Trigun: Badlands Rumble

*****SPOILERS ALERT*****

While it was fun to see Vash and the gang again I was really disappointed by this. My major problem was the story-line. It was predictable.

1 - Vash rolls into town, destruction (best part)
2 - Introduce the sex appeal (she's useless throughout the movie, but she can beat up a couple nameless thugs pretty good)
3 - Introduce the Bad Guy, he has a strange philosophy where destruction and robbery fuel his massive ego
4 - Re-introduce the old mains, who rally to save everyone
5 - Vash rolls in to save everyone at the last second, because only he can.
6 - Sun glances off ... Vash's super cool glasses and he wakes away into the desert without water

My problem with this story line is that it has been done over a million and a half times. There are no surprises in the entire movie (except for the part where Vash got shot, but we all knew he hadn't really died BECAUSE HE'S THE MAIN CHARACTER). I fail to see any creativity in this old re-used excuse to bring back fan-favourites.

Here is what I wanted:
1 - If you're going to introduce sex-appeal, then let there be sex. Otherwise, give them a use. Give them a personality. Give them something to make me feel like they are a real person and have something to contribute to the story. (Amelie was, admittedly the daughter of the bad guy, but whatever. That's not enough for me :/ )
2 - Everyone has flaws, except the characters I see in anime/movies/books. Fictional characters seem to have fallen into a cookie-cut staple where they are basic and boring. When was the last time you saw someone seriously fuck up, or kill the bad guy out of rage, or shoot a bullet that missed and ended up killing an innocent, or something I can't foresee.
3 - It seems to me that anime's choose to be realistic whenever it serves to aid the plot. Example, Vash never misses a shot, except when its the final bad guy of the movie. A weak example, but I feel if you're going to introduce realism to an anime, you need to keep it consistent throughout the entire thing. You can't use it as a plot device, because it cheats the entire story(side note: I hate plot devices, they are boring).

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I wanted more from this. I LOVED the original Trigun series, (I especially loved looking for that blasted black cat who was always hiding somewhere in the background of every episode, one of my favorite flavor-pieces of any anime ever). But I found nothing new or interesting in this story. It was nice to see Vash again, but I would have preferred that his memory was preserved in memory rather than tarnished by something new, and dull.

When you hear the name "Vash the Stampede" mentioned in an anime conversation, what is the first thing you think of? If it happens to be Trigun in the first 5 seconds, I can safely guarantee without you even reading this review that you will like this movie....

...and if I asked if you heard the name "Valentinez Alkalinella Xifax Sicidabohertz Gombigobilla Blue Stradivari Talentrent Pierre Andri Charton-Haymoss Ivanovici Baldeus George Doitzel Kaiser III", and you answered with a smile that it's from the same anime, I can personally guarantee that this movie may even become a personal favorite.

So your probably wondering where I'm getting at ... by asking you these questions. Simple. If you haven't heard of Trigun in this day and age and you call yourself an anime fan, I suggest you stop what you're doing and go buy this anime classic quicksmart as the movie is tribute to this once great series.

Trigun, like many other classics I can mention, was pretty much entry level for anyone new to anime back in the day. When people use to ask why I watch "cartoons", I just had to sit them in front of a TV with this series playing and they were pretty much hooked line and sinker.(unless they were girls. period.)

Now before I start I'm going to be honest and admit that this review is going to be biased. Yes I'm a big fan of Trigun and yes Vash & Wolfwood happens to be 2 of my favorite anime characters of all time, but that's not what I'm going to be biased about. Let's just say that my favoritism stems from nostalgia.

When I had first watched the TV series, I was in my first year of college and the anime club of 6 people I belonged to were still watching anime via VHS.

"Ah yes....those were the days when hitting rewind actually meant you wait a few minutes"

So when I heard that Trigun had its movie premiere in early 2010, I was pretty much waiting in anticipation for it to hit our shores, and was also disappointed that the wait was going to be a while due to the producers not coming to my backwater country.

But as the saying goes: "all good things come to those who wait", and boy was it good!

Trigun: Badlands Rumble was created for fans of the TV series. There was never a dull moment while watching the film and if anything, it had made me fall in love with the series all over again.

Without giving too much of a spoiler, Badlands Rumble is about Vash's encounter with a bank robber named Gasback prior to the TV series. Due to Vash's "love and peace" nature, he lets Gasback go after foiling his botched robbery knowing full well that the man may become a threat to society later on.

Fast-forward 20 years later and the location is Makka City which most of the events take place for the movie. We are shown Gasback, now as a legendary bank robber with a very high bounty to his name(still paling in comparison to Vash's) and a horde of bounty hunters after his head in that city.

Now I'm not 100% sure if the film is in the same timeline as the TV series or an alternate(since Wolfwood makes an appearance) and if it is, where in the series it would have most likely taken place, but one thing I can say is that the movie had retained that 'certain feel' which most fans had come to love about Trigun.

The original cast of Vash, Wolfwood, Meryl and Milly was a welcome sight after 10 long years, and seeing their antics and personalities in a cinematic film was a treat for any fan of the series.

We are also provided with 2 new characters who play pivotal roles in the film. The first being Gasback(a cheap knock-off of Brilliant Dynamite Neon from episode 7 of the TV series) and the other named Amelia: a female bounty hunter with a dark past which slowly unveils through the course of the movie(and whose character design is equivalent to a female version of Ruth the bounty hunter in episode 1)

Now after rattling on about the glory days that is Trigun, you'll probably be thinking that animation is old school as well, but let me stop you there. If there's one thing age has helped with this movie, it would have to be its art and animation. Whilst Badlands Rumble had captured the essence of the original series, you'll find that Madhouse Studio had really put a lot of effort to this movie giving you eye-candy that is both rich in texture and detail, and at best could even give series made in 2010 a run for their money.

From story to character design, art and animation, soundtrack and even original voice actors, I found Badlands Rumble to be very well balanced and even accommodating for those new to the franchise. The pacing never felt "off", and everything had been executed so well that you could have even viewed this as a standalone.

