#legato is so damn pretty

[kaidenchii]

Legato Bluesummers

[orcelito]

love how i got to the first page of trigun chapter 1 before i got sidetracked and made a whole post about it

im supposed to be collecting dates & location information, not getting sidetracked on random analysis posts!!!!!

[astralnymphh]

from the river to the sea, palestine will be free 🇵🇸 READ: this account stands with palestine, and so— i require everyone who interacts to educate themselves, and support/donate before reading. READ THESE; 1 and 2, HELP HERE, BOYCOTT. silence is complicity, do not scroll past this. DO NOT BUY THE REMASTER, TLOU2, TLOU1, OR ANY GAME FROM NAUGHTY DOG! neil druckmann (the creator) is a zionist. PLEASE READ THIS. AND REBLOG THIS.

jackson!ellie who makes the first move? kiss–wise. cause okay— we've got the scene from the actual game where dina locks in that first kiss, a drunken whim, and whatnot, but what about ellie doing so? allow me to conjure a picture up; that freckled, mellow–eyed portrait leveled to your face, her lips pinched to a demure crease— tense enough on the corners to hollow her dimples, the fat auburn worms above her eyes tweaking alongside a nod to your wisping words that enlighten her very eager brain right now, arms slack to wrap your waist and frisky warm upon the sacral of your spine with palms overlaid, waddling in a legato and sluggish manner to each pace of song. your lips are consistently ashift, lacing over every honeyed vowel that kept this silly little girl christened ellie— too attentive. eyes unto your lips, pupils enlarge and bedim all color to her organ–throbbing crush on you, a feeling, fennels and columbines a manifestation inside her flattered eyes watching you speak, "y'know, i just think that everybody on patrol is a dumb cunt, n' can't shoot for shit. maria needs to reassign." and, my. how words of curses and a rigid, shit–talking nature blow from your throat like a damn aria, on and on rambling, contract some balled sensation in ellie's gut to burst open a thousand angels serenading— their feathers a silken uncomfortableness in her guts. how it pushed her, made her spine shiver, made her face slowly tilt in, made her brows flinch sunken into the sea of her skin, and a little voice compelled her when you spoke, "totally should assign you and i—" mmmph. two mouths sealed as one. ellie, who was already a magnet, reached voice to voice and consumed the trails of your speech, flesh chapped yet somewhat plump and velvety of a 'sorry' she could not push into vocals rolled over the knoll of yours, pursing her top lip inside as her mouth steals your bottom one, an ample pressure on your inner–cheek that smushes her cute button nose as it pokes, and releases when she departs your consumption of that sudden kiss. her face lingers, still slanted, eyes darting across your face maddenly for any ounce of a reaction written in flesh, unsure on whether to sanction you some breathing room or to mention boldly about it— but you're too damn pretty to fleet away, so she decides to act somewhere balanced upon that spectrum gently, "did i do okay?" not 'was that okay?' nor 'fuck, m'sorry.' but those foolproof words, yet the look of a lost puppy was most pitiful on her features. you chuckle dry, and her palms flock to your waist— gripping, narrowing the answer out of you so timid, you have to chuckle the reply out as well, "more than okay," and you soften, bored of the blurry, obnoxious string lights a mere background to her big head, "very okay, williams." and shut the scene to nothing, pulling her rosy heat on your lips, once more.

sorry gays, idk what came over me. fluffy hours

(gif from nramvv on pinterest)

[nanomooselet]

My Brother's Keeper (II)

As in every version of the story, Vash only plays the fool. He is not one. Oblivious, hapless and harmless are always masks he wears. From beneath them, he susses out what Wolfwood is pretty much immediately.

Not that it was hard. The man's barely trying. And really, three days into the trip to July and a guy carrying a cross from Nai's freaky book suddenly shows up, walks off the trailer slamming into him, tries to separate Vash from the reporters, lectures him about killing to survive, makes just-kidding-or-am-I remarks about being an assassin, then finally reveals he's actually carrying an absurdly overpowered laser-cross-gun before inviting himself along for their quote-unquote "protection". Nevertheless he sticks almost exclusively by Vash, who is by a very, very, very wide margin the least in need of protection among them.

Just in this scene his lighter has the Eye of Michael sigil on it and judging by the heap of butts, after picking tunnels for everyone to search (including one for him) he stayed right where he was and chain-smoked until Vash returned. Not too long afterwards Roberto abruptly and mysteriously vanishes, and Wolfwood tries to convince Vash the reporters must be dead. …Yeah, I guess that counts as subtle for someone who named himself Millions Knives, but c'mon. Knives thinks his stupid brother won't come to his party unless he's dragged there. Vash has a chaperone now whether he wants one or not.

If I were in Vash's situation I'd be quite annoyed. For fuck's sake, he's an adult. He's been one for over a century. He doesn't need a damn babysitter. And what kind of idiot sends an assassin to do that job?

Except... Knives somehow made the perfect choice in Nick.

Wolfwood's cynical rhetoric has no effect whatsoever on Vash's ideals and he's hardly any more effective at keeping Vash safe. Simply because Wolfwood's there, Zazie and Legato between them find excuses to endanger Vash, which is par for the course when Knives tries to "protect" him. No, what makes Wolfwood the best man for the job is something that may well have happened in spite of Knives, and it's this.

Regardless of his real age, at heart Nick is a kind but wounded boy who's only trying to protect his beloved family, especially his crybaby brother. He kills because he doesn't think there's any choice - he's ultimately a victim of indifferent circumstance. In a way, an innocent.

In Wolfwood Knives gave Vash everything Vash wants to believe is true of Knives himself. With all his heart, Vash wants his brother's cruelty and manipulation to be just... just some wildly misguided but sincere attempt to save the Plants, because he doesn't believe there can be any other way - but he'd be open to an alternative. Nai really does love Vash, just like Vash truly does love Nai, and Rem loved them both. His brother can't be a monster.

If he's smart and kind and strong and brave enough, if he can just overcome his fear, Vash is sure that he can help. He'd convince Nai that humanity doesn't have to die, it's just ignorance and crashing on this barren planet that made everyone's hearts so barren while they struggled to survive. They, the twins, can take responsibility for what they did and help Plants and humans to help each other. If they could do it together...

He could love his brother without it being so fucking painful. They could love each other without every encounter they have leaving more helpless people dead, more scars on Vash. From all that he's lost, he could salvage this one thing. He'd be so content with that. He's survived on much less. He ran before, but he'd stay this time, and for good. Neither of them would be alone. They'd have time.

On top of that, Vash needs to help people - it's what keeps him alive, and it makes him happy. Wolfwood needs someone who'll treat him like he's a person rather than a weapon, to remember that he doesn't have to be the Punisher. That's what keeps him alive. There's still a place for him in the world, even for what he's become.

If Vash can convince Wolfwood, his brother's agent, to accept that place... if he can help him... maybe he could do the same for his brother. Just as Luida did for Vash himself.

And Wolfwood does a damn good job playing the part without even knowing that's what he's doing. Well, he knows he's protecting Vash, but all it's in how he does it.

JPN: You only get one life. You have to fight for it, no matter who you hurt in the process. There's no other way to survive.

ENG: You only get one life, y'know? Self-sacrifice might satisfy the ego, but don't throw your life away. Survival's everything.

This is advice you'd get from a brother. If one must die so another can live, I'd rather you live - so make sure of it. Dumbass. (It's also the final request Rem made of the twins: I want you two to survive./Try your very best to survive for me.) Maybe phrased bluntly and a bit abrasive, but not… insane. No weird sermons about crusades and fire from the sky, no verbal abuse or put-downs, no blame, no hurt. What's more, while Wolfwood does try to convince Vash to leave the reporters for dead, when Vash goes back for them Wolfwood bitches all the way but goes with him. He slices open the Grand Worm for them (though I think also to annoy Zazie). And after that, he clinches it by, of all things, trying to get Meryl to eat bugs.

You're not going so survive like that. Come on!/Are any of you freaks interested in survival? Come on! Open wide!

(This is totally irrelevant, but their stupid bickering in the background in the English dub is hilarious. Nick straight up says "I'm helping!" and adds something about how short Meryl is. Meryl starts protesting that she's a "perfectly average-sized woman." I bet they were unbearable in the truck.)

Nai was always dismissive of, if not outright nasty about, Vash enjoying food he doesn't need. Nick gets it. Consuming food gives physical nourishment, and Plants don't need that to survive. But it's also togetherness, shared joy. Those are things both Plants and humans need, so it's not a 'waste'. We're more than merely serving a material purpose or function, even one that's self-declared. Even as Plants.

