My Three Favorite Anime (Part III)

Alrighty folks, here is the moment you've all been waiting for!

My favorite anime of all time is:

Trigun! I hope this isn't a let down for anyone, though I can't really imagine how anyone who's seen the whole show can NOT like it.

----------------------Some spoilers live here!--------------------------

First, in comparison to my last two:

The Stampede

DBZ keeps the mood very light; even fight scenes can consist of characters being turned into cookies. Throughout Trigun, the main character, Vash, acts as a one man comedy act. He is goofy, strange, and apparently bat-shit insane. It's plied on a little thick at the beginning, but, as we get to see more of him, we understand why.

Side note: Vash is referred to as "Vash the Stampede." In my book, and character that has a title automatically starts with awesome credit. Vash doesn't disappoint.

Cowboy Bebop features a concise and interest cast that tends to deal with darker and more serious themes. Trigun only has four really steady protagonists, and only two of them really matter (more on that in a second). As the season progresses, we are shown that the world of Trigun is a VERY bleak place and Vash, as well as other characters, have their own dark, gritty pasts they encounter and have to deal with.

The four main protagonists of Trigun are:
Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson - they are both insurance agents sent to determine if the notorious outlaw, Vash the Stampede, should actually be covered as a literal human disaster. We usually see events with Meryl as our medium. Milly is some light comic relief, being a complete air-head, though there is eventually romantic undertones between her and my personal favorite character.

Vash - Not only is he known as "The Stampede," he's also known as the "Humanoid Typhoon." TWO TITLES!! At the series start, Vash is a doughnut-loving freak devoted to the notion of "LOVE AND PEACE" (he shouts it quite often). He's also a creep in general, and can be pretty annoying (in the show AND for the viewer). Eventually, however, we learn about his past, why he acts insane, and what he has to deal with. He's the most dangerous man alive, both because of the $$ (stands for "double-dollar") 60 billion bounty on his head and the fact that he is supernatural gunslinger.

The most interesting part of the series have to deal with his past, to be honest. It paints a MUCH different picture of the world we're exposed to (more on that in a bit!).

Lastly, we have my favorite anime character of all time, Nicholas D. Wolfwood. He is introduced as a travelling priest, though we quickly see he's much more than that - he carries around a giant cross that is actually a case for a small armory and a cannon itself. His skills seem to rival those of Vash, without most of the comedic affectations. He oozes cool from every pore and I can't get enough of him. Too bad he also turns out to be a bad guy... Kind of.

Wolfood. Likes: cigarettes, big guns, and Milly

The villains of Trigun are varied and interesting, though only a few have any depth. Chief among them would be the hard to comprehend Legato and his master Knives, who just happens to be Vash's twin brother...

Most of the episode plots are fairly straight forward. They can come down to an emotional level or be all out warfare -- it's split pretty well, and the fast and slow episodes are equally interesting. They do build up to a final confrontation with Knives, but the 26 episodes are absolutely worth it.

The Wasteland

Beyond the characters, my favorite thing about Trigun is the setting. At first, we are introduced to a world NOT like out own -- it is a Wild West setting on planet far removed from Earth. The entire globe seems to be covered in badlands, desert, and the rough people willing to survive. Thematically, it's Wild West with a bit of Steam Punk and a touch of Sci-Fi (... so all my favorites). The world isn't exactly post-apocalyptic, but that's only because it began as too much of an inhospitable waste.

Then we learn some of Vash's back story, and our knowledge is widened. Humanity came to this planet after an odyssey among the starts, looking for a new home. The SEEDs ships don't make it to their chosen destination -- instead, they are forced to crash land on the planet where Trigun takes place, about 130 years later... I'm being a touch vague so as to NOT completely spoil the story, but it is interesting (even if it doesn't make 100% sense) and adds some more depth to the wastelands we encounter during the show.

The blend of genres, worlds, characters, and themes makes this (far too short) anime perfect for me. If I was ever to hunt down and read a manga (which I don't normally enjoy), it would be Trigun without a doubt.

Ok, enough of that! You now know my three top anime. Let me know what you think, and/or how I've offended you by leaving out your most cherished show. As I've said before, I'm always looking for suggestions.

Tomorrow I go back to my regular weekly posts, I hope you've enjoyed this strange weekend adventure!