhere last year. Can’t get enough? There’s a video game too but for me, the anime is sufficient.

 

Masaya Onosaka who voices Vash does an amazing job especially making him sound dorky and comical. He’s also the voice behind Momoshiro of Prince Of Tennis and Haruka of Lovely Complex. Meryl is voiced by Hiromi Tsuru who also voiced Ukyo in Ranma 1/2 and Bulma in Dragonball Z. Milly is voiced by Satsuki Yukino who is famous for her roles as Kagome of Inu Yasha, Tina of Ai Yori Aoshi, Chidori of Full Metal Panic and Ayu of Ultra Maniac. You may recognize Sho Hayami as Wolfwood because he’s also the one behind Aizen of Bleach and Meister Kirisaki of Yakitate! Japan.

 

Though there aren’t any memorable background music, I kinda feel that there’s a lack of them during the anime so much so that certain dialogue scenes have that ‘deafening silence’ in the background. Even so, some of them sound like old country Western music like the next episode preview, which is narrated philosophically by Vash. Not that I really understand or remember them. Aside that, the music is more on hard rock. Like the opening theme, H.T. is an instrumental piece which gets viewers into that action atmosphere while the ending theme Kaze Wa Mirai Ni Fuku, sounds like the singer is singing it in a ‘drowsy’ way. The mid-intermission has a short but heavy and loud electrical guitar jamming so you might want to turn down your volume level at that point.

 

Speaking of the dialogue part, at times I thought the characters were just thinking aloud when I wonder how the other characters know he/she is thinking. Then it dawned to me that they’re actually having a conversation. Probably the way I see they don’t move their mouths made me think so. I’m not sure if the subtitled version one I saw is actually done by the company who acquired its licence or a fansub group because since my basic Japanese vocab is a little better (ahem ahem) there are certain speeches in which it’s meaning is translated for non-Japanese speakers. Like how Milly addresses Meryl as her senior in Japanese, ‘senpai’. But it’s translated as ma’am. Though it generally means the same, fansubbers would leave it as it is. I think the sub version has to be the former one since the title is all in English and I have glimpsed 1 in Japanese kanji during my surfing on the internet.

 

All in all, this series is still worth a good watch. As usual, we learn that violence only leads to violence. Probably it’s in our genes that we humans naturally love to be in conflict with each other whether back here on good o’ Earth or on another new planet. So just how civilized are we? If there’re more people like Vash around, heck I wouldn’t mind everyone to be so dorky like him.