Trigun Vol. 1 - The 60 Billion Dollar Man

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Japanese anime--animated movies--have a reputation for being ultraviolent and ultracool. And there's a lot of cool to be found in Trigun: The $$60,000,000,000 Man (those two dollar signs aren't a typo--money, in the Trigun world, is counted in double dollars). If you liked the way Nicolas Cage's coat flapped in the wind in Face/Off, you'll get plenty of that as Vash the Stampede, notorious ace gunman, walks through the desert landscape of an alien planet with two suns. Vash is so feared and famous that there's a $$60 billion price on his head. He's destroyed entire cities, yet no one has ever been killed in his rampages--though rumors paint him as a ruthless murderer. However, in truth, Vash is a goofy buffoon who can step out of the way of bullets (which may have inspired The Matrix) but who never actually shoots anyone--in fact, on several occasions, he pointedly chooses not to. The whole sensibility of Trigun is surprisingly innocent; it's like a wildly hip Saturday morning cartoon. There's a fair amount of over-the-top violence, but it's pretty harmless, more silly than extreme. Most of the stories--for this isn't a single movie, but a collection of four episodes from an ongoing series--all have earnest morals, most of which are about peace, equality, and being humane. Besides, how can you not like a cartoon in which two main characters are Meryl Styfe and Milly Thompson, disaster investigators for the Bernardelli Insurance Society? Dubbed in English, Trigun is frivolous and very entertaining. --Bret Fetzer

Description

The legendary Vash the Stampede is a gunfighter so ruthless he has a $$60,000,000,000 bounty on his head and entire towns evacuate at the rumor of his arrival. Fortunately, the real Vash the Stampede is more heroic - even if he does act like a complete idiot.

Customer Reviews:

Okay start.......2007-03-20

I saw the first episode in Japanese not long ago, which reminded me of way back when, when I had seen some of the later episodes, which I loved. Episode one was cool too, so I went ahead and bought this. I was a tad dissapointed at teh other episodes. While not outright terrible, they do leave something to be desired (and not just because Vash never even fires a gun)The plots and such seem underdeveloped and sometimes a bit silly. Nevertheless, this volume had its moments, and was pretty funny at some points. Its a fair start to a series that get really really good (as I recall).

I don't regret buying it at all.
WARNING: I reccomend watching it in japanese with engligh subtitles, the english voiceovers are really lacking sometimes.

Space Western.......2006-08-23

This is a well-animated manga series starter. You have to love the comedy action filled sequences, as Vash the Stampede/Destroyer starts his quest. Two insurance agents, Meryl and Millie, are out to prevent further destruction and insurance losses. As they go about handing out doughnuts, they keep running into this goofy guy who answer to Vash. This can't be the evil destroyer that they are trying to stop. Well worth watching and adding to any Japanese anime collection. For us parents, there are no sex scenes only mild language issues to worry about. Now I can't wait to see the rest of the series. I understand it progresses from the opening silliness to probing the depths of some fascinating philosophical questions.

Futuristic Western With Heart.......2005-12-14

Trigun: Vol. 1: The Six Billion Dollar Man contains the first four episodes of the very funny anime series about a goofball outlaw in a slightly futuristic Western world. Vash the Stampede has a reputation that makes the actual article seem pale in comparison. That is why Meryl, an insurance adjuster, and many others simply cannot believe that this dork has a six billion dollar bounty on his head. Sometimes we viewers cannot believe it either.

The guns in Trigun are very clever gadgets. It is a joy to watch them in action. The opening and closing animation is very cool.

A good start to a great series.......2004-11-12

If you're the slightest bit interested in anime, then you've heard of Trigun, or you've at least seen pictures of Vash the Stampede, in his long red coat and round yellow glasses. But you don't necessarily know what it's about. I had no idea what to expect, but Vash's name and look made me think of a gothic, slightly gorey series.

So I was quite surprised when I watched the first episode and saw Vach giggle like a moron and stuff himself with donuts while hysterically scrambling to dodge bullets. Then I started giggling myself.