In conclusion I found Trigun:Badlands Rumble to have the right elements to which the original series was well known for - a space western comedy packed with action and stunning gunplay that pays homage to the fans who loved the TV series whilst also a great introduction for those new to it.

I love the anime for Trigun, and I love the manga. Like LOTS of other people, I was beyond excited when I heard about a movie. It's one of my all time favorite Anime. I was only hoping for something as good as an average episode of Trigun though (so pretty amazing), but didn't even get a decent film.

The worst part was probably the story. It is very obvious, every little twist that is. And I don't just mean that Vash isn't dead. If that's a spoiler for you, you're just strangely not aware of the likelyhood of the main character of a large franchise ... dying before the movie is even close to over.

Following that, would be the original characters. Like in many films, they lack even the interest that you would feel for a character who was introduced for one episode or chapter of a manga.

Lastly was the music, which while fitting in some ways, was rarely used and not put to good use.

The pacing was also strange. Like many movie adapations, it forgoes most character interaction for extended scenes of nothing. Also, planet gunsmoke now has 3 moons, which I don't personally recall. It also has a very populated galaxy, which again I don't recall. There's like 20 planets on the zoom out, all within a planets distance of each other!

Of course, Vash was made out to be an idiot, rather than just somewhat strange.

While the animation was really good, it just lacked most anything that made Trigun good. And I did watch it subbed, unlike some reviews for it that rated it rather high.

The day was 4/2/2010, the location was Seattle WA at the World premiere of the Trigun movie, shown to a lucky audience at Sakura Con. The movie was Presented in person by Takahiro Yoshimatsu, and Saoshi Nishimura (the director). It was presented in Japanese only with no subtitles and I do not speaky the Japanesey. So I wasnt able to grasp the depth of the story.... :( but it was good!!!!!

I strongly believe that everyone could enjoy watching this movie. The reasons that make the Trigun series good is also what makes this movie good. If you like Trigun, you ... will like this movie. IF you havent seen the original story, it probably wont spoil anything (but then again maybe it will...) , but it will probably leave you asking a few questions... So just go watch the awesomeness that the series is first, if you have time. You will be able to appreciate this movie the most after having watched the series. I am very likely to watch it many more times, as soon as i can :D.


What you should expect from this movies is all of the same awesomeness that the original story provided. The artwork was virtually identical to the original series, and the humor was excellent (basing this fact only on what i could see was funny, I'm 100% sure there was a lot of vocal humor i missed as well). I do not think that it added anything to the original story.


EXTRA INFORMATION:

This story takes place somewhere after Wolfwood appears and as the director indicated : "It is an event that Could have taken place somewhere within the story of the series". It didn't seem to add anything to the original story, so it could be considered similar to a filler episode, but were talking about Vash the Stampede here, could there really be such a thing as a filler episode when Vash is involved? :3 Plus it was wicked awesome to watch.

It is worthy to note, that when the director was telling us some background about the movie (though a translator), he told us that the reason that this movie even exists is because of the American fan-base, which was so extremely vocal about wanting more Tri-gun. (FEEL VERY PROUD TODAY ALL YOU TRIGUN FANS!!!) This was also the reason we were able to watch this movie even before it was shown in Japanese theaters.

Trigun Badlands Rumble is an okay movie but could've been better if the story was about Vash's journey to face Knives rather than the plot we got instead.

The mains story of Badlands Rumble is centered on a robber named Gasback which leads to bounty hunters to gun him down for the reward money, however the film's main characters aren't very dominant onscreen as it leans more towards Gasback & Amelia; a woman who has a grudge against Gasback. The main dilemma is Vash sparring Gasback's life leading his morality being put into question as the criminal managed to get away from judgment. While it brings ... an interesting study into Vash's lifestyle the movie tends to not completely focus on that subject.

While Vash still remains true to his pacifist convictions, he comes as a bit too naive & goofy in this film with showing very little of his serious side. Wolfwood, Meryl, & Milly also partake in the film but like Vash seem to play second string to Gasback & Amelia.

Action is just the right amount as it is supported by its updated animation as Mad House in 1999 (Trigun anime) is nothing compared to its current visuals. One of the aspects I enjoyed from the movie is the "Trigun World" as much detail is placed into the bounty hunters with very wacky & strange character designs but remains true to the spirit of Trigun.

Trigun Badlands Rumble does have the heart & soul of the Trigun series, but Vash himself has a minor role to the film & his perspective on morality doesn't come into play until the scenes played in the credits, proving that his way of life may indeed be correct. At the end of the day, Badlands Rumble seemed to be a film that expresses the zany yet cool style of Trigun with showing very little of its more complex philosophies. I personally preferred if the movie focus more on Vash's journey to confront Knives & The Gung-Ho Guns as it would've made a theatrical feature much more rewarding, thus showing a interesting tale of a gunman questioning the death penalty.

Hop along the idiot train everybody, because our top fool (Vash) is here to save the day.

The incessant need for Vash to portray a juvenile imbecile waned on my nerves, as it did during the original series. But having the displeasure to sit through an entire 90 minute movie, without the ability to take breaks through episodes, was especially excruciating. In addition, the same tired, “I’m the hero; therefore, I do not kill,” motive that was annoyingly prevalent, indicated that the writers were making no effort(s) in testing the protagonists resolve. When Amelia, a fresh character introduced in the movie, pushed back ... at Vash’s hero rhetoric and verbally lashed out by pointing to the unintended consequences of allowing evil people to live (namely, good people getting harmed) — Vash, discourteously, brushed it off, giving no consideration to her words. In fact, he placed his hand over his mouth, similar to when a five-year-old spills a glass of milk on the floor.

Now, let me be clear.

For those who watched the series before the movie, we understand why Vash gravitates towards being a gentle person; however, even benevolent individuals have moments in their life when they anguish over the gravity of their decisions. Why, then, is there no self-reflection about Vash’s own mission towards living an altruistic life? Where is the willingness to provoke inward conflict, forcing the character to answer tough questions and be open to new perspectives? None of that. What we receive is Vash reliving his prepubescence by eating doughnuts, acting silly, and flirting outlandishly.

