Trigun Stampede

Trigun Stampede is an original adaptation that offers a slightly different take on things. The series doesn't bother with an introduction, and it doesn't put any mysteries in front of the viewer, as if the writers relied on you being familiar with the original 1998 adaptation or, even better, the manga. On the one hand, it's a shame, because all the mystery surrounding Vash, Wolfwood, and the whole planet was what I enjoyed most about the original series. This way, it killed the atmosphere for me a little. Plus, the beginning was really hasty, one of the characters was replaced with a brand new one, and Meryl was given a different job. There were several things that made me feel as if it wasn’t the Trigun I knew. Vash, on the other hand, is still Vash. He is the kind of person who wants to protect both the spider and the fly, and while his intentions are good, things rarely go according to his plan. Gradually, it becomes clear that this creative decision - to step on the gas at the beginning, not to dwell so much on all the Gung-Ho-Guns that have been given enough space in the past, not to hide what most viewers already know anyway - was intentional. Trigun Stampede focuses on what the first adaptation leaves out, that is, the plotline around the "Plants", the real motivation of Millions Knives, and the falling-out between the two brothers. I've read the manga, so I know that it’s a major plotline, and it annoyed me that the original adaptation leaves it out. Anyway, from the second half onwards, the series knows exactly which story it wants to tell. As far as I remember the manga, the writers have done a great job. Especially the finale excellently builds up the confrontation of the two brothers' perspectives (both of which are equally understandable). Let me just briefly comment on the animation. If anyone thinks that the 3DCG animation is terrible here, they know nothing about 3DCG animation. As far as Japanese 3DCG is concerned, you should watch at least one episode of Ex-Arm to be able to put it into perspective. Sure, Japanese 3DCG is not the absolute top. Compared to Pixar, there is a lot of room for improvement, especially regarding character movement, but Orange did an excellent job in Trigun Stampede and you can tell that the studio just keeps getting better at it. The facial expressions in particular are better in the 3D models than in the classic 2D and make it possible for the characters to express more intense emotions. Plus, some of the effects and close-ups of various devices are much more detailed thanks to 3D animation. Sure, movement can get tricky at times, and the tentacles (and there are quite a few of them) and similar effects still look jarringly artificial, but on the whole, the animation is decent, easy to get used to, and often pleasantly surprising. The whole season was a nice surprise for me. I’m giving it 7/10 after watching the awesome finale tonight, and am curious to see what the already-announced next season will be like. (25.03.2023) (mniej) (więcej)