Rewind: Trigun

I watched Trigun after seeing it featured several times on Beneath the Tangles, most memorably around Easter a couple years ago. At first, I didn't think I'd like it. It sported an "episodic" tag on Anime-Planet, and I had a serious bias against "episodic" anime. How could anything with that tag have good character and plot development? Plus, I didn't like what I'd seen of the visuals - it was gritty and a bit dated in my eyes.

Finally, Beneath the Tangles and other sources wore me down. I decided to give Trigun a solid try. Turns out that it does have character development and a significant underlying plot. It's set in the future, on a deserty planet that echoes America's Old West in style and action. The hero, Vash "the Stampede," has a goofy and open personality, but he remains an enigma in many ways until the end. He has serious skill and is nearly invulnerable, but he's also sympathetic - basically, an all-around likable protagonist.

Vash in Episode 25 at a sentimental moment. I forget the details of the
moment, but the cross belongs to a friend of his.

Throughout the 26 episodes, we learn about Vash and his past as he makes friends, beats bad guys, and sidesteps the bounty hunters who are after the 60 billion on his head. In the end, the mystery of his nature is solved. There's a climatic confrontation, which I enjoyed, and the show wraps up as well as any non-episodic anime.

I liked Trigun a lot. It's not even close to making my list of favorites, but I'm glad I caved in and watched it. I needed to put my discrimination against episodic anime away for good. It's not smart to judge shows based on their plot style, animation style, genre, or pace before I even watch them. It's a lesson I've had to learn through experiences like this.