Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I thought we’d return to the action-packed Trigun Stampede, for the simple reason that I greatly enjoyed the first episode and am hungry for another one. The always-reliable Studio Orange are outdoing themselves in terms of this production’s energetic storyboarding and expressive faces, and the underlying material has so far offered a confident blend of scifi trappings and western drama. I may have missed the original Trigun during its heyday, but I’m happy to be getting a second swing at this beloved universe.

So far, we’ve received an intriguing mix of narrative variables, with the ambiguous idol of scientific progress appearing central to the story’s thematic ambitions. Scraping by in the ruins of a futuristic empire, the humans of Noman’s Land find what relief they can in the fragments of the old world, with Vash and Knives descending like angels offering either salvation or damnation. I’m intrigued to see how far this “mythology of science” thread stretches, and also on a more basic level eager for more goofy Meryl faces. Let’s see what new hazards await us in Trigun Stampede!

Episode 2

We begin on a brief recap, recalling Vash and Knives’ original fall from the heavens. I know the original Trigun takes quite some time to reveal Vash’s origins, and I’m curious as to why this adaptation chooses to immediately reveal the brothers’ positions within some grand space-faring arc of humanity

That’s not to say I disagree with the choice; rather that it’s simply an interesting one, a framing that results in a fundamentally different kind of narrative. It immediately frontlines the mythic, almost religious aspect of the story, while also giving Vash a clear dramatic objective right from the start, and facilitating a sense of circular cohesion within the narrative (like how Madoka employs similar narrative bookends). It speaks to a desire to create a clearly self-contained narrative, rather than the freewheeling, episodic structure of the original, which takes longer to introduce any larger context for Vash’s existence. The way you choose to order events in a narrative can have a profound effect on the story’s tone, impact, or even its thematic intent

“A brilliant success! I finally did it!” And yeah, making this scene the capstone of the show’s opening really emphasizes Knives’ status as something like a Lucifer parallel, the engineer of the fall from heaven

“There’s nothing on this planet. No water, no food. Without plants, our ancestors would have gone straight to heaven.” The radio announcer leading us back into present makes this framing all the more explicit, while offering a quiet question of whether “heaven” even exists in the wake of that grand catastrophe

“Was surviving in this hellscape really a stroke of good fortune? Or should we be pitied for our bad luck?” Vash obviously falls on the side of good fortune, representing a hope that struggling to survive is absolutely worth it, and furthering that hope through his ability to repair the lingering mechanical fragments of humanity’s former glory

Ooh, cool OP. Its circling slow pans of decaying technology call to mind the OPs of prestige HBO dramas, like True Detective or Westworld

Both the fragmenting technology and the swirling colors as Vash melts emphasize Studio Orange’s increasingly refined abilities to manipulate CG form and texture

The radio informs us that two dangerous criminals have escaped from the May City Prison. Apparently they’re known as the “Nebraskas,” an even less threatening title than the Bad Lads Gang

We drop in on Meryl actually doing her job by interviewing Vash. Basically all of the drama of this show is predicated on disruptions of this interview, so I appreciate the show emphasizing that Meryl is attempting to get her assignment done in between the episodic adventures

Love Vash’s sad puppy eyes, though they are sadly insufficient to verify his story of an identical doppelganger who’s been committing all the crimes he’s accused of

I like how this bar’s equivalent of a mounted bear head or whatnot is a giant wall-mounted beetle. The little touches of local flavor are appreciated

A boy named Tonis pops up with a cage full of mega-dragonflies for Vash

And then Rosa and the entire bar draw their guns on Vash. Just another day in the life

Oh man, wonderfully active camerawork in this cut as Vash flees across the pipes and rooftops. Scenes like this were also some of Land of the Lustrous’ standouts, sequences delighting in the freedom of camera movement that CG allows, since characters and backgrounds need not be continuously redrawn for each shift in angle

Also like the inherent cartoonishness of Vash’s exaggerated slips and dashes. He’s not a graceful escape artist, he’s more like Jackie Chan stumbling his way through one impossible setpiece after another

The choice of which structures are painted versus which are composed digitally is also very intentional – they’re not just spinning the camera because they can, there’s also a number of more conventional shots emphasizing the texture-rich background of this town

We then cut to a trio of mechanically augmented ne’er-do-wells, who are currently hunting Vash for his formidable bounty

“One bullet is worth two whole slices of pizza!” More excellent expressions of disgust as Vash explains his financial calculus. This production’s overall tone works well with Orange’s exaggerated expression work; everything is a bit farcical and larger-than-life here, from Vash’s chase scenes to his companions’ visual reactions

