Trigun Stampede: A Promising CG Reboot of a Classic Anime

I’m sure you have had dreams that followed similar plots, where you traversed unknown lands searching for something or someone. What would it be like to adventure in an absolutely alien world? We would meet all sorts of people and take in brand-new sights, anticipating the destination. Was it more about the journey than the finale?

Trigun Stampede is a 12-episode TV anime series that aired from the 7th of January until the 25th of March in Winter 2023. Studio Orange brought it to life while working with TV Tokyo, Movic, TOHO Animation, Toy's Factory, and Shounen Gahousha. Featuring the genres of action, adventure, and sci-fi alongside the theme of an adult cast, this anime appealed to the Shounen demographic and received a rating of PG-13 for teenagers 13 years of age or older. We have Producer Go Ryouji, Director and Storyboard Mutou Kenji, Episode Director and Storyboard Nishikiori Hiroshi, and Episode Director Yamato Naomichi to thank for this one.

Trigun Stampede is based on the source manga titled “Trigun,” a 3-volume series that ran from the 22nd of April 1995 until the 22nd of January 1997. It featured comedy and drama genres and was serialized in Shounen Captain. Author and artist Nightow Yasuhiro handled the whole thing. An alternate anime series titled “Trigun” aired in 1998 and ran for 26 episodes, thanks to Studio Madhouse. A sequel titled “Trigun Stampede (Kanketsu-hen)” is set to air in the future, but we don’t know much about it yet.

Prepare to embark on an epic journey on the fictional planet of Noman's Land, where we are introduced to the peculiar reporters Meryl Stryfe and Roberto De Niro. These two main characters are about to traverse the harsh desert in search of the infamous outlaw, Vash the Stampede, the other main character. They find him near the desolate town of Jeneora Rock, but the supposed criminal is nothing like the lethal terrorist they had expected. It turns out that Vash is a passive, carefree drifter who supports peace and is well-liked by the town's residents.

Surely enough, disaster soon arrives in town in the form of bounty hunters seeking the high price on Vash's head. They come to understand how his twin brother Knives Millions' widespread atrocities contributed to his highly inaccurate reputation. Even so, Vash is called "The Humanoid Typhoon," thanks to the tendency for violent chaos to follow in his wake.

Things really take a turn for the worse when their violent pursuit starts to pose great danger to the townsfolk and their precious power plant. But luckily, Vash’s impressive gunslinging prowess allows him to resist most of these nefarious forces. No matter what he does, it’s only a matter of time until he must face off against the greatest threat of all: the unstoppable destructive power of his evil brother.

If you are someone who has already watched the 1998 Trigun series, it’s normal for you to be highly skeptical about this one. From the onset, the CGI treatment of the anime might concern you, and you wouldn’t want to risk it tainting the older series you loved. It is a new style to get used to, and the fact that they changed Vash’s hairstyle isn’t helping, but if you give this anime a shot with an open mind, you might like it. But be warned: if you hate CGI too much in anime, steer clear of this series, as you’ll hate everything about it visually.

The story of Trigun Stampede is essentially about brothers, with the theme of brotherhood recurring throughout the show, and it is well portrayed from start to finish. There is also a lot of emotion put into this plot, something most of us wouldn’t even expect from this story. In contrast to the 1998 show, there is very little humor, and Vash's silly avatar won't bother you.

The story will consistently get darker, featuring a lot of visual blood and gore, so prepare for that, no matter your initial impressions. While the CGI is awkward and needs some getting used to, the storyline is well written, with highly resonant character drama and great action sequences to be remembered. You do not need to watch the 1998 series to understand or enjoy this one, so that’s a plus too. They have also done Vash justice by the end, saving up a good surprise, so don’t let its surface presentation repel you from what it’s hiding.

The elephant in the room is CGI. Its slow-moving nature isn’t an excellent fit for the series, but almost everything else in the visual department has been handled well. The artwork and animation had genuine work put into them, so much so that they would surprise you as you progressed through the series.

If you are open-minded enough to accept the changes, you will likely enjoy what they offer. At some point, you might even feel impressed by how well they handled the CGI overall, so give it a shot. Certain action sequences were presented in a single image, which is also highly commendable and spectacular. So yeah, you’ll definitely have some memorable moments to take away from watching Trigun Stampede.

The audio department is superbly done. From the first moment you experience the opening theme, "TOMBI" by Kvi Baba and the ending music, "Hoshi no Kuzu α" by Salyu and Haruka Nakamura, you will be hooked! Both of these songs are absolutely stellar, so much so that it’ll be challenging to skip them. They do not fail to leave an impression on you, especially evident in the emotional and heart-touching ending sequence, which is the best way to conclude any episode. On the other hand, the voice acting was done with such sincerity and effort that you cannot help but applaud it.

Overall, Trigun Stampede is an excellent watch for any kind of anime fan. While it is not without fault, it does surprisingly better than most give it credit for. For that reason, it is worth a try. If you absolutely cannot stand the CGI, it’s better to drop it, but if not, give this anime a chance and let it stampede across your heart!