In a very distant future, on a planet rather like Earth, but with two suns, society appears to be basically a hi-tech Western. Vash the Stampede is a notorious gunman, known for causing destruction wherever he goes, without provoking a single death. Bounty hunters from all over are tracking him down, as are Meryl and Milly, who work for an insurance agency Vash's antics are costing a lot of money. But these people on Vash's trail keep running into this goofy, lecherous, big-hearted idiot with a knack for getting into trouble, as well as for getting out of it. Could he really be Vash the Stampede?

Lots of comedy in this first volume, maybe sometimes a little too much, which may turn some people off. It gets more serious as the series progresses, though, and this volume is definetely good enough to make you want to check out the rest. What seduced me, personnally, was the stylish Cowboy Bebop-like universe (only more down-to-earth) and Vash's personnality. Sure, he's a bit much at times, but overall, he's one of the most charming and endearing characters I've ever seen - you can tell there's a lot of potential there. Meryl and Milly are rather weak characters, so far, Meryl being the standard nag and the giant Milly being eternally ditzy. There isn't much of a plotline so far, it's mostly one catastrophe after another as everyone keeps looking for Vash and he ends up miraculously saving the day. Not much depth or psychology yet, but it sure is a lot of fun!

Very Funny Start to a Great Series.......2004-10-30

How did Vash the Stampede, notorious gunman with a 60,000,000,000 double dollar bounty on his head become the most wanted man on the planet when it's proven he hates violence and never fires a shot in all four of these episodes? That's what he'd like to know.

In a genre of anime that is normally depicted as very violent (the sci-fi genre), Trigun stands out since the main character is a pacifist of the highest order. He refuses to even kill in self defense, prefering to simply put the bad guy out of commission. Vash is really a bit of a dork and likes nothing more than food and trying to sweet talk pretty girls, but by the very nature of who he is he gets caught in a life very different from the peace loving existance he wants.

The 60,000,000,000 Man- The first episode and first look at Vash. You get the impression from his first scene that he's a gunslinging tough guy, but that is a false impression as the episode later proves. Enter Milly and Meryl the insurance girls sent to prevent Vash the Stampede from causing any more damage if they can find him, which is harder than it sounds considering no one knows what he looks like. Vash crosses pathes with the girls, but Meryl just can't believe such a sweet natured goof ball would be the notorious Vash. We also get to see the first time Vash proves how good he really is as he is forced to save himself and the whole group without a gun.

Truth of Mistake- The girls again run across Vash as he is working as the bodyguard of a man in charge of the town's water supply. Once again Vash saves the day and makes it all look like an accident. There is also more confusion for Meryl as another woman they run across implies that there is something special about Vash and that men like him are "real men" rather than the goof ball persona Vash puts on.

Peace Maker- Vash befriends a former gun maker whose family was killed by one of his own guns. With a knife that flips out of his boot and a deep psychological understanding of pain, Vash sets about making things right. And getting drunk. Very very drunk.

Love and Peace- Waltzing into the middle of a hostage situation, Vash is forced to figure out how to save both the hostages and the criminals. Vash again proves that he can save a situation wihtout looking like he's doing anything but bumbling around.

For a sci-fi series that is portrayed as being very series, Trigun is actually quite comical with a main character who is totally endearing. It's also a good statement against violence in it's own way.

Trigun - The 60 Billion Dollar Man (Vol. 1) (Geneon Signature Series)

Average customer rating:

Okay start
Space Western
Futuristic Western With Heart
A good start to a great series
Very Funny Start to a Great Series

Trigun - The 60 Billion Dollar Man (Vol. 1) (Geneon Signature Series)
Starring: Masaya Onosaka , Hiromi Tsuru , Satsuki Yukino , Aya Hisakawa , and Tôru Furusawa
Director: Satoshi Nishimura
Manufacturer: Geneon [Pioneer]
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00012QLUK
Release Date: 2004-01-06