Trigun Stampede

The original Trigun is one of my favorite anime, so these crafty businessmen have figured out I'll watch anything new with the word Trigun in it, to see if it captures the same magic.

As is usually the case with reboots, this reboot rarely succeeds in recapturing that magic. Sometimes there are moments where it does, but for the most part, it's not nearly as well done as the original, in my opinion.

It has everything you'd expect in a reboot and takes no chances. The CGI isn't great compared to the premium animation of the original. The characters are kind of annoying. Moreso than in the original (Vash the Stampede was always a bit annoying). The dialogue seems stilted at times.

It's not all bad, though. There are a few bright moments. They did a good job on making the villains menacing. The story could use some clarity on the objectives and stakes, but the action elements are good.

This reboot just seems a little bit off on everything even though it did some things right. I still enjoy it enough to watch, though, so I give it a 6.

As a devoted fan of the original Trigun anime since 2001, I have eagerly awaited the arrival of the remake. I've watched the original series three times in full, completely enamored by its story and character development. The new version of Trigun, however, left me with a sense of disappointment, despite its stunning visuals and artistic excellence. The changes made to the original story and the characters' development failed to captivate me as the first series did, leaving a hollow feeling behind its beautiful facade.

Visually, the Trigun remake is nothing short of fantastic. The art style is both faithful to the original and enhanced with modern animation techniques. The color palette is vibrant, the character designs are detailed, and the action sequences are fluid and dynamic. This aspect of the remake truly deserves praise and recognition.

However, the beauty of the Trigun remake lies only skin deep. The most significant issue with the new series is the script and the changes made to the original story. The pacing in this version is remarkably different from the first series. In the original, the gradual discovery and growth arc for each character was a significant part of the show's allure. The pacing allowed the audience to become invested in the characters' stories and to develop genuine connections with them. This slow burn of character growth and story progression was replaced by a rushed narrative that reveals everything at once in the remake.

The original series had the characters gradually form bonds with each other, eventually becoming loyal companions. In contrast, the remake forces these connections from the outset, stripping away the authentic and organic development of relationships that the original series portrayed so well. The coincidences that happen to advance the story in the new version are also highly implausible, which detracts from the overall viewing experience.

I didn't expect or want the Trigun remake to be a carbon copy of the original. In fact, I would have been thrilled with a fresh take on the story and characters. However, it's disheartening to see that the writers of this new version were unable to weave a compelling narrative that would justify the remake. It feels like a missed opportunity to create a new and engaging Trigun experience for both old and new fans alike.

One of the most frustrating aspects of the Trigun remake is the fact that the characters have become more forgettable than in the original. With the rushed storytelling and lack of proper character development, the emotional investment in the characters is severely diminished. The original series was so successful because it made viewers care deeply about the characters and their journeys. The remake, unfortunately, fails to evoke the same emotional response.

In conclusion, the Trigun remake is a visually stunning piece of animation with a disappointing core. It suffers from a poorly executed script, rushed pacing, and underdeveloped characters that fail to capture the essence of the original series. I truly wanted to love this remake, but I cannot help but feel let down by the lack of substance and emotional depth. As a fan of the original Trigun, it's disheartening to see such a beloved story fall short of its potential. While I commend the artists for their exceptional work, I wish the same level of care and attention had been given to the story and characters.

So don't get me wrong here. Im not a hater off the bat, I don't mind the new art style much, the animation is smooth....but even in the character re-design my main critique of the whole reboot comes in. . . This series in it's attempts to tell the story in a new light fails to realize what made the original so good; firstly the key plot points are slowly revealed over the course of many interactions between characters in the original. For example: In the or first we do not find out Vash has a bionic arm and get the first clue that Vash is more than an oddball pretending to not be a skilled gunman until quite a few episodes in.....in this they took out the whole air of intrigue and mystery and imply all of the intriguing developmental plot points right in the beginning of the show. His Bionic arm in plain sight, no attempt to hide his mysterious odd connections really. It's just weak storytelling. The animation is sadly pretty impressive but the pacing and progression that it is all tied to in my opinion just feels underwhelming, half baked, and overall a much less impressive compositional mix than first. Would have been better off as a stand alone cyber punk style story and not tying Trigun to it imo. All of the characters just feel like shallower versions of their original concepts. It was nice to see a little more about Knives and Vash's mom but the incredibly direct way it is all spoon fed to you just never felt super surprising or exciting. I guess it might be pretty decent if you never watched the original and were forced to compare them though.

