Trigun Stampede

Trigun Stampede

Industry	Anime television series
Predecessor	Trigun (manga)
Founded	January 7, 2023 (2023-01-07)
Founder	Yasuhiro Nightow (original manga)
Successor	Trigun Stargaze
Headquarters	Japan
Area served	Worldwide (streaming via Crunchyroll and Medialink)
Key people	Kenji Mutō (director), Katsuhiro Takei (producer), Yasuhiro Nightow (original creator)
Products	Anime television series
Owner	Studio Orange, Toho Animation

TRIGUN STAMPEDE (presented in all caps) is a Japanese anime TV series and represents the second reimagined version of the Trigun manga authored by Yasuhiro Nightow. Produced by studio Orange and directed by Kenji Mutō, its initial installment was broadcast on TV Tokyo from January through March 2023. A final segment titled Trigun Stargaze is planned for release in 2026.

Plot

Set in a far-off future where Earth has become unlivable, humanity escapes aboard vast colony fleets in search of habitable planets. To power these fleets and their prospective colonies, synthetic organic entities known as plants were engineered to supply endless clean energy. On one such fleet, two brothers, Vash and Knives, who share a connection with the plants, are raised by Rem Saverem. When the fleet’s systems malfunction, it crashes onto the unforgiving world called Noman's Land. Rem sacrifices herself to protect the brothers, but Vash uncovers that Knives orchestrated the catastrophe with the intent to annihilate humans for their exploitation of plants.

Years later, survivors have founded cities dependent on plants for their existence. Vash, now an adult fugitive dubbed "Vash the Stampede" or "Humanoid Typhoon," roams the desert. Meanwhile, Knives persists in his destructive ambitions under the pseudonym "Millions Knives." Vash strives to achieve harmony between humans and plants and crosses paths with journalists Meryl Stryfe and Roberto De Niro, setting off a new journey.

Voice cast

Character	Japanese voice	English voice
Vash the Stampede	Yoshitsugu Matsuoka Tomoyo Kurosawa (young)	Johnny Yong Bosch Kristen McGuire (young)
Millions Knives	Junya Ikeda Yumiri Hanamori (young)	Austin Tindle Megan Shipman (young)
Meryl Stryfe	Sakura Ando	Sarah Roach
Nicholas D. Wolfwood	Yoshimasa Hosoya	David Matranga
Roberto De Niro	Kenji Matsuda	Ben Bryant
Legato Bluesummers	Koki Uchiyama	Daman Mills
Zazie the Beast	Tarako	Madeleine Morris
Rem Saverem	Maaya Sakamoto	Emily Fajardo
William Conrad	Ryūsei Nakao	Larry Brantley

Production

Producer Katsuhiro Takei of Toho intended to "launch a new Trigun" with Trigun Stampede, aiming to attract fresh audiences while removing barriers that might make previous adaptations seem inaccessible. Upon consulting original manga creator Yasuhiro Nightow, he commended the initial anime adaptation as "truly excellent" and granted creative liberty beyond that work. Nightow participated from the outset, offering feedback only when aspects appeared inconsistent, ultimately agreeing that the script reflected a renewed vision for Trigun.

Takei embraced the use of 3DCG animation to reinterpret the core essence of Trigun into a novel format. Orange’s animation producer Kiyotaka Waki detailed that development began with concept art blending nostalgic elements with innovative design, under Kouji Tajima’s leadership who translated the manga into character and environmental designs. The entire project spanned roughly five years starting in 2017, with CG modeling alone taking eighteen months before unveiling the first trailer in July 2022.

Unlike earlier adaptations that concentrated primarily on Vash the Stampede, Trigun Stampede delves more profoundly into his background, memories, and connections with both Rem and Knives.

The musical score was composed by Tatsuya Kato. Takei opted for an original soundtrack instead of reusing Tsuneo Imahori's compositions from the 1998 series, feeling that Imahori’s music did not suit the atmosphere they aimed to create.

Release

The series, produced by Orange, was officially announced in June 2022. Kenji Mutō took on the role of director, while Takehiko Oxi provided the foundational story draft. The screenplay was crafted by Tatsurō Inamoto, Shin Okashima, and Yoshihisa Ueda. Concept design and character concept art were led by Kōji Tajima, with Nao Ootsu acting as chief designer. Character designs were developed by a team consisting of Kōdai Watanabe, Tetsurō Moronuki, Takahiko Abiru, Akiko Satō, Soji Ninomiya, and Yumihiko Amano. The musical score was composed by Tatsuya Kato. The initial installment aired on TV Tokyo and affiliated networks from January 7 through March 25, 2023. The opening song is "Tombi" performed by Kvi Baba, while the ending theme features vocals by Salyu alongside compositions by Haruka Nakamura.

Following episode 12, a "final phase" was announced to continue the story. In July 2024, it was disclosed that this concluding segment will be titled Trigun Stargaze, taking place 2.5 years after the events of Trigun Stampede. Masako Sato will direct this phase, with Oxi returning to contribute the original narrative. Scriptwriting and supervision will be managed by Kazuyuki Fudeyasu. Returning as original character designer and concept artist is Tajima, while , who previously worked as a special effects designer on Trigun Stampede, has been appointed as character designer for this installment. The new series is slated for release in 2026.

Crunchyroll provided worldwide streaming of the series—excluding Asia but including countries such as the Philippines, Singapore, India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. The English-language dub began airing on January 21, 2023, featuring Johnny Yong Bosch reprising his role as Vash. Additionally, Crunchyroll confirmed it will stream Trigun Stargaze upon its release. In Southeast Asia, Medialink secured licensing rights and distributed the series via their Ani-One Asia YouTube channel.