No matter how heavy a cross you carry, you still deserve to eat. You still deserve to laugh./Heh, no matter how heavy the cross is you carry, you deserve food. And to laugh.

Vash needed to hear that, or something like it. It's the kind of thing Rem used to say, the kind of thing Luida told him. (It's about everyone getting a share.) Meryl, though she cares for him, doesn't yet know how to break through Vash's rumination.

Nick's being a jackass older brother by happenstance, because he's letting down his guard. It's who he really is: kind of a silly kid who cares deeply about people and shows it by goofing off and pushing their buttons until they want to fucking kill him. But Vash would so relieved to have a brother who's just annoying about how much he cares. Who still cares enough to listen to his opinions, and to compromise when they disagree; who doesn't loathe the person Vash is because it's not what he thinks Vash should be. So Vash eats what Wolfwood offers, despite Roberto's warnings, extending his trust. Wolfwoof takes that in the spirit it was intended, a little shocked. Despite himself (and despite Zazie), he and Vash are genuine friends from this moment onward.

Also Nick is having a ball bugging the shit out of Meryl. She's like three feet tall and so easy to piss off! Maybe if he tries hard enough he can make her head explode. Irritating the little sister mode: activate.

That doesn't mean everything's love and peace, though.

Wolfwood's work isn't over yet. I think he's relieved Vash extended his trust both because, despite himself, Nick likes this dude (and that must have been an interesting realisation to come to about his sadistic boss's fluffy wuffy cotton ball of a twin brother) and because it makes his job easier. But now he's emotionally invested. He shouldn't be. He can't be. Zazie reminded him why, can see it in [his] eyes. The last person who cared like this was Livio.

Again, Vash isn't stupid. He does care about Nick as a person, not a surrogate Nai, just as he cares about everyone; it's why he's so easy to love and so, so many people have come to love him. (Precious darling boy.) Nevertheless, there are gaps between what Vash needs from Nick and what Nick is capable of giving. And there's one huge glaring difference between Wolfwood and Knives.

That difference meant the hope Vash came to have about confronting Knives in July was misplaced. He just couldn't have known until it was too late.

Part I

Part III

Part IV

Part V

Part VI

Part VII

[hikennosabo]

#tristampparty day 7, episode 7: wolfwood

this is another episode i've watched multiple times, but mostly just the first half for Livio Reasons. once again... LET'S GOOOOO

i've seen ppl say this is razlo at the start of the episode... i wonder... he is more razlo-like in his movements, and he starts yelling a lot... but his expressions are still livio-like, i think... i mean he is more expressive BUT he's not grinning like razlo usually does? sigh... see the problem is that we ALSO have a level of EoM brainwashing (and whatever the fuck else is going on) on top of everything which throws a wrench in trying to figure things out. I Just Wanna See My Boy.

i love vash holding his gun backwards and using it as a bludgeon and i love going frame by frame to get cool screencaps like this 💖

wolfwood vial count: 4

at the very least, by the time of this next scene, it's definitely livio and not razlo because he's mumbling about "catching up" again which is a livio thing

when i saw the corresponding manga panel for this my brain neurons activated so hard LOL i wonder even more how orange will adapt razlo... since originally livio was trying to catch up with razlo. which i love and think is super interesting. so what is orange planning? ...is livio even aware razlo exists at this point...?

oh also livio looks a bit older here. which once again has me wondering about the timeline. the way the experiments were presented with rollo and nicholas, it looked like they were just on that table forever. as in there were no breaks in between. so... when is this? how long is it between livio volunteering himself for EoM and the experiments on him taking place?

i think it's cute that nico bumps into him :(

let's take ibuprofen together

i wonder who these people are... i thought they might be the EoM soldiers that razlo killed, but those aren't EoM uniforms... it looks like the prison uniform wolfwood was wearing... wolfwood tried to run away, so it makes sense that he wouldn't be the only one, although the phrasing "stand in our way" more implies they tried to stop the operation altogether. but... hmm... they just had regular goons as guards at the time of wolfwood's escape attempt. livio is special... would they really give him a job like guard duty?

CHAPEL JUMPSCARE

razlo sweetiepie there you are!!! mwah mwah mwah mwah mwah

HE'S SUCH A FUCKING DRAMA QUEEN HE'S SO FUNNY

since zazie is the one talking, our attention is drawn to them, so i'm glad i paused on this because the fact that legato is also looking up at wolfwood and smirking is so funny to me. EYES ON THE ROAD BESTIE!!!!

this line is always so funny to me. shonen protagonist ass

i love the scene of vash at the spaceship controls, the animation when he's working the keyboard is so smooth. hmmm, it also reminds me of wolfwood's introduction episode in 98... serves the same narrative purpose of Vash Knowing Things He Shouldn't about spaceships

i love that wolfwood thinks shooting the base of the cannon will do anything. like that's the first thing he tries. shoot first ask questions later i guess

going frame by frame on scenes of legato because i'm unwell... his eyebrows are surprisingly thick! and his eye color is grey... it was gold in 98... oh, i just noticed his eyelashes are light blue!! cute!!

i just think this is a handsome angle for him. his facial features are so pretty and delicate

this is why he buckled his seatbelt :)

... i need to stop posting legato pictures

no because what the hell is this

wolfwood vial count: 5

episode 5 had me asking about the wind... legato asks zazie if they were the one who caused the sandstorm (which they deny)... could it be... is it possible...?

my dumb ass watching this for the first time: damn it's so sad that livio is dead and now they're even gonna use his corpse for nefarious purposes :(

vash's plant markings are so pretty fr <3 orange was big brained for this too

everyone always points out the episode title card being a gut punch but THIS was an unexpected one:

this is how wolfwood is credited this episode and because i'm insane i immediately had to go back and check - this is also how he's credited in episodes 5 and 6: as "nicholas d. wolfwood/nicholas the punisher". in episode 4, he's only listed as "nicholas d. wolfwood". haha ouch!

this post ended up being a little less substantial than expected LOL but we'll soon be getting into the episodes that really give me psychic damage so :^) looking forward to it!!

[magadauthan]

Ep 21: Out of Time

Only five more episodes left? Damn, moving right along for the @trigun98watchparty.

Oops, I forgot the intro and cut. Part Two of the Flying Ship arc. Wherein pretty much everyone gets killed.

...It's very convenient that the Plant light socket covers Knives' naughty bits.

--Legato's monologuing is so... hacky. He needs a better speechwriter. Along with the rest of the GHGs.

--The earring communicator reappears!

--There's a lot not explained about the GHGs and their abilities (no TriMax yet, no Eye of Michael, I know.) Yes, they're typical anime baddies, but the viewer is left to infer that they are augmented humans. How'd they get that way? Legato is the only one who has any kind of explanation for his superhuman abilities, and it's because he has Vash's arm. (wtf happened there, anyway? Knives hauled his burned arse up off the floor of Conrad's office, packed his brother's ragged arm in ice, and gimped off to his secret hideout?)

--Kuroneko is sitting on the keyboard, "helping" Doc like a proper cat.

--Closest look yet at a Plant. No idea why "little sister" was translated as "friend." This scene shows neatly that even the shipfolk don't necessarily realize that Plants are beings; that they are alive. This must be where Tristamp got the notion regarding Plant healing.

--Again - so glad that Brad got his redemption in the other two incarnations. Totally with WW on Leonov's outcome.

--Poor Vash, taking the fall again. Another safe haven turns on him. His new friend Brad dies in his arms. My god, Knives, you really are the goddamn worst. Vash can not have one single nice thing with you around.

How much of this series in all incarnations comes down to "Knives is upset because his brother has friends?" He's a great big homicidal baby because Vash connects with any entity other than himself. Knives is a little kid throwing his toys and screaming because his best pal at daycare played trucks with another kid. "I have to be the most special to you, your best friend has to be me, and if I'm not your bestie, then I'm gonna get rid of all the other kids until you don't have any choice." Sure yeah whatever, humans abuse Plants blah blah Eden blah blah human trash garbage blah. It's an excuse. Knives is perfectly happy to kill his sisters if it means Vash can't have any friends. Collateral damage in the service of a greater good.

[paiteyy]

Stampede and Maximum Spoilers!

Look this is kinda a negative (not totally but I wanna be polite and warn! ) look at Stampede and it's handling of the queer content in the source marital, if ur not in the mood for that, block me or scroll past plz 👌don't wanna be a downer for anyone so ye, thought I'd slap this uptop lol

Gonna be real, idk how I feel abt the last ep... Some of my fears are definitely coming true. The big one being that Wolfwood's role in the manga seems to be played by Meryl in Stampede.

The manga is so important to me because it lacks the typical anime/manga hetrosexual tropes.

They put these tropes back in when they made the 98 anime, and it feels like they're putting them back into Stampede.

