Trigun: Badlands Rumble (2010)

Introduction:

Nearly ten years after the television series Trigun exploded on both Japanese and American shores, we finally get a film featuring everyone’s favorite walking disaster: Vash the Stampede. The good news is that the creative team behind the film is the same that worked on the television series. Word is that director Nishimura Satoshi wanted to have a good story before tackling the film. Is the wait worth it for Trigun fans, and can newbies enjoy the film without the knowledge of the series?

Summary:

On a small dusty planet in a far-flung solar system, the world is pretty much all a frontier. And the most dangerous man on that world is Vash the Stampede (Johnny Yong Bosch). The whole planet is afraid of him and the destruction that he leaves in his wake. But life must go on even for notorious bank robber Gasback (John Swasey). His goal is to perfect the art of robbing banks and practice makes perfect. He is about to make the biggest and most impressive score yet. But things go really wrong. First off, Gasback’s gang turns on him. But they are prevented by the arrival of Vash (who seems more like a complete doofus rather than a hardened killer and destroyer of towns). Vash’s meddling allows Gasback to be captured, but the gang escapes with the loot.

20 years later Vash is traveling to a new town (and attempting to keep a low profile) when he hears that Gasback has escaped and is looking for revenge on all those involved in that disastrous bank robbery. This results in a huge gathering of bounty hunters to converge on one town to capture Gashback. One of these hunters is the deadly Amelia (Colleen Clnkenbeard) who has a history with the robber. Vash makes it his mission to protect the lovely woman, even if she thinks he’s a complete loser. But things get more complicated as the preacher/hitman Wolfwood (Brad Hawkins) shows up. Then insurance gals Milly (Trina Nishimura) and Meryl (Luci Christian) arrive on the scene with guns ready to blaze. It’s going to come down to a nasty case of revenge, the ultimate heist, and an explosive finale that could only be called a Badlands Rumble,

Good Points:

• Visual design and style bring us right back to the world of Trigun.
• Johnny Yong Bosch is back as Vash, and it is like he never left
• A solid story that gives the character Vash plenty to chew on

Bad Points:

• New viewers may not catch all the character relationships established in the television series
• The story is not a continuation of the series, but more like a side story that happened during the same time
• The mix of humor, action, science fiction and western may not work for some viewers

Overall:

It was a lot of fun to come back to the world of Trigun and hang out with these characters again. Getting Bosch back was great and he nails everything about Vash’s character with his performance. The antagonist is a good one and I like the element that Amelia added to the story (and to challenge Vash’s strong beliefs). But all that aside, because of events that have to happen in the end of the television series, I knew none of the mains were in any real danger, and that this story couldn’t really have a major impact on their lives. It’s a bit of a shame, but understandable. Still, this movie is a lot of fun for fans of Trigun (especially folks who put it on their anime Top 10 list), but I think folks new to the series should start with the television series first

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 5

Sound: 5

Acting: 4

Script: 4

Music: 4

Direction: 4

Entertainment: 4

Total:  4

In Depth Review

Vash tries working his "magic" on Amelia.

I’m going to be honest and say this movie came out of nowhere, at least for me. I’ve been out of the main anime loop for quite a while, and I had no idea that a Trigun film was even in the works. Why would it be? The series was released in 1998, and was one of the first anime series I collected in full on DVD. I have fond memories of the show. It was one of the first series is reviewed in it’s entirety for the old Anime on DVD website. It was a series that took me by surprise with its unique tone and unique protagonist. I loved the bizarre combination of heavy metal and Morricone style music score by Imahori Tsuneo. And I was one of the few that rated it higher than Cowboy Bebop.

With all that said, it is easy to say that Trigun: Badlands Rumble was made for a fan like me. It brought me back to the familiar dusty world, with some of my favorite characters and gave them a fun adventure to play around with. There was even a touch of pathos as Vash has to come to grips with one of his decisions. It isn’t a game changer, but it wasn’t supposed to be. It is more like the encore you were hoping for.

Vash and Wolfwood are back in action!

When it comes to animation, Studio Madhouse is back, and now they’ve got a film-sized budget. So all the visual creativity of Trigun’s production design returns. Familiar elements, like the giant light bulb shaped generators are on hand. But you get all new steam punk vehicles, lots of that unique character design, and some well-executed action scenes. Some of the details are a bit richer than the series, and some of the action just looks more fluid. It certainly is a leg up on the older series, but you expect that.

Keeping up with the visuals is the sound design and execution. Trigun balances sci-fi and the old west, so you get this mix of creative sound design, with familiar sound effects. They creators maintain that, and with a full-fledged film style mix, this movie just sounds great.

