Review of Trigun: Vol. 2

Introduction

Trigun was a series that I enjoyed watching (and reviewing) a couple of years back, but as occasionally happens, not all the review discs wound up in my in tray. So, courtesy of a convenient sale and a free moment, I finally complete the set. Quite logically, I finish with volume 2. Now I can finally relate how the story continued for a bit.

Vash the Stampede is perhaps the most infamous outlaw there is, with a $$60 billion bounty on his head. Deadly with a gun, he`s ruthless, fearless and the mere mention of his name can clear towns ahead of his arrival. He`s also a bit of a dork and a committed pacifist. Trigun is set on a distant future world that bakes under the glare of two suns. The human civilisation there has slipped back in technology, and society has taken on the aspect of the Wild West of old. Despite Vash`s reputation, there are plenty of bounty hunters willing to try for that reward. Two hard up insurance agents, Milly Thompson and Meryl Stryfe are assigned a mission to locate and identify Vash the Stampede, and try to limit the destruction that he leaves in his wake. This disc from MVM contains 3 further episodes in the Trigun series.

5. Hard Puncher
Bandits raid a restaurant in Inepril City, and it`s with his customary clumsy elegance that Vash manages to resolve the situation without bloodshed. Far from being grateful, the townsfolk see an opportunity to earn the substantial reward, and soon Vash is running for his life. The Mayor makes the mistake of hiring the Nebraska family for help, but the outlaw father and his freakishly large son have no concern for innocent bystanders. Will Vash protect the very people that have been hunting him?

6. Lost July
The people of Inepril needed the reward to repair the plant that keeps their city alive. Now that the latest Sand Steamer has arrived, it has brought with it the engineer who will breathe life back into their dying city. The first thing that Elizabeth does is to hire a bodyguard to keep her safe while she works, and Vash is all too eager to assist the beautiful engineer.

7. B.D.N
The citizens of Inepril are celebrating the repair of their plant, but Vash is looking to make a quick exit, and he quietly gets on the Sand Steamer. It won`t be a peaceful journey to the next town though, as Vash runs into a stowaway named Kaite, who spins a tall tale to get on the good side of the gunman. More trouble is ahead though, as the Bad Lad Gang has targeted the wealthy passengers aboard the steamer, and are about to attack.

Video

The picture comes in a nice clear 4:3 regular transfer. The image is sharp and makes use of strong colours. This is an older anime, and the precision of CGI has yet to replace the freer feel of hand drawn animation. I love the design of the anime, Trigun takes place in a fallen civilisation, with vestiges of hi-tech still around, but mostly old and falling apart. There`s plenty of old fashioned technology, and the occasional synthesis of the two giving the story a nice steampunk feel. The animation is strong and fluid, and is generally of high quality. Watch out for the creator`s trademark, a black cat that manages to crop up in every episode.

Audio

You get the basic selection of DD 2.0 Japanese and English, with translated English subtitles to accompany. The dialogue is clear throughout and the music suits the story well. As usual I chose to listen to the Japanese dub, preferring to hear the characters as they were originally voiced. I did spot-check the English track, and while the main character voices were strong and distinctive, the same can`t be said of the guest characters. There were no technical problems in what I heard though.

Features

Extra features on this disc include the trailers for Trigun, Chobits and Haibane Renmei. There are 25 line images in a Design Gallery, and 25 stills in an Image Gallery. And that`s your lot.

Conclusion

The second volume of Trigun leads on from the first with a couple more stand alone stories, as well as the first part of a two part tale. In the middle of all that, there is ample time for some back-story, and of course Trigun`s typical tongue in cheek humour. There is of course the down side that this is a three episode volume, which induces the feeling that you are getting less of what you paid for. And it`s all over so quickly.

What so impressed me about the first volume, the translation of traditional Western storylines to a future setting continues here. The first episode offers a glimpse into the perils of being a wanted man `trying to go straight`, as so often happens in Western films. They either get sucked back into their old way of life, or their reputation precedes them, leaving them unable to trust whoever they encounter. The latter happens here, where some needy townsfolk seize the chance of the $$60 billion reward and turn on Vash after he rescues them. The past catches up to Vash in another way in the next episode, when a survivor of one of his previous depredations turns up to take revenge, and is willing to sacrifice innocent lives to do so. The final episode is the stagecoach heist, although in this case the stagecoach is a Sand Steamer the size of a small town.

It also turns out that Volume 2 is an essential piece of the Trigun puzzle, as we get to see Vash actually use his gun for the first time, as thus far he has been getting by on a combination of wits and luck. It`s also worth it to see Meryl`s face when she has to accept that the red-coated clown is actually the dreaded Vash the Stampede. We also learn of pivotal moments in Vash`s past, we realise that there is far more to him than meets the eye.

Trigun is an anime series worth examining, as it is one of the few that combines utter absurdity and nihilistic darkness to excellent effect. Volume 2 is another example of the series at its best, but the low episode count may deter. Not to worry though as a boxset is imminent, and you can have the whole series at your disposal.