Wolfwood is the one who saves Vash in the manga, he is Vash's reason to fight. I know Stampede is pretty much an AU of the manga, but they're hitting the major plot points in their own unique way. Not everything is in order, and it's different, which I don't mind.

What I do mind is the fact that they've cut out all the queer parts of Maximum.

From changing Elendira, the cannon trans woman (who wasn't perfect rep, but goddamn it a cannon transwoman who wasnt a joke at that time?! I fucking love her), to a lab grown loli (before you come at me, I know this is a prequel and that she'll age, but that's not the point, because it doesn't negate the fact that she is no longer trans. They could have updated her rep from the manga, but no.) To subbing in Meryl for Wolfwood in narrative moments he occupied in the manga, like saving Vash from Knives.

Narrative moments that would have been occupied by a female love interest in most manga were occupied by Wolfwood in TriMax, and intentional or not, TriMax is queer coded as shit. By switching him with Meryl in Stampede, that is gone.

This is what happens in the manga, in the Stampede Vash is saved by, and saves, Meryl instead. (Also black coat Vash is a reference to Vash from this fight in Maximum. It is the result of him fighting Legato and killing him to preserve Wolfwood's memory, ((he is taking on Wolfwood's color pallet in this fight, the layers in Maximum are insane)):

This isn't a ship post, not really, it's about stripping the queer aspects from TriMax, which are an integral part of TriMax's narrative, a major part what makes the work unique, especially for it's time, and straight-washing it in Stampede (which is taking a lot from Trimax... just not the queer stuff, hum). However, I'll entertain some ship talk.

People have been calling Vashwood the "yaoi flavor of the season" and in all honesty, to me, that's what Stampede Vashwood feels like. I KNOW it's the first season and this could change, but damn it, I feel like I'm allowed to be a little frustrated and worried about the direction they're going.

Vashwood in the manga is a queer relationship supported by COUNTLESS examples in the text, read as romantic or not,(personally, I think it should be read as romantic based on manga framing ((Wolfwood playing the role narratively reserved for the female love interest in most manga)) and textually (("I wanted to spend my tomorrows with him," just one of many examples of Vash's feeling about Wolfwood)) it is undeniable that they are integral to each other in a bone deep way. To the point where the only person as, or more, important as Wolfwood to Vash is Rem, his mother and guiding light.

This is absent in Stampede.

I'm trying not to be uncharitable, but I have a sinking suspicion that Meryl is going to be the one to find Vash after the timeskip, a role given to Wolfwood in TriMax. I wanna be proven wrong tho!

I DO like how Meryl and Wolfwood are getting more interactions in Stampede! They didn't get many in the manga and I love their dynamic. Honestly him grabbing her like a sack of potatoes and booking it outta there was the best part for me lol, I'm glad Milly is coming back too! Vash getting his spikes back also was rad af!!

I feel like I should also say, this isn't a ship hate post or anything. This isn't a Meryl hate post either, I don't kin characters myself but she's as close as they come for me, so I love the little lady. Plus, I've really been enjoying her Stampede design and character development, it's one of the best parts of the show imo!!

It's just the fact that the queer content from the original didn't make it in, while so many other things from TriMax did, that rubs me the wrong way.

I think I'm mostly just frustrated, I'm enjoying Stampede for what it is, but I'm a queer woman, and I can't help but feel cheated out of the faithful Maximum adaptation I've always dreamed of. How come every other manga gets a one for one adaptation, but Maximum, with all it's queer text, doesn't?! I'm frustrated. They always try to make Trigun more appealing, mass marketable, but damnit that's not why I love it. Idk, I just feel sad. With this new adaptation, idk if I'll ever see a faithful Maximum adaptation, which is a depressing thought for me.

Anyway, this became a vent post, sorry. I'm a longtime TriMax shill and I was really (and to be fair, still am to a degree) enjoying Stampede up until these last few eps. In some ways it feels like I'm watching watered down, more marketable Maximum and that just frustrates me.

I'm still holding out hope for season 2 though, I can't help it, even with the things I'm not personally into in Stampedes it's still Trigun, and if I'm not going to bat for Trigun, am I even me?

[tetraharmonic]

Rating the TriStamp Designs based on Suitability for Desert Travel

So, to give this post some context, in my character design class from two semesters ago, it was a super big thing for our professor that characters were dressed to the environment, ie hot weather causing folks to wear short-sleeved clothes, or combat focused characters dressing based on their style of combat and mobility requirements. I was doing some sketches yesterday and realized, man, some of them are actually fucked when it comes to the environment itself. And...well, here's my hotcakes.

Zazzie the Beast: 9/10

Clothing is the loosest out of the group, with the lightest over all colors. The outfit has not just one but two possible ways to cover the face, such as the mask and that scarf thingie. The main reason I'm marking the fit is for the pants, which would give them one weird sunburn. They'd also need more warmth once the suns go down.

Meryl: 8/10

Loose fitting and light clothing is a huge plus. She also has layers, allowing her to adjust better as nightfall hits. However, she has almost no face and eye protection, which would leave her with a nasty case of windburn.

Knives: 7/10

Tight fitting clothes trap the sweat against your skin, increasing the odds of overheating. His feet are also bare, so you know good and well that they're going to get roasted and burnt by the hot sand, causing blisters at best. However, having the cloak could, in theory, keep him cool during the day, and its looseness should allow for more airflow. Would've been a 6, but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his skintight suit. Who knows, it could be some real damn breathable fabric.

Roberto: 7/10

Light colors, layer potential. He's doing really well in terms of clothing. However, a suit coat would absolutely be too heavy for day wear. Also, he doesn't have any sort of face, eye or ear protection, so fighting the sand would be difficult.

Legato: 7/ 10

Same thought process here as Roberto. His clothing is light on the outer layers, which could help with heat management. However, his under layers are black, which would make him feel a whole lot hotter in the case that he had to remove his jacket, which he probably will need to, because it looks thick as hell. No facial protection.

Wolfwood: 6/10

Dark clothes, not good. But they're at least pretty loose and unbuttoned quite a bit. He has eye protection in the form of sunglasses, which would help with both sand and UV protection. Loafers might be an issue, though. If he can't keep the sand out of them, he could end up with some vile blisters.

Vash: 4/10

Has eye protection. It doesn't look like it would block much sunlight, but it would help for the sand, so that's a massive boost. However, tell me that jacket isn't going to be hot as hell out there. I dare you. He's also wearing very tight-fitting black clothing, which is not going to work out too well for him. He also runs the issue of his prosthetic. There isn't any way for him to keep sand out of the joints, which will, after some time, render his prosthetic unusable or extremely uncomfortable. His undercut gives him an extra point, though, because it'd help with the weight of hair and help keep his head cool.

Livio: 3/10

Dark clothes, not very lose. No eye protection. He'd be absolutely fucked. Keeping his hair out of his eyes will provide a slight advantage when it comes to seeing things, but it's completely irrelevant when compared to the horrible sun exhaustion this poor man is going to face. And he's got a turtle neck so he's just going to have more sweat trapped close to his body with nowhere for all of that to go. Dehydration and heat management would be a horrible issue for him, besides the fact that the metal thing on his face would heat up from the sunlight and begin to scorch his skin or even blind him. His outfit when he was young would've been fantastic, if his shorts were longer, but, yknow, three layers of black suits.... Poor dude. Someone get this man a kool-aid pouch.

Thats all for now folks. Enjoy!

[rainbow-pop-arts]

Trigun MB Thoughts Part 4

Thoughts on Raijin: Rising & Cutting is Fighting under the cut!

Raijin: Rising

This opens up to a bloodsheddy scene (No seriously, there were a bunch of dismembered bodies that I don’t think I can show)

Rai-Dei (the samurai Gung-ho Gun) have been staying in a town for a long time and the people are friendly with him. I never thought he would be nice enough to save a town from bandits! :D

This is probably not canon but hey this could explain how he trained

*GASP* He’s nice enough to train a kid??? Ain’t no way! (⊙▽⊙)

Woah guys, it’s the meme!! Sorry sorry. So Rai went to go somewhere away from the town

(Art by @flashcs5)

THEN THIS CRAP HAPPENED WHAT THE HECK (he got tricked to go away from the town so THESE guys can attack)

OH GOD THEY GOT THE KID THAT RAI TRAINED

Hey, Rai, c’mon now, he’s still a growing kid that got lots to learn (｡•́︿•̀｡)

OH!! They didn’t just attack them but stole  organs too, apperantly! (Hey, they mentioned the Roderick Slavers! Those were the guys that Legato slaughtered in a bar right?)