On top of that is the return of Imahori Tsuneo with his distinctive music. Much like Cowboy Bebop or Neon Genesis Evangelion the music for Trigun is unique and immediately recognizable. Imahori combined industrial electronics, rocking electric guitars, banjos, piano into a musical score that helped build this world. Badlands Rumble is more of the same, and it was great to hear the opening credits music kick in (with a rougher edge) when Vash faces Gasback in the finale of the film.

Millie and Meryl keeping the world safe, one
insurance policy at a time.

Trigun had one of the best English dubs for its time. Johnny Yong Bosch embodied so much of Vash’s attitude and personality that I couldn’t imagine a new Trigun adventure without his involvement. For fans of the English dub (and the folks who first saw the series on Toonami) it will be great to hear Bosch back in the saddle. He brings all the energy, the silliness, and the warmth that you need in Vash (as well as a hint of the damaged man deep down). It’s a fine performance, only limited by a script that doesn’t dig too deep.

The rest of the cast is up solid. While all the other roles were recast, care was taking to match vocal styles as much as possible. I loved Lia Sargant as Millie in the original series, but Trina Nishimura does a very good job. Plus, Clinkenbeard and Christian are always dependable in their voice acting. Everyone delivers on all counts.

Amelia's search brings up more than she bargained
for.

For the script, the creators decided to have this story take place somewhere in the middle of the series plotline. I’m guessing it is after the group meets Wolfwood, but before they run into Legato and his crew. So some of the major and important events of the series haven’t happened yet. This allows fans to see all their favorite characters in action before the darker events that change everyone’s look on life. It also means that is plays on established relationships from the series. So anyone new to Trigun may not know why Milly and Meryl are following Vash. Or if Wolfwood is friend or just acting like one.

I see why the creators took this course, because they wanted this to be a fun movie. Trigun starts off as a fun series, but in the second half it gets darker and darker, really examining some thoughtful themes, and putting some characters through the ringer. Part of me wanted to see what the characters (who survived) were up to now. Because of the limitations of the setting of the story, the writers were stuck on writing something that couldn’t affect the end of the series, and couldn’t really impact the characters significantly. Oddly enough Cowboy Bebop: Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door had the same issue. But for the more episodic Bebop it was less of an issue.

Badlands? Check! Rumble? Check... oh wait that
was Vash's stomach.

Here I admit, I was a bit disappointed that the movie didn’t dig a little deeper. But in all honesty, that isn’t what this movie is trying to do. It is the fun reunion with old friends. You forget that some of them are going to be killed or emotionally crushed by the end of the series. Instead, you just have a good time.

In the final analysis, that isn’t a bad thing at all. Trigun: Badlands Rumble does play a bit like a turbo-powered episode from the first half of the series. But it also feels like a celebration for the show, giving all your favorite characters a chance to shine. It gives the viewer a chance to see a new part of the world, see some different technology and meet some new characters. But most of all, it was a chance to see and hear Vash in action once again. Trigun’s strength has always been in the character of Vash, and he is the lynchpin for the movie too. It was a blast to have him back, and this makes a fine addition to any Trigun fan’s collection.

If it came down to a duel between bad ass cowgirls,
Amelia would blow Faye Valentine away.

Top Ten - Favorite Anime

I've been asked a few times to post of list of the best anime I've seen. Well, there is that word again... best. I always feel a bit guilty posting a best of list, especially when I haven't seen, heard or experienced everything there is to offer in that category. 

My exposure to anime is actually pretty limited. I got into collecting in the late 1990s and continued into the early 00s. Then I took some time away, nearly a decade. Lately I've been trying some series when I read about one that sounds intriguing or is from creators of other series I enjoyed. I've missed out on some of the really big titles in the last decade - still haven't seen shows like One Piece or Bleach. I usually enjoy Rumiko Takahshi, but still haven't seen a single minute of Inu Yasha. Then there's all the older shows I haven't seen - especially those shows by Leiji Mastsumoto (and no, Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem, doesn't count). 

So that brings me back to the same tactic I used when I talked about film scores of the 1980s. I'm gonna give you a list of my 10 favorite anime series and movies. I've blogged about a few of these already, but expect to see some of these others get a post or two in the future. I'm trying a new technique here, a summary of the show followed by three points why this is on my top 10.

10. Trigun (1998)

One of the three space cowboy anime from the late 1990s. Trigun follows the adventures of Vash the Stampede, the most wanted man on a dusty and forgotten planet. He is known as the humanoid typhoon, and is accused with destroying an entire city, just for kicks. But when we meet him, he seems to be nothing but contradictions. Is he a pacifist who leveled an entire town? Is he the toughest desperado on the planet, that runs away and screams like a little girl at the first sign of danger? Is he a sociopathic killer that just stopped to help a little girl find her lost cat? As the plot unfolds you start to wonder what is Vash really after. Can he run from his destiny forever, or will the man named Knives bring it all back with blood?

