TV Review | Trigun Stampede (Episode 6: Once Upon a Time in Hopeland)

“This week’s episode of Trigun Stampede focuses on Wolfwood to reveal his tragic origins. This is a story that mixes emotional gravitas and intense action.”

We are back for our weekly dose of Trigun Stampede! After a emotional counter from the past, Vash and his friends are back on the road continuing their adventures.

WOLFWOOD’S ORIGINS

This week’s episode focuses on Nicholas D. Wolfwood, particularly his origins. We get two types of flashback – a 2D flashback telling his childhood in the orphanage with Livio and the usual animation style of the series telling his life as an experiment of Million Knives.

The choice of 2D is interesting. It feels like the story from a book coming to life. There is no spoken words. Indeed, the dialogue is written on a black background between the shots. Even though, an orphanage is not exactly the happiest setting, Wolfwood and Livio create a beautiful bond. Moreover, Tatsuya Kato elevates these scenes with an heartfelt theme. Undoubtedly, he is a talented music composer. I am surely going to buy the soundtrack when the CD gets released.

If the childhood story is a beautiful one, it has a sad ending and when we move on to the other flashback it only gets even more heartbreaking. It is a tragedy. Wolfwood is another victim of Million Knives’ plot to destroy the world like Rollo was. He tries to fight back but there is little he can actually do. Obviously, you feel sorry for him. And it definitely strengthened my love for this character.

GETTING INTO TROUBLES

In-between flashbacks, the story in the present also moves forward. Vash and Wolfwood embark on a giant “sandcrawler” (Star Wars fans, you get the reference). This vehicle actually reminds me of the cities from Mortal Engines. The animation team has done an incredible work. I am always in awe at what they made every week.

Though, things do not go as quietly as the two adventurers were hoping for. In fact, Livio shows up and he is on a mission to kill Vash. This is an intense and action-packed sequence. The flashbacks and the present storyline are in perfect symbiosis. The flashbacks are bringing the emotional gravitas while the present brings the action and then some more. Livio’s return messes Wolfwood’s mind. And it shows a lot of vulnerability to the character. He is so much more than this cold-blooded punisher. Finally, this episode ends on a cliffhanger. Needless to say, next Saturday cannot come soon enough.

VERDICT

This week’s episode of Trigun Stampede focuses on Wolfwood to reveal his tragic origins. This is a story that mixes emotional gravitas and intense action. Moreover, the childhood flashback of Wolfwood and Livio is incredibly heartfelt.