My honest reaction (Veronica from Heathers the Musical)

U-Uhm…at least he slaughtered the bad guys? 😅

Oh hey, it’s Vash and Wolfwood

That’s all for Rai-Dei’s story…(°△°|||)

Final thoughts: Okay so um….wow. This didn’t turned out the way I expected…

(From Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) Honestly, I was expecting this to just be something nice and even if something bad did happen I didn’t think there would be organ-stealing. This feels like reacting to Legato’s backstory but a lil’ different because I didn’t know anything about it before. (Legato’s backstory is still the most messed up thing I’ve ever saw in TriMax tho) Anyways, it’s nice to know a bit of Rai-Dei even if this is canon or not.

Divider by @cafekitsune

Cutting is Fighting

Here there’s Meryl and Vash as Eriks

Instead of Lina cutting Vash’s hair, it’s Meryl

But for some reason when she touches his hair, she becomes flustered

Vash’s hair was so tangled that it broke a comb so Meryl’s washing it (Plant hair sure is strong)

Man, he’s nthinking so hard to pick a hairstyle

Now that Vash’s hair is smooth, Meryl can cut it (damn she’s so flustered she’s quivering)

I guess…Vash’s hair kinda wrapped around Meryl??? (O_O )

Welp, that was weird ┐(°ヮ°)┌

YOSH, Meryl can cut his hair seriously this time (while he schleeping)

NAAAAH, SHE WROTE “IDIOT” ON THE BACK OF HIS HAIR 😭 (Agahahaha funny number on the sign :D)

Final thoughts: This honestly feels like a VashMeryl fanfic. It’s like the author saw the scene where Lina cuts Vash’s hair and thought “Hm, I wonder if it’s Meryl instead?”. But I still think this was really cute and wholesome. Still not sure what the heck happened between them. Like, how did they end up on the floor? Personally, I do think VashMeryl is pretty cute but I prefer to see them just being besties and I ship VashWood more.

[junianashore]

Time for volume two! Things are picking up steam; we’re switching over to Trimax next week and I anxiously await more angst.

I feel bad for Nightow, having to deal with getting canceled right as the story was getting started in earnest. I hear that this was around when the 98 anime was made, as well? If so, they really didn’t have much to go off of. One of these days I should watch that series, too.

This occurred to me when I was watching Tristamp first, but it’s fascinating how Vash feels so... relatable? I am by no means a space western gunbattle manga protagonist, but he’s an incredibly compelling and unique character. I had to go back and remove a sentence after I realized I was writing in first person as if I were Vash himself. (“The first time *I* encountered Legato?” I’ve never met Legato and I hope I never do.)

I suppose it’s a testament to how well-written this series is, making us all feel empathy for this fictional man.

Now for some specific thoughts:

-Interesting that the villains have actual McGuffins to give to Vash in this version. In Tristamp I got more of a feeling that they were just a loose collective of Knives devotees? Here there’s an official numbering system and everything. I suspect we won’t be learning what that coin box does for a good while…

-This strikes me as a pretty assertive move on Vash’s part, compared to his Tristamp self getting dragged head first into the plot whether he wanted to or not. He’s taking up the protagonist mantle (and all the tragedy that comes with it) a bit faster here.

-Well this is... surprisingly nice for a guy who previously delivered a severed head in a bag. “Good luck ladies, spend your time wisely before Knives inevitably exterminates you along with the rest of humanity <3”

-Wolfwood!! I’m not gonna lie, my confirmation bias made me misread this line as “trans man” multiple times. I blame the sheer amount of t4t Vashwood shippers who constantly create amazing art.

-I have seen this panel before, as part of a “Trigun out of context” meme. Knowing the context still does not diminish the sheer power of… whatever this is. Nightow is living his artistic dreams ; )

-Aaaand we‘re now at Knives’ rather disturbing attempt to force Vash’s angel arm. Here I was going on about how Vash is so easy to empathize and identify with, then the story hits us with this. It’s such a shame that in this version, there’s no one to come back and snap him out of it, so he has to shoot himself to downgrade from annihilating the planet to “just” wrecking a moon. Meryl, where are you when we need you? Also, poor Wolfwood, screaming at the sky, way out of his depth with no damn idea what is happening.

-There are several gorgeous splash pages in this last chapter, but this one is my personal favorite. What a devastating sentiment.

[weirdcat1213]

ok i guess this is it

the end of the road

i may do an actual post about it later but fellas, its been an honor suffer read with all of you :3 the meta, memes and reactions? priceless

thank you @revenantghost for bringing us together for the best group activity ever: suffering and crying in a corner :D

lets go one more time

vol 14 thoughts

chap 1:

-THIS ONLY HAS 8 CHAPTERS WTF

-longer than he has been alive? oh thats adorable

-"that is how...i lived my life" why do i feel so sad all of a sudden

-OH YIKES WHAT

-ok damn i get that now, legato is really fast damn

-again, when did vash's coat turn black

-oh shit chronica no

-pls leave vash alone legato

-for some reason vash feel really quiet right now. thinking back to other fights, those didnt feel as quiet as this one, i wonder why

-yeah,,,,sadly i dont think he can control his body either...

-oh ok i didnt notice that the 1st time but thats so interesting. spoilers for 98 but in that one vash's decision is quick, a decision he made against the ropes. he thought about ways to avoid it and then gave up at the last second. here however, he has been thinking about it the moment he started to fight legato i think. like only one man could survive that encounter. he knew from the start it was either the plan (cuz cmon he doesnt care about whether he lives or dies) or legato. at least in 98 the decision was in a quiet setting, imagine giving up your values (and with them a huge part of what you think is your heart) while you are fighting to the death

-HE DOESNT WANT TO DO THIS BRO LEAVE HIM ALONE

-GEESUS oh god no. is he even there or is it vash's imagination

-oh nvm he is here, hi livio

-"dreaming saint" may be one of the saddest nicknames he's ever gotten :c thats kind of what he is and that makes me sad

-and...there he is. not even a word, just him

-:c

chap 2:

-"overkill" huh? maybe

-you did that to choose :c you did what you could. god, he needs to hear more how him trying is enough.

-oh god hes spiraling, this is not the time :c i get it tho

-"you always give up hope so easily" and thats what he did when he chose

-its too early for me to cry, tears go back in

-wait chronica was in the nomad right? is she...yknow...

-i love that panel with meryl picking up vashs head a little bit cuz it gives me the feeling finally someone can protect him from everything, let my man rest pls

-oh shit bro you good?

-oh :c.... oh

-oh god ok its time for the cable

-oh god not the fucking feathers

-if i keep reading today im gonna start crying

chap 3:

-oh my god its the beginning

-he IS a clever bastard ill give you that

-the feathers :c

-oh my, things are happening (aka my cue to cry)

-its time knives, youre gonna fall and hit your stupid head so hard

-YES MERYL YES YOU ARE SO RIGHT MERYL

-NOT THE SCHOOL TRIPS OMG THATS ADORABLE

-...ok i get why *hes* saying that. the conflic, i think, pretty doesnt exist anymore for him but for knives is very real and really present. he may be a little stupid to understand balance and how wrong he is, but at the same time there was a reason for all of this. he committed the same mistakes humans did doing his stupid little crusade but you cant tell little knives, the one who hoped to connect with humans, that he is foolish and reigniting a conflict. its just 2 really different perspectives

chap 4:

-knives is a bastard, and an asshole and he hurt vash so much but damn it. i cant hate him, not after processing trimax for the 2nd time.

-anyway

-oh god not the cable

-VASH OMG MY SON MY MAN MY LITTLE MAN

-GET TFO LEGATO PLS, CANT A MAN BE UNSCOSNCIOUS IN PEACE???

-WOLFWOOD PLEASE TAKE THIS BASTARD AWAY AND TELL VASH HOW MUCH YOU LOVE HIM

-IT HAPPENED AGAIN, WHY DOES MY BODY REACT SO VIOLENTLY WHEN I SEE REM. ALSO WHY DID IT HAPPEN AGAIN

-also im always gonna say this is vash's mind and not ghosts cuz...idk....it doesnt feel like it. the ghosty presence feels more real in stampede but thats just me

-HIS LITTLE EYES AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

-THATS WHAT I MEAN, THATS TOO MEAN FOR A GHOST

-ALSO :C

-hes so tired, hes so fucking tired

-oh wait oh shit

-im granting you nothing you bitch

-oh god knives are you good

-oh yeah hes still there

-oh ok so thats why that plan doesnt work. ok continue

-oh he looks so weird and majestic...you really have to wonder what was nightow thinking when he designed this

-they are so positive, can i have some of that? a gram should do it

-you can easily replace "because i stand with vash the stampede" with jeesus but vash the stampede is cooler im sorry

-also kudos to them for never having a "yknow what im sick of you, i never needed you" kind of arc. thanks nightow. they are married from the beginning til the end

-im...not really sure about where did vash come from but at this point it doesnt matter, im glad hes here <3

chap 5:

-vash in a fucked up mind palace, i win

-"ticket to the future" oh no

-I DIDNT NOTICE HIS ARM IS MISSING???? FUCK???