• Interesting world and production design. Literally the old west meets space adventure
• The show keeps you guessing because...
• Vash the Stampede, is one of the most conflicted and unusual protagonists in any anime I've seen. Once you get to know him, you just have to see how it all turns out.

9. Vision of Escaflowne (1996)

Hitomi is just a normal high school girl. She's fallen for an upperclassman, and tries to impress him during practice for a track meet. But in the middle of her sprint she is literally pulled into another world. There she meets two handsome men, one looks just like her crush back on Earth. The other is a rough and dangerous prince. Eventually she becomes entangled in a war raging across this world. Hitomi must face dragons, giant mecha that are used as knights, conniving catgirls and one of the most twisted villains ever put into an anime series. But there is a dark heart hiding in the middle of this world, and Hitomi starts to realize that she should have stayed home.

• Amazing world and production design
• Wonderful orchestral score by Yoko Kanno, maybe her best work ever
• The story takes us from a romantic fantasy and into a dark twist that subverts many of the characters you thought you knew leading to an ending that is bittersweet

8. Gunsmith Cats (1995)

Rally Vincent and her partner Minnie May are gunsmiths by day, and bounty hunters at night. They search Chicago for the toughest criminals and always bring them in. Their pal, Becky is the information source in the city and knows who is who and where anything can be found - for a price. Rally and May pick up a gun runner on a routine hunt. But the next day they find out that the ATF was watching the guy and needed him free for a big sting they were planning. Agent Bill Collins ends up persuading (blackmailing) the girls to help him out on the case. And it all goes to hell. Before you know it, there are shoot outs, explosions, car chases, insane Russian assassins and a conspiracy. No one is safe! But Rally and May are tough gals and you can bet they won't go down without a fight.

• Top notch action scenes
• A very funny English dub that nails the 1980s action movie vibe
• Nostalgic favorite: the series that got be into anime fandom

7. Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)

All Utena wants to do is grow up to be a prince, no seriously. Utena lives in a strange world where high school is a baroque fantasy world, ruled by a student council that holds duels to determine who is the most powerful. We're talking full blown sword duels with rapiers and 1800s outfits. Utena makes friends with Anthy a sweet girl who happens to be the Rose Bride. This ticks off the student council something fierce, no one is allowed to hang out with the Rose Bride except for them. So Utena finds herself challenged to duels to be Anthy's friend. Along the way she faces a bitchy rival, a group of ghosts that want to take over the school and Anthy's brother who may be the most twisted of them all. Revolutionary Girl Utena is a disco fueled, rose covered, blade flashing blast of weird. You'll either become enchanted by it, or run screaming in the opposite direction

• Amazing visual world created for the show, with white, pink and red being the key colors
• A score that mixes rock opera style with disco and lush orchestral romance
• Fill to bursting with symbolism, surreal moments and "revolutionary" imagery - but also plays as a sweet story of a tom boy trying to fit in.

6. Millenium Actress (2001)

Genya wants to make a documentary about his favorite actress Chiyoko. After tracking down the reclusive woman, she agrees to an interview. But things start getting a little strange as she tells her story. One minute Genya and his camera man are sitting in her living room, the next they are in war torn Japan! They watch her story unfold like a movie... and then realize that they are actually in one of her movies! Genya jumps right in, taking roles in her life and her films. Meanwhile a mystery begins to unfold around a lost love and a lost key. What Chiyoko doesn't know is that Genya holds the final clue to this mystery that has plagued her for decades. The last performance of this Millennium Actress is one you can't miss. 

• Director Satoshi Kon's most heartfelt and approachable work
• Toys with perspective and reality in a fun and interesting way
• Chiyoko is an amazing character and her story really keeps you watching and returning to this film

5. El Hazard: The Magnificent World (1995)

Three high school students and their tipsy teacher are hurled into an amazing fantasy world by a strange woman who appears in some ruins found under the school. The journey seems to have granted the four travelers unique powers. Mr. Fujisawa has superhuman strength, as long as he stays sober. Jinnai can understand the language of monsters. His sister Nanami can see past illusions. But poor Mikoto just bears a striking resemblance to a lost princess. Before you can say cross dressing, Mikoto is forced to play princess during a debate. You see the country is at war, and everyone needs to pitch in. These powers will become vital as the four encounter giant bugs, spell casting priestess, super weapons and demon goddesses. Will our heros have a chance at returning home, or are they having too much fun in El Hazard: The Magnificent World?