The other characters, just like the original series, are dearth of personality and become one-dimensional with no depth or exploration into what makes them unique. Milly is the epitome of a dog in a human body. Happy-go-lucky without a care in the world. Meryl is the classic example of Tsundere. Wolfwood, for the purposes of this movie, is a plot device to present artificial tension. Gasback is the antithesis of Vash: bad for the sake of being bad. And Amelia is out for revenge, but purifies her ways because blah blah blah. Heard this story a million times, yet writers attempted to ham-fist it down our throats along with guns/explosions and call it a day. Given the average rating of 8.05 (considered “very good,” according to MAL’s grading criteria) its no wonder the anime industry continues to produce egregious garbage when the fans clamor for the lowest common denominator. By the way, why did Amelia attain a rash/hives when Vash touched her skin. It seems like an odd detail to place into the story when time could have been dedicated toward fleshing out her character.

To tie up loose ends, the animation, while improved in terms of character aesthetics, felt clunky during battle scenes. Movements did not feel polished, nor did they feel realistic (rewatch the scene when Vash stands on top of the car in the desert). The music felt disconnected from what was happening on the screen, quite off-putting at times. In all honesty, I cannot think of anything positive to say about this movie, neither do I wish to invest further time in writing a review about said movie. Therefore, I would vehemently recommend that you look elsewhere for entertainment, this production makes the last Diehard movie look semi-palatable.

Trigun was a manga series that originally came out in 1996 in Japan that spawned a sequel or reboot in Trigun Maximum in 1998. Together they birthed Trigun the 26 episode anime series that became hugely successful in Japan and the United States. The late 1990's to the early 2000's was a great time for anime in the United States and in general with a boom in popularity with shows like Cowboy Bebop, Big O, Zoids: Chaotic Century, Outlaw Star, Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, Trigun, Blue Gender, Fullmetal Alchemist and others. I had always been an anime fan growing up with anime ... shows like Transformers, Robotech and Voltron, but that was the time I truly became an avid fan of the genre. Still originally I skipped Trigun the anime series. From the trailers and previews I had seen it looked too much like an over the top comedy series, but my older brother convinced me to give it a try and loaned me his VHS tapes. For those of you who don't know Trigun takes place on a distant planet after generations ago humans left earth to settle on a new world and the story follows Vash the Stampede who has also been nicknamed the Humanoid Typhoon for all the destruction that follows him. The anime follows this carefree guy who doesn't seem like the guy who brings chaos and destruction with him, but sadly for him and the people around him it seems to happen. I was surprise at how good the anime series was and is. Sure at the beginning there is a lot of comedy and there is humor throughout the series, but I think it's there to lighten the mood of the series, because without it Trigun would be a very dark and bleak series and it works as the anime series manages to blend drama, action, humor and even romance almost perfectly. Oh it the series has one of the best death scenes a film or anime series ever. It has become one of my favorite anime series of all time, so when I heard about there being a Trigun film being made back in 2008 and 2009 I was very skeptical. I really didn't think it was necessary especially if it wasn't going to be connected to the anime series like the Cowboy Bebop film was connected to their anime series. The film was released in Japan in 2010 and in the United States a few months ago. I finally got to see the film a few days ago. Was there need for a Trigun film no, and was the film good and again the answer is no.

Trigun: Badlands Rumble barely there plot starts twenty years in the past where a gang of thieves led by the huge man Gasback who enjoys showing off and the big robberies. Things go smoothly for them as they get the money. That is until Gasback's men turn on him shooting him in the eye. Things look bad for the gang leader until Vash stumbles in clumsily and saves Gasback's life. Does Gasback thank him as his former comrades make off with all the money and the bank is surrounded by the police no he doesn't. Instead he hits a button and launches a whole bunch of missiles laying waste to the town and the bank. Twenty years later Gasback has formed another gang and is looking for revenge on his former comrades. One former comrade runs Macca City where Gasback is headed with his men and his body guard Wolfwood. Vash is also headed on a steamer where he runs into the beautiful Amelia who is after the 300 million double dollar reward for Gasback. They hang out in the city until Gasback attacks and things get out of hand from there.

The plot isn't very good. The problem with it is it doesn't follow any continuum whether it be the manga or anime so it will be confusing for a fan of the manga or anime series like me let alone a new comer. If you haven't seen or read the anime and manga and try to check out this film you will be completely lost. The writers don't bother to introduce or give any background to Vash, Wolfwood, Meryl or Milly who are from the Manga and Anime series. The writer and directors just assume that a newcomer will be able to follow or care about these characters, and even with my love for the anime series and manga I barely cared about the plot or the characters. I love Vash he's a great character and he was again the best character in the film, but even he was a letdown. The story just didn't carry the depth, humor or emotional impact that one episode of the anime series did.

What can I give praise to is the animation down by the great anime company Madhouse. The same company that has done great anime series and films like Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Gungrave, Wicked City, Record of Lodoss War, Ninja Scroll, three Batman films and more. The detail in this film is amazing from the facial expressions to the vehicles Madhouse did an outstanding job bringing this film to life and honestly it was the best thing about Trigun: Badlands Rumble.

Going into this film I wasn't expecting much, but I was hoping for a good anime film. Sadly that isn't what I got. Trigun: Badlands Rumble fails to entertain newcomers or fans of the series and manga with a weak plot, lack of character depth or emotional connection, good music. The only thing that the film has going for it is the excellent animation done by Madhouse, so sadly I can't recommend this film to a newcomer to anime or a fan of Vash. Instead if you are interested in Vash I would recommend you read the two manga series or better yet check out the anime series which I consider the best of all of them.


You can see more of my reviews at http://www.movieweb.com/u/huntsman

I was one of the lucky ones to catch the UK premiere of Badlands in Scotland's film festival cinema, among other animations, in Japanese with subtitles, but missed the first screening in Glascow where the producer himself introduced the movie to the audience.

heres the rundown.

- Awesome and refreshing to see polished Trigun art 12 years after the series.High quality animation deeply rich in detail, movement, and beautifully packed environments. The sound effects were flawless and the music, although not heard frequently, is great.