-HES UP! REJOICE

-FEATHER

-"what a cruel joke" :c

-ONE LAST TIME BABY CMON

-FUCK OK THAT WAS SCARY

-OKOKOK WOWOWOW THAT SO INTERESTING. stampede knives was like "hey this place seems nice for plants, me and my bro. lets keep it" but trimax knives want to literally yeet everything humans have touched. in his mind he can live with other plants idk, in like the middle of space? thats so interesting...

-"what is that noise" YOUR MF SIBLINGS BITCH

-....cmon man. cmon

-were you united by hatred tho? i believe some plants hated humans but not all of them

-leave your own brother alone ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

-"this is insane" it is insane, so you better fucking appreciate what hes doing rn

-AH GEESUS NO HERE IT COMES, THE FUCKING CABLE

-LEAVE HIM ALONE YO

-HURRY VASH HURRY

-"dont touch me" not even us....just him

-ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh :c

-i fucking love those panels where nightow puts a lot of details and dark lines only to make the next page the softest traces seen by man

-FUCK HIS BODY NOOOOOOOOOO

-OH I FUCKING LOVE THAT PANEL. GIVES ME "ANGEL WHO JUST FUCKING FELL FROM HEAVEN" VIBES

-ALSO KNIVES SHUT UP

-[sidenote: emptiness from the signalis ost just started playing and now i want to bite someone]

-TICKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET :C

chap 6:

-THATS MY FUCKING GIRL

-shut up vash, pls shut up

-oh vash...if it was that easy. but i guess thats the point. its not easy, it will never be easy to communicate, but we have to try. more people should remember that

-"what matters, is that you communicate. that you understand the person next to you is breathing and existing" fucking beautiful nightow

-"i wonder if he'll laugh again. if he'll follow his ideals again" im so...

-oh knives hey buddy

-i hate it, i fucking do but he looks so fucking sad when the plants let him go. when they decide if he wants to keep going down the path of hate he'll have to do it alone. and in his mind i dont think he has ever being alone. it makes me sad im sorry

-using the feather is so smart actually

-oh hes here

-ITS THE SCENE FUCK HERE WE GO NO

-FINAL BATTLE TIME MFSSSSS

-YO KNIVES YOU GOOD CUZ WOW

chap 7:

-OH ON THIS ONE YOU DIDNT EVEN GET TO HEAR HER FINAL WORDS? THATS MESSED UP

-THIS IS IT HERE WE FUCKING GO

-YES PLS KNIVES CMON

-honey...no...pls. let it go, theres literally nothing left to do.

-THINGS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME BUT STILL CMON VASH

-DONT BE A LEGATO RN KNIVES

-oh?

-OH SHIT

-[the promise is playing. the fucking promise is playing]

-YOU "WERE"???? WELL SHIT ON MY FEELINGS NIGHTOW SURE????

-KNIVES???? YO????

-WELL FUCK ME NONONONONON PLS GIVE ME REM BACK PLS PH GOD OH FUCK

-OH SHIT TF IS THAT

-SHIT

-YES PLS RUN, THATS LITERALLY WHAT YOU GUYS COULD HAVE BEEN DOING ALL THIS TIME. YOU COULD HAVE RUN AWAY TOGETHER (IN A FRATERNAL WAY)

-he is sadly a stupid idiot but HES MY STUPID IDIOT

-LIVIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO THE FUCKING MVP

-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PLS GIVE ME BACK WOLFWOOD PLS, I NEED HIM BACK. WHY CANT HIS GHOST TALK TO VASH HUH?????

-ah fuck...them flying away together it looks so beautiful

chap 8:

-HERE WE ARE HERE I AM FUCK ME

-its is a never ending song isnt it

-my man deserved to rest more than 6 months

-hey knives honey why are you saying "hes crucial for you"? is it because you have internalized that humans will keep you around if you seem to be valuable for them? do you think that if vash is crucial they wont kill him? in the many years you have lived you dont know any other ways to ask for help than guaranteeing there will be something to be gained? huh?

-that kid has to live with one of The Traumas ever huh?

-IM GONNA CHOOSE TO BELIEVE HE LIVES IN THE FUCKING TREE CUZ HIM JUST DISSAPEARING IN THE AIR? TOO SAD. TOO FUCKING SAD. I WANT HIM BACK AS WELL

-YES YOUVE DONE MORE THAN ENOUGHHHH, HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO YELL THIS *looks at publication date* right

-i dont remember your name doc but damn, you are everything.

-ALSO 1ST AN OLD LADY WITH HER GRANDDAUGHTER SAVE VASH AND THEN A DOC WITH HIS KID SAVE VASH??? SOMETHING SOMETHING ABOUT FAMILIES AND MAKING A SPACE FOR VAHS WHO LOST HIS FAMILY

-you are so fucking stupid and i love you

-also where did he get...yknow...everything

-you should do that...im begging you to do that pls. get all of that, just live peacefully pls

-MY GIRLS ARE HERE :'D

-YOU SHOULD FEEL ASHAMED, LEAVING MY GIRL MERYL LIKE THAT

-stooooop :'c my heart, this is too many ":D"

-THEIR FACE GOD I LOVE THEM SM PLS DONT LEAVE ME HERE

-GIRLS WHERE ARE YOUR GUNS LMAO XD

-the dumbest little song ever, god i could eat this man

-LINAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA MY BABYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

-LIVIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

-ah fuck...i ended up crying again and i still dont know why :'D

what a fucking, FUCKING TRIP. this is literally one of the best things the internet has ever done. i want to hug everyone who participated on this. we did it. we fucking did it

[longhands-the-second]

Trimax vol. 5

This is a solid 30% “what will they do with this in Stampede?”

1- “this time of year”… what are seasons like there? Are they distinct at all???

OH. YIKES. JULY. I was wondering why we were starting here.

God, I hate to think of how many people Vash has lost over the years.

For him to openly weep is heartbreaking, knowing how often he just shuts down instead.

Im fucking stoked to see what they do with midvalley in stampede, if anything.

Meryl is leaving this whole thing fundamentally changed i think. Just a hunch.

2- This is maybe a little unclear? I see the vision though.

I fucking love manga milly you go girl

GOD DAMN IT VASH he keeps getting hit and it makes me sad

Ballerina wolfwood

Am. Am i gonna start simping for wolfwood now? Is this how it happens?

3- oh. Oh boy. That sure is a title page

I’m still so mad they stole ww’s nose in stampede. It’s so pretty.

Wolfwood being protective of people. That is all. :)

OH OH OH ITS HAPPENING EVERYBODY STAY CALM STAY FUCKING CALM

This is the first time that we’ve seen this w/o Knives’ direct involvement- is this something that just happens when he’s at his wit’s end? Has it happened before? (Is it just compounding recent events???)

Bevridge Bitch is here and his vibes are as rancid as ever

How recent was July? He has most of the same scars.

Man they really just took the sleeve off of his coat. Worst thing that happens here, surely (<- coping)

Nvm the sleeve magically reappeared.

Girl seriously though what the *Fuck*

Could he just not do it before? Is this knives doing it *for* him???

“Seeds”?

Oh no. Oh this is even worse than last time. Ick.

Somehow this is more explicitly uh. Y’know.

EW EW EW EW

Dude phrase that literally any other fucking wayyyyyy I’m screaming crying throwing myself out of the window

Vash didn’t answer. I think this is the only iteration that wouldn’t. Then again that might be entirely circumstantial.

DAMN.

4- I took a week long break after the last chapter. I WAS ahead but uh. Stuff and things. So i may have some rereading to do.

SO WAIT HOLD ON DOES TOUCHING THE FEATHERS LET YOU SEE HIS MEMORIES AND SHIT?

I wonder if wolfwood’s gotten his sight back? Is that gonna be recurring or was it just a brief thing?

God this is so fucked up. Poor Meryl is probably losing it

Midvalley continues to fascinate me. What he’s saying makes sense but like. Damn.

Oh fucking god damn it get this guy out of here i don’t want him

What the hell am i even looking at right now

LEGATO YOU BASTARD

5- i hate to say it but i was kind of rooting for midvalley? I wanted to see more of him at least. Fuckin brutal way to go.

Oh is this why zazie is like. Extra androgynous in stampede? Fully support this actually.

