A Great Counterpoint to Cowboy Bebop
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Trigun
preachcaleb — 1 month ago(February 25, 2026 09:36 PM)
Out of the Space Western trilogy made up of Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, and Trigun, Trigun is easily the one I've seen the least. I'm not entirely sure why; it just worked out that way somehow.
But after rewatching it again over the past few weeks, I found it to be just as enjoyable as the other two, but in a different sense. One of those reasons is that Trigun is the one that feels most like an actual western. People live in harsh climates, they farm, they dig for water, they go to saloons. It's the most western of the trio of space westerns, and I love that. Additionally, while Cowboy Bebop is without a doubt my favorite of the trio, Trigun makes for a great counterpoint to it. It's not as melancholic or pessimistic.
In fact, it's much more hopeful. Despite the darkness and the horror of some episodes, in the end, Vash still tries. Even when he falters on his principles, he tries. He's not callous about his choices to engage in violence, and his actions weigh extremely heavy on his conscience. He's not walking around feeling like he's dead. Instead, he sees the wonder and miracle of life and wants to preserve it wherever he can, even at his own expense. He'll forever look to the beauty of life. And sometimes, that beauty is what can keep us going.
So many stories, so little time.