-The story sits comfortably as a filler in the series which to me was initially a downside since the ... plot did not involve the main characters' own backstories from the episodes, but solely their humour and personalities. (several times we were howling laughter, especially in a long bar fight scene)

Its a crazy action packed futuristic western robbery with a crushingly sweet emotional side plot, to which the producer pointed out that "this is a movie for beer and laughter, and having a blast!" and hell yeah, I felt the audience were gonna run a hole in the screen from how much they laughed, cheered ,and clapped, and I was no stranger.

Personally, I think anyone can watch this and leave satisfied, but the Trigun fans will know why the characters, especially Vash, act as how they do and will be more merciful to the very few cheesy plot turns towards the end of the film.

Because im sick of drowning in this modern cinema shitstorm, Watching this or any anime in theater was on my bucket list, and Id hate myself if i didnt give it a 10/10.I highly recommend watching it.

I know I'm going to get a lot of slack for this. I've read people's reviews, and forum posts on this film, and I did not get the same feelings as most of them did with Trigun: Badlands Rumble.
This is coming from someone who loves the original series (Nostalgia), and is very interested in reading the manga (I own it).
I must say though, this is probably one of the best extra's you could get after watching the series. But I would not call this an amazing film. It's an amazing special for fans.

Lets talk about the story. It's a simple story, and I'm all for ... cliche stories, but it's all in how you execute it. Was it entertaining, were the fight scenes breathtaking, were the comedy bits funny, was it emotional, ect. ect.
For me, the execution of this story was not as good as the anime at all. I do not think it has the same feeling as the original series does. I'm actually amazed it's the same director and screenwriter.
In the series (Excluding the first 8 or so episodes), you get the feeling Vash has a reason for (or try) saving lives. There's this emotion that he's conveying that whenever he had to get down to the nitty gritty and shoot someone, there was this terrible sadness in his actions, like he's trying to make up for the mistakes he and his brother have made.
In this series, I did not get that impression at all, even at the end. And that makes me sad that they couldn't fully use the emotions that Vash always keeps inside.
I also get the feeling that most of this film was just action with no emotion behind it. I'm okay with that, but the action was not very stylish of breathtaking in my opinion. As action pictures come, I was surprisingly bored.

The sound is quite good. No seiyuu felt out of place or out of character.
The music was surprisingly disappointing compared to the original series, almost 40 minutes in was when I realized there even was a score in Badlands Rumble. The re-arranged "H.T. Theme" at the end was great though. They should have made more rearranged tracks for this film, such as "Never could have been worse" or "Scattered Rain".
The SFX were great as well.

The art and animation in this series is excellent, especially when compared to the original series. There's a lot of detail, and smooth movement.

Now the character here can be tricky. Most characters are introduced like they are people you have met before, like people who watched the original series.
As for the new characters:
Gasback just wants to be the best robber there is, the flashier the better.
His minions in the past Cain, Dorino, and Michio are running from him after stealing his money 20 years ago.
Amelia is the new comer that has a dark past (anymore would be a spoiler).
Vash is Vash, he's the funny Vash with no problems like the first few episodes in the series. His reasons behind saving people is just "It's better to live". but the way he conveys this is not serious at all like in the series, and that bothered me.

I enjoyed this series to an extent. Not a very outstanding film, but this is an excellent extra for the manga and series, I would highly recommend watching and reading the original before watching this. Or maybe vise versa would be better, because the TV series and manga are much better, you'll be able to know more about the mysteries of how these characters know each other. Mainly Vash, Wolfwood, Meryl, and Milly.

Overall:
Trigun: Badlands Rumble disappointed me compared to the series. But it is an extremely good special for after watching the series and reading the manga, or vise versa if you are interested in the adventures of Vash the Stampede.
I mean, you couldn't ask for a better special than this, it's definitely better than getting nothing!

Trigun Badlands Rumble is a very good movie, with some nice nostalgia for Trigun fans.

It's in the style of the first half of the series, Vash wandering around getting into trouble and helping people out. He runs into our cool heroine of the movie, Amelia, and she's quite likable. Of course, Meryl, Millie, and Wolfwood are in the house as well.

The story here is not black and white with good guys and bad guys, it's interesting in that the villains of this movie aren't all that evil, and overall the movie has a more laid-back feel than you might expect.

One cool aspect is how ... they incorporate Vash's past and how old he is, by tying in a flashback from 20 years prior into the current events. We have some nice fun dialogue, great slapstick humor, a crazy bar brawl, lots of action, and a bit of drama to give it some weight. The animation is the most flawless aspect of the movie, the art is detailed and it's lushly done. There's a lot of great detail, and all the wacky background characters have a lot of care put into them.

Overall, though the plot takes a couple clever turns, overall the movie is just a nicely done, very straightforward light action romp, done well. I enjoyed the ending especially, which had a nice way of commenting on Vash's ideals. And of course, this movie is even better for letting us hang out with those classic Trigun characters for another hour and a half. Check it out!

Trigun: Badlands Rumble - 6/10

Very good for a movie, feels like an episode of Trigun done in eyecandy graphics and extended to 1.5 hours.
Seriously, i loved it and i think it was perfect, truly enjoyable, just like the show itself.
The story is a little cliche and reminds me of the Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door movie but i think this one had a bit more to it, especially the difference in visuals and artwork just makes it all better

Back in 1998, I was only 2 years old, and it wouldn't be another 3 years until I was introduced to anime. So I never got to watch the Trigun series, and to this day I have yet to watch it. Its been on my to do list, but I just haven't gotten around to it. However, now that I have Netflix, I watched one episode of the series, and then went straight to the 2010 movie. I know, a really strange decision, but I did it anyway. And honestly, I don't regret that. Not in the slightest.

Trigun: Badlands Rumble is one of those ... rare anime films that harkens back to the pre-moe days, and a time when a lot of anime were quite original. This is of course due to the fact that the original series came out in 1998. The art style was also reminiscent of a late 90's/early 2000's anime film. It reminded me of Cowboy Bebop and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, just to name two. It was a refreshing feeling honestly. And it made me feel like a kid again.