I don’t think any character gets under my skin the way legato does. Knives is a close second, but there’s just something about the type of cruelty he exhibits. It’s not quick or to the point. He lets that shit simmer on purpose. It’s not about power anymore, it’s about maximum suffering. For himself, too. It’s gross.

MERYL!!!!

Legato sticks his leggy out real far. Fr though those are spindly as all hell

I’m not sure how much of the angel arm use is Vash making a conscious decision? Guess we’ll find out later. (EDIT: or not damn. He’s so quiet about it.)

Ah. Elendira. Will i love you or hate you?

6- i swear i can feel the panic coming off of the page here

I wonder how much more shit happened with knives that we just haven’t seen yet. How much of it does Vash remember?

Is this happening in his head right now? Is that why his arm is extra fucked up?

I find myself wondering at this moment if the original japanese was more or less derogatory about elendira and tbh i’m just gonna stop thinking about it now.

I can already tell im gonna be obsessed with her dynamic with knives though. They both seem so over it in a way that i can only describe as “the only two queer people working at the McDonald’s.” This is in no way related to any personal experiences i may have had, pinky promise. (Me and that manager were like. Work besties.)

She’s so fucked up i love her already.

UGH UGH UGH BE NICE TO HIM DAMN IT.

EXPLAIN YOURSELF TO THEM MAN. (He’s not obligated to but holy shit do you know how much that had to fuck Meryl up?)

Yeah, i see where the japanese Rem headcanon comes from. The vibes are there.

End notes (semi related to the actual content):

- I am DYING to know how they’ll deal with the Earth ships. Can’t just start that plot thread and just destroy them. I mean, it could happen, but like. Why?

- Forever yelling about biblically accurate Vash. I’ll draw him at some point given the time and energy. I REALLY want to know how/if they’ll handle it in stampede- we sort of got it, sort of didn’t? I’d love to see that pushed further.

- I WILL FINALLY POST ANOTHER GOD DAMN COLORING THIS WEEK. It took me a full month so it’s from an earlier volume but i’m very excited to share! It *should* be done by Friday (questionable way to celebrate given the content) ((maybe I’ll post vash in the babygirl pose as a treat)).

- I got my silly little wwvd bracelet and wore it with my Vash cosplay this last weekend. It genuinely makes me smile every time i see it lol. Real mood booster through con crunch, too. (Also, shoutout to the vash cosplayers at akaicon who definitely won’t see this lol. I almost asked them if they were in on the bookclub based on conversations we had but I chickened out.)

[nanomooselet]

My Brother's Keeper (VI)

You may have noticed that I didn't extensively discuss Rollo, Livio, or Legato, which is maybe odd considering they are (and pretty blatantly so) parallels or foils to Wolfwood and the twins. And it's mostly because I'm trying not to let this damn thing become even longer (it was supposed to be three parts. Three. It's clocked out at seven, and that's after I took a machete to it to stop it becoming eight. Goddamnit) and I did already go on about all of them in the episodes they appeared.

It's also because at this point, Wolfwood's story (for the moment) is done. When he makes the choice to leave July and Vash behind, that's the end, and the reason he returns actually isn't about him at all. The narrative focus is instead on Meryl and Zazie, making sure we know what both have to say about this. It's good to know Zazie's displeased by this turn of events and very unlikely to ever again believe a word Knives says. (Humans will eat your planet just like they did their own and real quick Imma use Vash to eat the planet myself first sorry-not-sorry BYE WORMS.) It's sweet that Meryl's love of Vash didn't result in her death by Knives's jealousy, as it did for Rem and nearly did for Luida.

Nick's concerns, however, have always been limited to the orphanage and Livio, and their fates are both now out of his hands.

Everything always comes back to the twins, in the end. I think in this analysis I've come to understand the key to Stampede, which is that almost nothing in it is only about the thing it seems to be about. It's always also in some way about the twins.

Wolfwood's part in Stampede is about how he was Knives's weapon and became Vash's follower. He goes from being Nicholas the Punisher full time, a walking dead man carrying his own tombstone, to being Nicholas D. Wolfwood, the awkward, scruffy, snarky dweeb who cares for his family with his whole heart and lives to see a kinder world. Inevitably he has been scarred and stained with blood - he remains the one who killed all those people on the cult's orders, and he'll bear the cross for them. But he's no longer limited to killing in order to save. There's a new path for him to follow.

It starts with doing what Vash would do: getting out of there while he still can before everything explodes. He just happens to scoop Meryl up as he's fleeing. When the twin angels ascend to do battle, the best place for mortals to be is anywhere but nearby.

He wasn't going to rescue Vash, and he never could have. Protecting Vash was the task Knives gave him, and that was out of an complete absence of respect for Vash as a person, a competent adult, a being of unimaginable power, an independent-thinking-individual-who-isn't-exactly-like-Knives etc. The very last fucking thing Vash needs is to wake up in the care of another paternalistic "older" brother - not that I believe Wolfwood would ever treat him the way Knives does, but frankly I can see why neither would want to take the risk.

(Also increasingly sure Knives is bsing about being the older twin. It's like how Wolfwood really is still a kid, and he acts like one, and honestly I think Vash treats him like one. Those startlingly fond, adoring expressions that blow you away a little bit? They're What Vash Is Like Always About Everyone. But especially kids. He's like that about Meryl, too, just less overtly.)

If anything, Vash saved Wolfwood. So Nick realises he has to survive, when before he kinda just wanted to die. He's no longer permitted some dumbfuck last stand. Fighting Knives is crazy and impossible, so let the impossible crazy man take care of it. It's his field of expertise. Love and peace ya'll. Woowoo's out.

Two things, however. The reason, in the manga, that Wolfwood didn't return to Hopeland (until he did), and the reason, in the manga, Chapel has none of the narrative's sympathy (not even Vash really gives a fuck when Wolfwood snaps his neck, and Chapel was already in a wheelchair at the time. I remember a bookclub post that declared God hates Chapel. I'm a layperson, but I'd call that theologically sound).

I mean, there are multiple reasons, but the most relevant is that in the manga, this evil-minded wrinkly fuck trained Wolfwood to kill. Wolfwood believed that being a killer rendered him unfit to ever again return home, until the day Chapel launched a direct assault on the orphanage using Razlo and Livio, revenge upon Wolfwood for taking up another cause - being Vash's friend - when his sole loyalty and purpose was supposed to be in death. He's disgusted that Wolfwood let Vash's ideals blunt his edge when previously he was near-"perfect".

I can't tell you what shape these events will take. But I can tell you they're still in the future. Stampede is a prologue, and the final phase has not arrived. Wolfwood's beginning is complete. His real story is yet to come. And I don't think he's forgiven himself for fulfilling the contract, even if Vash has.

The angel's eye, the Eye of Michael, still watches.

(And only the angel's? We'll see.)

Anyway, back to the twins.

(Part I)

(Part II)

(Part III)

(Part IV)

(Part V)

(Part VII)

[pancake-breakfast]

Second week, second volume! Trigun Book Club!

Archive

Trigun Volume 1: Covers + 1-3, 3 Detailed Thoughts, 4, 4 DT, 5-6, 5-6 + DT, 6 DT, 7-8, 9-10

Stream-of-consciousness thoughts for Trigun Vol. 2, Covers + Extras, below.

Trigun Volume 2 Covers

The cover for this volume is so pretty, what with the plant all coming out of Vash's gun there.... Pretty and strange and kinda disturbing.

I wonder what's in those jars floating around the hairy-legged plant man thing. Are they even jars? Blood bags? Hard to say.

Hey! Wolfwood's on the back cover! WOLFWOOD IS ON THE BACK COVER!!!

Also, Legato Bluesummers. Shit.

Aaaand there's a blow-up doll on the fake back cover. Because why not.

There are a LOT of familiar faces on the back of the Japanese Volume 3 cover. I don't like it. They mean bad things are coming.

Ok, Legato's getting eaten by a shark on the fake version of it, though, and I think that's hilarious.

BUT NOT AS HILARIOUS AS MERMAID WOLFWOOD'S SEASHELLS AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I'M DYING!!!! Nightow's obsession with this man's tits confirmed.

Extra 1: Day In Day Out

Ooh, a glimpse into the daily life of Mr. The Stampede? Why do I suspect donuts are part of it?

I'm gonna be honest; I did NOT peg Vash as an early riser. Then again, it might be important if you're on the run all the time.

LOL, I remember him not being very good at meditation.

I'm imagining that egg is hard-boiled. Or hollow. Like, this is still a good trick. No need to waste breakfast on it if it fails, though.

Three HOURS?? Dang, no wonder the guy's got skills. I can't do much of anything before breakfast.

