TV Review | Trigun Stampede (Episode 7: Wolfwood)

“Trigun Stampede delivers another captivating and moving episode. This one is an intense race against time.”

I think we were all impatiently for it to be Saturday. Indeed, after last week’s cliffhanger, it has been hard to wait for the next episode of Trigun Stampede.

WOLFWOOD AND LIVIO

This episode picks up where we left off last Saturday. Wolfwood and Vash have to face the defense forces of the Sandsteamer Livio and pirates all the while this said-Sandsteamer is going off course. They sure are occupied. And this episode definitely delivers on the action front.

Moreover, Wolfwood has no choice but to face Livio. It is an intense fight. Indeed, these two are no mere humans so when they fight, it goes hard. But, it also carries a lot of emotional weight. Coming off from last week’s episode, we have learned Wolfwood’s tragic story and his bond with Livio. And as the audience, we feel impacted by this backstory. We can see how difficult it is for Wolfwood to fight his brother. On top of that, more flashbacks also interrupt the scene emphasizing the importance of their bond.

Obviously, a fight like this doesn’t have a happy ending. And once again, Tatsuya Kato does wonders with his scores and really helps bringing the tears.

AVOIDING A DISASTER

Furthermore, Wolfwood and Vash have a lot on their plate beyond Livio. As the Sandsteamer is heading to crash on Hopeland, they need to find a way to stop it. Saving Hopeland is crucial for Wolfwood as it is where his orphanage is located. In fact, this episode puts the emotional weight of the story on Wolfwood like last week. It is all about him. Vash is only here to help. This part of the episode is basically a race against time. The characters cannot catch a break. This episode is actually perfectly paced.

And we do see some impressive stuff on a visual level. It is quite striking. This use of CG is a visual feast for the eyes. I have to say this series is the textbook on how you should make use of CG for a fully CG animated series. Additionally, Vash and Wolfwood are also impressive. Indeed, they achieve the impossible.

This leads to a big reveal at the end of the episode, leaving us once again on a cliffhanger. Undoubtedly, next week is going to be all about Vash and his origins. When you have a series as captivating as this one it is always hard to wait for the next episode. But it is even harder when it ends on something big. Moreover, we also see our favorite journalists in this episode. Their dynamic is a lot of fun.