Trigun Stampede Arc Review
"Trigun Stampede" is a beautifully animated adventure featuring one of the kindest, sweetest protagonists in anime! ... but my first mistake was watching the 1998 original before finishing this review.
I was recommended this series by my husband, who grew up with the 1998 version. We watched the dub together, but around the time we were introduced to his favorite character, Wolfwood, he began to lament how nostalgia was making it harder for him to enjoy this adaptation. As a newcomer, I didn't see the problem at first; all I saw was a show that checked every one of my favorite boxes: "protagonist who is kind to a fault," "non-human characters who love humanity," "twins with opposite worldviews," and "antagonists who aren't necessarily wrong but are too extreme." Throw in some religious imagery and a found-family trope, and I was hooked.
I moved through the first season with almost no complaints regarding the animation or the plot. However, I did have a rare "flyaway" critique regarding Wolfwood. While I enjoyed his backstory, he occasionally felt like he was just there. I felt like I had missed a step in his arc, or perhaps he was simply underused compared to Vash’s other companions. I didn't expect him to carry the same weight as the lead, but I wanted a bit more meat on those bones.
Then, I watched the 1998 anime, and comparison truly became the thief of joy.
I realized that Stampede essentially traded the western soul of the franchise for a more high-tech, futuristic aesthetic. Naming the finale "High Noon at July" felt almost ironic because the "cowboy" energy was so sparse. There is a massive atmospheric difference between a gritty Space Western and a sci-fi show that just happens to visit a rural town. My cowboys could’ve cowboy'd so much more! I don’t mind freshening up content- removing Vash’s 90s womanizing behavior was a fine choice, despite me finding that quite a bit funny - but the shift in vibes sucked out the warmth I didn't know I was missing.
This might be a bias toward 90s aesthetics, but older media often feels warmer because it isn't restricted by modern studios' unwillingness to produce longer seasons. Older anime had the "filler" and snappier, character-focused episodes that allowed us to sit with the cast. In Stampede, the dense, lore-heavy pacing doesn't leave much room for those quiet perspectives that truly define a character. Overall, Stampede is a fine, high-quality production, but it feels like the Trigun spark was dimmed in the retelling.
I was recommended this series by my husband, who grew up with the 1998 version. We watched the dub together, but around the time we were introduced to his favorite character, Wolfwood, he began to lament how nostalgia was making it harder for him to enjoy this adaptation. As a newcomer, I didn't see the problem at first; all I saw was a show that checked every one of my favorite boxes: "protagonist who is kind to a fault," "non-human characters who love humanity," "twins with opposite worldviews," and "antagonists who aren't necessarily wrong but are too extreme." Throw in some religious imagery and a found-family trope, and I was hooked.
I moved through the first season with almost no complaints regarding the animation or the plot. However, I did have a rare "flyaway" critique regarding Wolfwood. While I enjoyed his backstory, he occasionally felt like he was just there. I felt like I had missed a step in his arc, or perhaps he was simply underused compared to Vash’s other companions. I didn't expect him to carry the same weight as the lead, but I wanted a bit more meat on those bones.
Then, I watched the 1998 anime, and comparison truly became the thief of joy.
I realized that Stampede essentially traded the western soul of the franchise for a more high-tech, futuristic aesthetic. Naming the finale "High Noon at July" felt almost ironic because the "cowboy" energy was so sparse. There is a massive atmospheric difference between a gritty Space Western and a sci-fi show that just happens to visit a rural town. My cowboys could’ve cowboy'd so much more! I don’t mind freshening up content- removing Vash’s 90s womanizing behavior was a fine choice, despite me finding that quite a bit funny - but the shift in vibes sucked out the warmth I didn't know I was missing.
This might be a bias toward 90s aesthetics, but older media often feels warmer because it isn't restricted by modern studios' unwillingness to produce longer seasons. Older anime had the "filler" and snappier, character-focused episodes that allowed us to sit with the cast. In Stampede, the dense, lore-heavy pacing doesn't leave much room for those quiet perspectives that truly define a character. Overall, Stampede is a fine, high-quality production, but it feels like the Trigun spark was dimmed in the retelling.
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