Speaking of feeling like a kid again, I just couldn't help laughing at Vash throughout the movie. He's a hopeless womanizer, and quite comedic. The comedy is further reinforced by the fact that he is voiced by Johnny Yong Bosch, who captures every aspect of the character perfectly. All of the other characters were also portrayed accurately, and the dub of the film is leagues better than the original series. What really intrigued me though, was learning that Johnny Yong Bosch also voiced Vash in the original dub of Trigun. It was shocking to see how much he's improved since then. It isn't often that a role is reprised more than 10 years later by the same actor.

Next to the characters and art of the film, the soundtrack also captures the originality of the series. It isn't your standard anime soundtrack, and sounds like it belongs in a Wild West film. And that isn't a bad thing. It was refreshing change of pace from what I was used to hearing, and it fit the film like a glove.

To be honest, there isn't much to say about the story. It was great, and it had quite a bit of comedy which gave me quite a few good laughs. I found myself drawn to the characters and wanting to know more about them. What makes them do the things they do? And that question is mostly answered by the end of the film, even if it wasn't really intentional.

Despite having jumped into the film before I could really get into the TV series, Badlands Rumble has sparked an interest in me. So, following the submission of this review and good nights sleep, I'm going to continue watching the series, even if I have to put up with a hokey sounding English dub. At least Vash's antics should keep me thoroughly entertained.

After almost 12 years, Yasuhiro Nightow's western sci-fi series Trigun blazes back onto the scene with a new adventure about bankrobbers, consequences and another dose of the Humanoid Typhoon. However, is this blast from the past able to keep up with the times? Let's see...

Story:
The underlining premise of Badlands Rumble is that is right in line with the first episodes of the original series: Wanderer Vash the Stampede brings chaos where ever he goes and even if he isn't the one leveling towns, he tends to cause his share of "peaceful destruction". The series' signature goofy comedy and hectic gunfights are back in full force, ... capturing the wild west feeling while seamlessly blending the sci-fi elements. The overall world of Nightow's series remains intact, with bounty hunters causing trouble, insurance companies working over time and the line between good and bad bleeding through.

What viewers need to address, however, isn't only what they want from the movie, but what the movie wants for itself (if that makes any sense). If you come to this movie expecting a sequel to the manga franchise or a re-imagining of the dated parent animated saga, you may be disappointed. What you will get, however, is Trigun's essence: one man's struggle to uphold his ideas as he works to create the peaceful world he wants. The plot is predictable, yes. The "twists" are to be expected, indeed. The path of the story is one that has been tread before, of course. The film doesn't want to rely on its predictable story, though. It's more of a device to introduce you to the characters and the world of Trigun.

Art:
It's easy to say that Badlands Rumble looks better than its parent story. After all, its been over a decade since the original was animated. However, the quality of animation of B.R is able to also keep up with the best of the current generation. Bullet effects, bar fights, blood pews from foreheads, finger flicks on the noggins, and Vash's needle hair are all rendered with a clean clarity punctuated by vivid colors. The background ambiance of the dusty town on planet Gunsmoke is littered with the crazy designs of all the bounty hunters, having every hair color imaginable and costumes designs that combine technology with grittiness expected from a space western like Trigun.

Character designs keep within the spirit of Trigun, with Vash, Wolfwood and the Bernadelli Insurance girls donning their trademark garbs. Amelia and Gasbag, along with the other more prominent side characters, fit right in with the environment as well. There may have been a few little hiccups of seemingly skipped frames (how did that guy all the way over there end up wrapped up in the tarp over here?), but on a visual basis, B.R is the modern improvement Trigun desperately needed to fight on even ground with most of the other modern animation masterpieces.

Sound:
One department that the original did not lack in was sound and B.R keeps pace with its predecessor for the most part. Johnny Young Bosch returns to his role as Vash, his cheery voice completing the image of the character for many of the series' fans. The other voices of Wolfwood, Meryl and Milly aren't around for the ride, but their replacements are still great and in some cases actually better than their originals. The OST of B.R is expertly used to back-up scenes, giving emphasis on words and actions with the right mix of western and other influences. Even the reworked version of H.T, Trigun's old OP, was a welcome addition.

Characters:
The movie does what a lot of movie side stories do: they put pre-made characters in unique situations and don't change them too much. After all, if you have movie that doesn't quite fit in with the canon of the original work, changing the characters too much could step on some toes. That being said, the character relationships are well built as Wolfwood and Vash bicker like an old married couple while Milly and Meryl just try to survive the madness and keep it from getting any worse, only to have comedy ensue.

Okay, so you know the original cast is fine, but what about everyone else? Well, the side characters, like Gasbag's three stooges, as well as the other bounty hunters, are more comic relief than anything, but the main baddie, Gasbag, can pull his weight. His character is, at its core, one of a violent hedonist. He pulls heists in Michael Bay- ways, always keeping his victims afraid of what he'll do next. Like many modern day villains, he's just an excuse to see the hero shine, but his fights and interactions with Vash are at least entertaining. Amelia is a standard character with a predictable attachment to the antagonist, a love-hate relationship with Vash and a brief but humorous contract with Wolfwood. She sees the fault in her ways near the end and reacts accordingly. Perhaps her one truly unique characteristic is her early allergic reaction to men, which is sad. However, she is not a waste of space. Her past fills out her role in the story so even though she doesn't make the movie one of a kind, she, along with the rest of the characters, don't drag the movie down either.

Enjoyment:
As a pretty good fan of Trigun, I had read about this show before watching it, so I knew that this wasn't going to be a movie that would significantly change how I see the series. It did, however, reinforce my idea that Trigun can accomplish both humor, action and sentiment all at once. The show's story, while predictable and heavily reliant on the characters, is one that matches with the tones of the series. The art and sound can easily keep with the best of this generation, while the world and character designs bring back Trigun's unqiue flavor to the anime battleground. The original cast stays true to form, combining the comedy and the action in ways only they can do, while the new gang does their jobs as plot devices and additional comic relief pretty well.