I have seen a lot of reviews of the show blaming the og fans for not being happy with the reboot. I've first watched Trigun about 10 years ago or so, so I guess you can call me an og fan. But, I really tried to enjoy the show. Honestly, there's nothing better for an og fan than to return to their favorite characters and story. However, I believe that most of the og fans are frustrated with the show because of the quality and not because they wanted a carbon copy of the '98 show.

To be fair to the show, as said countless times before, it's a beautiful show. The new animation style gives a lot of life to the world. It makes action look dynamic. A lot of the scenes look and feel cinematic. They did an amazing job with it.

Another compliment I have is - I actually liked the ideas they added to expand the world and the story. I liked the new characters, I think they contribute a lot to the world building. (I can't say much about it without spoiling the show)

However, I struggled to finish the show. Every couple of episodes I would have to convince myself to continue. And it made me very sad. I do think the creators tried to make an enjoyable show.

However, the show struggles with its storytelling. And here's where comparison comes in. The og show was a great character driven story with memorable characters (sorry for the repetition). Hell, I watched it 10 years ago and the main thing I remember are characters. The reboot looses the sight of characters completely. They forgot that to make us believe in the bonds the characters develop with each other, we need to see them bond. We are not just here for the action or the story progression, we need to see character arcs. Especially, for Vash. He carries the story, his struggle with his morality in a harsh world, with humanity and humility and overcoming constant challenges associated with that is basically what the story is, I think at least. Every single character is so surface level it hurts.

But my main issue with the show, what made me want to rage quit every other episode, is the exposition dumps. Every single episode we have someone explain in a lengthy monologue what the viewer needs to know. And I hate that. Especially because in certain episodes, mainly flashbacks, we get to see things happen and not hear about it. Probably, my favorite episode is the one with the silent movie styled flashback. It does show that the creators were capable of telling a story in a visual medium in a compelling and effective way. And btw, I think it was brilliant. So much of the exposition could have been done through interacting with the world, rather than describing it. And the last few episodes suffer the most with it.

Pacing is another huge issue and is intertwined with my previous point. You can cut so much fat off (much of which are the exposition dumps) and show so much more. I understand that the 12 episode season doesn't present the luxury of the original in terms of time. But, just the fact that we spend the first three episodes in one town is insane. It's slow, it doesn't develop characters much, we don't see much of the world at all. And then all of a sudden we're at a breakneck pace to episode 8 where we come to a sluggish pace again full of exposition dumps. Why?

Also, short one - it lacks humour. I like the darker tones they take with certain elements, but we also need to breathe. Just a touch of lightheartedness would do wonders, I think.

Just for the sake of it, after finishing the reboot I went back and rewatched just the first episode of the original '98 show. And I was bewildered with how effectively the og used the 20 minutes. We get the main premise, a great very distinctive introduction to the main characters, glimpse at the world and the conflict. The first episode of the reboot just left me confused.

I can ramble on and on about my frustrations with the reboot, but I would still watch season 2. It probably doesn't seem like it, from how much I complained about the reboot, but I think it introduced enough of intriguing new ideas I would like to see explored. Plus, there's always a chance for the second season to right a lot of wrongs of the first, so I'm hopeful.

And I would recommend this show if the exposition dumps don't bother you much. I think anything is worth exploring and seeing for yourself whether you like it or not :)

I'll start by saying that this Trigun is simply a feast for the eyes, the animation and the effects of modern cinema really give a unique atmosphere to each episode, although I can end here with the positive section of the series.

Now, an incredible animation is not the same as a work full of life, in this case it is a product lacking soul if we compare it with the classic series.

All the goofy expressions of our friendly protagonist have been eliminated and everything that made each character stand out too, instead they feel like Mad Max survivors who simply come together thanks to the magic of the script.

The music is something redeemable, it is quite good.