As remakes become more popular in the anime industry, there are few that stand above the rest. Trample Trigun do. Stampede is a remake of the beloved Trigun and is considered the pinnacle reboot of the franchise. Besides the exciting story and likable characters, what really sets the reboot series apart is the fluid animation that allows viewers to see the sheer scale of the world of Trigun in motion.
The framing and perspectives in sci-fi series are difficult to achieve in a 2D environment. The animators had to use CGI to animate Vash’s chase scene in Trigun: Stampede episode 2. With tracking technology and pre-made environment models, it was only necessary to coordinate the human effects objects and guns. Without CGI, the amount of money needed for this would be huge, and that’s just for one scene. The Deep Canvas program is used to help draw 2D models on 3D, combining the best of both. Studio Ghibli and Disney have used this technology in masterpieces such as Tarzan, Treasure Planet and Boro the Caterpillar.
Trigun Stampede sets a precedent for the future of Anime
One thing that stands out about the series is the reinterpretation of classic characters, and the anime’s move to 3D really makes some of these new character designs possible. The villain in the Millions Knives series couldn’t have millions of knives attacking animatedly in such a large tornado with each individual knife rendered and completely identical without a 3D model. Despite the aid of CGI, it took Studio Orange a full two years to develop the technology needed to mimic human facial expressions and flow as well as 2D hand-drawn boxes. Only by putting so much effort into Trigun Stampede’s animation technology could the series look as good as it does.
Quality and cost are difficult to meet in today’s economy, but having 3D elements will help cut costs. In general, 3D is not implemented much in Japanese animation due to many cultural and economic factors. Hayao Miyazaki was a huge proponent of the human soul seen in art created by human hands. An example of this is shown perfectly in episode 6 of Trigun Stampede. Wolfwood’s backstory is represented in this older art form. Wolfwood’s childhood is not realistic, it is idealized and exaggerated with warm colors and then turned to vivid colors. Idealization is the specialty of 2D animation.
Trigun Stampede’s studio creates a solid base for more 3D anime
Trigun Stampede’s production company Studio Orange has been a major proponent and user of 3D animation in recent years. Main director Kiyotaka Waki, who worked on the reboot has also worked on other 3D anime such as BEASTARS. Trigun was not popular in Japan after its initial release, but exploded in popularity in the US, perhaps due to its combination of Western and science fiction. At Sakura con 2023, there was talk of a second season of Trigun and Waki being willing to take the opportunity to use 3D CGI because of the series’ popularity in the West. With the series’ warm reception, Trigun Stampede The impressive animation may just be a sign of things to come for the anime industry.