On its own, Trigun: Badlands Rumble is a nice popcorn flick with a humane touch. Taken with the series, it turns into a nice excuse to bring the gang back together and maybe even gauge interest in a "Brotherhood-esque" re-imagining of the series. Since its been about 4 years since the movie came out, its probably not going to happen, but its still a good bit of fanservice none the less.

The grade for this movie is a "meaty 7", as it's a good show in its own right. Fans of the show should at least give it a try, while newcomers can get a modern taste of the franchise before deciding if they want to give it a shot. You won't lose anything if you don't watch the show, but you have a chance to gain something if you do.

Trigun: Badlands Rumble トライガン Review


Story (9/10) Great

The story in Trigun Badlands is yes predictable but sometimes you don't need some super deep story in every single story especially in an anime movie which is why I liked this movie a bit more than the Cowboy Bebop Movie. Like said the plot is simple and I which the actual anime had interesting story instead of what it decided to focus on. I think with Vash's personality it fits well in a simple stories like these even though in majority of the episodic episodes in the actual anime I found them uninteresting the movie is different and ... I'll talk more about that later. The story for movie is great.


Art and Animation (10/10) Outstanding

Never had an issue with Trigun's artstyle or animation when I watched the original, so to see it back in this movie which was created basically 10 years after the anime ended and me watching it 5 years after this movie aired, both artsyle and animation i feel are better than your average anime that gets released these days. Granted this is usually how all anime movies are and it is what it is, Madhouse did an outstanding job on it and that's all there is to it.


Sound (9/10) Great
More Specifically (9.75/10) Great+

The sound for the movie is great, better than the anime which is required. I didn't think the sound was bad for the anime but I just didn't think anything sounded unique but for this movie that's a different story. Firstly Wolfwood's cross weapon actually does have a unique sound to it when it comes to sound effects. All the voice actors are back and they sound a bit different but in a good way, still quite authentic to how they sounded 10 years ago. Johnny Yong Bosch is back as Vash and even though he sound just like he did 10 years ago it does sound like he's alot more comfortable from an acting perspective I mean he did play alot of roles since he first debuted into dubbing anime with Vash so to come back to his first character I personally can tell he's learn a few things without changing too much to Vash's voice, I'm also glad he didn't keep that annoying laugh he did back in the original. The voice for Milly has changed and even though the new girl voice acting her she does a good job making Milly sound quite similar although Milly did have an accent on her that the new girl didn't seem to quite catch but it doesn't break the character what so ever since if we are going to argue originality then we would have to talk about the JP VA. And lastly the OST chosen throughout the movie I found to be a good choice at it had a wild wild west theme OST going on through the entire anime which I don't remember the anime doing and then it had a remix/updated version of the theme song of the anime play during the return of Vash at the end of the movie that I found quite nostalgic since that's the only thing from the sound category I liked from the original. The sound category for this movie is great.


Characters (8/10) Very Good

The characters like Meryl and Milly still found uninteresting and annoying but for Vash it finally clicks with me what people find so entertaining about this guy from a comedic standpoint. His childish and wacky attitude in the anime I didn't find funny or entertaining but in this movie he did make me laugh about two times so that counts for something. Like the part where he meets the new female character Amelia and rubs his face against her foot and she freaks out, I found scenes like this quite entertaining and funny. Speaking of Amelia I found her to be a very good new character, I personally wish she was in the anime there wasn't anyone like her in there, just a bitch and a bimbo. Anyway her story is very good, I also thought the main agonist Gasback was a good villain also as he had a bigger bounty on his head than Vash's which both the anime and the movie kept shoving in the viewers face, he also showcases some great gunplaying scenes when he's rampaging through the city to get his revenge halfway thru the movie, his little story the movie introduces I also found simple but interesting nonetheless.


Enjoyment (10/10) Masterpiece

My enjoyment was at an all time high for this movie, if you've read this far I've already stated that basically every category I found enjoyment if anything in. Other anime movies it usually takes me two sessions to finish it because I usually get bored halfway through movies, the Cowboy Bebop movie to give a recent example even though I thought that movie was great also at the end of the day I stopped watching it halfway through came back to it later to finish it off, but not for this movie. It kept my full attention through the entire time which it was I have to get this a 10 because at the end of the day that's why we watch anime right? for enjoyment.


Overall (9/10) Great
More Specifically (9.15/10)

I'm so glad I took the time to watch this movie as it's probably one of the best gunslinger anime movies I've ever seen. I wish the anime left such an impression on me because I was quite disappointed the route the anime decided to take. But when I think about it, it's probably not best to marathon such a series as I personally think Vash's personality can't be taken all at one time you'll probably start to feel like Meryl. Anyway I feel Trigun is better as a movie than an anime and I'm glad I can leave this series with a good taste in my mouth.

I didn't like the anime at all. I only made myself watch it because everyone (i.e. american anime fans) wouldn't stop talking about. Suffice to say I would have to agree with Japan on this one: Trigun was nothing special. I will say that I liked this movie. The art was better and I enjoyed the plot, it was far better than the anime. Of course the people who liked the anime are giving this a 3 but whatever. If you didn't like the anime than give this movie a shot! You might be surprised, I know I was!

If you adore Trigun, you'll most likely like this movie; however, if you aren't a fan of the series, it's best to look the other way, as you're not really missing much.

Here's what you should know.
This movie has some heavy Black Lagoon vibes, and the action scenes are beautifully animated.
The story is simplistic and predictable, with many memorable quotes and the trademark Trigun introspection about whether killing is moralistic and the consequences of going through with it or not.

Overall, the movie is good for what it is. But, despite its positives, it doesn't add to the series.
You could completely ignore this movie, ... and you'd be missing out on nothing, as the events from it don't seem to be connected to the main series.
It feels somewhat detached from the story, like a filler episode.

Lastly, it's a good watch for good old-fashioned midwest action. It succeeds at that.