• Innovative world design combines futuristic technology with Arabian Knights style
• A hilarious English dub with many quotable lines and fun performances
• Packed with plenty of laughs, adventure and fun - but also has a lot of heart, with an ending that will get to all romantics out there.

4. Spirited Away (2001)

Young Chihiro doesn't want to move to a new home, so she sulks in the back seat as her parents drive to the new residence. Along the way they take a wrong turn and end up at an abandoned and forgotten amusement park. The family explores it, but Chihiro feels that something is just off about the whole place. She's proven right when her parents are transformed into giant pigs after eating forbidden food. Now Chihiro must pay for her parents sins, and is forced to work for the wicked witch Yubaba. If Chihiro has any hope of saving her parents, she must find a way to trick Yubaba, befriend a dragon spirit, and earn the respect of all the crazy spirits living in the haunted amusement park. 

• Amazing animation by Studio Ghibli and directed by animation master Hayao Miyazaki.
• A wonderful score by Joe Hisaishi, my personal favorite from of his work.
• Chihiro is a wonderful character that grows up right before our eyes

3. Boogiepop Phantom (2000)

In an unnamed city in Japan, the angel of death is stalking teens. It calls itself Boogiepop and if you see her, then you'll disappear forever. But this city is teaming with dangers, including a creature called the Manticore. This horrible beast takes pleasure in ripping flesh apart. Searching for answers among these terrors and mysteries is local tough girl, Nagi Kirima. She wants to find the killer and put a stop to it, but the further she digs the more questions she finds. Boogiepop Phantom is told in a non-linear fashion, with each episode offering a single tale, but one that adds up to a larger story. Dark and disturbing the series balances atmospheric horrors with gore and blood. It makes this one of the best anime horror series I've ever seen.

• The animation is atmospheric and dreamlike 
• The non-linear storytelling is amazing, telling compelling tales with each episode and putting together the larger story right up to the final few minutes of the series
• A steller English dub cast makes all the performances work.

2. Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Section 9 takes care of cyber terrorists in a very permanent fashion. The top agent is Major Kusanagi, a female cyborg who is as deadly as she is hot. Her latest case has her chasing a master hacker called the Puppetmaster. He hacks cyber brains of powerful and wealthy targets creating some serious security risks. The only problem is that each lead only turns out to be another puppet. Section 9 gets it's first break when a cyborg body goes haywire, and runs into a busy freeway. Examing the cyborg they discover that they are dealing with a program called 2501, a information gathering system that has gained sentience. Now, the creators of 2501 want it back or destroyed, whichever is easier. Kusanagi must decide if 2501 is a criminal and if not, can she protect something that doesn't have a body. One of my favorite science fiction films, and featuring one of my favorite science fiction heroines. 

• Amazing visuals creating wonderful mood and tense action scenes
• A well crafted story that offers plenty of food for thought
• Major Kusanagi kicks all kinds of ass

1. Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995)

The world has suffered through the horrors of a cataclysm called Second Impact. This event caused the polar ice caps to melt and kill off millions of humans. It also announced the presence of terrifying creatures called Angels. In response humans have banded together to face the Angels, pooling resources to create a new kind of weapon. It is called Evangelion, a giant armored creature that must be piloted to battle an angel. These pilots must be able to synch with the Evangelions, and those that can are rare indeed. Shinji Ikari, a lonely and angst filled teenager, is one of those that can synch with an Evangelion. His father Gendou, demands that Shinji pilot the Eva. Shinji who has fallen out with his father, refuses at first, but after seeing the destruction an Angel can wreck first hand, he agrees. This single decision starts a chain of events that will lead to the end of the world as we all know it. Is this all a plan to push humanity to a new form? A form that none of us can even begin to conceive of. Or it could end with mind bending insanity. It all depends on who you talk to.

• Shinji Ikari is one of the most interesting and conflicted characters in anime. He feels like a real kid trapped in a hopeless situation.
• The series builds upon itself, with tension rising with each episode until it explodes in an visual orgy of chaos and fear (especially if you watch the original television series ending)
• Filled with memorable characters, visuals, themes and music. 
• Enjoyable on the surface, but holds a lot of meaning with each revisit.

So there you have it, my top ten favorite series. Lots of other shows and movies came close, but these are the ones I tend to return to the most frequently. 

Anime Juke Box - H.T. - Trigun

I've been serving up a lot of J-pop for these anime juke box entries. I figured I might provide something a bit more edgy. Here is the opening credit piece for the space cowboy series Trigun. It is pure hard rock guitar, drums and concentrated bad ass. It is called H.T. which is short for Humanoid Typhoon, the alias of the main character - who also goes by the name Vash the Stampede. It is performed by Tsuneo Imahori and it is probably one of my favorite opening credit tunes from 1990s anime.