Oh, fine. I guess it was a raw egg.

LOL, "John P. Smith." The most boring alias he could come up with. I wonder what the P stands for. Pseudonym, perhaps?

Psh, Vash can be plenty sneaky. But only in fights. Or when fleeing insurance agents.

Serious Vash expression! I seriously love all his expressions.

Gambling at chess. Ok, man. Whatever floats your boat.

LOL, he lost all his money. I take it back; he needs a new hobby.

Yeah, he's definitely letting the kids get him. As we see with how fast he switches to being the person in power when the motorcycle comes through.

Funny how much trouble one can stay out of by simply foregoing revenge.

Vash would like oldies....

Ew, this bike guy's kinda creepy.

"Sonic Sodom." Yyyyyeeeeaaaahhh, that's not exactly a name that inspires trust.

I love the irony in this panel. They're talking about how dangerous Vash is while he's (apparently) being taken down by a small child.

Dude. Who fires a gun to get people to shut up like that?! Rude.

LOL, the bleeping.

Props to this lady. She's like, "I don't care who you are. If you're gonna come in here, shoot things up willy-nilly, make threats, and swear at us, then you take your ass elsewhere." Like, this happens after this guy does all these things. Mad props.

They bleeped out all that stuff, but he still calls her a bitch....

Hahahaha, that's a wonderful way to take care of the issue. Good job, Vash!

Extra 2: Pilot

(Fair warning: I'm in a Mood as I write this due to some real life stuff, so apologies if it's overly vague or anything.)

Post-Hiroshima environment?? Damn.

Heck, I'd take two years of food as a form of payment....

Ahhhhh, this jacket! It lacks the sexy leg slits, but I still love it. Also it still somehow manages to show off his waist. And throwing the Love and Peace fingers with his clearly mechanical hand!

I'm in love with this first line. "We fell from the sky like droplets of rain." Poetry. MAJOR props to @trigun-manga-overhaul for their choices in both flow and rhythm for the words.

The second sentence is a lovely contrast, what with the rain versus the sun. But also a lovely parallel, as both images are destructive.

Covering a few additional elements here: metal, wind, sand/earth.

He can't ever escape being surrounded by graves, can he? Babygirl here needs a break. I love how small he is relative to the field of death.

HEY. The right alcoholic drinks are GREAT with ice!

Oh, shoot. I recognize this story from '98.

LOL, look at him go. This was my favorite Vash entrance in all of '98. It's very memorable. I hope Johnny Yong Bosch had a blast doing the voiceover for it.

He's just dancing away from the bullets, as if it's all just luck.

LOL, three guns. It's Trigun!

Goshdarn stupid flip-up glasses....

I love how quick his reaction goes from this (Seriously, what is he, a teenager??)...

...to this.

Psh, as if Vash the Stampede needs a measly pistol to wreak havoc.

Ah, the return of lecherous Vash. NGL, was kinda hoping that moment was an anime-only. Though they really took it and ran with it, though, didn't they?

You don't get to say, "That's no way to treat a lady!" to others when you were just looking up her skirt.

LOL, I love her response here. Perfect.

Huh. Something tells me these guys are after a bit more than a rich guy's "pocket money." Is it the fact that one of them shoved a gun in the daughter's mouth? Could be. Could be....

Distracting table-crash provided by... Vash the Stampede. I told you he didn't need a gun to wreak havoc. Though of course the whole incident gave the guy's friends time to restrain him and get him away from the girl before he did anything rash.

Look at him. He's just a little guy....

Vash, not taking any chances. Distraction might not be enough. Use Advanced Projectile Gum Technique!

This sure is a colorful cast of characters....

I'm just saying, they don't really seem like the type of folks the sheriff should have on speed dial.

I love how pissed off Vash looks as they're talking about how he'll kill them all if he shows up. This is the face of a man who's had it with your lies and slander.

Dude, the rich guy was like, "Just so long as my daughter lives," and the sheriff was like, "They'll do the job so long as you pay upfront," but girl's gonna get taken down in the crossfire.

Or, she would if Mr. The Stampede wasn't there.

The girl is physically ok, but mentally, she'll be scarred forever. That's some Hellsing/AoT-levels of, "This character is definitely dead."

Aaaand three panels later, Vash realizes he forgot to continue pretending to be tied up and tries to remedy the situation.

Bossman here (I mean the gang leader, not the actual character named Bostalk) was already suspicious of Vash. Now he's extra-suspicious.

Somehow, Vash revealing his identity has not made the Bossman less suspicious.

Vash, the multi-talented. He can fight and preach at the same time.

Oh, so the field of graves at the beginning isn't Vash's fault somehow. That's... good.

I mean, dear old dad might care a lot for his daughter, but he clearly stated he didn't give a shit about the lives of anyone else in the building.

Vash is disappointed in Bossman's life choices.

BTW, Vash's hair in this whole chapter just makes me think of thistle flowers.

Yes. Refusing to do so just leads to more cruelty.

Vash just let the guy shoot the man, huh?

Oh, he's not happy about it.

Ah, yes. There's the greedy sheriff I remember!

This sheriff mentioned his hired help didn't think anything of taking human lives, but it seems they're not the only ones.

Oh, no. Sheriff triggered Angry Vash.

Not really sure what happened in this panel save that Vash was at the center of a bunch of destruction. Again.

Ah, gun arm. I thought it might be gun arm. I couldn't remember.

I love the sheriff's expression here. Like, he literally has his own gun to Vash's face, and he's effing terrified.

Vash, dodging bullets again.

WTF, he shot him right in the badge. Talk about insult and injury. My boy knows what he's doing.

LOVE AND PEACE!!!

Hahahaha, everyone else just looks sooooo confused. Hopefully, they'll get it someday.

[alena-reblobs]

Trigun Bookclub Trimax Vol11 Part2

Vol01: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3  | Vol02: Part 1 | Part 2

Trimax: Vol01 Part 1Vol01 Part 2 | Vol02 Part 1Vol02 Part 2 | Vol 03 Part 1 | Vol03 Part2 | Vol04 Part1 | Vol04 Part2 | Vol05 | Vol06 | Vol07 | Vol08 Part1 | Vol08 Part2 | Vol09 Part1 | Vol09 Part2 | Vol10 Part1 | Vol10 Part2 | Vol10 Part3 | Vol10 Part4 | Vol11 Part 1 | Vol11 Part2

And this is Part 2 of Vol11, review for chapters 4-6 below the cut!

Chapter 4:

What a cool comment by Zazie and insight we get here...so Knives is constantly hearing all the plants in his head. Boy, that must be a burden on his mind. His conscience, the 'Knives' part, is slipping away under all the other minds inhabiting him...

Sooo Elendira is trying to contact Legato...with her mind? That's a very plant thing to do (if it isn't just a neat perk you get once you become one of the GHG) I've read some posts saying that Elendira could be altered with genes of Knives, and Stampede pretty obviously tells us the same, so even though we get no clearer info in Trimax it's quite probable. Only question is why Legato could hear her, but maybe after this whole body-destroying-show he's been altered with plant genes too? I'm sure some of you guys mentioned this in your posts about this chapter too, looking forward to dig through that and read your thoughts!

fJSKJFasf Zazie! What the hell!

Legato taking a speed Webinar in his coffin about how to become an alpha male in 2 months

Heeeey he's back! Didn't miss you guy! (the drawing looks pretty sweet though)

At first, Vash was terrified of his power (first thing blocking out the memories about it and the traumatic consequences it brought upon July). He didn't know how to control it. Then slowly, he used it to protect: first subconsciously himself, then deliberately to protect Wolfwood and those dear to him. He learned to use it for HIS actions, the way HE wants to. Not to destroy but to protect. And now he's even learning new ways to use it, combining it with his old way of fighting. Isn't that so cool?

Livio!!! I love his short hair! <3 Also is Vash saying that "because it looked weird" and Livio making that affronted face in reaction? Hehe.

......this...this is the most out of context scene in the whole manga. Deus ex machina guy here to suddenly help deliver important plot devices that could not be logically be here in this place??? Nightow sir I salute you for not giving a fuck how some parts of the story are done. They are done and nothing else matters, and everybody who questions the whys and hows is weak minded.

Chapter 5:

Aah so mush sweet new information we're getting. The Indepentants (I can't remember if this is the first time that we hear them being called this way in the series? I think it is!) are nothing unknown! On earth, where humans are developing plant technology further, it seems to be a phenomenon that appears sometimes, though before they manage to wrack havoc they...die from using too much power. Which is kinda sad :(

More cool info. So the 'newer' generation of Plants and Indepentants can't fuse their minds into a bigger mass since they have neural blockers...which makes me wonder if they, meaning the newer Independants AND plants still can use the mind telepathy or if that got shut off with that. I can't remember if that gets cleared up. Super interesting to read this again tho!