I admit that I am not much of a fan of Trigun. I really liked the show, but it's not one of my favs and some of the episodes were either boring or bad. Although, from what I've seen in the series, it's pretty decent. When I heard that there was a Trigun movie that already came out (but not in America) back when I was watching the show, I was skeptical because I have a friend who is a huge fan of Trigun and was ecstatic when he heard that there was a movie coming out. I was planning on watching with with my ... family for my Birthday party which was a few days ago and I announced that we were all going to watch Trigun. Once I sat down and watched it, I thought the audio was decent for a private school-type movie but when I got more into the movie, I found out that I decided it was not for the kids and they were preceded to leave by themselves. Yet, there were kids ages 9 to about their teenage years watching it and personally, I wouldn't let anyone watch this movie unless they're 18-21.

The story was extremely difficult for me to follow until a cousin told me that he understood it was about Gasback who takes over the city to let people contemplate that it was Vash. Everyone here except for my cousin was having a hard time following the plot unlike me, who has seen the entire series couldn't understand it either, but I know it is about a bank robber named Gasback who ihas taken hostage innocent criminals and are threating them, until an outlaw known as Vash the Stampede pops out of nowhere and starts screaming helplessly at Gasback for crushing his donuts and proceeds by begging him for a replacement. This changes Gasback, therefore no one is hurt.

Fast foward twenty years later and we see the Insurance girls riding on the bulls (or something) into town. Later, we meet a bounty hunter named Amelia, another one of those women with a tragic past.

The plot was pretty much between interesting and uninteresting with the more intense action to appeal to those who LOVE action (including myself) but was quite disappointed to see that the plot didn't seem to pull off thus I couldn't understand what was going on. To tell you the truth, I nearly turned it off, which results to dropping it on my list, but proceeded to see what was going on to see if I could take a liking.

Now the art and animation I could highly praise has gotten some room for improvement. The animation is 100% beautiful with nothing off and seemed to fit the layout and the landscape just like a 3-D or a CGI-movie would do. It would be pretty intriguing if this film would be re-released into theaters which have an accessible 3-D feature so that we can all enjoy the movie better.

The music was pretty fitting for its desert-like scenes, but usually, I never really pay attention to music, thus giving it a 5 out of 10... sorry. Although, I did notice that most of the voices were replaced, but the new actors here seemed to do a decent job matching the voices of the old ones thus fitting the characters' personalities. Warning, Johnny Yong Bosh sounds almost completely different in this film, which is probably because it has been around a decade since he last voiced Vash in the T.V. series.

As for the characters, I'd have to say they are pretty reminiscent for the ones for the T.V. series; Vash's wilful yet somewhat stubborn pacifism, Milly's sweetness, Wolfwood's likeable coolness. The only character that needed work was Meryl because Meryl didn't seem like a tsundere towards Vash in fact, the characters don't even seem to know each other very much. And, I heard that this film takes place between episodes 11 (Escape from Pain) and 12 (Diablo). Aren't Wolfwood and Vash supposed to be companions now and Meryl is trying to impress Vash's stubborn way of not even trying to love her back? The new characters I guess needed some work too, and didn't seem to interest me very much. Amelia was an O.K. character and Gasback, to me, wasn't a very impressing villian.

All I can say is that the movie was very difficult to follow and regardless of the characters' personalities being almost the same as in the show, they don't seem to know each other. I don't really believe that this took place between episodes 11 and 12, I believe it might've taken place before episode 1 [well, that's just me ^_^].

Not to mention, the movie reminded me a lot of the Bebop movie because in both, you have a character who's involved in the action and are later shot off into what it appears to be a near death experience. Thus, they both have a male protagonist with a female sidekick (except the womanizing yet cute-as-a-button, Vash had a crush on this one.)

Another disappointment is that Trigun is supposed to be something of a teen show yet, for me, it doesn't seem to pull off much as a 'teen' movie and instead, more of like an 'adult' movie. I should've not let the kids watch this, I should've instead bothered to show them the television series instead (which I think is more appropriate for the kids at the party.)

Very disappointing movie, also for my friend too, he expected a LOT more. I would suggest you to watch the show or read the manga (I haven't read Maximum yet) but you won't regret it. The movie I guess is alright if you're a fan of Trigun or even an anime fan, but I wouldn't bother if I would you.

By giving this movie 9, I do not necessarily mean it's equally as good as the original TV series, which I gave the same score. No, I just think that this project, as a movie, has less flaws than the original Trigun.

This movie intented to be just a pure entertainment and it succeeded in it. It is in no way plot intriguing, it really doesn't have anything to do with plants nor you hear a word about Knives. Animation is technologically improved which for some old school lovers doesn't mean it is preferable. Some of us just want to stick with the ... wonderful art of the 90's.

Badlands Rumble has bombastic action sequences and great coreography, better than the TV series. It's mostly a relaxing comedy with little to no drama at all.

The final battle lacked climax, if it was a bit longer and better executed I'd give it a 10. Which still doesn't mean I would prefer it over the original series.

If you want to just relax and watch something that doesn't require much thinking and psychological exertion, I recommend this move for ya.

If you wanted a mindblowing backstory about Vash and Knives, well you should go back to Trigun Maximum or try it if you haven't yet. Eventually hope something like that comes out soon. Otherwise, this movie would be a big dissapointment for you.

Note: While i have watched the parent anime series, this review does not assume viewers have previous familiarity with the Trigun anime series, and will base scores as if the movie is fully standalone. However, I will make note when familiarity does affects scores.

Trigun: Badlands Rumble (BLR henceforth) is an excellent space western that distills the best of the Trigun anime series into 120 minutes of exhilarating action and quirky comedy. Despite being intended for fans, even newcomers unfamiliar with Trigun will find the movie immensely entertaining, while fans will find the movie nearly perfect.

Story: 7 (for newcomers, 8 for fans)
+classic "Western" storyline
+lighthearted, fun tone
+tightly ... written story with funny dialogue and no filler
+captures the best parts of Trigun yet requires no familiarity with the series
-some parts of the storyline and characters may leave questions if unfamiliar with Trigun
-unnecessary deus ex machina
-serious tone of a moourning scene is out of place

Trigun: BLR takes a classic storyline of the Western genre- betrayal by a posse and getting revenge- and stirs in some of that lawlessness filled with bounty hunters, robberies, and hardscrabble life on a desert frontier, and sets it in a quasi-space western world where colt .45s sit alongside massive hovering sand ships and aging futuristic technology. There are no plot twists in BLR-nothing unpredictable at least- but that's not an issue, because a well-written classic doesn't need extra frills.

