The 1998 OG Trigun is a cult following. And 25 years on, the 2023 alternative retelling will also be a cult following, just like its predecessor.
To be frank, I've known mangaka Yasuhiro Nightow's famous OG series that has surfaced from time to time, both the manga and the anime adaptation that was prevalent from the mid to late 1990s. But the truth is that I've never gotten the time to read nor watch it, though its an experience for people who've watched and grown up with Trigun, will definitely say that it's something to behold at the time of its release. That's until 25 years ... later, we get the revival of Trigun, albeit under a new name: Stampede. This is obviously a new take on the old classic, so no matter how much you have a massive bias for the OG, please take everything about Stampede and wash away all the misconceptions about compaaring this with that, and see this from a new lens of perspective.
To understand how Trigun: Stampede came to be, you have to really get in the minds of the production team. Toho Animation producer Katsuhiro Takei commented that for this new Trigun project, they wanted to "start a new Trigun", commenting that there's already the original manga and other anime adaptations, and each of them are really excellent pieces of work that are already completed. Furthermore, Takei stated that with Trigun: Stampede, they wanted to attract new viewers and not make them think that it is hard to get into the series "because it's an already known and existing series." When Takei approached Trigun's mangaka Yasuhiro Nightow to discuss on the project, Nightow mentioned that the 1998 anime adaptation was "really excellent", and that "anything beyond the original anime is more of a bonus time, so you could pretty much do whatever you want to with it." Nevertheless, Nightow stated that he was pretty much involved with the new project from the very start, and that in order to make something entirely new, he would come in and say something to the staff if they did something that really seems off. However, as time went on with the script development, Nightow did not find major issues with it, commenting that "It was an entirely new Trigun, and I felt that they were able to grasp that."
This is pretty much anchored true in Stampede, as everyone knows about the Stampede himself, the Humanoid Typhoon with the 60 billion double dollar bounty on his head, along with reporters Meryl Stryfe and the new "replacement" to the much lovable Milly Thompson, Roberto De Niro. Sure, their interactions are more goofy-looking as compared to the illusive strikingness of the 1998 OG series, where everything was much industrial-looking for an era that focused much on industrialization anime, like director Akitarou Daichi's 1999 original show "Ima, Soko ni Iru Boku a.k.a Now and Then, Here and There". Takei stated that while in the original manga and the previous anime adaptations the story is always centered around Vash, in Trigun Stampede they "really want to focus on the depth of Vash", so they decided to focus on his origin, memories, and the time he spent with Rem and Knives. In a way, I felt that this was what Nightow's depiction of an alternate Trigun would be like if it came to fruition under people like Katsuhiro Takei who understood the magnitude of the original manga, and did something that's an alternate take, but something that could also still stand the test of time amongst the many adaptations of Trigun's unlimited potential, with the closest resemblance being that of the OG manga and Maximum together that makes for a cohesive story.
Believe me, Trigun: Stampede is a more rigorous character-driven story, as opposed to the plot-driven ones that came before it, emphasizing a lot on the tormenting relationship of twin brothers Vash the Stampede, Million "Nai" Knives and their caretaker Rem Saverem. It's essentially the same as what you've read in the OG manga and Maximum, only I think that within the span of 12 episodes, Stampede came out to be its very own thing that albeit drives home the conflict of Vash and Nai that intercedes for much of the story that was shown at first glance, yet like RWBY: Ice Queendom, diverges into its own set and story structure that I feel, is dependent on us the audience, whether does it feel any semblance of the original while being different in its own regard. And that is something that's very difficult to do and balance, for we are seeing especially Vash in a whole new light, being the same cool character that he is, and what he fights for as he resists against the humanity-hating device that is his own brother Nai, together with the cross-wielding Nicholas D. Wolfwood the Punisher. The battle against Plants and Independents has never been this intense, and I'm all for it in this new, refreshed storyline.
The production for Trigun: Stampede isn't anything to scoff at, either. Regarding the primary use of 3DCG for Stampede, Takei commented that the core of Trigun is "something that is very firm" that does not get affected by introducing additional elements, expressing that the strong core could be adapted into various things, and so the thought was that Trigun should go full-on 3DCG. This brings Takei and his team towards studio Orange, which animation producer Kiyotaka Waki, commented that the project started with concept art, followed by the development of a world for the adaptation, which wasn't just drawings but was also filled with ideas of how we could respect that old nostalgia factor and also add in the new designs. Kouji Tajima, who did the concept art and character concept art, he read the Trigun manga to interpret it in his way to capture much of the nostalgia factor, as well as something that's brand new towards the audience. We all know today about studio Orange's magnificent prowess in 3DCG, barring the ONLY studio to execute 3DCG right, but did you know that Trigun: Stampede was the VERY FIRST show in the studio's lineup that was in development took around five years that started in 2017? Yes, that was the EXACT same year where studio Orange would debut with their first non-co-produced series, Houseki no Kuni a.k.a Land of the Lustrous, to high fanfare of the proper, gold standard use of 3DCG in anime production going forward. It's been 5 years since that Trigun: Stampede was the OG starting point for the 3DCG studio, that now we're seeing this in live form, and it's been a project in the making for perfection right out of the gate.
Even better, is the music. For such an acclaimed series, while the OG was done by Tsuneo Imahori of Gungrave and Hajime no Ippo fame, the new series's OST was composed by Tatsuya Kato of Mirai Nikki and Shokugeki so Soma fame among many others. Regarding the music, Takei expressed that while developing the series, he considered the choice to use new music as they were developing the script and concept art, and that Imahori's soundtrack would not suit the world they would be building. That being said, the new music provides an atmosphere that definitely blends well to the new series, that far from discrediting what Tsuneo Imahori had before with the 1998 OG series, Tatsuya Kaho's take is a refresh for a new style. The OP song "Tombi" by Kvi Baba, now that's one hell of a banger of a song that expresses Vash's emotions to an insane degree, putting characterization on the front as opposed to the plot. The ED song by singer Salyu and composer Haruka Nakamura, it felt different of a world as light and sci-fi as it is, more than just another great song, it's telling of the constellations of fate between Vash, Nai, and the rest of the characters, like stars illuminating across the sky for a hope that's not long gone.
Overall, I really don't mind if Trigun: Stampede is meant to be different than the 1998 OG series. Think of this as the equivalence of the comparison between Ashita no Joe and Megalo Box, but in a different sense that if the new series doesn't move you, then I don't know what to say. It's been an experience trying to see what Trigun would be like if Yasuhiro Nightow got a chance to modernize his cult-status of a hit, developed with other people to create something that's just as enjoyable as the series he first created.
What can I say? It's Trigun in a new skin, that is something I wish to look back at over and over again. And this new work...it's not over yet.
 Alternative Titles Japanese: TRIGUN STAMPEDE Information Type: TV Episodes: 12 Status: Finished Airing Aired: Jan 7, 2023 to Mar 25, 2023 Premiered: Winter 2023 Broadcast: Saturdays at 23:00 (JST) Producers: TOHO Licensors: None found, add some Studios: Orange Source: Manga Theme: Adult Cast Demographic: Shounen Duration: 23 min. per ep. Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older Statistics Score: 7.841 (scored by 67,221 users) 1 indicates a . Ranked: #9032 2 based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded. Popularity: #1315 Members: 181,191 Favorites: 2,101 Available AtResources |
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