Vash the Stampede has returned! This time, he’s back with a new look and a revised, polished story.
On January 7th, “Trigun Stampede” premiered on Hulu and Crunchyroll. This show is a retelling of the classic 90’s anime “Trigun,” and is being produced by Orange, the same anime studio behind “Beastars” and “Land of the Lustrous.”
There are two big changes to the new rendition of this 90’s classic; First, the story of the show has been condensed, similarly to what “Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood” did for the “Fullmetal Alchemist” series. The second change is the art style, as the entire show is animated using 3D CGI graphics.
While some fans of the original anime were worried about the graphics, their fears were calmed with the premier of the first episode. The CGI art style allows for more fluid movements and expressions within the characters, which gives the overall story a deeper feel. In one episode, viewers were able to sympathize with the characters as Vash, the protagonist begins his journey with Meryl Strife, a character from the original anime, and a new character Robert De Niro (yes, that’s his actual name).
Some minor changes have been made, such as a new character design for Vash, giving him a more current haircut and outfit, and Meryl is now a journalist looking for her big scoop, rather than an insurance agent. Have no fear, fans of the classic storytelling shouldn’t think that producers are scrapping everything for the original, and there is one amazing Easter egg within the first episode that worked as the perfect nod to the classic.
The premier episode went off with a bang, figuratively and literally as the sky was filled with missiles, leaving Vash to find a way to save the town from destruction. It provided viewers with complex characters that are easy to relate to, whether you see yourself in Vash’s charismatic personality or Meryl’s passion for making her dream come true. The episode also ended on a cliffhanger by showing the antagonist of the anime and teasing what struggles viewers may see as the series continues.
The second episode of “Trigun Stampede” was released on January 14th, with new episodes airing every Saturday; you can stream the episodes as they release on Hulu and Crunchyroll.
What do you think of this new storytelling? How do you feel about Vash’s new character design? Let us know all your thoughts below!
Watch on Crunchyroll.