They briefly evade capture by tying a Vash-colored cape to an emu, a trick that also seems perfectly on-theme with this show’s general tone

The two Nebraskas clearly have a Frankenstein and his Monster theme going, a diminutive goggle-eyed scientist and his heavily modified companion

“How can you betray the man who saved you twice!?” “I wouldn’t do this if it were just adults here. But we’re mothers. I won’t stand by while our kids get sick and starve.” A perfectly understandable perspective from Rosa. They’re not monsters, but life in this world leaves little room for charity

Rosa rushes to protect Tonis as the Nebraskas approach, and Vash moves to save her in turn. More points to him essentially serving as the self-sacrificing savior of humanity, appreciating and echoing the best qualities of our nature

“Power is justice, power is truth! There is no future for those who can’t fight!” The Nebraskas offer a callous twist on Rosa’s pragmatism. If there is no room for being kind and charitable to each other, then the world ultimately belongs to the cruelest among us. Only monsters benefit from a philosophy of might making right – which is why Vash is so crucial, as a “monster” in terms of strength who nonetheless believes in the value of kindness and charity

We learn their full gang title is the “Hard Puncher Nebraskas,” which is not an improvement

Vash flees, clearly intending to keep the town safe from the battle

But Meryl of course pursues. Love this cut of Roberto taking a heavy pull from his flask as he gets dragged into even more action bullshit

Orange’s CG approach again shows its merit for chase scenes like this, making it easy to keep the camera moving backwards as the characters approach

The Nebraskas’ engine stalls, but the cyborg Gofsef snags Vash with his rocket fist

“Have you no pride as a gunman?” “Nope. None whatsoever.” Vash sees nothing commendable in someone’s capacity for violence. He is the rare figure with both the power to exact his will and the compassion to not abuse that power

Meryl also believes you must stand and fight. “It’s not an act of kindness. You’re just running away from pain.” She has the confidence to believe her will can make the world better, but Vash is not so certain

“You might be right that I’m too timid. But is that such a terrible thing? Is facing everything head-on so important? Even if it gets someone killed?” Vash has learned to distrust the inherent righteousness of his power. If it makes him responsible for suffering, he’d rather just opt out of confrontation

Unfortunately, even that is a choice with potentially violent consequences. The Nebraskas return to Jeneora Rock and begin wreaking havoc, opting for the easy treasure of Jeneora’s plant

The Nebraskas leader continues to extol his “power is justice, power is truth” mantra. It’s a flattering philosophy to believe in until someone more powerful comes along

Vash saves Rosa as he Akira Slides into battle. He doesn’t believe in his own power like the Nebraskas, but he will embrace it for the sake of those who don’t have power

“Why won’t you draw your gun?” Even now, Vash avoids outright violence up until the point where only his own gun can prevent the suffering of others

“A single round from this baby costs a boatload! Don’t make me say that out loud!” Charming point of connection between our combatants. Everyone’s just scraping by

“Weapons are made for fighting!” A line that clearly resonates with Vash’s anxieties, his likely fear of being no more than a weapon himself. A fear that echoes all the way back to Astro Boy and Godzilla, through a long lineage of grappling with nuclear weapons as if they are moral actors in their own right

“What value is there in trying to help them?” “There’s no reason not to help them.” Vash embodies a hope that the fundamental nature of mankind is charitable, not self-interested. In a world like this, that is a difficult hope to keep alive

“I want to help. That includes you.” “What side is this guy on?” Even our heroes can’t fathom Vash’s spirit of unconditional charity, even to those who would abuse him. They can only parse it as madness or cowardice

But with their enemies on the ropes, Rosa is able to see the fellow humanity in this Nebraskas leader, the desperation to save his beloved child. Perhaps there is hope for us after all

Oh no! Lost technology attacks Gofsef at their post-fight celebration! Seems Vash’s past is catching up to him fast

And Done

Another excellent episode of Trigun Stampede! After the first episode set up our characters and narrative template, this episode was all about the philosophy of Vash, and the ways he personally embodies a hope for a more charitable, mutually supporting way of life. From the visual imagery of the destroyed arc and contrasting brothers to the show’s overt references to heaven and salvation, it’s clear that Vash is being played up as a messianic figure, a source of hope and potentially a guide for a kinder future. Of course, his very power complicates the idea that he can be a model for the rest of us; it is easy to champion kindness when you have the power to enforce it, but not quite so simple for Rosa and the rest of us. Are we worthy of this savior that we presumably created, and can one man’s empathy genuinely change the world? I guess we’ll have to find out!

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