The overall tone of BLR is playful and lighthearted, which complements the uncomplicated storyline. However, there is one mourning scene in the movie which seems a little out of place as an attempt to be serious in an otherwise unserious story.

The story is tightly written- essentially an extended standalone episode of the series-and benefits by eschewing any overarching plot elements from the series mythology, opting instead to just make the best no-nonsense action-comedy it can. The writing, especially the repartee, is far and above that of the series', and elicited more chuckles from me in the first half-hour than in the first half of the anime series.

However, a deus ex machina that happens in the final minutes of the climax seem needless, and more of a ridiculous way to reveal the true history between two characters. Fortunately, it can be brushed aside as an afterthought without changing any of the main plot points.

While the movie does not need familiarity with the series to be fun, those who are versed in the series' characters' stories and backgrounds will be able to make the best out of it, as certain plot points-such as why exactly protagonist Vash doesn't appear to have aged in 20 years, or why he refuses to kill- simply aren't explained and assume the viewer already knows.

Art: 9
+clean fluid animation conveys the action well
+excellent backgrounds
+color palette for weather and landscapes done excellently
+distinctive characters
+over-the-top character designs perfectly convey a lighthearted, somewhat zany feel

The increased budget and advances in animation, compared with the anime series, are clear in the quality of the backgrounds and excellent, fluid animation, as well as the incredible character designs of the main and supporting characters. As befitting the lighthearted "romp" tone of the movie, characters are charmingly exaggerated with huge guns and ridiculous accessories-the movie doesn't take things too seriously, and neither should the viewer. All the major characters are extremely distinctive and instantly recognizable, including two minor characters who make recurring appearances as comedic relief.
Fans of the animated series will especially notice how much improved, albeit subtly, the insurance girls' designs are.

Sound:10
+incredible soundtrack perfectly captures the feel of a Western
+soundtrack sets the tone of scenes perfectly
+great voice-acting for the English Dub
- fans may dislike English voice actor changes
Note: this is a review of the English Dub

Unexpectedly enough, what makes BLR one of the best space westerns out there is its incredible soundtrack, which features excellent guitar music in the flamenco, folk, and country traditions. The soundtrack perfectly sets the tone for scenes, setting the stage for a heart-pounding and tense classic western showdown or a swagger-filled and uber-cool reveal of a character. Fans of the anime will especially appreciate the incredible difference that a quality non-repetitive soundtrack makes.

The voice acting for BLR is very good, with special commendation given to the voice actor for the character of Amelia, who does a great job of alternating between cold and serious and exasperated and peeved. A potential quibble for fans of the series is that the voice actors for certain characters, most notably Nicholas Wormwood, are different from that of the series. In the case of Wormwood, I felt the change was detrimental to his overall grizzled tough image, whereas i preferred the new voice actor of Meryl Stryfe.

Character: 8 (10 for fans)
+exceptionally cool, likable characters
+the characters are perfect representations of their anime counterparts
-newcomers to Trigun may find the protagonist too unconventional
-main character motivations are not explained to those unfamiliar with the series.

Given that this is simply a movie and not a series, there is almost zero character development or depth in BLR, but that's fine, because part of the fun of the movie is seeing one-dimensional "badass" archetypes duke it out. The unrepentant thief bent on revenge Gasback is appropriately intimidating, while the enigmatic red-headed bounty hunter Amelia is the epitome of sexy mysterious, and deadly, fortunately without being sexed-up.
The movie even actually manages to make cross-bearing gunman priest Nicholas D Wormwood even cooler, a feat I thought impossible.

The main protagonist, Vash the Stampede, is the exact same as his anime counterpart, which is fine for fans but possibly off setting for newcomers. His goofy peace loving persona and his confident, skilled gunfighting persona are individually very appealing, but are also somewhat unconventional in combination, making for an unconventional hero that newcomers may need getting used to.

Viewers have no need to know about the tragic backstories of the protagonists for this film, and BLR does well without that. Characters are well-defined enough to be reliably predictable even for those viewers unfamiliar with the series. However, those viewers will also scratch their heads when trying to understand why Vash knows the two insurance girls, why Nicholas Wormwood is such good friend with Vash, and probably more significantly, why exactly Vash the Stampede is such a feared and troublesome name.

Fortunately, these points are important only for understanding the mythology of the parent series, and aren't necessary for enjoying something as uncomplicated as this movie.

Enjoyment: 9 (10 for fans)
I did not expect to enjoy BLR as much as i did, given my disappointment with the anime from which it grew out of. But when i watched the movie, I found that it took the parts i liked best from the series, improved upon the writing, and added an amazing soundtrack to create a near-perfect Space Western.

Magically enough, this is also a film that can stand confidently on its own and still appeal to newcomers independent from the main storyline and mythology of the anime.

Trigun: Badlands rumble is a good, extremely re-watchable movie that any fan of space westerns and unpretentious action would enjoy, and a must-see for any fan of Trigun.

To be honest, I expected more. This movie/OVA has it's flaws and strong points.
This is coming from a HARDCORE fan of the original TRIGUN Anime, btw.
I expected a psychological thriller like the Anime. They could have done more. Didn't a lot more Plants survive after the starting of the original Anime? Yes! The were contained in the Ark. There was nothing to grasp except a lacking NEW Plot. I wanted there to be more people like Vash and Knives. Something to drive chills down my spine, more comedy and humble beginnings, more heartbreak, something to have m enjoying it.

Flaws:
- Little to NO Character Development.
- New, ... simplistic Plot.
- Forgettable Characters.
- No reason for anyone else to fight. Wolfwood is filler.

Strong Points:
- Music (H.T. In "Badlands Rumble")
- Comedy near the beginning. Worth a few chuckles and laughs.
- Visuals and Effects
- Action

So, to end this off, Badlands Rumble is not terrible, but very, very, VERY lacking. To say the least.