Trigun

A lot of animes set people off. Slow beginnings, long series, and lack of substance make a lot of anime shows completely unwatchable to the newcomer.

Those animes should take a lesson from Trigun. If there was ever an anime that told a story best in 26 episodes, it's definitely this one. Vash The Stampede, a supposed outlaw with a $$60 million reward, must set out to find where his life started and how to go on now. On his journey he is tagged along by reporters Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson, and is later accompanied by the gun-toting priest Nicholas D. Wolfwood.

Every episode has its own wonderful story and solves a little more of the mystery of Vash's life, always wanting you hungering for more but feeding you enough to love that episode just as much as any other. I, for one, was very able to connect to the characters as each has their own colorful and lovable personality. It brought a lot of life to an anime series that you aren't treated to often.

There's no way you can't enjoy Trigun - it's an anime series for all and definitely one that will last throughout anime history as one of the best. It may not be glittered with massive CG and high-budget animation, but that's not what is important. If you haven't seen this yet, go see it now.

The series first reels you in as a hilarious, action-packed romp full of wit and comical chaos, with a pretty clever premise behind it. But as the episodes progress, a more complex mystery begins to unfold and you'll find yourself dying to find out what's next when you're not laughing your head off or marveling at the action scenes. Crisp animation and chara designs, clever humour, a solid storyline and likeable characters that grow on you make Trigun a highly recommended series. Watching Trigun is not just very entertaining, it also leaves a lasting impression. Long live "Love and Peace"!

Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson of the Bernadelli Insurance Company have a problem. They are to contain the problem of Vash "The Stampede", also known as "The Humanoid Typhoon". Every city that he stops in finds itself utterly destroyed. The problem is, once they find Vash, they also find that he's never killed a person and appears to be a bumbling idealistic fool which a penchant for dodging bullets and eating donuts. At least that's what he appears to be.

In a strange twist on anime protagonists, Vash is not a dark brooder or a naive boy with skill. Although he has elements of a dark past and such, he's an idealist committed to "love and peace" and he never shoots to kill, but rather uses his gun and his impossible marksmanship as a tool. While the series begins with a strong comic tone, serious elements are placed in the undercurrent and as the series progresses, the tone becomes increasingly serious with the comedy becoming more like breaks between the intense story. Towards the end of the series, it becomes increasingly potent, resonating both with emotions and intellect.

I really like the way the series really grapples with questions of idealism, pragmatism, questions of morality regarding the ends and means and other philosophical concepts, each having some embodiment in the various characters of the show. All the same, the characters are not allegories, but just strongly aligned to certain kinds of thinking. I do wish that some of the other characters were fleshed out more, but I also realize that it's hard to devote so much time to characters in a 24-episode arc.

Trigun is a surprisingly superb piece of storytelling thrown in a fantastic animated world and while the earlier comic episodes might be a little loose, they set the ground for the more serious second half and no episode seems utterly unnecessary. An excellent series and highly recommended to those who love science fiction, strong serial storytelling or those who love animation. 9/10

I can't think of anything wrong with this anime. The characters are lovable (even the bad guys, to a degree); the message of love is clear without being too saccharine or getting in the way of the action; the plot twists aren't predictable, and the music is breathtaking. I'll never think of donuts the same way again. ^__^

This show caught my eye on Cartoon Network's Adult Swin late night block. I like the Old Western scenery mixed with hi-tech things. The characters are a bit simple-minded but still touched my soul. I felt connected to message of peace and life this show contains. Don't let the violence or anime stereotypes fool you, this show is everyone's choice to lead their own life and develop morals. Vash and Knives are the Ying and Yang of evil and good. There's much to be learned from their feelings and attitudes. I'd take a close look at the minds of these characters and also enjoy the humor this series tries to lighten the mood (sometimes saddening) with.