|
Synopsis
- Trigun
It is the distant future, and a failed attempt at interplanetary
colonization has put the remnants of the human race on an inhospitable desert
planet. It's a rough place to live, with bandits out to steal your water and
land, miles (or Iles in Trigun-speak) of sandy nothing between anything
remotely habitable, and little or no order or law to be seen. Enter the
unlikely hero, Vash the Stampede. An outlaw with a six billion double dollar
bounty on his head, his very name strikes terror into the hearts of all that
hear it. Women weep and children cry and brave men turn tail and run when they
hear he's coming to town ... only, he's not really a bad guy at all!
Two insurance claim adjusters from the planet's largest (and only) public
insurance agency, are sent to follow Vash the Stampede, ascertain if the man
known as "The Humanoid Typhoon" is really responsible for all the
claims they have been forced to pay, and if possible, stop him from causing
any more damage. After an initial misunderstanding, the two "insurance
ladies" begin to travel with the mysterious (donut scarfing, spiky
haired, often silly) man in red and begin to discover, through the people he
meets and the trouble he's often forced into, the kind of person the duly
feared outlaw really is.
Review
Vash is the poster-child for the misunderstood hero. He's a
bred-to-the-bone pacifist, but because of his amazing skill with his
six-shooter, and the tendency for whole towns to blow up when he's there,
people constantly misjudge and fear him. My favorite moments in Trigun are
when the various characters Vash meets actually begin to realize who he really
is and what he's about. This series also wins my vote for the very best
supporting hero ever (Nicholas D. Wolfwood, the gunslinging preacher), and
best villain (Legato Bluesummers, the psychic nihilist). The other characters
are also all very well done; from the cheerful kindhearted (tall as an amazon!)
insurance agent, Milly Thompson, to the dastardly gang of bounty hunters and
killers known as the Gung-Ho-Guns, every supporting character has a distinct
personality and motives; no cardboard cut-outs here. And if you are a fan of
guitar music, the intro song (composed by Imahori Tsuneo) is outstanding! (I
am still searching in vain for that guy's album.)
And most of all, Trigun is FUN. It's a mad rollercoaster of action, comedy,
science fiction and even a little romance all packed into twenty-six episodes
of pure anime goodness. I'd even go so far to say that Trigun is more fun than
three barrels of monkeys armed with nerf guns and whiffle bats! (But that's
just me ...)
This is anime at its very best, folks. Not many commercial titles I have
viewed in the last year can even come close. Oh, and did I mention that the
English dub is also very well done? Rejoice! (Disclaimer: I am a hard core
subtitles fan, I can count the number of anime I will watch dubbed on one hand
with fingers left over, so by my standards, Trigun is very good.)
Even if action series aren't your cup of tea, I highly recommend Trigun
because it has so much else to offer. Great characters, a strong story, and
excellent use of humor and drama make Trigun a must-see.
|