There IS an explanation for how that guy got there but you just KNOW Nightow was sitting together with his editor at the end of vol10 and going "ok so hm for the final fight with Legato we uhm...there were these coins, maybe we should bring them back?" "But but we didn't see Vash collect them all! And he lost his old coat, too!" "Damn how are we going to get them all back to him again?" "Okok I got this you know some of them Meryl and Milly can collect, and uhm Zazie is still alive but maaaaaybee we could uh have some random dude being worm-controlled and uh get it to Vash" "Yeah. And we'll make it look SO random and non-serious nobody's gonna question it"

I love their dynamic so so much!! I want them to be besties, bonding for life after all this! <:'3

Helloooo~ time to introduce my second fav ship of this series, Livio and Elendira, aka called Crimsonfang.

News today: Big huggy bear crawled his way into the hearts of several bookclub citizens and refused to get out of there.

Someone's presence...Wolfwood's presence is still around them, what he fought for, his ideals, his companionship still lingering in the air and their hearts. The Dark Horse translation had me a bit at a loss over this page but I think I know get that what it's saying here is that Vash sees how much Wolfwood's legacy is living on in Livio, and how much Livio obviously tries to make Wolfwood proud and is looking up to him (not as an authority figure but as a comrade, brother and friend). And in seeing and realizing that, Vash realizes that it's the same with him, that he's also trying to protect Wolfwood's legacy, to fight for the future he died for...and that in that aspect, he and Livio are both the same, and by that, connected with each other. Wolfwood is the connection that ties these two together, not only in their grief but also in their love for that man and for his wished!!

It's also so important to get this take on the plants, to see they are not passive, but have feelings too! The thoughts he is talking about, are these the thoughts of the Plants? Sounds like it, and that would make them even more conscious beings than the reader might have thought all the time! They might not think the same way humans do, but they process information, they understand emotions, and they exchange fears, hopes, basic thoughts...they are really a cool species. I always love when I get to read some plant interaction in the fics I read :)

By the way that date is Vash's birthday. Well the confetti was already thrown the day prior ahaha

Stop it Nightow you're giving is so much information how am I to process all of that so suddenly!! After 13 volumes of nearly no explaining too!

AAAAAH this is so so sweet. I love those so much, and I love their friendship and how Meryl, who is normally shown so strong-willed, is crying at the thought of having to part with Vash again, maybe not getting to see him again...these three have come to mean so much to each other <:')) I hope Vash properly knows how to cherish that.

Sir, have you lived under a rock?

Understandably I have to say, the people are not convinced of the idea to NOT attack the ark. Also loving to see different scenes here...some ruffians fully prepared with heavy guns to attack, people praying in these last hours, and then some evil goons who use the chaos to murder, as it looks like.

Fucking military with their heavy bombs!

HELL YEAAAH HERE WE GOO

Chapter 6:

Yeah it's time Livio remembered that he saved someone, and that he had something to protect once!

Oh tehee stop flirting, Elendira.

Ok, low fucking blow, Elendira.

Combined with what we heard her saying the page before, it sounds like Elendira is just so pessimistic about the human nature (no doubt the influence of living in Knives presence and seeing only the bad sides of humaniry) that she sees no point whatsoever to believe in any good outcome that includes humans. They are worthless and destroy everything, so even if the Plants fail, they still deserve to be eradicated in her mind. Bit of a heavy opinion, but given her experience (or non-experience) about the human nature, I guess...it makes sense!

Yeah yeah, they are cute, too

Livio is determined! This meeting with Jasmine and the kids is probably exactly what he needed now. It's the confirmation that there's stuff he CAN protect by playing his part and defeat Elendira. At this point, I'm sure there's no more doubt inside of him, and the guilt of what he has done can't hinder him anymore because it has moved aside to make room for the determination to win this and help Vash and all the people. Go Livio, go! In a way, Vol11 was a volume about Livio finding his resolution and his goal.

[shastafirecracker]

Hello!!! I am so curious if you have any spare Trillium and Ivy lore that you’d like to share? Any backstories, character playlists, cut scenes, whatever you’d like! It’s definitely become one of my comfort fics, and it’s so well written and funny! Have a great day! 🤞🏻

Hell yeah! I just opened my original note/outline document to look through it, so here's some concepts that never made it into the final version (but could still be true!):

-[re:meryl and milly] one of the couple is trans. everyone assumes it is 6-foot deadlift-a-tree Milly, but it is of course 5'4" blow-away-in-a-stiff-wind Meryl

-Hoppered, or Hop, liaises with the May homeless population and still spends a huge amount of time on the streets, but has been a staple at the shelter for so long that the people who run the place started insisting on paying him to help them with outreach. He is usually around somewhere in his wheelchair with his backpack of supplies for specific recipients - like he takes people their prescriptions, makes sure the people with allergies get special groceries, knows exactly where to put up notices about shower and bed and job opportunities. One of the people at the shelter is the blind woman from the manga

-actual part of my notes: "livio's just like didja bang yet. didja bang yet. hey hey, nick. you fuckin. hey. and nick is like I Will Push You Out Of This Moving Car I Swear To God. but privately also thinking like, i can never admit how much ive been jerking it recently, could vash STOP carrying heavy bags of mulch around the parking lot all day, please vash i am going to die"

-Another long chunk of the notes, detailing the Saverem family dynamic: "vash explains he grew up on a farm with some ex-commune hippie parents who adopted he and knives and tried to get away from a lot of the groupthink of the commune while still imparting their ideals onto the twins. which meant homeschooling and a lot of camping, backpacking, learning to live off the land kinda stuff. alex died when the twins were really young but rem was a good single mom. but the twins always were competitive and when knives caused the accident it tore the family apart. vash was in the hospital for a really long time and ended up never going to college because of it, and knives started college but dropped out to join the group he ran with for several years. rem couldn't quite empty-nest because vash had to be home a lot for recovery and went through a long period of depression during which he slowly went back and got his GED, learned to cope with prosthetics and chronic pain, relearned loving the land, and turned from big farming projects to smaller garden projects. then rem was diagnosed with ovarian cancer which is cruel because she and alex never could conceive - why they adopted - and rem and vash had a really strong period of bonding while he healed and she died, during which she apologized for accidentally teaching the twins that productivity and purpose was everything, because really purpose isn't everything. just existing is a good in the world. existing and being kind to yourself and others. and plants that didn't "do" anything were just as precious as ones that made food or other "useful" stuff. Vash grows flowers for rem. she loved red flowers, especially geraniums. rem dies."

AGAIN I JUST WANT TO SAY, I was fuckign writing this before Stampede even got announced, so that damn apollo dodgeball of prophecy got me even with the idea of "plants that don't do anything."

-the original outline for the final showdown with Legato involved Livio, Zazie, Meryl & Milly ALL also going to the warehouse (later turned into the abandoned nightclub). It was batshit and I realized how untenable it was pretty early, and dumped everyone from the scene except the vital players (V, W, K, Legato). I also had this incredibly complicated way to justify why Legato getting arrested wouldn't just immediately get Knives also arrested? and then I realized that, duh, by far the easiest way to sidestep the issue was to just kill Legato. He dies in every canon anyway. Like why was I trying to keep him alive, lol.

-midvalley was going to be an FBI guy? ok sure

OTHER LITTLE SCENES I meant to write for the follow-up of mini-fics:

-Nick is from somewhere cold, and underestimates heat. He speaks at a burial in the summer (full suit, no tent) and ends up having heat exhaustion. doesn't know why he's so sick until Vash gets the details of his day out of him and Vash is like, good god man, here is water, go lie down, did you not grow up with constant PSAs about how not to get heat stroke? and nick's like NO you dipshit!

-Vash is from somewhere hot, and underestimates cold! An ice storm that is unreasonably strong for the area (thanks climate change!) passes through and Vash is just excited for snow like a kid at Christmas. meanwhile Nick is going feral trying to winterize a house that was never built for/intended to be winterized. Vash's joy at the snow helps remind him to see the beauty of it for a while, and that's nice, but then their power stays out for like a week and it becomes "huddle for warmth in a snowed in cabin" trope except more depressingly realistic bc it's your own damn home and you can barely live in it. :C (drawn from personal experience, ahaha... ugh)

-at some point I had meant to write them going on a trip to the beach with the girls, and/or a trip to December so Vash could meet Melanie and Nick could visit St. Michaels

anyway that's all I can think of for now! thank you so much for being a fan of my silly story! <3 <3 <3 I loved writing it and I love how much love it's gotten over time since I posted it.